Pelican Press

Jon Stewart Blows Up Key Theory on Why Dems Got ‘Shellacked’ Jon Stewart Blows Up Key Theory on Why Dems Got ‘Shellacked’ In his first The Daily Show monologue in the aftermath of Donald Trump’s presidential election win, Jon Stewart grappled with the question of why things went so poorly for Democrats. He showed a montage of clips of news pundits arguing that Democrats lost because they had gone “too woke.” “I only have one problem with the ‘woke’ theory,” Stewart replied. “I just didn’t recall seeing any Democrats running on woke s–t.” “These were the commercials I saw for the Democrats,” Stewart said, showing a montage of Democrat campaign ads expressing ************* stances on immigration. “Those are the Democrats,” Stewart said. “They didn’t talk about pronouns. They didn’t say ‘Latinx.’ It was the opposite.” Stewart later added, “They didn’t do the woke thing. They acted like Republicans for the last four months. They wore camo hats and went to Cheney family reunions. Do you know how dangerous it is to wear a hunting hat around the Cheneys?” As for Stewart’s theory for why Democrats lost? He offered, “Democrats were mostly running against an identity that was defined for them based on a couple of months of post-George Floyd Defund the Police #MeToo Instagram posts from four years ago.” Stewart continued, “The country felt like government wasn’t working for them, and the Democrats in particular were taking their hard-earned money and giving it to people who didn’t deserve it as much as them. And so the Democrats got shellacked.” Stewart offered some hope for Democrats, however: “I just want to please assure people this isn’t forever. This is the map in 1984 when Ronald Reagan won.” He showed the electoral map, where Democrats lost every single state but Minnesota. “Everyone thought, ‘that’s the end of the Democrats,’” Stewart said. “But eight years later there was a Democrat back in office. We don’t know what’s going to happen in four years at all.” Source link #Jon #Stewart #Blows #Key #Theory #Dems #Shellacked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Asus ROG Phone 9 Reportedly Spotted on Geekbench ML With Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, 24GB RAM Asus ROG Phone 9 Reportedly Spotted on Geekbench ML With Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, 24GB RAM Asus ROG Phone 9 will be officially launched later this week. Following Qualcomm’s unveiling of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset last month, Asus confirmed that the ROG Phone 9 would use the flagship SoC. Now, ahead of the launch, the handset has been reportedly spotted in the Geekbench ML online database suggesting key specifications. The Geekbench ML listing supposedly shows the ROG Phone 9 with Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, Android 15, and 24GB of RAM. Asus ROG Phone 9 Spotted in the Geekbench Online Database MySmartPrice has spotted the Asus ROG Phone 9 on the Geekbench ML listing with model number ASUSAI250E. The listing dated November 8 supposedly shows that the handset will ship with 24GB of RAM and Android 15 operating system. As per the listing, the phone scored 1,812 points in Geekbench’s Core ML Neural Engine Interference test. This test measures the device’s machine-learning capabilities and evaluates how efficiently the handset would run neural network models. Photo Credit: MySmartPrice The listing also indicates that Asus ROG Phone 9 will run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. The octa-core chipset has a prime CPU core with a maximum clock speed of 4.32GHz and a base frequency of 3.53GHz. Asus has confirmed that the ROG Phone 9 will launch on November 19 and come equipped with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. The gaming-focused phone will be launched at Asus’s virtual “AI On, Game On” launch event, which suggests it will ship with AI-based gaming features. Asus ROG Phone 9 Specifications As per past leaks, the Asus ROG Phone 9 will sport a 6.78-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) Samsung Flexible LTPO AMOLED screen with up to 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass Victus protection. It could pack a triple rear camera unit, comprising a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 700 main camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor size, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 5-megapixel macro camera. The Asus ROG Phone 9 is tipped to pack a 5,800mAh battery with 65W wired charging support and wireless charging support. Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details. Source link #Asus #ROG #Phone #Reportedly #Spotted #Geekbench #Snapdragon #Elite #SoC #24GB #RAM Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Danni Wyatt-Hodge: England batter signs for Surrey Danni Wyatt-Hodge: England batter signs for Surrey Wyatt-Hodge’s departure from the Utilita Bowl was announced alongside that of team-mate Charlie Dean, who is also set to pursue opportunities outside Hampshire. Off-spinning all-rounder Dean, 23, departs Hampshire having represented the county in various guises since under-13 level. She became the fastest woman to take 50 one-day international wickets, reaching that milestone in just 26 matches, and has played for England in all three formats. “I can’t speak highly enough of how important Hampshire and Southern Vipers have been in my cricketing journey,” Dean told the club website., external “Since I joined Hampshire as a teenager, the coaches and staff have been exceptional, and it’s been a privilege to call Utilita Bowl my home since 2017. “The successes we’ve had as a team have been nothing short of incredible, and I’ll look back fondly on my time here.” Hampshire are among the eight counties selected to compete in Tier One of the sport’s new structure, along with Durham, Essex, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Somerset, Surrey and Warwickshire. Source link #Danni #WyattHodge #England #batter #signs #Surrey Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tyron Luke Franks: Albany man fined and disqualified for driving at 156km/h on Albany Highway Tyron Luke Franks: Albany man fined and disqualified for driving at 156km/h on Albany Highway An Albany man caught going 156km/h in a 110km/h zone on Albany Highway has been fined $2000 and disqualified from driving after claiming his speeding was due to “travel anxiety”. Source link #Tyron #Luke #Franks #Albany #man #fined #disqualified #driving #156kmh #Albany #Highway Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Wisconsin man accused of hurling baby against wall because he was losing in NBA2K video game Wisconsin man accused of hurling baby against wall because he was losing in NBA2K video game A man in Wisconsin has been accused of hurling an eight-month-old baby against the wall because he was frustrated about losing a basketball video game. Jalin White, 20, was arrested in Milwaukee last Thursday and charged with child ****** and child neglect, jail records show. According to local broadcaster WISN, White was taken into custody after the young boy’s mother found him severely injured in his playpen and took him to hospital, Prosecutors said at a court hearing on Saturday that White had given conflicting and implausible explanations for the boy’s condition, until finally admitting to throwing him against the wall. “This is a severe level of ********* for an innocent infant child,” said prosecutor Madeline Witte. The child is reportedly not expected to survive. According to legal documents seen by Law & ******, White was looking after the child last Tuesday in a room he shares with the child’s mother, which they rent from her parents. The child, named in documents as “JW”, was reportedly doing well when his mother came home from work. But after leaving the house to go shopping, she allegedly found JW barely breathing and with his right arm “twitching”. The documents allege that the mother took JW to hospital, despite White’s “******” questioning, where she was told that he had suffered a fractured skull, six broken ribs, and a broken collar bone. White allegedly claimed that JW had been injured when his mother bumped his head on a door frame; then that he fell while his diaper was being changed; then that White himself had dropped JW while playing video games. Finally, the documents claim, White admitted that he had injured JW himself because he was ****** that he was two points down in the videogame NBA2K. According to WISN, White became emotional while the details were recounted in court, shaking his head and crying. Source link #Wisconsin #man #accused #hurling #baby #wall #losing #NBA2K #video #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Several injured after car ploughs into crowd in China Several injured after car ploughs into crowd in China A car ploughed into a crowd outside a stadium in the ******** city of Zhuhai on Monday evening, injuring multiple people, police have said. The 62-year-old male driver, surnamed Fan, has been arrested. Local reports estimate that at least 20 people, many of whom were struck while exercising at Zhuhai Sports Centre, were injured and have been sent to hospital. The incident took place despite heightened security in the city, which is also hosting a major civil and military airshow. Most videos of the incident posted by eyewitnesses have since been scrubbed off ******** social media, but some footage still circulating online show many people lying on the ground and being attended to by paramedics and bystanders. Some of the victims appear to be unconscious. An eyewitness, Mr Chen, told ******** news magazine Caixin that at least six groups of people had gathered at the stadium for their regular walks when the incident happened. The groups use a designated walking path that traces the stadium’s perimeter. Mr Chen said his group had just completed its third lap around the stadium when a car suddenly charged towards them at a high speed, “knocking down many people”. “It drove in a loop, and people were hurt in all areas of the running track – east, south, west, and north,” another eyewitness told Caixin. The outlet reported that many elderly people, as well as teenagers and children, were among those injured. It is unclear whether the incident was linked to the high-profile Zhuhai Airshow, which started on Tuesday at a venue just 40km (24 miles) away from the stadium. China is showcasing its latest warplanes and ******* drones at the show, and top Russian official Sergei Shoigu is expected to attend. Several entrances and exits to the sports centre have been closed during the airshow to facilitate “control”, the centre’s management said on Tuesday. China has seen a spate of violent attacks on members of the public in recent months. In September, a man went on a stabbing spree at a supermarket in Shanghai, ******** three people and injuring several others. In that same month, a 10-year-old ********* student ***** a day after he was stabbed near his school in southern China. Source link #injured #car #ploughs #crowd #China Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

National park to continue using Welsh name for Snowdon National park to continue using Welsh name for Snowdon Getty Images Snowdonia National Park Authority has referred to Wales’ tallest mountain solely as Yr Wyddfa since 2022 Wales’ tallest mountain will continue to be referred to solely by its Welsh name by its local national park authority after the move was deemed to be a success. Eryri National Park Authority voted to use Yr Wyddfa, rather than Snowdon, and Eryri, rather than Snowdonia, in all official communication in November 2022. Surveys from the summer found strong support for the move from locals and visitors, the authority said. But there were also concerns over pronunciation and some visitors being “unaware of the longstanding Welsh names and may mistakenly believe they are new”. According to a report that will be presented to the authority on Wednesday, many businesses and media outlets had also started referring to the mountain and national park by their Welsh names. The authority said this had resulted in “increasing consistency and visibility of the Welsh identity associated with the park”. Gwynedd councillor John Pughe Roberts had earlier put forward a motion asking the park to stop using Snowdon and Snowdonia, claiming many were “complaining that people are changing house names, rock names, renaming the mountains”. Citing the use of Welsh names “aligned with the authority’s commitment to promoting the Welsh language” and of “heritage preservation”, officers also reported the move represented a “unique selling point” which “sets it apart from other *** national parks”. Challenges have also been raised, including some visitors mistakenly believing the Welsh names are new, leading to “some resistance and confusion”. The report will also recommend pronunciation guides should be made available. A proposal has also been made to update the authority’s logo, which still includes the word Snowdonia. Source link #National #park #continue #Welsh #Snowdon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

More arrests in attacks against ******** football fans More arrests in attacks against ******** football fans The Netherlands’ PM has vowed the country will bring to justice those involved in attacks on ******** football supporters, as police made five more arrests. Source link #arrests #attacks #******** #football #fans Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google’s Quick Share App Now Available for Snapdragon X Elite, Other ARM Devices Running Windows 11 Google’s Quick Share App Now Available for Snapdragon X Elite, Other ARM Devices Running Windows 11 Google has silently rolled out its Quick Share app for ARM-powered devices running Windows 11 or later. Although the app was previously available for Windows-based devices, it did not have support for the ARM architecture and thus, could not run on those devices without significant workarounds. But with its introduction, users can now easily send and receive photos, documents, and more data between nearby Android devices and Windows PCs including the new Snapdragon X Elite laptops. QuickShare on ARM-Powered Devices Google highlighted that the new Quick Share app for ARM devices running Windows 11 is available for manual download via the official Android website. Users will now be able to share photos, videos, documents, audio files, or entire folders between Android devices and Windows-based desktops and PCs. They can choose whether to keep control over the device’s visibility to themselves or share it with a friend or everyone. All Quick Share transfers are claimed to have end-to-end encryption for protecting user privacy. The Mountain View-based tech giant says Quick Share already comes built-in on devices running Android 6 or later, and the app only needs to be downloaded on Windows. Google says Quick Share is now available to users. The Android website’s FAQ section about the requirements for running the app confirms that ARM devices are now supported. However, tipster Mishaal Rahman claims that despite bringing support for ARM, Quick Share is still not ARM64-native and can only be run via emulation. Notably, this development comes after Google rolled out a new update for Quick Share on the Windows platform last month that did not bundle any new features but brought bug fixes for several issues that plagued users in recent weeks, including those related to Wi-Fi LAN advertising, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Quick Share shortcut icon, system configuration preferences, and app crashing. The fixes were introduced with the Quick Share app version 1.0.2002.2 for Windows. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. iOS 18.2 Developer Beta 3 Update for iPhone Rolling Out Now: Here’s What’s New Source link #Googles #Quick #Share #App #Snapdragon #Elite #ARM #Devices #Running #Windows Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Too many wild deer are roaming England’s forests. Can promoting venison to consumers help? Too many wild deer are roaming England’s forests. Can promoting venison to consumers help? WINCHESTER, England (AP) — In the half-light of dusk, Martin Edwards surveys the shadows of the ancient woodland from a high seat and waits. He sits still, watching with his thermal camera. Even the hares don’t seem to notice the deer stalker until he takes aim. The bang of his rifle pierces the stillness. He’s ******* a buck, one of many wild deer roaming this patch of forest in Hampshire, southern England. Edwards advocates humane deer management: the culling of deer to control their numbers and ensure they don’t overrun forests and farmland in a country where they no longer have natural predators. For these advocates, ********* deer is much more than a sport. It’s a necessity because England’s deer population has gotten out of control. There are now more deer in England than at any other time in the last 1,000 years, according to the Forestry Commission, the government department looking after England’s public woodland. That has had a devastating impact on the environment, officials say. Excessive deer foraging damages large areas of woodland including young trees, as well as the habitats of certain birds like robins. Some landowners have lost huge amounts of crops to deer, and overpopulation means that the mammals are more likely to suffer from starvation and ********. “They will produce more young every year. We’ve got to a point where farmers and foresters are definitely seeing that impact,” said Edwards, pointing to some young hazel shrubs with half-eaten buds. “If there’s too many deer, you will see that they’ve literally eaten all the vegetation up to a certain height.” Forestry experts and businesses argue that culling the deer — and supplying the meat to consumers — is a double win: It helps rebalance the ecosystem and provides a low-****, sustainable protein. While venison — a red meat similar to lean beef but with an earthier flavor — is often perceived as a high-end food in the U.K., one charity sees it as an ideal protein for those who can’t afford to buy other meats. “Why not utilize that fantastic meat to feed people in need?” said SJ Hunt, chief executive of The Country Food Trust, which distributes meals made with wild venison to food banks. Pandemic population ***** An estimated 2 million deer now roam England’s forests. The government says native wild deer play a role in healthy forest ecosystems, but acknowledges that their population needs managing. It provides some funding for solutions such as building deer fences. But experts like Edwards, a spokesman for the British Association for ********* and Conservation, believe lethal control is the only effective option, especially after deer populations surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic was a boon to deer because hunters, like everyone else, stayed home and the restaurant market — the main outlet for venison in the U.K. — vanished overnight. “There were no sales of venison and the price was absolutely on the floor,” said Ben Rigby, a leading venison and game meats wholesaler. “The deer had a chance to breed massively.” Rigby’s company now processes hundreds of deer a week, turning them into diced venison or steaks for restaurants and supermarkets. One challenge, he said, is growing the domestic appetite for venison so it appears on more dinner plates, especially after Brexit put new barriers up for exporting the meat. “We’re not really a game-eating nation, not like in France or Germany or Scandinavia,” he said. “But the U.K. is becoming more and more aware of it and our trade is growing.” From the forest to the table ********* deer is legal but strictly regulated in England. Stalkers must have a license, use certain kinds of firearms and observe open seasons. They also need a valid reason, such as when a landowner authorizes them to ***** the deer when their land is damaged. Hunting deer with packs of dogs is ********. Making wild venison more widely available in supermarkets and beyond will motivate more stalkers to cull the deer and ensure the meat doesn’t go to waste, Edwards said. Forestry England, which manages public forests, is part of that drive. In recent years it supplied some hospitals with 1,000 kg (1.1 tons) of wild venison, which became the basis of pies and casseroles popular with patients and staff, it said. The approach appears to have been well received, though it has attracted some criticism from animal ******** group PETA, which advocates veganism. Hunt, the food charity chief, said there’s potential to do much more with the meat, which she described as nutritious and “free-range to the purest form of that definition.” Her charity distributed hundreds of thousands of pouches of venison Bolognese meals to food banks last year — and people are hungry for more, she said. She recalled attending one food bank session where the only protein available was tinned sardines, tinned baked beans and the venison meals. “There were no eggs. There was no cheese. That’s all that they could do, and people were just saying, ’Thank you, please bring more (of the venison),” she said. “That’s fantastic, because people realize they’re doing a double positive with helping the environment by utilizing the meat as well.” Source link #wild #deer #roaming #Englands #forests #promoting #venison #consumers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New research prompts rethink on chances of life on Uranus moons New research prompts rethink on chances of life on Uranus moons SPL Artwork: Uranus and its five largest moons had been thought to be inactive and sterile. The planet Uranus and its five biggest moons may not be the ***** sterile worlds that scientists have long thought. Instead, they may have oceans, and the moons may even be capable of supporting life, scientists say. Much of what we know about them was gathered by Nasa’s Voyager 2 spacecraft which visited nearly 40 years ago. But a new analysis shows that Voyager’s visit coincided with a powerful solar storm, which led to a misleading idea of what the Uranian system is really like. Uranus is a beautiful, icy ringed world in the outer reaches of our solar system. It is among the coldest of all the planets. It is also tilted on its side compared to all the other worlds – as if it had been knocked over – making it arguably the weirdest. We got our first close-up look at it in 1986, when Voyager 2 flew past and sent back sensational pictures of the planet and its five major moons. But what amazed scientists even more was the data Voyager 2 sent back indicating that the Uranian system was even weirder than they thought. The measurements from the spacecraft’s instruments indicated that the planets and moons were inactive, unlike the other moons in the outer solar system. They also showed that Uranus’s protective magnetic field was strangely distorted. It was squashed and pushed away from the Sun. A planet’s magnetic field traps any gases and other material coming off the planet and its moons. These might be from oceans or geological activity. Voyager 2 found none, suggesting that Uranus and its five largest moons were sterile and inactive. This came as an enormous surprise because it was unlike the solar system’s other planets and their moons. NASA Miranda, one of the moons of Uranus, photographed by Voyager 2. The new research says the moon possibly has a sub-surface ocean and may even be home to life NASA Voyager 2 was launched in 1977 to study Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune But the new analysis has solved the decades-long mystery. It shows that Voyager 2 flew past on a bad day. The new research shows that just as Voyager 2 flew past Uranus, the Sun was raging, creating a powerful solar wind that might have blown the material away and temporarily distorted the magnetic field. So, for 40 years we have had an incorrect view of what Uranus and its five largest moons are normally like, according to Dr William Dunn of University College London. “These results suggest that the Uranian system could be much more exciting than previously thought. There could be moons there that could have the conditions that are necessary for life, they might have oceans that below the surface that could be teeming with fish!”. NASA The first picture of Uranus was sent back by Voyager 2 in 1986 Linda Spilker was a young scientist working on the Voyager programme when the Uranus data came in. She is now still serving as the project scientist for the Voyager missions. She said that she was delighted to hear about the new results, which have been published in the Journal Nature Astronomy. “The results are fascinating, and I am really excited to see that there is potential for life in the Uranian system,” she told BBC News. “I’m also so pleased that so much is being done with the Voyager data. It’s amazing that scientists are looking back at the data we collected in 1986 and finding new results and new discoveries”. Dr Affelia Wibisono of the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies, who is independent of the research team, described the results as “very exciting”. “It shows how important it is to look back at old data, because sometimes, hiding behind them is something new to be discovered, which can help us design the next generation of space exploration missions”. Which is exactly what Nasa is doing, partly as a result of the new research. It has been nearly 40 years since Voyager 2 last flew past the icy world and its moons. Nasa has plans to launch a new mission, the Uranus Orbiter and Probe, to go back for a closer look in 10 years’ time. NASA Plumes of material coming from Enceladus, one of the moons of Saturn, indicating a possible sub-surface ocean. Could the same be true of the Uranian moons? According to Nasa’s Dr Jamie Jasinski, whose idea it was to re-examine the Voyager 2 data, the mission will need to take his results into account when designing its instruments and planning the scientific survey. “Some of the instruments for the future spacecraft are very much being designed with ideas from what we learned from Voyager 2 when it flew past the system when it was experiencing an abnormal event. So we need to rethink how exactly we are going to design the instruments on the new mission so that we can best capture the science we need to make discoveries”. Nasa’s Uranus probe is expected to arrive by 2045, which is when scientists hope to find out whether these far-flung icy moons, once thought of as being ***** worlds, might have the possibility of being home to life. Source link #research #prompts #rethink #chances #life #Uranus #moons Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google’s Quick Share App Now Available for Snapdragon X Elite, Other ARM Devices Running Windows 11 Google’s Quick Share App Now Available for Snapdragon X Elite, Other ARM Devices Running Windows 11 Google has silently rolled out its Quick Share app for ARM-powered devices running Windows 11 or later. Although the app was previously available for Windows-based devices, it did not have support for the ARM architecture and thus, could not run on those devices without significant workarounds. But with its introduction, users can now easily send and receive photos, documents, and more data between nearby Android devices and Windows PCs including the new Snapdragon X Elite laptops. QuickShare on ARM-Powered Devices Google highlighted that the new Quick Share app for ARM devices running Windows 11 is available for manual download via the official Android website. Users will now be able to share photos, videos, documents, audio files, or entire folders between Android devices and Windows-based desktops and PCs. They can choose whether to keep control over the device’s visibility to themselves or share it with a friend or everyone. All Quick Share transfers are claimed to have end-to-end encryption for protecting user privacy. The Mountain View-based tech giant says Quick Share already comes built-in on devices running Android 6 or later, and the app only needs to be downloaded on Windows. Google says Quick Share is now available to users. The Android website’s FAQ section about the requirements for running the app confirms that ARM devices are now supported. However, tipster Mishaal Rahman claims that despite bringing support for ARM, Quick Share is still not ARM64-native and can only be run via emulation. Notably, this development comes after Google rolled out a new update for Quick Share on the Windows platform last month that did not bundle any new features but brought bug fixes for several issues that plagued users in recent weeks, including those related to Wi-Fi LAN advertising, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Quick Share shortcut icon, system configuration preferences, and app crashing. The fixes were introduced with the Quick Share app version 1.0.2002.2 for Windows. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. iOS 18.2 Developer Beta 3 Update for iPhone Rolling Out Now: Here’s What’s New Source link #Googles #Quick #Share #App #Snapdragon #Elite #ARM #Devices #Running #Windows Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******* accused deny park ******* roles at trial restart ******* accused deny park ******* roles at trial restart Three of the 12 men accused of murdering a teenager in a public park have admitted being in the vicinity but have denied causing injuries, a judge has heard. The trial was restarted in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Tuesday as a judge-alone matter after the jury was discharged last week over concerns that one or more members could have been racially prejudiced against the dozen defendants, who are all of ******** background. Justice Lincoln Crowley on Thursday was handed a note from the jury that said more than one member was concerned for their safety after seeing men who might have been the defendants in the Brisbane CBD during a break in the trial. The 12 defendants on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to the ******* of Girum Mekonnen. The 19-year-old ***** near a soccer club’s playing fields at a park in the north Brisbane suburb of Zillmere at 5pm on September 13, 2020. All defendants also pleaded not guilty to 10 other charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, unlawful wounding with bats or bladed weapons, and ******** causing bodily harm against 10 alleged victims. The defendants are Kresto Wal Wal, 28, Gabreal Wal Wal, 31, Santo Wall, 36, Yohana Wal Wal, 23, Joseph Lokolong, 28, Majok Riel Majok, 23, Alex Edward Deng, 22, Chan Kuchmol Kon, 28, Abraham Ajang Yaak, 30, Ben Abio, 23, Juma Makuol Deng Makuol, 27, and Malat Akoi Makuach, 25. Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane said Mr Mekonnen bled to ****** from a 25-centimetre stab wound to his abdomen allegedly inflicted when the defendants surrounded a group of people sitting outside a demountable building and produced weapons. Mr Crane told Justice Crowley the defendants travelled to the park in a convoy of vehicles from Ipswich, 40km away. “The (defendants) went there to perpetuate serious ********* … It was deliberate. There was no withdrawal,” Mr Crane said. He said there were text messages to suggest the group had a common ********* purpose to get retaliation for the bashing of the brother of four of the defendants. Barrister Scott ******, acting for Kresto Wal Wal, said it was not an issue at trial that his client was at the park on that particular day. “It is an issue whether he was an actor who caused a particular injury or aided in the stab wound to the deceased,” Mr ****** said. Jeffrey Hunter, acting for Gabreal Wal Wal, also said there was no dispute his client was at the park but there were problems with testimony given by witnesses at previous hearings. Alex Edward Deng’s barrister Anna Cappellano said she would not dispute that her client was at the park. Yohana Wal Wal’s barrister Christopher Wilson said he would challenge mobile phone evidence that claimed his client was at the park and participated in the *******. Barrister for the other defendants declined to make opening statements. The trial is due to run for five weeks. Source link #******* #accused #deny #park #******* #roles #trial #restart Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pentagon secrets leaker Jack Teixeira set to be sentenced, could get up to 17 years in prison Pentagon secrets leaker Jack Teixeira set to be sentenced, could get up to 17 years in prison BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts Air National Guard member who pleaded guilty to leaking highly classified military documents about the war in Ukraine is expected to be sentenced in federal court on Tuesday. Prosecutors have argued that Jack Teixeira should be sentenced to 17 years in prison, saying he “perpetrated one of the most significant and consequential violations of the Espionage Act in ********* history.” “As both a member of the ******* States Armed Forces and a clearance holder, the defendant took an oath to defend the ******* States and to protect its secrets — secrets that are vital to U.S. national security and the physical safety of Americans serving overseas,” prosecutors wrote. “Teixeira violated his oath, almost every day, for over a year.” Teixeira’s attorneys will argue that U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani should sentence him to 11 years in prison. In their sentencing memorandum, they acknowledged that their client “made a terrible decision which he repeated over 14 months.” “It’s a ****** that deserves serious consequences,” the attorneys wrote. “Jack has thoroughly accepted responsibility for the wrongfulness of his actions and stands ready to accept whatever punishment must now be imposed.” Teixeira, of North Dighton, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in March to six counts of the willful retention and transmission of national defense information under the Espionage Act. That came nearly a year after he was arrested in the most consequential national security ***** in years. The 22-year-old admitted that he illegally collected some of the nation’s most sensitive secrets and shared them with other users on the social media platform Discord. When Teixeira pleaded guilty, prosecutors said they would seek a prison term at the high end of the sentencing range. But the defense wrote that the 11 years is a “serious and adequate to account for deterrence considerations and would be essentially equal to half the life that Jack has lived thus far.” His attorneys described Teixeira as an autistic, isolated individual who spent most of his time online, especially with his Discord community. They said his actions, though *********, were never meant to “harm the ******* States.” He also had no prior ********* record. “Instead, his intent was to educate his friends about world events to make certain they were not misled by misinformation,” the attorneys wrote. “To Jack, the Ukraine war was his generation’s World War II or Iraq, and he needed someone to share the experience with.” Prosecutors, though, countered that Teixeira does not suffer from an intellectual disability that prevents him from knowing right from wrong. They argued that Teixeira’s post-arrest diagnosis as having “mild, high-functioning” autism “is of questionable relevance in these proceedings.” The security breach raised alarm over America’s ability to protect its most closely guarded secrets and forced the Biden administration to scramble to try to contain the diplomatic and military fallout. The leaks embarrassed the Pentagon, which tightened controls to safeguard classified information and disciplined members found to have intentionally ******* to take required action about Teixeira’s suspicious behavior. Teixeira, who was part of the 102nd Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts, worked as a cyber transport systems specialist, which is essentially an information technology specialist responsible for military communications networks. He ******** in the Air National Guard in an unpaid status, an Air Force official said. Authorities said he first typed out classified documents he accessed and then began sharing photographs of files that bore SECRET and TOP SECRET markings. Prosecutors also said he tried to cover his tracks before his arrest, and authorities found a smashed tablet, laptop and an Xbox gaming console in a dumpster at his house. The ***** exposed to the world unvarnished secret assessments of Russia’s war in Ukraine, including information about troop movements in Ukraine, and the provision of supplies and equipment to Ukrainian troops. Teixeira also admitted posting information about a U.S. adversary’s plans to harm U.S. forces serving overseas. Source link #Pentagon #secrets #leaker #Jack #Teixeira #set #sentenced #years #prison Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Critics say Paul Mescal film is ‘gobsmacking’ and ‘loopy’ Critics say Paul Mescal film is ‘gobsmacking’ and ‘loopy’ Paramount Pictures Most critics praised Mescal’s performance in Gladiator II Gladiator II – Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated sequel following the 2000 epic – has been met with a mixed response from film critics. The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw called the movie a “thrilling spectacle” and “gobsmacking reboot”. His four-star review also praised Paul Mescal for his performance as the illegitimate son of Russell Crowe’s Maximus, Lucius, and called him a “formidable lead”. However, he agreed with most critics that while the film is an enjoyable watch, it doesn’t quite live up to the Oscar-winning original. “It isn’t quite as strong as its predecessor,” wrote Robbie Collin for The Telegraph. “But it is still the year’s most relentlessly entertaining blockbuster.” “You miss Russell Crowe, but Mescal is always watchable, with a stocky, swarthy, brooding presence,” he added in the four-star review. The FT’s review celebrated veteran director, Ridley Scott, for his “stubborn charm”, “belligerent swagger” and “ideas that are more pulpy and loopy”. “The best of the film is its sheer *******-minded heft, a blockbuster fuelled by an insistence on *******, sillier, movie-r,” Danny Leigh wrote, giving the film three stars. But he added that he’d “be amazed if the sequel is remembered by Christmas, let alone in 24 years”. Variety’s Owen Gleiberman said that while the sequel was a “solid piece of neoclassical popcorn” it’s “ultimately a mere shadow” of the original. He also noted that while Mescal delivers a fine performance he has “an anger that never quite simmers to a boil” and “we now can’t help but see him as a millennial knockoff of Crowe’s glowering royal punk”. Paramount Pictures Mescal plays the illegitimate son of Russell Crowe’s Maximus, Lucius The Independent’s four-star review also commended 86-year-old Scott, who appears to care less about habits and expectations the older he gets. “Gladiator II is equal in scale and spectacle, and weighted with metaphor, but it’s also shot through with the kind of wry, absurdist ****** that’s come to dominate Scott’s work of the last decade and a half,” wrote Clarisse Loughrey. “At times, Gladiator II is pure camp.” ‘Marvel-esque sequel’ The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the film delivers *******, bolder action thanks to advances in digital technology. There are “heavily armed gladiators riding a charging rhinoceros” and “wounded men tumbling from boats into the jaws of ravenous sharks” during the nautical battle staged in the flooded pit of the Colosseum. David Rooney was less favourable about Mescal’s performance and called it “a tad flat at times” with his emotional range “sticking mostly to the same notes of brooding intensity and simmering rage”. Kevin Maher at The Times also criticised Mescal and said he “disappoints in this dreary, Marvel-esque sequel”. In his two-star review, he wrote that the film is a “scattershot effort with half-formed characters and undernourished plotlines that seem to exist only in conversation with the Russell Crowe original. “There is no substantial story this time around, and no driving ideas in the hotchpotch screenplay.” The Wrap’s William Bibbiani agreed and said while the film “has everything it needs in the action department, it’s the story that falls apart”. “The whole thing hangs on contrivance and familiarity, not characters, so the fights don’t seem to matter much.” However, Bibbiani and Maher noted that Denzel Washington is particularly good as Machiavellian former ******, Macrinus, who now profits off gladiators. Maher said the film “only ignites when Denzel Washington’s brilliant, ********* ****** manager is on screen,” he said. Other critics agreed and The Guardian said he “almost steals the entire picture”, while The Hollywood Reporter called his performance “lip-smacking”. Empire’s four-star review praised other members of the cast as well – Pedro Pascal is “as charismatic as ever” and Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger as Roman Emperor twins “rival Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus from the original Gladiator in terms of crazed volatility and also have a distinct whiff of the ultimate **** emperor Caligula”. Source link #Critics #Paul #Mescal #film #gobsmacking #loopy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fremantle and West Coast stars eye back-to-back blazers as extended AFLW All-*********** revealed Fremantle and West Coast stars eye back-to-back blazers as extended AFLW All-*********** revealed Ruck star Mim Strom is among three Fremantle players on the verge of an All-*********** blazer, with the trio named alongside two Eagles to give WA a strong presence in the extended squad. Strom is considered a lock to make the final side after a record-breaking season where she claimed a maiden western derby medal and set new benchmarks for most hit-outs in a game and in a season. 2023 All-*********** Emma O’Driscoll is a chance to earn back-to-back blazers, leading the league in intercept possessions (94) and averaging a career-best 15.8 disposals and 3.6 marks per game. Camera IconEmma O’Driscoll is eyeing back-to-back blazers. Credit: Paul Kane/AFL Photos/via Getty Images And teammate Aisling McCarthy is one of four Irish recruits to make the extended squad as the midfielder slid seamlessly into Fremantle’s group having switched from the Eagles in the off-season averaging career highs in disposals, clearances and tackles. It came as 19-year-old Eagle Ella Roberts cemented her status as one of the brightest stars in the competition, earning a squad call-up alongside Charlie Thomas. Teen phenom Roberts was central to the Eagles’ improvement this season averaging more than 21 disposals per game and adding a more attacking layer to her game with a career-high six goals while also laying 61 tackles. Thomas made history last season by becoming the first Eagle to earn selection in the All-*********** side. Camera IconElla Roberts of the Eagles celebrates after kicking a goal. Credit: RICHARD WAINWRIGHT/AAPIMAGE Elevated to vice-captain this season, Thomas finished first in the league for rebound 50s averaging just under 400 meters gained per game. “Charlie and Ella had very consistent seasons and this is a great recognition of their efforts,” Eagles head of women’s football Michelle Cowan said. “They were both incredibly impactful throughout the year and both continue to lead the way for the entire team, both on the field and off the field. “It’s great to see Charlie back up her All-*********** selection last season, and great recognition for Ella after her best season that she’s had in the competition.” The final team of 21, which includes a captain and a vice-captain and is selected as if playing in a match, will be announced on Monday, November 25 at the W Awards. Source link #Fremantle #West #Coast #stars #eye #backtoback #blazers #extended #AFLW #AllAustralian #revealed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump win puts raids, camps & deportations on the agenda Trump win puts raids, camps & deportations on the agenda Stephen Miller, the architect of the notorious “family separation” policy, is expected to be named Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy. MSNBC’s Katie Phang reports and is joined by Cecilia Wong, ACLU National Legal Director and political strategist Fernand Amandi. (The Beat’s YouTube playlist: Ari: www.youtube.com/arimelber Beat merch: www.msnbc.com/Beat5) Source link #Trump #win #puts #raids #camps #deportations #agenda Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*********** inquiry reveals stabbing timeline *********** inquiry reveals stabbing timeline It took just three minutes for Joel Cauchi to ***** six people and injure 10 more during a stabbing rampage at a popular Sydney shopping centre, an inquest into the ******* has found. A New South Wales Coroner’s court heard on Tuesday that Cauchi, 40, was mentally ill and sleeping rough at the time of the incident, and had come off his medication for schizophrenia, prompting his parents to confiscate his hunting knives. The probe also found that no alarm sounded inside the centre until after Cauchi had been shot ***** by police. The incident on 13 April devastated Australia, where mass ******* is rare, and prompted a national conversation about gendered *********. All up, 14 of the 17 people stabbed that day were female – including five of the six who were *******, and a nine-month-old baby. The NSW police commissioner said at the time that it was “obvious” Cauchi had targeted women. Tuesday’s hearing ***** out the areas of focus for an extensive inquiry which is due to begin in full in April 2025. The investigation will look into possible security lapses and failings in the mental health systems in NSW and Queensland, Cauchi’s home state. Speaking in court, Dr Peggy Dwyer SC, the counsel assisting the coroner, said Cauchi had been off his psychotropic medication since 2019, despite authorities being repeatedly warned of his deteriorating state. Cauchi had come “to the attention” of Queensland police several times, she said. In her statement, Dwyer also provided the first detailed timeline of how the ********* actually unfolded in Bondi that day. She said that Cauchi – who had been sleeping rough in the suburb of Maroubra on the morning of the ******* – entered Westfield shopping centre around 15.30 (local), and began stabbing people roughly three minutes later, after removing his ****** in line at a bakery. His first victim was Dawn Singleton, 25, followed by 47-year-old ***** Young and 25-year-old Yixuan Cheng. He then attacked Ashlee Good, 38, from behind. Good – who has been described by her family as an “all-round outstanding human” – then saw Cauchi stabbing her nine-month-old baby girl in her pram, and was further wounded trying to save the child’s life, the court heard. Faraz Tahir, a 30-year-old security guard, was stabbed next, alongside a colleague. Onlookers at the time said he ***** “trying to save others”. Cauchi fatally stabbed Pikria Darchia, 55, before being shot ***** by NSW Police Insp Amy Scott, who had been on duty close by. Between the moment Scott arrived and the moment she ******* Cauchi just over a minute had passed, the court heard. In total, the ******* lasted for five minutes and 43 seconds – yet no alarm sounded during that time. “It’s presently unclear why it took so long for the alarm to sound,” Dwyer said. Before opening the hearing, state coroner Teresa O’Sullivan acknowledged the pain and loss the broader community was still feeling as a result of the *********. “I offer my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones who are here in court today as well as those who can’t be here in person,” she told the court, according to the Guardian Australia. “It’s important to me and my assisting team… that you feel safe, you feel heard and you feel cared for throughout this proceeding.” Source link #*********** #inquiry #reveals #stabbing #timeline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Competition watchdog finds domestic airfares soared after Rex Airlines collapse Competition watchdog finds domestic airfares soared after Rex Airlines collapse *********** travellers have been paying up to a whopping 95 per cent more for domestic flights since Rex Airlines’ collapse, the consumer regulator has revealed. The Sydney-based airline in July appointed administrators and grounded its fleet that provided services between major cities, leaving customers with fewer options for lower-cost carriers. A new *********** Competition and Consumer Commission report on Tuesday has now revealed just how much more travellers have been forking out since Rex axed its 11 routes to major national airports. The most notable spikes were recorded on routes from Adelaide to Melbourne (up 95 per cent to $296), Melbourne to the Gold Coast (up 70 per cent to $432) and Canberra to Melbourne (up 54 per cent to $298). Rex axed domestic flights between Perth and other major cities, but is still fulfilling its State Government-regulated regional routes servicing Carnarvon, Monkey Mia, Albany and Esperance. The ACCC on Tuesday said since Rex’s collapse, the average airfare on all major city routes jumped by 13.3 per cent to September. “The withdrawal of Rex from major city routes has meant passengers no longer have the lower cost options it provided,” the report said. “The increase coincides with less competition after Rex’s exit from many of these routes, an increase in seasonal demand during September and fuller flights.” ACCC commissioner Anna Brakey said the exit of Rex as a third competing airline group on services between metropolitan cities may have significant longer-term impacts on the domestic aviation sector. “With less competition, there is less choice for consumers and less incentive for airlines to offer cheaper airfares and more reliable services,” she said. The ACCC said there was no domestic route serviced by more than two major airline groups, with Qantas and ******* Australia servicing 98 per cent of domestic passengers. Qantas said the ACCC report “does not reflect” the prices paid by customers and factors impact demand and fares. “The data is from the Government’s monthly fare monitoring which expressly states that it does not measure ‘average fares paid by passengers,” Qantas domestic chief executive Markus Svensson said. “The day selected in the latest report was 31 October, which is when Melbourne was hosting Coldplay. “As such, demand was significantly higher on flights into Melbourne which means lower fares were snapped up early and the fares left available to purchase three weeks out were higher than usual.” It comes the same day the Federal Government announced it would provide Rex up to $80 million to keep its regional routes running and grant early access to entitlements for the airline’s former employees. In a ****** statement, Transport Minister Catherine King and Workplace Minister Murray Watt said the funding would support the continuation of critical services for regional communities. Source link #Competition #watchdog #finds #domestic #airfares #soared #Rex #Airlines #collapse Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

iOS 18.2 Developer Beta 3 Update for iPhone Rolling Out Now: Here’s What’s New iOS 18.2 Developer Beta 3 Update for iPhone Rolling Out Now: Here’s What’s New Apple released the iOS 18.2 Developer Beta 3 update for iPhone on Monday. It builds upon the previous updates as the Cupertino-based tech giant continues to test the second batch of features powered by Apple Intelligence — the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) suite for iPhone and other devices. Apple’s latest update is not a substantial introduction but still includes tweaks to the video player in the Photos app, updated dark mode icons for apps, and more. iOS 18.2 Developer Beta 3 Update: What’s New With iOS 18, Apple introduced a complete overhaul to the Photos app which now has a new user interface (UI). However, not all of the changes were wholeheartedly accepted by users, including the new video player which appeared with a white border all around during initial playback. Apple’s latest update finally rectifies this issue, meaning users will not have to tap on the screen to get full-screen video playback. The icon for Airdrop in the share sheet has also been updated in line with Apple’s new dark mode. It also includes a feature exclusive to the iPhone 16 series. With the new Require Screen on setting, users will only be able to launch the Camera or other third-party camera apps on the iPhone with the Camera Control button if the screen is on. Spotted by 9to5Mac, iOS 18.2 Developer Beta 3 brings new icons for the new Climate and Media apps that are set to arrive with the next-generation Carplay. It is also reported to include a completely customisable navigation bar in the TV app on iPad. In addition to new features, Apple says its latest update fixes issues related to Precision Finding and more features of AirPods, AirTags and other Find My accessories. Furthermore, the update’s code is also said to include more stringent enforcement of the requirements for taking advantage of Apple Intelligence features. It includes a list of “authorised devices” to prevent bypassing restrictions that might allow users to access the AI suite on older devices. Gadgets 360 staff members were able to verify the update’s availability and its new features on the iPhone 15 Pro. Source link #iOS #Developer #Beta #Update #iPhone #Rolling #Heres #Whats Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

LAUSD abruptly ends new admissions rules for gifted students amid parent fury over standards LAUSD abruptly ends new admissions rules for gifted students amid parent fury over standards L.A. Unified is reversing a controversial decision to relax the admissions requirements for some of its most rigorous academic programs after furious debate over how to ensure equitable access to all while maintaining the academic standards in the popular initiatives for highly gifted students. Many parents — who lashed out at the district during a town hall meeting late last week — said administrators bungled the rollout of the new admissions policy, which was confusing, did not include their input, caught them by surprise and stirred deep concerns about the future direction of the popular honors programs. In previous years, students applying to the Individualized Honors Program at Walter Reed Middle School in Studio City and Mark Twain Middle School in Venice submitted applications and teacher recommendations and were required to take an eligibility exam — all to show they were prepared for fast-paced studies well beyond their grade level. Read more: LAUSD’s ****** student achievement program upended, targeted by ************* Virginia group For the 2025-26 school year, the district tried to do away with special applications, recommendations and placement exams. Instead, it was going to require just one academic criterion — that all applicants be gifted or working at a gifted level through a district designation process. But in their abrupt about-face days before the Nov. 15 application deadline, district officials said on Sunday they were dropping most of the new admissions requirements, appearing to revert back to the more rigorous process for the upcoming school year. L.A. Unified has “decided to retain most of its existing admissions processes for … this admissions cycle while we continue to work with our communities to develop rigorous programs and processes that fit their individual needs and ensure fairness and equity,” a district spokesperson said in a statement to The Times. Melissa Pope, left, and her daughter, Chelsea, 12, at Mark Twain Middle School, where Chelsea is enrolled in the Individualized Honors Program. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) “Superintendent Carvalho and Los Angeles Unified District leadership are dedicated to not only supporting rigorous programs in our schools but also growing them within each region, while adhering to all legal requirements,” the statement said. L.A. Unified did not disclose details of the amended policy or which of the previous admissions requirements it would retain and discard. It was not known Monday how the change would be communicated to all interested parents. Parents are required to select their preferred school choices by Friday though the district’s Choices website; schools will then follow up with families regarding each program’s particular admissions criteria, a district spokesperson said Monday. The decision follows weeks of parent anger and questions, culminating in a heated town hall meeting Thursday night at Walter Reed Middle School, during which parents of students enrolled in the prestigious programs contended district officials changed the admissions policies behind closed doors and without a compelling reason. After hearing parents’ concerns at the meeting, school board member Scott Schmerelson, whose San Fernando Valley board district includes Reed Middle School, described the situation is “kind of embarrassing” and said the new process should be postponed a year. He took the issue up with Carvalho’s office Friday, according to a spokesperson. “Making changes that impact students’ educational trajectories must always be done with transparency and care,” Schmerelson said in a statement Monday. An L.A. Unified spokesperson previously said the planned changes were part of a years-long effort to centralize the application process for specialized academic programs on its Choices site, ensuring greater equity, visibility and access. The Individualized Honors Programs at Twain and Reed are among eight that have traditionally had their own application processes, and now fall under a new classification called Unique Education Pathways. The district said the earlier announced changes were aimed at bringing admissions and enrollment policies into alignment with a 30-year-old state education code. As of 1994, the statute requires student selection through a “random, unbiased process” when a school’s applications exceed enrollment. School districts may use entrance criteria for specialized schools or programs, state code says, “if the criteria are uniformly applied to all applicants.” Also, students who reside in the attendance area of a school should not be displaced by those transferring from outside the attendance area. L.A. Unified School Board member Nick Melvoin, whose West Los Angeles district includes Twain, had also expressed concern, saying he was “disappointed” the district had not sought school board or community input. “I understand that the intent may have been to provide more open access to these thriving schools, and that no changes have been proposed to the programs themselves,” Melvoin said in a statement Monday, “but I’m glad the district is hitting pause on these changes as administrators should take the time to carefully review the concerns and work with parents and the schools to ensure these programs’ future success.” Walter Reed Middle School offers an honors program for gifted students who can work at an accelerated pace. (Al Seib / For The Times) Gowri Ramachandran, who has a child in Reed’s IHP, advocated against the relaxing of the admissions requirements. When a Times reporter informed her Monday of the district’s change of heart, she said she was “pleased” the district had apparently heard and responded to stakeholders’ concerns during the town hall. But she said she is concerned about the district’s lackluster communication to families. “I’m definitely concerned that there’s been no public statement communicating these changes … or emails to parents communicating these changes,” especially with the impending enrollment deadline, she said. “I really hope that the district has really learned from the poor communication … that they need to really consult with stakeholders when they’re making changes to beloved, popular programs.” Change ignited debate In a district dogged by declining enrollment and chronic absenteeism and focused on overcoming pandemic academic setbacks, parents have viewed the accelerated programs as successful bright spots. Some were worried the earlier announced changes would degrade or fundamentally alter the programs — while others applauded the relaxed admissions criteria as a step toward making them more accessible. Some parents who spoke with The Times said the entrance exam and other application requirements are essential for maintaining a challenging classroom environment. Students in IHP programs work one to three years above grade level in math and study advanced reading materials. Melissa Pope has a 10th-grade child who graduated from Twain’s IHP and a seventh-grader currently enrolled. She said students of all abilities would have been affected by the district’s decision to relax admissions criteria. “It’ll hurt students who could thrive in an environment like that” if rigor is diminished, she said. “It’ll hurt students who are put in that environment who now are going to possibly really struggle unnecessarily.” Adam Felber recalls that his son was “literally bored to tears” in school until he enrolled in Reed’s IHP program and began learning three years of math curriculum in one year. His sixth-grade daughter is now in the program. Read more: Ten L.A. schools to stop standardized tests amid debate: ‘Endless boredom’ or essential tool? “The thing they lose sight of,” Felber said of the district, “is that gifted needs are special needs.” But others said the admissions exam and additional application requirements are inherently unfair to students of ****** who face socioeconomic disadvantages. Elaine Waldman, whose daughter is enrolled in Reed’s IHP, said the test is “elitist and exclusionary,” and hoped dropping it would improve the diversity of the program. “You don’t have to be so hand-picking of the students who enter,” she said. “That is a way of keeping out the diversity of Los Angeles and keeping it a well-kept secret.” The district refused to release information about the number of students enrolled in the two IHP programs and their demographic information. Both programs are housed on the campus of ******* middle schools. School districts across the state and country have grappled with admissions criteria policies for honors and advanced programs. The San Francisco school district dropped the merit-based application process for an academically elite public school during the pandemic, with opponents of the process arguing it was ******* against ****** and brown students. The district has since returned to relying largely on test scores and grades, following high-profile controversy. Focus on equity Evelyn Alemán helps Latino and Indigenous immigrant families in the district advocate for high-quality education as founder of Our Voice: Communities for Quality Education. She said many Latino parents don’t know how to access the district’s special academic programs, or don’t think their children are eligible for them. “Oftentimes, Latino parents just don’t have the information, don’t know how the process works,” she said. “They also may feel like their child may not be competent enough for the program, which creates a situation where our kids aren’t even given the chance to compete to get into the program.” “Every child should have access to these programs,” Alemán said. “But is the district willing to continue that level of high-quality education and offer that to every child?” Amid the wider conversation around admissions criteria, John Affeldt, a managing attorney at the nonprofit law firm Public Advocates who is focused on education equity, said school officials should be working hard to raise the level of education quality across districts, especially for students of ****** and low-income students. He advocates for exposing all students to more challenging curriculum while providing additional support as needed, saying: “I think the student performance will surprise traditional expectations.” Many parents said that to truly improve access to L.A. Unified’s special academic programs, the district should replicate them in neighborhoods across the city. In the meantime, families are applying for specialized programs, even as the district changes the rules of the game. Guilan Siassi, whose daughter is applying to a couple of programs for the upcoming school year, viewed the district’s decision as a cautious win in a potentially longer battle to maintain the integrity of the district’s most rigorous programs. “It’s still an open question whether they really intend to actually engage with parents the right way,” she said. This article is part of The Times’ equity reporting initiative, funded by the James Irvine Foundation, exploring the challenges facing low-income workers and the efforts being made to address California’s economic divide. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Source link #LAUSD #abruptly #ends #admissions #rules #gifted #students #parent #fury #standards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mother-of-two ***** in Turkey gastric sleeve weight-loss op Mother-of-two ***** in Turkey gastric sleeve weight-loss op Wales News Service Janet Savage was worried about putting on weight and booked surgery in Turkey A driving examiner who went to Turkey for a weight-loss operation bled to ****** after the surgery went wrong, an inquest has heard. Mother-of-two Janet Lynne Savage, 54, from Bangor in Gwynedd suffered damage to one of her main arteries during the procedure, going into cardiac arrest. Despite the efforts of emergency teams at the hospital in Antalya she ***** in the intensive care unit on 6 August, 2023. The hearing in Caernarfon recorded a narrative conclusion, finding she ***** due to acute blood loss during gastric sleeve surgery. The inquest was told Mrs Savage had contacted a health travel firm called Regenesis Health Travel at the start of July 2023, and within 24 hours had signed up for surgery a month later in Turkey. She told the health tourism firm that she had already been taking the weight-loss ***** Ozempic, but no longer had access to it, and was concerned she was rapidly gaining weight. She said she wanted to lose three stone (19kg), and told Regenesis Health Travel that her body mass index (BMI) was 30.7. According to the NHS, the index measures what is a healthy weight for your height, and would have put Mrs Savage at the very start of the obese range, which runs from 30 to 39.9. Facebook The coroner passed on her condolences to Janet Savage’s family Alison Ergun, a client service officer for Regenesis, said she was called on the day of the surgery. “There was a complication and she had stopped breathing in the first few minutes of surgery,” she said in a statement. The senior coroner for North West Wales, Kate Robertson, said translated notes from the surgeon, Dr Ramazan Azar, described how there had been a 3-4mm “defect” in the aorta artery when the operation began, leading to bleeding. He said that the aorta was repaired by the surgical team, and the gastric sleeve procedure cancelled due to the complications. However, medics in the intensive care unit were then unable to find a pulse, and Mrs Savage was pronounced ***** in the early hours of the morning. The coroner said she ordered a post-mortem examination when the body of Mrs Savage was repatriated to Wales, which was carried out at Glan Clwyd Hospital. Pathologist Muhammad Aslam reported that the cause of ****** was due to acute bleeding from the abdominal aorta, that had been repaired. The coroner passed on her condolences to Mrs Savage’s family. Source link #Motheroftwo #***** #Turkey #gastric #sleeve #weightloss Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nutrien Ag Solutions announces $70 million investment to create new bulk fertiliser distribution centre Nutrien Ag Solutions announces $70 million investment to create new bulk fertiliser distribution centre Nutrien Ag Solutions has announced the construction of a new bulk fertiliser distribution centre, a $70 million investment that comes just nine months after ***** tore through the company’s Kwinana facility. Source link #Nutrien #Solutions #announces #million #investment #create #bulk #fertiliser #distribution #centre Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

25 ****** Masks Of Historically Important People That Are As Fascinating As They Are Creepy 25 ****** Masks Of Historically Important People That Are As Fascinating As They Are Creepy ****** masks — made out of a wax or plaster cast put on a ***** person’s face — have long been part of human history. Below, morgue workers make a ****** mask of notorious Depression-era gangster John Dillinger, who ***** in a shootout with FBI agents on July 22, 1934. Brandstaetter Images / Getty Images Here’s what Dillinger’s finished ****** mask looked like (note the bullet ***** captured under his right eye): Tim Sloan / AFP via Getty Images For comparison, here’s a photo of Dillinger in life next to his ****** mask: L: Bettmann / Bettmann Archive, R: Tim Sloan / AFP via Getty Images ****** masks were most popular from the Middle Ages through the middle of the 20th century, but they were also made earlier, including in Ancient Rome. ****** masks shouldn’t be confused with ******** masks — like the ones in Ancient Egypt — which were not made from casts of the deceased’s face but by an artist. Why did they make ****** masks? There were a number of reasons, including: —to remember a loved one in a time before photography. —to be used in a ******** (sometimes these would be used to cover the deceased’s face, possibly to protect people from seeing decomposition). —to help sculptors create a bust or monuments. —to allow law enforcement to record the facial features of unknown corpses for later identification. Culture Club / Art Images via Getty Images Interesting, right? Here are 24 ****** masks of historically important people: 1.William Shakespeare England’s legendary playwright and poet ***** on April 23, 1616, at the age of 52. In 1849, Dr. Ludwig Becker found his ****** mask in Mainz, Germany. Though there has been debate about whether the mask belongs to Shakespeare (with some believing it is more likely to be that of English poet Ben Jonson), ******* eye specialists and forensic experts tested it in the ’90s and concluded that it is indeed Shakespeare’s. Hulton Archive / Getty Images 2.Mary, Queen of Scots The one-time Queen of Scotland was 44 when she was beheaded on Feb. 8, 1587, for her role in a plot to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I, the Queen of England and Ireland. Danny Lawson – Pa Images / PA Images via Getty Images 3.Sir Isaac Newton Newton, who discovered the laws of gravity and invented calculus, ***** on March 31, 1727, at the age of 84. The mask was originally made so that Flemish sculptor John Michael Rysbrack could use it as a model for the bust of Newton at Westminster Abbey. David Cheskin – Pa Images / PA Images via Getty Images 4.Napoleon Bonaparte The French military genius — famous for his successful campaigns during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars…and unsuccessful one trying to invade Russia in the winter — ***** at age 51 on May 5, 1821. Because Napoleon ***** on the remote island of St. Helena, there was a **** rush to create the materials needed to cast his face. This delay meant the mask wasn’t made until a day and a half after his ******, and as a result, decomposition had already set in. This explains the sunken eyes, hallowed cheeks, and relaxed look. Geography Photos / Universal Images Group via Getty Images 5.Ludwig van Beethoven The ******* classical composer and pianist, most famous for his Fifth Symphony (“Dun dun dun dun”), ***** on March 26, 1827, at the age of 56. Interestingly, the mask on the left is a “life mask” (taken during his lifetime), while the one on the right is a ****** mask (made after he succumbed to a long illness). Joe Klamar / AFP via Getty Images 6.John Keats Arguably Britain’s best-known poet of the Romantic era, Keats was only 25 when he ***** of tuberculosis on Feb. 23, 1821. Where the Wild Things Are author Maurice Sendak once owned Keats’s ****** mask and was said to take it from its box and ******* its forehead occasionally. Johnny Eggit / AFP via Getty Images 7.Vladimir Lenin The Russian revolutionary leader ***** of a ******* at age 53 on Jan. 21, 1924. Along with the cast of his face, there are also casts of his hands. Picture Alliance / dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images 8.Joseph Stalin The ******* Union’s brutal dictator ***** at age 74 on March 5, 1953, of a cerebral hemorrhage. Contributor / Getty Images 9.Frida Kahlo The beloved ******** painter ***** at age 47 on July 13, 1954. She had many physical ailments in life (especially in her later years) and is believed to have ***** of a pulmonary embolism, although some speculate she ***** by ********. Her ****** mask can be seen at the Casa Azul in Mexico City, the museum dedicated to Kahlo and her art. Andrew Hasson / Getty Images 10.Robert E. Lee The Confederate general — who surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, marking the beginning of the end of the ********* Civil War — ***** on Oct. 12, 1870, at age 63. Lee commissioned the ****** mask himself. It was later used as the basis for a memorial sculpture at Lee University. Win Mcnamee / Getty Images 11.William Burke The Scottish mass ********* — who, along with his partner William Hale, ******* 16 people and sold their bodies to a doctor who dissected the bodies during his anatomy lectures — was hanged on Jan. 28, 1829, at age 37. In a macabre twist, Burke’s corpse was publicly dissected in the anatomy theatre of the University of Edinburgh. His ****** mask, and a pocketbook made of his skin (!) are on display at Scotland’s Surgeon’s Hall Museum. David Cheskin – Pa Images / PA Images via Getty Images 12.Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The Russian classical composer (who wrote Swan Lake) ***** at age 53 on Nov. 6, 1893, likely of cholera, although some believe he may have ***** by ********. Heritage Images / Getty Images 13.Frederick Douglass The brilliant author, abolitionist, and civil rights leader ***** of a heart ******* on Feb. 20, 1895, after attended a meeting of the National Council of Women. He was 77. Sculptor Ulric Dunbar came to Douglass’s Washington, DC home the day after his ****** and created this ****** mask. The Washington Post / The Washington Post via Getty Images 14.E. E. Cummings The legendary ********* poet (known for his poems written in lowercase letters) ***** of a ******* on Sept. 3, 1962 at the age of 67. Boston Globe / Boston Globe via Getty Images 15.James Joyce The famed Irishman, author of the literary masterpiece Ulysses, ***** at the age of 58 on Jan. 13, 1941, following surgery for an ulcer. Sculptor Paul Speck made three original masks of Joyce on Jan. 13. The one above is now located at the ******* States Library of Congress. Fran Caffrey / AFP via Getty Images 16.Friedrich Nietzsche The influential ******* philosopher ***** of a ******* on Aug. 25, 1900, at the age of 55. His ****** mask was made by painter Curt Stoeving, who was inexperienced making ****** masks. As a result, the finished product wasn’t…great, complete with a nose pushed off to the side (they broke Nietzsche’s nose during the plastering process). Nietzsche’s sister later had other artists fix its flaws. Picture Alliance / picture alliance via Getty Images 17.Anna Pavlova The Russian prima ballerina was the star of the Imperial Russian Ballet and toured the world performing. She ***** of pleurisy on Jan. 23, 1931, at age 49. In addition to a ****** mask, a cast of the dancer’s leg was also made at the time of her ******. Ullstein Bild Dtl. / ullstein bild via Getty Images 18.Nikola Tesla The famed inventor who revolutionized our understanding of electricity ***** of a coronary thrombosis on Jan. 7, 1943, at the age of 86. Tesla ***** in ********, but Hugo Gernsback, a long-time friend, commissioned a sculptor to create a ****** mask. It’s presently displayed in the Nikola Tesla Museum in Serbia. Sopa Images / SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images 19.Dante Alighieri The Italian poet famous for the Divine Comedy ***** of malaria on Sept. 14, 1321, at about 56 years of age. His ****** mask has been displayed at Palazzo Vecchio (the town hall of Florence, Italy) since 1911. David Lees / Getty Images 20.Franz Liszt The Hungarian classical composer and pianist ***** at age 74 on July 31, 1886, from pneumonia. Ullstein Bild / ullstein bild via Getty Images 21.Martin Luther One of the most consequential figures in ********** history, Luther — who launched the *********** Reformation and became the basis of Lutheranism — ***** at age 82 on Feb. 18, 1546. Artist Lukas Furtenagel created a plaster mask of Luther’s face and hands at his deathbed. They now reside at the Market ******* in Halle, Germany. Picture Alliance / picture alliance via Getty Images 22.Ishi Ishi — who would have many books and films made about his life — was the last survivor of the Native ********* Yahi people, who were massacred by the US government and private citizens during the California Genocide. He lived among anthropologists at the University of Berkeley before dying of tuberculosis on March 25, 1916, at around 56 years of age. Werner Forman / Universal Images Group via Getty Images 23.Oliver Cromwell One of the most important figures in British history, Cromwell — military leader and Lord Protector of England — ***** at 59 on Sept. 3, 1658, likely from sepsis. Heritage Images / Heritage Images / Getty Images 24.Michael Collins The Irish revolutionary, who was so pivotal to his people’s ****** for independence, was assassinated on Aug. 22, 1922, at the age of 31. Albert Power, the artist tasked with making the ****** mask, felt Collins had “fine ears” and decided to include them in the mask, which was not always done. Niall Carson – Pa Images / PA Images via Getty Images Source link #****** #Masks #Historically #Important #People #Fascinating #Creepy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Brentwood music teacher jailed for child **** offences Brentwood music teacher jailed for child **** offences A former music teacher who worked on film and TV projects has been jailed for 12 years for dozens of ******* offences involving children over more than 40 years. David Pickthall, who was appointed an MBE in 2015 for services to education and charity, worked as a teacher at Brentwood School in Essex and as a choirmaster in the London Borough of Havering when some of his offending happened. The 66-year-old, of Ingrave Road, Brentwood, had admitted 29 counts of ******* offences against 19 people at an earlier Chelmsford Crown Court hearing. In sentencing, Judge Mary Loram KC said: “For over two decades you took advantage of your position to ****** boys in your care.” Throughout his career Pickthall worked in TV and film, conducting music on Tracy Beaker: The Movie of Me in 2004 and supervising the music for Julian Fellowes’ A Most Mysterious ******* in 2005. He also worked as the musical arranger for Channel Four’s The Paul O’Grady Show. The court heard the offences took place between 1980 and 2021 in Brentwood, Essex, and Upminster in east London. Prosecutor Fiona Ryan said Pickthall had admitted a “range of predatory ******* offences, primarily committed against students and former students of his at Brentwood School”. She said “he had a penchant for touching and spying on young adolescent boys and his desires were easily satisfied because of the positions he held”. Pickthall, ahead of his sentencing, had addressed a letter to the judge outlining his remorse for this actions. In it, he said: “I am deeply sorry and ashamed of my charges. I recognise my actions were offensive and immoral. I wish I had behaved differently.” Judge Loram told Pickthall: “If you hadn’t been arrested you would have carried on. This is decades of ******… that is who you are.” Some of Pickthall’s victims were in court to watch him be sentenced to 12 years with a four year extended licence *******. Before beginning her sentencing remarks, Judge Loram said “there can be no sentence that will ever adequately reflect [the victims’] experiences”. She added: “It’s not a quantification of their distress.” Survivors of Pickthall’s ****** read out their impact statements, in which many said their childhood had been tainted by his actions. One said the former choirmaster had been a “pillar of the music community in Brentwood”, then added: “We are disgusted in you.” After the sentencing, Det **** Det **** Chelsie Stamford of Essex Police said: “His actions indicate he believed he could offend with impunity and would never be caught. “However thanks to the courage of the 19 men involved in this investigation, he has been proved wrong. “And he is now where he belongs – behind bars.” Source link #Brentwood #music #teacher #jailed #child #**** #offences Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]