Pelican Press

Gazans fear shutdown of water plants as Israel widens offensive Gazans fear shutdown of water plants as Israel widens offensive Yolande Knell Middle East correspondent, reporting from Jerusalem Reuters ************ children fill water containers at a refugee camp in Gaza City on Tuesday Chronic shortages of water in Gaza are worsening as Israel’s expanding military offensive causes new waves of displacement – and desalination and hygiene plants are running out of fuel. The UN’s humanitarian office has said its partners are warning that, without immediate fuel deliveries, a full shutdown of water and sanitation facilities is possible by the end of the week. Days after Israel imposed its blockade on aid in early March – which is only now being eased – it also cut off power lines to the main desalination plants – a vital source of water for Gazans. It said these steps were to put pressure on ****** to release the remaining hostages it is holding. Donkey carts have continued to distribute water in recent days Although Israel has said it will now permit the entry of basic supplies into Gaza, so far this has not included fuel. However, some drinking water was loaded on the dozens of UN lorries that have entered the strip – with supplies not yet distributed. Parents have told the BBC that during 19 months of war, their children have grown used to drinking salty water – with doctors saying they have seen a rise in serious kidney complaints as a result. “Often the water turns out to be half sweet [fresh], half salty,” said Raed al-Zaharneh, a father-of-four in Khan Younis who, like most Gazans, now relies on water delivered on lorries. “We know it is undrinkable water, and we still drink it,” he went on. “We’ve had stomach pain and diarrhoea, but we put up with it. What do we do? We need to drink. There’s no alternative.” Jonathan Crickx of Unicef said production had reduced by 80% at a desalination plant in southern Gaza Earlier this month, there was still a loud whirring sound at a desalination plant in southern Gaza as Jonathan Crickx of Unicef visited. He said that production at the site had been reduced by 80% after electricity was recently cut off. However, it was still producing thousands of litres per day. “The problem is that to produce water we now need fuel,” Mr Crickx said. “And afterwards we need to truck the water to the different communities.” “This is a difficult process as we have less and less fuel, not only to produce the water but to run the trucks.” While some lorries as well as donkey carts have continued to distribute water in recent days, the ramping up of Israel’s military offensive and new waves of displacement – affecting some 140,000 people in the north and south of the strip – have made this even more challenging. The UN’s Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) says that water and sanitation services have already been severely disrupted by ongoing fuel shortages. In northern Gaza, no fuel is currently available and only half the needed supply was received last week, Ocha says. This has meant the operating hours for water wells have been further reduced with complete shutdowns expected. In southern Gaza, Ocha says that UN water utilities have not received any fuel, although 140,000 litres of fuel per week are needed to keep them going. This has led to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities reducing their operating hours by more than one fifth. Gazans say they have no choice but to drink salty water when only that is available UN workers have said they try daily to retrieve fuel from reserves in areas where they are required to co-ordinate with the Israeli authorities, such as Rafah – which has been a main focus of military operations. However, these continue to be denied. No new fuel has been allowed into Gaza since Israel imposed its full blockade on 2 March. A kidney specialist at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, Dr Ghazi al-Yazji, told the BBC he was seeing more patients with new infections and conditions caused by contaminated water and drinking water with high salinity. “We don’t have precise figures, but the cases are noticeably higher among children,” he said. Even before the war, shortages of water and the poor quality of supplies in Gaza contributed to relatively high numbers of patients with serious kidney complaints. Dr al-Yazji says his department has 220 patients requiring kidney dialysis and that they have been disproportionately affected by the worsening water problems. Several, he said, had recently died. Source link #Gazans #fear #shutdown #water #plants #Israel #widens #offensive Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Honor 400 Series to Get Six Years of Android Updates, AI Features Powered by Google’s Veo 2 Honor 400 Series to Get Six Years of Android Updates, AI Features Powered by Google’s Veo 2 Honor 400 series is scheduled to be launched in the European markets on May 22, comprising Honor 400 and Honor 400 Pro models. Ahead of its anticipated debut, Honor has announced that both smartphones will be introduced with six years of Android updates. As part of its long-standing collaboration with Google, the company will offer artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities on the Honor 400 series powered by the Veo 2 video generation model, enabling users to turn images into short videos. Honor 400 Series Gets Extended Update Support Honor says its upcoming smartphones, the Honor 400 and the Honor 400 Pro, will ship with six years of Android OS updates. The company emphasises its long standing collaboration with Google, along with other industry partners, is part of its Honor Alpha Plan — a three-step vision to create an open artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. The Honor 400 series is also confirmed to support AI image to video generation on Vertex, leveraging Google’s Veo 2 video generation model. It will enable users to transform static images, such as artwork and old photographs, into short videos with 5-7 second duration, along with live photos. However, this feature won’t be available out-of-the-box and is expected to arrive via an over-the-air (gaming platforms) update. With Google I/O 2025 now in the rear window, the China-based OEM says it has already offered the Android 16 Beta programme on the Honor Magic 7 Pro since May 7. Developers can update the smartphone to Android 16 Beta 3 to test out the new features and port their apps to the upcoming OS. Honor 400 Series Specifications The vanilla Honor 400 is confirmed to run on the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset. It will sport a dual rear camera setup including a 200-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens. It also boasts a 50-megapixel selfie shooter and an IP66-rated build. Meanwhile, the Honor 400 Pro will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. It is confirmed to come with a triple rear camera unit, comprising a 200-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel telephoto lens, and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor. The phone will get a 50-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies and video calls. It will ship with IP68 + IP69 rating against dust and water ingress. The global variants of the smartphones may pack 6,000mAh batteries. Both models in the Honor 400 series will have 1,280×2,800 pixels resolution displays with 5,000-nit peak brightness, 120Hz refresh rate and 460ppi pixel density. Source link #Honor #Series #Years #Android #Updates #Features #Powered #Googles #Veo Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tiger Lily Hutchence shows off growing pregnant belly in London after reported marriage to Ben Archer Tiger Lily Hutchence shows off growing pregnant belly in London after reported marriage to Ben Archer Tiger Lily Hutchence showed off her growing baby bump as she was spotted on a walk in London on Tuesday. The singer, 28, who is expecting her first child with Ben Archer, had her blossoming pregnant belly on display during a recent outing where she appeared to enjoy the sunny weather. She looked radiant in a white summery slip dress, she paired with a pink knitted cardigan, brown sandals and carried a colourful tote bag. The 28-year-old, who is the daughter of late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence and the late British TV presenter Paula Yates, was also wearing a gold ring on her wedding finger after she reportedly wed Archer last month. The couple allegedly married in an intimate ceremony in East London in April, two years after they met in 2023. Days later, the newlyweds appeared to confirm their marriage as they wore matching gold rings on their wedding fingers in London. According to The Sun, the couple were “keen to marry” ahead of the birth of their first child. Camera IconTiger Lily Hutchence shows off her baby bump while taking a stroll in the London sunshine. Credit: XPOS/BACKGRID “Tiger Lily and Ben had a very chic, very low-key wedding on Saturday. They hired out a restaurant on Columbia Road for about 30 guests,” a source told the publication. “Tiger Lily’s sisters, Pixie and Fifi, were there, as well as Bob. The guest list was very rock ’n’ roll, with Tiger Lily’s godfather, Nick Cave, invited, too. “Tiger Lily and Ben are so happy together and this ceremony was just for their closest friends and family. It was a beautiful day and, after the service, they all sat down to have a meal together.” Archer announced his partner’s pregnancy last month on social media. Hutchence was just 16 months old when her dad died by suicide in a Sydney hotel room at the age of 37. Her mother overdosed on heroin at her home in Notting Hill, London, less than three years later. Yates’ ex-husband Bob Geldof adopted Hutchence and raised her alongside his daughters Peaches, who sadly passed away in 2014, Pixie and Fifi Trixibelle. Source link #Tiger #Lily #Hutchence #shows #growing #pregnant #belly #London #reported #marriage #Ben #Archer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Exclusive-Hacker who breached communications app used by Trump aide stole data from across US government Exclusive-Hacker who breached communications app used by Trump aide stole data from across US government By AJ Vicens, Raphael Satter WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A hacker who breached the communications service used by former Trump national security adviser Mike Waltz earlier this month intercepted messages from a broader swathe of American officials than has previously been reported, according to a Reuters review, potentially raising the stakes of a breach that has already drawn questions about data security in the Trump administration. Reuters identified more than 60 unique government users of the messaging platform TeleMessage in a cache of leaked data provided by Distributed Denial of Secrets, a U.S. nonprofit whose stated mission is to archive hacked and leaked documents in the public interest. The trove included material from disaster responders, customs officials, several U.S. diplomatic staffers, at least one White House staffer and members of the Secret Service. The messages reviewed by Reuters covered a roughly day-long ******* of time ending on May 4, and many of them were fragmentary. Once little known outside government and finance circles, TeleMessage drew media attention after an April 30 Reuters photograph showed Waltz checking TeleMessage’s version of the privacy-focused app Signal during a cabinet meeting. While Reuters could not verify the entire contents of the TeleMessage trove, in more than half a dozen cases the news agency was able to establish that the phone numbers in the leaked data were correctly attributed to their owners. One of the intercepted texts’ recipients – an applicant for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency – confirmed to Reuters that the leaked message was authentic; a financial services firm whose messages were similarly intercepted also confirmed their authenticity. Based on its limited review, Reuters uncovered nothing that seemed clearly sensitive and did not uncover chats by Waltz or other cabinet officials. Some chats did seem to bear on the travel plans of senior government officials. One Signal group, “POTUS | ROME-******** | PRESS GC,” appeared to pertain to the logistics of an event at the ********. Another appeared to discuss U.S. officials’ trip to Jordan. Reuters reached out to all the individuals it could identify seeking comment; some confirmed their identities but most didn’t respond or referred questions to their respective agencies. Reuters could not ascertain how TeleMessage had been used by each agency. The service – which takes versions of popular apps and allows their messages to be archived in line with government rules – has been suspended since May 5, when it went offline “out of an abundance of caution.” TeleMessage’s owner, the Portland, Oregon-based digital communications firm Smarsh, did not respond to requests for comments about the leaked data. The White House said in a statement that it was “aware of the cyber security incident at Smarsh” but didn’t offer comment on its use of the platform. The State Department didn’t respond to messages. The Secret Service said TeleMessage products had been used “by a small subset of Secret Service employees” and that it was reviewing the situation. FEMA said in an email that it had “no evidence” that its information had been compromised. It didn’t respond when sent copies of internal FEMA messages. A CBP spokesperson repeated a past statement noting that it had disabled TeleMessage and was investigating the breach. METADATA RISK Federal contracting data shows that State and DHS have had contracts with TeleMessage in recent years, as has the Centers for Disease Control. A CDC spokesperson told Reuters in an email Monday that the agency piloted the software in 2024 to assess its potential for records management requirements “but found it did not fit our needs.” The status of the other contracts wasn’t clear. A week after that hack, the U.S. cyber defense agency CISA recommended that users “discontinue use of the product” barring any mitigating instructions about how to use the app from Smarsh. Jake Williams, a former National Security Agency cyber specialist, said that, even if the intercepted text messages were innocuous, the wealth of metadata – the who and when of the leaked conversations and chat groups – posed a counterintelligence risk. “Even if you don’t have the content, that is a top-tier intelligence access,” said Williams, now vice president of research and development at cybersecurity firm Hunter Strategy. Waltz’s prior use of Signal created a public furor when he accidentally added a prominent journalist to a Signal chat where he and other Trump cabinet officials were discussing air raids on Yemen in real time. Soon after, Waltz was ousted from his job, although not from the administration: Trump said he was nominating Waltz to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The circumstances surrounding Waltz’s use of TeleMessage haven’t been publicly disclosed and neither he nor the White House has responded to questions about the matter. (Reporting by Raphael Satter and AJ Vicens; Editing by Chris Sanders and Anna Driver) Source link #ExclusiveHacker #breached #communications #app #Trump #aide #stole #data #government Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

House Republicans Release Trump Tax Bill With Larger SALT Cap – Bloomberg House Republicans Release Trump Tax Bill With Larger SALT Cap – Bloomberg House Republicans Release Trump Tax Bill With Larger SALT Cap BloombergBlue-state Republicans score SALT win in megabill revisions Politico5 things to know about SALT, the tax break holding up Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ The HillSpeaker Johnson reaches tentative deal with blue state Republicans to boost cap on SALT deduction Fox NewsTrump clashes with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at White House meeting: Live updates NBC News Source link #House #Republicans #Release #Trump #Tax #Bill #Larger #SALT #Cap #Bloomberg Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

AFL 2025: Richmond star Dion Prestia will make his long-awaited return this weekend AFL 2025: Richmond star Dion Prestia will make his long-awaited return this weekend Richmond is set for a boost this weekend, with an injury-plagued star making his highly anticipated return to football. Source link #AFL #Richmond #star #Dion #Prestia #longawaited #return #weekend Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

In lawsuit over teen’s death, judge rejects arguments that AI chatbots have free speech rights In lawsuit over teen’s death, judge rejects arguments that AI chatbots have free speech rights TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday rejected arguments made by an artificial intelligence company that its chatbots are protected by the First Amendment — at least for now. The developers behind Character.AI are seeking to dismiss a lawsuit alleging the company’s chatbots pushed a teenage boy to kill himself. The judge’s order will allow the wrongful death lawsuit to proceed, in what legal experts say is among the latest constitutional tests of artificial intelligence. The suit was filed by a mother from Florida, Megan Garcia, who alleges that her 14-year-old son Sewell Setzer III fell victim to a Character.AI chatbot that pulled him into what she described as an emotionally and ********* abusive relationship that led to his suicide. Meetali Jain of the Tech Justice Law Project, one of the attorneys for Garcia, said the judge’s order sends a message that Silicon Valley “needs to stop and think and impose guardrails before it launches products to market.” The suit against Character Technologies, the company behind Character.AI, also names individual developers and Google as defendants. It has drawn the attention of legal experts and AI watchers in the U.S. and beyond, as the technology rapidly reshapes workplaces, marketplaces and relationships despite what experts warn are potentially existential risks. “The order certainly sets it up as a potential test case for some broader issues involving AI,” said Lyrissa Barnett Lidsky, a law professor at the University of Florida with a focus on the First Amendment and artificial intelligence. The lawsuit alleges that in the final months of his life, Setzer became increasingly isolated from reality as he engaged in sexualized conversations with the bot, which was patterned after a fictional character from the television show “Game of Thrones.” In his final moments, the bot told Setzer it loved him and urged the teen to “come home to me as soon as possible,” according to screenshots of the exchanges. Moments after receiving the message, Setzer shot himself, according to legal filings. In a statement, a spokesperson for Character.AI pointed to a number of safety features the company has implemented, including guardrails for children and suicide prevention resources that were announced the day the lawsuit was filed. “We care deeply about the safety of our users and our goal is to provide a space that is engaging and safe,” the statement said. Attorneys for the developers want the case dismissed because they say chatbots deserve First Amendment protections, and ruling otherwise could have a “chilling effect” on the AI industry. In her order Wednesday, U.S. Senior District Judge Anne Conway rejected some of the defendants’ free speech claims, saying she’s “not prepared” to hold that the chatbots’ output constitutes speech “at this stage.” Conway did find that Character Technologies can assert the First Amendment rights of its users, who she found have a right to receive the “speech” of the chatbots. She also determined Garcia can move forward with claims that Google can be held liable for its alleged role in helping develop Character.AI. Some of the founders of the platform had previously worked on building AI at Google, and the suit says the tech giant was “aware of the risks” of the technology. “We strongly disagree with this decision,” said Google spokesperson José Castañeda. “Google and Character AI are entirely separate, and Google did not create, design, or manage Character AI’s app or any component part of it.” No matter how the lawsuit plays out, Lidsky says the case is a warning of “the dangers of entrusting our emotional and mental health to AI companies.” “It’s a warning to parents that social media and generative AI devices are not always harmless,” she said. ___ EDITOR’S NOTE — If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Source link #lawsuit #teens #death #judge #rejects #arguments #chatbots #free #speech #rights Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How the White House orchestrated Trump’s Oval Office ambush of South African president – CNN How the White House orchestrated Trump’s Oval Office ambush of South African president – CNN How the White House orchestrated Trump’s Oval Office ambush of South African president CNNTrump ambushes South Africa’s president with false claims of ‘white genocide’ NPRWorld leaders have a huge new problem: Trump’s Oval Office smackdowns CNNFact-checking Trump’s claims of white farmer ‘genocide’ in South Africa PBSTrump Claimed a Social Media Video Showed ‘Burial Sites’ of White Farmers. It Didn’t. The New York Times Source link #White #House #orchestrated #Trumps #Oval #Office #ambush #South #African #president #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mushroom cook crying, emotional in hospital after lunch Mushroom cook crying, emotional in hospital after lunch Accused triple ********* Erin Patterson “became emotional” and cried about her children after taking herself to hospital two days after serving a poisonous beef Wellington, a jury has been told. Nurse Mairim Cespon on Thursday took the jury in Patterson’s trial back to her interactions with the mushroom cook at hospital on July 31, 2023. Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three ******* charges and one attempted ******* over a lunch she cooked at her home two days earlier, on July 29. Three of her lunch guests – Patterson’s former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, 70, and Heather Wilkinson, 66 – died in hospital days after consuming the meal. The mother-of-two claims it was a terrible accident and she did not intentionally poison any of her guests, including Heather’s husband Ian who survived the meal. The jury has been told Patterson suffered diarrhoea after eating the beef Wellington and took herself to her local hospital at Leongatha in regional Victoria on July 31, where she initially appeared for a few minutes before discharging herself. Ms Cespon, who had also treated Heather and Ian, said she let Patterson back into the hospital when she returned less than two hours later. “She was nauseated, she had diarrhoea, but she wasn’t vomiting,” the nurse told the jury of 14. Ms Cespon said she was settling Patterson into a cubicle in the hospital’s urgent care section when doctor Chris Webster came in and had a conversation about her two children. Dr Webster told Patterson the kids needed to be medically reviewed as they might have ingested toxins since they ate leftovers from the meal, Ms Cespon said. “Erin became emotional, she was crying, she was saying is it necessary if her kids didn’t eat the mushrooms, they didn’t have any symptoms,” Ms Cespon said. “She didn’t want them to be stressed or panicked … for the kids to be pulled out of school to be assessed.” The nurse said she helped Patterson go to the toilet several times and asked her to use a pan that looked like a “witch’s hat” to catch her bowel movements. “When I was about to collect it she did mention ‘it does look like it’s wee but it was a bowel motion’,” Ms Cespon said. “I told her that every time she goes to the toilet just let me know, so I can have a look.” After her first bowel movement, Patterson told the nurse her pain was “seven out of 10” and she felt cramping before she opened her bowels each time. Under questioning by defence barrister Colin Mandy SC, Ms Cespon agreed it was not unusual for a bowel movement to look like that in a patient who had been suffering diarrhoea for some time. Ms Cespon also said she handed Patterson the phone when police called after arriving at her home for a ******** check, and Patterson told officers they could break into her home to retrieve leftovers from the meal. “She mentioned that it would be in a bin, it was food scraps from the meal, it would be inside a Woolies paper bag in the bin,” she said. “She mentioned the food scraps was the meal that she scraped from the kids’, because the kids don’t eat mushrooms.” The trial before Justice Christopher Beale continues. Source link #Mushroom #cook #crying #emotional #hospital #lunch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

OpenAI buys iPhone designer Jony Ive’s hardware startup for $6.5 bln OpenAI buys iPhone designer Jony Ive’s hardware startup for $6.5 bln STORY: He’s the man who designed the original iPhone and other famous Apple products. Now Jony Ive is set to work for OpenAI. The ChatGPT maker is buying his hardware startup io Products in a deal sources valued at $6.5 billion. Though none of the parties involved would confirm the terms of the agreement. Ive will now become OpenAI’s creative head. The company hopes that will let it combine design and technology in the same way that proved so successful for Apple. Boss Sam Altman said OpenAI was thinking about new ways of interacting with AI. Another Ive startup – design firm LoveFrom – has been working with the bot maker for two years on hardware. Altman said he had a prototype of a device that he described as “the coolest piece of technology the world will have ever seen”. Though he offered no further details of what it might be. One analyst said OpenAI wanted to own the next big hardware platform so that it doesn’t have to sell its products through Apple or Google devices. But attempts to create the next big thing in AI gadgets have run into challenges. Humane AI – set up by former Apple executives – saw its AI Pin flop. The gadget was criticized for high costs, poor battery life and limited functionality. Meanwhile, startup Rabbit has sold some 100,000 of its r1 devices, but it too has been criticized for limited functionality compared to smartphones. Source link #OpenAI #buys #iPhone #designer #Jony #Ives #hardware #startup #bln Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Blue-state Republicans score SALT win in megabill revisions – Politico Blue-state Republicans score SALT win in megabill revisions – Politico Blue-state Republicans score SALT win in megabill revisions Politico5 things to know about SALT, the tax break holding up Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ The HillSpeaker Johnson reaches tentative deal with blue state Republicans to boost cap on SALT deduction Fox NewsTrump clashes with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at White House meeting: Live updates NBC NewsWhat is SALT and why does it threaten Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill?’ ABC News Source link #Bluestate #Republicans #score #SALT #win #megabill #revisions #Politico Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Kent Street Senior High School suspends dozens of students over fight Kent Street Senior High School suspends dozens of students over fight Dozens of high school students have been suspended for egging on a fight between two teenagers at a school in Perth’s south as part of the Education Department’s crackdown on violence. Source link #Kent #Street #Senior #High #School #suspends #dozens #students #fight Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Jony Ive to lead OpenAI’s design work following $6.5B acquisition of his company Jony Ive to lead OpenAI’s design work following $6.5B acquisition of his company OpenAI is acquiring io, the device startup that CEO Sam Altman and famed Apple designer Jony Ive have quietly been working on for two years, in an all-equity deal that values that startup at $6.5 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. As part of the unusual deal announced Wednesday, Ive and his design firm, LoveFrom, will now lead creative and design work at OpenAI. “thrilled to be partnering with jony, [in my opinion] the greatest designer in the world,” said Altman in a post on X Wednesday. “excited to try to create a new generation of AI-powered computers.” OpenAI and Ive’s collaboration puts one of Apple’s former design heads — famous for crafting many iPhones, iPods, iPads, and Apple Watches — at the forefront of the newest technology wave, generative AI. Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, OpenAI has amped up its consumer business significantly. Earlier this month, the company appointed former Meta executive and Instacart CEO Fidji Simo to lead its consumer applications. Ive could help OpenAI directly compete with Apple in the consumer hardware space, putting even more pressure on the iPhone maker. In recent years, Apple has struggled to develop AI features that keep up with the latest technology from OpenAI and Google. Apple’s stock fell 2% on Wednesday after the OpenAI and Ive collaboration was announced. Io has a staff of around 55 engineers, scientists, researchers, physicists, and product development specialists, per The Wall Street Journal, all of whom will join OpenAI. Many of io’s employees are former Apple designers — including Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and ***** Tan — who helped build the firm’s most iconic products. Ive is retaining control of his design firm, LoveFrom, which will continue to operate independently. Io, under OpenAI, will develop AI-powered consumer devices and other projects. Altman and Ive have reportedly been working on a device that moves consumers “beyond screens.” Bloomberg reports that Ive and Altman’s first devices are slated to debut in 2026. The Wall Street Journal reports that Ive will have an expansive role, giving input into future versions of ChatGPT and more. Story Continues OpenAI already had a 23% stake in io as part of an agreement between the companies last year, according to The New York Times. That means OpenAI will pay $5 billion to fully acquire io, marking the ChatGPT maker’s largest acquisition ever. Reportedly, the OpenAI Startup Fund made a separate investment in io last year. In a video posted by OpenAI, Altman said the mission of io is to create a family of AI devices that will let people use AI to produce “all sorts of wonderful things.” Ive said he’s convinced that everything he’s learned “over the last 30 years has led me to this place and this moment.” The first AI device io is working on has “completely captured” Ive’s imagination, he said. The world of AI devices is still in its infancy. Altman was an early investor in Humane, another AI hardware company founded by former Apple employees, which made an AI-powered “pin.” After a series of stumbles, Humane was sold to HP and its devices were sunsetted. Meanwhile, other form factors for AI devices have shown more promise. Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses, which it’s developing with the eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica, have achieved strong sales and adoption among consumers. This week, Google unveiled its version of AI smart glasses that it’s developing with Samsung, Warby Parker, and other partners. Ultimately, it’s unclear what shape OpenAI’s devices will take. Later in the video, Altman noted how using a laptop or smartphone to access ChatGPT was too cumbersome. Instead, the OpenAI CEO suggested he’d rather use a device more integrated into his everyday life. The Information first reported on OpenAI’s discussions to acquire io in March. At the time, the two companies were said to be discussing building a device that would bring a version of the technology from the movie “Her” to life. Source link #Jony #Ive #lead #OpenAIs #design #work #6.5B #acquisition #company Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

2 Israeli embassy staff killed in Washington DC shooting – BBC 2 Israeli embassy staff killed in Washington DC shooting – BBC 2 Israeli embassy staff killed in Washington DC shooting BBCIndividuals connected to Israeli Embassy shot in DC, sources says CNNTwo Israeli Embassy Staffers Shot and Killed Outside Event in Washington, Officials Say The New York TimesTwo Israeli Embassy staff killed near Capital Jewish Museum in D.C. The Washington PostShooting occurs outside Jewish museum in Washington, DC Al Jazeera Source link #Israeli #embassy #staff #killed #Washington #shooting #BBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NZ posts $14 billion budget deficit, no path to surplus NZ posts $14 billion budget deficit, no path to surplus In her second budget, Finance Minister Nicola Willis has posted a $14.7 billion deficit, even as she banks more than $5 billion in savings. There’s no clear path back to surplus, with four future smaller deficits in the forward estimates. And there’s no change to the government’s debt trajectory, which is tipped to peak in 2027 at 46.5 per cent of GDP – just as it was forecast in 2024. The government has also badged this set of books as “the growth budget”, but Treasury has downgraded growth forecasts. That’s mainly due to lower-than-expected economic activity offshore – including the US-started trade war – which is critical to New Zealand’s export-oriented economy. Unemployment, currently at five per cent, is expected to peak at 5.4 per cent in the next year, while there is relief in sight for homeowners after backsliding house prices, which Treasury sees jumping by an average six per cent a year in the forward estimates. MAJOR CHANGES Women-dominated workforces to miss out on $2.9b in foregone pay equity claimsInvestment Boost $1.7b tax break to instantly write off capital investmentsEmployee and employer superannuation contributions to rise from three to four per cent – but government payments halved, saving $580m BUDGET TIDBITS Young people ineligible for unemployment benefits until age 20, saving $84mFunding to Reserve Bank cut by $36mCo-investment in natural gas fields worth $50mRadio NZ’s budget to be cut by $4.6m – equivalent to seven per centTax evaders to be targeted by $35m worth of compliance chasersA major redevelopment of Nelson hospital, a new emergency department in WellingtonExpansion of Christchurch Men’s prison by 240 bedsEmergency housing funding reduced by $200mFood banks get another year’s support of $15mYear-long medicine prescriptions, costing $23mPredator Free 2050 initiative targeting pest mammals axed, saving $2.6mClimate finance to drop by $150m this yearSmaller payments to new mothers of $50m (All figures in annual terms and in NZ dollars, $A1 = $NZ1.09) Source link #posts #billion #budget #deficit #path #surplus Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Chain’s first Idaho restaurant closes in Boise Chain’s first Idaho restaurant closes in Boise A Boise chain restaurant that shuttered temporarily at the start of 2025 has served its final late-night burrito. Del Taco, 1306 S. Broadway Ave., has closed. The street sign now reads, “Thanks for 20 years” on one side and “See you at Vista I-84” on the other. The Del Taco logos on the building have been removed. A familiar sight near Boise State, Del Taco went dark in late January after a fire. It then reopened in February. That Del Taco location was the first in the state of Idaho, its general manager told the Idaho Statesman at the time. Boiseans craving an Epic Burrito still have plenty of options. Del Taco restaurants continue to operate in Boise — including at 3205 S. Vista Ave., the store mentioned on the marquee — plus in Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell and Kuna, according to the chain’s website. Del Taco signs have been pulled off the building’s exterior, and chairs have been removed inside. Source link #Chains #Idaho #restaurant #closes #Boise Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Arkham Knight Photorealistic Graphics Mod Makes Unreal Engine 5 Remake Useless Arkham Knight Photorealistic Graphics Mod Makes Unreal Engine 5 Remake Useless If you ever wanted to become the world’s greatest detective and beat up thugs while bringing justice to the fellow citizens of Gotham City, then you’re in the right place because the Batman: Arkham franchise brings you that exact experience on a silver platter. While all the games in the series are masterpieces, Batman: Arkham Knight has a special place in our hearts. Batman: Arkham Knight is the most realistic-looking Batman game in the entire and the visuals, the gameplay, and the characters just make you feel like you’re the one soaring through the skies and taking down super villains. Even though it’s been almost a decade since the game was released, fans are still unearthing its magic and making mods of it. Let’s delve deeper into one such mod, whose photorealistic graphics can make any Unreal Engine 5 Arkham remake obsolete. Batman: Arkham Knight is already a beautiful game Batman: Arkham Knight is a third-person superhero adventure game that was released back in June of 2015. The game made by Rocksteady Studios was the fourth installment in the Arkhamverse and is a direct sequel to Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham City from 2011. Although the game received massive criticism for technical issues and its sub-par story, what truly makes this game a work of art is the graphics. Arkham Knight’s visuals were so good, it looked like the game was out of this world. From the reflections of the neon lights to the misty streets of Gotham, the title looked so good that even newer games could not compare (ahem, Gotham Knights, ahem). But the Arkham community was not happy with that, so a modder by the name of AdamJensen2029 released a mod on Nexusmods titled “Realistic Visual Batman Arkham Knight”. The mod was released back on February 14th of last year, and it has more than 20,000 views and more than a thousand unique downloads. The mode literally makes the game feel more realistic by improving the shadows and lighting in the game. Apart from that, the mod also color grades the game to make it look more pleasant and authentic. The mod can be downloaded from this link right here. Just download the required files, follow all the instructions, and ta-da! Your Arkham Knight is now color graded and photo realistic. Don’t forget to donate to the creator. A remake might not be necessary if we get a few more mods like this The game looks much more true to life with the mod | Image Credits: AdamJensen2029 Batman: Arkham Knight is not just a game; it’s an experience that continues to resonate with fans even after almost ten years since its release. This is an exceptional feat achieved by Rocksteady, considering in this era, new video game titles just come and go every month. The developers gave us a Gotham that felt alive and dangerous, yet hauntingly beautiful at the same time. Now, with the help of passionate fans, we are seeing the game in a whole new light, literally. The mod does not just make the game look better, but it makes it feel more lively in a way that resonates with the audience. The refined lighting and balanced colors give Gotham a remake we never knew we needed. The mod is a living example of how far someone’s love can go for a single-player adventure game, and they turned it into their shared passion project. It’s a reminder of how stunning the game was and still is, and who knows? Maybe with a few more mods like this, we might not even need a next-gen remaster at all. Source link #Arkham #Knight #Photorealistic #Graphics #Mod #Unreal #Engine #Remake #Useless Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Israeli Embassy staffers shot dead outside D.C.’s Capital Jewish Museum Israeli Embassy staffers shot dead outside D.C.’s Capital Jewish Museum The flag of Israel is projected onto 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain, October 8, 2023. Clodagh Kilcoyne | Reuters Two staff members of Israel’s Embassy in Washington, D.C., were shot dead outside the district’s Capital Jewish Museum, officials said, in what Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations called a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism.” Four senior law enforcement officials briefed on the shooting told NBC News a man opened fire, hitting a man and woman. The man shouted, “Free Palestine” while he was being arrested, three senior law enforcement officials said. His identity has not yet been released by authorities. The gunfire erupted as the museum was hosting an event, Danny Danon, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, said on X. “Harming the Jewish community is crossing a red line,” he said. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X that she was at the scene. She offered prayers to the victims. “We will bring this depraved perpetrator to justice,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on X. The shooting was reported in the area of 3rd and F streets, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department said on X. The museum, located feet from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington field office, is dedicated to exploring the Jewish experience in the area, according to its website. A heavy law enforcement presence, including from the U.S. Capitol Police, was seen in the area, video from NBC Washington showed. Source link #Israeli #Embassy #staffers #shot #dead #D.C.s #Capital #Jewish #Museum Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump confronts South African leader with baseless claims of the systematic killing of white farmers – AP News Trump confronts South African leader with baseless claims of the systematic killing of white farmers – AP News Trump confronts South African leader with baseless claims of the systematic killing of white farmers AP NewsTrump ambushes South Africa’s president with false claims of ‘white genocide’ NPRFrom Zelenskyy to Ramaphosa: How Trump has turned Oval office into an ambush office Times of IndiaTrump’s ‘opposite of apartheid’ crusade contrasts with Reagan’s approach CNNFact-checking Trump’s claims of white farmer ‘genocide’ in South Africa PBS Source link #Trump #confronts #South #African #leader #baseless #claims #systematic #killing #white #farmers #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AFL giant Walls gives message from beyond the grave AFL giant Walls gives message from beyond the grave A decorated player, a ruthless coach and an insightful media performer, Robert Walls has been remembered as a “big softie” around his family. Source link #AFL #giant #Walls #message #grave Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Downtown Gainesville shooting stemmed from altercation at high school prom party Downtown Gainesville shooting stemmed from altercation at high school prom party Gainesville Police Department detectives are continuing to investigate a downtown shooting on May 18 that left one person injured. GPD believes the shooting, which occurred at about 12:45 a.m. in the area of Southwest First Avenue and Southwest First Street, stemmed from a physical altercation at a high school prom afterparty. One juvenile male was shot, according to GPD, and transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A person of interest is shown in a May 18 shooting in downtown Gainesville. GPD is asking for the public’s help in identifying persons of interest in the case. Surveillance video shows two unidentified persons running away from the shooting near The Bull, a bar at 18 SW First Ave. One is a white male with blond hair in a bun wearing a dark-colored shirt with shorts and dark-colored shoes. The other is a white male seen wearing a “purple-ish” shirt and a baseball hat. Anyone with information is asked to call GPD Detective Bernal at 352-393-7729 or email *****@*****.tld. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 352-372-7867 or visit www.stopcrime.tv. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: After-prom party leads to shooting in downtown Gainesville on May 18 Source link #Downtown #Gainesville #shooting #stemmed #altercation #high #school #prom #party Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fan-Made Marvel Rivals Invisible Woman Peach Momoko Skin Looks Gorgeous Fan-Made Marvel Rivals Invisible Woman Peach Momoko Skin Looks Gorgeous Without a doubt, Marvel Rivals does a great job of exploring the vast Marvel Universe with different skins and items. With the release of Marvel Rivals Season 1: Eternal Night Falls on January 10th, Susan Storm, the Invisible Woman, was added to the game, and since then, NetEase Games has released various skins for the character. Fans of the game recently suggested one more skin for the character, which will certainly introduce many fans to the legendary comic book artist Peach Momoko. Momoko beautifully combines the Marvel Universe with Japanese folktales, resulting in some unique and exciting skins. Fans have suggested that Momoko’s version of the Invisible Woman must be added to the game. This fan-made Invisible Woman Peach Momoko skin would be a great addition to Marvel Rivals NetEase Games has been doing a great job of giving players some unique skins in Marvel Rivals, but it seems like that’s not enough. A fan on the r/marvelrivals subreddit has reimagined the Invisible Woman in a Peach Momoko skin. The post has garnered over 1,300 upvotes, which proves that players would like to see in this game. The skin is inspired by the version of Invisible Woman created by comic book artist Peach Momoko in the Ultimate X-Men comic book series. Momoko calls her work Momoko-verse as it reimagines Marvel superheroes within the framework of Japanese folktales. In 2024, Momoko won the Eisner Award for Best Cover Artist for a cover in a series, ****** Wars: Scarlet Sin, and for various alternate covers of other Marvel works. Clearly, Momoko has a lot of fans around the world, so now is probably the best time to introduce the Invisible Woman skin designed by her. There is a possibility that players get to see more of Momoko’s work in the game as the Yatsukahagi skin for Peni Parker and a skin for Punisher called Dangan Ronin, both designed by Momoko, were added to the game recently. Is NetEase Games focusing more on skins? There is hope that the season 2.5 update and addition of Ultron would increase Marvel Rivals‘ active player count (Image via NetEase Games) NetEase has given fans many new skins since the game’s release, but it appears that its focus is more on skins rather than making the game better. Now, some would say that it’s too soon to criticise the studio for not adding some new features, but NetEase doesn’t really have a lot of time. The game’s active player is slowly going down. As per Steamcharts.com, Marvel Rivals had an average player count of roughly 306,065 in January 2025, but that number fell to roughly 134,118 in April 2025, which is roughly a 56% drop in its average player count. New updates, skins, or heroes are just not enough to attract the players, as this number is just dropping constantly. The game lacks a role ****** system and even has some technical issues that need immediate attention from the studio. At this rate, the game could lose a major chunk of its fan base by the end of this year. Source link #FanMade #Marvel #Rivals #Invisible #Woman #Peach #Momoko #Skin #Gorgeous Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

2 shot dead outside Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. – CBS News 2 shot dead outside Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. – CBS News 2 shot dead outside Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. CBS NewsIndividuals connected to Israeli Embassy shot in DC, sources says CNN2 Israeli embassy staff members killed near Jewish museum in DC, Noem says USA TodayMan, woman shot and killed in Northwest DC NBC4 WashingtonTwo Israeli diplomats shot, killed during event at Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC Fox News Source link #shot #dead #Capital #Jewish #Museum #Washington #D.C #CBS #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Extra ******* screening could help pick up early cases in dense breasts Extra ******* screening could help pick up early cases in dense breasts Dense breast tissue and tumours appear similar on scans, which can make the latter hard to identify Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock If you have dense breast tissue, you could benefit from an extra round of ******* screening, according to a large trial that found this caught tumours that were missed in standard mammograms. The ***’s health services offer mammograms, a form of X-ray scan, between the ages of 50 and 71 in order to screen for breast *******. These look for white growths that are indicative of *******. But about half of women in this age group have dense breasts, meaning they have a high proportion of fibrous and glandular tissue, which also shows up as white on the scans. This can make tumours harder to spot in these individuals. “The problem with dense breasts is we see cancers too late, then they are too big and this leads to an unfavourable prognosis,” says Thomas Helbich at the Medical University of Vienna in Austria, who wasn’t involved in the trial. To see if additional screening could address this, Sarah Vinnicombe at the University of Dundee, ***, and her colleagues recruited more than 6000 women aged 50 to 70 from across the *** who had dense breasts and whose mammograms came back clear in their most recent screening. The researchers randomly split the participants into three groups that received additional screening in the form of either an MRI, an ultrasound or an advanced form of X-ray scan called contrast-enhanced mammography. The extra screening collectively detected 85 small tumours, with MRI and contrast-enhanced mammography detecting three times more tumours than ultrasound. Twelve of these tumours were contained within milk ducts and so were unlikely to spread beyond the breast. But the remaining 73 tumours were invasive, when ******* cells have grown through the lining of the ducts into the surrounding breast tissue and then have greater potential to spread further. “It’s very important to find these cancers; usually they are growing and if you detect them three, four years later, they are going to be ******* in size,” says Helbich. “As some will be aggressive, I’m pretty sure that supplemental screening would save lives.” But we don’t know if this would definitely be the case. For instance, a 2021 trial of ovarian ******* screening led to a reduced incidence of the condition, but didn’t translate into lives being saved. It is also possible that some of the detected tumours are non-cancerous or unlikely to spread. If this is the case, supplemental screening could lead to unnecessary worry or treatment. The team plans to continuing tracking the participants to help gauge if extra screening helps saves lives and if that could justify the cost of rolling it out, says Vinnicombe. Topics: Source link #Extra #******* #screening #pick #early #cases #dense #breasts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Two Israeli embassy staff members killed in US shooting Two Israeli embassy staff members killed in US shooting Two Israeli embassy staff members have been killed in a shooting near a Jewish museum in Washington DC, the US homeland security secretary says. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the deaths in a post on the social media platform X after the shooting outside the Capital Jewish Museum, which is steps away from the FBI’s field office in the US city. Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was at the scene with former judge Jeanine Pirro, who serves as the US attorney in Washington. Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, called the shooting a “depraved act of anti-Semitic terrorism”. Police offered no details late on Wednesday night, US time, on a potential motive for the shooting. A news conference was expected later. “We are confident that the US authorities will take strong action against those responsible for this criminal act,” Danon said in a post on X. “Israel will continue to act resolutely to protect its citizens and representatives — everywhere in the world.” Source link #Israeli #embassy #staff #members #killed #shooting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]