Pelican Press

Semi driver found guilty in fatal 2020 ****** at rural Manitoba highway intersection Semi driver found guilty in fatal 2020 ****** at rural Manitoba highway intersection A semi-trailer truck driver who was involved in an accident that killed a 34-year-old man on a rural Manitoba highway five years ago has been found guilty of dangerous driving causing death. Sukhbir Singh was charged with one count of dangerous driving causing death after he drove through a stop sign along Highway 13 in the rural municipality of Grey, about 70 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg, and collided with a pickup truck in February 2020. He was previously convicted of dangerous driving in this case, but in 2023, an appeal court decided the original trial judge misinterpreted photo evidence, leading to a miscarriage of justice and an unfair trial. The appeal court overturned Singh’s conviction and ordered a new trial. In a May 14 decision, Associate Chief Justice Shane Perlmutter of the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench also found Singh guilty. On Feb. 28, 2020, a 34-year-old man was killed when his pickup truck collided with a semi truck at Highway 2 and Highway 13 in the rural municipality of Grey, about 70 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg. (Google Street View ) Singh was driving a semi-trailer truck south on Highway 13 around 6 a.m. on Feb. 28, 2020, and drove through a stop sign at the Highway 2 intersection, the decision said. He was working as a delivery driver and had a valid licence to operate a semi-trailer truck. Road signs indicate that drivers on Highway 13 are required to stop at this intersection, while those on Highway 2 are not, the legal filing said. Andrew Labossiere, 34, was driving his pickup truck east on Highway 2 and hit Singh’s semi on the passenger side as he entered the intersection. Labossiere’s truck was pushed into the southwest ditch and he died. ‘Enhanced duty’: Crown The Crown argued commercial semi drivers “owe an enhanced duty” to other road users. The prosecutor said Singh’s actions were a “marked departure” from the standard of care expected of a driver in his position, the decision said. Singh did not testify during the trial. His defence lawyers did not dispute that he had failed to stop at the intersection, nor did they argue that he hit the breaks too late to prevent the collision. His defence argued that the Crown’s case is based on the presence of functioning warning signals — such as flashing lights, visible stop lines and unobstructed rumble strips — but evidence doesn’t prove their presence at the time of the accident. The evidence included in Perlmutter’s decision showed the stop sign had a red flashing light, but the flash pattern, wattage and how far it illuminated at the time of the ****** were unknown. There is a reflective warning sign 250 metres before the intersection, with two rumble strips on the highway near this point. Police testified that the road was well-maintained throughout the winter and no ice was on it at the time, the decision said. The evidence included in Perlmutter’s decision says Singh was sober and had gotten enough sleep. Cellphone analysis showed he was on an 18-minute phone call before the ******, but it wasn’t clear if he was using a hands-free device. An accident reconstruction expert testified that Singh was going 85 km/h when the collision happened, and he hit his breaks 1.5 seconds after impact already occurred. The expert said Singh began to react a second before impact, but didn’t have enough time or distance to prevent the ******. While the Crown argued Singh owed a greater duty of care as a semi driver, Perlmutter said it was “unnecessary” to decide on those grounds. Instead, his decision was based on his view that a “reasonable person” would be “highly attentive to their surroundings” while driving a semi on a dark winter morning. “Mr. Singh’s failure to perceive and react to all of the warnings was a marked departure from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person in Mr. Singh’s circumstances,” Perlmutter wrote. The judge said he was satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Singh deviated from the level of care owed to other motorists and found Singh guilty. “This was more than a momentary lapse of attention. It was a failure to observe multiple warnings over several hundred feet of highway,” Perlmutter wrote. Source link #Semi #driver #guilty #fatal #****** #rural #Manitoba #highway #intersection Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia dismisses Donald Trump’s criticism of ‘crazy’ Vladimir Putin – Financial Times Russia dismisses Donald Trump’s criticism of ‘crazy’ Vladimir Putin – Financial Times Russia dismisses Donald Trump’s criticism of ‘crazy’ Vladimir Putin Financial TimesRussia Defies Trump With Largest-Ever Drone-and-Missile Attack on Ukraine WSJRussia cites “emotional overload” after Trump calls Putin crazy AxiosRussia-Ukraine war live: Moscow dismisses Trump’s criticism of attacks Al JazeeraTrump says Putin has ‘gone absolutely CRAZY’, considering more sanctions on Russia Reuters Source link #Russia #dismisses #Donald #Trumps #criticism #crazy #Vladimir #Putin #Financial #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump considers giving $3 billion in Harvard grants to trade schools Trump considers giving $3 billion in Harvard grants to trade schools The Harvard University seal on the university’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, on Monday, May 5, 2025. Mel Musto | Bloomberg | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he is considering taking $3 billion of previously awarded grant money for scientific and engineering research away from Harvard University and giving it to trade schools. His comments on his social media platform Truth Social come less than a week after his administration sought to block the Ivy League school from enrolling foreign students as part of Trump’s extraordinary effort to seize some government control of U.S. academia. Trump, a Republican, has frozen some $3 billion in federal grants to Harvard in recent weeks, complaining that it has hired Democrats, “Radical Left idiots and ‘bird brains'” as professors. Harvard, a private university, has sued to restore the funding, saying the cuts are an unconstitutional attack on its free speech rights and unlawful. Most of that grant money is appropriated by Congress for the National Institutes of Health to disburse to fund biomedical research after a lengthy application process by individual scientists, work that is not typically done at trade schools. It was not clear whether Trump was referring to Harvard grants his administration has already frozen. Harvard has said it was told that virtually all of its federal grant awards were revoked earlier in May, in a series of letters by the NIH, the U.S. Forest Service, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense and other agencies. The letters each said the grants were being suspended because they “no longer effectuate agency priorities.” Harvard did not respond to a request for comment on Monday. The White House did not respond to questions about the specific funds Trump wants to repurpose or how it could be reallocated to trade schools under the law. On Friday, a U.S. judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from revoking Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students, a policy the university said was part of Trump’s broader effort to retaliate against it for refusing to “surrender its academic independence.” The order provides temporary relief to thousands of international students, who were faced with potentially having to transfer under a policy that the university in Cambridge, Massachusetts called a “blatant violation” of the U.S. Constitution and other federal laws. It said the move would have an “immediate and devastating effect” on the university and more than 7,000 visa holders. Harvard enrolled nearly 6,800 international students in its current school year, representing 27% of total enrollment and a significant chunk of its revenue from tuition fees. The move was the latest escalation in a broader battle between Harvard and the White House, as Trump seeks to compel universities, law firms, news media, courts and other institutions to align with his agenda. Trump and fellow Republicans have long accused elite universities of left-wing bias. In recent weeks, the administration has proposed ending Harvard’s tax-exempt status and hiking taxes on its endowment, and opened an investigation into whether it violated civil rights laws by discriminating against “white, Asian, male, or straight employees” or job or training program applicants. Harvard has said its hiring and admissions are compliant with the law. Source link #Trump #considers #giving #billion #Harvard #grants #trade #schools Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Guinea work trip turns to 100 days in prison for *** pair Guinea work trip turns to 100 days in prison for *** pair Paul Pigott & Nicholas Bourne BBC News Liz Saville-Roberts Paul Inch says it was the “worst thing I have ever experienced” A search and rescue specialist hired to recover a downed research balloon in what was supposed be a four-day job has finally returned home after spending more than 100 days in a West African prison. Paul Inch, 50, from Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, and colleague Richard Perham, 29, from Bristol, had gone to Guinea to recover the equipment for a firm when they were arrested and accused of spying. “It was scary – the worst thing I have ever experienced,” said Mr Inch. Lord Collins of Highbury, *** government Foreign Office minister for Africa, welcomed the men’s return after their “lengthy ordeal”. The Guinean government has been asked to comment. “We were threatened with all kinds of abuse,” said Mr Inch, who works as a mountain bike guide, water safety officer, and as a volunteer with the Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue. He described the conditions in the Conakry prison as “horrific”, with 80 men sharing a toilet and shower. “Sleeping through the night you’d have rats and mice and cockroaches crawling over your body,” he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast. Mr Inch said the water was contaminated so they washed with a disinfectant and were concerned about becoming unwell. He explained how he and his colleague had believed they “had the right permissions to be [in Guinea]… and then quickly found out that we hadn’t”. “We were in court and then told ‘you’re going to prison’,” he said. Mr Perham said: “We had to literally fear for our lives each day. “After we had been there for two months, the *** ambassador walked us to the prison gate, believing we were finally being released but a phone call to the prosecutor stopped it. “We had to turn around and walk straight back in for another month. It was devastating.” Liz Saville-Roberts Richard Perham says the ordeal was like being “trapped in a nightmare” After their release on 11 April, the pair were stuck in Guinea for 42 more days. Mr Inch’s partner, Cheryl Potter, said: “Every single day has been a constant battle worrying about him.” Mr Inch has thanked his supporters, the British Embassy and his local MP, Liz Saville Roberts, for their help to get them home. Cheryl Potter Paul Inch’s partner Cheryl described the ordeal as “absolutely awful” ‘A nightmare’ Ms Saville-Roberts said the organisation that hired the pair had informed Guinean authorities that Mr Inch and Mr Perham “had no role in operating the balloon, no knowledge of its technical contents, and no involvement in its flight or descent”. “Their assignment was purely logistical: retrieving equipment under the understanding that all permissions had been granted,” said the Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd. “This has been a nightmare for the two men and their families and friends who have been focused, resourceful and determined to ensure that never a day went by without seeking their release.” Source link #Guinea #work #trip #turns #days #prison #pair Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Plans to build prison work camp at farming college Plans to build prison work camp at farming college A crime-troubled territory in dire need of more beds in jails is negotiating with a university to turn part of an agricultural college into a prison farm work camp. The Northern Territory government is in talks with Charles Darwin University to turn land at its rural college, 18km northwest of Katherine, into a prison farm for 100 low- to open-security inmates to be operating by the end of 2025. The prison farm plans come amid record spending of $1.5 billion for law and order announced in the NT budget on May 13, with a third of that for corrective services. The Country Liberal Party government in May rushed through tough new bail laws that will ramp up the demand for prison beds. Corrections Minister Gerard Maley has confirmed negotiations were ongoing with the university, with the proposed work camp being a key part of the government’s “sentenced to skill” program for low security inmates. The university’s Katherine rural campus spans more than 4400 hectares of working cattle and farming operations, the university’s website says. Infrastructure funding was ready to get the proposed facility up and running and it would alleviate pressures on the system, Mr Maley told the NT News. University vice-chancellor Scott Bowman confirmed preliminary talks were underway with the NT corrections department about a parcel of land on the rural campus being made available for the building of a correctional facility. “Charles Darwin University is proud of the work we currently undertake with the Department of Corrections, delivering training in all Northern Territory correctional facilities,” he said in a statement to AAP. “Our work so far has demonstrated that skills and education are key in rehabilitation.” Acting Corrections Commissioner Alecia Brimson has acknowledged the strain put on the NT prison system by staff retention issues, with 40 per cent of the 157 correctional officers recruited in July quitting in less than 12 months. Data shows the NT has an incarceration rate three times greater than anywhere else in Australia and has the highest reoffending rate, with six out of 10 prisoners returning to jail within two years of release. A justice reform group says the NT government should stop investing in new prisons in response to overcrowding and instead look at proven community-led programs to address the root causes of crime to make communities safer. Justice Reform Initiative’s NT co-ordinator and Noongar woman Rocket Bretherton said overcrowded and understaffed jails led to long lockdowns and pressure-cooker situations that endangered people in prison. “How is that rehabilitating people? How is that making the community safer, how is that setting people up to better their lives when they come out of prison? “If jailing people worked then the Northern Territory would be the safest place in the world, with the amount of people we have in jails. So obviously jailing is failing,” she told AAP. Source link #Plans #build #prison #work #camp #farming #college Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza as concern grows over humanitarian aid Israeli strikes kill dozens in Gaza as concern grows over humanitarian aid At least 52 people have been killed, according to ************ officials, after a day of heavy Israeli strikes in Gaza. Some aid has begun to trickle into the territory after a nearly three-month Israeli blockade, but experts say it isn’t enough. CBS News’ Ramy Inocencio has the latest. Source link #Israeli #strikes #kill #dozens #Gaza #concern #grows #humanitarian #aid Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Manhunt Underway for Former Police Chief Imprisoned for ******* and ***** – The New York Times Manhunt Underway for Former Police Chief Imprisoned for ******* and ***** – The New York Times Manhunt Underway for Former Police Chief Imprisoned for ******* and ***** The New York TimesDOC gives update on escaped Calico Rock inmate KTLOConvicted ********* escapes prison, search underway K8 News | Jonesboro, ArkansasEx-police chief convicted of *******, ***** escapes from Arkansas prison YahooWho is Grant Hardin? | What we know about the escaped Arkansas inmate and former police chief 5newsonline.com Source link #Manhunt #Underway #Police #Chief #Imprisoned #******* #***** #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gloucestershire cheese rolling: Tom Kopke wins again Gloucestershire cheese rolling: Tom Kopke wins again Carys Nally & Clara Bullock BBC News, Gloucestershire The highlights from the 2025 Gloucestershire cheese rolling races ******* Tom Kopke was victorious at the Gloucestershire cheese-rolling event for the second year in a row, saying he “risked his life” to win. Mr Kopke, 23, who runs his own YouTube channel, was one of dozens of competitors who took part in the traditional annual event down the steep slopes of Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire. “Last year the hill was muddy and this year it was dry and dangerous and people got injured,” he said after his victory. There were seven races in all, two of them in memory of former cheese rolling winners who have since died. Reuters Like many competitors, Mr Kopke did not escape injury free from the steep hill “It was crazy. This year was different,” said Mr Kopke, who publishes content to his 366,000 subscribers under the name Tooleko. “I shut off my brain and went for it. “All the people at the top said they were going to steal my title, but this is mine. “I worked for this. I risked my life for this. It’s my cheese – back to back.” One spectator from Mr Kopke’s race was taken to hospital from the event, which the local authorities say is dangerous and puts a strain on the county’s ambulance service. PA Media Seven races took place down the steep slope of Cooper’s Hill Reuters The races were watched by thousands of spectators Thousands of people watched the races from the side, top and bottom of Cooper’s Hill. The second men’s race was won by Luke Preece, from Gloucester, who flew down the hill race dressed in a Superman costume. “I am absolutely buzzed, amazing… the adrenaline,” he said afterwards. “My dad did it, I can’t believe it, it’s amazing.” The women’s race was won by London university student Ava Sender Logan, 20. “This is my first time,” she said. “I thought it was such a tradition, and I will probably feel it tomorrow. “It felt quite long coming down and then I hit my head. I’m down – that’s what matters.” The final men’s downhill race was won by Byron Smith, 33, from New Zealand, who had to settle for second place last year. “It feels great, yeah,” he said. “I did it last year and came second in my heat and I thought I could do it this year and I did. “I ran as fast as I could and tried to get back up, and this year I did.” Source link #Gloucestershire #cheese #rolling #Tom #Kopke #wins Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Star defender latest Bomber to suffer injury Star defender latest Bomber to suffer injury Essendon’s crippling injury list continues to grow, with defender Ben McKay the latest star to be sidelined. And Richmond young gun Sam Lalor will miss up to six weeks with a hamstring injury, while Fremantle’s Cooper Simpson is set for surgery on his left shoulder. McKay won’t play in the Bombers’ match against Brisbane at the Gabba on Thursday night due to a foot injury suffered when trodden on in the Bombers’ Dreamtime win over the Tigers last Friday. Essendon coach Brad Scott says the club are yet to determine a return timeline. “He won’t play this week. The short turnaround is going to make that too difficult,” Scott said on Monday. “We’re still assessing. He had a scan this morning, so we’ll get those results.” The timing couldn’t be much worse for the Bombers, who also lost forward Kyle Langford (quad) and key defender Zach Reid (hamstring) against Richmond. Scott does not expect to see the duo before their round-16 bye. Langford, a two-time leading goal-kicker at Essendon, has already missed six games this season due to a knee injury. The trio join Jordan Ridley (hamstring) and Harrison Jones (ankle) on the injury list, with Nick Bryan (knee), Thomas Edwards (knee), Lewis Hayes (knee) and Sam Draper (achilles) suffering season-ending injuries. Scott could turn to Darcy Parish after the midfielder played his first game of the season in the VFL following back and calf setbacks. But Saad El-Hawli has also been ruled out, suffering a hamstring strain in the reserves. With the mid-season draft slated for Wednesday, Scott said there was a chance a rookie could be handed a debut on Thursday. “It’s not beyond the realms of possibility – we might have to look for Queenslanders; a bit logistically easier,” Scott joked about the Gabba match. Richmond midfielder Lalor has re-injured the hamstring he hurt before being taken with the No.1 pick at last year’s national draft. The Tigers on Monday confirmed Lalor was expected to miss four to six weeks. “Sammy Lalor had a re-aggravation of his hamstring injury that he sustained prior to coming to the club,” Richmond high performance boss Ben Serpell said. “Unfortunately for him, he is going to miss a bit of game-time. “Thankfully it’s only going to be around about three games though.” Teammate Thomson Dow (dislocated kneecap) will be sidelined for up to eight weeks, while captain Toby Nankervis will return against GWS on Saturday after being managed last week. Key forward Tom ****** still has to get through the later stages of concussion protocols before being cleared to return and Jayden Short (calf) is another week or two away. Fremantle defender Simpson will go under the knife after injuring his left shoulder in a heavy hip-and-shoulder from Port Adelaide’s Logan Evans. The 20-year-old is expected to return to action late this season. Simpson’s injury comes as Dockers captain Alex Pearce faces a three-match ban for a heavy collision with Darcy Byrne-Jones. “This is a relatively rare injury and the best intervention is to head in for surgery,” Dockers football boss Joe Brierty said in a statement. “We will know more on timeframes post the procedure, but at this stage we expect Coop to be back playing in around 10 weeks.” Source link #Star #defender #latest #Bomber #suffer #injury Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Weitz Multi-Cap Equity Fund’s Top Q1 Detractor Weitz Multi-Cap Equity Fund’s Top Q1 Detractor Weitz Investment Management, an investment management firm, released its “Multi-Cap Equity Fund” first-quarter 2025 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The fund’s Institutional Class returned +0.81% in the first quarter compared to -4.72% for the Russell 3000. In late January, the “AI Trade” faced a challenge when the ******** company DeepSeek revealed that it had created an advanced AI model significantly lower cost than its U.S. counterparts. This announcement resulted in increased scrutiny from investors regarding the spending strategies of US firms. Investors’ and corporate leaders’ confidence is challenged by uncertainties related to trade and tariffs, which causes equities to decline as the quarter draws to a close. In addition, you can check the fund’s top 5 holdings to find out its best picks for 2025. In its first-quarter 2025 investor letter, Weitz Multi-Cap Equity Fund highlighted stocks such as Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG). Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), the parent company of Google, offers various platforms and services operating through Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets segments. The one-month return of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) was 3.50%, and its shares lost 3.82% of their value over the last 52 weeks. On May 23, 2025, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) stock closed at $169.59 per share with a market capitalization of $2.05 trillion. Weitz Multi-Cap Equity Fund stated the following regarding Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) in its Q1 2025 investor letter: “On the negative side of the ledger, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) was the Fund’s top detractor. The company’s Google unit is on the front lines of the “Traditional Search vs. GenAI” battle. With its own GenAI capabilities embedded in Google Search results, it’s helpful that Alphabet has a foot in each camp. Nevertheless, investors fear a significant shift of search share in favor of competitors, specifically ChatGPT. We believe the debate is far from settled and has overshadowed other strong businesses inside Alphabet (YouTube, to name one). We elected to reduce our position size early in the quarter to reflect the heightened competitive pressures.” Analyst Explains How Alphabet Stock Can Double — ‘The Only Way Forward for Google’ A laptop and phone open to Google’s services in an everyday setting. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) is in 7th position on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 164 hedge fund portfolios held Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) at the end of the first quarter which was 174 in the previous quarter. In the first quarter of 2025, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) achieved a revenue of $90.2 billion, representing an increase of 12% or 14% in constant currency. While we acknowledge the potential of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the undervalued AI stock set for massive gains. Story Continues Source link #Weitz #MultiCap #Equity #Funds #Top #Detractor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

****** agrees to US proposal on Gaza ceasefire, ************ official says – Reuters ****** agrees to US proposal on Gaza ceasefire, ************ official says – Reuters ****** agrees to US proposal on Gaza ceasefire, ************ official says ReutersIsrael rejects latest proposed hostage-ceasefire deal, senior official says The Times of IsraelHamas reportedly agrees to U.S. plan for 70-day Gaza cease-fire, hostage deal HaaretzHamas Agrees To Witkoff Proposal For Ceasefire In Gaza – Report i24NEWSIsrael rejects ****** proposal for the release of five hostages The Jerusalem Post Source link #****** #agrees #proposal #Gaza #ceasefire #************ #official #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB review 2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB review Gee, when did vans get so good? Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert Seriously, I was expecting a circa 18-hour drive in a van to be, if not unpleasant, then still a bit of a chore. However, I was in a Ford Transit Custom, which proved a comfortable way to haul a cargo bay full of my partner’s clothes, kitchenware, and even some furniture from Melbourne to Brisbane. I’d love to tell you how the Transit Custom compares with the Hyundai Staria Load or the top-selling Toyota HiAce across a similar distance but, ah, I think I’m good for cross-country road trips for a little while. Let’s talk about what the Transit Custom does right, though, and where it needs improvement. How much does the Ford Transit Custom cost? You get a choice of two trim levels in the diesel-powered Transit Custom range: Trend and Sport. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert Both are available in short- and long-wheelbase body styles, however, the long-wheelbase Sport is what Ford calls a Double Cab and it includes a second row of seating. The Trend LWB, therefore, is the one to choose if you want maximum cargo space. If you want it with plug-in hybrid power, you’ll need to cough up an extra $10,000, while the electric version commands an additional $10,000 premium on top of that. It’s far from the cheapest vehicle in the mid-size commercial van segment. For example, the Toyota HiAce LWB – which has a similar overall cargo bay volume – is several thousand dollars cheaper. To see how the Ford Transit Custom stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool What is the Ford Transit Custom like on the inside? We did the bulk of our drive in one day, which worked out to around 14 hours in the Transit Custom. Not once did our bodies complain. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert Kudos to the designers of the Transit Custom’s seats, because they proved comfortable and supportive. That’s despite the passenger seat actually being more of a bench than a traditional bucket seat. The cloth upholstery is pleasant, and the outboard seats even feature heating. The driver’s seat has a fold-down armrest that you can ratchet into your desired position, and the lack of a centre console means you can easily shimmy across the front seats if, for example, someone has parked too close to the driver’s door. This is aided by a completely flat cabin floor. The steering wheel has tilt and telescopic adjustment, though we found the pedal placement to be a bit awkward. About that steering wheel: it’s wonderful. The switchgear is logically laid out and tactile, while the leather wrapping is wonderfully soft and the size is spot-on. It’s a better steering wheel than you’ll find in many passenger cars! Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert Overseas, an optional Mobile Office Pack includes a folding version of the steering wheel, allowing you to use it as a work surface or, let’s be honest, an easier way to eat your Maccas. Sadly, it’s not yet available here. As expected of a van, there’s ample storage even up front. Storage shelves span the width of the dashboard, while the doors have a small pocket for items like pens, and then larger pockets at their base. These larger storage cavities incorporate bottle holders large enough for 1.5-litre bottles, while we were able to safely stash items like 3L milk bottles and even a vase in the other part of the lower cavity. Each side of the dashboard has a cupholder that can fit a medium McCafe beverage or a 600ml soft drink bottle, while there’s another cupholder that folds out from the centre stack. Everything feels solidly assembled and hard-wearing, and the cabin overall appears modern. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert Our tester came equipped with a metal bulkhead, helping to insulate the front of the van from any sounds (but not necessarily smells) in the rear and featuring a clever load-through hatch which we didn’t end up using. You can still see through the window in the bulkhead and out through the windows in the barn doors, but at night time the reflection of the touchscreen almost completely obscures your view out the back. You can get a digital rear-view mirror in the Transit Custom, but this comes only in an option package that includes a solid bulkhead with no window. Fortunately, the Transit Custom comes standard with blind-spot monitoring, while the exterior mirrors feature two different types of mirror so you’ve got multiple viewing angles. There’s no surround-view camera, though you get a reversing camera with decent resolution plus front and rear parking sensors. The windscreen is huge and the view out the front is expansive, though we were perturbed by a demister that would turn itself off far too quickly. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert That brings us to perhaps our greatest gripe: the lack of physical climate controls. There are shortcuts anchored to the bottom of the touchscreen, but they can be finicky on the move – particularly temperature adjustment – and would likely prove cumbersome if you’re wearing gloves. The centre stack has virtually no switchgear, apart from a handful of shortcut buttons for functions like the driver assistance systems menu plus a volume knob. The touchscreen is an impressive 13-inch unit running the SYNC4 operating system, and features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The latter connects quickly and maintained a stable connection during our road trip, thankfully deciding to wait until we were in Brisbane to occasionally throw up a repetitive “The inserted USB device isn’t responding” error message when we had a phone plugged in. This was fixed by unplugging my phone. There is a wireless phone charger so in theory you don’t need to ever plug in your phone, but in my experience wireless phone chargers charge too slowly and heat up your phone too much. Cue Alborz chiding me for having an Android. There’s a simple 7.0-inch instrument cluster screen that’s presentable and logically laid out, and is flanked by a couple of more traditional metres for fuel level and engine temperature. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert Moving to the rear, there’s a single sliding door on the kerbside, though you can option a driver’s side sliding door as well. Unlocking the vehicle once doesn’t unlock the rear, so you’ll need to press that button on the fob again; alternatively, you can separately unlock just the rear of the vehicle, which is handy if you are unloading goods and don’t want anybody to nick your van. You’ll need to give the sliding door and the barn doors a firm slam to close them, though even still we experienced a handful of phantom ‘tailgate open’ alerts in the instrument cluster. Inside the cargo bay, you’ll find bright LED lighting. There’s a helpful switch at the rear to turn on additional lighting, while along the sides of the cargo bay you’ll find eight tie-down points as well as padding so your stuff doesn’t damage the walls of the van. As standard, there’s a single sliding door within an opening 1030mm wide and 1301mm tall, though you can option a second sliding door. The rear door opening is 1400mm wide and 1316mm tall, and the Transit Custom LWB is rated to fit four Euro (1200mm x 800mm) pallets. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpertCamera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert To see how the Ford Transit Custom stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool What’s under the bonnet? For now, the Transit Custom is a diesel-only affair in Australia, however, plug-in hybrid and electric versions are coming soon. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert Out of an abundance of caution, we filled up at a quarter of the tank remaining both times we filled up the van. That means we could have easily done Melbourne to Brisbane on two tanks. The Transit Custom quickly settled into a fuel consumption groove, and couldn’t be shaken from 7.7 to 7.8 litres per 100km. The final score was 7.8L/100km across over 1800km of driving. To see how the Ford Transit Custom stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool How does the Ford Transit Custom drive? The first thing you notice about the way the Transit Custom drives is its excellent steering. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert Not only is the wheel lovely to hold, as mentioned earlier, but the steering is nicely weighted – it’s light enough to help you manoeuvre around tight carparks, but confidence-inspiring out on the road, too. Then there’s the powertrain. The eight-speed automatic occasionally exhibits a not-so-smooth shift at low speed, but otherwise it’s well-matched for the torquey turbo-diesel engine. You change gears using a stalk on the column, which may trip up people for whom the Transit Custom is among a fleet of vehicles they regularly drive. If this will be your primary source of transportation, however, you’ll find you quickly get used to the stalk. The Transit Custom feels like it has more grunt than its outputs suggest, while the cabin is quite well insulated from the usual clatter you get from a turbo-diesel. Mind you, the cabin does get a bit boomy at high speeds with tyre roar, but this is a van after all. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert We drove over some rather rotten rural roads in New South Wales, and the Transit Custom took them in its stride. It has a surprisingly loping ride for a van, and unusually features independent rear suspension. And yet, despite being softly sprung, body control was commendable. When we picked up the car, we found the headlight beam didn’t extend far enough, but adjusting the headlight aim with the toggle to the right-hand side of the steering wheel fixed this. What we couldn’t fix, however, was the automatic high-beam. It proved erratic and inconsistent, dipping the lights on pitch-****** country roads. It got to the point where I just wished the Transit Custom didn’t have the feature, as I was constantly having to flick the headlight stalk anyway and this was just giving me another detent to flick through. The low-beam *********** are LEDs, which are lovely and bright. The high-beams may elegantly fade on, but they’re disappointingly halogen units. Ford refers to these *********** as “hybrid” ***********, which makes them sound more clever than they are… You fill up the Transit Custom via a flap on the passenger’s side, though you’ll need to open the passenger-side door in order to open this flap. Fortunately, the filler itself doesn’t have a cap. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert The blind-spot monitoring worked well, as did the lane-keep assist though there’s no lane centring. There is adaptive cruise control, which would often allow the van to exceed the speed limit by 2km/h – not ideal, but that shouldn’t be enough to get you in trouble with the law. There is an annoying overspeed alert, but you can turn it off or easily drown it out with music. The driver fatigue monitoring feature doesn’t scan your eyes like in some cars, though if you swerve over a lane marking or drive for a long time without a break, it will flash up a helpful reminder. The safe exit warning feature is a welcome inclusion, sounding a chime if the van detects you’re about to open your door into oncoming traffic. The Transit Custom is under 2m tall, so it should fit in most carparks. Very handy. To see how the Ford Transit Custom stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool What do you get? The Trend is the entry-level Transit Custom. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpertCamera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpertCamera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpertCamera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert 2025 Ford Transit Custom equipment highlights: 7.0-inch instrument cluster screen13.0-inch touchscreen infotainment systemWireless Apple CarPlay and Android AutoDAB+ digital radioSatellite navigation5G embedded modemWireless phone chargerFordPass app connectivity4-speaker sound system8-way manual driver’s seat with single armrestHeated front seatsLeatherette-wrapped steering wheelDrive mode selection: Normal, Eco, Slippery and Tow/HaulLoad Area Protection KitSide and rear door protectionMoulded load floor linerLED load bay lightingMetal bulkheadKerbside sliding doorIntegrated roof racksHalogen and LED ‘hybrid’ headlightsRain-sensing wipersQuickclear heated windscreenPush-button start Metallic paint is a $700 option, though our tester came in standard Frozen White. You can also spend $1400 and get SVO Paint, allowing you to choose from a wider range of colours than the monochromatic trio of $700 finishes. Other options include: A two-seat configuration: $150; deletes the load-through hatchRear liftgate: $700; replaces the barn doorsSecure Visibility Pack: $1500; includes steel rear doors with no windows, a metal bulkhead with no window; and a digital rear-view mirror with an integrated dash cam To see how the Ford Transit Custom stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool Is the Ford Transit Custom safe? While like most vans the Transit Custom hasn’t been ******-tested by ANCAP, it does have a 96 per cent rating in assessment of its driver assistance systems. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert Standard safety equipment includes: Autonomous emergency brakingAdaptive cruise controlBlind-spot assistEvasive steering assistLane keep assistRear cross-traffic alertSafe exit warningTraffic sign recognitionReversing camera with 180-degree viewFront, rear parking sensorsFront, front-side, and curtain airbags To see how the Ford Transit Custom stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool How much does the Ford Transit Custom cost to run? Ford backs its vehicles with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with 12 months of roadside assistance included at the time of purchase and extended with every service provided they’re completed within Ford’s network. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert For other buyers, the first four services are priced at $580, $915, $715, and $915 respectively. To see how the Ford Transit Custom stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool CarExpert’s Take on the Ford Transit Custom An 18-hour drive can be a real torture test of a vehicle. If something is bugging you when you set off, it’s bound to infuriate you by the end of the trip. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert I’ve been in cars with uncomfortable seats, or with annoying lane-keeping aids, that would have had me raging at the end of 18 hours. But any faults the Ford has are minor, and I quickly came to respect this van. Hell, at one point I even thought, “Hey, would I want to own one of these?” (The answer is no: I hate moving my own stuff, so the last thing I’d want as a van owner is to get roped into helping every friend and family member move). With its comfortable interior, spacious load bay, punchy powertrain and slick infotainment, the Transit Custom should be on your shortlist if you’re buying a van. Camera Icon2025 Ford Transit Custom Trend LWB Credit: CarExpert Interested in buying a Ford Transit Custom? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here MORE: Everything Ford Transit Custom ProsSpacious and practicalSolid dynamicsGood technologyConsNo physical climate controlsMore expensive than rivalsAnnoying automatic high-beamTop Line SpecsPower: 125kWFuel Type: DieselEconomy: 7.6L/100kmCO2 Emissions: 197g/kmANCAP Safety Rating: Untested Source link #Ford #Transit #Custom #Trend #LWB #review Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

India limits derivatives expiry days to Tuesday or Thursday India limits derivatives expiry days to Tuesday or Thursday BENGALURU (Reuters) -India’s markets regulator said that expiries of all equity derivatives contracts will be limited to either Tuesdays or Thursdays from next month, to enhance investor protection and market stability. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said in a statement on Monday that spacing out of expiry days through the week reduces risk and enables stock exchanges to offer product differentiation. SEBI said that “too many expiry days has the potential to revive expiry day hyperactivity which could jeopardize investor protection and market stability.” The change will come into effect on June 15. In October, SEBI reduced the number of weekly options contracts available for investors to trade to one benchmark index per exchange, among other measures to curb a frenzy in derivatives trading. Since then, while exchanges have restricted their weekly contract expiries to one, they have been trying to offer contracts expiring on different days of the week, going against the regulator’s objective of reducing opportunities for retail investors to speculate on such contracts. SEBI said on Monday that exchanges will have to seek its approval for modifying the settlement day of derivatives contracts. At present, India’s largest exchange National Stock Exchange (NSE) offers expiries on Thursdays, while competitor BSE Ltd offers them on Tuesdays. NSE, in March, put on hold a proposed change of Nifty expiry days from Thursday to Monday from April 5, 2025. (Reporting by Nishit NavinEditing by Tomasz Janowski and Susan Fenton) Source link #India #limits #derivatives #expiry #days #Tuesday #Thursday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Emmanuel Macron of France Is Seemingly Pushed Away by His Wife Emmanuel Macron of France Is Seemingly Pushed Away by His Wife A video appeared to show President Emmanuel Macron of France being pushed in the face by his wife, Brigitte, moments before they stepped off a plane in Vietnam. Source link #Emmanuel #Macron #France #Seemingly #Pushed #Wife Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Booz Allen Stock Looks Undervalued as Earnings Loom Booz Allen Stock Looks Undervalued as Earnings Loom Markets hate uncertainty, and so do companies that rely heavily on the government for a good deal of their business. Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp (NYSE:). generates approximately 97% of its revenue from the federal government, which explains the BAH stock’s total return of over 500% in the last 10 years. However, it’s also a key reason why BAH stock is down more than 16% in the last 12 months. Companies like Booz Allen Hamilton are in the crosshairs as Congressional leaders look for any area to find budget cuts. On the other hand, the company holds a unique leadership position among business services stocks, including being the federal government’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) provider. That gives the company a distinct moat that is likely to build a high floor for its revenue and earnings. It’s also why the stock has been up more than 14% since it reported earnings on January 31, 2025. That’s the backdrop for the company’s fourth quarter earnings report for fiscal year 2025, which will take place before the market opens on May 23. Here are three reasons investors may want to take a closer look at BAH stock. The Unknown Is Worse Than the Known Booz Allen Hamilton is a consulting firm with the Federal Government as one of its largest clients. Over the company’s long history, that’s been a tailwind to its top and bottom lines. However, the Trump administration has leaned hard on several consulting firms to deliver deep price concessions or face potential consequences. In April, the Wall Street Journal reported that a group of consulting firms, including Booz Allen Hamilton, Marsh and McLennan Cos. Inc., IBM (NYSE:), and Accenture plc (NYSE:), proposed up to $20 billion in savings to federal contracts. This would be in the form of terminating existing contracts or reducing the scope of work in existing contracts. However, the good news is that those cuts are likely already reflected in the omnibus legislation making its way through Congress. That means that while the upcoming earnings report will likely reflect some weakness, investors will likely find the company’s forward guidance appealing. Strong Earnings Growth Showcases Efficiency Revenue growth is important, but earnings growth is traditionally a better predictor of stock price growth. Booz Allen Hamilton’s earnings growth is also a strength. Over the past five years, the company has increased its earnings per share (EPS) at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.5%, while revenue has increased at a CAGR of 10.1%. The takeaway for investors is that as the company’s revenue is expanding, it’s becoming more profitable. That’s a trend that’s likely to continue, particularly because of the company’s 50% operating margin. BAH Stock Is Undervalued Many companies may appear overvalued compared to a broad market benchmark like the S&P 500. However, it’s important to look at the stock’s valuation. As of May 22, 2025, BAH stock had a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 19x. That’s well below the sector average of around 29x for defense and aerospace stocks. Adding to the undervalued story, Booz Allen Hamilton stock is trading at a discount to its own historical P/E ratios. Making this even more enticing is that this undervaluation is not just based on the last 12 months, but over the last five years. The stock’s recent performance may reflect some of that value proposition. Heading into earnings, the Relative Strength Indicator is flashing an overbought signal. But BAH stock is also closing in on its 200-day simple moving average at $137.70. A strong earnings report could push it past that level and would likely cause analysts to rethink current price targets. Original Post Source link #Booz #Allen #Stock #Undervalued #Earnings #Loom Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

France's first lady seems to push her husband as they land in Vietnam. He says they were joking – AP News France's first lady seems to push her husband as they land in Vietnam. He says they were joking – AP News France’s first lady seems to push her husband as they land in Vietnam. He says they were joking AP NewsWatch: Push in the face by wife was joke not domestic dispute, says Macron BBC‘It’s Nonsense’: Macron Plays Down Video of Shove From Wife The New York TimesFrench President Macron’s Dramatic Video Shows “Squabble” With Wife. He Says… NDTVMacron plays down apparent shove from wife in Vietnam Reuters Source link #France039s #lady #push #husband #land #Vietnam #joking #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Albanese backs gas as ‘firming capacity’ amid looming North West Shelf extension decision Albanese backs gas as ‘firming capacity’ amid looming North West Shelf extension decision Anthony Albanese has defended the nation’s reliance on gas days out from the deadline to decide the future of the North West Shelf extension, saying “you can’t have renewables unless you have firming capacity”. Mr Albanese’s comments came when asked how he could “justify” extending the project 20 years beyond the 2050 net zero target, while speaking about climate change’s role in worsening natural disasters such as the recent floods in NSW. “You can’t have renewables unless you have firming capacity. Simple as that, you don’t change the transition through warm thoughts,” he said on Monday. “You do it through a concrete proposal, which is the expansion of renewables up to 82 per cent of the grid. But the way that that occurs is it needs firming capacity to occur.” Environment minister Murray Watt has until Saturday to make a call on Woodside Energy’s proposed 50-year extension of the gas venture off WA’s North West coast in his first big test in the portfolio. Camera IconThe North West Shelf project, northwest of Dampier in WA. BHP is a joint venture participant. Credit: BHP/BHP Mr Albanese said while the North West Shelf decision would be considered according to environmental law, Australia needed to ensure there was “security of energy supply.” “You cannot have a shift to renewables without having a confidence, because you will lose community support if people walk into this room here and flick on this switch and the lights don’t go on,” he said. “We need to make sure that there is security of energy supply at the same time as we support the transition, which reduces our emissions. “You need is a real plan with real solutions.” Mr Watt has been placed in the portfolio as a known “fixer” after predecessor Tanya Plibersek’s turbulent three-year tenure which included the decision being delayed twice. The new deadline is now May 31. Camera IconWoodside wants to extend the operating life of its North West Shelf gas project from 2030 to 2070. Credit: Rebecca Le May/AAP He has been on a consultation blitz, meeting with industry, business and environmental groups across the past two weeks, including WA Premier Roger Cook in Perth. Mr Cook on Monday said the State was patiently awaiting the Federal Government decision after the WA Government approved the 50-year extension after a six-year assessment. “If North West health is not approved, that will be a major barrier or challenge in relation to more ongoing activity and availability of gas,” he said. Camera IconLNG tanker Northwest Sanderling at Woodside’s North West Shelf plant. Credit: Tom Zaunmayr/The West *********** Mr Cook said he had a “good” meeting with Mr Watt during his trip west but said the Federal minister was tight-lipped on his decision on the project. “On the North West Shelf, he gave nothing away, absolutely nothing away, which is absolutely appropriate, but I encouraged him to make a decision as soon as possible,” he said. “I want the federal government to make a decision as soon as possible, but I also want them to make a decision which is legally safe. I want it to stick. “If we can see the ongoing operation of the Karratha gas plant into the future, that would be really important.” Mr Cook also revealed he agreed with Mr Watt’s plans to rebrand and repitch the controversial and dumped “Nature Positive” laws, saying he “hated” the name. “I hate the name ‘Nature Positive’ — sounds weird,” Mr Cook said, suggesting the name ‘environmental protection laws’ instead. Source link #Albanese #backs #gas #firming #capacity #looming #North #West #Shelf #extension #decision Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China shifts from developing world’s banker to debt collector, says Lowy Institute China shifts from developing world’s banker to debt collector, says Lowy Institute SYDNEY (Reuters) -The world’s poorest countries are due to make record debt repayments to China in 2025 on loans extended a decade earlier at the peak of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, a report by the Sydney-based Lowy Institute think tank said on Monday. Under the initiative launched by ******** President Xi Jinping in 2013, Beijing lent billions of dollars to build infrastructure to connect Asia, Europe and Africa, as it also sought to build trade and influence. Of $35 billion in debt repayments due to be made to China by developing countries in 2025, $22 billion is set to be paid by 75 of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries, putting at risk health and education spending, the report said. “For the rest of this decade, China will be more debt collector than banker to the developing world,” said Riley Duke, the report’s author. In 54 developing countries, debt payments to China will exceed the combined payments owed to the Paris Club of Western bilateral lenders, the report said. “As Beijing shifts into the role of debt collector, Western governments remain internally focused, with aid declining and multilateral support waning,” the report said, warning of the risk of development setbacks and instability. (Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Joe Bavier) Source link #China #shifts #developing #worlds #banker #debt #collector #Lowy #Institute Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Josh Hart’s wife celebrates ‘birthday win’ with Knicks’ Game 3 rally over Pacers – New York Post Josh Hart’s wife celebrates ‘birthday win’ with Knicks’ Game 3 rally over Pacers – New York Post Josh Hart’s wife celebrates ‘birthday win’ with Knicks’ Game 3 rally over Pacers New York PostKAT fuels late charge to pull Knicks back from brink ESPNKarl-Anthony Towns’ Game 3 gem — a gift to his late mother The New York TimesKarl-Anthony Towns ignites Knicks; Thibodeau finally utilizes bench USA TodayMcBride plays a key role in helping the Knicks’ game three win WVSports: West Virginia Mountaineers Football & Basketball Recruiting Source link #Josh #Harts #wife #celebrates #birthday #win #Knicks #Game #rally #Pacers #York #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

BYD drops local importer EVDirect, will distribute vehicles in Australia itself BYD drops local importer EVDirect, will distribute vehicles in Australia itself From July, BYD Australia will be the sole importer and distributor of BYD vehicles locally, but they’ll still be sold through Eagers dealers. Source link #BYD #drops #local #importer #EVDirect #distribute #vehicles #Australia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

There is ’emotional overload’ right now There is ’emotional overload’ right now The Kremlin on Monday responded to President Trump’s criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing “emotional overload” at this “very important moment.” “We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organizing and launching this negotiation process,” said spokesman Dmitry Peskov when asked about Trump’s remarks, according to Reuters. “Of course, at the same time, this is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions.” The comments come after the American president has lashed out at Putin in recent days, a noticeable shift in tone that many have interpreted as a sign Trump is losing his patience with the Russian leader amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Sunday night. Earlier that day, the president said he was “not happy” with his Russian counterpart as he prepared to board Air Force One. “I don’t know what the hell happened to Putin,” Trump told reporters. Russia overnight launched a record number of drones into Ukraine, along with nine cruise missiles, according to The Associated Press. No deaths were immediately confirmed. The attack followed a similar onslaught on Saturday, when the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv came under fire from a barrage of Russian drones and missiles, killing at least 12 people. Trump has repeatedly vowed to end the conflict, the current phase of which began when Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The president’s comments are some of his toughest yet directed at Putin, though Trump has also ratcheted up his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,” Trump said in his remarks Sunday before boarding Air Force One. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Source link #emotional #overload Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump lashes at out Harvard and says he could cut $3bn more in funds – Financial Times Trump lashes at out Harvard and says he could cut $3bn more in funds – Financial Times Trump lashes at out Harvard and says he could cut $3bn more in funds Financial TimesTrump says he is considering giving $3bn of Harvard’s grants to trade schools – US politics live The GuardianTrump doubles down on demand for names, countries of Harvard’s international students ABC NewsTrump vs. Harvard: President threatens to shift $3 billion in US grants to trade schools USA TodayTrump Threatens to Steer Harvard Grant Money to Trade Schools Bloomberg.com Source link #Trump #lashes #Harvard #cut #3bn #funds #Financial #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alphabet Stock Lags—But Waymo May Be Its Hidden Driver Alphabet Stock Lags—But Waymo May Be Its Hidden Driver The market has been highly reactive to headlines, and understandably so. With major developments emerging almost weekly, it’s no surprise investors stay glued to their newswires as the swings in all directions. However useful this may be, the awareness part, there is also a caveat to connecting unrelated themes to one another. This is the case for a major stock in the technology sector, which might be a massive opportunity. Shares of Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:) traded down to 83% of their 52-week high. They are not in an outright panic or bear market but have significantly underperformed their peers in the rest of the space, especially within the Magnificent Seven stocks group. This could be the case for many reasons, though one specific reason is directly tied to the company’s news cycle. Alphabet hasn’t been releasing much news related to artificial intelligence lately, nor equipment or services, but rather with regard to its autonomous taxi service called Waymo. Now, Waymo is absolutely making a splash in certain cities within the state of California, but the autonomous taxi name itself might be the sole reason why the markets have failed to react positively yet, giving investors a chance to exploit this fact. Autonomous Driving Isn’t as Exciting Right Now In any other news cycle, it might be. But the term autonomous driving or autonomous taxi has been tarnished by another completely unrelated company to Alphabet, Tesla (NASDAQ:) Inc. It seems that, apart from being a part of the technology sector and the Magnificent Seven, these two don’t have too much in common. Yet Tesla has recently overpromised and under-delivered on its robotaxi initiative, which sounds a lot like the autonomous taxi promise that Alphabet’s Waymo is making today. This might not seem like a legitimate reason to keep the stock down, but investors need to remember that today’s market is totally exposed to the news cycle. That being said, there are many key differences in Waymo’s current stance that set it apart from Tesla’s delayed robotaxi initiative. For starters, the technology itself is very different from Tesla’s in the sense that Waymo’s fleet is fully autonomous and requires no human supervision, unlike Tesla’s self-driving mode, which does require supervision. Secondly, Waymo vehicles use radar technology to allow them to fully operate in the environment around them successfully (again without supervision). While all of this might sound a bit too good to be true, the numbers speak for themselves regarding Waymo’s adoption rate. So far in 2025, Waymo reported up to 250,000 paid rides per week. These are not the types of numbers investors would see from a startup idea only breaking ground into the market; this is a well-developed and mature service that has already seen enough acceptance and adoption to justify further expansion and growth. How This Creates a Gap to Be Filled Of course, there are no real ways to understand how Waymo will affect Alphabet’s gigantic business, and the bears are not only leaning on its resemblance to Tesla robotaxis as a thesis but also on the fact that Google Search has lost ground to ChatGPT over the past couple of months. There’s one gap in this logic, however, since artificial intelligence models like ChatGPT ultimately source most of their answers and information from a database provided by Google, which is part of Alphabet’s umbrella. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect some sort of collaboration in this regard. Now, when investors come back to Waymo, the growth and acceptance could also make it a reasonable partnership candidate with a name like Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:), as the synergies and benefits both can have by partnering are more than obvious at this point. In fact, it does seem that Uber and Alphabet have been in talks of seeking a combination of their services, where executives talk through the thought process of how these two disruptors can coexist in their respective markets, creating new opportunities for both. Despite being a laggard in its space, Alphabet’s future developments in Waymo and other partnerships justified enough future momentum for some institutions to come knocking on its door. As of May 2025, those from UBS Asset Management decided to build up a stake worth up to $6.8 billion, signaling some of these investment themes and views are gaining traction among so-called “smart money.” Original Post Source link #Alphabet #Stock #LagsBut #Waymo #Hidden #Driver Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Water police issue ‘life or death’ warning to boaties after recent string of rescues from capsized vessels Water police issue ‘life or death’ warning to boaties after recent string of rescues from capsized vessels Water police have issued a “life or death” warning to unprepared boaties after rescuing four people from overturned vessels in the ocean last week. Officers rescued people from two separate overturned vessels on Thursday, with the first unfolding about 3.45pm in waters off Rockingham. The overturned catamaran was located by police about 25 minutes following the first distress call, before a man wearing a life jacket, the sole occupant, was found. He was uninjured after clinging on to the boat. And less than four hours later police were alerted to an EPIRB activation by the *********** Maritime Safety Authority in Coral Bay about 8.20pm. The *********** Maritime Safety Authority detected the vessel before a fishing charter boat was called in to assist. The overturned boat, and three men in the water, were located after a flare was sighted. Police said their boat capsized due to large swell. “The trio had been in the water for approximately one hour before they were able to activate the EPIRB, due to difficulty accessing it beneath the overturned hull,” a police spokeswoman said. They were each rescued before being assessed by paramedics. Water police acting senior sergeant Diana Flint said the spate of incidents served as a critical reminder for boaties to be prepared. “All vessel users—in particular those on small watercraft—are encouraged to always wear a suitable life jacket, and carry a registered GPS enabled PLB or EPIRB to alert authorities to emergency situations,” Sen. Sgt Flint said. “This was a quick response which resulted in the safe rescue of these individuals. “It serves as a serious reminder of the dangers of the ocean and the need for skippers to exercise caution, ensure they have the right equipment on board in case of an emergency, and pay attention to weather forecasts. “A registered beacon ensures police and other emergency services can respond and assist as soon as possible— which could be the difference between life and death.” Source link #Water #police #issue #life #death #warning #boaties #string #rescues #capsized #vessels Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Here are the nuclear fission startups backed by Big Tech Here are the nuclear fission startups backed by Big Tech Artificial intelligence has sent demand for electricity skyrocketing in the U.S. after years of virtually zero growth. That has sent Big Tech companies scrambling to secure generating capacity for their data centers. For many, that has meant turning to nuclear fission. The power source has been experiencing a resurgence in the last few years following decades of plant closures. (Fission, used in all current nuclear plants, is distinct from fusion, the still-experimental approach to getting power from atoms that, while attracting investors, has yet to produce more electricity than it consumes.) For tech companies, part of the appeal of fission is a stable, predictable source of power that flows 24/7, giving their data centers the potential to run computing loads whenever they require it. But another part of the appeal lies in new reactor designs that promise to overcome the shortcomings of existing nuclear power plants. Where old power plants were built around massive reactors that could generate over 1 gigawatt of electricity, new small modular reactor (SMR) designs see multiple modules deployed alongside each other to meet a range of needs. SMRs rely on mass manufacturing to bring costs down, but to date, no one has built one in the U.S. Still, that hasn’t kept Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft away from the table. They’ve either signed agreements to buy power from nuclear startups or invested in them directly — or both. Here are the nuclear fission startups backed by Big Tech. Kairos Power received a vote of confidence from Google when the search giant promised to buy around 500 megawatts of electricity by 2035, with the first reactor targeted to come online by 2030. The company’s small modular reactors rely on molten fluoride salt for cooling and to transport heat to a steam turbine. The salt’s high boiling point means that the coolant doesn’t need to be kept at high pressure, which should improve operating safety. The reactors contain fuel pebbles coated in carbon and ceramic shells, which should be strong enough to withstand a meltdown. The Alameda-based startup has received a $629 million award from the U.S. government, including $303 million from the Department of Energy. In November 2024, Kairos received approval from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to commence construction on two reactors in Tennessee. At 35 megawatts, the test units will be smaller than Kairos’ eventual commercial reactors, which are expected to generate 75 megawatts each. Oklo is another SMR company targeting the data center world — no surprise given that it was backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who also took the nuclear startup public via a reverse merger with his special purpose acquisition vehicle, AltC, in July 2023. Altman served as chairman of Oklo until April, when he stepped down as OpenAI began negotiating with Oklo for an energy supply agreement. DCVC, Draper Associates, and Peter Thiel’s Mithril Capital Management are among the startup’s previous investors. Story Continues Cooled by liquid metal, Oklo’s reactor is based on an existing U.S. Department of Energy design that’s intended to reduce the amount of nuclear waste that results from regular operations. Still, Oklo’s path hasn’t been a smooth one. The company’s first license application was denied in January 2022. Oklo has said it will resubmit the application sometime in 2025. But that hasn’t stopped the company from landing a deal to supply data center operator Switch with 12 gigawatts by 2044. Like Kairos, Saltfoss, formerly known as Seaborg, also wants to build SMRs cooled by molten salt. But unlike Kairos and others, it envisions placing two to eight of them on a ship to create what it calls a Power Barge. The startup has raised nearly $60 million, including a $6 million seed round that included investments from Bill Gates, Peter Thiel, and Unity co-founder David Helgason, according to PitchBook. Satlfoss has an agreement with Samsung Heavy Industries to build the ships and the Satlfoss-designed reactors. Founded by Bill Gates, TerraPower is building a larger reactor, called Natrium, which is cooled by liquid sodium and features molten salt energy storage. The company broke ground on the first power plant in June 2024 in Wyoming. The Natrium design calls for the reactor to generate 345 megawatts of electricity. That’s smaller than other new nuclear plants today but larger than most SMR designs. But Natrium has a trick up its sleeve with its molten salt heat storage system. Since nuclear reactors operate best at a steady state, the Natrium reactor can continue breaking atoms when demand is low, and the extra energy is stored as heat in a vat of molten salt, which can be drawn upon later to generate electricity. Investors include Gates’ Cascade Investment fund, Khosla Ventures, CRV, and ArcelorMittal. X-Energy landed a hefty $700 million Series C-1 last year led by Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund. At the same time, the SMR startup announced two development agreements that would see the deployment of 300 megawatts of new nuclear generating capacity in the Pacific Northwest and Virginia. The company’s high-temperature, gas-cooled reactors buck recent trends in the U.S. and Europe, where the design has been shunned in favor of other approaches. The company’s Xe-100 reactor is expected to generate 80 megawatts of electricity. Helium gas flows through the reactor’s 200,000 billiard ball-sized fuel “pebbles,” absorbing heat to spin a steam turbine. Source link #nuclear #fission #startups #backed #Big #Tech Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]