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North Korea detains 4 officials over the failed launch of a naval destroyer – AP News North Korea detains 4 officials over the failed launch of a naval destroyer – AP News North Korea detains 4 officials over the failed launch of a naval destroyer AP NewsNorth Korea detains three officials over warship launch accident BBCFailed Launch and Damage of the Second Guided Missile Destroyer Beyond ParallelNorth Korea Arrests 3 Over Failed Ship Launch That Angered Kim Jong-un The New York TimesPartially Sunk North Korean Frigate Recovery Effort Seen Underway In Satellite Image The War Zone Source link #North #Korea #detains #officials #failed #launch #naval #destroyer #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Five takeaways from ‘Scouse Coachella’ Five takeaways from ‘Scouse Coachella’ Mitch Mansfield BBC Newsbeat Reporting fromRadio 1’s Big Weekend in LiverpoolBBC/Jamie Simmonds Ed Sheeran played a surprise set on Saturday Music lovers, you made it. Festival season has arrived, getting off to a loud and lively start in Liverpool for Radio 1’s Big Weekend. Around 100,000 people flocked to Sefton Park for “Scouse Coachella”, as it became known, enjoying around 100 acts across three days – and even a little sunshine between the showers. So what went down? Newsbeat spoke to artists and fans about the big talking points. PA Media Sam Fender headlined the Saturday night at Big Weekend 1. Sam Fender’s hypersonic rise… …is just getting started. “This is the most nervous I’ve ever been and I have no idea why,” Sam Fender told the crowd during his much-anticipated headline set on Saturday night. It marked the start of a big summer for the North Shields singer-songwriter – the first of many huge shows across the country off the back of his latest album People Watching. There may have been some teething problems and tech issues at points – he was seen struggling with his guitar connection at times. But it didn’t stop the crowd spontaneously chanting anthems like Seventeen Going Under and Hypersonic Missiles long after the songs had finished, bringing a smile to Fender’s face. His vulnerability and relatability is part of what makes him endearing to his followers. In some respects, he’s an unlikely superstar – but he’s about to become an even ******* one. For fans Chevy and Emily – who became friends at a Sam Fender gig – it’s his “local hero” vibe. “Every time I see him it’s the same excitement,” Emily told Newsbeat. She’s in for an exciting few months. 2. Nostalgia is still what it used to bePA Media Sugababes brought a nostalgic flavour to the festival It’s not a Big Weekend without Anthems sets – inspired by the Radio 1 brand, throwing it back to bangers from the ’00s and ’10s. A lot of the Liverpool crowd weren’t even born when Sugababes and Natasha Bedingfield dropped their biggest hits, but it didn’t stop them singing every word. “Our music is timeless,” Sugababes told Newsbeat backstage – and the fans agree. It was “very nostalgic” for Laura and Alice who said “it’s so good to see them back”. It may have been more than 20 years since the group first pushed the button. But with new generations taking inspiration from Y2K culture, their new millennium, pop-meets-R&B energy has had a recent resurgence – inspiring younger acts like FLO – and it’s not going away anytime soon. 3. Ed Sheeran delights and disappoints By Saturday morning, rumours were swirling around Sefton Park – suggesting Ed Sheeran would be the “Secret Set” opening the New Music stage. After it was confirmed on social media, fans rushed to the tent – but a few songs in, the area had “reached capacity”. Sheeran – who’s spent the last couple of years selling-out massive stadiums around the world – said he wanted to play the smaller tent to feel the “energy” – and those lucky enough to be there loved the intimacy. “He’s the biggest artist in the world” for fan George, who described it as “a mental pull – the fact they managed to get him for a secret set”. But for those shut out after the area was closed like Kate, 20 and Scarlett, 19, it was disappointing he wasn’t on the Main Stage, where more fans could have seen him. “I messaged my mum when it got announced,” Kate tells Newsbeat. “Her and my sister were so jealous, and I was like, ‘I’ll send you videos!’, but I’m not going to be able to.” Kate (left) and Scarlett (right) were left disappointed at not seeing Ed Sheeran 4. Girl powerGetty Images Self Esteem described the headliner representation as “lazy” When this year’s Main Stage headliners were announced, fans and journalists were quick to point out that they were all white and male acts. The BBC defended the line-up, telling Newsbeat at the time that female artists would make up around 60% of it – adding that “Radio 1 has a rich history of supporting and championing female and diverse artists”. “It’s very lazy,” Self Esteem tells Newsbeat backstage, when asked about the lack of female headliners. But the singer, whose real name is Rebecca Lucy Taylor, says the “music industry is still so heavily-weighted in favour of men”. From Tate McRae to HAIM on the Main Stage and Joy Crooks to ***** in the New Music tent – Sunday was seen as a day for women, demonstrating the depth and breadth of female talent. Fans, like Ellie, praised the way that Lola Young represents women in a “real” and authentic way. These acts might not have closed the Main Stage this time, but for many, they stole the show. The BBC says Radio 1 will “continue to advocate” for representation in the industry. 5. Disposable vapes: Ready for a summer of festivals without them? Izzy is planning ahead for the change in vape rules If you’ve been to a festival in recent years, you’ll have either used or been surrounded by disposable vapes, despite some events banning them. As the last major festival before a ***-wide ban on 1 June, there were special bins at the Big Weekend to recycle them. Some people we spoke to at Sefton Park weren’t aware of the upcoming law change, while others said it was sad. Many had planned ahead, including Izzy, who’s training to be a doctor. “I’ve got a reusable one now,” she said, adding she would usually “have a pack of *****” at a festival but she’d “hate smoking that in a crowd and a vape’s easier”. But if vapes are now part of every festival, there’s been so much about this Big Weekend – the first ever in Liverpool – that’s felt unique to the city. From the warmth of the people, to the hundreds of red football shirts on display as Liverpool lifted the Premier League down the road – it’s felt like a three-day celebration of the people and culture. Additional reporting by Shaun Dacosta, Eleanor Doyle & Manish Pandey Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here. Source link #takeaways #Scouse #Coachella Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Middle Swan: Man, 24, charged over hit-and-run that critically injured e-scooter rider Middle Swan: Man, 24, charged over hit-and-run that critically injured e-scooter rider A 24-year-old man has been charged over an alleged hit-and-run in Middle Swan that left an e-scooter rider fighting for his life. Source link #Middle #Swan #Man #charged #hitandrun #critically #injured #escooter #rider Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Flight diverted to Seattle after passenger attempted to open exit doors Flight diverted to Seattle after passenger attempted to open exit doors An unruly passenger forced an All Nippon Airways flight from Tokyo to Houston to divert to Seattle on Saturday, officials said. A man attempted to open the plane’s exit doors during the flight, Port of Seattle Police Department spokesperson Chris Guizlo told CBS News. Fellow passengers and flight crew members restrained the individual before landing. The plane landed at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport at around 4:19 a.m. local time, according to Guizlo. Port of Seattle Police evaluated the man and determined he was having a medical crisis. He was transported to a local hospital for further treatment. It is not clear what charges the man will face, if any. CBS News reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Seattle branch. While on the tarmac in Seattle, a second passenger became unruly and was also removed by the Port of Seattle Police, All Nippon Airways confirmed. The two incidents are unrelated. Data from Flightaware.com shows the flight continued from Seattle to Houston just after 7 a.m. “The safety of our passengers and crew are our top priority and we applaud the efforts of local law enforcement for their support,” the airline said in a statement. Delta Air Lines’ 100th year takes flight 9 young siblings killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza 4 women arrested for allegedly aiding escaped New Orleans inmates Source link #Flight #diverted #Seattle #passenger #attempted #open #exit #doors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Asia markets live updates for May 26, 2025 Asia markets live updates for May 26, 2025 A customer places a Japanese 10,000 yen banknote on a checkout counter while making a purchase at an Akidai YK supermarket in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday, June 27, 2022. Kiyoshi gaming platforms | Bloomberg | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets are set to trade mixed Monday, trailing losses on all three key benchmarks on Wall Street last Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on tech giant Apple as well as stiffer duties on the European Union. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 was set to open slightly higher, with the futures contract in Chicago at 37,250 while its counterpart in Osaka last traded at 37,190, against the index’s last close of 37,160.47 Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index stood at 23,479, pointing to a weaker open compared to the HSI’s Friday close of 23,601.26. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 is slated to start the day inching higher, with futures tied to the benchmark at 8,387, compared to its last close of 8,360.90. — CNBC’s John Melloy and Lisa Kailai Han contributed to this report. Source link #Asia #markets #live #updates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alex Palou wins the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 – IndyStar Alex Palou wins the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 – IndyStar Alex Palou wins the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 IndyStar3-time IndyCar champ Palou wins 1st Indy 500 ESPN’I cannot believe it’: Alex Palou of Spain cruises to victory at the Indianapolis 500 NPRIndyCar champ Alex Palou wins 2025 Indy 500: Results, highlights from Sunday’s race USA Today‘I had that race and lost it’: Marcus Ericsson places second behind Alex Palou at Indy 500 IndyStar Source link #Alex #Palou #wins #109th #running #Indianapolis #IndyStar Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How a Russian couple helped Ukraine’s war effort How a Russian couple helped Ukraine’s war effort Ilya Barabanov and Anastasia Lotareva BBC News Russian BBC Sergei and Tatyana Voronkov had long been disillusioned with modern Russia when they decided to move to Ukraine It was shortly after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 that Sergei and Tatyana Voronkov decided they would leave Russia. The couple, who had long been critical of Vladimir Putin, had condemned the actions of Russia to friends and acquaintances. In response, they were told that if they didn’t like it they could leave. So the couple, both Russian citizens, decided to relocate to Ukraine, where Tatyana was born. In 2019 they eventually settled in Novolyubymivka, a village of about 300 people in the south-eastern Zaporizhzhia region. The couple got four dogs and started raising livestock, while Sergei, 55, also found work as a land surveyor – his specialism during his time in the Soviet army. They hoped for a quiet life. But when Moscow launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the peace of their new lives was shattered by the first Russian rockets flying over their home. “I heard something whistling, something flying, and I went outside,” Tatyana, 52, recalls. “A rocket was flying right over the house. “I went on the internet to see what had happened and they wrote that Kyiv had already been bombed.” The couple quickly found themselves in occupied territory, and decided to become informants for Ukraine. What followed was detention, interrogation, an escape into Europe – and a letter of thanks from the Ukrainian army. FAMILY ARCHIVE Sergei and Tatyana in Moscow before they moved to live in Ukraine It was when a Russian convoy passed their home for the first time that Tatyana decided to act. She ran inside and messaged an acquaintance in Kyiv, whom she believed had contacts in Ukraine’s security services. The contact sent her a link to a chatbot on messaging app Telegram which told her they would be contacted by a person with a unique identifier. The couple were then asked to provide the location and details of Russian electronic warfare systems and military hardware they had seen, particularly missile systems and tanks. The locations would help the Ukrainian army target and destroy Russian troops in the area with drones and artillery. “We didn’t think of it as treason,” says Tatyana, who along with Sergei insists the information they gave did not result in any strikes on civilians or civilian infrastructure. “Nobody attacked Russia. This was a fight against evil.” For two years, Sergei would collect coordinates and Tatyana would transmit them from her phone – removing all traces of the messages afterwards – as and when their village’s internet access allowed them to do so. But all of this came to an end when Sergei was detained in April 2024 by armed men while he was shopping for gardening seeds in the regional centre of Tokmak. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images A Russian military convoy moving towards the Donbas region in February 2022 Interrogated in a pit Sergei says he was taken to an abandoned house and put in a cold basement pit – around two metres wide and three metres deep – where he slept in a squatting position. The next day he was questioned about whether he had passed details of Russian positions to the Ukrainians. Sergei says a bag was kept over his head during the interrogation and he was threatened with violence. After initially denying his involvement, Sergei confessed on the fourth day of his captivity, fearing that if he were subjected to violence he might accidently implicate others. While all of this was happening, Tatyana was desperately searching for information on his whereabouts. She travelled the area and phoned hospitals and morgues, while the couple’s son, who was still living near Moscow, contacted various authorities there. Ten days after Sergei’s arrest, security forces searched the Voronkovs’ home and dug up $4,400 that had been hidden by the couple in their garden. Shortly after, Tatyana was told that her husband was “sitting in a basement” and was with Russia’s security services, the FSB. Weeks later, after 37 days in captivity, Sergei was made to confess to assisting Ukraine on camera by people who introduced themselves to him as FSB. But to his surprise, he was released two days later, though almost all of his documents, including his passport, were confiscated. To this day, Sergei and Tatyana do not understand why he was released. However, the BBC understands this is not uncommon in parts of Ukraine occupied by Russia, where investigative and judicial processes lack transparency and often no explanations are given as to why a person is detained or released. FAMILY ARCHIVE Sergei and his pets at his home in Novolyubymivka In the weeks after Sergei’s release, the couple believe they were kept under surveillance, with cars constantly driving up to their home and strangers asking them if they were selling anything. Believing they’d never be left alone, the couple began plotting a way to leave. After consulting human rights activists, Sergei and Tatyana decided to try to travel to Lithuania. But to do that, they needed to return to Russia first to get Sergei a new passport. Their neighbours in Novolyubymivka helped by buying livestock and household appliances from them. The couple even managed to find a new home for their dogs, which Sergei says was his biggest worry. Escape with a rubber ring The couple set off in their car. Fearing they could be pulled over and quizzed by Russian forces, they made up a cover story about going to the beach to get fresh air for Tatyana, who has asthma. They even brought a straw hat and a rubber ring to make the story more convincing. But in the end they weren’t stopped. The couple were initially denied entry into Russia, but were eventually able to enter after Sergei got a certificate proving he had applied for a new passport. After delays in getting his passport and a thwarted attempt to leave Russia via Belarus, Sergei bought a fake passport through Telegram. The couple were then able to travel by bus to Belarus and cross the border using Sergei’s forged document. From there, they crossed into Lithuania, a member of the European Union and a close ally of Ukraine, though Sergei was detained for holding forged documents. He was later found guilty of using a fake passport by a Lithuanian court. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Sergei managed to get into Lithuania, a member of EU, using a fake passport, but was later prosecuted by Lithuanian authorities The couple are now living in a shelter for asylum seekers and hope to settle in Lithuania. The Ukrainian army sent them a letter of thanks – at the request of their former handler in Kyiv – to support their application for asylum. The BBC has seen a copy of the letter. The BBC has also seen documents from official bodies in both Russia and Ukraine that confirm what happened to the Voronkovs. We are not reproducing them to protect the identities of those involved. The Voronkovs’ actions have caused deep rifts in the family. Their son, who remains in Russia, stopped talking to his parents after learning what they had done.  Sergei’s mother, who is 87, still lives in Russia and is supportive of the war and President Putin. But despite this, the couple are adamant they will never return to Russia. “Only if it starts showing some humanity,” Sergei says. “For now, I see nothing human there.” Source link #Russian #couple #helped #Ukraines #war #effort Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The story of a dead Indian teacher who media falsely labelled a terrorist The story of a dead Indian teacher who media falsely labelled a terrorist Cherylann Mollan BBC News, Mumbai Farooq Ahmed Mohammad Iqbal died on 7 May in cross-border shelling in Indian-administered Kashmir Farooq Ahmed still bristles with anger when he talks about his brother’s death. Mohammad Iqbal, a resident of Poonch city in Indian-administered Kashmir, died in cross-border shelling on 7 May, the morning after India launched a series of air strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in retaliation to a militant attack in the town of Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Pakistan has denied having any role in the attack. Mr Ahmed says that Iqbal died where he had worked for more than two decades – Zia-ul-Uloom, a madrassa, or a religious centre focused on Islamic teachings, in Poonch. But his death, it turned out, was just the beginning of the family’s troubles. As the news spread, several media channels falsely accused Iqbal of being a terrorist, following which the police put out a statement refuting the claim. “My brother was a teacher but they saw his beard and skullcap and branded him a terrorist,” Mr Ahmed says. “It was like having salt rubbed into our wounds. We had lost Iqbal and then the media defamed him. The dead can’t defend themselves.” Indian officials say that a total of 16 people, including Iqbal, were killed in the cross-border shelling during the four-day military conflict that broke out between India and Pakistan following the airstrikes. Pakistan has claimed 40 civilian deaths, though, it remains unclear how many of these were directly caused by the shelling. The two nuclear-armed countries have shared a tense relationship for decades, as both administer the Himalayan region of Kashmir in part, but claim it in full. They have fought three wars over Kashmir since independence from Britain in 1947 and came back from the brink of another one earlier this month. Farooq Ahmed Farooq Ahmed, Iqbal’s brother, says the family is still reeling with the tragedy But as the military conflict escalated, another battle played out on social media – a disinformation war of claims and counterclaims that circulated online and on TV. Just like rumours about Iqbal’s identity, other misleading and inaccurate information also found its way into some mainstream news channels and websites. This included claims such as India having destroyed Pakistan’s Karachi port, which was later debunked by the Indian government. Some of the other fabrications were harder to spot, like an AI-generated video of a Pakistan army general claiming that his country had lost two aircraft in combat. “The scale of misinformation and fact-free assertions being broadcast by the media was shocking,” says Manisha Pande, managing editor at Newslaundry, an independent news platform. She notes that while a degree of sensationalism is expected as channels compete for viewership, “the jingoistic and irresponsible coverage” of the conflict was unprecedented in its intensity — and unlike anything she had witnessed before. No one knows this better than Mr Ahmed. “I don’t know where news channels got the information about my brother from,” Mr Ahmed says. “Who did they speak to? What kind of evidence did they have that my brother was a terrorist?” he asks. Farooq Ahmed Iqbal’s house in Poonch city – he was the sole earner in his family Weeks later, the family is still reeling from the tragedy. Mr Ahmed says that on 7 May, his brother left home for the madrassa in the morning as usual, but it was his body that returned home. By noon, they had buried him in a nearby cemetery. For some time, the family had no idea about the misinformation that was being shared by some news outlets. They were busy performing Iqbal’s last rites. It was only hours later that a relative received a WhatsApp forward – a video clip of a prominent news channel claiming that the Indian army had killed a terrorist, with Iqbal’s photo flashing on the screen. “We were shocked. Soon, we began getting more calls from people asking us what was going on and why was the media calling Iqbal a terrorist,” Mr Ahmed says. The claim was shared by some prominent channels, including Zee News, ABP and News18. The BBC has reached out to the channels for comment. One channel claimed that Iqbal was killed in an “Indian strike on a terrorist camp” in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and that he was a terrorist with Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. “Our family members have been staying in Poonch for generations. How can they say my brother was living in Pakistan? They [the media] should be ashamed,” Mr Ahmed says. Getty Images India launched a series of airstrikes against Pakistan on 7 May The accusation against Iqbal was circulated so widely and swiftly that on 8 May, the Poonch police put out a statement, clarifying that Iqbal had died in cross-border shelling in the madrasa. “Poonch Police strongly refutes such false narratives. The deceased, Maulana Mohd Iqbal, was a respected religious figure in the local community and had no affiliation with any terror outfit,” the statement said, adding that legal action would be taken against any media outlet or individual who circulated the fake news. But for Mr Ahmed, the statement was too little too late. “By then, the false claim would’ve already reached millions of people in India,” he says. He adds that except for one channel, News18, no one else had publicly apologised to him or their viewers for the mistake. Mr Ahmed says he wants to take legal action against the channels, but the process would have to wait as the family is struggling to make ends meet. Iqbal is survived by his two wives and eight children. He was the only earning member in his family. Mr Ahmed says that the compensation given by the government, which amounts to a few million rupees, will last only for a year or two and they must start planning for the future now. “The whole family depended on my brother. He was a quiet and gentle man who loved teaching children,” Mr Ahmed says. “But who’s going to tell this to the world? For many people, my brother is still a terrorist whose killing is justified. How will they understand our pain?” Additional reporting by Auqib Javeed in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. Source link #story #dead #Indian #teacher #media #falsely #labelled #terrorist Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Winemakers finding Trump’s tariffs hard to ******** Winemakers finding Trump’s tariffs hard to ******** John Laurenson Business reporter Reporting fromMorey-Saint-Denis, BurgundyBBC Burgundy in eastern France is highly praised for the quality of its wine Burgundy is one of the most prestigious wine regions in France, and the US is its biggest export market. But now Donald Trump’s tariffs are threatening to price European wine out of the American marketplace. Crouched in cold mud under a thin Spring rain, vineyard employee Élodie Bonet snaps off unwanted vine shoots with her fingers and pruning clippers. “We want the vine to put all its energy into the shoots that have the flowers where the grapes are going to grow,” she explains. I leave Élodie working her way down the rows of vines, and walk up to the house and winery in the Burgundy village of Morey-Saint-Denis, where I meet owner and winemaker Cécile Tremblay. She takes me down to her cellar to taste some of her prized red wines, standing among the oak barrels and old bottles with labels weathered by mould and age. They have names on them that make wine lovers go weak at the knees – Nuits-Saint-Georges, Echezeaux, Vosne-Romanée, Clos-Vougeot, and Chapelle-Chambertin. Ms Tremblay sells over half of her wine abroad, under the name Domaine Cecile Tremblay. “For the United States, it’s around 10% of the production; it’s a big production for me!” she says. After threatening a 200% mark-up on alcohol from Europe, Donald Trump imposed a 20% tariff on practically all European Union products on 5 April. Four days later, he lowered this to 10%, with the threat that he’d hike it back up again to 20% in July, depending on how trade negotiations pan out. And now Trump is threatening a future tariff of 50% on all goods from the EU. I ask Ms Tremblay if she’s worried. “Yes, sure,” she says, “As everybody is.” But that is all she will say on the matter. French winemakers are walking on eggshells at the moment, fearful of saying anything that might aggravate the situation. Winemaker Cecile Tremblay says that Trump’s tariffs are worrying, but she was reluctant to say more Perhaps their representatives will be more forthcoming? I get in my car and drive over to one of her neighbours – François Labet. He is the president of the Burgundy Wine Board, which represents this region’s 3,500 winemakers. “The US is the largest export market for the whole region. Definitely,” he tells me. “They are the biggest in volume and the biggest in value.” And, until Donald Trump’s re-election, the US market was booming. While French wines and spirits global exports fell 4% last year overall, sales of Burgundy wines to the US rose sharply. In volume terms, there were up 16% from 2024, to 20.9 million bottles. This was worth €370m ($415m; £312m) in revenues, 26.2% higher than in 2023. Mr Labet says the US accounted for about a quarter of Burgundy’s wine exports last year. Burgundy’s reputation abroad is mainly for its red wines, which are made from the celebrated pinot noir grape. Indeed, in the English-speaking world, burgundy is not so much a wine as a colour. The French word for the same colour is bordeaux; showing they know more about their wine, because while Bordeaux wines are mostly red, two-thirds of Burgundy is actually white. These are predominantly made from the chardonnay grape. Chablis, one of the best-known examples, is extremely popular in the US. Burgundy also produces an increasingly successful sparkling wine, called Crémant de Bourgogne, and a small amount of rosé. All of which is good for Burgundy because while general red wine consumption just keeps going down, white is holding firm, and sparkling is going up. Also, the reds that come out of Burgundy are, according to Mr Labet, the kind consumers increasingly want, as they are typically lighter than New World reds. “What is interesting to see is that there is a strong de-consumption of what we call the big reds, made in the US. Wines with a lot of alcohol, aged in new wood.” Less sun and lower temperatures in Burgundy, even with climate change, means less sugar in the grapes and lower alcohol content. Getty Images At the higher end Burgundy produces some of the world’s most expensive wines Mr Labet remembers when, for 18 months of his first presidency, Donald Trump hit European wine with a 25% import tariff during a dispute over airlines. “We were hostages of that situation, and it really did affect our sales to the US. We had a drop of about 50% of our exports to the US.” Regarding the current 10% Trump tariff, he predicts that French wine producers and US merchants will split the cost of the new import duty between them in order to maintain sales. But what will be the impact if in July Trump does decide to increase the tariff on all European Union exports to 20%, as he has threatened to do? “We will go back to the 2019 situation where the market was almost stopped,” says Mr Labet. For French wines in general, things could be even worse. “When President Trump raised import duties by 25% for one-and-a-half years of his first mandate, we lost about $600m [£450m] very quickly,” says Jerome Bauer, president of the French National Wines and Spirits Confederation. “But back then Champagne wasn’t included, and neither were wines stronger than 14 degrees of alcohol. So you can see the scale of the threat today.” The solution Mr Bauer is backing is free trade. No tariffs. But you’d expect him to say that, given that France and Europe run a big trade surplus with the US when it comes to wines and spirits. Getty Images US wineries have seen sales to Canada grind to a halt due to a boycott of American products More surprising, perhaps, is the opinion of his American competitors in California and Oregon who, you might think, would be cracking open something a bit special to celebrate. “This looks horrible from our perspective. We don’t like it one bit,” says Rex Stoltz, vice-president of industry relations at Napa Valley Vintners, which represents 540 wineries in the sunny slopes of California’s most famous wine region. “Wine is an international product. Even here in the Napa Valley, our wineries primarily get their corks from Portugal, and their oak barrels, a key component in winemaking, from France. Mr Stoltz adds: “They’re already expensive and the potential is that they will get more expensive.” Also, trade wars cut both ways. He says the tariffs announced against Canada are having a devastating impact on US wine exports. “Canada is the most important export market for California wines, and one of the top export markets for Napa Valley wines. Right now, there are zero Napa Valley wines on the shelves of stores in Canada. “They’ve removed all American alcohol beverage products from their store shelves!” Mr Stoltz adds: “We just want to compete on an even playing field with our friends and neighbours all over the world. That’s our ask and that’s our hope.” Source link #Winemakers #finding #Trumps #tariffs #hard #******** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Call for freeze on Syrian asylum claims to end as thousands still in limbo Call for freeze on Syrian asylum claims to end as thousands still in limbo AFP via Getty Images Ministers are facing calls to start processing Syrian asylum applications again, as new figures showed more than 7,000 people are still in limbo. The *** paused decisions on Syrian claims for asylum and permanent settlement in December, after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad. But more than five months on, Syrians in the *** still do not know when their claims will be assessed. Charities including the Refugee Council say the current situation has left people in an “indefinite limbo” and are calling for claims to be processed again on a case-by-case basis. The government said decisions were paused “while we assess the current situation”. A Home Office source said this was “a necessary step while there is no stable, objective information available to make robust assessments of risk” on people returning to Syria and the policy “will remain under constant review”. A total of 7,386 Syrians were waiting for an initial decision on an asylum claim by the end of March, according to the latest figures published on Thursday. Assad’s regime was overthrown by a rebel offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in December, after years of civil war. HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa was named as Syria’s interim president earlier this year, but the situation remains uncertain and HTS is still designated a terrorist group by the ***. In December, the Conservatives suggested most Syrian asylum claims were related to the threat posed by Assad’s government and those people could return when it was safe to do so. However, Haytham Alhamwi, chairman of the Syrian British Consortium, said while many Syrians left because of Assad’s rule others may still feel unsafe to return. “Many of them are still calling for democratic change in Syria, which is not guaranteed at the moment. Some of them were afraid of those military groups, they didn’t come running from Assad himself,” he told the BBC. The number of Syrian asylum claims fell by 81% following the ***’s decision to pause decisions. However, despite a sharp drop, 299 Syrians came to the *** on small boats in the first three months of this year – 5% of the total number of arrivals. People claiming asylum do not normally have the right to work while their case is being considered and are provided with government-funded accommodation and financial support to pay for essentials if they would otherwise be destitute. Jon Featonby, chief policy analyst at the Refugee Council, said that as well as leaving Syrians “stuck in limbo” this also had an impact on the taxpayer as the government is paying to house many of them. More than 5,500 Syrians were living in government-funded accommodation at the end of March. Of these, 2,130 were in hotels, which the government has pledged to stop using for asylum seekers. With Labour promising to clear the overall backlog of asylum claims, Mr Featonby said the situation was causing a “blockage” in the system. Azadi – not his real name – arrived in the *** by small boat in June 2023 and is waiting for a decision on his asylum application. The 25-year-old, who is Kurdish, said he was grateful to the *** government for providing him with food and accommodation but he wanted to be able to work and pay tax. “I stay at home a lot of the time,” he told the BBC. “Every day is the same. I am not progressing so it is stressful.” Earlier this year, the new Syrian government signed a deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which integrated its military and civilian institutions into the state and recognised the Kurdish *********. But Azadi said he did not trust the new government and felt Syria was not safe for Kurds, who were denied basic rights during Assad’s rule. He said his hometown had been destroyed by the civil war and there was no way for him to get an education there. “It’s not a life there at all,” he added. ‘My whole life collapsed’ The pause also applies to Syrians who have already been granted refugee status and were initially given the right to stay in the *** for five years before they can apply for permanent settlement – also known as indefinite leave to remain. The Refugee Council says that whilst this group still have the right to live and work in the ***, their temporary status can often make it harder to secure a job or housing. Mr Featonby said Syrians in the *** were also nervous about whether they will be allowed to stay if the government’s position on Syria changes and it is deemed a safe country. Leen Albrmawi arrived in the *** in October 2019 and applied for indefinite leave to remain last year. However, she said her “whole life collapsed” when the government paused decisions for Syrians in December. The 28-year-old had been accepted to study business at university but was told she was not eligible for a student loan because she did not have the right to live in the *** permanently. After spending the last five years obtaining the necessary qualifications to apply, Leen was devastated she could not afford to take up the offer. Leen Albrmawi Leen has lived in the *** for more than five years Meanwhile, her employer, a telecoms company, has been chasing her for an update on her leave to remain application. Leen still has the right to work while her application is pending but is concerned she could lose her job. She also fears that if the Home Office changes its position on Syria she could be forced to leave the ***. “I literally have no one in Syria, no family, nothing,” she told the BBC, adding that her hometown had been destroyed in the civil war. Leen lives in Salford with her mother and sister, who already have British citizenship as they came to the *** earlier than her. “I’ve been in the *** now nearly six years, so I’ve built my whole life here,” she said. Mr Featonby said the Refugee Council recognised the situation in Syria had changed but there was unlikely to be clarity on how safe the country would be in the future anytime soon. He suggested people who were seeking protection for reasons unrelated to the previous regime could have their claims prioritised. Source link #Call #freeze #Syrian #asylum #claims #thousands #limbo Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trapped between anglophone militants and the army Trapped between anglophone militants and the army Nick Ericsson BBC Africa Eye BBC Four years on from her husband’s brutal killing, Ngabi Dora Tue continues to struggle with the fallout Ngabi Dora Tue, consumed by grief, was barely able to stand on her own. The coffin of her husband, Johnson Mabia, sat amid a crowd of stricken mourners in Limbe in Cameroon’s South-West region – an area that had witnessed scenes like this many times before. While on a work trip, Johnson – an English-speaking civil servant – and five colleagues were captured by armed separatists. The militants were – and still are – fighting for the independence of Cameroon’s two anglophone regions in what is a predominantly francophone country. A near-decade-long conflict that has led to thousands of deaths and stunted life in the area. When he was abducted four years ago, Dora struggled to reach Johnson. When she eventually heard from separatist militants, they asked for a ransom of over $55,000 (£41,500) to be paid within 24 hours in order to secure his release. Dora then received another call from one of Johnson’s relatives. “He said… that I should take care of the children. That my husband is no more. I didn’t even know what to do. Tuesday he was travelling, and he was kidnapped. Friday he was killed,” says Dora. The separatists responsible had not just murdered but decapitated Johnson, and left his body on the road. AFP What began as demonstrations in 2016 and 2017 then escalated into a conflict The roots of the separatist struggle lie in long-standing grievances that stretch back to full independence in 1961, and the formation of a single Cameroonian state in 1972 from former British and French territories. Since then the English-speaking ********* have felt aggrieved at the perceived erosion of rights by the central government. Johnson was just an innocent by-stander, caught up in an increasingly brutal fight for self-determination and the government’s desperate attempts to stamp out the uprising. The current wave of violence began almost a decade ago. In late 2016, peaceful protests started against what was perceived to be the creeping use of the francophone legal system in the region’s courtrooms. The French- and English-speaking parts of Cameroon use different judicial systems. The protests rapidly spread, and led to a call for the closing of shops and institutions. The response of the security forces was immediate and severe – people were beaten, intimidated and there were mass arrests. The African Union called it “a deadly and disproportionate use of violence”. Cameroon’s defence ministry did not respond to requests for comment on this or other issues in this article. Armed groups were set up. And, in late 2017 as tensions escalated, anglophone separatist leaders declared independence for what they called the Federal Republic of Ambazonia. To date, five million anglophone Cameroonians have been dragged into the conflict – equivalent to one-fifth of the total population. At least 6,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands forced from their homes. “We used to wake up in the morning to dead bodies on the streets,” says Blaise Eyong, a journalist from Kumba in the English-speaking South-West region of Cameroon, who has produced and presented a documentary on the crisis for BBC Africa Eye, and was forced from his hometown with his family in 2019. “Or you hear that a house has been set ablaze. Or you hear that someone was kidnapped. People’s body parts chopped off. How do you live in a city where every single morning you’re worried if your relatives are safe?” There have been a number of national and international attempts to resolve the crisis, including what the government called “a major national dialogue” in 2019. Although the talks established a special status for the country’s two anglophone regions which acknowledged their unique history, very little was resolved in practical terms. Felix Agbor Nkongho – a barrister who was one of the leaders of the 2016 protests and was later arrested – says that with both sides now seeming to act with impunity, the moral high ground has disappeared. “There was a time… where most people felt that, if they needed security, they would go to the separatists,” he tells BBC Africa Eye. “But over the last two years, I don’t think any reasonable person would think that the separatists would be the ones to protect them. So everybody should die for us to have independence and I ask the question: who are you going to govern?” But it is not just the separatists who are accused of abuses. Organisations such as Human Rights Watch have recorded the brutal response of the security forces to the anglophone independence movement. They have documented the burning of villages and the torture, unlawful arrests and extrajudicial killings of people in a war largely unseen by the outside world. Examples of state-sponsored brutality are not difficult to find. John, who talked to BBC Africa Eye on condition of anonymity, was tortured and forced into signing a document without being allowed to read its content John (not his real name) and a close friend were taken into custody by Cameroonian military forces, accused of buying weapons for a separatist group. John recalls that after being incarcerated, they were given a document which they were told to sign without being given the chance to read its contents. When they refused, the torture began. “That is when they separated us into different rooms,” says John. “They tortured [my friend]. You could just hear them flogging everywhere. I could feel it on my own body [too]. They beat me everywhere. Later they told me he accepted and signed and they allowed him to go.” But that was not the truth. A month after his arrest, another man arrived in John’s cell. He told him that his friend had, in fact, died in the room he had been held and tortured in. Months later John’s case was dropped and he was released without charge. “I just live in fear because I don’t really know where to start from or where it is safe to start from or how,” says John. You can watch the full film, The Land That Bleeds, here Part of the separatists’ strategy to weaken the state and its security forces is to push for a ban on education which they say is a tool of government propaganda. In October 2020, a school in Kumba was attacked. No-one claimed responsibility for the atrocity but the government blamed separatists. Men armed with machetes and guns killed at least seven children. The incident sparked, for a brief moment, international outrage and condemnation. “Nearly half the schools in this region have been shut,” says journalist Eyong. “A whole generation of kids is missing out on their education. Imagine the impact this will have for our communities and also for our country.” John Ewome (R) can be seen patrolling the streets of Buea in anglophone Cameroon looking out for separatists As if the violence between the government forces and the various separatist groups was not enough, an additional front has opened up in the war. Militant groups in the separatist areas have emerged to fight the Ambazonians in an effort to keep Cameroon united. A leader of one of these groups, John Ewome (known as Moja Moja), regularly led patrols in the town of Buea in search of separatists until he was arrested in May 2024. He, too, has been accused of human rights violations, of public humiliation and torturing unarmed civilians thought to be separatist sympathisers. He denies the accusations. “I’ve never laid my hands on any civilian. Just the Ambazonians. And I believe the gods of this land are with me,” he told the BBC. Meanwhile, the cycle of abductions and killings continue. Joe (not his real name) was – like Johnson – taken hostage by a separatist group, keen to maintain control through fear – and to cash in. “I walked into the house, and found my children and my wife on the floor while the commander was sitting in my kitchen with his gun very close. All around me, my neighbour had been taken, my landlord had been taken. So when I saw them, I knew it was my turn,” says Joe. He was led into the forest with 15 other people where he witnessed the execution of two of his fellow captives. But he was eventually freed after the military discovered the camp. Johnson was not as lucky and, about two years after his ******** took place, news arrived that neither were his five colleagues kidnapped with him. Their bodies had just been found. More families will now have to try to come to terms with their enormous loss. For Ngabi Dora Tue, sitting with her young child in her lap, the future feels almost overwhelming. “I have debts I have to settle I don’t even know how to settle,” she says. “I thought of selling my body for money. And then I Iook at the shame that would come after, I just have to ******** the difficulty and then push forward. I was very young to become a widow.” The BBC has asked for a response from the Ambazonia Defense Forces (ADF), which claims to be the largest separatist force. It responded that there are a multiplicity of separatist fighters now operating in the anglophone region. The ADF said it operates within international law and does not attack government workers, schools, journalists or civilians. Instead it has blamed individuals and fringe entities acting on their own accord who are not members of the ADF for these attacks. The group also accuses government infiltrators of committing atrocities while claiming to be Ambazonian fighters to turn the local populations against the liberation struggle. More from BBC Africa Eye:Getty Images/BBC Source link #Trapped #anglophone #militants #army Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Why King Charles’s trip to Canada is more than just a royal visit Why King Charles’s trip to Canada is more than just a royal visit BBC royal correspondent Daniela Relph assesses the significance and symbolism of King Charles’ trip to Canada where he will open the parliament in Ottawa – following in the footsteps of his mother Queen Elizabeth who carried out the same duty in 1957. It’s also an important trip for Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, who has dealt with tariff whiplash and talks of annexation from US President Donald Trump. Carney will be hoping the King’s visit strengthens ties with the *** and shows off his country’s sovereignty. Source link #King #Charless #trip #Canada #royal #visit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Albanese criticises Gaza aid blockage as ‘outrageous’ Albanese criticises Gaza aid blockage as ‘outrageous’ Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has used some of his strongest language to condemn Israel’s blockade of food into Gaza and attacked the nation’s credibility. Israel is letting a trickle of humanitarian aid into Gaza after a nearly three-month blockade that strained food and medical supplies. More than two million people in the strip face starvation and famine. Mr Albanese branded Israel’s actions “completely unacceptable” and said he raised the issue with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog when they met on the sidelines of the Pope’s inauguration in Rome. “I made it very clear that Australia finds these actions completely unacceptable and we find Israel’s excuses and explanations completely untenable and without credibility,” he told reporters in Canberra on Monday. “It’s outrageous that there’d be a blockade of food and supplies to people who are in need in Gaza. “People are starving and the idea that a democratic state withholds supply is an outrage.” Mr Albanese reiterated Australia’s support for a ceasefire and for designated terrorist organisation ****** to return Israeli hostages. Source link #Albanese #criticises #Gaza #aid #blockage #outrageous Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes police car, train, businesses Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes police car, train, businesses Officers had to form a skirmish line to clear a large mob that vandalized a Metro train, a police car and several businesses in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night. A Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA that units were dispatched to the 1700 block of Trinity Avenue near Washington Boulevard for reports of a group that was trespassing in the area around 10 p.m. “The group vandalized a Metro train on Washington Boulevard. They also vandalized some businesses in the area,” the spokesperson said. Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Video from the scene obtained by KTLA shows dozens of vandals punching the slow-moving Metro train and spray painting it as it came to a halt. “Around midnight, approximately 50 trespassers blocked two A Line trains traveling northbound and southbound at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Maple Street, south of downtown Los Angeles,” Metro said in a statement given to KTLA. “The trespassers began to spray paint on both trains and gained entry into the southbound train and sprayed paint on the interior of the train. During the incident, no operators or passengers were harmed and service was delayed around 20 minutes.” Several individuals were also seen vandalizing an LAPD squad car – even posing for pictures in front of it, shooting fireworks at it, kicking it and spray painting it as the officers started to drive away. Many of those who were not actively engaging in the vandalism were recording the chaos on their cell phones. Multiple area businesses also had graffiti scrawled on them, including a Panda Express, a WaBa Grill, a dialysis clinic and a medical building, among others. Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Chaos unfolds in downtown Los Angeles as large mob vandalizes train, police car, businesses. May 2025. (OnSceneTV) Footage from news ********* service OnSceneTV even shows a firebreather entertaining people on the sidewalk. At least one person was seen scaling a pole to get a better view of the chaos from above. Officers, who were positioned in the area in riot gear, eventually declared an unlawful assembly and formed a skirmish line. By 1 a.m. Sunday, the group had cleared out of the area, the LAPD spokesperson said. Metro added that the LAPD is continuing to investigate the incident, and that anyone with additional information is urged to contact LAPD Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). There was no information indicating any arrests were made as of 3 p.m. Sunday. 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 KTLA. Source link #Chaos #unfolds #downtown #Los #Angeles #large #mob #vandalizes #police #car #train #businesses Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes have affectionate reunion in London after confirming romance with a kiss – Page Six JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes have affectionate reunion in London after confirming romance with a kiss – Page Six JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes have affectionate reunion in London after confirming romance with a kiss Page SixJoJo Siwa Teases Relationship Status with “Favorite Person” Chris Hughes E! OnlineJoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes Spark Romance Rumors with Cuddly Photos on ******** Getaway: ‘Heart Is Overflowing’ People.comFirst pic of JoJo & Chris KISSING in the pool as relationship is confirmed The SunChris Hughes sweetly welcomes JoJo Siwa back to the *** with a bunch of red roses as the pair leave Heathrow ha Daily Mail Source link #JoJo #Siwa #Chris #Hughes #affectionate #reunion #London #confirming #romance #kiss #Page Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gary Lineker signs off from final Match of the Day as he leaves BBC after 26 years Gary Lineker signs off from final Match of the Day as he leaves BBC after 26 years Paul Glynn Culture reporter PA Lineker has been the face of the BBC’s football coverage for more than a quarter of a century Gary Lineker held back tears as he signed off from his final edition of Match of the Day after 26 years in the hot seat and officially left the BBC. The host announced in November that he would leave the football show at the end of the Premier League season, which concluded on Sunday. He had been due to remain with the BBC to front coverage of the men’s FA Cup and the World Cup, but has now left the corporation completely after apologising for sharing an antisemitic social media post. On his swansong on Sunday, Lineker apparently made a nod to the controversy, opening the show by telling viewers “it wasn’t meant to end this way” – before going on to turn the line into a reference to the final day of the season. At the end of the programme, Lineker was presented with a commemorative cap and golden boot by pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, who were alongside him. “It’s been an absolute privilege to have hosted Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It’s been utterly joyous,” he said. Speaking directly into the camera to viewers at home, he added: “And my final thank you goes to all of you. “Thank you for watching, thank you for all your love and support over the years. “It’s been so special, and I’m sorry that your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye.” ‘Responsible course of action’ Watch: How Gary Lineker’s long BBC career came to an abrupt end The former England forward replaced Des Lynam as the main presenter of the BBC’s flagship football programme in 1999, and went on to become its highest-paid presenter. He hit the headlines for airing his opinions beyond football on social media, however. He was suspended in 2023 for a post about the then-government’s asylum policy, with numerous fellow BBC Sport presenters and pundits walking out in support. After Lineker was reinstated, the BBC issued new rules for presenters posting on social media. Earlier this month, Lineker was criticised for sharing a social media post about Zionism that included an illustration of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult. Lineker apologised, saying he had not seen the image and “would never consciously repost anything antisemitic”. However, it was then announced he would leave the BBC earlier than expected, and that Sunday’s show would be his last. In a statement at the time, Lineker said football had been “at the heart of my life” and that he cared deeply about the game and his BBC work, but he recognised “the error and upset that I caused”. “Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action,” he said. BBC director general Tim Davie thanked Lineker for being “a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades”, and said they had “agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season”. PA Media ‘In the best of hands’ Lineker’s final episode in the presenter’s chair on Sunday saw him interview Liverpool manager Arne Slot as they collected the Premier League trophy. Slot paid tribute, saying: “Thank you for being such a great presenter of a BBC show that I watched many times when I lived in Holland, and now still.” The show began with a montage of former Everton and Spurs striker Lineker’s goals and later looked back on highlights of his time at the helm of Match of the Day. This included him famously presenting a segment while wearing only his Leicester City boxer shorts, as he had promised, after his boyhood team won the Premier League in 2016. His longstanding sidekicks Shearer and Richards also paid tribute, introducing a montage that included testimonies from the likes of Alan Hansen, Ian Wright and Paul Gascgoine as well as the late Johan Cruyff, Andrea Bocelli and Lineker’s sons. “You won’t believe it but you will be missed,” offered Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. “You’ve been great to me and you’ve been unbelievable to Match of the Day,” added Shearer. In January, it was revealed that Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan would jointly take over Match of the Day presenting responsibilities from the start of the 2025-26 season. “I’d like to wish Gabby, Mark and Kelly all the very best when they sit in this chair,” noted Lineker. “The programme is in the best of hands.” Source link #Gary #Lineker #signs #final #Match #Day #leaves #BBC #years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump extends deadline to reach EU trade deal Trump extends deadline to reach EU trade deal US President Donald Trump says he’s agreed to extend a deadline for trade talks with the European Union after the head of the EU said the bloc needs more time to “reach a good deal”. Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in New Jersey, Trump told reporters on Sunday he had granted the request and would extend the deadline until July 9. He said that Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, told him “we will rapidly get together to see if we can work something out”. Von der Leyen said earlier on Sunday in a social media post that the EU was ready to move quickly in trade talks with the US but needed more time to strike a deal. Von der Leyen said in a post on X that she had a “good” phone call with Trump. Trump said on Friday that he was dissatisfied with the pace of trade talks with the EU and threatened to put 50 per cent tariffs on all EU goods from June 1. In early April, Trump had set a 90-day window for trade talks for EU and the US which was to end on July 9. Trump said his tariff policy was aimed at promoting the domestic manufacturing of tanks and technology products, not sneakers and T-shirts. Trump said he agreed with comments from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that the US does not necessarily need a “booming textile industry” – comments that drew criticism from the National Council of Textile Organizations. “We’re not looking to make sneakers and T-shirts. We want to make military equipment. We want to make big things. We want to do the AI thing with computers,” Trump said. “I’m not looking to make T-shirts, to be honest. I’m not looking to make socks. We can do that very well in other locations. We are looking to do chips and computers and lots of other things, and tanks and ships,” Trump said. Trump, who has upended world markets with the broad imposition of tariffs, revived his harsh trade rhetoric on Friday when he pushed for a 50 per cent tariff on EU goods starting June 1 and warned Apple he may impose a 25 per cent levy on all imported iPhones. Source link #Trump #extends #deadline #reach #trade #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump says US wants to make tanks, not T-shirts Trump says US wants to make tanks, not T-shirts MORRISTOWN, New Jersey (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday his tariff policy was aimed at promoting the domestic manufacturing of tanks and technology products, not sneakers and T-shirts. Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in New Jersey, Trump said he agreed with comments from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on April 29 that the U.S. does not necessarily need a “booming textile industry” – comments that drew criticism from the National Council of Textile Organizations. “We’re not looking to make sneakers and T-shirts. We want to make military equipment. We want to make big things. We want to do the AI thing with computers,” Trump said. “I’m not looking to make T-shirts, to be honest. I’m not looking to make socks. We can do that very well in other locations. We are looking to do chips and computers and lots of other things, and tanks and ships,” Trump said. Trump, who has upended world markets with the broad imposition of tariffs, revived his harsh trade rhetoric on Friday when he pushed for a 50% tariff on European Union goods starting June 1 and warned Apple he may impose a 25% levy on all imported iPhones bought by U.S. consumers. (Reporting by Jeff Mason in Morristown, New Jersey; Writing by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Nia Williams) Source link #Trump #tanks #Tshirts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump delays 50% tariffs on EU to July 9 – CNBC Trump delays 50% tariffs on EU to July 9 – CNBC Trump delays 50% tariffs on EU to July 9 CNBCTrump pauses threatened EU tariffs until July AxiosTrump says he’ll delay a threatened 50% tariff on the European Union until July AP NewsEU needs until 9 July for US trade talks, chief says BBCTrump delays 50% tariffs on E.U. to July 9 NBC News Source link #Trump #delays #tariffs #July #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Liverpool win Premier League: Mohamed Salah has final say on day of Anfield celebrations Liverpool win Premier League: Mohamed Salah has final say on day of Anfield celebrations The party atmosphere started long before kick-off on a sunny day in Liverpool, with the streets around Anfield a sea of red as supporters gathered in huge numbers, regardless of whether they had a ticket for the match or not. With Crystal Palace having won the FA Cup last week, their fans had also arrive in party spirit and there was a classy moment before kick-off when, after receiving a guard of honour by the Palace players, the home team formed one of their own to mark the Eagles’ trophy success. A host of Liverpool legends were in attendance including former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, while their former captain Alan Hansen returned to Anfield after recovering from a serious health issue to present the trophy at full-time. Even when Ismaila Sarr put Palace ahead, the Kop did not skip a beat as they worked their way through a catalogue of Liverpool songs. But Salah’s goal and the full-time whistle resulted in the loudest cheer perhaps ever heard for a 1-1 draw as Liverpool ensured there was to be no end-of-season blemish on the campaign. “These players and these fans hate losing and that is what they showed today,” said Reds boss Arne Slot. “It Is 35 years since the fans could be part of it. Everyone could see what it meant to them and that is what makes it special. “You play football for yourself and your family but also for the fans and these ones are special.” Source link #Liverpool #win #Premier #League #Mohamed #Salah #final #day #Anfield #celebrations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Furious Gold Coast Suns boss lashes St Kilda coach Ross Lyon for “neppo baby” comments Furious Gold Coast Suns boss lashes St Kilda coach Ross Lyon for “neppo baby” comments Furious Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans has taken his club’s anger over Ross Lyon’s “neppo baby” comments to another level calling them “offensive” and told the St Kilda CEO just that on Sunday as the heat between the two clubs rises. Saints coach Lyon has infuriated Gold Coast officials including coach Damien Hardwick who lashed the poor turnout of just over 13,000 people at Marvel Stadium on Sunday and said St Kilda should “look after their own house”. Evans went hard at Lyon on Monday morning and said it was a “whinge” that was “out of Order”. “I thought the comments were offensive and out of order,” Evans said on Monday, “Offensive in that the word implies corruption and favouritism. So that really stabs at the club’s hard work over a lot of years. “We haven’t always had the best history at stuff. We lost a lot of players, we had to rebuild. We knew we were going to reset through the draft. “There’s a lot of hard work to get to a position where we’ve finally had some wins at the front end of the season. “Ross is an outstanding coach, St Kilda have had some good moments in their history. Grand Final in 2011. It would be like me getting up and saying, ‘Oh, the only reason they’ve made the grand final is because they were gifted, Nick Riewoldt, Luke Ball and Justin Koschitzke’. “There’s so much work and effort that goes into getting to that stage. Imagine belittling the club that it was just gifted to them.” Evans said he didn’t get “much “ from St Kilda CEO, Carl Dilena, when he raised the matter on Sunday afternoon and suggested the comments could have been planned. “So, yeah, we found it offensive and out of order,” he told SEN. “It’s unusual in a pre-game interview. It’s hard to see that those words would just fall out at that particular time. “We didn’t like it. Camera IconSt Kilda vs Gold Coast Suns at Marvel Stadium. Ross Lyon, Senior Coach of the Saints at 3 qtr time . Michael Klein Credit: News Corp Australia “Carl Dilena and I passed each other in the corridors yesterday and I was walking along with him for 20 or 30 metres. “I’m not sure whether he had heard the comments by that stage, but I told him we thought they were offensive. He didn’t offer up much at that point in time. Evans said the Suns were used to being the subject of attacks but wanted to “stand up” for the Suns who are third on the ladder with eight wins from 10 games and eyeing off a maiden finals berth. “We don’t really care, we get a lot of things said about us – as does every club – we’re not so worried about that. “But this seemed like a whinge that was out of order, and we want to stand up for our club.” “This goes to the heart of all of the hard work of a lot of people, and to turn it around from where we’ve been. “Then to just say that that is only because of some corruption and favouritism – that is uncalled for. “This particular comment, I think, went too far because it talked to the possibility of corruption and favouritism as being the only things that are going well for Gold Coast Suns.” Source link #Furious #Gold #Coast #Suns #boss #lashes #Kilda #coach #Ross #Lyon #neppo #baby #comments Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Each year seems to produce more and more’ ‘Each year seems to produce more and more’ If you can’t beat them … eat them? That seems to be the philosophy behind an annual bounty program on offer in Maryland, where a nonprofit pays anglers to catch invasive fish species, Chesapeake Bay Magazine reported. Those who turn in the body or head (fresh or frozen) of a northern snakehead, blue catfish, or flathead catfish receive $30 under the Reel Rewards Program. Only invasive species caught within the Baltimore Harbor area of the Patapsco River qualify. The 2025 Reel Rewards Program runs from April 26 through July 12, per Chesapeake Bay Magazine. One need not be a resident of the area to participate. The program serves the dual purpose of removing invasive species from local waterways and providing important research data about the prevalence of non-native fish. “Invasive fish species threaten the Baltimore Harbor ecosystem, economy, and native species,” explains the Reel Rewards website. “Invasive Snakehead, Blue Catfish, and Flathead Catfish prey on and compete for resources with native species that are important to anglers and businesses.” Watch now: How bad is a gas stove for your home’s indoor air quality? The program pays $30 for each qualifying fish. In 2024, it paid out almost $9,000, per Chesapeake Bay Magazine. The leading angler, Brian Slacum, turned in 134 snakeheads, earning over $4,000. Perhaps having learned its lesson, Reel Rewards placed a bounty limit of 12 fish per week per angler in 2025. Those participating in the program must obtain an appropriate fishing license and comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Despite the efforts, the invasive species have shown few signs of relenting. “We have been hitting the same spots for years,” Slacum told Chesapeake Bay Magazine. “Each year seems to produce more and more of the snakehead.” Due in large part to increasing global temperatures, invasive species have been on the rise around the world, causing an estimated $423 billion in economic losses annually. Invasive species outcompete native plants and animals, upsetting the delicate balance of local ecosystems, which threatens food supplies on which humans depend. If you aren’t an angler within range of Baltimore Harbor, there are other steps you can take to protect your local environment from the threat of invasive species. Upgrading to a native lawn, rewilding your yard, or simply planting a few native plants can save water, time, and money while helping the local ecosystem. As for whether the invasive fish caught in Baltimore Harbor are safe to eat, Reel Rewards warns: “It depends. Follow the [Maryland Department of Environment] consumption guidelines to ensure safety in preparation and consumption of fish.” Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Source link #year #produce Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Here’s how many fake reviews Tripadvisor found on its website in 2024 Here’s how many fake reviews Tripadvisor found on its website in 2024 Around 8% of the 31.1 million reviews submitted to Tripadvisor in 2024 were fake, according to the company’s “Transparency Report 2025.” That’s more than twice the number detected in 2022, according to company reports. But that doesn’t mean the number of fake reviews on the site doubled, said Becky Foley, vice president and head of trust and safety at Tripadvisor. While submissions to the website increased, Tripadvisor’s policies on fake reviews also changed, she said, citing the company’s more aggressive stance against “incentivized reviews.” These occur when companies offer customers discounts or freebies in exchange for reviews, or provide incentives to employees whose names are mentioned in reviews. “The employees get their mom, best friend or cousin to submit reviews, mentioning their names,” she said. “It ends up leading to businesses having reviews that aren’t actually valuable to our community.” What is a fake review? According to Tripadvisor, it is “any review submitted by someone who is knowingly submitting biased or non-firsthand content, in an effort to manipulate a property’s reputation.” But there’s a ******* reason detections are on the rise, she said. “Our system is always getting better,” she said, citing Tripadvisor’s three-pronged process that relies on auto-detection, human review and community feedback. Some 7% of submissions in 2024 were auto-rejected before being posted, the report said. Auto-detections also flagged another 5% of submissions for human review. However, Tripadvisor’s trust and safety team ultimately moderated more than 4.2 million reviews, amounting to more than 13% of all submissions in 2024, according to the report. Another 244,000 reviews were disputed by members at the third stage of review, the report showed. Of these, some 72% remained on the site, and 28% were removed, it said. How to spot a fake Tripadvisor has four categories of fake submissions: boosting, vandalism, member fraud and paid reviews, Foley said. There’s a misconception that vandalism accounts for most fake reviews, Foley said, adding that boosting (54%) and member fraud (39%) have long made up the bulk of those reviews. Paid reviews (4.8%) are a smaller but “more pernicious” category of fakes, she said. This includes “review farms,” she said, adding that these authors are often involved in other types of online fraud too. Most paid reviews originate in Asia, Foley said, even though only 17% of real submissions came from the continent last year. In 2024, more than one-third of all paid submissions detected by Tripadvisor came from Indonesia and Vietnam, while in 2022 most paid reviews came from India, reports show. A ‘cat and mouse’ game Rooting out fake reviews is a constant “cat and mouse” game, Foley said. But Tripadvisor is getting better at detecting them every year, she said. “We are the first to admit that we’re never going to reach absolute perfection,” said Foley. “We might not catch [a fake] the first time, but we’ll catch it eventually.” Tripadvisor uses its own technology, developed over 25 years, to flush out fakes — a system that increasingly relies less on what a review says, and more on how it’s posted, she said. The company uses artificial intelligence and behavioral biometrics to find patterns, which can detect abnormalities like submission spikes and IP address masking attempts. To catch paid reviewers, Tripadvisor investigators pose as fake review brokers, Foley said. When a bad actor posts their first paid review, “we have all of the data … hundreds of data points associated with it,” which the company uses to build patterns to identify other reviews submitted by the author in the past. Violators aren’t pulled off the site, but their rankings are penalized for a year, Foley said. Repeat offenders receive a red badge on their listing “that says this property is trying to deceive you,” she said. AI reviews: not fake, but not allowed Most reviews written by AI are not fake, Foley said, calling that “one of the myths I love to bust.” Most are written by regular travelers that use the technology to make their writing more polished, she said. Still, the company doesn’t allow them — at least not for now. In 2024, Tripadvisor removed more than 200,000 reviews that it suspected were written by AI, according to the company’s 2025 transparency report. “We will continue to monitor the trends and patterns. But right now, we just don’t want travelers to come to TripAdvisor for a sea of sameness.” Source link #Heres #fake #reviews #Tripadvisor #website Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

EU needs until 9 July for US trade talks, chief says – BBC EU needs until 9 July for US trade talks, chief says – BBC EU needs until 9 July for US trade talks, chief says BBCTrump pauses threatened EU tariffs until July AxiosTrump says he’ll delay threatened 50% tariff on the European Union until July Dallas NewsPresident Trump extends deadline to reach EU trade deal until July 9 USA TodayTrump Postpones EU Tariffs to July Barron’s Source link #July #trade #talks #chief #BBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

‘It’s a huge error’ – controversy as Villa miss out on Champions League ‘It’s a huge error’ – controversy as Villa miss out on Champions League Match of the Day’s Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards discuss the “Morgan Rogers no-goal” at Manchester United and how the decision may have cost Aston Villa Champions League football next season. MATCH REPORT: Controversy as Villa lose at Man Utd and miss out on Champions League Source link #huge #error #controversy #Villa #Champions #League Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]