Pelican Press

Kings trade De'Aaron Fox to Spurs, acquire Zach LaVine from Bulls in reported deal – FOX Sports Kings trade De'Aaron Fox to Spurs, acquire Zach LaVine from Bulls in reported deal – FOX Sports Kings trade De’Aaron Fox to Spurs, acquire Zach LaVine from Bulls in reported deal FOX SportsReports: De’Aaron Fox headed to Spurs, Zach LaVine to Kings in 3-team trade NBA.ComDe’Aaron Fox, Zach LaVine trade: Winners and losers ESPNDe’Aaron Fox trade grades: Spurs fleece Kings and Bulls again as Victor Wembanyama gets new sidekick CBS Sports2 NBA stars on the move in latest blockbuster deal: report Fox News Source link #Kings #trade #De039Aaron #Fox #Spurs #acquire #Zach #LaVine #Bulls #reported #deal #FOX #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Perth Wildcats’ Kylie Minogue problem: NBL club may be forced out of RAC Arena for playoff opener Perth Wildcats’ Kylie Minogue problem: NBL club may be forced out of RAC Arena for playoff opener Perth Wildcats will be forced to play a home final at their former Mt Claremont home if they finish third on the NBL ladder after RAC Arena was booked out for nearly a week as part of the build up to Kyle Minogue’s upcoming concert. Furious Wildcats owner Mark Arena has lashed RAC Arena for not keeping their home court available for the most important time of the year. Minogue announced her *********** tour last September and locked in RAC Arena on February 15 as her first location. The Wildcats will play their last game of the regular season on Friday night and Bryan Adams will perform on Sunday before the stadium is handed over the Kylie for the following six days. That means if the Wildcats beat Adelaide on Friday night and finish third on the ladder, they will have no option than to move a play-in game to Perth High Performance Centre – formerly HBF Stadium and Challenge Stadium – on Tuesday February 11. More than 13,000 fans have often attended Wildcats game this season, but nearly near two thirds of those people will be locked out of Perth HPC, which has a capacity of around 4500. “I’m super disappointed and angry,” Arena told The West ***********. Camera IconMark Arena. Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West *********** “We are an anchor tenant at RAC Arena and are having to play at a sub-par venue as a result. I’m really frustrated with RAC Arena given they have booked such a big ******* of time during our finals series. They should not have booked this ******* time for a booking anywhere during this finals series. “We give them a lot of money. It’s nothing against Kylie. I’d love to go to her show, but I am super frustrated. We are in the finals, we’ve worked really hard all season. We are deserving of home court advantage and because of their scheduling it is not going to happen. “It’s pretty close to locked in. If we finish third we will host the first play-in and as it stands now, the likelihood is on the Tuesday night we will play at the Perth HPC. We’e going to have to go out to our members and say first come, first served, unfortunately.” The Wildcats can still finish second on the ladder but must thrash Adelaide and then have Melbourne United lose by a big margin against South East Melbourne on Sunday to make up the 1.16 percentage points difference. If that happens, the Wildcats will qualify for the semifinals and will play at RAC Arena later in the month. If they finish fourth, their play-in game will be played on an away court. But if they remain in third spot or drop to fifth, they won’t have access to their home court. “I think it is a disadvantage. How big I am not sure,” Arena said. “Perth HPC is a small intimate venue. We have a 9-5 record at RAC Arena this season. We haven’t played at Perth HPC for more than a decade. It’s not ideal. But I imagine being small and intimate with 4000-4500 fans, it will still be a home court advantage.” Camera IconShawn Redhage celebrates his block and Perth’s win in their last game at then Challenge Stadium in 2012. Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images The Wildcats haven’t played at the Mount Claremont venue since 2012, with Shawn Redhage’s block on CJ Bruton to seal a Game 2 grand final victory the last-ever Perth sequence at the venue. The venue holds fond memories for Cats veteran Jesse Wagstaff, who won the first of his six NBL championships there as a rookie in 2010. Camera IconThe Wildcats celebrate their 2010 title. Credit: Mal Fairclough/WA News Source link #Perth #Wildcats #Kylie #Minogue #problem #NBL #club #forced #RAC #Arena #playoff #opener Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Asia automakers lead the decline as region takes a beating from Trump tariffs Asia automakers lead the decline as region takes a beating from Trump tariffs (Reuters) – Shares of Japanese and South Korean car makers and their suppliers led declines in Asia on Monday, as exporters across the region were walloped by U.S. President Donald Trump’s introduction of sweeping tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China. The move by Trump, though widely expected, knocked some of the world’s biggest manufacturers, as investors grappled with the prospect of weakening demand from the world’s top economy and, more worryingly, the possibility of a downturn in global growth. Automakers were among the hardest hit. Many Japanese and South Korean car makers, and their suppliers, have operations in Mexico and have long exported cars made there to the United States. Toyota, the world’s top automaker, and smaller rival Nissan fell more than 5%. Honda tumbled more than 7%. Nissan has two plants in Mexico, where it makes the Sentra, Versa and Kicks models for the U.S. market. It exports about 300,000 vehicles to the U.S. a year, Chief Executive Makoto Uchida said in November. Honda sends 80% of its ******** output to the U.S. market, and its chief operating officer Shinji Aoyama warned in November it would have to think about shifting production if the U.S. were to impose permanent tariffs on imported vehicles. South Korea’s Kia Motors which has a factory in Mexico, fell nearly 7%. South Korean electric vehicle battery firms and battery materials makers, which had plans to build factories in Canada to supply to GM, Ford and other companies slumped. POSCO Future M and EcoPro BM dived 9.1% and 8.7%, respectively. Trump imposed 25% tariffs on ******** and most ********* imports and 10% on goods from China. While mainland China’s markets are closed for the Lunar New Year holiday, ******** stocks listed in Hong Kong slid on Monday, reflecting the concern about the tariffs. Mexico and Canada have vowed to impose retaliatory tariffs, with ********* Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing 25% tariffs against $155 billion of U.S. goods. Australia’s big iron ore miners, BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue were down between 2 and 5 percent on Monday on prospects the tariffs would stunt global growth. Rio Tinto was seen as most exposed due to its ********* aluminium business, which analysts estimate sells around 1.35-1.6 million metric tons into the U.S. and which would likely be rerouted to other markets. The tariffs would likely mean a 4% impact to its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), according to analyst Glyn Lawcock of Barrenjoey. Shares of Taiwanese tech companies with factories in Mexico fell, with Foxconn down 8%, Quanta down around 10% and Inventec down 8%. (Reporting by David Dolan in Tokyo, Melanie Burton in Melbourne, Ben Blanchard in Taipei, and Hyun Joo Jin in Seoul; Editing by Shri Navaratnam) Source link #Asia #automakers #lead #decline #region #takes #beating #Trump #tariffs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Chappell Roan Comes Down on Music Industry in Grammy Acceptance Speech: “Do You Got Us?” – Hollywood Reporter Chappell Roan Comes Down on Music Industry in Grammy Acceptance Speech: “Do You Got Us?” – Hollywood Reporter Chappell Roan Comes Down on Music Industry in Grammy Acceptance Speech: “Do You Got Us?” Hollywood ReporterChappell Roan’s 2025 Grammys Speech Demands Livable Wages for Artists Business InsiderGrammys 2025 Live Updates: Chappell Roan Named Best New Artist The New York TimesKendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ wins record of the year at the 2025 Grammys The Associated Press Source link #Chappell #Roan #Music #Industry #Grammy #Acceptance #Speech #Hollywood #Reporter Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*********** housing construction continues to lag despite December boost *********** housing construction continues to lag despite December boost Australia remains behind its ambitious target of 1.2 million new homes by 2029 despite a bounce in new housing approvals in December. Source link #*********** #housing #construction #continues #lag #December #boost Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng receives a hero’s welcome back home DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng receives a hero’s welcome back home DeepSeek founder Lian Wenfeng is being hailed as a hero in the southern ******** province of Guangdong, where he grew up and reportedly returned for the Lunar New Year, joined by bodyguards. Wenfeng—who, at 40, is already a billionaire due to his hedge fund, High-Flyer—is apparently even more beloved by locals following DeepSeek’s breakthrough research, which demonstrated that powerful AI models could be built with fewer Nvidia chips. The finding has significant implications, particularly in China, where access to the highest-end chips has been restricted. Residents tell the Financial Times that Wenfeng was a “top student” who loved comic books, was a math *****, and came from a family of educators. According to one local, Wenfeng also played some football. “We all grew up in this village,” the resident tells the FT. “We’re very proud of him.” Despite his rising star, Wenfeng has largely avoided public attention, frustrating those eager to learn more about him. Given the fate of high-flying ******** CEOs like Jack Ma and Pony Ma — who faced government scrutiny after gaining a little too much visibility — don’t be surprised if Wenfeng chooses to stay in the background. Source link #DeepSeek #founder #Liang #Wenfeng #receives #heros #home Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kanye West’s Wife Bianca Censori Wears Sheer Dress to the 2025 Grammys – The New York Times Kanye West’s Wife Bianca Censori Wears Sheer Dress to the 2025 Grammys – The New York Times Kanye West’s Wife Bianca Censori Wears Sheer Dress to the 2025 Grammys The New York TimesKanye West Makes Grammys Return for the First Time in 10 Years with Naked Wife Bianca Censori PEOPLE Source link #Kanye #Wests #Wife #Bianca #Censori #Wears #Sheer #Dress #Grammys #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Class win, rapid pace for Arise Ferrari GT3s in the Bathurst 12 Hour Class win, rapid pace for Arise Ferrari GT3s in the Bathurst 12 Hour Arise Racing GT’s first appearance at the Bathurst 12 Hour netted a debut class win and almost an overall victory, thanks to the pace of Supercars ace Chaz Mostert. In only the Western ***********-based team’s second competitive outing at Mount Panorama, the #26 Pro and #36 Pro-Am Ferrari 296 GT3s lined up fifth and 16th on the grid, respectively. After starting at 5:45am local time (the 12 Hour is the only international endurance race to get underway before sunrise), the racing quickly heated up, with the leading GT3 contenders pushing their machinery hard in the cool morning temperatures. While it was Mostert who opened the driving account of the #26, co-driver Will Brown soon took over and was lucky to avoid damage after a bold around-the-outside passing attempt by the #77 Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Maximilian Götz, who made contact with the Ferrari and ended up buried in the sand at the final corner. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert The first major incident of the day came just before the two-hour mark, when the #25 McLaren Artura GT4 of Ryan Sorensen crashed out at McPhillamy Park on approach to Skyline, inadvertently hitting the #44 Audi R8 LMS of Marcel Zalloua, taking the former out of the race and causing damage to the latter, resulting in lengthy repairs. A second major incident happened two hours and 20 minutes into the race, when Stephen Grove in the #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 moved wide at Skyline to allow the faster Kenny Habul-driven #75 Mercedes through on the inside. The two cars made contact, sending the #4 into the wall violently, clearing the height of the concrete barrier but not vaulting over. Grove was taken to hospital to be assessed. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert Halfway through the race, all cars in the top 10 were on the lead lap, with the #26 of Mostert, Brown and Daniel Serra appearing to be Arise’s only hope for a strong result, while the #36 of Jaxon Evans, Alessio Rovera, Brad Schumacher and Elliot Schutte battled with the #91 Porsche 911 GT3 for Pro-Am class honours. The final safety car of the race came with just under five hours to go, after the #888 Mercedes hit the wall at the exit of The Chase. This set up a thrilling finish, with more than half a dozen cars still on the lead lap, including the #26 Ferrari. A slow pit stop meant that Brown got back behind the wheel trailing the #911 Porsche of Alessio Picariello, fighting each other for the best part of an hour before the latter went off the road at the final corner, handing the place over. In the same stint, the #36 Ferrari vaulted to the Pro-Am class lead and inside the top 10 overall standings. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert Serra piloted the #26 for the best part of an hour before handing it over to Mostert for the final 80-minute run home, though it quickly became clear the Ferrari wouldn’t make it without needing another stop, unless a safety car came out. While that never eventuated, Mostert – with no choice other than to go for broke – pushed the #26 to the limit, and took the race lead from the #32 BMW M4 GT3 of Kelvin van der Line with 38 minutes remaining, with the latter not having to pit again. Unfortunately the hail mary run came to an end with 23 minutes to go when Mostert pitted for fuel and fresh tyres, which led to a recovery drive in the final stint. Out front the #32 BMW continued to dominate while the #46 sister car, piloted by Raffaele Marciello – and shared with Charles Weerts and nine-times MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi – battled the #75 Mercedes of Jules Gounon for what would become the second step on the podium. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert Just before the 20-minute mark, Marciello made his move, passing Gounon with two wheels in the grass down Conrod Straight, which led to the BMW taking second when the #77 pitted for fuel just six minutes from the finish. The race ended with the #32 BMW of the brothers van der Linde (Kelvin and Sheldon) and Augusto Farfus winning, ahead of the #46 BMW and the #75 Mercedes. Mostert brought the #26 Ferrari home in fourth, while Evans crossed the line eighth in the #36 entry, earning it a Pro-Am class win. The result came after a strong debut year for Arise Racing GT, which won the 2024 GT World Challenge Australia title with Mostert and Liam Talbot. Source link #Class #win #rapid #pace #Arise #Ferrari #GT3s #Bathurst #Hour Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Breaking the taboo around ‘living wills’ in India Breaking the taboo around ‘living wills’ in India In 2010, IP Yadev, a surgeon from the southern Indian state of Kerala, was confronted with one of the hardest decisions of his life. He had to decide between keeping his father – a terminal ******* patient – alive, and honouring his wish, expressed verbally, to stop all treatments and put an end to his suffering. Warning: This article contains some distressing details “As a son, I felt it was my duty to do whatever I could to prolong my father’s life. This made him unhappy and he ended up dying alone in an intensive-care unit. The doctor’s last efforts to revive him using CPR crushed his ribs. It was a horrible death,” Dr Yadev says. The experience, he says, deeply impacted him and helped him realise the importance of advance medical directives (AMDs), also known as living wills. A living will is a legal document that allows a person over 18 years to choose the medical care they would want to receive if they develop a terminal illness or condition with no hope of recovery and are unable to make decisions by themselves. For example, they could specify that they don’t want to be put on life-support machines or insist that they want to be given adequate pain-relieving medication. In 2018, India’s Supreme Court allowed people to draw up living wills and thereby choose passive euthanasia, where medical treatment can be withdrawn under strict guidelines to hasten a person’s death. Active euthanasia – any act that intentionally helps a person kill themselves – is ******** in the country. But despite the legal go-ahead, the concept of living wills hasn’t really taken off in India. Experts say that this has much to do with the way Indians talk, or rather, don’t talk about death. Death is often considered to be a taboo subject and any mention of it is thought to bring bad luck. But there are now efforts underway to change this. In November, Dr Yadev and his team launched India’s first programme – at the Government Medical College in Kerala’s Kollam district – to educate people about living wills, offering information in person and over the phone. Volunteers also conduct awareness campaigns and distribute will templates. Volunteers at the information counter on living wills in the government-run hospital at Kollam, Kerala [IP Yadev] Creating a living will requires family members to have open and honest conversations about death. Despite some resistance, activists and institutions are taking steps to raise awareness, and there’s a growing, though cautious, interest. Kerala leads the way in these conversations. Currently, it has the country’s best palliative care network, and organisations that offer end-of-life care have also started awareness campaigns around living wills. In March, around 30 people from the Pain and Palliative Care society in Thrissur city signed living wills. Dr E Divakaran, founder of the society, says that the gesture is aimed at make the idea more popular among people. “Most people have never heard of the term so they have many questions, like whether such a directive can be misused or if they can make changes to their wills later on,” Mr Yadev says, adding that most inquiries have come from people in their 50s and 60s. “Right now, it’s the educated, upper-middle class that’s making use of the facility. But with grassroot awareness campaigns, we’re expecting the demographic to widen,” he says. According to the Supreme Court order, a person must draft the will, sign it in the presence of two witnesses, and have it attested by a notary or gazetted officer. A copy of the will must then be submitted to a state government-appointed custodian. While the guidelines exist on paper, many state governments are yet to set up mechanisms to implement them. This is what Dr Nikhil Datar, a gynaecologist from Mumbai city, realised when he made his living will two years ago as there was no custodian to whom he could submit it. Dr Nikhil Datar (right) handing over his living will to the custodian [Nikhil Datar] So he went to court and it resulted in the Maharashtra government appointing about 400 officials across local bodies in the state to serve as custodians of living wills. In June, Goa state implemented the Supreme Court’s orders around living wills and a high court judge became the first person in the state to register one. On Saturday, Karnataka state ordered district health officers to nominate people to serve on a key medical board required to certify living wills. [Two medical boards have to certify that a patient meets necessary criteria for the implementation of a living will before medical practitioners can act on it.] Mr Datar is also advocating for a centralised digital repository for living wills, accessible nationwide. He has also made his own will available for free on his website as a template. He believes a will helps prevent problems for both families and doctors when a patient is in a vegetative state and beyond recovery. “Very often, family members don’t want the person to endure more treatment but because they can’t care for the patient at home, they keep them in the hospital. Doctors, bound by medical ethics, can’t withhold treatment, so the patient ends up suffering with no way to express their wishes,” Mr Datar says. Living wills aren’t just about choosing passive euthanasia. Dr Yadev recalls a case where a person wanted his will to specify that he should be placed on life support if his condition ever required it. “He explained that his only child was living abroad and that he didn’t want to die until his son got to meet him,” Mr Yadev says. “You have the freedom to choose how you want to die. It is one of the greatest rights available to us, so why not exercise it?” he says. Healthcare advocates say that conversations around palliative care are slowly growing in the country, giving an impetus to living wills. Dr Sushma Bhatnagar of Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences says the hospital is launching a department to educate patients about living wills. “Ideally, doctors should discuss living wills with patients, but there’s a communication gap,” she says, adding that training doctors for these conversations can help ensure a person dies with dignity. “Throughout our lives, our choices are coloured by our loved ones’ wishes or by what society thinks is right,” Mr Yadev says. “At least in death, let us make choices that are in our interest and fully our own.” Source link #Breaking #taboo #living #wills #India Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

NASA Uncovers Life’s Building Blocks in Asteroid Bennu’s Pristine Sample – SciTechDaily NASA Uncovers Life’s Building Blocks in Asteroid Bennu’s Pristine Sample – SciTechDaily NASA Uncovers Life’s Building Blocks in Asteroid Bennu’s Pristine Sample SciTechDailyAbundant ammonia and nitrogen-rich soluble organic matter in samples from asteroid (101955) Bennu Nature.comNASA’s Asteroid Bennu Sample Reveals Mix of Life’s Ingredients NASALife’s building blocks discovered in asteroid dust CNNNASA scientists want to solve a mystery: Why did life “turn left?” Mashable Source link #NASA #Uncovers #Lifes #Building #Blocks #Asteroid #Bennus #Pristine #Sample #SciTechDaily Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Taiwan star Barbie Hsu dies at 48 Taiwan star Barbie Hsu dies at 48 Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu has died from pneumonia after contracting influenza while on a vacation in Japan, local media report. She was 48. Hsu is one of the biggest names in the Mandarin-speaking world and is best known for starring in the 2001 TV series Meteor Garden. Meteor Garden was dubbed in several languages and made Hsu a big star in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand. Her sister, Dee Hsu, confirmed her death to Taiwan’s TVBS News on Monday. “During the Lunar New Year, or family came to Japan for vacation. My dearest sister Barbie has unfortunately left us after getting pneumonia, triggered by an influenza,” Dee Hsu said in a statement shared by her manager. “I’m thankful to be her sister in this lifetime, taking care of each other … I will always be grateful to her and remember her.” Source link #Taiwan #star #Barbie #Hsu #dies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Westgold Resources shares hammered as the gold miner forecasts lower production and higher costs Westgold Resources shares hammered as the gold miner forecasts lower production and higher costs Karora Resources is proving difficult to digest for Westgold Resources six months after being swallowed up for $1.2 billion. Source link #Westgold #Resources #shares #hammered #gold #miner #forecasts #production #higher #costs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump and Musk’s friendship takes a dark turn Trump and Musk’s friendship takes a dark turn Less than two weeks into Trump’s return, it’s clear that Elon Musk has had an outsized and unusual role: helping Trump wage a war on his own federal government. Musk is not a federal employee and has no clearances, yet has already gained access to highly sensitive information at the Treasury and USAID. And those who have tried to stand in his way have either been put on leave or forced to resign. MSNBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin speaks with former Congressman Denver Riggleman and Democratic Strategist Julie Roginsky about how dangerous this is for U.S. democracy. Source link #Trump #Musks #friendship #takes #dark #turn Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Treasury Dept. gives Elon Musk's team access to federal payment system: Sources – ABC News Treasury Dept. gives Elon Musk's team access to federal payment system: Sources – ABC News Treasury Dept. gives Elon Musk’s team access to federal payment system: Sources ABC NewsMusk says DOGE is halting Treasury payments to US contractors FortuneElon Musk’s Team Now Has Access to Treasury’s Payments System The New York TimesElon Musk’s DOGE commission gains access to sensitive Treasury payment systems: AP sources The Associated PressMusk to give update on reform effort amid questions about his power Reuters Source link #Treasury #Dept #Elon #Musk039s #team #access #federal #payment #system #Sources #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Early Childhood Education Minister Sabine Winton says full-time kindy election pledge a 10-year project Early Childhood Education Minister Sabine Winton says full-time kindy election pledge a 10-year project WA Labor’s promise of full-time kindergarten is expected be a ‘10-year project’ as principals expressed worries the promise was focused more on cost of living issues instead of educational benefits. Source link #Early #Childhood #Education #Minister #Sabine #Winton #fulltime #kindy #election #pledge #10year #project Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rupee drops past 87/USD as Trump tariffs rattle Asian currencies Rupee drops past 87/USD as Trump tariffs rattle Asian currencies MUMBAI (Reuters) – The Indian rupee weakened past 87 per U.S. dollar for the first time on Monday, as Asian currencies slumped after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on the country’s largest trading partners, driving a surge in the U.S. dollar. The rupee dropped 0.5% to a low of 87.07 in early trade, with traders expecting the currency to face further losses throughout the day. Trump, in three executive orders in the weekend, imposed 25% tariffs on ******** and most ********* imports, and 10% on goods from China, starting on Tuesday. The dollar index was up 0.3% at 109.8, while Asian currencies weakened, with the offshore ******** yuan – a closely watched counterpart of the rupee – down 0.5% at 7.35 per U.S. dollar. (Reporting by Jaspreet Kalra; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips) Source link #Rupee #drops #87USD #Trump #tariffs #rattle #Asian #currencies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Best Friends Animal Society withdraws funding offer for Provo feline program Best Friends Animal Society withdraws funding offer for Provo feline program A cat-astrophe may be on the horizon for feral animals in Provo after an animal ******** organization announced it was rescinding its offer of a cat neutering program due to the city allegedly causing delays. Best Friends Animal Society says it had offered Provo support, valued up to $1 million over three years, to implement and run a citywide cat spay and neuter pilot program that would aim to “eliminate the need to even consider killing cats entering the shelter.” “We were hopeful that Provo city would finally be the leader to at least give this lifesaving program a shot. But despite good faith efforts and hearing positive feedback from the mayor and City Council, our offer has been met with constant delays and roadblocks,” said Holly Sizemore, chief mission officer at Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends said it began talking with city leaders in February 2024 about ways to help the feral cat population and “patiently” waited for the program to move forward. However, there were “delays and lack of communication” from the city, and in November, the Provo police expressed opposition to the program while the City Council voted in favor of pursuing it, the company said. “By ignoring the offer, the police department and mayor’s office actively choose not to improve the care their community’s cats receive,” the society’s statement Thursday continued. “The offer would have been at no cost to the city or the animal shelter.” The organization said it will redirect the funding to support partners and shelters who demonstrate “a greater sense of urgency and commitment to save at-risk pets in shelters.” A statement from Provo said the city had been considering Best Friends’ proposal for “some time” to implement a trap-neuter-release program to manage the feral cat population. “We appreciate their interest in working in our community, their dedication to animal ********, and their patience as we carefully evaluated this issue from multiple perspectives,” the city said. Trap-neuter-release programs have strong advocates for the process, but some studies have found them ineffective and inhumane in certain environments like Provo, where weather presents challenges, the city’s statement said. City leaders listened to citizens and consulted with animal experts on the impact the program would have on residents, public health and local wildlife, the statement said. “While we were still in the process of evaluating these factors, Best Friends informed us they were withdrawing their funding offer for the program. While our findings thus far had indicated a (trap-neuter-release) program was not right for Provo, we sincerely appreciate Best Friends’ willingness to collaborate and understand their decision to focus their resources elsewhere,” the city statement said. Utah County’s shelter system is at a “critical” point for cats and dogs, with the highest kill rate in the state, Best Friends said. The two shelters, North Utah Valley Animal Shelter and South Utah Valley Animal Shelter are responsible for 96% of all cats killed in Utah, the organization said. “This is largely due to the trapping, impounding and killing of otherwise healthy outdoor cats and a long-standing refusal to adopt contemporary cat programs that most other Utah shelters adopted,” Best Friends Animal Society said. Source link #Friends #Animal #Society #withdraws #funding #offer #Provo #feline #program Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

"It was incredible" — researchers discover nearly 200 dinosaur footprints in England – Stewartville Star "It was incredible" — researchers discover nearly 200 dinosaur footprints in England – Stewartville Star “It was incredible” — researchers discover nearly 200 dinosaur footprints in England Stewartville StarGiant Megalosaurus Tracks Found in Stunning Discovery of Ancient Jurassic “Superhighway” SciTechDailyUnder The Surface Of A Farm In Oxford, ***, Something Unusual Was Afoot. When Hundreds Of Archaeologists Moved In, They Discovered A Major Dinosaur Highway Preserved Underground. Twisted Sifter200 Dinosaur Footprints Estimated 166 Million Years Old Found In England VOI EnglishDinosaur highway found in Oxfordshire Euro Weekly News Source link #quotIt #incrediblequot #researchers #discover #dinosaur #footprints #England #Stewartville #Star Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fox set to join Wembanyama at Spurs in 3-team trade Fox set to join Wembanyama at Spurs in 3-team trade Sacramento point guard De’Aaron Fox is poised to link with young French giant Victor Wembanyama at San Antonio. Source link #Fox #set #join #Wembanyama #Spurs #3team #trade Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Massive, One-Mile-Long Volcano Off West Coast Could Blow Massive, One-Mile-Long Volcano Off West Coast Could Blow Poised some 300 miles off the coast of Oregon, one mile beneath the sea, yet rising 3,600 feet high, and spanning 1.2 miles across, one of the world’s most active volcanoes rests. It’s waiting, gurgling with seismic activity, preparing for a possible eruption sometime this year, according to scientists. The Axial Seamount – the “most active submarine volcano in the NE Pacific” – is being monitored by scientists from the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Scientists at Oregon State University. And according to them, due an increase in recent activity, a potential eruption is nigh. But don’t start battening down the hatches and running for the hills just yet. Since the volcano – which is part of the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire,” the most volcanically active region in the world – is so far off the coast, buried deep beneath the sea, don’t expect any tsunamis or land-based earthquakes to come with the possible eruption. This volcano isn’t likely to have explode in the typical sense of the word; more likely, it will feature low speed lava flows beneath the surface. Related: 1,000,000,000,000 Ton Iceberg Breaks Loose in Antarctica And recently, with scientists publishing their findings at the Axial Seamount, and anticipating a possible eruption, they’ve been dispelling misleading media coverage surrounding the event. “Axial Seamount has been in the news a lot lately,” Bill Chadwick, a volcanologist at Oregon State University, wrote in a January 30th blog post. “What is going on?” Chadwick continued to dispel deceptive media coverage. About one story in particular, he wrote: “This is probably a misunderstanding of my October 26, 2024 post below in which I said Axial was still inflating and that ‘it can’t do this forever.’ But that doesn’t mean it is certain that it will erupt thisyear! This shows no understanding of what we are trying to do at Axial. It is all very uncertain, and we are experimenting to see if long-term forecasts are possible here. “Also misleading is the image at the top of the story that shows lava exploding at the sea surface, something that will never happen at Axial. The problem with bad reporting like this is that it propagates and begets more bad stories, misinformation, and misunderstanding. Here’s hoping for better science reporting and fact checking…” So, refraining from my own journalistic sensationalism tendencies, and simply adhering to the scientific facts, don’t fret about a looming catastrophe related to this super volcano possibly erupting. Listen to the experts. Nonetheless, it’s still pretty neat (and slightly alarming) to learn about. Related: 20 Years Later: Remembering the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami (Photos) Source link #Massive #OneMileLong #Volcano #West #Coast #Blow Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sources: Flaherty back to Tigers on $35M deal – ESPN Sources: Flaherty back to Tigers on $35M deal – ESPN Sources: Flaherty back to Tigers on $35M deal ESPNDetroit Tigers sign Jack Flaherty to two-year, $35 million contract with opt-out clause Detroit Free PressJack Flaherty Signing With the Detroit Tigers on an Extremely Modest Deal Bleacher NationBatting Around: Where will Jack Flaherty sign? Which team needs the free-agent starter the most? CBS SportsFlaherty set to return to Tigers on 2-year deal (source) MLB.com Source link #Sources #Flaherty #Tigers #35M #deal #ESPN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

'Punitive, cruel' youth justice system under microscope 'Punitive, cruel' youth justice system under microscope The federal government has been urged to take responsibility for ensuring youth justice policies uphold children’s human rights at a senate inquiry. Source link #039Punitive #cruel039 #youth #justice #system #microscope Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tunisia sets sights on becoming world’s top seawater therapy spot Tunisia sets sights on becoming world’s top seawater therapy spot With a Mediterranean coastline, natural thermal springs, clement weather and affordability, Tunisia has become the world’s second-largest destination for seawater-based treatments known as thalassotherapy. Now, it is setting its sights on overtaking France to claim the top spot. “The main advantage of Tunisia is its coast and thalassotherapy,” compared with neighbouring countries, said Mario Paolo, an Italian, at the Korbous thermal spa, perched on a hill an hour’s drive from the capital, Tunis. A 78-year-old retiree who has lived in Tunisia for the past five years, Paolo said he frequently visits Tunisian thalassotherapy centres “to get back in shape”. “Enjoying sea water and natural springs is not just leisure but also a therapy,” Paolo said after a thyme and rosemary oil massage. Korbous, a coastal town on the Cap Bon peninsula, has historically been one of Tunisia’s hot spots for the therapy, which uses sea water and other marine resources. Thalassotherapy is an “ancestral heritage” for Tunisians, “since hydrotherapy has existed in Tunisia since antiquity, at the time of the Carthaginians and the Romans,” Shahnez Guizani, the head of the National Office of Thermalism (ONTH), told AFP. Other popular thalassotherapy destinations in the country include Sousse, Hammamet, Monastir, and Djerba, which Tunisian news agency TAP said was named the Mediterranean thalassotherapy capital in 2014 by the World Federation of Hydrotherapy and Climatotherapy. Rouaa Machat, 22, said she travelled from France to Korbous for a three-day wellness retreat. “I’m here to enjoy the types of water this beautiful town offers,” she said, referring to the use of seawater, spring water, and desalinated water for therapy. “But I am also here for this,” she added, grinning and pointing to the Korbous sea and mountains. Customers mainly come for the quality of spring water, said ***** Haddad, a doctor who heads the thalassotherapy centre at the Royal Tulip Korbous Bay hotel. Today, Tunisia boasts 60 thalassotherapy centres and 390 spas, 84 percent of which are located in hotels, according to the ONTH. Tourism accounts for seven percent of the country’s GDP and provides nearly half a million jobs, according to official figures. The sector has seen a decade of setbacks due to terrorist attacks and later the COVID-19 pandemic. But it has been recovering again as the number of foreign visitors exceeded 10 million last year — a record for the country of 12 million people. – ‘Palm trees and the sun’ – Guizani said thalassotherapy on its own draws about 1.2 million foreign visitors a year, with “70 percent coming from Europe, including 40 percent from France”. The industry generates approximately 200 million dinars ($63 million, 60 million euros) per year, she added. That compares with a French thalassotherapy market valued at around 100 million euros last year, according to market research firm Businesscoot. At a luxury hotel near Monastir, a thalassotherapy centre buzzes with customers despite the cold winter season. Visitors have come from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, among other countries. “As soon as you arrive, you find palm trees and the sun,” said Monique Dicrocco, a 65-year-old French tourist. “It’s pure happiness, and it’s also worth your money.” “Here the therapy is much cheaper than in France, with 1,000 euros a week all inclusive instead of 3,000,” she added. Jean-Pierre Ferrante, 64, from Cannes, said he found “the quality of the water and the facilities just as good as in France”. Kaouther Meddeb, head of the thalassotherapy and spa centre at the Royal Elyssa Hotel in Monastir, said the number of clients has been growing lately. Yet despite meeting international standards, the sector remains underappreciated in Tunisia, she said. “There’s a lack of communication and promotion,” she added. Experts say more investment is needed in infrastructure. This includes road improvements and air services, they say, as there are few low-cost flights. But plans are already underway to develop eco-friendly thermal resorts in regions like Beni M’tir, a mountainous village in the northwest, and near Lake Ichkeul south of Bizerte, said Guizani. “With all the advantages it has, Tunisia is poised to become the world leader in thalassotherapy,” she added. kl/fka/bou/it/lb Source link #Tunisia #sets #sights #worlds #top #seawater #therapy #spot Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

South Korea has a big household debt problem. The country’s unique rental system may be to blame South Korea has a big household debt problem. The country’s unique rental system may be to blame Illuminated residential buildings and houses at dusk in Mokpo, South Korea, on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Central banks, by and large, have one overarching mandate: to ensure price stability and control inflation in a country. Policymakers in South Korea need to contend with another responsibility: managing high household debt. References to household debt often, if not always, come up in the Bank of Korea’s monetary policy decision. BOK Governor Rhee Chang Yong said in a speech on Jan. 2 that “there has been some criticism regarding why the Bank of Korea takes household debt into account and appears overly cautious when deciding the Base Rate.” Why then, is household debt so important to the BOK’s monetary policy considerations? The short answer: it’s too high. The long answer? Much more complicated. Park Jeongwoo, Nomura’s economist for South Korea and Taiwan, told CNBC that the BOK is concerned about the negative long-term impact of higher household debt on growth. “The BOK thinks [the] higher debt burden has weakened households’ spending power. At the same time, strong debt-financed demand for housing resulted in distorted capital allocation across the economy, leading to more allocation of capital to not-productive sectors.” Unique housing system Two factors that contribute to the high amount of debt among households in South Korea is a heavy usage of credit cards, and the unique system of housing in South Korea. Prospective homeowners can of course, buy their own homes outright, but for those who cannot, they need to rent. But unlike most rental systems around the world, South Korean renters pay a deposit known as “jeonse” or “key money,” instead of a monthly rent, according to Samuel Rhee, co-founder, chairman and group chief investment officer for wealth platform Endowus. The jeonse is a deposit about 50%-80% of the market value of the property. At the end of their lease, the deposit is returned to the renter. For the landlord, the jeonse is an interest-free loan, which they are free to invest. However, renters will usually take out a loan to fund the jeonse deposit, which Rhee said causes “a lot of burden and excess debt in the system for housing.” He notes that while the overall household debt to GDP ratio has not increased significantly in the past few years, rising interest rates have increased the burden of servicing the debt, “which has been the primary concern for the BOK and Korean government.” Rhee pointed out that while the BOK had cut rates twice to take them to 3% at the end of last year, the banks have not passed on the lowered interest rates to consumers. This means that while the BOK has cut rates, renters’ interest costs have not gone down. ‘Economic catastrophe’ Ryota Abe, who is an economist at the global markets and treasury department for Asia Pacific at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, said that the household debt ratio in South Korea is of concern because it could affect the country’s economic growth by making the financial sector fragile. “In case [a] credit crunch happens because the borrowers are not able to repay the debt as it is too huge, the issue will bring deflationary pressures as well as an economic recession.” Abe cited figures by the Bank of International Settlements, which said South Korea’s household debt ratio stood at 91% of GDP as of the second quarter of 2024. In comparison, household debt in other advanced countries stands at 68.9% on average. For comparison, data from the International Monetary Fund showed the country having the highest household debt to GDP ratio among Asian countries in 2023, at 93.54. China, Asia’s largest economy, had a ratio of 63.67, while for India it was 39.16. Japan had a ratio of 65.66 in 2023. Abe also said the ratio of debt to net disposable income was 186% in 2023 in South Korea, having ballooned from 130% in 2008. Data shows that the speed of the debt increase is faster than the rise in wages and GDP, implying that the South Korean economy, particularly the household sector, depends highly on debt, Abe said. “In a case where the sector fails to repay the debt, the negative shocks would be huge, which wouldn’t be limited in the sector but to the financial sector. If such a shock happened, the economy will be in catastrophe. Therefore, the Korean authorities need to reduce such risks beforehand,” he added. BOK dilemma The BOK faces a tricky path. It needs to cut rates so as to stimulate a slowing economy and alleviate the debt servicing burden, but a rate cut would weaken the won and may increase imported inflation. More importantly, Endowus’ Rhee said a rate cut could spur an increase in potential demand for houses, leading to an acceleration in outstanding household debt. “If you lower interest rates and debt increases and this is used to stimulate housing demand, which causes house prices and rental prices to rise, then it is inflationary and BOK would want to limit the inflationary impact,” Rhee said. Alex Holmes, research director for Asia at the Economist Intelligence Unit told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” earlier in January that 2024 was the first year that household debt had come down as a percentage of GDP, and the BOK will not want to cut rates too quickly to prevent a rebound. Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Source link #South #Korea #big #household #debt #problem #countrys #unique #rental #system #blame Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Panama president says he won’t renew Belt and Road deal with China, as US demands less ******** influence over canal – CNN Panama president says he won’t renew Belt and Road deal with China, as US demands less ******** influence over canal – CNN Panama president says he won’t renew Belt and Road deal with China, as US demands less ******** influence over canal CNNPanama pledges to end key canal deal with China, work with US after Rubio visit Fox News‘There will be many casualties’: Panama girds for war as Rubio opens talks POLITICORubio demands Panama ‘reduce China influence’ over canal BBC.com Source link #Panama #president #wont #renew #Belt #Road #deal #China #demands #******** #influence #canal #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]