Pelican Press

Musk’s eventful time at Doge Musk’s eventful time at Doge The world’s richest man spent nearly 130 days working with the Trump administration to slash the federal government. From attending the president’s inauguration, taking his son ‘Lil X’ – as Musk calls him – to the Oval Office, showing off a Tesla at the White House and then criticising Trump’s “big, beautiful bill”, these are key moments from Musk’s time in the administration. Source link #Musks #eventful #time #Doge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Onslow Iron site tour gets Mineral Resources back in the good books with analysts Onslow Iron site tour gets Mineral Resources back in the good books with analysts The $2.6 billion Onslow Iron haul road is looking better and the new chairman left a good impression — that was the verdict from a throng of analysts inspecting Mineral Resources’ most important project. Source link #Onslow #Iron #site #tour #Mineral #Resources #good #books #analysts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Puzzle & Dragons 0 finally releases on iOS and Android Puzzle & Dragons 0 finally releases on iOS and Android Puzzle & Dragons 0 is out now Choose from both landscape and portrait options Two premium passes are also on offer After drawing attention with a month-long pre-registration campaign, Puzzle & Dragons 0 is now officially available worldwide. GungHo’s latest instalment in the massively popular puzzle RPG franchise is free to download on the App Store and Play Store, bringing a fresh experience while staying true to the match-three mechanics that helped the series hit over 90 million downloads. Match three or more Orbs of the same colour to trigger attacks and explore increasingly challenging dungeons filled with creatures you can collect, power up, and evolve. Progressing through each area earns you Crystals to create new allies, while Mana lets you boost their abilities and assemble your ideal team. One of the coolest features is its screen flexibility – you can switch between vertical and horizontal layouts any time. It’s a small touch that makes a big difference depending on how you like to puzzle through battles. Whether you’ve been clearing orbs for years or want to get in on the hype of the popular series, P&D 0 seems like a good place to start. And if you’re looking to enhance the experience, there are two premium passes on offer. The Permanent Ad Exemption Pass unlocks unlimited stamina tickets, better drop rates for Crystals, and more dungeon rewards. The Permanent Fast Pass, on the other hand, speeds up dungeon battles and unlocks a bonus team built for efficient dungeon runs, though puzzle speed remains the same. On the hunt for something similar? Be sure to check out this list of the best match-3 games to play on Android right now! Puzzle & Dragons 0 is now available in over 150 countries with support for 11 languages. You can download it now by clicking on your preferred link below. It is free-to-play with in-app purchases. Visit the official website for more information and to stay updated on all the latest developments. Source link #Puzzle #Dragons #finally #releases #iOS #Android Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Carbon footprint of Israel’s war on Gaza exceeds that of many entire countries Carbon footprint of Israel’s war on Gaza exceeds that of many entire countries The carbon footprint of the first 15 months of Israel’s war on Gaza will be greater than the annual planet-warming emissions of a hundred individual countries, exacerbating the global climate emergency on top of the huge civilian death toll, new research reveals. A study shared exclusively with the Guardian found the long-term climate cost of destroying, clearing and rebuilding Gaza could top 31m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). This is more than the combined 2023 annual greenhouse gases emitted by Costa Rica and Estonia, yet there is no obligation for states to report military emissions to the UN climate body. Israel’s relentless bombardment, blockade and refusal to comply with international court rulings has underscored the asymmetry of each side’s war machine, as well as almost unconditional military, energy and diplomatic support Israel enjoys from allies including the US and ***. ****** bunker fuel and rockets account for about 3,000 tonnes of CO2e, the equivalent of just 0.2% of the total direct conflict emissions, while 50% were generated by the supply and use of weapons, tanks and other ordnance by the Israeli military (IDF), the study found. Burning fossil fuels is causing climate chaos, with increasingly deadly and destructive extreme weather events forcing record numbers of people to migrate. The Gulf region is among the most vulnerable to extreme weather and slow-onset climate disasters including drought, desertification, extreme heat and erratic rainfall, as well as environmental degradation, food insecurity and water shortages. The research, published by the Social Science Research Network, is part of a growing movement to hold states and businesses accountable for the climate and environmental costs of war and occupation, including the long-term impact damage to land, food and water sources, as well as post-conflict clean-up and reconstruction. It is the third and most comprehensive analysis by a team of *** and US-based researchers into the climate cost of the first 15 months of conflict in which more than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed, in addition to widespread infrastructure damage and environmental catastrophe. It also provides the first, albeit partial, snapshot of the carbon cost of Israel’s other recent regional conflicts. Overall, researchers estimate that the long-term climate cost of Israel’s military destruction in Gaza – and recent military exchanges with Yemen, Iran and Lebanon – is equivalent to charging 2.6bn smartphones or running 84 gas power plants for a year. This figure includes the estimated 557,359 tCO2e arising from the occupation-era construction of ******’s network of tunnels and Israel’s “iron wall” barrier. The killing and environmental destruction of Gaza resumed when Israel unilaterally violated the ceasefire after just two months, but the findings could eventually help calculate claims for reparations. “This updated research evidences the urgency to stop the escalating atrocities, and make sure that Israel and all states comply with international law, including the decisions from the ICC and the ICJ,” said Astrid Puentes, UN special rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. “Whether or not States agree on calling it a genocide, what we are facing is severely impacting all life in Gaza, and also threatening human rights in the region, and even globally, due to the aggravation of climate change.” The study, currently under peer review by the journal One Earth, found: Over 99% of the almost 1.89m tCO2e estimated to have been generated between the 7 October 2023 ****** attack and the temporary ceasefire in January 2025 is attributed to Israel’s aerial bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza. Almost 30% of greenhouse gases generated in that ******* came from the US sending 50,000 tonnes of weapons and other military supplies to Israel, mostly on cargo planes and ships from stockpiles in Europe. Another 20% is attributed to Israeli aircraft reconnaissance and bombing missions, tanks and fuel from other military vehicles, as well as CO2 generated by manufacturing and exploding the bombs and artillery. Solar had generated as much as a quarter of Gaza’s electricity, representing one of the world’s highest shares, but most panels, and the territory’s only power plant, have been damaged or destroyed. Gaza’s limited access to electricity now mostly relies on diesel-guzzling generators that emitted just over 130,000 tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, or 7% of the total conflict emissions. More than 40% of the total emissions were generated by the estimated 70,000 aid trucks Israel allowed into the Gaza Strip – which the UN has condemned as grossly insufficient to meet the basic humanitarian needs of 2.2m displaced and starving Palestinians. Interactive But the most significant climate cost will come from rebuilding Gaza, which Israel has reduced to an estimated 60m tonnes of toxic rubble. The carbon cost of trucking out debris and then rebuilding 436,000 apartments, 700 schools, mosques, clinics, government offices and other buildings, as well as 5km of Gaza’s roads, will generate an estimated 29.4m tonnes eCO2. This is on a par with the entire 2023 emissions generated by Afghanistan. The reconstruction figure is lower than previous estimates by the same research group due to a revision in the average size of apartment blocks. “This report is a staggering and sobering reminder of the ecological and environmental cost of Israel’s genocidal campaign on the planet and its besieged people,” said Zena Agha, policy analyst for ************ policy network Al-Shabaka. “But this is also the US, *** and EU’s war, all of which have provided seemingly limitless military resources to enable Israel to devastate the most densely populated place on the planet. This brings home the destabilising [regional] impact of the Israeli settler state and its inseparability from the western military-industrial complex.” The war on Gaza has also provoked bloody regional tensions. The study found: The Houthis in Yemen launched an estimated 400 rockets into Israel between October 2023 and January 2025, generating about 55 tCO2e. Israel’s aerial response generated almost 50 times more planet warming greenhouse gases. A previous study found that shipping emissions rose by an estimated 63% after the Houthis blocked the Red Sea corridor, forcing cargo ships to take longer routes. A conservative estimate of emissions from two large-scale exchanges of missiles between Israel and Iran topped 5,000 tCO2e, with more than 80% down to Israel. In Lebanon, more than 90% of the estimated 3,747 tCO2e generated by sporadic exchanges came from IDF bombs, with only 8% linked to Hezbollah rockets. The carbon cost of reconstructing 3,600 homes destroyed in southern Lebanon is almost as high as the annual emissions from the island of St Lucia. Interactive The study is based on evolving methodology known as a scope 3+ framework which seeks to capture direct and indirect wartime emissions currently missing from global climate and conflict audits. This can include soil degradation, fires, infrastructure damage, displacement of people, aid, rerouting cargo ships and civil aviation. Researchers relied on open-source information, media reports, and data from independent aid groups such as UN agencies. The true environmental costs are almost certainly higher given Israel’s media blockade, with data on razed farmland, desertification, remediation, and fires among other carbon-intense impacts hard to obtain. “This conflict in Gaza shows that the numbers are substantial, greater than the entire greenhouse gas emissions of many entire countries, and must be included for accurate climate change and mitigation targets,” said Frederick Otu-Larbi, co-author, senior teaching associate at Lancaster Environment Centre and lecturer at University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana. “Militaries need to reckon with the fact that their own national security and operational capacity is being compromised due to a changing climate of their own making,” said Ben Neimark, senior lecturer at Queen Mary University of London and study co-author. Previous research has found that military emissions rise with spending and buildup. Israel’s military budget surged in 2024 to $46.5bn – the largest increase in the world, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Based on one methodology, Israel’s baseline military emissions last year – excluding direct conflict and reconstruction climate costs – rose to 6.5m tCO2e. This is more than the entire carbon footprint of Eritrea, a country of 3.5 million people. Yet under current UN rules, reporting military emission data is voluntary and limited to fuel use, despite the fact the climate cost of the destruction of Gaza will be felt globally. The IDF, like most militaries worldwide, has never reported emission figures to the UN. Hadeel Ikhmais, head of the climate change office at the ************ Environmental Quality Authority, said: “Wars not only kill people but also release toxic chemicals, destroy infrastructure, pollute soil, air and water resources and accelerate climate and environmental disasters. War also destroys climate adaptation and hinders environmental management. Not counting carbon emissions is a ****** hole in accountability that allows governments to get away from their environmental crimes.” Source link #Carbon #footprint #Israels #war #Gaza #exceeds #entire #countries Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

FBI probes effort to impersonate White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, sources say – CBS News FBI probes effort to impersonate White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, sources say – CBS News FBI probes effort to impersonate White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, sources say CBS NewsExclusive | Federal Authorities Probe Effort to Impersonate White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles WSJFBI to probe effort to impersonate top Trump advisor, sources tell CBS BBCAn unknown person or people who accessed Susie Wiles’ personal cellphone used her contacts file to reach out to top officials and pretended to be her, sources told @CBSNews. Some of the recipients knew the messages from “Susie Wiles” were suspicious x.comFBI probes texts impersonating White House chief of staff Susie Wiles New York Post Source link #FBI #probes #effort #impersonate #White #House #chief #staff #Susie #Wiles #sources #CBS #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mary Earps: England goalkeeper’s journey to the top and the legacy she leaves behind Mary Earps: England goalkeeper’s journey to the top and the legacy she leaves behind Anyone looking for a source of encouragement from Earps’ career has plenty to go at. But changing the game seemed a million miles away when the Nottingham-born keeper started out. In a series of in-depth interviews for documentary Mary Earps: Queen of Stops, Earps and her family open up about that journey to the top of her sport – and some of the big decisions en route. Becoming a goalkeeper was a no-brainer. “From my very first game I knew I wanted to be a goalkeeper,” she says of an opening match between her side West Bridgford Colts and Hucknall Town. “There was a penalty given against us and I saved it. My dad said, in typical dad fashion, ‘see, if one of the other girls was in goal they wouldn’t have saved that’ and for me, that was it.” “I always knew she’d be good,” her brother Joel says. “Something my dad tried to get her to do was to try to develop into a goalkeeper with attributes that weren’t really a part of the women’s game then. A goalkeeper that was good with her feet. A goalkeeper that would come out and collect the ball well.” But despite her father’s high standards, Earps was taking her first footballing steps in a radically different era. A 17-year-old Earps made her senior debut for Doncaster Belles in the inaugural season of the Women’s Super League in 2011. At that time her match fee was £25. By the time the WSL turned professional in 2018, Earps already had eight teams on her footballing resume. “I think my Wikipedia page probably looks a bit colourful when you look at all the teams I’ve played for but that was kind of the reality back then,” Earps says. The amateur status at that time meant that players were juggling travel – “three, four or five hours to a WSL club”, remembers Earps – and a day job, around football. Earps burned the midnight oil more than most – at one time she had six part-time jobs, including working at a toy shop and a cinema. As a result, her career was at a crossroads when she graduated with a degree in information management and business studies from Loughborough University in 2016. “My fears were [the women’s game] wasn’t sustainable,” she says. “The infrastructure for women’s football was not going to allow it to go anywhere. “Going to university was definitely always the plan and when I graduated I thought ‘well, I can either go for something that I really want, or, I can try and make a living’. It felt like it was worth taking a bit of a shot and a bit of a gamble on my football career and myself.” Earps will no doubt take some time now to look back and reflect on how that gamble has paid off. But part of Earps’ impressive skill has been her ability to make and advocate for change in real time. On multiple occasions during her career she has spoken up for the need for specific goalkeeping coaches, something she didn’t have access to when starting out. Source link #Mary #Earps #England #goalkeepers #journey #top #legacy #leaves Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The Only Advantage Arkham City Has Over Asylum Is Why It’s the Easiest Game in the Franchise The Only Advantage Arkham City Has Over Asylum Is Why It’s the Easiest Game in the Franchise The Batman Arkham franchise is one of the greatest series that has ever been released in the history of gaming. The whole series has a total of four mainline games, and all of them are literal masterpieces, giving you the chance to actually become the Caped Crusader himself, reigning in Gotham to rid the city of criminals and super villains. While all the Arkham games have a charm of their own, the second installment, Batman: Arkham City, was the one that hooked everyone to the gameplay and story of Bruce Wayne in the Arkhamverse. You would think that the second game would be tougher than the first one, but you would be wrong, because the exact opposite had happened. Let’s find out why. Batman: Arkham City lets you experience Gotham like never before Batman: Arkham City is the action-adventure third-person Batman game that was released back in October of 2011. Rocksteady Studios developed the game, and unlike its predecessor, the game also featured an open-world setting where players could glide anywhere around the city. The title became so popular back in 2011 that it sold more than two million units within its first week, becoming the fastest-selling game of that year. Although Arkham Asylum provides you with that OG experience of being Batman, Arkham City‘s open-world element really messes up with the game’s difficulty, making the game feel much easier than it already is. The difficulty in City feels like a hit or miss because of how the enemies are balanced throughout the game, and that’s why the developers created a challenge mode. In a 2011 interview on PlayStation’s official blog page, the game’s marketing manager, Dax Ginn, mentioned how challenge mode was like a dojo for the players to hone their skills and how Asylum was a controlled and focused experience, unlike City, which aims to give the player freedom. With Arkham City, the design is aimed towards giving the player freedom, so there are a lot of choices on offer at any given moment. The challenge in that, for us, is not being able to control and ramp up the difficulty in the same way we did in the first game, so if you find at any point you’re getting slaughtered in the main game, you have the challenge maps to work on your skills. Ginn also mentioned how the developers had made a reward structure for the players with the Riddler’s Revenge feature. The game is still considered Rocksteady’s magnum opus Rocksteady made the game more open to the players | Image Credits: Warner Bros. In the end, Batman: Arkham City may not have been the hardest game in the entire franchise, but it didn’t need to be, because it brought something much *******, and that is freedom. The fact that City gave us a fully realised Gotham where you could fly around and truly feel like Batman is like Rocksteady took everything good from Asylum and just opened it up. While that freedom was exhilarating, it did make the game’s difficulty more unbalanced than the other games, and that’s why Rocksteady introduced a challenge mode so the players could refine their combat and stealth skills. This gave players a way to dial up the intensity on their own terms, whether they were new to the series or seasoned crimefighters. Even with the difficulty issues, Arkham City struck the perfect balance between storytelling, gameplay, and world-building, and unlike Arkham Asylum, it gave us the freedom to be the Batman in ways that we had never experienced before, making the game a timeless masterpiece. Source link #Advantage #Arkham #City #Asylum #Easiest #Game #intheFranchise Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WACA redevelopment gets huge $15m top-up, with structure works now complete WACA redevelopment gets huge $15m top-up, with structure works now complete The State Government has allocated an additional $15 million in this year’s budget to top-up the WACA Ground redevelopment project as structural works have officially completed. A ‘topping out’ ceremony was held on third level of the new state-of-the-art building which signified the completion of the highest structural point of the development. The third level has panoramic views across Optus Stadium, Matagarup Bridge and the Perth CBD. The project includes a new “boutique” multi-use sport and entertainment venue with 10,000 capacity, a 10-lane indoor centre, a six-lane outdoor pool and water slides, a public cafe, a community health and fitness centre, a revitalised museum and an all-abilities playground. Camera IconA six-lane outdoor swimming swimming pool and slides. Credit: Supplied Sports and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti said the redevelopment would provide world-class community facilities and amenities for the growing population. “We have a long and proud cricket history in this State, and this huge redevelopment of the famous WACA Ground will support our cricketers for many years to come,” she said. Planning and Lands Minister John Carey shared Ms Saffioti views. “It’s great to see progress on this landmark development, which along with the neighbouring new primary school, will be transformative for the east end of our city,” he said. Camera IconHighest point structural works have been completed. Credit: Supplied The project was jointly funded by the State, Federal Government and City of Perth in partnership with WA Cricket and Cricket Australia. It was part of the $1.7 billion Perth City deal, aimed to ensure the long-term prosperity and liveability in Perth. The redevelopment is on track for completion in November this year. Source link #WACA #redevelopment #huge #15m #topup #structure #works #complete Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Venus’s hidden asteroids could be Earth’s next major impact risk Venus’s hidden asteroids could be Earth’s next major impact risk It may look like Earth’s twin, but Venus is keeping secrets. New research suggests that dozens—possibly hundreds—of asteroids are quietly orbiting the Sun in sync with Venus. Known as Venus co-orbitals, these stealthy rocks follow a similar path around the Sun, making them difficult to spot from Earth. For a long time, experts have only known about 20 of them, and most have been easier to spot. However, new research suggests a significant yet undetected population of these asteroids. “Twenty co-orbital asteroids of Venus are currently known. Co-orbital status protects these asteroids from close approaches to Venus, but it does not protect them from encountering Earth,” a team led by Valerio Carruba, an assistant professor at São Paolo University in Brazil, wrote in the study paper. Hard to detect asteroids Venusian co-orbital asteroids are classified as Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) if they are at least 140 meters (460 feet) in diameter. In terms of distance, these asteroids are calculated to approach Earth’s orbit within 0.05 astronomical units (4.6 million miles). An important question researchers are investigating is whether these objects pose a genuine collision threat to Earth or not. “We aim to assess the possible threat that the yet undetected population of Venus co-orbitals may pose to Earth and investigate their detectability from Earth and space observatories,” the study noted. The team suspects the known 20 Venus co-orbitals are just the tip of the iceberg. It could be even more challenging to spot Venus’s hidden co-orbital asteroids. Current ground-based telescopes face limitations in detecting Venus co-orbital asteroids due to fleeting observation windows and the Sun’s bright glare. A particularly unsettling aspect is that these asteroids have a “Lyapunov time” of roughly 150 years. Universe Today explained that the Lyapunov time measures the point at which an object’s orbit enters a chaotic, unpredictable state. In a nutshell, experts might be able to monitor the path of asteroids for a while, but the future orbital behavior will remain unpredictable. This makes it challenging to assess whether they will have a close encounter with Earth or even a collision. 36,000-year orbital simulations Researchers digitally replicated these hidden asteroids and conducted 36,000-year orbital simulations to understand the potential threat. The findings are alarming: “There is a sizable population of potential co-orbitals at lower eccentricity capable of numerous close encounters—and perhaps collisions—with Earth.” “There is a range of orbits with e < 0.38, larger at lower inclinations, for which Venus’ co-orbitals can pose a collisional hazard to Earth,” the study added. The results indicate that the asteroids with eccentricities below 0.38 could strike Earth. Eccentricity measures how stretched out an orbit is. An eccentricity of 0 means a perfectly circular path, while larger numbers indicate a more elongated ellipse. In terms of studying the hidden asteroids, the upcoming Vera Rubin Observatory offers hope. Its incredibly powerful camera may help us catch some elusive objects under favorable conditions. But even Rubin’s capabilities might not be enough to find the entire population. The researchers suggest that a space-based observatory, perhaps a constellation of spacecraft near Venus, could be our best bet. NASA has already taken a step towards planetary defense by successfully executing the DART asteroid mission. In the worst-case scenario, it could prevent a catastrophe similar to the one that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. However, accurately predicting the precise path of these Venus co-orbitals is critical for any successful deflection effort. The study is posted on the pre-print server arXiv.org; it has also been submitted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Source link #Venuss #hidden #asteroids #Earths #major #impact #risk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The start-up working to weed out genetic disease before birth The start-up working to weed out genetic disease before birth Biotech start-up Orchid is one of the few companies offering in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) patients the option to screen their embryos for severe genetic diseases before their pregnancy begins. “This technology is going to totally reshape how people have children,” Orchid’s CEO Noor Siddiqui told CNBC’s The Edge in an interview. “I think it’s going to become an option that more and more people will choose because there’s just the opportunity to avoid a lot of catastrophic outcomes, and they don’t want to roll the dice on their child’s health,” Siddiqui added. During IVF, a woman takes fertility hormones to suppress her natural menstrual cycle and increase the number of eggs in her ovaries. Once her eggs are collected, they are mixed with the ****** and fertilized in a lab. The viable embryos are then transferred to the uterus. Siddiqui says that Orchid has developed a new technology that sequences 99% of an embryo’s entire genome before implantation in the womb and screens for over 1,200 monogenic conditions, as well as some polygenic diseases. “When you have an embryo sample, you have about 125 cells on day five, and the embryologist at the IVF lab sends us about five of those cells, and in those five cells, you only have about 10,000 times less than the amount of DNA that you would have in a blood or saliva sample. So, what we had to invent is a new amplification protocol, as well as a new computational pipeline,” Siddiqui said. The embryo screening process takes between two and three weeks, after which patients receive a whole genome embryo report. Orchid’s counselors go through the report and help patients decide which embryo to move forward. Despite having been cleared by the Federal Drug Administration as a laboratory developed test (LDT) and backed by geneticists like George Church and Carlos Bustamante, Orchid’s procedure has failed to convince some. “These tests, in general, cost money, often not covered by insurance. And so increasingly, breast *******, for instance, is becoming more a disease of the poor because people can afford to undergo IVF and screen out breast ******* mutations when they’ve had a family history of breast *******. I think that raises a problem ethically,” bioethicist and Columbia University professor Robert Klitzman told The Edge in an interview. Orchid currently charges $2,500 per embryo screening. That’s in addition to the IVF process which, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, ranges from $15,000 to $20,000 for a single cycle and sometimes requires several attempts. To mitigate the costs, the company has a philanthropic program that patients on low incomes can apply for. Orchid’s technology is now available nationwide in the U.S. except in New York state, where Orchid had applied for a license to operate at the time of the interview. Learn more about Orchid’s technology by clicking the video above. Source link #startup #working #weed #genetic #disease #birth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Defiant Knicks keep season alive with Game 5 win over Pacers in East finals – The Guardian Defiant Knicks keep season alive with Game 5 win over Pacers in East finals – The Guardian Defiant Knicks keep season alive with Game 5 win over Pacers in East finals The GuardianKnicks stay alive, throttle Pacers to force Game 6 ESPNKnicks ‘100 percent’ learned Game 1 lessons — and didn’t choke this time New York PostKnicks force ECF Game 6 against Pacers behind 32 points from Jalen Brunson: Live reaction and analysis – The Athletic The New York TimesECF Playoff Game Thread: Knicks vs Pacers, Game Five, May 29, 2025 Posting and Toasting Source link #Defiant #Knicks #season #alive #Game #win #Pacers #East #finals #Guardian Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trentham Monkey Forest welcomes three baby Barbary macaques Trentham Monkey Forest welcomes three baby Barbary macaques Andy Giddings BBC News, West Midlands Trentham Monkey Forest The three monkeys were discovered by the Monkey Forest’s head guide Three Barbary macaque monkeys have been born at a sanctuary in Staffordshire. Fewer than 8,000 of the endangered animals are believed to live in the wild and Trentham Monkey Forest said staff were “beaming from ear to ear” at the new arrivals. They were discovered by head guide Anna Smith during her morning feeding rounds after being born during the night, high up in the trees. Ms Smith said finding baby monkeys was always “wonderful” and it was an “absolute privilege” to watch them grow up. The 60-acre site is home to 140 Barbary macaques and staff had known for a few months that babies were on the way. The venue said: “Baby Barbary macaques are born with adorable pink faces, ****** fur and can usually be seen to be clinging tight to mum for love and support during their first hours on Earth.” Trentham Monkey Forest All three babies were born up in the trees, but have now been brought down to the ground by their mothers Park Director Matt Lovatt said the sanctuary was now entering “baby season” and expected to see between six and 10 births a year. He said: “The new arrivals will be looked after by their fellow group members and start learning the fascinating Barbary macaque way of life from the very first day of their lives.” “We can’t wait to see who’s next to be welcomed into the world, as we expect more babies to arrive very soon,” he added. Trentham Monkey Forest The Monkey Forest said the births marked the start of ‘baby season’ Trentham Monkey Forest works with organisations that help protect the wild Barbary macaques in Morocco and Algeria. It said it aimed to raise awareness of the endangered status of the species. Source link #Trentham #Monkey #Forest #welcomes #baby #Barbary #macaques Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Metroid Prime Remastered Is On ***** For 25% Off At Walmart Metroid Prime Remastered Is On ***** For 25% Off At Walmart With Metroid Prime 4: Beyond releasing on Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch later this year, there’s no better time than the present to play one of the very best games from Nintendo’s back catalog: Metroid Prime. Specifically, Metroid Prime Remastered, the superb modernization of the revolutionary GameCube classic. Metroid Prime Remastered is available for just $30 (was $40) at Walmart. Walmart has offered this deal several times since February, and while it has sold out of copies on multiple occasions because of it, the retailer keeps bringing the deal back. Prior to Walmart’s first deal, Metroid Prime Remastered had been one of the notable Switch games that almost never received discounts. It took close to two years for the price to budge from $40. And it has only happened at Walmart. Prime Remastered remains $40 at Best Buy, Target, and GameStop. And Amazon, since it no longer carries Nintendo’s first-party games, doesn’t even have it in stock. $30 (was $40) Though it has “Remastered” in its name, the Nintendo Switch version feels more like a (faithful) remake of the brilliant first-person adventure game. Metroid Prime series developer Retro Studios implemented smart modernizations that improve the moment-to-moment gameplay while also enhancing the game’s unforgettable atmosphere. The alien ruins and wilderness of Tallon IV were rebuilt with new models and high-resolution textures that align with the original art direction while enhancing the unforgettable atmosphere. And the remastered audio makes the minimalistic, haunting score even more immersive. Metroid Prime series developer Retro Studios implemented smart modernizations to the control scheme to give players multiple options, including a standardized dual-stick layout found in most first-person shooter games. The original control scheme as well as a gyro-based mode similar to Metroid Prime Trilogy’s motion controls. For newcomers, there’s a casual difficulty level that makes the adventure more approachable, but series veterans can still play on normal and unlock a harder difficulty for a second playthrough. Longtime fans will also appreciate the unlockable concept art as well as character art and soundtrack galleries. While we still don’t know exactly when Metroid Prime 4 will arrive, we do know that fans will soon be able to distract themselves by flipping through the pages of an official Metroid Prime book. Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective will be published June 24. This hardcover book includes commentary from Retro Studios developers as well as a wealth of artwork created during the development of the three numbered games as well as Metroid Prime Remastered. The foreword is written by Metroid Prime producer Kensuke Tanabe. The book was created by the experienced team at Piggyback, the strategy guide publisher behind the official guidebooks for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective is a clothbound hardcover with a foil-etched silhouette of Samus on the cover. You can preorder the 208-page book for $46.49 at Amazon. Amazon is also taking preorders for an official Metroid Prime 2026 wall calendar, which also includes a 2025 planner, so you can make use of it before the new year rolls around. While 2025 is shaping up to be a banner year for Metroid Prime, the entire series has been enjoying some well-earned attention over the last few years. The latest game in the mainline side-scrolling series, Metroid Dread, launched on Switch in 2021 as the first all-new side-scrolling entry in the series since 2002’s Metroid Fusion for GBA. You can couple it with the Metroid Dread Amiibo 2-Pack, which includes figures of Samus Aran and the E.M.M.I. robot, for $18 (was $30). And if you still have a Nintendo 3DS, we’d highly recommend the superb remake of Metroid II. You can get a new copy of Metroid: Samus Returns for $41 at Amazon. For more Metroid figures, check out these Amazon listings for official World of Nintendo action figures: This Metroid Prime 3 Samus figure is available for less than $25, and you could pair it with a Metroid (the creature) figure for $22. Lastly on the merch front, if you want to show off your love of Metroid, Amazon has budget-friendly Metroid apparel themed around popular entries in the series, including the original NES adventure and the wildly influential Super Metroid. Source link #Metroid #Prime #Remastered #***** #Walmart Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Taylor Swift tour at centre of allegations against Guy Sebastian’s ex-manager Taylor Swift tour at centre of allegations against Guy Sebastian’s ex-manager Guy Sebastian’s former manager is alleged to have embezzled $187,000 earnt by the pop star for supporting Taylor Swift, leaving the *********** Idol winner to take home $23,000 from the tour, a court has been told. Titus Emanuel Day is standing trial in the NSW District Court where he has denied embezzling hundreds of thousands in royalties and performance fees from the pop star. The court has been told that Mr Day was Mr Sebastian’s long-time manager – through his 6 Degrees agency – and friend before they had a bitter falling out in 2017. The Crown alleges that Mr Day failed to remit performance fees and royalties that were collected on Mr Sebastian’s behalf by Mr Day. Mr Day has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of embezzlement as a clerk or servant and one count of attempting to dishonestly obtain financial advantage by deception. On day two of his trial on Friday, his lawyers told the jury that Mr Day denied doing anything dishonest or fraudulent. One of the charges relates to an allegation that Mr Day failed to remit $187,000 to Mr Sebastian for performance fees as a support act for Swift on her 2013 tour of Australia. Camera IconTitus Day is standing trial in the NSW District Court. NewsWire / John Appleyard. Credit: News Corp Australia Crown prosecutor Brett Hatfield SC told the court that the booking agent paid $494,000 – in the form of four payments of about $123,000 – into a 6 Degrees trust account following the four arena performances. According to the Crown case, Mr Day was entitled to a commission of $59,000 and Mr Sebastian should have been paid $435,000 according to the 80-20 split in his contract with 6 Degrees. However, Mr Hatfield told the jury, Mr Sebastian was only paid $247,500, leaving $187,500 unpaid. Mr Sebastian paid $179,000 to his band and for other expenses for the tour. “You’ll see effectively when you look at it that Mr Sebastian, of the $247,000 paid to him, he had already paid out of his own pocket $179,000,” Mr Hatfield said. “Effectively he cleared $68,000 out of which he also had to pay GST of $45,000. “So effectively he made about $23,000 for those four performances, while the accused retained about $246,000, whereas he should have been paid $59,000 as his commission.” Camera IconGuy Sebastian claims he was short-changed while performing as a support act to Taylor Swift. NewsWire/Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia It’s alleged that Mr Sebastian was also not paid for corporate gigs, performances at the Opera House, a Big Bash game and Dreamworld and for singing at weddings in Italy and Sydney. The court was told that in 2018 he filed proceedings against Mr Day in the Federal Court that prompted his former manager and 6 Degrees to file a counterclaim Mr Sebastian took the stand before the lunch adjournment on Friday afternoon. He told the court that he first met Mr Day through the manager’s wife, Courtney, whom he met via his record label. And three years after he won the inaugural *********** Idol, he agreed to join Mr Day, who was working at the 22 Management agency at the time. “I was signed to Sony Music and one of the employees that I had a lot to do with on the recording side was Courtney Day,” Mr Sebastian told the court on Friday. “And Courtney Day is married to Titus. And Courtney was recommending her husband as a manager.” The court has been told that in 2009, Mr Sebastian agreed to follow Mr Day when he opened his own agency, 6 Degrees. Camera IconTaylor Swift toured with Mr Sebastian in 2013. NewsWire/Richard Dobson. Credit: NCA NewsWire Mr Day’s barrister Thomas Woods, in his opening remarks to the jury on Friday morning, said his client firmly denied doing anything criminal. “There will be no dispute that on some occasions money did come into that account which my client should have transferred onto Mr Sebastian but did not,” Mr Woods said. “For many of the charges, the real question is not going to be whether my client failed to transfer the money to Mr Sebastian but whether his failure to do that was criminal.” He said there was a “major dispute” in the case about whether there was any fraud or dishonesty in Mr Day’s actions. “The background is the breakdown of a personal relationship … and a commercial relationship between the two men that went on for many years,” Mr Woods said. “What was once a close friendship and business relationship turned sour. Both men claimed that the other owed him money.” The trial before Judge Alister Abadee continues. Source link #Taylor #Swift #tour #centre #allegations #Guy #Sebastians #exmanager Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New Zealand PM condemns ‘dumb’ viral rugby tackle challenge after teen death New Zealand PM condemns ‘dumb’ viral rugby tackle challenge after teen death (Reuters) -New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has joined the condemnation of the “run it straight” rugby tackle challenge that has gone viral on social media after a teenager died from a serious head injury earlier this week. Ryan Satterthwaite, 19, died in the city of Palmerston North on Monday after taking part in the challenge that aims to emulate the collisions that occur when muscle-bound rugby players come together on the field. “All I can say to young adults who are participating is you’ve got some personal responsibility in this,” Luxon told local media on Friday. “You’re hearing the advice from police, from the medical fraternity, from government, from principals saying don’t do it. “To the adults that are involved in more formal organisation of it and are influencing it and leading this out on social media, I think you need to stop and I can’t be any clearer. “The evidence is that it’s a dumb thing to do and you should stop.” Organised “run it straight” competitions, where competitors with no protection run at each other on a 20-metre grass strip for cash prizes, have been held in Australia and New Zealand over the last year. The trend has attracted widespread condemnation from politicians and the New Zealand medical community, particularly those working in the field of head injuries. New Zealand Rugby, which along with the rest of the rugby world over the last decade has been looking at ways of reducing head injuries in the game, extended its condolences to Satterthwaite’s family in a statement earlier this week. “We urge people not to take part in run it straight games or competitions as they carry significant risk of serious injury,” it read. “Those wanting to play contact sports should register for a school or club team and learn in a controlled and safe environment how to tackle safely and the art of evasion.” (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Peter Rutherford) Source link #Zealand #condemns #dumb #viral #rugby #tackle #challenge #teen #death Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Could ******* infrastructure be the next hot investment? Could ******* infrastructure be the next hot investment? An overview of the construction site of the Stuttgart 21 railway station project seen on May 22, 2025 in Stuttgart, Germany. Thomas Niedermueller | Getty Images News | Getty Images Germany’s newly minted government is looking to the private sector to help save the country’s ailing infrastructure. Economy minister Katherina Reiche called for a cash injection earlier this month: “We need speed and investments, and we need private capital,” she told CNBC. “Of all the investments we will do, 10% of them could be done with public money, we need 90% of private sector investments.” Germany has become riddled with infrastructure issues after a long ******* of underinvestment and restraints that have been linked to the country’s fiscal rules, leading to crumbling bridges, broken train tracks and limited digitalization. These issues are a top priority for the new government, according to its coalition agreement. Germany earlier this year also enshrined a 500 billion euro ($564 billion) infrastructure and climate special investment fund in its constitution, alongside an amendment to its fiscal rules that is set to increase defense spending — both of which are widely seen as potential boosts for the country’s struggling economy. “Overall, there are certainly large opportunities coming in defence and infrastructure,” Greg Fuzesi, euro area economist at J.P. Morgan, told CNBC. And enthusiasm for Germany’s investment opportunities seems to have gone global, according to Stefan Wintels, CEO of ******* investment and development bank KfW. “There is a lot of interest … This year I was on the road in New York, London and Zurich. I observe and feel a lot of belonging to Germany. People want to invest in Germany,” he told CNBC on the sidelines of the Tegernsee summit earlier this month. Robin Winkler, chief ******* economist at Deutsche Bank, echoed the sentiment, telling CNBC that the recent political moves could trigger a wave of private sector investment. “There has been a notable pick-up in investor interest in ******* infrastructure,” he said, noting that the mobilization of private capital would be crucial for the government “to get a ******* bang for its buck out of the new special fund.” On top of Berlin’s plans to spend big on infrastructure, its commitment to cut red tape would also likely be attractive for investors, Winkler explained. “In recent years, infrastructure projects in Germany have been hamstrung by excessive bureaucratic and regulatory hurdles. There is now an ambitious plan to reduce these hurdles… We expect these reforms to incentivize private infrastructure investment, too,” Winkler said. Berlin has also suggested it could take further measures to incentivize private investment, with economy minister Reiche telling CNBC that the government needed “to shape programs and make offers for the private sector to invest in our infrastructure.” How much cash is needed? Dresden’s Carola Bridge has become emblematic of the state of ******* infrastructure. It partially collapsed in September of 2024, just minutes after the last overground train of the night had crossed it. Parts of the Carola Bridge over the Elbe have collapsed. Robert Michael/picture alliance via Getty Images According to the organization Transport & Environment, thousands of bridges across Germany are in need of work and require require investments totalling around 100 billion euros. Elsewhere, Germany’s train company, Deutsche Bahn, reportedly said it will need around 150 billion euros by 2034 to modernize, maintain and expand its existing network and boost digitalisation. More broadly, a report from the Cologne Institute for Economic Research from May 2024 suggests 600 billion would be needed over 10 years to move the country forward on infrastructure. Uncertainty remains Questions about infrastructure investment remain despite the political momentum, including concerns about time pressure and capacity, Jens Thiele, head of project finance and corporates at Hamburg Commercial Bank, told CNBC. “It will be interesting to see how long approval processes will take to get projects to RTB (ready to business) stage and whether there’s enough capacity to develop all these projects within such a compressed timeframe,” he said in written comments. J.P. Morgan’s Fuzesi also noted timing is a key concern. “Investors have asked questions about the speed of delivery,” he said. “In my view, “infrastructure” is very broadly defined and therefore constraints in one area can be overcome by doing more in another area. Ultimately, this will come down to political will,” Fuzesi explained. He added that it was also unclear when — and how successfully — the government’s goals to simplify planning processes would become a reality. For the ******* government, pressure is on to soon implement its investor-enticing promises and its investment targets. Source link #******* #infrastructure #hot #investment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Twisty Path to a Deal: Is Nippon Steel Finally About to Land U.S. Steel? – The New York Times Twisty Path to a Deal: Is Nippon Steel Finally About to Land U.S. Steel? – The New York Times Twisty Path to a Deal: Is Nippon Steel Finally About to Land U.S. Steel? The New York TimesWhy Trump’s ‘Golden Share’ in US Steel May Lack Some Luster Bloomberg.comHow the Secret Service is likely mapping out Trump’s Mon Valley visit to celebrate U.S. Steel-Nippon deal Pittsburgh Post-GazetteMarkets ask how soon Nippon Steel will benefit from $15 billion bid for U.S. Steel ReutersWorkers bristle at Trump-backed Nippon-U.S. Steel deal — ‘It’s a bad move’ Chicago Sun-Times Source link #Twisty #Path #Deal #Nippon #Steel #Finally #Land #U.S #Steel #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Polish knife-edge presidential vote pits liberal mayor against conservative Polish knife-edge presidential vote pits liberal mayor against conservative Adam Easton BBC Warsaw correspondent Reuters Rafal Trzaskowski (L) has a narrow lead in the polls over national conservative historian Karol Nawrocki (R) Poles will vote for a new president on Sunday in a tight election that will have major consequences for the future of the country’s pro-EU government. Opinion polls say Warsaw’s liberal mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and national conservative historian Karol Nawrocki are running neck and neck. Poland’s president is a largely ceremonial role, but it does come with significant negative power. The president has the right to veto legislation, and the coalition government lacks a big enough parliamentary majority to overturn it. Karol Nawrocki is a staunch opponent of Donald Tusk’s coalition, and he is expected to use the veto as much if not more frequently than the incumbent conservative President Andrzej Duda, who cannot run for a third consecutive term. Tusk has been unable to deliver many of his campaign promises since taking office 18 months ago due to Duda’s veto and divisions within his coalition which includes conservatives, centrists and leftists. Tusk promised Polish women legal abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy and voters he would repair the rule of law in the judiciary. Many critics say Poland’s top courts were politicised under the previous Law and Justice-led (PiS) government that lost power in late 2023. On both issues, Tusk has made little headway. After narrowly winning the election’s first round on 18 May, Rafal Trzaskowski pledged to co-operate with the government to accomplish both. Whichever candidate mobilises their voters in Sunday’s second round run-off will be key to who becomes the next president. Another significant factor is who can attract the votes of two far-right candidates who placed third and fourth in the first round. The anti-establishment candidates received three times as many votes as they did in the last presidential election in 2020. While those voters support Nawrocki’s socially conservative views, some libertarians disagree with his support for generous state benefits for the less well-off. Both candidates led large, rival patriotic marches in Warsaw last Sunday to show who had the biggest support. Almost all the participants at Nawrocki’s rally carried the red-and-white Polish flag. No-one had the blue EU flag. One banner read “Enough of Tusk’s [demolition] of democracy”. Magdalena and her sister Marta said Nawrocki’s patriotism was important. “We care first for our family, then the nation and after that the world,” Magdalena told me. “A lot of politicians say, ‘Oh, we can’t do that because what will the Germans think about us?’ Sorry, I don’t care what they think,” she said. Getty Images Karol Nawrocki attended a rally in Katowice on Thursday night Karol Nawrocki, 42, is head of the Institute of National Remembrance, a state body that investigates crimes dating back to the ********** era and World War Two. He was relatively unknown nationally before he was picked by PiS to run. According to the CBOS polling company, voters view him as someone who supports traditional Catholic values and stands up for average Poles, including small farmers who consider themselves threatened by the EU’s Green Deal limiting the use of chemicals and greenhouse gases. His typical voter is seen as aged over 40, conservative and family-oriented and living in the countryside or small towns and cities. Previously he was director of the Museum of the Second World War in Gdansk where he changed the exhibition to emphasise Polish heroism and suffering during the conflict. A keen amateur footballer and boxer, he likes to publish images of himself working out on social media. His strongman image has been pushed by Polish and foreign politicians alike. Ex-PM Mateusz Morawiecki posting a mock-up of Nawrocki as a Polish Captain America on social media. Supporter Magdalena said he wasn’t particularly charismatic, but Poland needed “a strong man who will be stable when he’s pushed by the world”. Getty Images US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem met Nawrocki on the sidelines of the Conservative Political Action Conference Earlier this week, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem flew to a Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Poland to endorse him as a “strong leader” like President Donald Trump. “I just had the opportunity to meet with Karol and listen, he needs to be the next president of Poland,” she said five days ahead of the vote. Noem said his rival Trzaskowski was “an absolute train wreck of a leader”. Nawrocki’s campaign has been bedevilled by revelations from his relatively unknown past, although so far the allegations appear not to have damaged his support. He does not deny taking part in football hooligan brawls, and has called them “noble fights”. But in that he is not alone, as several years ago Donald Tusk spoke of taking part in similar fights as a young man. However he has strongly denied a series of other allegations – that he had links with gangsters and neo-Nazis; that he took advantage of an ill senior citizen to acquire his council flat at a huge discount; and that he helped arrange prostitutes for guests at the luxury Grand Hotel in the seaside resort of Sopot when he worked there as a security guard. Nawrocki has said he will donate the flat to charity and threatened to sue the news website that published the prostitute story because it was a “pack of lies”. Many of his supporters think the the stories were made up by the mainstream media, which they see as largely pro-Trzaskowski. Shaking off the revelations, Nawrocki posted a video on social media set to an old Chumbawamba song, with the chorus, “I get knocked down, but I get up again”. Anadolu via Getty Images Rafal Trzaskowski has portrayed himself as a man who believes in a strong nation state Trzaskowski’s supporters have been more inclined to believe the allegations, with one man in Warsaw holding a banner reading: “No to the gangster”. The son of a famous jazz pianist, the 53-year-old mayor of Warsaw is deputy leader of Donald Tusk’s centrist Civic Platform party. He is also speaks multiple languages who once served as Europe minister. He was joined in last Sunday’s march in Warsaw by another liberal mayor who won the Romanian presidency earlier this month. Nicusur Dan told supporters they shared the same values of a united and strong European Union. According to CBOS, Trzaskowski’s typical voter is in his 30s, fairly well-off and lives in a city. Voters see him as having left-liberal views supporting LGBT and migrants’ rights. While his opponents see Trzaskowski as part of Poland’s privileged elite, supporter Malgorzata, a statistician, told me he was “an intelligent, professional European. That’s enough to be a president of Poland”. Against a backdrop of war in neighbouring Ukraine and the Tusk government’s tough stance against ******** migration, Trzaskowski has portrayed himself, artificially according to some voters, as a man who believes in a strong nation state and patriotism. Another supporter, Bartosz, said he wanted Poland to remain safely anchored in Europe. “We know history. In 1939, we counted on Britain and France, but nobody came. If we are partners with Europe politically and economically, then it’s in their interests to support us,” he said. Source link #Polish #knifeedge #presidential #vote #pits #liberal #mayor #conservative Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Watch 13-year-old win US National Spelling Bee Watch 13-year-old win US National Spelling Bee Faizan Zaki correctly spelled the French-derived word “éclaircissement”, synonymous with enlightenment, to win the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee in the US. The 13-year-old from Texas outlasted eight other finalists and defeated last year’s champion, Sarvadnya Kadam, to claim the title and take home the $52,500 prize. Zaki lost to Kadam in 2024 during a tiebreaker rapid-elimination round. Source link #Watch #13yearold #win #National #Spelling #Bee Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

FBI to probe effort to impersonate top Trump advisor FBI to probe effort to impersonate top Trump advisor The FBI is investigating an effort by one or more unknown people to access the personal phone of Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, sources told the BBC’s US news partner CBS. The key Trump ally told people that her phone had been hacked after a impersonator – or impersonators – used her contacts file to message other top US officials, sources told CBS. Some recipients of the messages raised suspicions after they were asked if they could continue a conversation in another platform, such as Telegram. “The White House takes the cybersecurity of all staff very seriously, and this matter continues to be investigated,” a White House spokesperson said. The ******* of time over which the messages were received is unknown. The Wall Street Journal first reported the incident and the FBI probe launched in response. The impersonation was targeted at her personal phone, not government phone, the Wall Street Journal reported. It also reported that the recipients included US senators, governors and top business executives. Wiles is the first female White House chief of staff and was seen as a key architect of US President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. It is not the first time she has been at the centre of concerns around cybersecurity. Last year, three members of a cyber espionage unit associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards – a powerful branch of Iran’s armed forces – were indicted for launching cyber attacks on the Trump campaign team, which Susie Wiles led. Responding to the latest incident, FBI director Kash Patel said in a statement to CBS News: “The FBI takes all threats against the President, his staff, and our cybersecurity with the utmost seriousness; safeguarding our administration officials’ ability to securely communicate to accomplish the President’s mission is a top priority.” Source link #FBI #probe #effort #impersonate #top #Trump #advisor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall says departed teen star Lachlan Galvin in his rear-vision mirror as video emerges of him training at the Bulldogs Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall says departed teen star Lachlan Galvin in his rear-vision mirror as video emerges of him training at the Bulldogs Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall is keen to put departed teen star Lachlan Galvin in his and the club’s rear-vision mirror, adamant there’s a “really positive” vibe after the playmaker’s move to the Bulldogs was all but confirmed. The drawn-out saga, which included accusations from Galvin’s management that the halfback wouldn’t improve under Marshall’s coaching, cast a dark cloud over the club for weeks. Galvin’s move to Canterbury is expected to be confirmed this week, with social media footage appearing to show Galvin already on the field at the Bulldogs’ Belmore headquarters on Friday circulating online. In Townsville for Saturday’s clash with the North Queensland Cowboys, Marshall was reticent to dwell on the soap opera, keen to focus on the “players we’ve got” and what they could achieve. “I guess everyone’s probably a little bit sick of talking about it and it being reported,” Marshall said. “But we’re just focused on the game. I know it’s a clichéd thing to say, but we have to be. “It’s been a great week at training. Everyone’s looking forward to just playing. We had a week off last week with the bye. The energy around the place has been really good, really positive.” With five wins from 11 games, the Tigers are out of the bottom reaches of the ladder where they’ve lived in recent seasons. But they aren’t far enough away for Marshall’s liking and he’s backed in the quality of his squad, minus Galvin, to keep surging up the table. “We like the players we’ve got, we love the squad we’ve got, we’re excited about some of the young players coming through and for us,” he said. “We want to try and make a mark on the competition this year. The squad we’ve got, we’re confident we can do that.” The Tigers will unleash another teenager against the Cowboys, with 19-year-old Heath Mason named for his first start, replacing Galvin in the halves, and he’s been given a simple game plan. “We just need our halves to do their job and control the field position,” Marshall said. “We’ve seen some great glimpses of play from some of our players this year, and we’re coming up against a pretty good Cowboys team that have got a lot of great attacking players.” Source link #Wests #Tigers #coach #Benji #Marshall #departed #teen #star #Lachlan #Galvin #rearvision #mirror #video #emerges #training #Bulldogs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Climate activist Greta Thunberg to join aid ship effort to break Gaza siege Climate activist Greta Thunberg to join aid ship effort to break Gaza siege Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham will join the next sailing of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) as it attempts to break Israel’s months-long blockade of Gaza. The “Madleen” is due to disembark from Catania, Sicily, on Sunday with a cargo of humanitarian aid and several high-profile activists on board, including Thunberg, European Member of Parliament Rima Hassan and ************-American lawyer Huwaida Arraf. Cunningham, an Irish actor best known for his role as Davos Seaworth in the hit HBO series, is a longtime advocate for Palestine and similar causes. The sailing marks the second attempt in as many months by the FFC, a coalition of humanitarian groups, to reach Gaza. A mission at the start of May was aborted after another FFC vessel, the “Conscience”, was attacked by two alleged drones while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta. The FFC alleges that Israel was responsible for the attack, which severely damaged the front section of the ship. MEP Hassan said in a short video on social media that the trip by the “Madleen” is a protest against Israel as much as an attempt to deliver much-needed aid to Gaza. “The first [goal] being of course to reject the blockade of humanitarian aid, the ongoing genocide, the impunity enjoyed by the State of Israel and to raise global international awareness,” she said. “This action is also in response to the attack that took place on May 2 against the previous ship that took place in international waters near Malta.” Israel partially lifted its nearly three-month blockade of Gaza last week, but since then has only allowed a tiny amount of assistance into the ************ territory, which the United States has warned is on the brink of famine. This week, thousands of Palestinians rushed to so-called aid distribution stations set up by the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, leading to the deaths of at least three people and dozens of injuries in the chaos that ensued as desperate people tried to get food supplies. The UN and other humanitarian organisations are boycotting the US and Israeli-backed initiative, accusing Israel of attempting to consolidate and control aid distribution across Gaza in a further weaponisation of food and starvation. The World Health Organization has warned that Gaza is at risk of famine following months of prolonged food shortages amid Israel’s punishing blockade, and that about a quarter of the population is in a “catastrophic situation of hunger, acute malnutrition, starvation, illness and death”. Source link #Climate #activist #Greta #Thunberg #join #aid #ship #effort #break #Gaza #siege Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Shein’s embattled IPO signals mounting troubles for fast fashion giant Shein’s embattled IPO signals mounting troubles for fast fashion giant Bus stop advertising for ******** fashion company Shein on 4th May 2025 in London, United Kingdom. Mike Kemp | In Pictures | Getty Images Fast fashion giant Shein’s troubles continue to mount after its much anticipated London initial public offering (IPO) reportedly hit a fresh roadblock. The e-commerce behemoth is now aiming for a Hong Kong listing after failing to receive approval from ******** regulators for its much hyped London IPO, Reuters reported Wednesday. A London listing had been seen as a boon for the 16-year-old ********-founded company, providing international legitimacy and access to a deep and mature pool of Western investors. Analysts nevertheless said they were unsurprised by the move given ongoing scrutiny surrounding the firm. “We’ve always said that we thought Hong Kong would be a safer IPO option for Shein,” Samuel Kerr, head of global equity capital markets at Mergermarket, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Thursday. “For international investors, this was always going to be an IPO that had a lot of hair on it, and perhaps it’s going to play better to a domestic audience,” he added. Neither Shein nor ******** regulator China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) responded to CNBC’s request for comment on the plans. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited said it does not comment on individual companies. Shein has faced an uphill battle in its listing ambitions as it seeks to shake allegations over the use of forced labor to produce its $5 t-shirts and $7 shoes. While it vehemently denies the claims, Shein last year shifted its focus from a New York listing to London after facing continued pushback on such issues from U.S. lawmakers. Meanwhile, concern over its commercial practices prompted an EU investigation, which earlier this week found the company in breach of consumer protection laws, including the use of fake discounts, pressure selling and misleading shoppers over sustainability claims. The closure this month of the U.S.’s de minimis loophole for low cost goods — and possible similar measures by the EU and the U.K. — have only added to the company’s woes. “The barrage of criticism, which looked set to intensify leading up to a London listing, is considered to be partly why ******** regulators were reluctant to give the IPO the green light,” Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, wrote in a note Wednesday. A loss for London? Shein’s proposed London listing was also seen as providing a much needed boost to the U.K.’s lackluster IPO market after a string of delistings and defections amid intense competition from other financial markets. “This will be a blow for London’s ambitions to attract ******* names to list in the capital, but given the obstacles piling up, it’s not surprising [that] the company seems to be veering off in another direction,” Streeter said. Still, some expressed worry that positioning the controversial listing as the face of London’s IPO revival could send the wrong signal to investors. “There was a bit of concern from some in London that Shein would be seen as a benchmark barometer for the future of the London Stock Exchange and for IPOs coming back to London. I think that would have been problematic,” Kerr said. Additional scrutiny in the U.K. was also seen as piling pressure on Shein’s valuation amid comparisons to other listed retail peers, such as Asos, Next and Boohoo. The company was already reportedly under pressure to cut its London listing valuation to around $30 billion, according to Bloomberg, down from a previously estimated $50 billion. “Going away from the U.K. and away from those U.K. peers will probably allow it to get a higher valuation,” Kerr noted. Meantime, a Shein listing could market a further boon for Hong Kong in what is shaping up to be a strong year for the market following fresh flows of capital from on- and offshore investors. “It would have been a meaningful milestone for Shein to list in either London or New York, given the maturity, depth, and valuation potential of those markets,” Rui Ma, founder and analyst at Tech Buzz China, told CNBC via email. “That said, markets are ultimately shaped by the quality of their listings and participants. Shein’s listing is a win for Hong Kong — but not yet a turning point,” she added. Shein investors CNBC spoke to declined to comment on the listing’s reported relocation. Source link #Sheins #embattled #IPO #signals #mounting #troubles #fast #fashion #giant Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Detective assigned to NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ security detail allegedly dropped off victim in crypto kidnapping case, sources say – CNN Detective assigned to NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ security detail allegedly dropped off victim in crypto kidnapping case, sources say – CNN Detective assigned to NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ security detail allegedly dropped off victim in crypto kidnapping case, sources say CNNView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Detective #assigned #NYC #Mayor #Eric #Adams #security #detail #allegedly #dropped #victim #crypto #kidnapping #case #sources #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******* energy healer who fled Australia jailed ******* energy healer who fled Australia jailed A “predatory” holistic energy healer who ********* assaulted two vulnerable women before fleeing Australia has been jailed. Helio Taiyang Matahari, 63, who has been known by five other aliases, appeared in Brisbane District Court on Friday after being “dragged back” for sentencing. Matahari pleaded guilty to ***** and two counts of ******* assault, eight years after his offending began. The court was told Matahari abused his relationship with a woman in December 2017 after being introduced to her via family, with her mother also seeing him for kinesiology treatment. Matahari digitally ****** the-then 20-year-old, taking advantage of a woman who went seeking his expertise, the court heard. “She was already feeling quite uneasy … and you progressed with touching her under the guise of therapy,” Judge Deborah Richards said. The woman read out a devastating impact statement to the court with her father in support. “I never in my life felt so small, so powerless, so utterly violated, as I did from the assault itself and the days that followed,” she said. “But the impacts aren’t just consigned to what had happened on the day. “It’s about the seven years that have followed since, seven long years of waiting, hoping and having to constantly re-live the assault without the ability to finally let it go.” A second woman made ******* assault allegations against Matahari in 2018. He pleaded guilty before it went to trial to both the ***** and ******* assault charges in April 2021. But Matahari then changed his plea and fled Australia to Thailand in December 2021. He was eventually deported back to Australia, extradited from NSW to Brisbane in 2024. Matahari was charged with breach of bail and arraigned on that charge on Friday. “You had to be dragged back,” Judge Richards said. Matahari’s behaviour was “predatory and opportunistic ******* offending committed against two vulnerable women which continued undeterred”, the crown prosecutor said. Matahari’s defence detailed his extensive work history across multiple fields and provided character references citing his integrity. “You don’t have integrity when you run away from your charges and leave victims hanging while you’re basically hiding from the law,” Judge Richards said. “It’s extraordinary people would speak of him in these terms if they knew what he’d done.” Matahari was sentenced to five years in jail and will be eligible for parole in September 2026. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National ******* Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Source link #******* #energy #healer #fled #Australia #jailed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]