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Trump says he is not happy with Putin for bombing Ukraine – Reuters Trump says he is not happy with Putin for bombing Ukraine – Reuters Trump says he is not happy with Putin for bombing Ukraine ReutersTrump says he’s ‘not happy’ with Putin after massive Ukraine strike Fox NewsTrump Says He’s ‘Absolutely’ Weighing Sanctions Against Russia BloombergTrump Says He’s ‘Not Happy’ With Putin’s Escalation of Ukraine Attacks The New York TimesTrump says he is ‘very surprised’ Putin has ramped up attacks on Ukraine The Guardian Source link #Trump #happy #Putin #bombing #Ukraine #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Households face up to $228 electricity bill shock after *********** Energy Regulator issues final default market prices Households face up to $228 electricity bill shock after *********** Energy Regulator issues final default market prices NSW households could have energy bill increases of up to 9.7 per cent from July 1, with South *********** and south east Queensland customers facing a hit of up to 3.7 per cent, according to the energy regulator. The figures were released in the final determination of the Default Market Offer, set by the *********** Energy Regulator (AER) on Monday. The offer sets the maximum price caps for bill increases for residential customers on standing offer plans in the 2025-26 financial year. Households in south east Queensland will see prices increase by 0.5 per cent to 3.7 per cent, South Australians face price hikes of between 2.3 per cent and 3.2 per cent, while NSW residents will be hit the hardest, with increases between 8.3 per cent and 9.7 per cent. Prices for NSW residents were slightly higher than the hikes listed in the AER’s April draft determination. Camera IconNSW residents could face an annual bill hike of up to 9.7 per cent in the 2025-26 financial year. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia AER chair Clare Savage attributed the increases to the rising cost of energy production. “We know this is not welcome news for consumers in the current cost-of-living environment,” she said. “As noted in our draft determination, sustained pressures across almost all components of the DMO have driven these price rises, with wholesale and network costs rising in most jurisdictions between 1 per cent and 11 per cent, and retail costs between 8 per cent and 35 per cent compared with last year.” Modelling by Canstar Blue estimates annual power prices for the 2025-26 financial year will increase between $71 to $228 for households. The increase will hit NSW customers with Essential Energy the hardest, with the average annual electricity bill tipped to increase by 9.1 per cent from $2513 to $2741. More to come Source link #Households #face #electricity #bill #shock #*********** #Energy #Regulator #issues #final #default #market #prices Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘I will always be looking:’ El Paso teens featured on missing children billboards ‘I will always be looking:’ El Paso teens featured on missing children billboards Jean Gabriel Benitez, then 16 years old, was last seen getting ready for school March 18, 2024, but when his mother arrived home, he was nowhere to be found. More than a year later, his mother, Karina Roman, continues her search for her son, hoping he is safe and will return home. She pleads for the community to help find her son. Karina Roman, along with her son, holds a missing person flier of her older son, Jean Gabriel Benitez, in front of a digital billboard that will feature Benitez as part of a monthlong campaign to find missing children in Texas on May 23, 2025 at The Fountains of Farah shopping center in East El Paso. “About a year and two months ago, my son left the house and he never came back,” Roman said in Spanish as tears rolled down her face. “We haven’t heard anything. I left him in the morning as he was getting ready for school. I left to drop off my (other) son at school, when I came back, he wasn’t at the house anymore. “We just want him to come back. We just want to know if he is okay.” Benitez, who will turn 18 later this month, is one of two El Pasoans being highlighted on a monthlong digital billboard campaign. The billboards will be shown throughout El Paso in both English and Spanish. They are being posted as part of National Missing Children’s Day by the Texas Center for the Missing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Clear Channel Outdoor, and the El Paso Police Department. National Missing Children’s Day is May 25. The other missing El Pasoan being highlighted is Allison Garcia, now 17 years old. She left home Nov. 2, 2024, and never returned. Law enforcement authorities believed she could be in Mexico. Jean Gabriel Benitez, who went missing March 18, 2024, is being featured on a digital billboard as part of a monthlong campaign to find missing children by the Texas Center for the Missing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Clear Channel Outdoor, and the El Paso Police Department. Roman and her family have been suffering in agony as they search for Benitez, a former ROTC student at William H. Burges High School. The family has no idea why he left, where he could be or who he is with. “I love him very much,” Roman said as she wiped away tears. “I have always been there for him and will always be there for him. I will always be looking for him. Doesn’t matter what the situation was or whatever happened, my family and I just want to know that he is okay. We will be here if he needs anything. We will always be there for him.” More: Where is Angel Marie Avalos? Pregnant teen disappeared 5 years ago in El Paso County Benitez, a 5 feet, 7 inches tall teen with brown eyes and brown hair, being featured on the billboards brings her hope that her son will be found and she can hug him again. She is pleading for the community’s help to reunite her with her son. “I feel a little more relieved that more people will be able to see him,” the heartbroken mother said as her younger son stood by her side. “It is going to reach more people, and hopefully someone will see him or he himself will see it. It is very difficult. I am just hoping he is okay. Please if somebody knows something, reach out. “If anybody knows anything about him, please let us know, because it has been a long time and a year of agony.” Allison Garcia, who went missing Nov. 2, 2024, is being featured on a digital billboard as part of a monthlong campaign to find missing children by the Texas Center for the Missing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Clear Channel Outdoor, and the El Paso Police Department. Missing-person bulletins in English and Spanish featuring Benitez and Garcia will be displayed about 1,000 times a day on billboards in El Paso for a month, said Eric Lucero, market manager for Clear Channel Outdoor. The billboard will be seen by 75 percent of El Pasoans traveling on Interstate 10 and other roads in the city, he added. About 17 missing children over the past several years have been found through the annual billboard campaign in El Paso, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, Lucero said. Missing children have been featured on billboards throughout Texas for more than a decade. More: Missing El Paso woman found after deputies sought public’s help There were 44,783 people reported missing last year in Texas, with 31,864 being juveniles. In El Paso County, 1,109 juveniles and 280 adults were reported missing in 2024, the Texas Department of Public Safety Missing Persons Clearinghouse reported. Anyone with information on Benitez or Garcia is urged to call the El Paso Police Department at 915-832-4400. Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at *****@*****.tld or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso mother hopes missing children billboard will help find son Source link #Paso #teens #featured #missing #children #billboards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump Extends Deadline for 50% Tariffs on EU Goods to July 9 – Bloomberg Trump Extends Deadline for 50% Tariffs on EU Goods to July 9 – Bloomberg Trump Extends Deadline for 50% Tariffs on EU Goods to July 9 BloombergTrump Administration Live Updates: Latest News on the Trump Policy Bill The New York TimesTrump pauses threatened EU tariffs until July AxiosUS Equity Futures Gain as Europe Deadline Extended: Markets Wrap BloombergEU needs until 9 July for US trade talks, chief says BBC Source link #Trump #Extends #Deadline #Tariffs #Goods #July #Bloomberg Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The rise and fall of Michelle *****: A self-created fairy story The rise and fall of Michelle *****: A self-created fairy story Craig Williams BBC Scotland News Wattie Chung Michelle ***** started Ultimo with her then husband in 1996 Michelle ***** spent 25 years building her business empire and public profile through the British media. A brilliant self-publicist, she was regularly described as one of the ***’s most successful businesswomen. She was the plucky underdog who, through sheer grit and a knack for a good headline, pushed her Ultimo bra concept onto the marketplace and into the high street’s biggest shops. She even claimed to have given Hollywood star Julia Roberts a cleavage. The story she told time and time again to a grateful media brought her fame, riches, and even a peerage. But Baroness ***** of Mayfair has now been stripped of the Conservative whip, is on leave from the House of Lords and a business connected to her is under investigation by the National Crime Agency. How did it come to that? That’s the question a new two-part BBC Scotland documentary seeks to answer. The Rise and Fall of Michelle ***** begins in 1999 as the then 28-year-old talks her way into Selfridges in London, and a deal to sell her gel-filled Ultimo bra. Born in her own words “into nothing”, ***** was raised in the Dennistoun area of Glasgow. She left school at 15 with no qualifications but a determination “to make something of myself”. Friends from the time describe her hard work ethic, energy and “bubbly” nature. “No matter where you’re from, look at me, you can do it,” she would later say. She worked as a model and “ring girl” at boxing matches and moved into promotions and sales before setting up MJM International with husband Michael. They re-mortgaged their house and went £70,000 into debt developing the Ultimo Bra, which is when ***** turned up unannounced at Selfridges. Virginia Marcolin was the shop’s lingerie buyer, and the person ***** had travelled to London to see. “I thought: ‘This girl is not what I’m used to dealing with’. She was kind of country bumpkin and a little bit like not overly refined, just very authentic. And this was just such a fresh, new product,” she says. “That was the start of it. It was her persistence.” Getty Images Doug Barrowman and Michelle ***** have been married since 2020 *****’s natural knack for promotion got them the deal but the cash-poor company needed funds to fulfil the order. They found an investor in Tom Hunter, who in 1998 had just sold his sportswear company JJB Sports for £280m. The man who made that introduction was Jack Irvine, former newspaper editor turned successful PR executive. He became a key figure in building *****’s early media profile. The newspapers and broadcasters were hungry for stories about her, and she was very happy to help. “She had two driving forces,” Irvine says. “One was to be very rich and one was to be very famous.” Coverage from that time stressed her humble roots, battle to succeed, new-found wealth, and the global success of her bra. Magnus Llewellin, now editor of the Times newspapers in Scotland, remembers one infamous story from the time. “Stories would circulate around Michelle *****. One of those was that her bra was used in the film Erin Brockovich, that Julia Roberts wore one of her bras,” he says. “If you actually bother to check, somebody involved in the actual making of the film came out and said an Ultimo bra wasn’t used in the production.” The truth is that the media, especially the Scottish media, helped create the Michelle ***** myth. And she had a gift for using that. “The story was almost too good to debunk. A young woman fighting in a male-dominated business world, making a way for herself. That was a great story to tell,” Llewellin says. Getty Images ***** said her Ultimo bra was used in the film Erin Brockovich, a claim denied by the filmmakers After more than 20 years together as a couple and more than a decade in business, the Mones very publicly separated, divorcing in 2011. Michelle bought Michael out of the business and became the face and body of the brand, modelling her own lingerie. Behind the scenes at the company there were a number of employment tribunals, including one high-profile case in which a member of staff found a recording device in his office. Despite her legal challenges, ***** remained in the public eye, a regular feature on television programmes. And her knack for publicity led to her next move – into the world of politics. She had been a Labour supporter but defected to the Conservatives in 2010. Four years later she was a prominent voice in favour of the union during the independence referendum, going so far as to say she would leave Scotland in the event of a ‘Yes’ vote. In 2015, Prime Minister David Cameron made her his government’s “entrepreneurship tsar”. Within weeks it was announced she was to become a Conservative peer, as Baroness ***** of Mayfair. PA Media Michelle ***** became Baroness ***** in October 2015 By then she had sold her interests in the company she had built. But her new roles brought increased scrutiny over her business record. Magnus Llewellin points out that MJM International never turned over more than £10.1m a year, and in 2012 lost more than half a million pounds. “By that time the company was in real trouble,” he says. Businessman Donald Anderson runs the Gap Group, a plant hire company which in 2024 had a turnover of £302.3m, employed more than 2,000 people, and made a pre-tax profit of £43.9m. He wrote to the prime minister at the time of *****’s appointment. “Miss ***** is not a successful entrepreneur, she is a small time businesswoman with a PR exposure far in excess of any actual success,” he wrote. He now says: “If the only thing she achieved was self-publicity, I don’t think that’s a very good reason to put you into the House of Lords. If you follow that logic then the House of Lords will be full of influencers in the next 10 years.” Ken Gaff Michelle ***** and Doug Barrowman made their home in the Isle of Man In 2016, ***** announced she was in a new relationship with Doug Barrowman, a billionaire businessman. They settled in the Isle of Man, and worked together in the booming crypto-currency sector. In 2020, the Covid pandemic struck. As the death toll rose, *** ministers sought out firms to urgently supply Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), even setting up a VIP lane to give priority to some suppliers. A company called PPE Medpro made it onto the VIP list. This caught the eye of campaigners who were concerned that firms on the list were run by people with connections to the Conservative Party. It emerged that PPE Medpro was controlled by people connected to Doug Barrowman. *****, a Conservative peer, repeatedly denied any involvement in the business, the deal or the subsequent profits. But the Guardian uncovered a connection to government ministers. The paper’s David Conn says: “We did our own freedom of information request, and we got the emails that she’d sent to Michael Gove and Lord Agnew saying that she was offering to supply PPE through ‘my team in Hong Kong’ and that it had gone through the VIP lane. “And we also got some WhatsApp messages which Michelle ***** had sent about the PPE deals and she said she was sitting on the jet and it was about to take off, which we assumed was their jet, their private plane.” Getty Images Getting PPE quickly and efficiently to medical workers became a priority during the 2020 Covid outbreak The National Crime Agency (NCA) launched an investigation into PPE Medpro. Several of the couple’s properties were raided. Two years into his investigation, David Conn received a leaked document showing Barrowman made at least £65m from the deals, with £29m of this paid into a trust of which ***** and her three adult children are beneficiaries. Throughout this time, ***** was uncharacteristically quiet. But that changed at the end of 2023 when she and Barrowman – by then married – released a PPE Medpro-funded documentary in which she admitted being a “conduit” between the company and ministers. They also agreed to appear on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. On camera, ***** admitted she could one day benefit from the trust, and said they had done nothing wrong. When asked about lying to the press, she replied: “That’s not a crime. “Saying to the press I’m not involved, to protect my family, can I just make it clear, it’s not a crime.” Laura Kuenssberg says: “That’s a phrase that will always stick with me. “When she said that, I thought: ‘There’s a thing. There’s a headline’.” Rogan Productions The Guardian’s David Conn led the paper’s investigation into Michelle ***** and the PPE contracts Michelle ***** lost the Conservative whip and has taken a leave of absence from the House of Lords. She has made no further media appearances. PPE Medpro is still under investigation by the NCA and the government is suing the company for £122m plus costs, claiming the medical gowns the company supplied “did not comply with the specification in the contract”. The peer declined the offer to be interviewed for The Rise and Fall of Michelle *****. In response to the programme, a statement said the couple had provided “full and detailed statements to the NCA and cooperated with the investigation throughout”. It said they had never been arrested and no charges had been brought against them. The statement also defended PPE Medpro’s delivery of PPE equipment to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). It continued: “Baroness *****, along with the whole of the *****/Barrowman family, were beneficiaries of trusts… never direct recipients of PPE Medpro profits. “The DHSC was fully aware of their involvement from the outset. It was a mistake to have misled the press.” Alamy Michelle ***** remains under investigation by the National Crime Agency Michelle *****’s public life was a self-created fairy story which many in business, politics, and especially the media, bought into. For Magnus Llewellin, there’s a clear moral to this tale. “What it does tell us about modern Britain is, we still like fairy tales. We want to believe those rags to riches tales. “But once you step into the world of politics, things can get a bit trickier. “It’s a parable of excess, hubris, and then eventually nemesis.” Laura Kuenssberg says: “For Michelle *****, public attention, knowing how to grab public attention, is an ability that she obviously always had in spades during her business career. “But things went wrong for her and you can’t turn that attention off.” The Rise and Fall of Michelle ***** is available on iPlayer and is on BBC Scotland at 22:00 on Monday 26 May and BBC Two at 21:00 on Wednesday 28 May. Source link #rise #fall #Michelle #***** #selfcreated #fairy #story Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Storm sign Titans young gun until end of 2027 Storm sign Titans young gun until end of 2027 Melbourne have boosted their forward stocks by signing young gun Josiah Pahulu after Gold Coast agreed to release the rising star. Source link #Storm #sign #Titans #young #gun Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Oil climbs after Trump extends EU trade talks deadline to July Oil climbs after Trump extends EU trade talks deadline to July By Florence Tan SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Oil prices gained in early Asian trade on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump extended a deadline for trade talks with the European Union, easing concerns about U.S. tariffs on the bloc that could hurt the global economy and fuel demand. Brent crude futures rose 37 cents, or 0.6%, to $65.15 a barrel by 0001 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 34 cents, or 0.6%, at $61.87 a barrel. “A nice push higher in crude oil and U.S. equity futures this morning after U.S. President Trump extended the deadline,” IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said. Trump said he agreed to extend a deadline for trade talks with the European Union until July 9 after Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said the bloc needed more time to strike a deal. Trade and tariff headlines, along with ongoing fiscal concerns are going to be the main wild card for risk sentiment and crude oil this week, Sycamore said. Brent and WTI extended gains after settling 0.5% higher on Friday as limited progress in U.S.-Iran nuclear talks alleviated concerns of more Iranian oil returning to global markets and as U.S. buyers covered positions ahead of the three-day Memorial Day weekend. Prices were also buoyed by data from energy services firm Baker Hughes that showed U.S. firms, under pressure from lower oil prices, cut the number of operating oil rigs by 8 to 465 last week, the lowest since November 2021. The gains were capped by expectations that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies, a group known as OPEC+, could decide to increase output by another 411,000 barrels per day (bpd) for July at next week’s meeting. Reuters reported this month that the group could unwind the rest of its 2.2 million bpd voluntary production cut by the end of October, having already raised output targets by about 1 million bpd for April, May and June. (Reporting by Florence Tan; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman) Source link #Oil #climbs #Trump #extends #trade #talks #deadline #July Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Demi Lovato Is Married—and Shares the Story Behind Her Vivienne Westwood Wedding Dress – Vogue Demi Lovato Is Married—and Shares the Story Behind Her Vivienne Westwood Wedding Dress – Vogue Demi Lovato Is Married—and Shares the Story Behind Her Vivienne Westwood Wedding Dress VogueDemi Lovato Marries Jordan ‘Jutes’ Lutes in Romantic California Wedding People.comDemi Lovato Walks Down the Aisle at Wedding Rehearsal, on Video tmz.comDemi Lovato Walks Down the Aisle Before Marrying Jordan Lutes parade.comDemi Lovato Is Getting Married to Jordan Lutes—Here’s Everything We Know About Their Wedding Yahoo Source link #Demi #Lovato #Marriedand #Shares #Story #Vivienne #Westwood #Wedding #Dress #Vogue Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Impossible – The Final Reckoning at box office Impossible – The Final Reckoning at box office Ian Youngs Culture reporter Disney Lilo and Stitch stars eight-year-old Maia Kealoha and a computer-generated cuddly runaway alien Disney’s live-action Lilo and Stitch remake and Tom Cruise’s supposedly final Mission: Impossible outing have opened as two of the biggest films of the year in a record-breaking weekend at the box office. Lilo and Stitch, which revisits the 2002 animated family favourite, exceeded expectations with takings of $341m (£252m) around the world. That made it the second highest opening of 2025 so far after A Minecraft Movie, Variety reported, and broke the record for the Memorial Day weekend in the US. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth film in the franchise, also proved a hit with $190m (£140m) in ticket sales. Reuters Tom Cruise has said the latest film is “not called ‘final’ for nothing” Cruise has been playing agent Ethan Hunt since 1996, and seemingly confirmed The Final Reckoning would be the last instalment by telling the Hollywood Reporter: “It’s the final! It’s not called ‘final’ for nothing.” But some have doubts about whether it will really turn out to be the end. The blockbuster has had some rave reviews, with the Guardian calling it a “wildly entertaining adventure” in a five-star review, and Vanity Fair describing it as “a worthy send-off”. However, not everyone was blown away, with the Hollywood Reporter saying it’s “a disappointing farewell”, and Mashable saying the series risked going out with the “fizzled whimper of a message self-destructing in a tape deck”. Meanwhile, Lilo and Stitch is the latest in a long line of live-action remakes of beloved Disney animations, and achieved the third-best box office opening behind 2019’s The Lion King and 2017’s Beauty and the Beast, Variety said. The new version stars Courtney B Vance and Zach Galifianakis alongside eight-year-old Maia Kealoha and a computer-generated cuddly runaway alien. It has also had mixed reviews, being described as “jovial, zany, and sweet” by the Daily Beast, but a “mind-numbing abomination” by the Times. Source link #Impossible #Final #Reckoning #box #office Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

TikToker Anna Grace Phelan dies less than a year after brain ******* diagnosis TikToker Anna Grace Phelan dies less than a year after brain ******* diagnosis A TikTok influencer who won hearts around the world after bravely sharing regular updates about her battle with brain ******* has died, aged just 19. Anna Grace Phelan, who lived in Georgia, passed away on Friday — less than a year after first being diagnosed. Her family broke the tragic news on her TikTok page, writing “It is with great sadness to announce that our beautiful daughter, Anna Grace Phelan, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” “So many of you have followed her journey through a difficult battle with ******* and bore witness to her powerful testimony of faith.” “Thank you for the countless thousands of prayers for healing and peace. “May we all rejoice with the assurance that she is in Heaven now, and she has been healed. Let us also remember that the only path to the promised kingdom of Heaven is through salvation in Jesus Christ.” Camera IconAnna Grace Phelan’s devastated family broke the news on social media. Credit: Instagram Ms Phelan graduated high school in 2024 and had been working as a receptionist at a medical practice. Days before she was due to begin college she began experiencing worrying symptoms, including face and leg numbness and problems with her balance and vision. Doctors eventually diagnosed her with an aggressive glioblastoma, an inoperable grade four malignant brain tumour. Camera IconAnna Grace Phelan with her mother Nadine Phelan. Credit: InstagramCamera IconAnna Grace Phelan was diagnosed after undergoing an MRI. Credit: Instagram She announced her ******* diagnosis in a TikTok video in September 2024, saying “This is definitely the hardest news I’ve ever received. “By all means, this is not easy. Just going to trust in the Lord and try and keep pushing forward.” If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings. To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. In one of her last videos Ms Phelan could be seen at an outdoor gathering of family and friends shooting water pistols. She captioned the footage ”sweet moments”. But, in her last video on May 16, she spoke about receiving a get-well present from former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow. She also revealed her health had taken a tragic turn for the worst. “Things haven’t been good. My tumour grew and it’s in the area where I can’t breathe. It can’t be operated. So, I just wanted to say thank you for all the prayers. It would take a miracle, but I’m not giving up yet. If you keep praying for me, I think that I’ll make it.” Source link #TikToker #Anna #Grace #Phelan #dies #year #brain #******* #diagnosis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fox News Host Apologizes to ‘Entire World’ for Cable News Chaos Fox News Host Apologizes to ‘Entire World’ for Cable News Chaos One of Fox News’ top stars acknowledged how toxic cable news has become—and admitted she’s part of the problem. Jessica Tarlov, the liberal panelist on Fox’s top show, The Five, asked Larry Sabato, the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics founder and director, what issue enraged him the most. “I watch more TV news than I ever have before,” he said on the Prof G podcast, which Tarlov co-hosts. “TV funnels what’s selling on social media, I think, more than the reverse. That makes me rage.” Tarlov said she is part of the problem. “It does,” she said. “As someone who’s on cable news, I apologize to the entire world for what we export.” Jessica Tarlov of Fox News’ Neither Fox News nor Tarlos responded to an immediate request for comment. Sabato also did not immediately respond to the Daily Beast’s request for comment. Sabato laughed at Tarlov’s remark, saying during the Friday interview that the main issue is social media’s dominance of political discourse. “There’s nothing we can do about social media,” he said. “The one thing I’ve been waiting for that I was promised as a young person was a time machine,” he added. “We still don’t have one, cause I’d love to go back and make it impossible to create social media. I don’t know how I do it, but I would try to do that.” Sabato told the Daily Beast in further remarks that he was disappointed by the “sane-washing” of Trump from multiple media outlets, who he said underestimated Trump’s penchant for retribution. “I’ve personally seen the effects of Trump’s intimidation of media companies, law firms, and yes, universities,” he said in an email. “The solution they’ve adopted seems to be, ‘Let’s keep our heads down, stick to a lot of both-sides coverage, and then Trump will target others.’ It hasn’t dawned on some that Trump will eventually get around to slamming them too, as well as misusing the power of government to exact revenge.” Multiple cable news hosts have rebuked the sector in recent years as some have left the industry. Former NBC News anchor Chuck Todd said last month that cable news Chuck Todd, the former NBC News anchor who hosted Meet the Press before leaving the network earlier this year, told Mediaite last month that he had grown demoralized by cable news’ content. “I had it on in my office all the time,” Todd said. “But most cable news felt like a whole bunch of people trying to game an algorithm. It stopped being informational.” Former Fox News and NBC star Megyn Kelly said on podcast The Megyn Kelly Show last year that, after watching cable news during the election, she was sad to see that “nothing’s changed.” “The people don’t look as good—that’s changed,” she said. “But they’ve changed nothing. They’re having the same stilted, guarded, fake conversations that last four minutes long with, like, the stupid panels. It’s amazing how out of date they are.” Source link #Fox #News #Host #Apologizes #Entire #World #Cable #News #Chaos Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Knicks-Pacers: Live updates, highlights from Game 3 – ESPN Knicks-Pacers: Live updates, highlights from Game 3 – ESPN Knicks-Pacers: Live updates, highlights from Game 3 ESPNKnicks-Pacers: 5 takeaways as Pascal Siakam powers Indiana to 2-0 series lead NBAThe Indiana Pacers Refuse to Die The RingerPacers’ Game 1 hero’s girlfriend takes shot at Knicks after playoff collapse Fox NewsKnicks vs. Pacers score, live updates: TV channel, highlights, player stats and analysis from Game 3 The New York Times Source link #KnicksPacers #Live #updates #highlights #Game #ESPN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The people who believe that AI might become conscious The people who believe that AI might become conscious BBC I step into the booth with some trepidation. I am about to be subjected to strobe lighting while music plays – as part of a research project trying to understand what makes us truly human. It’s an experience that brings to mind the test in the science fiction film Bladerunner, designed to distinguish humans from artificially created beings posing as humans. Could I be a robot from the future and not know it? Would I pass the test? The researchers assure me that this is not actually what this experiment is about. The device that they call the “Dreamachine” is designed to study how the human brain generates our conscious experiences of the world. As the strobing begins, and even though my eyes are closed, I see swirling two-dimensional geometric patterns. It’s like jumping into a kaleidoscope, with constantly shifting triangles, pentagons and octagons. The colours are vivid, intense and ever-changing: pinks, magentas and turquoise hues, glowing like neon lights. The “Dreamachine” brings the brain’s inner activity to the surface with flashing lights, aiming to explore how our thought processes work. Pallab trying the ‘Dreamachine’, which aims to find out how we create our conscious experiences of the world The images I’m seeing are unique to my own inner world and unique to myself, according to the researchers. They believe these patterns can shed light on consciousness itself. They hear me whisper: “It’s lovely, absolutely lovely. It’s like flying through my own mind!” The “Dreamachine”, at Sussex University’s Centre for Consciousness Science, is just one of many new research projects across the world investigating human consciousness: the part of our minds that enables us to be self-aware, to think and feel and make independent decisions about the world. By learning the nature of consciousness, researchers hope to better understand what’s happening within the silicon brains of artificial intelligence. Some believe that AI systems will soon become independently conscious, if they haven’t already. But what really is consciousness, and how close is AI to gaining it? And could the belief that AI might be conscious itself fundamentally change humans in the next few decades? From science fiction to reality The idea of machines with their own minds has long been explored in science fiction. Worries about AI stretch back nearly a hundred years to the film Metropolis, in which a robot impersonates a real woman. A fear of machines becoming conscious and posing a threat to humans was explored in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, when the HAL 9000 computer tried to kill astronauts onboard its spaceship. And in the final Mission Impossible film, which has just been released, the world is threatened by a powerful rogue AI, described by one character as a “self-aware, self-learning, truth-eating digital parasite”. LMPC via Getty Images Released in 1927, ****** Lang’s Metropolis foresaw the struggle between humans and technology But quite recently, in the real world there has been a rapid tipping point in thinking on machine consciousness, where credible voices have become concerned that this is no longer the stuff of science fiction. The sudden shift has been prompted by the success of so-called large language models (LLMs), which can be accessed through apps on our phones such as Gemini and Chat GPT. The ability of the latest generation of LLMs to have plausible, free-flowing conversations has surprised even their designers and some of the leading experts in the field. There is a growing view among some thinkers that as AI becomes even more intelligent, the lights will suddenly turn on inside the machines and they will become conscious. Others, such as Prof Anil Seth who leads the Sussex University team, disagree, describing the view as “blindly optimistic and driven by human exceptionalism”. “We associate consciousness with intelligence and language because they go together in humans. But just because they go together in us, it doesn’t mean they go together in general, for example in animals.” So what actually is consciousness? The short answer is that no-one knows. That’s clear from the good-natured but robust arguments among Prof Seth’s own team of young AI specialists, computing experts, neuroscientists and philosophers, who are trying to answer one of the biggest questions in science and philosophy. While there are many differing views at the consciousness research centre, the scientists are unified in their method: to break this big problem down into lots of smaller ones in a series of research projects, which includes the Dreamachine. Just as the search to find the “spark of life” that made inanimate objects come alive was abandoned in the 19th Century in favour of identifying how individual parts of living systems worked, the Sussex team is now adopting the same approach to consciousness. Researchers are studying the brain in attempts to better understand consciousness They hope to identify patterns of brain activity that explain various properties of conscious experiences, such as changes in electrical signals or blood flow to different regions. The goal is to go beyond looking for mere correlations between brain activity and consciousness, and try to come up with explanations for its individual components. Prof Seth, the author of a book on consciousness, Being You, worries that we may be rushing headlong into a society that is being rapidly reshaped by the sheer pace of technological change without sufficient knowledge about the science, or thought about the consequences. “We take it as if the future has already been written; that there is an inevitable march to a superhuman replacement,” he says. “We did not have these conversations enough with the rise of social media, much to our collective detriment. But with AI, it is not too late. We can decide what we want.” Is AI consciousness already here? But there are some in the tech sector who believe that the AI in our computers and phones may already be conscious, and we should treat them as such. Google suspended software engineer Blake Lemoine in 2022, after he argued that artificial intelligence chatbots could feel things and potentially suffer. In November 2024, an AI ******** officer for Anthropic, Kyle Fish, co-authored a report suggesting that AI consciousness was a realistic possibility in the near future. He recently told The New York Times that he also believed that there was a small (15%) chance that chatbots are already conscious. One reason he thinks it possible is that no-one, not even the people who developed these systems, knows exactly how they work. That’s worrying, says Prof Murray Shanahan, principal scientist at Google DeepMind and emeritus professor in AI at Imperial College, London. “We don’t actually understand very well the way in which LLMs work internally, and that is some cause for concern,” he tells the BBC. According to Prof Shanahan, it’s important for tech firms to get a proper understanding of the systems they’re building – and researchers are looking at that as a matter of urgency. “We are in a strange position of building these extremely complex things, where we don’t have a good theory of exactly how they achieve the remarkable things they are achieving,” he says. “So having a better understanding of how they work will enable us to steer them in the direction we want and to ensure that they are safe.” ‘The next stage in humanity’s evolution’ The prevailing view in the tech sector is that LLMs are not currently conscious in the way we experience the world, and probably not in any way at all. But that is something that the married couple Profs Lenore and Manuel Blum, both emeritus professors at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, believe will change, possibly quite soon. According to the Blums, that could happen as AI and LLMs have more live sensory inputs from the real world, such as vision and touch, by connecting cameras and haptic sensors (related to touch) to AI systems. They are developing a computer model that constructs its own internal language called Brainish to enable this additional sensory data to be processed, attempting to replicate the processes that go on in the brain. Getty Images Films like 2001: A Space Odyssey have warned about the dangers of sentient computers “We think Brainish can solve the problem of consciousness as we know it,” Lenore tells the BBC. “AI consciousness is inevitable.” Manuel chips in enthusiastically with an impish grin, saying that the new systems that he too firmly believes will emerge will be the “next stage in humanity’s evolution”. Conscious robots, he believes, “are our progeny. Down the road, machines like these will be entities that will be on Earth and maybe on other planets when we are no longer around”. David Chalmers – Professor of Philosophy and Neural Science at New York University – defined the distinction between real and apparent consciousness at a conference in Tucson, Arizona in 1994. He laid out the “hard problem” of working out how and why any of the complex operations of brains give rise to conscious experience, such as our emotional response when we hear a nightingale sing. Prof Chalmers says that he is open to the possibility of the hard problem being solved. “The ideal outcome would be one where humanity shares in this new intelligence bonanza,” he tells the BBC. “Maybe our brains are augmented by AI systems.” On the sci-fi implications of that, he wryly observes: “In my profession, there is a fine line between science fiction and philosophy”. ‘Meat-based computers’ Prof Seth, however, is exploring the idea that true consciousness can only be realised by living systems. “A strong case can be made that it isn’t computation that is sufficient for consciousness but being alive,” he says. “In brains, unlike computers, it’s hard to separate what they do from what they are.” Without this separation, he argues, it’s difficult to believe that brains “are simply meat-based computers”. Companies such as Cortical Systems are working with ‘organoids’ made up of nerve cells And if Prof Seth’s intuition about life being important is on the right track, the most likely technology will not be made of silicon run on computer code, but will rather consist of tiny collections of nerve cells the size of lentil grains that are currently being grown in labs. Called “mini-brains” in media reports, they are referred to as “cerebral organoids” by the scientific community, which uses them to research how the brain works, and for drug testing. One *********** firm, Cortical Labs, in Melbourne, has even developed a system of nerve cells in a dish that can play the 1972 sports video game Pong. Although it is a far cry from a conscious system, the so-called “brain in a dish” is spooky as it moves a paddle up and down a screen to bat back a pixelated ball. Some experts feel that if consciousness is to emerge, it is most likely to be from larger, more advanced versions of these living tissue systems. Cortical Labs monitors their electrical activity for any signals that could conceivably be anything like the emergence of consciousness. The firm’s chief scientific and operating officer, Dr Brett Kagan is mindful that any emerging uncontrollable intelligence might have priorities that “are not aligned with ours”. In which case, he says, half-jokingly, that possible organoid overlords would be easier to defeat because “there is always bleach” to pour over the fragile neurons. Returning to a more solemn tone, he says the small but significant threat of artificial consciousness is something he’d like the big players in the field to focus on more as part of serious attempts to advance our scientific understanding – but says that “unfortunately, we don’t see any earnest efforts in this space”. The illusion of consciousness The more immediate problem, though, could be how the illusion of machines being conscious affects us. In just a few years, we may well be living in a world populated by humanoid robots and deepfakes that seem conscious, according to Prof Seth. He worries that we won’t be able to resist believing that the AI has feelings and empathy, which could lead to new dangers. “It will mean that we trust these things more, share more data with them and be more open to persuasion.” But the greater risk from the illusion of consciousness is a “moral corrosion”, he says. “It will distort our moral priorities by making us devote more of our resources to caring for these systems at the expense of the real things in our lives” – meaning that we might have compassion for robots, but care less for other humans. And that could fundamentally alter us, according to Prof Shanahan. “Increasingly human relationships are going to be replicated in AI relationships, they will be used as teachers, friends, adversaries in computer games and even romantic partners. Whether that is a good or bad thing, I don’t know, but it is going to happen, and we are not going to be able to prevent it”. Top picture credit: Getty Images BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below. Source link #people #conscious Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

‘Disgraceful’: Workers slam Labor’s compensation plan ‘Disgraceful’: Workers slam Labor’s compensation plan Workers have rallied outside NSW parliament and in regional centres across the state, warning that the Minns government’s proposed changes to workers compensation laws would leave injured employees without adequate support. The protest, led by Unions NSW on Monday, drew supporters from the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, the Teachers Federation, and a broad coalition of workers furious over what they say is a betrayal by the Labor government. Protests were also held in Tweed Heads, Wagga Wagga, and Newcastle as part of a co-ordinated campaign against the Exposure Workers Compensation Bill, which unions claim will gut access to compensation for psychological injuries. Camera IconHundreds of essential workers from across NSW rallied outside Martin Place to oppose the government’s proposed cuts to workers compensation. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia Among the proposed changes is a plan to lift the permanent impairment threshold for psychological injury to 31 per cent – a move Unions NSW and the Teachers Federation say would prevent up to 95 per cent of workers from receiving damages. There is also outrage over a proposal requiring workers alleging psychological injury caused by bullying, racial abuse, or ******* harassment to obtain a court determination before being eligible for compensation. Camera IconWorkers say the changes are ‘disgraceful’. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia Sue Walton, an aged care assistant-in-nursing with more than 20 years’ experience and a history of workplace injuries, attended the rally, arguing the changes would prevent people like her from accessing workers compensation. “You’ll be sitting at home without any support or any medical help through workers compensation if this Bill goes through,” she said. “You get penalised when you’re on workers comp anyway because you don’t get your full wage, but now they want to take that away from every single worker. It’s disgraceful.” Camera IconSue Walton says the reforms won’t help injured workers. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia Retired union worker Kenneth, who spent 20 years in the manufacturing industry, said the proposed changes would undo hard-fought gains. “To have governments breaking their pledge is not a good thing and this is a big issue for everybody,” he said. “You have to assist workers, not cut their rights.” He said anyone injured at work, either physically or mentally, knew how difficult it could be to access compensation. “I’ve had lots of injuries in my time and it’s always been a hard battle,” Kenneth said. “We made some progress over the years and we don’t need them to be stripped back; if anything, you need more help.” Camera IconProtests were also held in Tweed Heads, Wagga Wagga, and Newcastle. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey said frustration among workers was turning to anger. “There is a growing anger around why (the NSW government) are doing this,” he said. Mr Morey acknowledged the Minns government had made progress in other areas but said these proposed reforms were undermining its credibility. “These sorts of fights detract from them being seen as a positive Labor government to a government that’s fighting with all its workforce,” he said. “I think they’re getting a name for themselves of always fighting with their workforce.” Source link #Disgraceful #Workers #slam #Labors #compensation #plan Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Flight from Tokyo diverted to Seattle after passenger tries to open exit doors Flight from Tokyo diverted to Seattle after passenger tries to open exit doors A flight from Tokyo to Houston was diverted to Seattle on Saturday after a passenger tried to open two of the plane’s exit doors, according to the FBI and a spokesperson for the Port of Seattle. The crew and passengers restrained the person, who was taken to a hospital for medical evaluation after landing, the FBI said in a statement. All Nippon Airways Flight 114 was traveling from Japan’s Haneda Airport to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston when it was diverted “due to an unruly passenger,” the airline said. The plane – a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – had been in the air for about 10 hours when it landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport around 4 a.m. local time, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. “Port of Seattle Police were called due to reports of a passenger who attempted to open exit doors during the flight,” spokesperson Chris Guizlo told CNN Sunday. No injuries were reported among the remaining passengers and flight crew, Guizlo added. “Our report shows the flight diverted due to a passenger disturbance,” a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration told CNN Sunday. Upon arrival, a second passenger became unruly while on the tarmac in Seattle, according to All Nippon Airways. The person was frustrated at the flight diversion and punched the bathroom door, the FBI said. The person was “removed for unruly behavior before the plane departed SEA for Houston,” Guizlo noted. “This was unrelated and the passenger was deplaned without incident.” No charges related to the incident have been filed, the FBI added. The flight continued to Houston, landing just before 1 p.m. local time without incident, according to the airline and FlightAware. In-flight disturbances have surged A similar diversion happened in April when a flight carrying more than 200 people from Bali, Indonesia, to Melbourne was forced to turn around after a passenger tried to force open a plane door as the aircraft flew over the Indian Ocean, according to low-cost carrier Jetstar. In the United States, the FAA has a zero-tolerance policy for unruly passenger behavior, which surged to a record high in 2021, with nearly 6,000 reported incidents. Reports have declined significantly since then, but 2023 still saw more than 2,000 incidents, FAA figures show. In 2023, more than 400 enforcement actions were initiated and $7.5 million in fines were levied against such passengers. An unruly passenger last November tried to force open a plane door on a flight from Milwaukee, injuring an attendant and prompting fellow passengers to duct-tape him. The man allegedly told a flight attendant that he wanted, and needed, “to exit the aircraft now,” according to a report from the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Department of Public Safety. Also last year, a man was charged in the unprovoked beating of a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight after he repeatedly punched the person until blood was drawn. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Source link #Flight #Tokyo #diverted #Seattle #passenger #open #exit #doors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. outscores MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Timberwolves' Game 3 blowout win – Star Tribune Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. outscores MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Timberwolves' Game 3 blowout win – Star Tribune Rookie Terrence Shannon Jr. outscores MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Timberwolves’ Game 3 blowout win Star TribuneOKC ‘punched in the mouth’ as Wolves muscle up ESPNThunder vs. Timberwolves: Minnesota reclaims its identity with Game 3 beatdown of OKC to reignite West finals Yahoo SportsRandle’s revival for Wolves in Game 3 rout starts with pep talk from Edwards NBAAnthony Edwards and the Wolves strike back with 143-101 win to cut Thunder’s West finals lead to 2-1 AP News Source link #Rookie #Terrence #Shannon #outscores #MVP #Shai #GilgeousAlexander #Timberwolves039 #Game #blowout #win #Star #Tribune Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

King travels to support Canada as it fends off Trump King travels to support Canada as it fends off Trump King Charles and Queen Camilla will arrive in Canada later, for a two-day visit seen as bringing a message of support for the country in the face of threats and taunts from US President Donald Trump. Prime Minister Mark Carney, who recently won a general election on a wave of anti-Trump sentiment, invited the royal couple and will hold a meeting with them during their stay in Ottawa. The King will read the “Speech from the Throne” to Canada’s Parliament on Tuesday, the first time a monarch has delivered this for almost 50 years. It is expected to include a defence of Canada’s sovereignty and to reject claims it should be taken over by the US. There will be a ceremonial welcome at the airport in Ottawa on Monday and meetings with community groups, which is expected to include representatives of Canada’s First Nation communities. The King will meet Canada’s first indigenous Governor General Mary Simon. This is the King and Queen’s first visit to Canada since the start of their reign, after a planned trip last year was cancelled because of the Charles’ ******* diagnosis. By reading the Speech from the Throne the King is following in the footsteps of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who carried out the duty twice during her long reign in 1957 and 1977. But the timing of this week’s visit has been seen as a sign of solidarity with Canada, after calls from Trump for the country to become the 51st US state. The US threat has inflamed public opinion with some businesses in Ottawa, as elsewhere in Canada, putting on displays of national identity such as “Proudly *********” posters. Carney, when he visited Trump at the White House earlier this month, stressed that Canada was “not for *****” and that message is likely to be conveyed in the King’s speech which is written on the advice of Canada’s government. Former ********* high commissioner to the *** Jeremy Kinsman said this was a message the King will be pleased to deliver. “It’s going to be very affirmative of ********* sovereignty. And I can say personally that it’s something that King Charles will celebrate saying. I have no doubt,” said Mr Kinsman, who worked as a diplomat with the King when he was Prince of Wales. The speech, to be delivered in French and English, will set out the ********* government’s policy agenda in a way that is similar to the King’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament in Westminster. But it is also expected to have lines asserting the independence of Canada – a Commonwealth country and Nato member. Speaking ahead of the King’s visit and State Opening, Carney said: “This is an historic honour which matches the weight of our times.” In terms of the ceremony, the King is expected to wear a suit, in an event that will be more low key than the crown and elaborate robes on display in the ***’s opening of Parliament. As well as the speech in Parliament, this brief trip will include community events in Ottawa and a chance to meet local leaders. This royal visit will be something of a diplomatic balancing act. The King is head of state of both Canada and the *** – and in his *** role, the King has been helping to maintain good relations with the US, sending a warm personal letter to President Trump inviting him for a second state visit. In Canada, he will be expected to reflect a very different message, with Canada’s government rejecting Trump’s ambition to take over the country. Ahead of the visit, a royal source said: “The King has long experience and great skill in walking that diplomatic tightrope. “He’s held in high regard around the globe and across the political spectrum, with good relations with world leaders who understand his unique position.” Source link #King #travels #support #Canada #fends #Trump Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Moses always ‘destined’ to be a star: NSW great Moses always ‘destined’ to be a star: NSW great Benny Elias always knew Mitchell Moses was destined for stardom. The rugby league legend thought as much 20 years ago, when he’d see his nephew kicking the footy in the backyard at family get-togethers. By the time he lured Moses over from Parramatta’s junior system to Wests Tigers as a teenager, then-Tigers board member Elias was convinced. So when there are questions as to how the Eels captain will perform next to Nathan Cleary in the NSW halves for the State of Origin series opener, Elias is unfazed. “My God, I don’t know how you defend Moses on one side and Cleary on the other,” said Origin legend Elias, inducted into NSW Rugby League’s hall of fame last week. “He respects Nathan, which is very important. I know he does. He’s got a lot of time for Nath. I hope Nath would think the same back of him.” Between them, Cleary and Moses have been NSW’s halfback for all but two of 21 Origin games played since 2018. But the pair have never lined up in any fixture together, owing largely to their similarities; both are right-footed, goal-kicking, traditional game-managers who predominantly play on the right side of the field. Four-time premiership winner Cleary is a walk-up starter when fit and will wear the No.7 jersey for NSW coach Laurie Daley in game one. But Daley’s decision to overlook Cleary’s former Penrith co-pilot Jarome Luai has meant Moses will be thrust onto the left and a slightly different role for the May 28 series opener in Brisbane. Elias doubts that’ll bother his nephew, whom he feels is only now approaching the peak of his powers. “The likes of Joey Johns, Brad Fittler and JTs (Jonathan Thurston) of the world, they became very, very well-recognised from 28 years and on. Mitch has just turned 30,” Elias said. “When he believes in himself, he’s got another level to go. He’s got plenty left in him, he’s got plenty of strike power and the unpredictable. “Mitch sleeps, drinks, feeds rugby league. He just loves it. Ever since he was a little kid, he’s always carried that rugby league ball around. “At all the family functions, he was playing out in the backyard, he was always going to be destined to be a superstar.” Source link #Moses #destined #star #NSW #great Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Spain calls for international weapons embargo on Israeli government Spain calls for international weapons embargo on Israeli government Spain is calling for an international arms embargo on the Israeli government to end the war and the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip. “We must all agree on a joint arms embargo,” Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told journalists at the start of a ministerial meeting of the so-called Madrid Group in the Spanish capital on Sunday. “The last thing the Middle East needs right now is weapons.” Albares also called for an “immediate suspension” of the European Union’s partnership agreement with Israel – a measure currently being considered in Brussels – and for the imposition of targeted sanctions against individuals “who obstruct the two-state solution.” If necessary, sanctions should also be imposed against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Albares asserted. “Nothing that is being discussed here is directed against the State of Israel,” the top Spanish diplomat emphasized. But he also made it clear that “the ************ people have exactly the same right to peace and security as the Israeli people.” There is no alternative to the two-state solution for achieving lasting and just peace, Albares said. In an interview with French broadcaster France Info shortly before, the minister had said: “What is the alternative? Kill all Palestinians? Drive them… I don’t know where… to the moon? (…) Or give them Israeli citizenship?” The Spanish government is one of the harshest critics in Europe of Israel’s military action in Gaza. In September last year, it organized a first meeting of the Madrid Group. Ministers and high-ranking representatives from around 20 countries in Europe and the Arab world, as well as Brazil, are taking part in the second meeting. Germany was involved for the first time and was represented by Foreign Office minister Florian Hahn. Since the start of the Gaza war with the unprecedented massacre by ****** in Israel on October 7, 2023, more than 53,900 people have been killed according to ************ sources. More than 122,700 have been injured. Source link #Spain #calls #international #weapons #embargo #Israeli #government Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Demi Lovato Marries Jordan 'Jutes' Lutes in Romantic California Wedding – People.com Demi Lovato Marries Jordan 'Jutes' Lutes in Romantic California Wedding – People.com Demi Lovato Marries Jordan ‘Jutes’ Lutes in Romantic California Wedding People.comDemi Lovato Is Married—and Shares the Story Behind Her Vivienne Westwood Wedding Dress VogueDemi Lovato Walks Down the Aisle at Wedding Rehearsal, on Video tmz.comDemi Lovato Walks Down the Aisle Before Marrying Jordan Lutes parade.comDemi Lovato Is Getting Married to Jordan Lutes—Here’s Everything We Know About Their Wedding Yahoo Source link #Demi #Lovato #Marries #Jordan #039Jutes039 #Lutes #Romantic #California #Wedding #People.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Barnaby Joyce does not rule out run at Nationals leadership after Coalition crisis Barnaby Joyce does not rule out run at Nationals leadership after Coalition crisis Barnaby Joyce will not rule out a bid for the National Party leadership after the Coalition’s collapse and rekindling in a chaotic two weeks. The senior Nationals MP has not hid his criticism of David Littleproud’s handling of Coalition negotiations with the Liberal Party, calling last week’s split a “complete shocker”. Mr Joyce said on Monday he was not actively vying to oust his boss, but it was up to the party room. Camera IconSenior Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has not ruled out a run for the party leadership following the Coalition crisis. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia “I’m not challenging, I’m definitely not,” he told Seven. “I’ve got other things I’m thinking about, but if the party room decides to do something … that’s up to them.” Mr Joyce went on to say he wanted “it sorted out”. Asked if Mr Littleproud would stay on as leader, Mr Joyce said he did not know. “That’s a question for the (party) room,” he said. “I mean, that’s up to the room, what they decide to do.” Fellow former leader Michael McCormack last week sparked rumours he was considering a challenge. Camera IconFormer Nationals leader Michael McCormack has hinted he could take a run at the party leadership in the future. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia “I’m not planning to roll David any time soon,” he told the ABC. In his remarks on Monday, Mr Joyce said it was Mr McCormack’s “right” if he wanted it. “If he decides to go for the leadership, it’s his right to go for it,” he said. “He’s a good bloke, I respect Mike. If he decides to do it, he decides to do it.” Mr Joyce and Mr McCormack were among several senior National Party figures Sussan Ley reached out to in a last-ditch bid to save the Coalition. Despite the talk of threats to his leadership, Mr Littleproud on Sunday said he was “pretty relaxed”. Camera IconNationals leader David Littleproud says he is ‘pretty relaxed’ amid talk his leadership is under threat. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia “The vast majority of my party room decided to leave the Coalition,” he told Sky News. “I enacted what was directed by me, and as a matter of days, because we took a principled position. The Liberal Party decided to revisit their position and yield to the fact that we wanted those four policy areas,” he added, referring to nuclear energy, divestiture powers, a regional fund and better mobile phone coverage in the regions. Mr Littleproud said he would “rather go to (parliament) standing for something, and if I have to lose my job for it, I don’t care”. Source link #Barnaby #Joyce #rule #run #Nationals #leadership #Coalition #crisis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pablo Torre stands by his Bill Belichick-Jordon Hudson reporting Pablo Torre stands by his Bill Belichick-Jordon Hudson reporting Pablo Torre isn’t afraid to eff around and find out. After the latest episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out landed, Bill Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend/handler/publicist/ideal mill/creative muse Jordon Hudson posted, then deleted, an attack on Torre’s reporting that included a couple of litigation buzzwords: “Pablo Torre’s ‘findings’ have been nothing short of factually incorrect, slanderous, defamatory and targeted. Can y’all please stop giving credibility to this ‘reporter’?” Advertisement On Sunday morning, Torre responded. “I find it bizarrely appropriate, at this point, that Jordon Hudson would post this and then very quickly delete it,” Torre said on Twitter. “But to be perfectly clear: I stand by our reporting and the episodes we published.” A lawsuit by Hudson against Torre would be fitting, and possibly fruitless. But also fascinating. Now that she has transformed herself into a public figure, she’d have to prove that Torre acted with “actual malice.” This means proving that Torre knew the information he posted was false, or that he acted with reckless disregard to the truth or falsity of the statements made. Regardless of the eventual outcome of the case, its mere existence would unlock a treasure trove of information through the discovery process. Starting with sworn, on-the-record deposition testimony of both Belichick and Hudson. Where pull-string catch phrases like “on to Cincinnati” and “we’re not talking about that” would not hold water. Source link #Pablo #Torre #stands #Bill #BelichickJordon #Hudson #reporting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Powell defends Federal Reserve in Princeton speech amid onslaught of attacks from Trump – AP News Powell defends Federal Reserve in Princeton speech amid onslaught of attacks from Trump – AP News Powell defends Federal Reserve in Princeton speech amid onslaught of attacks from Trump AP NewsFederal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says he didn’t major in economics because he saw it as ‘boring and useless’ Business InsiderFederal Reserve’s Jay Powell urges US university students to protect democracy Financial TimesJerome Powell tells Princeton grads not to take universities for granted and that ‘integrity is all we have—guard it carefully’ FortuneFed Chair Powell praises integrity and public service amid unrelenting Trump attacks CNN Source link #Powell #defends #Federal #Reserve #Princeton #speech #onslaught #attacks #Trump #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Spanish champs Barcelona end season in style Spanish champs Barcelona end season in style Barcelona have capped their title-winning campaign with a 3-0 victory at Athletic Bilbao, with Robert Lewandowski scoring twice but falling short of catching Kylian Mbappe as the Spanish league’s top scorer for the season. Lewandowski found the net in the 14th and 17th minutes in Bilbao to finish the season with 27 goals, four fewer than Frenchman Mbappe, who scored twice in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win against Real Sociedad on Saturday. Poland international Lewandowski hadn’t scored since April 9 in a Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund, and his last goal in La Liga had been in March against Girona. Dani Olmo got the third at San Mames in added time. Barcelona finished with a goal-difference of plus 63 after scoring 102 times and conceding 39. They won 28 matches, drew four and lost six, ending with 88 points, four points more than second-placed Madrid and 12 more than third-placed Atletico. Athletic had already secured a fourth-placed finish to secure a Champions League spot for the first time in a decade. Lewandowski reached 101 goals in total across all competitions in his three seasons with Barca. He had 42 this year after scoring 26 last season and 33 in his debut campaign. “We had it under control,” the 36-year-old said. “This season was almost perfect. We have to enjoy this moment.” Despite their disappointing Champions League semi-final elimination by Inter Milan earlier this month, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick still had praise for his team. “We wanted to finish like we started it, like we performed during the season, and they did a great job,” the ******* said. Elsewhere on Sunday, Atletico finished their season with a 4-0 win at Girona. Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth netted a hat-trick to end the campaign with 20 goals, fourth in the league’s scoring list, and fifth-placed Villarreal beat 17th-placed Sevilla 4-2 with a pair of goals by Pape Gueye. Source link #Spanish #champs #Barcelona #season #style Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) to Launch Cheaper Blackwell AI Chip for China, Says Report NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) to Launch Cheaper Blackwell AI Chip for China, Says Report NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is set to launch a new AI chipset for China amid U.S. export curbs, Reuters reported on Saturday, with mass production likely to begin as early as next month. The GPU will be part of NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)’s Blackwell-architecture AI processors. It is expected to be priced between $6,500 and $8,000, significantly lower than the recently restricted H20 model. NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) to Launch Cheaper Blackwell AI Chip for China, Says Report A close-up of a colorful high-end graphics card being plugged in to a gaming computer. The lower price reflects the GPU’s weaker specifications, which sources say will be based on RTX Pro 6000D and use GDDR7 memory in place of more advanced memory. They also added that it will not use TSMC’s advanced CoWoS packaging technology. China is an attractive market for NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA). The country accounted for nearly 13% of its sales last year. This is the third instance of the company having to tailor a GPU for the ******** market due to restrictions from American authorities. After the U.S. banned the H20 chip in April this year, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) considered manufacturing a downgraded version of the chip for China, but the plan did not work out. Sources also told Reuters that NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) was planning to build another Blackwell AI chip for China, with production expected to begin in September. The company’s market share in China has declined since 2022 due to the U.S. export restrictions, resulting in an increasing number of ******** customers turning toward Huawei’s chips. While we acknowledge the potential of NVDA as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NVDA and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: ChatGPT Stock Advice: Top 12 Stock Recommendations and 10 Cheap Rising Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. Source link #NVIDIA #Corporation #NVDA #Launch #Cheaper #Blackwell #Chip #China #Report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]