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Upset Preston boss claims referee had a howler Upset Preston boss claims referee had a howler Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom did not hold back after their defeat to Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park and has blasted the match officials. Source link #Upset #Preston #boss #claims #referee #howler Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Acting on Trump’s order, federal officials opened up two California dams Acting on Trump’s order, federal officials opened up two California dams The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has dramatically increased the amount of water flowing from two dams in Tulare County, sending massive flows down a river channel toward farmlands in the San Joaquin Valley. Federal records show that water releases from Terminus Dam at Lake Kaweah and Schafer Dam at Lake Success jumped early Friday morning. The sudden increase occurred four days after President Trump said on social media that the U.S. military had “entered” California and “TURNED ON THE WATER.” Trump also vowed during a visit to Los Angeles last week to “open up the valves and pumps” in California to deliver more water. According to federal data, the flow from Terminus Dam into the Kaweah River near Visalia increased from 57 cubic feet per second to more than 1,500 on Friday morning. The flow from Lake Success near Porterville into the Tule River increased from 105 cubic feet per second to 990. The Army Corps of Engineers is “conducting controlled water releases” from the two dams, said Tyler Stalker, a spokesperson for the Corps in Sacramento. “The action is being coordinated with local officials. The releases are within the capacity of the downstream waterways.” Responding to questions about the reasons for the sudden increase in water flow, Gene Pawlik, a spokesperson at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, said in an email that the action was “consistent with the direction” in Trump’s recent executive order to enact “emergency measures to provide water resources” in California. Pawlik said the Army Corps was releasing water from the dams “to ensure California has water available to respond to the wildfires.” It was not immediately clear how or where the federal government intends to transport the water. Read more: Trump reenters California’s water wars. It’s unclear who will win Trump, meanwhile, shared a photo on X of water pouring from a dam, saying: “Photo of beautiful water flow that I just opened in California.” “Today, 1.6 billion gallons and, in 3 days, it will be 5.2 billion gallons. Everybody should be happy about this long fought Victory!,” Trump wrote. “I only wish they listened to me six years ago — There would have been no fire!” The president has sought to link local water supply problems during the L.A. County firestorms, such as fire hydrants that ran dry, with his calls for changing water management elsewhere in the state. But state officials and water experts have called the comments inaccurate: Regional reservoirs in Southern California are at record-high levels, and more water from Northern California would not have affected the fire response. Water was released from the dams as the first of two approaching atmospheric river storms brought snow and rain to California. Dam managers in California sometimes release water ahead of major storms to make room in reservoirs for more runoff. But the federal agency’s comments about Trump’s executive order suggest that this case was different. State officials were “not part of the decision-making” to release water from the federal reservoirs, said Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources. “We traditionally have a high degree of coordination at the operational level, which really wasn’t a part of this decision,” Nemeth said. The two reservoirs are used to hold supplies for agricultural irrigation districts. Nemeth noted that winter is not the irrigation season for farms, which require more supplies to grow crops in the summer months, “so there isn’t a demand” for the water in the San Joaquin Valley at this time. The dams are also used to regulate the pace of floodwaters that could otherwise affect downstream areas, Nemeth said. During historic storms in 2023, she said, the state sought to work with local landowners to capture flood flows where possible to replenish groundwater. “I really can’t speak to the decision process at the Corps to make this release at this time,” she said. Read more: California snowpack is below average, but anticipated winter storms could change that It was not clear where federal officials intended to send the water that was being released from the dams. Local water managers said they were caught off-guard by the federal government’s plans on Thursday. Dan Vink, a water consultant who previously served as general manager of the Lower Tule River Irrigation District, called the situation “exremely unprecedented.” Vink said local water officials heard Thursday afternoon that the Army Corps planned to “go from a fairly nominal release to channel capacity in two hours.” A release of that magnitude, he said, would normally be coordinated days in advance, in part because farmers might have expensive farm equipment placed near riverbanks. There are also homeless encampments near some riverbanks, and officials would want to make sure people were out of the way and not in danger before unleashing so much water. The local water managers on Thursday communicated their concerns to the Army Corps officials, who agreed to release less water than originally planned and to delay the releases until Friday, Vink said. Aaron Fukuda, general manager of the Tulare Irrigation District, told the news site SJV Water that normally such flood releases are done with a great deal of prior notification and coordination. “I’ve been doing this 18 years and have never seen something like this,” he said. Peter Gleick, a water scientist and senior fellow at the Pacific Institute, said dam managers would typically only release large quantities of water in the winter when major storms create a need to make space for large inflows of runoff. But Southern California has been very dry and the snowpack in the southern Sierra remains far below average, so “there is no indication that that’s why these releases occurred.” “In addition, when those kinds of releases do occur, they’re always done in consultation with local and state agencies,” Gleick said. “I don’t know where this water is going, but this is the wrong time of year to be releasing water from these reservoirs. It’s vitally important that we fill our reservoirs in the rainy season so water is available for farms and cities later in the summer,” Gleick said. “I think it’s very strange and it’s disturbing that, after decades of careful local, state and federal coordination, some federal agencies are starting to unilaterally manipulate California’s water supply.” Vink agreed, saying that given how dry it has been in the region this winter, there was no need to make such a release. In fact, he said, farmers were counting on that water to be available for summer irrigation. “This is going to hurt farmers,” Vink said. “This takes water out of their summer irrigation portfolio.” Read more: Climate change identified as main driver of worsening drought in the Western United States Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom took other actions to adjust how the state is managing water. With two storms approaching on Friday, Newsom signed an executive order that aims to divert and store more storm runoff. The order directs the Department of Water Resources and other state agencies to maximize the storage and capture of water from rivers to recharge groundwater and boost reservoirs such as San Luis Reservoir, located south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. “It is more important than ever that we maximize every opportunity to recharge our groundwater supplies,” Newsom said. “We are also preparing to use every last drop to boost our water supply for communities and farms throughout the state,” Newsom said. “By storing these stormwaters, we are creating a literal rainy day fund to help us recover from a multiyear drought and prepare for our hotter, drier future.” This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Source link #Acting #Trumps #order #federal #officials #opened #California #dams Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Cowboys to hire Klayton Adams as their offensive coordinator – NBC Sports Cowboys to hire Klayton Adams as their offensive coordinator – NBC Sports Cowboys to hire Klayton Adams as their offensive coordinator NBC SportsCowboys hire Cards O-line coach Adams as OC ESPNCowboys, new HC Brian Schottenheimer tap Cardinals OL coach Klayton Adams as OC: Source The AthleticNFL news roundup: Jaguars interviewing Vikings’ Grant Udinski for OC job NFL.comCowboys’ hiring of OC Klayton Adams makes one thing clear: Run game will be a priority The Dallas Morning News Source link #Cowboys #hire #Klayton #Adams #offensive #coordinator #NBC #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sen. Mitch McConnell says he expects to support most of Trump’s second term agenda Sen. Mitch McConnell says he expects to support most of Trump’s second term agenda Sen. Mitch McConnell says he expects to support most of Trump’s second term agenda – CBS News Watch CBS News Leslie Stahl sits down with Sen. Mitch McConnell for an interview airing in full on “60 Minutes” to discuss his support for President Trump’s policies and more. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Sen #Mitch #McConnell #expects #support #Trumps #term #agenda Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Breaking down Trump’s response to deadly midair ****** Breaking down Trump’s response to deadly midair ****** Breaking down Trump’s response to deadly midair ****** – CBS News Watch CBS News On a national day of mourning after 9/11, then-President George W. Bush told the nation that the tragedy had brought political parties together in a kinship of grief, with no room for politics. But President Trump took on a different tone Thursday after another national tragedy — the deadly midair collision in Washington, D.C. Margaret Brennan explains. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Breaking #Trumps #response #deadly #midair #****** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sainsbury’s and Morrisons run ‘prohibited’ tobacco advertising Sainsbury’s and Morrisons run ‘prohibited’ tobacco advertising Ben King Business reporter BBC Advert for heated tobacco product on display in a Sainsbury’s store in London Sainsbury’s and Morrisons are displaying adverts for tobacco products in their stores which Trading Standards says are against the law. Video screens and posters promote devices that deliver nicotine by heating tobacco rather than burning it. The two supermarkets say they believe the laws banning tobacco advertising do not apply to the devices. Heated tobacco is less harmful than cigarettes, but experts say it is probably more harmful than vapes, and less effective at helping smokers quit. Tobacco adverts were banned in 2002. But if you walk into a Sainsbury’s or a Morrisons you may well see adverts for iQos, a device that uses an electronic current to heat tobacco. Some are on flashing video screens in places where they can easily be seen by children. The BBC has also seen adverts in Morrisons for a similar device called Ploom. Heated tobacco is different from vapes, which contain nicotine but no tobacco, and they are much less popular. But tobacco companies are keen to promote it as a new revenue stream to replace dwindling ********** sales. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), which represents local authority trading standards teams, says the ads are “prohibited” by the 2002 law. CTSI says the issue has never been tested in court, so it cannot say conclusively that running them is ********. “The only people who can definitively test it are the courts. Now the courts are chocka. Trading Standards is very stretched, and I think that’s probably the reason why you’re seeing more and more of these ads,” Kate Pike, lead officer for tobacco and vaping at CTSI, told the BBC. “It’s taking the mick, is my view.” There is limited evidence regarding the health effects of heated tobacco, according to Prof Lion Shahab, co-director of the tobacco and alcohol research group at University College, London. “As it involves no combustion, heated tobacco is likely less harmful than cigarettes,” he said. “Current findings suggest that heated tobacco may be more harmful than e-cigarettes, and less effective at helping smokers give up cigarettes long-term.” In June 2018, then-health minister Steve Brine wrote to the company that makes iQos, Philip Morris International (PMI), to say advertising for it was “prohibited” and to ask them to “desist from such promotion in the future”. Two months later, he wrote to thank them for “agreeing to comply with our request to stop advertising and promoting the iQos device”. PMI says it only agreed to suspend advertising, not stop. A spokesperson said: “We maintain our view that communications regarding the iQos device at appropriate points of ***** is lawful.” Tobacco counter in Morrisons, London, showing adverts for heated tobacco devices Japan Tobacco International (JTI), which makes Ploom, said the 2002 law defines a tobacco product as something that is “smoked, sniffed, sucked or chewed”, and because heated tobacco products do not produce smoke, they aren’t covered by that definition. Morrisons cited the same argument. “On that basis, we are comfortable that it is legal for heated tobacco products to be advertised in store,” it said. Sainsbury’s said the ads were “in line with current tobacco legislation”. Both supermarkets say they do not sell the devices to children. PMI and JTI say their heated tobacco devices are only intended for existing nicotine and tobacco users. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said supermarkets advertising these products was “disgraceful behaviour”. “[It] puts pressure on overstretched enforcement services and risks introducing children and young people to new tobacco products.” The government would not say whether it still thinks advertising heated tobacco is prohibited. A spokesperson said: “This government’s landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will enhance existing legislation, including on advertising, and put us on track for a smoke-free ***.” The forthcoming bill is expected to ban all advertising of nicotine and tobacco products including nicotine pouches and vapes. The ***’s biggest supermarket Tesco said it does not run tobacco ads, while a spokesperson for Asda said it doesn’t advertise tobacco products “in order to comply with current legislation as we understand it”. Source link #Sainsburys #Morrisons #run #prohibited #tobacco #advertising Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tiger Woods should join Champions Tour, says Langer Tiger Woods should join Champions Tour, says Langer Golfers competing on the PGA Tour Champions would welcome the chance to play against 15-times major winner Tiger Woods on the senior circuit, says two-times Masters champion Bernhard Langer. Woods, who has played a limited schedule since his horrific February 2021 car ******, will be eligible to play on the Champions Tour – where players are allowed to use golf carts at most events – when he turns 50 on December 30. Germany’s Langer, who owns a record 47 career wins on the Champions Tour and prevailed in a playoff over Woods last December in an unofficial family team event, said the golfing great was still very competitive. “For us it would be a thrill to see Tiger come out and play the Champions Tour, and I’m convinced he will play several. Depends how many,” the 67-year-old Langer said on a conference call ahead of the Champions Tour’s February 14-16 Chubb Classic. “I’m going to gradually get older and older here, and I may not be at the very top of my game when he comes out, but he always moves the needle. “He’s a very exciting personality to watch, and it would be fantastic for Tiger and for our tour to be competing out there, and I think all the players would welcome him.” Among those who compete on the Champions Tour are Ernie Els, Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard, Vijay Singh, Darren Clarke, Fred Couples, David Duval, Steve Stricker and Rocco Mediate, who lost to Woods in a 19-hole US Open playoff in 2008. While Woods, who last June was given special exemption into PGA Tour Signature Events, will likely continue to focus on the US-based circuit’s four majors for the foreseeable future, he could use the Champions Tour to get competitive reps as well. Paul Azinger, a 12-times winner on the PGA Tour who is now a lead analyst on Champions Tour broadcasts, feels Woods would definitely make his way to the senior circuit. “Then all of a sudden the focus is on this tour. I believe there’s a lot of anticipation. A lot of guys are going to be in shape and ready and try to beat Tiger if they can,” said Azinger. Source link #Tiger #Woods #join #Champions #Tour #Langer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Air traffic controller left early from work before ******: report Air traffic controller left early from work before ******: report The responsibility of handling air traffic control for helicopters and incoming planes at Reagan National Airport were combined on Wednesday night ahead of a deadly collision, a report said. Sometime before an American Airlines flight crashed into an Army ****** Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River, an air traffic controller was assigned both duties by their supervisor, the New York Times reported, citing a source briefed on staffing and an internal preliminary FAA safety report. Usually, the duties of handling helicopter traffic and managing planes are divided from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the airport, the Times reported. After 9:30 p.m., when traffic slows down, those duties may be combined. Live Updates: Dc Plane ****** Investigators Recover American Airlines ****** Boxes After Midair Collision A general view of Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. An American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas collided with a ****** Hawk helicopter while approaching the airport for landing last night. However, on Wednesday, an air traffic control supervisor combined those duties sometime before 9:30 p.m. and allowed one air traffic controller to leave the job early, the Times reported. The FAA preliminary safety report found that staffing at the airport was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” The Associated Press reported. Read On The Fox News App The FAA did not answer questions about the reports that an air traffic controller left early. “Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has 25 Certified Professional Controllers and three Certified Professional Controllers in Training (CPC-ITs). CPC-ITs were previously fully certified at other facilities. The tower is authorized to have 28 controllers,” and FAA spokesperson said. Despite the report saying the staffing was “not normal,” a person familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that staffing in the control tower at DCA on Wednesday night was at a normal level. Staffing At Reagan Washington National Airport Air Control Tower Was ‘Not Normal’ On Night Of Collision: Faa Graphic shows a timeline of the plane ****** near Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. The person explained that the positions get combined regularly if air controllers have to step away from the console for breaks, or if they are involved in a shift change. Controllers may also have to step away when air traffic is slow, the person explained, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal procedures. Supervisors have the ability to combine roles, which was the case on Wednesday night, though the person familiar with the matter could not say why. When asked about the air traffic and previous reports of it being heavy on Wednesday night, the source said it was moderate. Emergency response units search the ****** site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the plane crashed last night on approach to Reagan National Airport on Jan. 30, 2025 in Arlington, Va. The air control tower at Reagan National has been understaffed for years with 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023. However, staffing targets set by the FAA and the controllers’ union call for 30. The cause of the shortage has been attributed to employee turnover and other factors like tight budgets, and ultimately, it has resulted in many controllers working 10-hour days and as many as six days a week, the New York Times reported. Original article source: Air traffic controller left early from work before ******: report Source link #Air #traffic #controller #left #early #work #****** #report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Philadelphia plane ******: Small aircraft crashes into homes – BBC.com Philadelphia plane ******: Small aircraft crashes into homes – BBC.com Philadelphia plane ******: Small aircraft crashes into homes BBC.comPhiladelphia plane ******: Video shows multiple fires near Cottman Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard; multiple casualties reported 6ABC PhiladelphiaFireball erupts after small aircraft crashes in Philadelphia | Video Hindustan TimesSmall plane crashes in Northeast Philadelphia: sources FOX 29 PhiladelphiaSmall plane crashed near Roosevelt Mall, according to sources NBC Philadelphia Source link #Philadelphia #plane #****** #Small #aircraft #crashes #homes #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘My £5,700 charge was cancelled because supplier broke rules’ ‘My £5,700 charge was cancelled because supplier broke rules’ BBC Hayley Jarvis got a text out of the blue saying she owed her energy supplier £5,768 for her old home Hayley Jarvis was shocked when she received a £5,768.09 bill in early January for energy from two and a half years ago. “It was a vast amount of money that would have taken me an incredibly long time to pay back.” It is a practice known as “back billing”, but sending a bill for energy that was used more than 12 months ago was outlawed by regulator Ofgem in 2018. But Radio 4’s Money Box has learned that 3,308 people complained to the energy ombudsman about receiving these so-called “back bills” in the 12 months to September 2024. The actual number of people complaining about back billing is likely to be much higher because only cases that cannot be resolved by suppliers in the first instance get as far as the ombudsman. Citizens Advice received 47,000 complaints about billing in general in 2023, rising to nearly 60,000 in 2024. In Hayley’s case her back bill covered a ******* between June 2021 and June 2022. “I’m not going to say I wasn’t worried, when I was. Even though I knew I would fight it,” she says. “I just don’t think it’s right these rules and regulations are there to protect the consumer and it just seems the energy company aren’t following their own principles.” What is back billing?Back billing is when an energy supplier issues customers with a new bill for energy used more than 12 months ago.It is against Ofgem regulations and was banned in 2018.You do not have to pay any money sent on a new bill for energy used more than 12 months ago.Citizens Advice suggests you write to or email the supplier to explain and has a copy of an example letter people can use as a template. A paper copy of the bill Hayley received in early January confirming she owed her supplier nearly £6,000 Matt ****** told Money Box about a very similar situation. He received a bill out of the blue in November for £1,665 and was told by the company they would take it straight from his account, by direct debit, just five days before Christmas. “It was three and a half years after I’d moved out of my flat. “How do you find £1,600 with very little notice? They were going to take the money without even telling me. It was an email I happened to find in my junk mail.” It took both Matt and Hayley days of multiple calls and emails of complaint before they got their bills rescinded. But both of those bills should never have been sent in the first place under Ofgem’s back billing rules. “It’s vital that Ofgem intervenes to ensure these firms are doing what they’re meant to be,” says Alex Belsham-Harris from Citizens Advice. “These bills shouldn’t be sent out in the first place. Once someone does identify this as an issue for them, if they get in touch with their suppliers then that should be the end of it.” Hayley was told she owed nearly £6,000 via text message when she shouldn’t have been sent the bill at all Regulator Ofgem told Money Box customers shouldn’t have to spend hours rectifying incorrect bills and that it is a supplier’s responsibility to handle complaints effectively, adding that it was committed to reviewing the rules around billing. Energy ***, which speaks for the industry, says suppliers have a duty of care to customers and are continuously working to improve practices. The company that sent the back bills to both Hayley and Matt was E.On Next, which is part of the E.On group. E.On told the BBC it sends out tens of millions of bills each year and that it has systems in place to stop back bills from being sent out. But in Hayley’s case, it said human error had led to a back bill being sent out, adding it has apologised and is now reviewing its back billing processes to provide the best customer service. As for Hayley her main concern is for people who might get these bills and not be willing or able to fight them. “I just think it’s actually quite sad because I’m in a position to fight it but not everybody would be. “You could have elderly, or vulnerable or isolated people who would see this [the bill] and think, ‘Oh no, I need to pay this.’ There’s nobody there to tell them, ‘Actually, you don’t owe this money, over 12 months have passed.” Source link #charge #cancelled #supplier #broke #rules Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Canada’s energy industry warns ‘thousands of jobs at risk’ from trade war with U.S. Canada’s energy industry warns ‘thousands of jobs at risk’ from trade war with U.S. After weeks of uncertainty, Canada’s energy sector received the news it had been fearing — the U.S. will soon start imposing tariffs on ********* oil and gas imports. On Friday, President Donald Trump said he would probably set tariffs on ********* oil and gas at 10 per cent. While that’s less than originally feared, people who work in Canada’s energy industry say it’s still significant and will have an impact on both sides of the border. 2:25 Trump says there’s nothing Canada can do to stop tariffs from taking effect Experts say that despite the tariffs, Americans still need Canada’s oil and gas because nearly two-thirds of U.S. oil imports come from north of the border and many of the refineries in the U.S. midwest are designed specifically to process heavy ********* crude. Story continues below advertisement “Those refineries are very dependent upon ********* crude. So, 4 million barrels a day — it’s about one in four barrels that are used by U.S. consumers as gasoline and diesel. So, you know, the refineries will have to jack up prices,” said Richard Masson, professor of public policy at the University of Calgary. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. However, higher prices, in turn, are also expected to lead to less demand. “This will have a huge blow to the ********* economy,” said Gurpreet Lail, CEO of Enserva. “The tariffs will put tens of thousands of jobs at risk.” The ********* Association of Petroleum Producers warns if Canada responds to American tariffs by curtailing energy exports to the U.S. it could leave Ontario and Quebec vulnerable because they depend on imports of oil and gas from the U.S. THE ********* PRESS/Graham Hughes The ********* Association of Petroleum Producers said a trade dispute with the U.S. could also put other parts of Canada at risk, particularly Ontario and Quebec that depend on the U.S. for imports of crude oil, natural gas and other refined petroleum products and there are no immediate alternative sources available. Story continues below advertisement CAPP warns in a statement that “this dependence poses a risk that ********* retaliatory measures, such as export restrictions on US exports, could also lead to similar actions from the United States, resulting in energy shortages and higher prices for Canadians.” &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Canadas #energy #industry #warns #thousands #jobs #risk #trade #war #U.S Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Investigation after man attacked by 'massive' kangaroo Investigation after man attacked by 'massive' kangaroo Authorities have launched an investigation after a man was badly injured in an attack outside his home by a kangaroo believed to be 100kg and two metres tall. Source link #Investigation #man #attacked #039massive039 #kangaroo Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Former PlayStation Exec Says ‘The Game Is Changing’ As Xbox Goes Multiplatform Former PlayStation Exec Says ‘The Game Is Changing’ As Xbox Goes Multiplatform Boyes has been talking to Gamertag Radio host Danny Peña recently – and when asked about Microsoft’s new strategy, the former Sony employee had some interesting things to say. Boyes spoke about “the game landscape changing” – and that “they [Microsoft] were Blockbuster” and over time “they became Netflix”. Source link #PlayStation #Exec #Game #Changing #Xbox #Multiplatform Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Well-known Myrtle Beach area night club is closing. When will it reopen? What to know Well-known Myrtle Beach area night club is closing. When will it reopen? What to know A Myrtle Beach area nightclub will close its doors temporarily after its owner has decided to retire. Roger Davisson, owner of 3001 Nightlife and a staple in the Myrtle Beach area entertainment and club scene, announced on Facebook that he is retiring after “45 years of club life.” His last night at the club, at 920 Lake Arrowhead Road, will be Friday, Jan. 31. Davisson said that the club will be under new management, who will keep the name and its concept of three clubs under one roof. The club will close for upgrades and deep cleaning, but then will have a grand reopening. It’s unclear from the post how long that will take. A message left for Davisson was not returned prior to publication. The nightclub was previously known as 2001 Nightlife for 35 years before it closed in 2019 and then reopened in 2021 by Davisson as 3001 Nightlife. Davisson is well-known in the entertainment industry, having operated other venues including ******** Beach, Froggy Bottomz and Club Boca. Source link #Wellknown #Myrtle #Beach #area #night #club #closing #reopen Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Costco raises nonunion pay to over $30 an hour as union deadline looms – The Washington Post Costco raises nonunion pay to over $30 an hour as union deadline looms – The Washington Post Costco raises nonunion pay to over $30 an hour as union deadline looms The Washington PostClock ticking toward possible Costco strike Saturday CNNCostco teamster workers set to strike this week as company embroiled in DEI controversy Fox Business Source link #Costco #raises #nonunion #pay #hour #union #deadline #looms #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Philadelphia plane ******: Massive fireballs as medical aircraft slams into Roosevelt shopping mall Philadelphia plane ******: Massive fireballs as medical aircraft slams into Roosevelt shopping mall Philadelphia residents and shoppers have been left running for cover after a medical transport plane struck a local shopping mall and houses reportedly killing all six occupants as emergency crews try to contain multiple fireballs. As the US reels from another tragedy only days after an American Airlines passenger jet was downed in Washington the latest plane ****** disaster reportedly involved a medial transport aircraft which may have exploded in ythe airn and plummetted into a local neighbourhood. The Roosevelt Mall in downtown Philadelphia is on fire as are several houses, cars and shops surrounding the carpark of the shopping centre after the Leerjet 55 broke up around the area. If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings. To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. A massive fireball erupted soon after the plane crashed into facility creating several fires with people reporting finding plane parts scattered in the surrounding suburb and along Roosevelt Boulevarde. Police officials are stating that the flight contained a medical team transporting a patient when it exploded. Every figrefighter and police officer in thhe reign have reponded to the scene as local workers in cafes and restaurants were seen running through the streets to avoid the various fires. “I just saw a big old explosion and thought it was a gas leak,” a local cafe worker said. “Then I saw a plane and all the fires and everybody just ran out of the cafe’s and restaurants.” Source link #Philadelphia #plane #****** #Massive #fireballs #medical #aircraft #slams #Roosevelt #shopping #mall Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

OpenAI has been on the ‘wrong side of history’ concerning open source OpenAI has been on the ‘wrong side of history’ concerning open source To cap off a day of product releases, OpenAI researchers, engineers, and executives, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, answered questions in a wide-ranging Reddit AMA on Friday. OpenAI the company finds itself in a bit of a precarious position. It’s battling the perception that it’s ceding ground in the AI race to ******** companies like DeepSeek, which OpenAI alleges might’ve stolen its IP. The ChatGPT maker has been trying to shore up its relationship with Washington and simultaneously pursue an ambitious data center project, while reportedly laying groundwork for one of the largest financing rounds in history. Altman admitted that DeepSeek has lessened OpenAI’s lead in AI, and he also said he believes OpenAI has been “on the wrong side of history” when it comes to open-sourcing its technologies. While OpenAI has open-sourced models in the past, the company has generally favored a proprietary, closed-source development approach. “[I personally think we need to] figure out a different open source strategy,” Altman said. “Not everyone at OpenAI shares this view, and it’s also not our current highest priority […] We will produce better models [going forward], but we will maintain less of a lead than we did in previous years.” In a follow-up reply, Kevin Weil, OpenAI’s chief product officer, said that OpenAI is considering open-sourcing older models that aren’t state-of-the-art anymore. “We’ll definitely think about doing more of this,” he said, without going into greater detail. Beyond prompting OpenAI to reconsider its release philosophy, Altman said that DeepSeek has pushed the company to potentially reveal more about how its so-called reasoning models, like the o3-mini model released today, show their “thought process.” Currently, OpenAI’s models conceal their reasoning, a strategy intended to prevent competitors from scraping training data for their own models. In contrast, DeepSeek’s reasoning model, R1, shows its full chain of thought. “We’re working on showing a bunch more than we show today — [showing the model thought process] will be very very soon,” Weil added. “TBD on all — showing all chain of thought leads to competitive distillation, but we also know people (at least power users) want it, so we’ll find the right way to balance it.” Altman and Weil attempted to dispel rumors that ChatGPT, the chatbot app through which OpenAI launches many of its models, would increase in price. Altman said that he’d like to make ChatGPT “cheaper” over time, if feasible. Story Continues Altman previously said that OpenAI was losing money on its priciest ChatGPT plan, ChatGPT Pro, which costs $200 per month. In a somewhat related thread, Weil said that OpenAI continues to see evidence that more compute power leads to “better” and more performant models. That’s in large part what’s necessitating projects such as Stargate, OpenAI’s recently announced massive data center project, Weil said. Serving a growing user base is fueling compute demand within OpenAI, as well, he continued. Asked about recursive self-improvement that might be enabled by these powerful models, Altman said he thinks a “fast takeoff” is more plausible than he once believed. Recursive self-improvement is a process where an AI system could improve its own intelligence and capabilities without human input. Of course, it’s worth noting that Altman is notorious for overpromising. It wasn’t long ago that he lowered OpenAI’s bar for AGI. One Reddit user asked whether OpenAI’s models, self-improving or not, would be used to develop destructive weapons — specifically nuclear weapons. This week, OpenAI announced a partnership with the U.S. government to give its models to the U.S. National Laboratories in part for nuclear defense research. Weil said he trusted the U.S. government. “I’ve gotten to know these scientists and they are AI experts in addition to world class researchers,” he said. “They understand the power and the limits of the models, and I don’t think there’s any chance they just YOLO some model output into a nuclear calculation. They’re smart and evidence-based and they do a lot of experimentation and data work to validate all their work.” The OpenAI team was asked several questions of a more technical nature, like when OpenAI’s next reasoning model, o3, will be released (“more than a few weeks, less than a few months,” Altman said), when the company’s next flagship “non-reasoning” model, GPT-5, might land (“don’t have a timeline yet,” said Altman), and when OpenAI might unveil a successor to DALL-E 3, the company’s image-generating model.DALL-E 3, which was released around two years ago, has gotten rather long in the tooth. Image generation tech has improved by leaps and bounds since DALL-E 3’s debut, and the model is no longer competitive on a number of benchmark tests. “Yes! We’re working on it,” Weil said of a DALL-E 3 follow-up. “And I think it’s going to be worth the wait.” Source link #OpenAI #wrong #side #history #open #source Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

DC plane ****** investigators recover American Airlines ****** boxes after midair collision – Fox News DC plane ****** investigators recover American Airlines ****** boxes after midair collision – Fox News DC plane ****** investigators recover American Airlines ****** boxes after midair collision Fox News285 of 313 Air Traffic Control Facilities Are Understaffed The New York TimesAt least 2 skaters, 1 coach from UD Figure Skating Club killed in plane, helicopter collision The News Journal Source link #plane #****** #investigators #recover #American #Airlines #****** #boxes #midair #collision #Fox #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

It’s another Beyoncé vs Taylor showdown It’s another Beyoncé vs Taylor showdown Mark Savage Music Correspondent Getty Images Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are two of the most recognised artists in the history of the Grammy Awards The Grammys are music’s biggest night, both literally and figuratively. The ceremony, which takes place in LA on Sunday night, runs for a staggering eight hours, attracting the biggest stars in pop, rock, country and hip-hop. Organisers will hand out 94 awards, recognising everything from best pop album to best choral performance. Beyoncé and Taylor Swift have both confirmed their attendance, as they square off in the album of the year category for the first time since 2010 (Swift won on that occasion, fact fans). There’ll also be performances from Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, Benson Boone, Shakira, Stevie Wonder, Teddy Swims and Raye – and an in memoriam tribute to Thriller producer Quincy Jones. Here’s everything you need to know about the ceremony. 1) Who’s going to win album of the year?Getty Images All three of Billie Eilish’s albums have been nominated for Album of The Year. She has won once, for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? in 2020 The big question of the night is whether Beyoncé will finally win album of the year, after four previous losses in the category? During last year’s ceremony, her husband Jay-Z addressed the oversight, telling the audience: “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work.” Beyoncé’s latest record, Cowboy Carter, is a wildly ambitious attempt to contextualise and commemorate the ****** roots of country music. It’s the sort of thing that delights Grammy voters, who traditionally prefer albums that elevate America’s musical history over contemporary, cutting-edge productions. But the album’s excessive length – including a few weaker tracks in its latter half – could count against it. Billie Eilish is currently the bookmakers’ favourite with her third album Hit Me Hard and Soft. Mixing passionate power ballads with violent electronic shifts and hip-hop swagger, it marks a new evolution in the star’s songwriting partnership with her brother, Finneas. Charli XCX’s Brat is a career-defining pop record that became a cultural phenomenon. The best-reviewed album of 2024, it’s probably too abrasive for the Grammys’ more conservative voters, but that’s their loss. And you’d have to be crazy to ignore Taylor Swift. Her 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department, was the biggest-seller of last year; a fact that will undoubtedly be taken into account, even if the record is one of her weaker efforts. If she wins, Swift will collect her fifth album of the year trophy – more than any other artist in Grammy history. 2) What about the other big prizes?Getty Images Kendrick Lamar has five nominations for his diss track Not Like Us, and will headline the Super Bowl half-time show a week later One of the year’s most stacked categories is record of the year – better understood as “best single”. Aside from a rogue nomination for The Beatles (see below), the shortlist reflects a stellar year for pop music, with Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso and Charli XCX’s 360 up against Beyoncé’s Texas Hold ‘Em and Billie Eilish’s Birds Of A Feather. But the front-runner is Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us. A furious take-down of his rap nemesis, Drake, it’s as catchy as it is legally contentious. If it wins, it would be only the second hip-hop single to win the category, following Childish Gambino’s This Is America in 2019. In the parallel song of the year prize – which recognises achievement in songwriting – the smart money is on Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s Die With A Smile. Both artists are perennial Grammy favourites, and their virtuoso ballad will be catnip to voters. Their competition includes Shaboozey’s A Bar Song (Tipsy), which was America’s longest-running number one single of 2024. However, the fact that it’s based on a previous hit (J-Kwon’s Tipsy) is likely to count against it. Chappell Roan’s breakout single Good Luck ***** is another strong contender, notable for its soaring high notes and a piercing lyric that skewers internalised homophobia. Billie Eilish’s gossamer ballad Birds of a Feather is a similar masterclass in songcraft – making this category one of the hardest to predict. By contrast, the coveted best new artist prize is pretty much a two-way split between Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, both of whom established a dominant chart presence in 2024 after years on the pop sidelines. That’s bad news for the sole British nominee, six-time Brit Award winner Raye. But at least she’s in good company, alongside breakout rap star Doechii and big-hearted pop singer Teddy Swims. 3) Which Grammy records could be broken?Getty Images André 3000 won best album in 2001 as one-half of the rap duo Outkast. This year, he returns to the ceremony as a jazz flautist Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter has 11 nominations, potentially making it the most-rewarded album in Grammy history. The record is currently held by Santana, who got nine trophies for his album Supernatural in 2000 (coincidentally, the same year that Beyoncé received her first Grammy nomination, as part of Destiny’s Child). And if Cowboy Carter doesn’t take home best album, Beyoncé still breaks a record, for the most nominations in that category without a win. Billie Eilish could become the first female artist to win Record of the Year three times with Birds of a Feather. Paul Simon and Bruno Mars are the only other artist with three wins in the category. Rapper turned flautist André 3000 is also poised to make history. If he wins best instrumental composition, he does so with the longest song title in Grammy history: I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time. The current record holders, in case you were wondering, are Oklahoma band The Flaming Lips. In 2007, they won best rock instrumental performance for the magnificently-titled The Wizard Turns on the Giant Silver Flashlight and Puts On His Werewolf Moccasins. 4) Who votes for the Grammys?Yellow Studio New York This year’s stage, designed by Yellow Studio, features a giant 20-foot sculpture, inspired by the “brass *****” of the gramophone on a Grammy Award. More than 13,000 members of the Recording Academy vote for the Grammys every year – including musicians, producers, lyricists, and even the people who write CD liner notes. To qualify, they must be currently working in the music industry, and pay an annual subscription of $150 (£120). All former winners are also eligible to vote. Every member is allowed to vote in up to 10 categories across three fields, such as rock, classical and R&B. They are encouraged only to vote in genres where their expertise lies. Additionally, every member, regardless of their background, gets to vote for the six biggest awards of the night. Those are: album of the year, record of the year, song of the year, best new artist, songwriter of the year and producer of the year. The 2025 awards recognise music released between 16 September 2023 and 30 August, 2024. The winners are not revealed until the ceremony. 5) How did The Beatles get nominated? If The Beatles win on Sunday, only surviving members Paul and Ringo get a trophy, due to the Grammys’ eligibility rules. The Beatles might have broken up 55 years ago, but they’re up for two prizes on Sunday: record of the year and best rock performance. Both nominations recognise Now and Then, a song that John Lennon demoed in the 1970s, and which was finally completed by his surviving bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr last year. Grammy voters, with their eyes firmly trained on the past, rarely miss an opportunity to reward the Beatles. Eight years ago, for example, the band’s documentary Eight Days a Week: The Touring Years beat Beyoncé’s groundbreaking Lemonade for best music film. In some ways, that’s correcting an historic wrong. In their prime, the Beatles were nominated for record of the year four times – for I Want to Hold Your Hand, Yesterday, Hey Jude and Let It Be – but lost every time. A win in 2025 would prove that Beatlemania never fades – but voters may be put off by The Beatles’ use of machine learning (a form of artificial intelligence), which was used to clean up Lennon’s scratchy old cassette recordings. The Recording Academy’s rules on AI say that “only human creators” can win Grammys, and that “the human authorship component of the work submitted must be meaningful”. That’s true in the case of Now And Then, but many creators remain sceptical of the technology. 6) How will the California wildfires affect the ceremony?Getty Images Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr says the ceremony has been reshaped to reflect California’s loss of lives and property Quite a lot. All the hoopla surrounding the Grammys has gone. No pre-parties, no after-parties. Everything except the ceremony itself has been cancelled. All the money that would have been spent on champagne and vol au vents is being funnelled into relief efforts. The Recording Academy and its affiliated MusiCares charity have also set up a Fire Relief fund, which has so far pledged more than $3.2 million (£2.6 million) in emergency aid to assist music professionals affected by the fires. And the telecast itself will reflect the devastation, with segments honouring the first responders who risked their lives to tackle the inferno and protect the vulnerable. “We’ll still have performances, we’ll still have awards and honour music,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason, Jr told Variety magazine. “But you’ll know that something’s happened, and you’ll know that we’re using music to do good.” 7) Is there a list of Grammy performers?Getty Images Shakira Shakira and her truth-telling hips will grace the Grammy stage You betcha. So far, the list includes: Benson Boone Sabrina CarpenterJacob CollierSheryl CrowBillie EilishCynthia ErivoChappell RoanCharli XCXDoechiiHerbie HancockBrittany HowardJohn LegendChris MartinJanelle MonáeBrad PaisleyRayeShakira (pictured)Teddy SwimsLainey WilsonStevie WonderSt. Vincent 8) How can I watch in the ***?Getty Images Lady Gaga is always guaranteed to deliver a stunning red carpet look The ceremony is split into two parts, with the first 80 awards distributed during what’s called the “premiere ceremony” at 12:30 in Los Angeles / 20:30 in London on Sunday. It’s often worth tuning in. The winners in the more obscure categories are less polished and more excited about winning, and the performances are ******* and, dare I say it, more musical than the grandiose set pieces you’ll see later. You can watch the whole thing on the Recording Academy’s YouTube channel, and on live.grammy.com. That’s also where you want to go to watch red carpet coverage, which kicks off at 15:00 in Los Angeles / 23:00 in the ***. Finally, the main show kicks off at 17:00 Los Angeles / 01:00 Monday in the ***. It’s broadcast live in the US on CBS and streamed internationally on Paramount Plus. Speeches and select performances are usually uploaded to YouTube the following day. 9) Does any of this really matter?Getty Images For reasons I’ve never quite understood, winners are often pictured kissing their Grammy Awards Of course not! But have you seen what’s going on everywhere else in the world? Musicians, however take the Grammys very seriously indeed. A big win can boost album sales and bump you up festival bills. That said, the awards themselves are notoriously ridiculous. According to legend, they were created in 1959 as a panicked reaction to the popularity of rock ‘n’ roll. Record companies hoped that by highlighting “good” music, they’d steer the public away from Elvis’s swivelling hips. As if to illustrate that point, they didn’t hand Mr Presley a trophy until 1968, and even that was for “best sacred performance”, recognising his first gospel album, How Great Thou Art. Since then, the awards have remained wilfully arbitrary, woefully out of touch, or a combination of the two. Famously, The Beatles won more awards after they split up than they did together; and there were no rap categories until 1989. And if anyone still thinks that Herbie Hancock’s jazz tribute to Joni Mitchell was the best album of 2008 – the year of Amy Winehouse’s Back To ****** and Kanye West’s Graduation – I’d be interested to hear your arguments. So if Beyoncé doesn’t win on Sunday (or even if she does) don’t let it affect your enjoyment of her music. Source link #Beyoncé #Taylor #showdown Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

CDC purges STD and vaccine recommendations after Trump gender order CDC purges STD and vaccine recommendations after Trump gender order The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took offline recommendations on how doctors should treat ********* transmitted infections and vaccinate adults Friday, as part of a sweeping purge of all mentions of “gender” from federal websites ordered by the Trump administration this week. “Doctors in every community in America rely on these treatment guidelines to know what tests to run, to know what antibiotic will work on which infection, and how to avoid worsening antibiotic resistance,” said David C. Harvey, head of the National Coalition of STD Directors, in a statement to CBS News. Multiple federal health officials said that agency staff had been racing Friday to meet a 5 p.m. deadline set by the Office of Personnel Management, to implement President Trump’s executive order that the federal government now only recognizes “two sexes, male and female.” Web pages that could not be immediately reworded to strip out all mentions of gender, like those aimed at transgender people, were taken down to be reworked. “People will get sick. And, especially in cases like congenital ********* where you cannot lose a day to treat, babies will die,” said Harvey. Some changes were minor and kept web pages online, like rewording information about Zika virus from saying “pregnant person” to “pregnant woman” instead. Others have resulted in gutting key parts of the agency’s website. Data from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, a nationwide survey of high school students about mental health, substance abuse and violence, were also wiped from the website. The last round of the survey’s results had highlighted worsening mental health and violence affecting LGBTQ high school students. Also pulled offline was much of the CDC’s adult immunization guidance, which referenced transgender and nonbinary people as part of carefully crafted recommendations for some vaccines passed by a panel of the agency’s outside advisers. Other health agencies were also affected by the rewrites. Data published by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion tracking progress to meet federal goals like reducing the bullying of transgender students and curbing the proportion of gay high school students using ******** drugs were deleted. Announcements and guidance by the Food and Drug Administration mentioning gender were either rewritten to swap for references to sex or scrubbed, like a now-deleted 2023 move by the agency that had been intended to make it easier for gay and ********* men to donate blood. Nonprofits, hospitals and health departments ordered to comply Letters obtained by CBS News sent to nonprofits and state and local health departments receiving federal health dollars also left some grant recipients confused. One letter suggested that all their staff and communications would also be forced to comply with the Trump administration’s sweeping new rules banning gender from all their activities, like dropping the mention of pronouns from email signatures and removing gender from their websites as a condition of continuing to receive federal funds. Another targeted mentions of diversity, equity and inclusion, saying that similar to federal rules, they also were now required to “immediately terminate, to the maximum extent, all programs, personnel, activities, or contracts promoting” those ideas “at every level and activity, regardless of your location or the citizenship of employees or contracts” supported by the funds. Some hospitals also said this week they are moving to suspend medications and procedures for youth seeking gender-affirming care, following an executive order signed on Tuesday by President Trump to curb procedures and prescriptions for gender transitions in minors. “Children’s National is committed to providing compassionate and comprehensive care in accordance with the law. As a result, we are currently pausing all puberty blockers and hormone therapy prescriptions for transgender youth patients,” Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. said in a statement Thursday. The hospital already did not perform gender transition surgery for minors, a spokesperson said. They did not comment on how many patients would be impacted by the pause. Not all children’s hospitals say they are stopping gender-affirming care. Statements released by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Michigan Health and Children’s Hospital of Chicago said they were still assessing the impact of the order. “Our team will continue to advocate for access to medically necessary care, grounded in science and compassion for the patient-families we are so privileged to serve,” said a spokesperson for Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in a statement. The Trump administration this week also took down web pages outlining federal civil rights guidance on gender-affirming care for youth, effectively ending a Biden administration position that had criticized attempts to restrict “this potentially livesaving care.” Alexander Tin Alexander Tin is a digital reporter for CBS News based in the Washington, D.C. bureau. He covers federal public health agencies. Source link #CDC #purges #STD #vaccine #recommendations #Trump #gender #order Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Helicopter ****** box recovered from Washington DC plane ****** site Helicopter ****** box recovered from Washington DC plane ****** site Officials have recovered the cockpit voice recorder – also known as the ****** box – from the helicopter involved in the plane ****** that killed 67 people at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday. Emergency responders are planning to ramp up operations over the weekend to recover the debris from the site. There were 64 passengers aboard an American Airlines flight when it collided with an Army ****** Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has since restricted helicopter traffic around the airport after concerns from officials about overcrowding in the airspace overhead. As of Friday, 28 people from the ****** had been identified and 41 bodies had been recovered from the water. The rest of the bodies will not be found until officials are able to hoist the plane off the riverbed, officials have said. Investigators recovered the ****** boxes from the wreckage of the passenger plane the day after the collision. After soaking those ****** boxes and extracting the moisture from them, they will be able to get data from the recorders “very soon”, National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman told reporters on Friday evening. “We just have to work through a number of steps,” Mr Inman said. NTSB members said they still do not know the cause of the collision. Mr Inman said the “main lifting” of the salvage operations, which will be carried out by the US Navy, will begin on Saturday. Parts of the aircraft need to be removed from the water before divers can go back in. Authorities plan on mapping the debris in the river so they can better understand how the aircraft responded to the collision. Work to remove large segments of the aircraft from the water by crane starts on Sunday and will continue throughout the week, said Mr Inman. Over 500 people have been working around the clock at the site of the ****** in the Potomac River, Washington DC fire chief John Donnelly said. Mr Inman was asked about reports that one air traffic controller was managing both control for helicopters and airplanes flying in the area He did not comment on specifics, but said officials plan to examine the controller’s behaviour over the past several weeks and in particular, the 72 hours before the ******. “Obviously we’ll be looking at not only staffing that day…[but also] how many people, what job functions they’ve done, are they being combined.” The Air Traffic Control group is still conducting interviews. Mr Inman was also asked whether his team is in contact with the White House. President Donald Trump has suggested without evidence that the helicopter involved in the ****** “was flying too high”. Recordings of air traffic control conversations published online suggested that a controller tried to warn the helicopter about the American Airlines plane in the seconds before the collision. The helicopter pilot appeared to respond to confirm they were aware of the plane, but moments later the two aircraft collided. Trump has also said suggested that diversity hiring at the FAA may have led to safety issues. “Our job is to find the facts,” Mr Inman said. “More importantly, our job is to make sure this tragedy doesn’t happen again – regardless of what anyone may be saying.” Source link #Helicopter #****** #box #recovered #Washington #plane #****** #site Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Mobile phones, coltan and the fighting Mobile phones, coltan and the fighting Getty Images There is a good chance that inside your mobile phone is a miniscule amount of a metal that started its journey buried in the earth of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where a war is currently raging. It may even be directly connected to the M23 rebel group that made global headlines this week. The tantalum within your device weighs less than half of the average garden pea but is essential for the efficient functioning of a smartphone, and almost all other sophisticated electronic devices. The unique properties of this rare, blue-grey, lustrous metal – including being able to hold a high charge compared to its size, while operating in a range of temperatures – make it an ideal material for tiny capacitors, which temporarily store energy. It is also mined in Rwanda, Brazil and Nigeria but at least 40% – and maybe more – of the element’s global supply comes from DR Congo and some of the key mining areas are now under the control of the M23. The current wave of fighting has been going on for months, but the rebels grabbed attention with Sunday’s assault on the vital trading and transport hub of Goma. The city, bordering Rwanda, is a regional centre for the mining business Over the past year, the M23 has made rapid advances across the mineral-rich east of DR Congo, taking areas where coltan – the ore from which tantalum is extracted – is mined. Like scores of other armed groups operating in the area, the M23 began as an outfit defending the rights of an ethnic group perceived to be under threat. But as its territory has expanded, mining has become a crucial source of income, paying for fighters and weapons. Last April, it seized Rubaya, the town at the heart of the country’s coltan industry. Mineral extraction in this region is not in the hands of multinational conglomerates – instead thousands of individuals toil in open pits that honeycomb the landscape, or underground, in extremely unsafe and unhealthy conditions. Monusco This aerial shot from Rubaya taken in 2014 shows how the coltan operation worked at one mine They are part of a complex, and yet informal, network that sees the rocks removed from the ground using shovels, brought to the surface, crushed, washed, taxed, sold and then exported to be further purified and eventually smelted. Once the M23 moved into Rubaya, the rebels established what a UN group of experts described as a “state-like administration”, issuing permits to the diggers and traders and demanding an annual fee of $25 (£20) and $250 respectively. The M23 doubled the diggers’ wages to ensure they would carry on working. It runs the area as a monopoly making sure – through the threat of arrest and detention – that only its authorised traders are able to do business. The M23 also charges a levy of $7 on each kilogramme of coltan. The UN group of experts estimated that as a result the M23 earns about $800,000 a month from coltan taxation in Rubaya. That money is almost certainly then used to fund the rebellion. There is a question mark hanging over how the ore extracted from M23-controlled areas gets into the global supply chain. Neighbouring Rwanda, which is seen as backing the M23, is at the centre of the answer, the UN experts say. Theoretically, a certification scheme – known as the Innovative Tin Supply Chain Initiative (Itsci) – should mean that what goes into a phone handset and other electronics does not come from areas of conflict where it could be used to fund armed groups responsible for carrying out atrocities. EPA The M23 is suspected of using the money raised in controlling the coltan mines to pay for its fighters and weapons The US’ Dodd-Frank Act passed in 2010, and a similar piece of EU legislation, is aimed at ensuring that companies purchasing tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold – so-called “conflict minerals” – are not inadvertently funding violence. But Itsci has come under some criticism. Ken Matthysen, a security and resource management expert with independent research group Ipis, highlights that the dispersed nature of a lot of small-scale mines make it difficult for the local authorities to monitor exactly what is going on everywhere. Itsci tags should be put on bags at the mine itself, to prove the origin of the minerals inside, but often they get transported to a collection point where it becomes harder to trace where the ore actually came from, Mr Matthysen said. He added that there is also a possible issue with corruption. “There is even an accusation of the state agents selling tags to traders, because they don’t make a good living. So the traders then go around eastern DR Congo and they tag the bags themselves.” Itsci did not respond to a BBC request for comment, but has in the past defended its record saying that the scheme has been subjected to a rigorous independent audit. It has also been praised for bringing “prosperity for hundreds of thousands of small-scale miners”. In the case of Rubaya, Itsci suspended its operations there soon after the M23 entered the town. Nevertheless, the group has managed to continue exporting coltan. The UN experts map a circuitous route showing how it is transported to close to the Rwandan border. It is then transferred to “heavy-duty trucks” that needed the road to be widened in order to accommodate them. Rwanda has its own coltan mines but the experts say that the uncertified coltan is mixed with Rwandan production leading to a “significant contamination of supply chains”. The M23 was already involved in the coltan business before the capture of Rubaya – setting up roadblocks and charging fees to cross them, according to Mr Matthysen. “A lot of the trade of these minerals went through M23-controlled area towards Rwanda. So even then, Rwanda was profiting from the instability in eastern DR Congo and we saw the export volumes to Rwanda were already increasing,” he told the BBC. AFP The M23 increased the pay for the diggers in Rubaya but made sure they had a monopoly in the coltan trade (file photo) Figures from the US Geological Survey show that Rwanda’s coltan exports rose by 50% between 2022 and 2023. Mr Matthysen said this could not have all come from Rwanda. In a robust defence of Rwanda’s position, government spokesperson Yolande Makolo reiterated to the BBC that there were minerals and refining capacity in her own country. “It’s very cynical to take an issue like what’s happening in eastern DRC, where a persecuted community is fighting for its rights… and turning [it] into an issue of material benefit,” she added. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has also dismissed the UN experts’ reports, pouring scorn on their “expertise”. Much of the east of DR Congo has been blighted by conflict for many years, raising questions about who has been benefitting and whether armed groups are profiting from what is dug out of the ground there. In order to highlight the issue and its connection to the smartphone industry, the Congolese government filed criminal complaints in France and Belgium at the end of last year against subsidiaries of the tech giant Apple, accusing it of using “conflict minerals”. Apple has disputed the allegation and pointed out that since early 2024, because of the escalating conflict and the difficulties of certification, it stopped sourcing tantalum, among other metals, from both DR Congo and Rwanda. Other companies have not been so clear, which means that as the M23 seizes more territory those small bits of tantalum from the mines that they control could still make their way into the devices that we have come to rely on. More BBC stories on the conflict in DR Congo:Getty Images/BBC Source link #Mobile #phones #coltan #fighting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Small aircraft crashes into homes Small aircraft crashes into homes A small plane has crashed into several homes in northeast Philadelphia on Friday evening, local police told BBC’s US partner CBS News. Two people were aboard the plane and there are reports of others injured on the ground, police said. Fire officials in Philadelphia said multiple homes are on fire following the ****** and explosion. Emergency crews have responded to the scene. It is unclear what led to the ******, who was aboard the plane or if there are any survivors. Source link #Small #aircraft #crashes #homes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

SportWest WA Sports Star of the Year: Matt Wearn, Nina Kennedy among finalists for prestigious award SportWest WA Sports Star of the Year: Matt Wearn, Nina Kennedy among finalists for prestigious award An unparalleled season of success and a triumphant Olympic gold medal defence have put Nina Kennedy and Matt Wearn into the race for the SportWest WA Sports Star of the Year award. Source link #SportWest #Sports #Star #Year #Matt #Wearn #Nina #Kennedy #among #finalists #prestigious #award Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I was laid off from my $200K job at Meta after only 8 months. My side hustle helped me turn a crisis into an opportunity. I was laid off from my $200K job at Meta after only 8 months. My side hustle helped me turn a crisis into an opportunity. Scott Goodfriend started doing food tours in New York City as a side hustle.Gabrielle Rouleau Scott Goodfriend was laid off from his $215,000-a-year Meta job in February 2023. He took his food tour side hustle full time and now makes $145,000 a year in revenue. Goodfriend says he misses the cushy salary, but Big Tech can’t match building your own business. This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Scott Goodfriend, 39, who runs Ultimate Food Tours. Business Insider verified his previous employment and financial claims with documentation. The following has been edited for length and clarity. I didn’t expect my career path to take me from working on virtual reality at Meta to leading tour groups around New York, but I’m enjoying taking the risk and betting on myself. In 2011, I moved from Los Angeles to New York, where I worked at We Are Plus making corporate videos. In 2016, I started at Edelman, a major PR and marketing firm, and climbed the ranks to executive producer, pioneering their augmented- and virtual-reality initiatives. I wanted to pivot my skills into tech, so I started applying for jobs in 2022. I landed a job at Meta in July 2022. Working as an augmented-reality producer with a $215,000 salary felt like the crowning achievement in my career. I was handed the reins on Meta’s “real-time avatar” feature, where I ran the project’s operations. I integrated workflow, managed the 3D design, and helped the team meet deadlines. Despite being a remote employee bridging both coasts, I thrived in a fast-paced, elite environment. The sense of purpose I felt working at Meta was remarkable. We were pushing the boundaries of what was possible in the digital realm, and every day brought new challenges. But Silicon Valley’s volatility showed its face in November 2022 with mass layoffs. I thought I was safe working in a cutting-edge space like AR, but my role was eliminated, and I was placed on an internal redeployment plan. In February 2023, I was laid off, just eight months into what I thought would be a long-term journey. Fortunately, I was still making an income via my side hustle, Ultimate Food Tours. Since I moved to New York, I’d created and researched various food tours and would take groups of friends to the hidden gems I’d found. In November 2019, on a whim, I posted my first food tour on Airbnb. Between November 2019 and the beginning of COVID-19 in March 2020, I received around four bookings. At the time, I charged $60 per person per tour, which included food and non-alcoholic drinks but excluded tips. Story Continues These tours, limited to 10 people, are a journey through time and culture. I wanted it to feel like exploring a city with a knowledgeable friend. All of my prior supervisors, both at Meta and Edelman, encouraged my side hustle. I made $30,000 in 2022 doing food tours while employed at Meta. After getting laid off, I received another offer at a tech job. The idea of having a stable income was enticing. I struggled with my decision, but after speaking to my parents and mentors, I knew it was time for a change. I always kept my money from my food tours separate from my corporate salary. When I was laid off, I had roughly $20,000 from my food tour business to fall back on. I didn’t have to touch my severance money at the time. Being single, with savings in the bank, I turned my layoff crisis into an opportunity. Years of running tours as a side gig meant I had the experience and financial runway to take this leap. I already had deep relationships with my vendors and knew how to build relationships with other food personnel to promote my business. Trading the security of Big Tech for the unpredictability of entrepreneurship wasn’t an easy choice. I miss the cushy corporate perks and a steady paycheck, but the thrill of building something meaningful feeds my soul in ways technology never could. Losing my tech salary was a personal test. Spontaneous vacations and casual dinners out were replaced with budgeting and home-cooked meals. However, working in Big Tech taught me financial forecasting and operational management, which I now apply to my business. I haven’t matched my Meta salary yet, but the business made $145,000 in revenue this past year, and running costs are minimal. The tour guides I hire are all freelancers who get paid between $30 and $60 per hour per tour, excluding tips. I don’t draw a traditional salary and use the business funds to cover my essentials and the business’s expansion. The freedom of building something makes up for the financial juggling act. My days are split between understanding accounting software, coordinating with global affiliates for our expansion into Japan, and crafting tours that show a deep knowledge of local communities. I have a team of four freelance tour guides that I work with in New York, two in Vegas, and one in Tokyo. I ensure that each tour is tailored to the group. On average, I work 60 hours a week. I do tours on top of running the marketing and business operations and ensuring my finances are in order. The corporate world, with its predictable rhythms and clear career ladders, still appeals to me. But unless an extraordinary opportunity presents itself, I’m committed to Ultimate Food Tours. I’ve learned I’ll feel afraid whether I’m launching a business or taking on increased responsibility in a corporate role. The key is recognizing that every career path has its uncertainties, and the ******* risks will have greater payoffs. Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #laid #200K #job #Meta #months #side #hustle #helped #turn #crisis #opportunity Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]