Dolphins rise in the wet to rip through depleted Dogs
Dolphins rise in the wet to rip through depleted Dogs
The Dolphins have dampened Canterbury’s red-hot start to 2025, condemning the Bulldogs to their biggest defeat of the NRL season in a rain-soaked 44-8 win.
Canterbury remain top of the NRL ladder but now have Melbourne and the Warriors breathing down their necks after Cameron Ciraldo’s undermanned side succumbed to just their second loss of the season on Thursday.
The Bulldogs were missing 11 regular first-graders through injury or State of Origin duty and it was noticeable with some of the tries they conceded at Accor Stadium.
On a testing night with torrential rain lashing the hardy 10,412 fans, they faltered against a Dolphins side who beat them for energy and effort – two hallmarks of the Bulldogs’ terrific early-season form.
Kristian Woolf’s Dolphins have now won back to back games outside of Queensland for the first time in their club’s three-year existence after they piled on 30 second-half points.
In a game with 24 errors, Canterbury hit the lead after nine minutes when Matt Burton kicked a penalty after Ray Stone was penalised for a lifting tackle on Viliame Kikau.
But the real lasting impact of that passage of play came after Kikau offloaded the ball to Bulldogs halfback Toby Sexton.
Dolphins hooker Kurt Donoghoe came across to halt Sexton and left with a badly-broken nose after a sickening head clash with the Canterbury No. 7.
By the time Donoghoe came back on 15 minutes later, Jamayne Isaako had put the Dolphins ahead with a try in the corner which he easily converted.
Prop Lipoi Hipoi struck back for the Dogs before the Dolphins finished the slickest move of the first half to take a 14-8 lead in at the halftime break.
Kodi Nikorima and Jake Averillo combined with Herbie Farnworth having the final touch to set up towering winger Jack Bostock in the left-hand corner.
As the rain sprayed in sideways, Canterbury needed to be faultless to stand a chance of reclaiming the lead.
But they were caught napping when prop Josh Kerr was able to sneak an offload away to Harrison Graham, who burrowed in under the sticks in the 46th minute to extend the Dolphins’ lead.
The Bulldogs looked set to make a comeback, only for Jake Turpin’s try to be chalked off for a questionable forward pass.
That knocked the wind out of Canterbury’s sails and the weather-hardened fans mostly made for the exit.
Farnworth burst through the ruck with 15 minutes left to score in a sixth-straight game.
With the Bulldogs defeated, the Dolphins really turned the ****** with Francis Molo, Jake Averillo and Donoghoe all adding tries in the final quarter of an hour.
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Cyberpunk 2077 Creator Confirms Second City in Sequel, Won’t Accept It Gives ‘Blade Runner’ Vibes
Cyberpunk 2077 Creator Confirms Second City in Sequel, Won’t Accept It Gives ‘Blade Runner’ Vibes
Mike Pondsmith just can’t help himself. The creator of the original Cyberpunk tabletop RPG has once again demonstrated the classic consultant’s dilemma: knowing too much and sharing just enough to make marketing teams break into cold sweats.
During the Digital Dragons 2025 conference, Pondsmith casually dropped some juicy details about the highly secretive Project Orion—the codename for CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 sequel. What started as a simple question about his involvement quickly turned into an impromptu reveal party that nobody at CDPR had even the slightest thought of scheduling.
“Chicago gone wrong”: A new cyberpunk playground emerges
The revelation came when Pondsmith described his recent visit to the development studio. Despite literally saying he wouldn’t tell us more, he immediately proceeded to do exactly that, confirming that players will explore a second city alongside Night City in the sequel:
I spent a lot of time talking to one of the environment guys, and he was explaining how the new place in Orion… because there’s another city we visit, and I’m not telling you any more than that. Night City is still there.
This suggests that our unnamed second metropolis won’t be mimicking the neon-soaked aesthetic that’s dominated cyberpunk media since Blade Runner defined the genre’s visual language.
Instead, Pondsmith described something far more intriguing—a dystopian vision of the Windy City:
I remember looking at it and going, ‘Yeah, I understand the feel you’re going for this, and this really does work. And it doesn’t feel like Blade Runner, it feels more like Chicago gone wrong.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I can see this working.’
The distinction matters. While Night City channels West Coast tech-noir vibes, a Midwest-inspired cyberpunk hellscape opens fascinating possibilities. Think industrial decay meeting corporate excess—rust belt infrastructure retrofitted with bleeding-edge tech while Lake Michigan serves as a toxic dumping ground for megacorps.
Pondsmith’s description suggests that CD Projekt Red might be evolving beyond the genre’s visual clichés, potentially creating something that feels more grounded in American urban decay rather than the Asian-influenced aesthetics that dominated the first game.
The CDPR damage control playbook
“Read the damn NDAs!” — CDPR, probably. | Image Credit: Fall Damage/YouTube
Pondsmith’s candid revelations are almost certainly sending CDPR’s public relations team into a frenzy. The studio has maintained tight control over Project Orion information, with official channels revealing almost nothing beyond its existence and development location.
They’ve been here before. Just last year, Doug Cockle, the gravelly voice behind Geralt of Rivia, learned the hard way what happens when you spill The Witcher’s beans prematurely.
After casually mentioning that Geralt would appear in The Witcher 4 but wouldn’t be the main character, Cockle quickly found himself on the receiving end of CDPR’s displeasure.
The irony? Cockle was essentially correct. CDPR later confirmed Ciri as the protagonist of their next Witcher saga, with Geralt taking a supporting role. More recently, Cockle defended this creative direction against “woke” criticisms, showing his continued loyalty despite the earlier reprimand:
For Pondsmith, however, the situation is different. As the original creator of the Cyberpunk universe, he occupies a unique position that gives him more leeway than voice actors. Still, his comments about wandering freely through development departments suggest a level of access that comes with unspoken confidentiality expectations.
Whether CDPR embraces these early reveals or attempts to put the genie back in the bottle remains to be seen. Either way, fans now have their first concrete details about where Project Orion will take them—somewhere in the Midwest, where Chicago’s architectural grandeur meets cyberpunk’s technological nightmare.
What do you think about this new setting? Would you prefer exploring a new city, or are you hoping to return to Night City’s familiar streets? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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5 Reasons You Will Be Glad You Bought Target in 2025
5 Reasons You Will Be Glad You Bought Target in 2025
Target Corporation (NYSE:) is struggling in 2025 and will take time for a sustained turnaround. However, its business remains profitable and a turnaround is likely, making it a deep-value, high-yielding retail stock trading at a generational low. Here’s a look at five reasons why now is a good time to buy it.
Target: The Technicals Indicate the Bottom Is In
The technical action is telling. The market reached its bottom in April and is confirming it in May. The bottom is marked by a capitulation sell-off to below a critical, long-term support line, a volume spike, diverging indicators, and the ensuing consolidation/congestion band.
The confirmation is marked by the late May price dip sparked by the Q1 earnings results and guidance update, a price dip used as a buying opportunity based on the candle formed.
The candle formed is critical, indicating buyers are overtaking sellers at these low prices, and the indicators compounded the signal again.
MACD, the momentum indicator, shows bulls remain in charge, and the stochastic reflects an increasingly strong support base.
Can Target Move Lower? Yes, But It Is Unlikely, Given the Value and Yield
Target share prices can surely move lower despite the technical signals given, but they are unlikely to do so given their value. The stock is trading at less than 12x its current year forecast and at roughly 6x the 2035 outlook, assuming the company can regain traction and revert to growth. In this scenario, the stock price could increase by 300% and still be cheap relative to its primary competition. Walmart (NYSE:) trades at 37x earnings in 2025.
Additionally, at these levels, the yield is too good to ignore. The stock is yielding above 4.5% and well above the high end of the historical range. The payout is also reliable at roughly 56% of the 2025 guidance.
The only downside is that the pace of distribution growth is slowing. The company runs a double-digit distribution compound annual growth rate (CAGR); investors should expect upcoming distribution increases to run in the low single-digit range until revenue and earnings growth can be reinvigorated.
Target’s Balance Sheet Is a Bullseye for Investors to Focus On
Target posted a negative cash flow for the quarter in Q1. However, the operation is profitable; the cash reduction is tied to debt reduction and increased inventory, improving its financial and operational positions.
The balance sheet details at the end of the quarter include reduced cash offset by increased current and total assets and an 8% gain in shareholder equity.
The leverage remains low at less than 1x equity, and share buybacks are part of the equation. The buyback pace may also decelerate, but is unlikely to cease entirely without a substantial deterioration in the business outlook. As it is, buybacks reduced the count by an average of 1.6% diluted in Q1, and sufficient capital remains under the existing authorization to sustain them for several more years at a similar pace.
Target’s Q1 Results Weren’t Awesome, But the News Isn’t All Bad
Target struggled in Q1 with revenue contracting by 3%, more than expected, and margins under pressure. However, the 3.8% decline in comp store sales is offset by increases in digital channels and holiday seasonals, underscoring its strengths, including loyalty among the core demographic.
The company also announced the establishment of an acceleration office intended to speed up decision-making and strategy implementation.
Target Institutional Activity Ramps to Multiyear Highs, They’re Buying
The institutional activity appears to align with the recent bottom in Target’s price action, suggesting growing confidence in the stock’s recovery. The institutional activity ramped to multi-year highs in Q1 and Q2 2025, including buying and selling, but remains bullish on balance.
According to MarketBeat data, institutions netted more than $3 billion ahead of the earnings release, providing a tailwind for the market.
The tailwind is strong because the institutions own about 75% of the stock, which is unlikely to cease now. The more likely scenario is that institutions continue nibbling at this high-yield Dividend King while waiting for the business rebound to take hold.
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‘Big, beautiful’ US tax bill passes House vote
‘Big, beautiful’ US tax bill passes House vote
House Republicans narrowly passed a mammoth tax-cutting bill early Thursday that has set off market jitters for its potential to widen an already yawning budget deficit.
US President Donald Trump’s signature tax bill, which includes a $4 trillion increase in the US debt ceiling, will now head to the Senate.
Independent analysts forecast that the planned spending curbs, particularly in health care and clean-energy tax breaks, would not offset tax cuts, and that the bill would add about $3 trillion to overall US debt.
Several Republican holdouts met with Trump on Wednesday, saying that they discussed spiking Treasury yields as one “growing concern,” Semafor’s Eleanor Mueller wrote.
Bond traders also appeared unconvinced by the plans: Demand at an auction of new, 20-year US debt was lower than in recent months, and the yield on 30-year Treasurys neared a two-decade high.
A chart showing the US national debt and debt ceiling
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Nintendo Didn’t Call It ‘Mario Kart 9’ Because “That wasn’t our approach this time”
Nintendo Didn’t Call It ‘Mario Kart 9’ Because “That wasn’t our approach this time”
When Nintendo recently announced the Switch 2, there were a lot of debates as to what game would accompany the upcoming console’s launch. But when it was announced that it would be Mario Kart World, we all asked another question. Why isn’t it called Mario Kart 9? The last game of the series was Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, so what’s changed?
Well, a lot apparently. According to the development team, the name Mario Kart World wasn’t just for show, the game has gone through big changes to justify it. The biggest one is the new open world. This time, the devs haven’t just added onto what worked before; they’ve reinvented what Mario Kart could be for a new generation.
Nintendo is taking Mario Kart to a whole new direction
In the latest installment of Nintendo’s Ask the Developer interviews, Mario Kart World producer Kosuke Yabuki shared some details regarding the upcoming game. He explained that calling it Mario Kart 9 would have been appropriate only if the game had followed the games that came before.
If the idea had just been to add more courses, then I think we would’ve called it Mario Kart 9. But, that wasn’t our approach this time. We wanted to take the series to the next level. So, we decided to drop the numbering this time and go with a completely new title, Mario Kart World.
The open-world concept was ambitious from the start. Yabuki noted that as far back as 2017, shortly after Mario Kart 8 Deluxe launched, the team began theorizing about the idea of interconnected tracks. They wanted a living world where every course would feel like part of a ******* map. This world would transition naturally from day to night, with weather patterns and terrain that changed in real time.
Of course, such ambition came with its fair share of headaches. Programming director Kenta Sato said that developing for the original Switch hardware made them constantly question what compromises they’d have to make. To properly implement their ideas, the devs considered reducing frame rates, lowering resolution, or cutting features.
Go wherever your heart desires in #MarioKartWorld!
In Free Roam, you can drive virtually everywhere and explore to the very edge of the world. No roads? No problem! pic.twitter.com/ncMt8efD9E
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 21, 2025
It was here that they thought having 60 fps and split-screen multiplayer, a staple of the series, seemed nearly impossible. A big part of what justifies the “World” in Mario Kart World is its focus on freeform. In addition to the usual lap-based races, we can now explore in Free Roam mode and explore regions, discover secrets, and even take on various challenges around the world.
Of course, this meant the entire structure of the game had to change
Let’s see if the devs have made the right decision. | Image Credit: Nintendo
Of course, the new scope of the game required a lot of changes in every department. One of the biggest technical changes was undoubtedly raising the player count from 12 to 24 in certain races, all within a seamless world. Art director Masaaki Ishikawa admitted the team was initially overwhelmed by the sheer volume of assets needed to depict an open world.
At one point, he said they almost considered scrapping the idea entirely. But with persistence and better hardware, they managed to bring the vision to life. As you’d expect, this also affected the game’s artistic direction. Ishikawa mentioned that a single word guided the team throughout development: playfulness. That idea became the foundation for how the world looks and feels.
Unfortunately, the biggest talking point for Mario Kart World so far has been its $80 price tag. The new direction that the game has taken doesn’t really justify the price increase, especially considering you have to add another $10 for a physical copy. But it’s what we’re getting, and from the looks of it, the developers have put a lot of thought into the game itself.
Mario Kart World launches on June 5 alongside the Nintendo Switch 2
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LG will give you a free 27-inch curved gaming monitor – here's how to qualify – ZDNET
LG will give you a free 27-inch curved gaming monitor – here's how to qualify – ZDNET
LG will give you a free 27-inch curved gaming monitor – here’s how to qualify ZDNETLG 27 UltraGear OLED review: I finally get the 480Hz gaming hype EngadgetLG OLED 27-inch QHD 480 Hz gaming monitor is only $799 at Amazon Tom’s HardwareDeal | The LG 45-inch 5K2K curved OLED gaming monitor is seeing its first Amazon ***** price NotebookcheckLG Announces New Ultragear OLED Range for 2025 geekzone.co.nz
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UN says aid collected from Gaza crossing after three-day delay
UN says aid collected from Gaza crossing after three-day delay
Reuters
************ workers were pictured unloading sacks of flour at a bakery in the southern city of Khan Younis overnight
More than 90 lorry loads of humanitarian aid have been collected by UN teams inside the Gaza Strip, three days after Israel eased an 11-week-long blockade.
The aid, which included flour, baby food and medical equipment, was picked up from the Kerem Shalom crossing on Wednesday night and taken to warehouses for distribution. Pictures showed a bakery producing bread with some of the flour.
The UN said the delays were due to insecurity along the single access route which the Israeli military had approved.
Israeli authorities said they allowed an additional 100 lorry loads through Kerem Shalom on Wednesday. However, the UN said it was “nowhere near enough to meet the vast needs in Gaza”.
Humanitarian organisations have warned of acute levels of hunger among the 2.1 million population , as well as a higher proportion of children diagnosed with acute malnutrition, amid significant shortages of basic foods and skyrocketing prices.
An assessment by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has also said half a million people face starvation in the coming months.
On Wednesday night, a UN spokesperson announced it had “collected around 90 truckloads of goods from the Kerem Shalom crossing and dispatched them into Gaza”.
A video shared with the BBC showed the lorries with aid collected from Kerem Shalom driving in a convoy along a road in southern Gaza.
Other footage showed bags of flour being unloaded at a bakery and hundreds of pitta breads rolling out of its ovens on conveyor belts.
Before the operation, senior World Food Programme (WFP) official Antoine Renard told the BBC that the problems with collecting the aid arose because the Israeli military wanted lorries to move along a route in Gaza which aid agencies considered to be dangerous. The route, he said, could leave them at risk of attack by desperately hungry civilians and armed criminal gangs.
“At market prices in Gaza right now, each truck full of flour is worth around $400,000 (£298,000),” Mr Renard explained.
He added that the solution would be “hundreds of trucks daily” travelling along a safe route to warehouses, noting “the less we provide, the greater the risk and more anxiety created” among the population.
Renard said aid agencies on the Gaza side did not employ armed guards to accompany their cargoes because it was considered too dangerous, so a lengthy ceasefire and an extension of the current five-day window for the transfer of food was urgently needed.
Israel stopped all deliveries of aid and commercial supplies to Gaza on 2 March and resumed its military offensive two weeks later, ending a two-month ceasefire with ******.
It said the steps were meant to put pressure on the armed group to release the 58 hostages still held in Gaza, up to 23 of whom are believed to be alive.
Israel also insisted there was no shortage of aid and accused ****** of stealing supplies to give to its fighters or sell to raise money – an allegation the group denied.
The UN also denied that aid had been diverted and said Israel was obliged under international humanitarian law to ensure food and medicine reached Gaza’s population.
More aid lorries entered Gaza through the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing on Thursday
On Wednesday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was allowing a limited amount of food into Gaza so that the Israeli military could continue its newly expanded ground offensive and take full control of the ************ territory.
“We must avoid a humanitarian crisis in order to preserve our freedom of operational action,” he told a news conference.
Netanyahu also said the controversial US-Israeli plan for aid in Gaza – which would bypass existing UN facilities and use a private company to distribute food from hubs in southern and central Gaza protected by security contractors and Israeli troops – would give Israel “another tool to win the war”.
UN and other agencies have said they will not co-operate with the plan, saying it contradicts fundamental humanitarian principles and appears to “weaponise aid”.
The WFP has also warned it will force 2.1 million people to travel long distances for food.
“This plan is not a solution, it’s a political decision,” Renard said. “The food should go to the people, not the people to the food.”
Meanwhile, Israeli bombardment and ground operations are continuing across Gaza, with the ******-run health ministry reporting on Wednesday that 82 people were killed over the previous 24 hours.
According to the UN, about 81% of the territory us now either subject to Israeli evacuation orders or located in militarized “no-go” zones.
Almost 600,000 people are estimated to have been displaced again since March, including 161,000 who have been forced to flee in the past week.
Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response ******’s cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 53,655 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s health ministry.
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Albion Online’s Abyssal Depth update launches at the end of next month
Albion Online’s Abyssal Depth update launches at the end of next month
Albion Online’s latest major update, Abyssal Depths, is coming June 30th
Jump into the new Abyssal Dungeons and take on an extraction dungeon crawler mode
There are also quality-of-life tweaks and other improvements to the tutorial experience
It seems as if the dungeon extraction genre is one that has firmly taken root in the minds of both players and developers alike. You need to only look as far as Albion Online, introducing a very similar experience in its Abyssal Depths update, arriving on June 30th.
These new Abyssal Dungeons are accessed via the Antiquarian’s Den, and see groups of two or three players taking on each other in a PvP-focused experience. You’ll explore and try to evade or destroy a variety of monsters inhabiting the depths of areas like Caerleon while trying to escape before it collapses.
If this is sounding familiar, then you’re not wrong, because this basic extraction format is one that Dark and Darker pioneered and has now become extremely popular. But the Abyssal Dungeons are only a small part of a much wider-ranging update that looks to revamp the experience for players entering the world of Albion Online for the first time.
Welcome
For one major change, the new post-tutorial experience is now set to be integrated into the existing Albion Journal, designed to help guide new players through the early stages of Albion Online and to help them find their footing.
Abyssal Depths will also bring in a number of miscellaneous improvements, such as UI updates, additional interactive tutorial features and other quality-of-life tweaks. You can keep up to date with the changes in a series of dev talks, the first of which is linked above, which will take you through all the various new additions coming June 30th!
Albion Online presents a stunning PvP-focused take on the RPG genre. But if you’re not fussed about jumping into an MMORPG, or you just fancy something a little more focused, why not check out our list of the top 25 best RPGs on iOS and Android for other options?
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Ex-congressional candidate gets 3 years for threatening to have opponent killed
Ex-congressional candidate gets 3 years for threatening to have opponent killed
Tampa, Fla. — A former Florida Republican congressional candidate accused of stalking and plotting to have his primary opponent murdered by a purported foreign hit squad was sentenced Wednesday to three years in federal prison.
William Robert Braddock III, 41, of St. Petersburg, was sentenced in Tampa federal court, according to court records. He pleaded guilty in February to sending an interstate transmission of a threat to injure.
In 2021, Braddock and U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna were both candidates in the primary election to represent the 13th Congressional District of Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives. Luna eventually won the primary and later the general election. She was re-elected last year.
Anna Paulina Luna and William Braddock during a court hearing in June 2021 in Clearwater, Fla.
Chris Urso / Tampa Bay Times via AP
Braddock spent months disparaging Luna and attempting to inject himself into her life, investigators said.
During a June 2021 telephone call with Luna’s friend, GOP activist Erin Olszewski, Braddock threatened to have Luna murdered by a “Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” if she continued to poll well in the race for the 13th District.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., speaking in front a House Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing on Capitol Hill on Nov. 19, 2024.
Ben Curtis / AP
Politico reported at the time that Braddock said the hit squad could kill Luna within 24 hours.
“Luna’s going to go down and I hope it’s by herself,” Braddock says in the recording, according to Politico, which said it had obtained the recording. “For the better or the good of the majority of the people, we’ve got to sacrifice the few.”
According to Politico, Braddock described the “hit squad” as being armed for “close-battle combat” to make sure nothing was left to chance.
There was no evidence that Braddock, a former Marine, had such contacts in foreign organized crime or took any steps to carry out a ******* plot.
Later that year, Braddock flew to Thailand and eventually settled in the Philippines, officials said. He remained there until surrendering to authorities in Manila in 2023. He was taken back to the U.S. last fall to face trial.
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Israel PM condemns ‘horrific’ shooting of 2 embassy staff members in U.S. – National
Israel PM condemns ‘horrific’ shooting of 2 embassy staff members in U.S. – National
Two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington were shot and killed Wednesday evening while leaving an event at a Jewish museum, and the suspect yelled, “Free, free Palestine” after he was arrested, police said.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim. Lischinsky was a research assistant, and Milgrim organized visits and missions to Israel.
They were leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect approached a group of four people and opened fire, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference.
The suspect, identified as Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, was observed pacing outside the museum before the shooting, walked into the museum after the shooting and was detained by event security, Smith said.
When he was taken into custody, the suspect began chanting, “Free, free Palestine,” Smith said. She said law enforcement did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the community.
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The stunning attack prompted Israeli missions to beef up their security. The shooting comes as Israel has launched another major offensive in the Gaza Strip in a conflict with ****** that has heightened tensions across the Middle East and internationally.
“These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!” President Donald Trump posted on social media early Thursday. “Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Thursday that he was “shocked” by the “horrific, antisemitic” shooting.
“We are witnessing the terrible price of antisemitism and wild incitement against Israel,” he said in a statement.
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter said the two people killed were a young couple about to be engaged, saying the man had purchased a ring this week with the intent to propose next week in Jerusalem.
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2:06
Humanitarian aid still hasn’t reached people in Gaza, UN says
Former Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Mike Herzog told Israeli Army Radio that the woman killed was an American employee of the embassy and the man was Israeli.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was at the scene with former judge Jeanine Pirro, who serves as the U.S. attorney in Washington and whose office would prosecute the case.
The statement from Netanyahu’s office said he spoke to Bondi, who told him Trump was “involved in managing the incident” and the U.S. would bring the perpetrator to justice.
It was not immediately clear whether Rodriguez had an attorney who could comment on his behalf. A telephone number listed in public records rang unanswered.
Dan Bongino, deputy director of the FBI, wrote in a post on social media that “early indicators are that this is an act of targeted violence.”
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Israel’s campaign in Gaza
The influential pan-Arab satellite channel Al Jazeera aired on a loop what appeared to be mobile phone footage of the alleged gunman, wearing a suit jacket and slacks, being pulled away after the shooting, his hands behind his back.
The conflict in the Gaza Strip began with the ************ militant group ****** coming out of Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, to kill 1,200 people and take some 250 hostages back to the coastal enclave.
In the time since, Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza has killed more than 53,000 people, mostly women and children, according to local health authorities, whose count doesn’t differentiate between combatants and civilians. The fighting has displaced 90 per cent of the territory’s roughly 2 million population, sparked a hunger crisis and obliterated vast swaths of Gaza’s urban landscape.
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The violence occurred following the American Jewish Committee’s annual Young Diplomats reception at the museum.
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“This is a shocking act of violence and our community is holding each other tighter tonight,” Ted Deutch, American Jewish Committee’s chief executive, said in a statement early Thursday. “At this painful moment, we mourn with the victims’ families, loved ones, and all of Israel. May their memories be for a blessing.”
Yoni Kalin and Katie Kalisher were inside the museum when they heard gunshots and a man came inside looking distressed, they said. Kalin said people came to his aid and brought him water, thinking he needed help, without realizing he was the suspect. When police arrived, he pulled out a red keffiyeh and repeatedly yelled, “Free Palestine,’” Kalin said.
“This event was about humanitarian aid,” Kalin said. “How can we actually help both the people in Gaza and the people in Israel? How can we bring together Muslims and Jews and Christians to work together to actually help innocent people? And then here he is just murdering two people in cold blood.”
1:31
U.S. was briefed, not consulted on statement about Israel’s aid blockade in Gaza: Carney
Last week, the Capital Jewish Museum was one of the local nonprofits in Washington awarded funding from a US$500,000 grant program to increase its security. The museum’s leaders were concerned because it is a Jewish organization and due to its new LGBTQ exhibit, according to NBC4 Washington.
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“We recognize that there are threats associated with this as well,” Executive Director Beatrice Gurwitz told the TV station. “And again, we want to ensure that our space is as welcoming and secure for everybody who comes here while we are exploring these stories.”
In response to the shooting, the museum said in a statement that they are “deeply saddened and horrified by the senseless violence outside the Museum this evening.”
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington CEO Gil Preuss said in a statement that he was horrified by the shooting and mourned the loss of the two people killed.
“Our hearts are with their families and loved ones, and with all of those who are impacted by this tragic act of antisemitic violence,” he said.
Israeli diplomats in the past have been targeted by violence, both by state-backed assailants and ************ militants over the decades of the wider Israeli-************ conflict that grew out of the founding of Israel in 1948. The Palestinians seek Gaza and the West Bank for a future state, with east Jerusalem as its capital — lands Israel captured in the 1967 conflict. However, the peace process between the sides has been stalled for years.
–Associated Press writers Alanna Durkin Richer, Hallie Golden and Jon Gambrell contributed.
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House GOP tax bill passes ‘SALT’ deduction cap of $40,000
House GOP tax bill passes ‘SALT’ deduction cap of $40,000
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) holds a news conference before a markup hearing in the Longworth House Building on Capitol Hill on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images News | Getty Images
House lawmakers on Thursday morning passed changes for the federal deduction for state and local taxes, known as SALT, as part of President Donald Trump’s tax package.
Enacted via the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or TCJA, of 2017, there’s currently a $10,000 limit on the SALT deduction, and raising that cap has been a priority for certain House lawmakers in high-tax states like New York, New Jersey and California. Filers must itemize deductions to claim the tax break for SALT.
If the House provision is enacted, the SALT cap would rise to $40,000, up from $30,000 in the previous plan, and phases out over $500,000, according to revised language released by the House Rules Committee. The provision would go into effect in 2025.
The SALT cap and income phaseout would increase annually by 1% from 2026 through 2033, according to the text.
More from Personal Finance: Senate passed a surprise ‘no tax on tips’ bill. What it could mean GOP aims to axe EV, green tax credits. Act ‘now’ to claim, experts say Trump tariffs create the ‘perfect storm’ for financial scams
The revised text would also reduce itemized deductions for certain taxpayers in the 37% income tax bracket, which could reduce the benefit of the higher SALT cap.
For 2025, the top rate of 37% applies to individuals with taxable income above $626,350, and married couples filing jointly earning $751,600 or more.
However, the House proposal for changes to the SALT deduction could still face pushback in the Senate.
How the SALT deduction works
When filing taxes, you pick the greater of the standard deduction or your itemized deductions, including SALT capped at $10,000, medical expenses above 7.5% of your adjusted gross income, charitable gifts and others.
Starting in 2018, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act doubled the standard deduction, and it adjusts for inflation yearly. For 2025, the standard deduction is $15,000 for single filers and $30,000 for married couples filing jointly. These could increase under the House-proposed tax bill.
Under the current thresholds, the vast majority of filers — roughly 90%, according to the latest IRS data — use the standard deduction and don’t benefit from itemized tax breaks.
Who benefits from the higher SALT cap
“Any changes to lift the cap would primarily benefit higher earners,” Garrett Watson, director of policy analysis at the Tax Foundation, wrote in an analysis on Tuesday.
With an income phaseout over $400,000, the top 20% of taxpayers “would be the only group to meaningfully benefit,” Watson wrote.
But members of the so-called “SALT Caucus” argue the SALT deduction limit is a middle-class issue in their districts.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-NJ., co-chair of the SALT Caucus, told CNBC’s “The Exchange” on Tuesday that a full repeal of the $10,000 SALT deduction limit would be a “huge tax cut and benefit for middle-class families around the country.”
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Greece beefs up firefighting prowess for blazing summer
Greece beefs up firefighting prowess for blazing summer
Greece is deploying a record number of firefighters and nearly doubling its drone fleet this summer to address growing wildfire risks driven by climate change.
Civil Protection Minister Ioannis Kefalogiannis said 18,000 permanent and seasonal personnel, supported by thousands of volunteers, would be mobilised as wildfire damage has increased steadily in the past two decades.
“It is clear that the conditions this year will be particularly difficult,” Kefalogiannis told reporters on Thursday after attending a firefighting exercise south of Athens.
Rising average temperatures and low rainfall have significantly worsened conditions in recent years.
Greek fire chief Theodoros Vagias told The Associated Press that additional elite firefighting units would be deployed to high-risk areas during the May 1-October 31 fire season.
“The climate crisis is here to stay, and we must be more effective in surveillance, preparedness, and how we mobilise our resources,” Vagias said.
Wildfire damage surged to more than 1300 square kilometres in 2021 and 1745 sq km in 2023 – roughly three times the 2011-2020 average, according to data from the European Union’s Forest Fire Information System.
Firefighters held an exercise on Thursday to test Greece’s evolving wildfire response, which increasingly relies on advanced technologies such as drone surveillance and mobile command centres.
Fire planes skimmed treetops, releasing plumes of water in coordinated low-altitude drops, as commanders on the ground huddled over tablets streaming real-time drone footage.
The coast guard and armed forces took part in a drill simulating the evacuation of a children’s summer camp threatened by fires on multiple fronts.
Officials said the number of firefighting personnel has increased by roughly 20 per cent in the past two years while the fleet of fire-surveillance drones has grown to 82, up from 45.
About 300 firefighters from the Czech Republic, France, Romania, Moldova, and Bulgaria are being sent to Greece under a European Union program, officials said.
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Wuthering Waves brings you the second phase in Fiery Arpeggio of Summer Reunion
Wuthering Waves brings you the second phase in Fiery Arpeggio of Summer Reunion
Wuthering Waves version 2.3 (phase two) Fiery Arpeggio of Summer Reunion is here
It offers new anniversary events and convenes for weapons and resonators
A new five-star resonator, Ciaccona, with a variety of musical abilities, also debuts
As we head into the summer proper, things aren’t getting any less hot on mobile. Especially with Kuro Games’ hit ARPG Wuthering Waves now introducing the second phase of version 2.3, otherwise known as Fiery Arpeggio of Summer Reunion. And this new update comes jam-packed with additional content and events for you to enjoy as the weather gets warmer.
You might already know it, but the title clues us in to who the latest five-star resonator is. Ciaccona is a wandering bard from Rinascita and an aero-attribute resonator who wields pistols as her weapons. Ciaccona’s main focus is taking on enemies with AoE effects and linking that through to her Solo Concert to boost fellow resonators.
So, if your favourite D&D class is the bard, with a little hint of rogue, Ciaccona might be for you. In which case, you’ll want to keep an eye out for the Through Verses and Rhythms Resonator Convene taking place from May 22nd to June 11th.
Play that funky music
Of course, there are plenty more events to experience otherwise, such as Your Summer Will Never Wither. Here, you’ll chase down rumours of Daemons on the streets of Ragunna. Investigate the former Poets Society, now The Golden Anthem and find out what connects them to this deadly rumour, available from May 22nd to June 11th too!
And with Wuthering Waves’ anniversary in full swing, there are plenty of events for that too! Check out the phase two Anniversary Resonator Convene between the 22nd-11th and the Anniversary Weapon Convene taking place at the same time to expand your arsenal and roster further!
Planning on jumping into Wuthering Waves? Don’t spend more than you need to, and be sure to check out our list of Wuthering Waves codes for all the free promos and boosts floating around out there in one place!
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Pakistan will not get water over which India has rights, India PM Modi says
Pakistan will not get water over which India has rights, India PM Modi says
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Pakistan will not get water from rivers over which India has rights, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, a month after a deadly attack in Indian Kashmir led New Delhi to suspend a key river water-sharing treaty between the neighbours.
The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, negotiated by the World Bank in 1960, was among a slew of measures announced by India against Pakistan last month after the April 22 attack that killed 26 men, mostly Hindu tourists.
New Delhi had said the attack was backed by Pakistan – an accusation Islamabad denied – and the nuclear-armed neighbours were involved in their worst military fighting in nearly three decades before agreeing to a ceasefire on May 10.
“Pakistan will have to pay a heavy price for every terrorist attack … Pakistan’s army will pay it, Pakistan’s economy will pay it,” Modi said at a public event in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, which borders Pakistan.
The Indus treaty provides water for 80% of Pakistan’s farms from three rivers that flow from India but Pakistan’s finance minister said this month that its suspension was not going to have “any immediate impact”.
The ceasefire between the countries has largely held, with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar saying that there is no exchange of fire currently and “there has been some repositioning of forces accordingly”.
“The (military) operation continues because there is a clear message…that if there are acts of the kind we saw on April 22, there will be a response, we will hit the terrorists,” Jaishankar told Dutch news outlet NOS.
“If the terrorists are in Pakistan, we will hit them where they are,” he added.
There was no immediate response from Pakistan to comments by Modi and Jaishankar.
India and Pakistan have shared a troubled relationship since they were carved out of British India in 1947, and have fought three wars, two of them over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule in part.
New Delhi also blames Pakistan for supporting Islamist separatists battling security forces in its part of Kashmir, but Islamabad denies the accusation.
The arch rivals have taken several measures against each other since the April attack in Kashmir, including suspension of trade, closure of land borders, and suspension of most visas.
(Reporting by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh)
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Blades of Fire Review – God of the Forge [Wccftech]
Blades of Fire Review – God of the Forge [Wccftech]
Even with some flaws and the general lack of originality, Blades of Fire is a solid action-adventure with a lot to offer.
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#Blades #Fire #Review #God #Forge #Wccftech
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How Every Member Voted on the G.O.P. Megabill
How Every Member Voted on the G.O.P. Megabill
Measure passed with 215 “yes” votes to 214 “no” votes.
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House Republicans passed a sweeping domestic policy bill early Thursday morning that would enshrine much of President Trump’s agenda into law.
The bill includes an extension and expansion of tax cuts as well as more military and border spending, with cuts to health, nutrition, education and clean energy programs to cover part of the cost. It will now go to the Senate, where major changes are expected.
If all members voted, House Speaker Mike Johnson could afford to lose the support of only three Republicans, or the bill would not pass.
What different Republican factions wanted
Disagreements within the House Republican caucus had led to uncertainty over the timing and fate of the bill.
Faction
What did they want?
What’s in the bill
Yes
No
SALT
6 members
Raise the deduction (SALT) limit for state and local taxes.
The deduction limit was increased by $10,000.
5
0
Medicaid
12 members
Avoid making drastic spending cuts to Medicaid.
New Medicaid work requirements to be added by 2026.
11
0
Deficit
31 members
More spending cuts to avoid adding to the deficit.
Cuts to health, nutrition, education and clean energy programs would cover only part of the bill’s cost.
29
0
I.R.A.
14 members
Preserve some clean energy tax credits from Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.
Some clean energy tax credits will be phased out sooner.
13
0
How Every Member Voted
Republicans
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Investors dump bonds globally as U.S. credit downgrade, Trump's tax bill ignite fiscal worries – CNBC
Investors dump bonds globally as U.S. credit downgrade, Trump's tax bill ignite fiscal worries – CNBC
Investors dump bonds globally as U.S. credit downgrade, Trump’s tax bill ignite fiscal worries CNBCWhy the bond market is suddenly freaking out over the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ CNNMorning Bid: Hammer comes down ReutersStock Market Today: Dow Futures Waver, Bitcoin Extends Rally — Live Updates WSJCNBC Daily Open: U.S. market sell-off on deficit fears unlikely to be stemmed by any ‘Trump put’ CNBC
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Ninja’s best coffee maker just got a makeover, and it looks so good it’s selling out already
Ninja’s best coffee maker just got a makeover, and it looks so good it’s selling out already
The Ninja Luxe Café comes in two new colors: Trace Blue and Gunmetal Gray
Trace Blue has proved particularly popular, and has already sold out
They follow the launch of the updated Ninja Luxe Café Pro earlier this month
The Ninja Luxe Café is one of the best coffee makers we’ve tested in recent months, and it just got even better with two limited edition soft colorways to add a touch of class to your kitchen.
The Ninja Luxe Café is an unusual coffee maker, capable of making espresso, filter coffee, and cold-brew – and doing all three well (see our full Ninja Luxe Café review for more details). It was available in a sharp stainless steel finish when it launched last year, and now you can also pick it up in a subtle hue called Trace Blue, and a darker shade called Gunmetal Gray.
The two new colors are available in the US, but Trace Blue has proved particularly popular and is currently sold out in Ninja’s online store, but Gunmetal Gray is still in stock, and you can register for email updates to be informed when Trace Blue is back.
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(Image credit: SharkNinja)
These new shades follow a ******* trend for kitchen appliances in soft, muted colors rather than the usual ****** and silver. For example, Breville recently gave its best espresso machine, the Barista Touch Impress, a new look in shades of cream, navy, and olive green with brass accents.
Meanwhile, KitchenAid toned down its coffee makers with a ******* colorway called Porcelain White, and unveiled the Design Series Evergreen stand mixer with a matt green body and walnut wood bowl.
Tidy tamping
The designers at Ninja have been busy, and earlier this month the company unveiled a new version of the Luxe Café with a lever-operated tamping system that takes the effort and skill out of pressing ground coffee into the perfect puck.
The system also makes coffee-brewing tidier, because there’s no need to move a portafilter full of loose grounds and risk spilling them on your kitchen counter.
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
The Ninja Luxe Café Pro is available now from Ninja for $749.99 / £699.99 (about AU$1,200).
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Thailand’s ex-Prime Minister Yingluck ordered to pay for losses from a rice subsidy program
Thailand’s ex-Prime Minister Yingluck ordered to pay for losses from a rice subsidy program
BANGKOK (AP) — A Thai court on Thursday ordered exiled former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to pay more than 10 billion baht ($304 million) to compensate for losses incurred by a money-losing rice farming subsidy program that her administration had implemented more than a decade ago.
The Supreme Administrative Court partially reversed a 2021 court ruling that cleared her. It found her guilty of severe negligence in relation to rice sales to other countries and said she failed to act on many government agencies’ warnings of possible corruption.
She was ordered to pay half of the damages estimated at more than 20 billion baht ($608 million). The court annulled a 2016 order by the Finance Ministry for her to pay 35.7 billion baht ($1.1 billion) in compensation, saying Yingluck was not proven directly responsible for the alleged corruption.
The rice subsidy program was a flagship policy that helped Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party win the 2011 general election. Under the program, the government paid farmers about 50% more than they would have received on the global market, with the intention of driving up prices by warehousing the grain.
But other rice-producing countries captured the international rice market by selling at competitive prices. Thailand as a result lost its position as the world’s leading rice exporter and large amounts of rice sat unsold in government warehouses.
After the ruling, Yingluck posted on her Facebook page that she had no intention to cause damages and was being held responsible “for a debt I did not cause.”
Her lawyer Norrawit Larlaeng said her legal team plans to request a retrial. He said that the government had already sold the leftover rice from the subsidy program for around 200 billion baht ($6.08 billion), which covers all damages estimated by the Finance Ministry.
Yingluck, the first female prime minister of Thailand, came to power in 2011, five years after her brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled in a coup and fled abroad. Yingluck also was forced out by a military coup in 2014, and fled the country in 2017, ahead of a court verdict. She’s been living in exile since then.
Thaksin, a highly popular but divisive political figure, returned home in 2023 before being granted clemency in a corruption trial because of his age and health.
Thailand’s current Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is Thaksin’s daughter.
Last year, Yingluck was cleared by a court on unrelated charges of mishandling funds for a government project in 2013. In December 2023, the court also cleared her of abuse of power in connection with a personnel transfer she had overseen.
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Governments condemn Israel for firing towards diplomats in West Bank – Al Jazeera
Governments condemn Israel for firing towards diplomats in West Bank – Al Jazeera
Governments condemn Israel for firing towards diplomats in West Bank Al JazeeraLIVE: Israeli assaults continue across Gaza, at least 38 killed today Al JazeeraIsrael condemned over troops in occupied West Bank firing “warning shots” near visiting diplomats CBS NewsIsraeli Soldiers Fire Warning Shots to Disperse Western Diplomats Touring West Bank The New York TimesEU outrage grows after Israel fires ‘warning shots’ at diplomatic delegation politico.eu
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#Governments #condemn #Israel #firing #diplomats #West #Bank #Jazeera
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Trump defies ethical concerns to host investors in his meme coin
Trump defies ethical concerns to host investors in his meme coin
Lily JamaliReporting fromSan FranciscoReuters
U.S. President Donald Trump smiles as he meets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
US President Donald Trump will host top purchasers of the cryptocurrency that bears his name at a gala dinner on Thursday.
$TRUMP was launched shortly before his inauguration in January, initially rocketing in value before falling sharply shortly afterwards.
“It’s fundamentally corrupt — a way to buy access to the President,” Democrat senator Chris Murphy wrote on X, one of a number of people to question the ethics of the event.
Some have also suggested the expected attendance of many foreign investors poses a threat to national security.
But the White House has batted away such allegations, saying Trump is only motivated by public service
What is $TRUMP?
$TRUMP is what is known as a meme coin – a type of cryptocurrency inspired by internet memes or viral online trends.
Its price peaked at $75 in January before plummeting to less than $8 in April – it was trading at around $12.50 at the time of writing.
Experts question the value of such assets.
“This is something that doesn’t have obvious utility. It’s not being used for payments. It’s not being used as a store of value,” said Rob Hadick, General Partner of Dragonfly, a crypto venture fund.
The dinner – which is being held at Trump’s golf course near the nation’s capital – is advertised on the website gettrumpmemes.com as “the most EXCLUSIVE INVITATION in the World.”
The top 220 purchasers of the meme coin, viewable on a leaderboard, received invitations to the “******-tie optional” event.
The top investor in the $TRUMP meme coin is billionaire crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun who was charged with fraud and market manipulation by the US Securities and Exchange Commission during the Biden Administration.
In February, the Trump administration paused the case.
Sun said this week on the social media platform X that he planned to attend the dinner, calling himself Trump’s “TOP fan!”
From crypto critic to investor
Trump’s views on cryptocurrency have undergone radical change in recent years.
In 2021, he called Bitcoin a “scam.”
Now, he’s not just in charge of regulating cryptocurrencies in the US – he and his family are active industry participants.
In addition to the meme coin, the Trump family also holds a majority stake in the crypto exchange World Liberty Financial, which was launched just prior to the election.
Trump expressed his desire to be the nation’s first “Crypto President” while campaigning for president and was a major beneficiary of campaign contributions from the crypto industry in the 2024 election.
Many crypto assets have leapt in value under his presidency. On Thursday, Bitcoin hit a new all-time high of almost $112,000 per coin.
According to a report by the group State Democracy Defenders Action, Trump’s investments in crypto have helped boost his net worth by as much as $2.9 billion.
“As a stakeholder in crypto assets, President Trump will likely profit from the very policies he is pursuing,” the report states.
Three days into his term, Trump issued an Executive Order to establish a regulatory framework that promotes the growth of digital currencies.
A Trump administration official told the BBC that the meme coin has nothing to do with the White House.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly pushed back on concerns about potential conflicts.
“The President is working to secure GOOD deals for the American people, not for himself,” Kelly said in a statement.
But one former financial regulator likened the meme coin to gambling.
“It’s like selling membership cards for his personal fan club which are then traded,” said Timothy Massad, Director of the Digital Asset Policy Project at Harvard.
“They have no value. But people speculate on the price and those purchases and that trading enriches him.”
Reuters
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) speaks on Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar
At a Senate committee hearing this week, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) grilled Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the lack of transparency regarding who will attend Thursday night’s dinner.
Mr Murphy cited reports that many of the attendees at the invite-only event were expected to be foreigners.
“There’s clearly a way around the State Department for foreign individuals of significant influence and wealth to be able to directly lobby the president of the United States,” Mr Murphy said.
“I don’t have any concern that the president having dinner with someone is going to contravene the security of the United States,” responded Mr Rubio, who said he was unaware of the dinner.
On Thursday afternoon, Mr Murphy and certain other Democratic members of Congress planned a protest against the dinner to be livestreamed.
“The Members will demand Trump release the list of individuals attending the dinner and what favors they will be getting for the millions of dollars they invested in Trump’s meme coin,” the group said in a statement.
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This fitness stock is a buy as sales momentum is set to continue, Stifel says
This fitness stock is a buy as sales momentum is set to continue, Stifel says
Growth in Planet Fitness is nowhere near done, according to Stifel. Analyst Chris O’Cull upgraded shares of the gym chain to buy from hold and raised his price target to $120 from $82. That new objective suggest shares of Planet Fitness could jump roughly 15% from their latest close. The stock has rallied 10% this month after the company reaffirmed its full-year earnings per share, revenue and system-wide same club sales growth. “Recent results suggest gross joins have stabilized, and we believe there are several potential catalysts to keep comparable sales in the mid-to-high single-digit range over the next couple of years,” O’Cull said. “The company has improved its marketing efforts, but we believe there is considerable runway for further improvement,” O’Cull continued, referring to advertising campaigns he has found encouraging given their messaging that emphasizes Planet Fitness’ value as an affordable and nonjudgmental gym. PLNT 1Y mountain Planet Fitness stock performance. According to O’Cull, Planet Fitness locations could see steady improvement in net new unit growth over the next few years given strong top-line performance and ongoing efforts to reduce investment costs. Fueling its strong growth potential is the company’s ability to the pricing of its ****** Card monthly membership plan from $24.99 to $29.99 later this year, the analyst noted. Planet Fitness also has “promising avenues” to improve the overall value proposition of its ****** Card Spa, by expanding potential upgrades to locations’ spa areas with the availability of spray tanning, red light therapy and cryotherapy services. “We believe tests to upgrade the ****** Card Spa are yielding positive results and could provide new reasons to join. Relative to other consumer-facing segments, Planet’s low-cost membership model should also prove relatively resilient in the event of a downturn in consumer spending,” O’Cull said. O’Cull also pointed out that efforts to include gym membership costs under individuals’ Health Savings Accounts could drive memberships for the fitness industry, potentially benefitting Planet Fitness.
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What’s changed 10 years on?
What’s changed 10 years on?
Barry O’Connor
BBC News NI
Michael Conlon
Michael Conlon and Ger O’Donnell married in the Lord Mayor’s official residence, The Mansion House in Dublin.
Civil partnership was a ‘stepping stone’Getty Images
Out of 43 constituencies, only the largely rural Roscommon-South Leitrim had a majority of “no” votes
Steven Smyrl and Roy Stanley have been together for more than 20 years, and they entered a civil partnership in 2011.
Steven said the couple recognised that step “would bring full equality, and it did”.
“It paved the way for the enormity of the ‘yes’ vote,” he said.
Roy said that when they entered their civil partnership, it allowed family members to attend – some of whom died before they would marry seven years later.
The vote on same-sex marriage in the Republic of Ireland was held 22 years after *********** acts were decriminalised in the country.
It meant a marriage between two people of the same sex would have the same status under the Irish constitution as a marriage between a man and a woman.
Civil partnerships for same-sex couples had been legal in Ireland since 2010 – and this was the route many same-sex couples went down at first.
Getty Images
Celebrations in Dublin were like “Ireland had won the World Cup” for some people
Celebrations like ‘winning world cup’
Michael Conlon, from Belfast, lived in the Republic of Ireland at the time of the referendum and was in a civil partnership with his now husband, Ger.
“I had always assumed civil partnership was pretty much it. You got all the rights as marriage and it turns out, in the south, that wasn’t the case,” he said.
Michael campaigned for a ‘yes’ vote in the build-up to the referendum.
He said the ensuing celebrations were like “Ireland had won the world cup”.
“I suppose it was almost as if something so monumental had happened. It was like the country had won something.
“It was an experience I could not really put into words,” he added.
At the time of the referendum, Ireland became the 20th country to legalise same-sex marriage; now there are 38 countries.
In total, 1,201,607 people voted in favour of same-sex marriage, while 734,300 voted against.
Out of 43 constituencies, only the largely rural Roscommon-South Leitrim had a majority of “no” votes.
For Roy and Steven, the referendum result was never in doubt.
“I think it was a surprise to everybody, including those that voted yes and and those that voted no, just the the size of the the majority in favour,” said Steven.
The referendum campaign
Journalist Una Mullally told BBC News NI that the campaign for the referendum was the “culmination of many years of organising and protesting and activism”.
“At times it felt like a pipe dream. The early protests were very small. It certainly wasn’t on the political agenda.
“There was a lot of education and awareness and visibility and representation work to be done on the public agenda. So it was a long movement.”
Una said the results made her feel “utter relief and happiness. I mean it was complete joy.”
She added that it is a day she will “never forget.”
Crediting the work people had put into it, she said: “All of the canvassing, all of the volunteering, all of the campaigning, it was just like this huge wave had fallen.
“I think the level of the result as well – that it wasn’t marginal – so it was just this kind of safety and feeling that so many people were with the community.”
‘We love each other’Una Mullally
Una Mullally, right, and her wife Sarah Francis got married in 2023 in Las Vegas
Michael said that he and his now husband had not planned on getting married – until the involvement of a friend who was the then lord mayor of Dublin.
Their wedding happened in the Lord Mayor’s official residence, The Mansion House in 2018.
“Because we’d done done the the big celebration in 2011, that [wedding] was a more select celebration.
“But the people who attended in 2011, a lot of them said to us… they’d never been to such a joyful wedding and that’s partly because it just meant so much to everybody there, because it was something denied to us for so long,” Roy said.
Una went to Las Vegas for her wedding to Sarah Francis, adding: “It was hard to even conceptualise getting married in a weird way, because, I guess, it didn’t exist as a right for so long.
“But for that right to be recognised in the country where I’m from, where I grew up, where I live, it is profound in a rights’ context.”
Attitudes post referendumRoy Stanley
Steven and Roy married in 2018
After their marriage in 2018, Steven, was removed from his position as an elder with the Presbyterian Church in Dublin, which left them both “feeling really shaken”.
“To dismiss me as an elder, and there’s plenty of people would say, well, he knew what he was doing.
“Yeah, I knew what I was doing, simple as that. But, I love Roy with all my heart and there was absolutely no way that we were not going to be celebrating our marriage.”
He added that he saw no theological inconsistency with same-sex marriage.
How have attitudes changed in 2025?
“Nobody really gives a second thought about the fact that two people with the same sex might want to get married,” said Steven.
Una, however, said that bigotry can “find new avenues”.
“There is a strange atmosphere that we’re experiencing on this island and in so many other countries when it comes to resentment and grievance around minorities in general.”
Michael and his husband have now moved back to Northern Ireland, where same-sex marriage wasn’t legal until 2020.
He said the perception of gay people had been “for the most part really positive”.
“Even some of the really religious people who are fundamentally against it, they’re kind of more accepting of it,” he said.
“They see that the sky didn’t fall in, that they can still go to church, they can still pray, that none of their rights were taken away.”
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