Pelican Press

Trump’s new MAGA accounts are getting a thumbs down from financial experts Trump’s new MAGA accounts are getting a thumbs down from financial experts Pretty soon, every newborn American could be the proud owner of their very own “MAGA account.” Such is the plan under a proposal buried deep inside the Republican party’s “one big beautiful bill,” which is currently working its way through a slight impasse in the House. The legislation contains a pilot program that would automatically create a new, tax-advantaged investment account prefunded with $1,000 for each child born from the beginning of 2025 through the end of 2028. MAGA, in this instance, technically stands for “money account for growth and advancement” — though it’s also obviously meant as a tribute to President Trump’s most famous catchphrase. Whether you love or hate the Trumpy branding, the idea’s backers say it’s a way to get all kids into saving and investing early in life, while helping them save for goals like college or a home. But financial advisers who spoke with Yahoo Finance warned that, aside from the free seed money, the benefits the accounts offer are relatively paltry compared to other tax-shielded savings options Americans already have available, including the 529 accounts parents use to put away money for college. The new MAGA accounts also come tied up with a fairly complex and potentially confusing set of rules. As a result, putting any money into them beyond what the government offers might not make sense for most families, they said. “It’s not very attractive,” Ann Reilley, CEO of Alpha Financial Advisors, said of the program. “It just seems like they’re complicating things for no reason.” Under the proposal, parents will have the option to open MAGA accounts for any child under the age of 8 at a bank of their choice, but only newborns will receive the free $1,000. In cases where parents fail to set up an account for their baby, the government will create one automatically and notify them. From there, contributions to the accounts will be capped at $5,000 per year, with a limited exception for gifts from local charities. The money can grow tax-free until it’s withdrawn but must be invested in a broad stock index. That’s about it for the tax advantages. Once cashed out, investment returns will be taxed as long-term capital gains — but only if the funds are used for one of a few approved purposes. Those include paying for higher education or other job training expenses, starting a small business, or making a down payment on a first home. Money spent on anything else will be treated as ordinary income. Overall, it’s a less generous deal than putting money into a 529 account for higher education or Roth IRA for retirement, since both of those options allow investors to withdraw their money entirely tax-free. The MAGA account also comes with additional strings attached that could make it tricky to manage. Children can begin taking out their savings once they turn 18, but can’t use more than half before age 25. Then at 31, all the cash is automatically disbursed. Story Continues Read more: How much should I save before going to college? The MAGA account could theoretically be useful for families who are already comfortable with their retirement savings and whose children don’t plan to pursue college, since the money can be used for other purposes like homebuying without a penalty. But even then, there might be pitfalls. For instance: Say a child ends up spending the money on anything other than education, a business, or a house and gets hit with the higher ordinary income rate. In that case, their family would have been better off investing in a normal brokerage account, said Zach Teutsch, a managing partner at Values Added Financial. “The giving kids money aspect is generally good,” Teutsch said. “The account structure seems ill-considered.” He added that a family would need to be “shockingly sure” that their child wasn’t going to college before it would make sense to invest in a MAGA account instead of a 529. The concept of providing every child a small, prefunded investment account isn’t new in Washington. Progressives have long-pitched a version of the idea known as “baby bonds,” which they’ve argued could help close the racial wealth gap. Among Republicans, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is credited for originating the MAGA account proposal — he called them Invest In America Accounts — which he has described as a way to help hook kids on investing and broader capitalist values. “There are many Americans who don’t own stocks or bonds, are not invested in the market, and may not feel particularly invested in the American free enterprise system. This will give everyone a stake,” Cruz told Semafor last week. The experiment is not especially expensive in the scheme of the GOP’s massive tax package: MAGA accounts will cost the government about $17 billion over 10 years, according to Congress’s Joint Committee on Taxation. But Republicans appear to have kept costs down in large part by loading the proposal with restrictions that limit the value of the program, said Alan Cole, a senior economist at the Tax Foundation. “It’s like, thank you government for the free money, but I care about the usefulness,” Cole said. “And realistically, this is the sixth or seventh best tax-free savings account option.” Jordan Weissmann is a Senior Reporter at Yahoo Finance. Sign up for the Mind Your Money newsletter Click here for the latest personal finance news to help you with investing, paying off debt, buying a home, retirement, and more Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Source link #Trumps #MAGA #accounts #thumbs #financial #experts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump rolls out ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense system plan Trump rolls out ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense system plan U.S. President Donald Trump makes an announcement regarding the Golden Dome missile defense shield next to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 20, 2025. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters President Donald Trump rolled out plans for a multibillion dollar ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense shield system Tuesday, and said that he anticipated it could be operational in roughly three years. “Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space, and we will have the best system ever built,” Trump said in the Oval Office alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. “We have officially selected an architecture for this state-of-the-art system that will deploy next generation technologies across the land, sea and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors,” said the president. U.S. Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, the vice chief of space operations, will oversee the massive undertaking. Trump estimated that the project will cost roughly $175 billion, and said an initial $25 billion has already been carved out in next year’s defense funding package. Read more CNBC politics coverage Trump hailed the endeavor as “very important for the success and even survival of our country.” “It’s an evil world out there,” he said. Trump also said that Canada has “called” and wants “to be a part of it.” For months, the president has said that he wants to create a missile defense shield system for the United States that is akin to Israel’s Iron Dome. Speaking before Congress in March, Trump urged Congress “to fund a state-of-the-art Golden Dome shield to protect our homeland.” He also signed an executive order in January, days after taking office, ordering the creation of “The Iron Dome of America.” While Trump remains optimistic that the massive undertaking will be completed before he leaves office, analysts have raised doubts about whether a project of such scale can be created for the United States, a country more than 400 times larger than Israel. Source link #Trump #rolls #Golden #Dome #missile #defense #system #plan Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Exotic dancer 'The Punisher' on how he found out Diddy's identity – BBC Exotic dancer 'The Punisher' on how he found out Diddy's identity – BBC Exotic dancer ‘The Punisher’ on how he found out Diddy’s identity BBCSean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial takeaways: Cassie Ventura’s mother, a former assistant and a male ******* named ‘the Punisher’ testify in sex trafficking case YahooCassie Ventura’s mom and exotic dancer nicknamed ‘The Punisher’ take the stand in Diddy’s trial NBC NewsMay 20, 2025 – Day 7 of testimony in the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial CNNExotic Dancer Testifies He Was Paid to Do Something for Diddy at Trump Tower — with One Unusual Request People.com Source link #Exotic #dancer #039The #Punisher039 #Diddy039s #identity #BBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How the US military wants to use the world’s largest aircraft How the US military wants to use the world’s largest aircraft An illustration shows how the WindRunner aircraft will be able to carry smaller planes as cargo Windrunner / Radia The US military is exploring uses for a proposed aircraft that will be the largest plane ever built – even though the flyer is primarily designed to carry giant wind turbine blades. The WindRunner, currently under development by the company Radia in Colorado, is planned to have an 80-metre wingspan and a 108-metre length. That’s roughly the dimensions of a FIFA-regulation football field, giving the aircraft about 12… Source link #military #worlds #largest #aircraft Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump’s tariffs creating ‘tensions’ among G7 ahead of summit: Champagne Trump’s tariffs creating ‘tensions’ among G7 ahead of summit: Champagne The growing impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs is creating “tensions” among members of the G7 heading into a critical summit in Canada next month, the federal finance minister says. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem are chairing three days of meetings with top finance officials from the world’s largest economies in Banff, Alta., this week. The talks are expected to focus on the war in Ukraine and artificial intelligence, and how the G7 members can work together to grow the global economy. However, Trump’s aggressive trade policies are likely to dominate the proceedings, and could even impact what members can feasibly agree to. “There’s no doubt that around the table, you need to find unity, but at the same time, it’s true that the tariffs are creating tensions amongst the different partners,” Champagne told Global News in an interview from Calgary on Tuesday. Story continues below advertisement “Everyone understands that the fiscal capacity of countries is more constrained coming out of COVID. We have big things to do with respect to defence, with respect to infrastructure, with respect to housing.” He continued: “So my mission as the chair is really to make sure that we can work together, remove the uncertainty that we’re seeing, the instability we’ve seen in the market, and focus on growth measures that are going to be beneficial for all of us.” Other G7 finance officials have expressed their intention to resolve trade disputes with the U.S. as quickly as possible ahead of this week’s meetings. “Tariffs and uncertainties are a burden on our economy and therefore also on job security,” ******* Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said in Berlin on Tuesday before leaving for Canada. 2:18 Banff prepares to host world media and potential demonstrators ahead of G7 Summit Champagne said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be representing the Trump administration at the Banff summit. Story continues below advertisement He would not say if he and other G7 finance officials will be urging Bessent to lift Trump’s tariffs during the talks — which Bessent and other administration officials have said is not something they are considering, although they say countries can negotiate lower tariffs through new trade deals. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. A U.S. Treasury spokesperson said Bessent will push the other G7 countries to address imbalances and non-market practices, including in their own economies, and counteract China’s state-driven economic model. “The G7 must work together to protect our workers and firms from China’s unfair practices,” the spokesperson added. Pressed by reporters at a press conference later on Tuesday, Champagne acknowledged officials will be be discussing “the issues that are front and centre” but will be seeking a united front on the challenges facing the world. “I look very much look forward to the contribution of Secretary Bessent,” he said. “All the colleagues are very eager to meet with him and to really have a chance to discuss frankly, openly, how we can work together.” This week’s gathering will be a precursor to the G7 Leaders’ Summit that will happen in Kananaskis, Alta., from June 15 to 17, which will see Trump join Prime Minister Mark Carney and leaders from Japan and Europe for high-level talks. Ottawa, Alberta working together on energy, Champagne says Champagne told Global News he met with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Calgary earlier Tuesday, where the two discussed the federal government’s commitment to expanding energy production and projects in Canada. Story continues below advertisement The minister said hosting the G7 talks in Alberta will showcase the potential for the province, and Canada as a whole, to supply oil and gas and other natural resources to the rest of the world. That’s a message he also shared with Smith, he added. “This morning was all about opportunities, making sure that we see how can we seize this moment that we have ahead of us and be ambitious and build the Canada of the future together,” Champagne said. “There’s a lot of projects that we need to bring oil to market. We’ve been looking at different things together and she knows that we’re keen to work together, and that we are stronger together.” 1:33 As global oil prices plunge, Alberta’s energy sector prepares Champagne said he also met with Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko before heading to Banff, where Marchenko is also set to participate in some of the talks. Story continues below advertisement The ministers discussed ways to work on Ukraine’s reconstruction as well as ways Canada can help Ukraine economically, Champagne said. “There’s a moral imperative to help our Ukrainian friends who have fought for democracy,” he said. “But at the same time, there is a lot that Canada can offer when it comes to energy, when it come to oil and gas, when it’s comes to infrastructure, when it comes to housing.” In Italy last year, leaders committed to keeping Russian assets frozen and redirecting them to provide Ukraine with financial support. Since Trump returned to power last January, however, he has threatened to withhold funding from Ukraine and forced it to sign a critical minerals agreement in exchange for continued support against Russia’s aggression. The EU and Britain announced new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday without waiting for Washington to join them, a day after Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin brought about neither a ceasefire in Ukraine nor fresh U.S. sanctions. —with files from the ********* Press and Reuters More on Canada More videos &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Trumps #tariffs #creating #tensions #among #ahead #summit #Champagne Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Kevin de Bruyne: Man City ‘genius’ bids farewell at Etihad Stadium Kevin de Bruyne: Man City ‘genius’ bids farewell at Etihad Stadium On a night when ‘The Boss’ rolled into town, ‘The King’ waved goodbye for the final time. De Bruyne’s face was plastered everywhere you looked on arrival at the stadium and although legendary US singer Bruce Springsteen may have been playing a few yards away at the Co-Op Live arena, this was the hottest ticket of the day. Merchandise stalls had scarves emblazoned with De Bruyne’s name, as did the shirts of supporters, while the matchday programme has a mock-up of the player with the crown from the Premier League trophy atop his head. City had announced in the lead-up to kick-off that they had dedicated a mosaic and named a road after De Bruyne at the club’s academy. It was also fitting that a playmaker that has created such artistry on the grass canvass has had a huge mural painted of him in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Once chants of “ohh Kevin De Bruyne” to Seven Nations Army died down, there was a buzz of anticipation each time he had his foot on the ball, willing him to showcase a goal or assist for one last time on their turf. The big moment could not have been planned any better – the ball laid to him on a plate, in front of an open goal, a couple of yards out, but De Bruyne in slow motion scooped the ball onto the bar. The 33-year-old had his head in his hands, so did the returning Rodri on the bench and City fans all around as the dream finale went awry. “It’s terrible,” De Bruyne said of the miss. “There’s no excuses. My son is going to be very tough on me today.” At full-time, a montage of his best moments over the past decade flashed up on the screen with messages from the likes of Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Pablo Zabaleta. De Bruyne was given a guard of honour as he returned to the pitch with his wife and kids by his side. Then came the outpouring of emotion. The former Chelsea man struggled to hold it together during his speech in the middle of the park, as did a tearful Guardiola watching on from the sidelines. “We want you to stay, Kevin de Bruyne, we want you to stay,” was the chant that rung out from supporters but there appears to be no turning back, as he led his team-mates on a lap of appreciation before making an exit for one last time. Former City defender Micah Richards said: “He lets his football do the talking. He’s such a shy character but I have been meeting him over the years and seeing how humble he is and how great a player he is, it is just great to see. “He has deserved his send-off. Everyone who’s played with him speaks highly of him, and to do what he’s one in the Premier League is just sensational.” Source link #Kevin #Bruyne #Man #City #genius #bids #farewell #Etihad #Stadium Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Blades of Fire Review – IGN Blades of Fire Review – IGN IGN – “This blacksmithing action RPG doesnt forge a sharp enough edge.” Source link #Blades #Fire #Review #IGN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump rolls out ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense system plan Trump rolls out ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense system plan U.S. President Donald Trump makes an announcement regarding the Golden Dome missile defense shield next to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 20, 2025. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters President Donald Trump rolled out plans for a multibillion dollar ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense shield system Tuesday, and said that he anticipated it could be operational in roughly three years. “Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space, and we will have the best system ever built,” Trump said in the Oval Office alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. “We have officially selected an architecture for this state-of-the-art system that will deploy next generation technologies across the land, sea and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors,” said the president. U.S. Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein, the vice chief of space operations, will oversee the massive undertaking. Trump estimated that the project will cost roughly $175 billion, and said an initial $25 billion has already been carved out in next year’s defense funding package. Read more CNBC politics coverage Trump hailed the endeavor as “very important for the success and even survival of our country.” “It’s an evil world out there,” he said. Trump also said that Canada has “called” and wants “to be a part of it.” For months, the president has said that he wants to create a missile defense shield system for the United States that is akin to Israel’s Iron Dome. Speaking before Congress in March, Trump urged Congress “to fund a state-of-the-art Golden Dome shield to protect our homeland.” He also signed an executive order in January, days after taking office, ordering the creation of “The Iron Dome of America.” While Trump remains optimistic that the massive undertaking will be completed before he leaves office, analysts have raised doubts about whether a project of such scale can be created for the United States, a country more than 400 times larger than Israel. Source link #Trump #rolls #Golden #Dome #missile #defense #system #plan Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump’s tariffs creating ‘tensions’ among G7 ahead of summit: Champagne Trump’s tariffs creating ‘tensions’ among G7 ahead of summit: Champagne The growing impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs is creating “tensions” among members of the G7 heading into a critical summit in Canada next month, the federal finance minister says. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem are chairing three days of meetings with top finance officials from the world’s largest economies in Banff, Alta., this week. The talks are expected to focus on the war in Ukraine and artificial intelligence, and how the G7 members can work together to grow the global economy. However, Trump’s aggressive trade policies are likely to dominate the proceedings, and could even impact what members can feasibly agree to. “There’s no doubt that around the table, you need to find unity, but at the same time, it’s true that the tariffs are creating tensions amongst the different partners,” Champagne told Global News in an interview from Calgary on Tuesday. Story continues below advertisement “Everyone understands that the fiscal capacity of countries is more constrained coming out of COVID. We have big things to do with respect to defence, with respect to infrastructure, with respect to housing.” He continued: “So my mission as the chair is really to make sure that we can work together, remove the uncertainty that we’re seeing, the instability we’ve seen in the market, and focus on growth measures that are going to be beneficial for all of us.” Other G7 finance officials have expressed their intention to resolve trade disputes with the U.S. as quickly as possible ahead of this week’s meetings. “Tariffs and uncertainties are a burden on our economy and therefore also on job security,” ******* Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said in Berlin on Tuesday before leaving for Canada. 2:18 Banff prepares to host world media and potential demonstrators ahead of G7 Summit Champagne said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be representing the Trump administration at the Banff summit. Story continues below advertisement He would not say if he and other G7 finance officials will be urging Bessent to lift Trump’s tariffs during the talks — which Bessent and other administration officials have said is not something they are considering, although they say countries can negotiate lower tariffs through new trade deals. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. A U.S. Treasury spokesperson said Bessent will push the other G7 countries to address imbalances and non-market practices, including in their own economies, and counteract China’s state-driven economic model. “The G7 must work together to protect our workers and firms from China’s unfair practices,” the spokesperson added. Pressed by reporters at a press conference later on Tuesday, Champagne acknowledged officials will be be discussing “the issues that are front and centre” but will be seeking a united front on the challenges facing the world. “I look very much look forward to the contribution of Secretary Bessent,” he said. “All the colleagues are very eager to meet with him and to really have a chance to discuss frankly, openly, how we can work together.” This week’s gathering will be a precursor to the G7 Leaders’ Summit that will happen in Kananaskis, Alta., from June 15 to 17, which will see Trump join Prime Minister Mark Carney and leaders from Japan and Europe for high-level talks. Ottawa, Alberta working together on energy, Champagne says Champagne told Global News he met with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in Calgary earlier Tuesday, where the two discussed the federal government’s commitment to expanding energy production and projects in Canada. Story continues below advertisement The minister said hosting the G7 talks in Alberta will showcase the potential for the province, and Canada as a whole, to supply oil and gas and other natural resources to the rest of the world. That’s a message he also shared with Smith, he added. “This morning was all about opportunities, making sure that we see how can we seize this moment that we have ahead of us and be ambitious and build the Canada of the future together,” Champagne said. “There’s a lot of projects that we need to bring oil to market. We’ve been looking at different things together and she knows that we’re keen to work together, and that we are stronger together.” 1:33 As global oil prices plunge, Alberta’s energy sector prepares Champagne said he also met with Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko before heading to Banff, where Marchenko is also set to participate in some of the talks. Story continues below advertisement The ministers discussed ways to work on Ukraine’s reconstruction as well as ways Canada can help Ukraine economically, Champagne said. “There’s a moral imperative to help our Ukrainian friends who have fought for democracy,” he said. “But at the same time, there is a lot that Canada can offer when it comes to energy, when it come to oil and gas, when it’s comes to infrastructure, when it comes to housing.” In Italy last year, leaders committed to keeping Russian assets frozen and redirecting them to provide Ukraine with financial support. Since Trump returned to power last January, however, he has threatened to withhold funding from Ukraine and forced it to sign a critical minerals agreement in exchange for continued support against Russia’s aggression. The EU and Britain announced new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday without waiting for Washington to join them, a day after Trump’s phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin brought about neither a ceasefire in Ukraine nor fresh U.S. sanctions. —with files from the ********* Press and Reuters More on Canada More videos &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Trumps #tariffs #creating #tensions #among #ahead #summit #Champagne Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

More Gaza strikes as global criticism of Israel grows More Gaza strikes as global criticism of Israel grows Israeli forces have killed at least 55 Palestinians in airstrikes in Gaza, continuing to bombard the enclave despite mounting international pressure to halt military operations and allow unimpeded deliveries of aid. Britain announced it was suspending trade talks with Israel and summoning its ambassador over “egregious policies” in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, while European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas asked for a review of the EU-Israel trade deal, according to Dutch news agency ANP. The war, now in its 20th month, has left Gaza in ruins and its population facing a worsening hunger crisis. It has strained Israel’s relations with much of the world and those with its closest ally, the United States, now appear to be wavering. The United Nations said no humanitarian aid had been distributed yet in Gaza, although Israel eased its 11-week-old blockade on Monday. Israel’s military said 93 UN aid trucks entered Gaza on Tuesday via Kerem Shalom “after a thorough security inspection”. Indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and ****** militants in Qatar appeared to falter again, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying he had decided to bring back the senior negotiating team from Doha for consultations. ****** accused Netanyahu of entering the talks in bad faith, pretending to participate in a bid to mislead global public opinion. “No real negotiations have taken place since last Saturday,” the ************ Islamist group said in a statement. Israel conducted further airstrikes on Tuesday across the densely populated enclave and medics said the sites hit included two homes where children were among the 18 dead, and a school housing displaced families. Israel’s military, which on Monday warned those in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis to evacuate to the coast as it prepared for an “unprecedented attack”, had no comment. Israel says ****** uses civilian buildings for cover; ****** denies this. Israeli strikes have killed more than 500 people in the past nine days as the military campaign has intensified, Gaza medics say. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told parliament he, along with the leaders of France and Canada, was “horrified” by Israel’s military escalation, repeating calls for a ceasefire. The three nations had warned on Monday of “concrete actions” against Israel if it did not stop military operations in Gaza and lift restrictions on aid. The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday said it agreed with Israel to allow delivery of urgent humanitarian aid from the Gulf country to Gaza, the state news agency WAM reported. International pressure on Israel has mounted in recent days as Netanyahu’s government launched a renewed military offensive in Gaza. The agreement was reached in a phone call between UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar. According to WAM, the aid will initially cater to the food needs of around 15,000 civilians in Gaza. It will also include essential supplies for bakeries and critical items for infant care. Israel’s ground and air offensive has displaced nearly all Gaza’s 2.3 million residents and killed more than 53,000, according to Gaza health authorities. The campaign began after ******-led militants attacked Israeli communities near Gaza’s border in October 2023, killing about 1200 people and seizing 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Source link #Gaza #strikes #global #criticism #Israel #grows Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Crypto billionaire Justin Sun says he’s the biggest owner of Trump’s meme coin, will attend dinner with president Crypto billionaire Justin Sun says he’s the biggest owner of Trump’s meme coin, will attend dinner with president The largest holder of President Trump’s cryptocurrency token is entrepreneur Justin Sun, the billionaire revealed Tuesday — earning him an invite to a controversial dinner this week hosted by Mr. Trump for his meme coin’s biggest backers. Sun announced he will attend Thursday evening’s dinner at Mr. Trump’s D.C.-area golf club — which is open to the 220 largest holders of the $TRUMP meme coin — in a post on X, describing himself as the president’s “TOP fan.” “As the top holder of $TRUMP, I’m excited to connect with everyone, talk crypto, and discuss the future of our industry,” wrote Sun, who founded the Tron blockchain and faced a securities lawsuit from Biden-era federal regulators. The meme coin’s website lists the largest holder of $TRUMP as somebody with the username “Sun” who owns about 1.4 million tokens — worth around $19 million at Tuesday’s trading price. In addition to the dinner for the top 220 holders of $TRUMP, the president is also hosting an “Exclusive Reception” at his club in Northern Virginia for the token’s top 25 holders. Sun did not immediately respond when asked by CBS News if he would attend the smaller reception. What is the $TRUMP meme coin — and why is it controversial? The meme coin was launched in January, days before Mr. Trump’s inauguration. An affiliate of the Trump organization and a firm called Fight Fight Fight LLC control 80% of the coin’s total supply. Meme coins are a type of cryptocurrency whose value is driven mostly by online buzz, especially on social media. They typically do not have intrinsic value and are not used for transactions. Like many meme coins, $TRUMP is known for erratic price shifts: Its price peaked at around $75 shortly after its launch, but plummeted to under $8 by early April. But late last month, the price surged after the dinner with Mr. Trump was announced. Buyers spent more than $140 million to buy the $TRUMP coins in hopes of securing an invitation to the event, according to data analytics firm Inca Digital. Mr. Trump previously vowed on social media to “make sure the U.S. is the Crypto Capital of the World.” The president and his two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, are backing the crypto exchange World Liberty Financial, and crypto makes up some $2.9 billion of Mr. Trump’s net worth according to a recent report. Eric Trump in January called the $TRUMP coin “the hottest digital meme on earth.” The $TRUMP private dinner marketing promotion — and the president’s links to World Liberty — have raised concerns among government watchdogs and Democratic lawmakers about potential conflicts of interest. The Senate on Monday advanced a bill, dubbed the GENIUS Act, that would regulate so-called stablecoins — a type of cryptocurrency linked to the value of an asset like the U.S. dollar or gold. The bill faced some pushback from Democrats who pushed for anti-corruption rules, often citing Mr. Trump’s crypto holdings. “How convenient: the day after the Senate advances the GENIUS Act, Justin Sun — a major investor in the Trump family crypto venture — announces he’s getting a private dinner as the President’s top crypto buyer,” Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee, said in a statement. The White House has dismissed criticism that Mr. Trump’s support for the crypto sector represents a conflict of interest, noting his assets are held in a trust managed by his children. “The President is working to secure GOOD deals for the American people, not for himself. President Trump only acts in the best interests of the American public – which is why they overwhelmingly re-elected him to this office, despite years of lies and false accusations against him and his businesses from the fake news media,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement Tuesday. Who is Justin Sun? Sun has a net worth of $8.5 billion, according to Forbes. He’s best known for the Tron blockchain — and for paying $6.2 million at auction for a banana that artist Maurizio Cattelan duct-taped to a wall, which Sun promptly ate as part of a “unique artistic experience.” Sun says his firm has also invested tens of millions in the Trump-linked World Liberty Financial. He was sued by the Biden-era Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly “fraudulently manipulating the secondary market” for a crypto token created by his company. The suit also accused his firm of paying celebrities like Lindsey Lohan and Jake Paul to promote the token “without disclosing their compensation.” Sun’s attorneys have pushed back on the suit. But earlier this year, the SEC and Sun agreed to pause the lawsuit to “explore a potential resolution.” The halt was part of a broader shift by the Trump administration to ease cryptocurrency enforcement. Joe Walsh Joe Walsh is a senior editor for digital politics at CBS News. Joe previously covered breaking news for Forbes and local news in Boston. Source link #Crypto #billionaire #Justin #Sun #hes #biggest #owner #Trumps #meme #coin #attend #dinner #president Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

EU countries adopt four sets of new Russia sanctions EU countries adopt four sets of new Russia sanctions (Refiles to amend client identifier slug) By Julia Payne BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The EU adopted four sets of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine on Tuesday, including a 17th package targeting Moscow’s shadow fleet, and measures related to chemical weapons, human rights and hybrid threats, the European Commission said on Tuesday. The EU and its Western allies have been progressively cracking down on Russia’s shadow fleet of tankers and related actors, which work to circumvent the Group of Seven nations (G7) price cap on Russian crude in place since late 2022. The cap was designed to allow Russian oil to be sold to third countries using Western insurance services provided the price was no more than $60 a barrel. However, the crackdown has started to bite and the EU will push for a lower price cap this week during a meeting of G7 finance ministers in Canada. Oil and gas exports are one of Russia’s main sources of revenue, which finance its war in Ukraine. The four new sets of measures will hit over 130 entities and individuals. As part of the 17th package, the EU will list 75 new entities including major Russian oil firm Surgutneftegaz, a shipping insurance company and four shadow fleet management firms involved in the UAE, Turkey and Hong Kong, EU sources said. EU diplomats briefly weighed imposing sanctions on the Dubai branch of Litasco, the trading arm of Russia’s No. 2 oil producer Lukoil, but it was deleted from the list owing to Hungarian opposition and a weak legal basis, EU sources said. However, they did list Litasco’s Dubai shipping arm Eiger Shipping DMCC. Another 189 vessels, of which 183 are oil tankers, have been added to the list, taking the total number of listed vessels to 324. The EU has been in dialogue with countries that provide tanker registrations in an effort to cut off Moscow’s use of so-called flags of convenience, referring to those registered to countries other than their actual owner. In the latest round, the flags used included African countries such as Sierra Leone, Gabon and Comoros, Caribbean and Pacific islands, India, Azerbaijan and the landlocked European state of San Marino, the sources added. The package also tightens measures around the ***** of dual-use items, which are products or technology that can be repurposed by Russia’s military, and lists entities which support Russia’s military industrial complex in China, Belarus and Israel. (Reporting by Julia Payne, Editing by William Maclean) Source link #countries #adopt #sets #Russia #sanctions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump unveils ambitious and expensive plans for 'Golden Dome' missile defense – NPR Trump unveils ambitious and expensive plans for 'Golden Dome' missile defense – NPR Trump unveils ambitious and expensive plans for ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense NPRTrump unveils plans for ‘Golden Dome’ defence system BBCSecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Statement on Golden Dome for America U.S. Department of Defense (.gov)Trump to unveil plans for ‘Golden Dome’ missile defense shield that could cost tens of billions ABC NewsTrump to announce $25B funding for Golden Dome project Politico Source link #Trump #unveils #ambitious #expensive #plans #039Golden #Dome039 #missile #defense #NPR Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

George Wendt, actor who played Norm on Cheers, dies at 76 George Wendt, actor who played Norm on Cheers, dies at 76 George Wendt, the actor best known for playing the beer-loving Norm Peterson on the long-running sitcom Cheers, has died. He was 76. Wendt earned six Emmy nominations for his role on the NBC comedy series. He starred in every episode from when the show first aired in 1982 to its final episode in its 11th season in 1993. Born on October 17, 1948 in Chicago, Wendt starred in a few television roles, including M*A*S*H, Taxi and Soap before his big break in Cheers. He also appeared in movies including Dreamscape (1984), House (1985), Fletch (1985), Gung Ho (1986), Plains Clothes (1987), Never Say Die (1988), Guilty by Suspicion (1991), Forever Young (1992) and Spice World (1997). The actor died peacefully in his sleep, his family confirmed. “George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him,” a representative for Wendt said in a statement. “He will be missed forever.” If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings. To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. More to come… Source link #George #Wendt #actor #played #Norm #Cheers #dies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

U.S. put Asian migrants on deportation flight to South Sudan, lawyers allege U.S. put Asian migrants on deportation flight to South Sudan, lawyers allege Immigration lawyers told a federal judge on Tuesday that they received information indicating the U.S. government may have put migrants from countries like Myanmar and Vietnam on a deportation flight to South Sudan, an eastern African nation plagued by conflict and political instability. In an emergency filing to the federal district court in Massachusetts, the attorneys said the reported deportation flight to South Sudan would directly violate an ruling issued by U.S. District Court Judge Brian Murphy that barred the Trump administration from deporting migrants to third countries without affording them certain due process rights. The lawyers said any migrant deported to South Sudan “faces a strong likelihood of irreparable harm,” citing reports documenting widespread violence, human rights violations and conflict in the landlocked African country, the world’s youngest nation. Soon after its independence in 2011, South Sudan endured a bloody civil war — and fears of a new conflict have recently surfaced. The U.S. State Department has a Level 4 travel advisory for South Sudan, warning Americans not to travel there due to “crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.” The emergency motion asked Murphy to prohibit deportations of third country deportees to South Sudan, and to order the return of those deported there, if the removals had already occurred. The U.S. government has not publicly confirmed an arrangement to deport migrants who are not from South Sudan to that country. Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Trump administration has been mounting an aggressive diplomatic campaign to convince nations around the world to accept migrants who are not their own citizens, approaching far-flung nations like Libya and Rwanda to take in third country deportees. It has already deported African and Asian migrants to Costa Rica and Panama, and Venezuelan deportees to El Salvador. Earlier this month, CBS News and other outlets reported the administration had made plans to send migrants to Libya, but that flight never materialized once those reports surfaced. In April, Murphy, the federal judge in Massachusetts, barred the government from deporting migrants to third countries, unless it first provided them and their lawyers notice of the destination and a chance to contest their deportation. In their filing on Tuesday, the group of immigration lawyers said the government appeared to have violated that order in the case of two migrants from Myanmar and Vietnam. Emails submitted by the lawyers show that an attorney for the man from Myanmar was sent a notice on Monday indicating that his client had been told he would be deported to South Africa. The attorney was then sent another email, indicating that his client was actually facing deportation to South Sudan, the emails show. On Tuesday morning, another lawyer helping the man from Myanmar emailed the immigration detention center in Los Fresnos, Texas, where he was being held, asking about his whereabouts. She was told her client had been deported in the morning. When she asked where, she received an email saying, “South Sudan.” The lawyers said they also received an email from a woman who said she believed her husband, a man from Vietnam, had been deported to South Sudan, alongside other migrant detainees held at the Los Fresnos detention facility. Camilo Montoya-Galvez Camilo Montoya-Galvez is the immigration reporter at CBS News. Based in Washington, he covers immigration policy and politics. Source link #U.S #put #Asian #migrants #deportation #flight #South #Sudan #lawyers #allege Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Video of the Nottoway Plantation fire sparks jubilation. It’s about anger and pain over slavery, too Video of the Nottoway Plantation fire sparks jubilation. It’s about anger and pain over slavery, too After a fire engulfed a mansion at Louisiana’s Nottoway Plantation, one of the largest remaining pre-Civil War houses in the Deep South where scores of enslaved Africans labored, video footage of the combusted landmark lit the internet ablaze with mass jubilation and consternation over the weekend. For some, it was a moment to celebrate what they saw as centuries-deferred vengeance for enslaved ancestors. There was no shortage of memes and humorous social media posts to ignite the celebrations: from video of the plantation’s burning mansion set to the R&B hit song “Let It Burn” by Usher to other footage with the volume of burning wood cranked all the way up to trigger a cozy autonomous sensory meridian response. “Went and watched (Nottoway Plantation) burn to the ground!” historian Mia Crawford-Johnson wrote in the Instagram caption of a grinning selfie taken Thursday across from the burned mansion near the banks the Mississippi River. For others, it was a moment of sadness. Nottoway Plantation has for years been a venue for weddings and other events celebrating cherished milestones. Not to mention, proof of the ingenuity and skill of the enslaved people held on the plantation has been reduced to ashes. Preservationists say the jubilant reactions to the charred mansion reflect the trauma and anger many people, especially ****** Americans, still carry over the history and legacy of chattel slavery in the United States. Antebellum era plantations were built under grueling conditions on the backs of enslaved people, and many are now sites of honor on the National Register of Historic Places. Some plantations try to ignore their past But some plantations also de-emphasize or overlook their full histories, foregoing mentions of slavery altogether. That is why the “good riddance” sentiment seemed to outweigh expressions of grief over Nottoway Plantation, which makes no mention of enslaved former inhabitants on its website. Many sites of enslavement in the U.S. have been repurposed as places that actively participate in the erasure of their history, said Ashley Rogers, executive director of the Whitney Plantation Museum, located 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of New Orleans. She said the burning of Nottoway is not actually part of the movement for preservation, since nothing was truly being done on the property to tell its full history. “It was a resort,” Rogers said. “I don’t know that it being there or not being there has anything to do with how we preserve the history of slavery. They already weren’t.” Joseph McGill, executive director of the Slave Dwelling Project, a nonprofit focused on helping the U.S. acknowledge its history with slavery, said the reaction from the ****** community about Nottoway burning represents years of complicated emotions related to plantations. But as a preservationist, McGill said it is unfortunate Nottoway burned down, even if it was failing at telling history. “I would like to see buildings preserved so that those buildings could tell the stories of all the people who inhabited those spaces,” McGill said. “We have been failing at that, but at least when the buildings are there the opportunity always exists to do the right thing.” Nottoway Plantation became a resort and event venue Before the fire, Nottoway was a resort and event venue, and its website described it as “the South’s largest remaining antebellum mansion.” Iberville Parish President Chris Daigle called the plantation “a cornerstone of our tourism economy and a site of national significance.” The sprawling property exists on a former sugar plantation owned by sugar baron John Hampden Randolph. Located about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northwest of New Orleans, the 53,000-square-foot (4,924-square-meter) mansion had a three-story rotunda adorned with giant white columns and hand-carved Italian marble fireplaces, according to a description on its website. A brochure advertises 40 overnight rooms, a honeymoon suite, a lounge, fitness center, outdoor pool and cabana, among other resort features. In 1860, 155 enslaved people were held at the property, National Park Service records show. After the blaze, which drew an emergency response from nearly a dozen fire departments from surrounding towns, the property’s owner said the fire had led to a “total loss” and that he hoped to rebuild the mansion. Rogers said it is unfortunate Nottoway’s mansion burned down, as it did serve as a testament to the “skill of enslaved craftspeople and free people of color who built it and who did a lot of the incredible design work that was inside of that building.” There are plenty of plantations, unlike Nottoway, that do not allow weddings or other celebratory events. For example, the Whitney, which documents slavery at a pre-Civil War plantation, draws tens of thousands of visitors annually and is known for centering the stories of enslaved people. The Nottoway fire has also restarted a public discourse over plantations. Rogers, the Whitney museum director, said this is not new discourse, but can feel like such because there are not many places where productive conversations can be had about slavery and how to tell its history. Racism and slavery dominate cultural debates How, where and when to talk about the history of U.S. racism and slavery has dominated political and cultural debates in recent years. An executive order issued in March by the Trump White House seeks to root out “divisive, race-centered ideology” in the Smithsonian Institution, which operates a broad range of cultural centers in Washington. Among the order’s targets is the National Museum of African American History and Culture, a popular Smithsonian attraction that chronicles chattel slavery, Jim Crow segregation and its lingering effects. Relatedly, plantations and other national historic sites with ties to civil rights have long been places where visitors and descendants of enslaved people go to learn about the past. But they are also places where visitors may encounter naysayers and deniers challenging the tour guide’s presentation about slavery. Rogers said there are plenty of others sites besides Nottoway accurately telling ****** history that need to be preserved. “I don’t think one plantation burning down is going to change how we talk about slavery in this country,” she said. “All it does is exposes wounds that are already there.” Source link #Video #Nottoway #Plantation #fire #sparks #jubilation #anger #pain #slavery Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

USA Football acknowledges "tremendous responsibility" to select and train Olympic flag football players – NBC Sports USA Football acknowledges "tremendous responsibility" to select and train Olympic flag football players – NBC Sports USA Football acknowledges “tremendous responsibility” to select and train Olympic flag football players NBC SportsNFL players OK’d to play flag in 2028 Olympics ESPNNFL owners vote to permit players to participate in 2028 Summer Olympics flag football NFL.comOlympic flag football is solution to NFL’s decades-long problem of failing to capture deep global interest Yahoo SportsNFL owners vote to allow players to participate in 2028 Olympics NBC News Source link #USA #Football #acknowledges #quottremendous #responsibilityquot #select #train #Olympic #flag #football #players #NBC #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lancet Commission report finds adolescents are being ‘left behind’ Lancet Commission report finds adolescents are being ‘left behind’ A landmark report has warned gains in early childhood development risk being undermined, potentially ‘jeopardising the prospects of future generations’. Source link #Lancet #Commission #report #finds #adolescents #left Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Recovery efforts for missing boater in Wisconsin temporarily suspended due to poor weather conditions Recovery efforts for missing boater in Wisconsin temporarily suspended due to poor weather conditions DANE COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) – Recovery efforts for a boater who went missing on May 16 after a boat capsized on a lake in Wisconsin have been temporarily suspended due to poor weather conditions. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office reported that a sailboat, which capsized on Lake Monona around 8 p.m. on Friday, May 16, had four people on board. Madison Fire Rescue responded to Lake Monona shortly after 8 p.m. on May 16 for the report. Wisconsin off to its fastest start to severe weather in the past decade One person drifted to the shore on the overturned boat, while the other three hung on to a kayak. Two of three people who held on to the kayak were rescued, but the fourth person, who reportedly was not wearing a life jacket, is yet to be found. The recovery efforts on Lake Monona have been suspended due to high winds and poor weather conditions overall; however, they will resume Wednesday or Thursday, should the weather be cooperative. No additional details were provided. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 – Green Bay, Appleton. Source link #Recovery #efforts #missing #boater #Wisconsin #temporarily #suspended #due #poor #weather #conditions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

George Wendt, Who Played Norm on ‘Cheers,’ Dies at 76 – The New York Times George Wendt, Who Played Norm on ‘Cheers,’ Dies at 76 – The New York Times George Wendt, Who Played Norm on ‘Cheers,’ Dies at 76 The New York TimesGeorge Wendt, ‘Cheers’ star, dead at 76 Fox NewsGeorge Wendt discussed his success as Norm on ‘Cheers’ in a 1983 interview WYFFWhere Is the Cheers Cast Now? A Look at the Stars’ Lives After the Show, Including George Wendt’s Legacy People.comGeorge Wendt, the Beer-Loving Norm on ‘Cheers,’ Dies at 76 The Hollywood Reporter Source link #George #Wendt #Played #Norm #Cheers #Dies #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Heavy rain, flash flooding continues on NSW Mid North Coast as Victoria warned to brace for impact Heavy rain, flash flooding continues on NSW Mid North Coast as Victoria warned to brace for impact The Mid North Coast has been warned to prepare for “dangerous and life-threatening” weather conditions and flash flooding, as six-hourly rainfall totals between 100 and 150mm are predicted to hit parts of the region on Wednesday and Thursday. Just before 5am on Wednesday, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for locally intense rainfall for people in Mid North Coast and parts of Northern Rivers, Northern Tablelands and Hunter Forecast Districts. Camera IconThe Mid North Coast has been warned to prepare for “dangerous and life-threatening” weather conditions and flash flooding. Credit: Supplied The bureau warned the coastal trough in the vicinity of Coffs Harbour is set to track slowly towards the southern parts of the Northern Rivers districts today. The rainfall may lead to further flash flooding in parts of the Mid North Coast, northern Hunter and adjacent parts of the Northern Tablelands districts. Intense rainfall which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding has been forecast for elevated inland parts of the Mid North Coast district north of about South West Rocks. Camera IconThe Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for locally intense rainfall for people in Mid North Coast and parts of Northern Rivers, Northern Tablelands and Hunter Forecast Districts. Credit: Supplied In this region, six-hourly rainfall totals between 100 and 150mm and 24-hourly rainfall totals between 200 and 300mm are possible. Areas of heavy rainfall are expected to persist into Thursday as the trough then moves to the south once more. Strong wind warnings and hazardous surf warnings are also in place for Coffs Coast, Macquarie Coast and Hunter Coast. The SES has 11 emergency warnings currently active, ordering people to evacuate or move to higher ground immediately due to flooding. Camera IconTourists took advantage of a brief break in the rain to get a view of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House from Mrs Macquarie’s Chair. NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers Credit: News Corp Australia Flood warnings are currently in place for Hastings, Camden Haven, Manning and Gloucester, Myall, Wallis Lake, Paterson and Williams, Hunter and Wollombi Brook, Tuggerah Lake, Warrego and Darling catchments. Significant rainfall totals recorded on Tuesday included: 248mm at Moparrabah, including 109mm in 6 hours to 8:41pm254mm at Mt Seaview, including 118.4mm in the 6 hours to 7:30pm205mm at Comboyne Public School.199mm at Moppy Lookout (Barrington Tops).193mm at Turners Flat.165mm at Kooroowi. Authorities have urged people to keep up to date with weather predictions and advice. The next severe weather warning for the Mid North Coast will be issued by the bureau at 11am Wednesday. Moving into the city, Sydney’s soaking will also continue, with an additional 100mm of rainfall expected to hit the city in the coming days. Despite reaching a moderate temperature of 21C on Wednesday, the bureau has warned large and powerful surf conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, swimming and surfing. Camera IconA 4wd and caravan drive through a flooded part of Forest Way in Belrose. NewsWire / Damian Shaw Credit: News Corp Australia Reprieve is however in sight, with the damaging system predicted to gradually push south into Victoria and Tasmania by Friday and finally clearing on Saturday. It will then be Victoria’s turn to experience the deluge, with the rain expected to settle in until the end of next week, as additional rainfall from the west targets the state as well as the western coast of Tasmania. After a chilly morning, with severe frost warnings in place across Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North Central, North East, South West, Central, West and South Gippsland and East Gippsland forecast districts, Melbourne is set to reach a mild 17C on Wednesday. There are also warnings in place for Tasmanians on Wednesday morning, with temperatures down to -2C for parts of the Central North, Midlands and Upper Derwent Valley districts. As the day progresses, Hobart will likely be sunny, reaching maximums of 16C. Canberra and Adelaide are set to enjoy maximum temperatures of 18C on Wednesday, with possible showers predicted for both cities. Brisbane will likely reach a comfortable 26C, with a slight chance of showers. Darwin is tipped to be 31C and sunny, while in Perth, the mercury is set to hit 25C, with the bureau warning that the fire danger rating is moderate across the Swan Coastal Plain. Source link #Heavy #rain #flash #flooding #continues #NSW #Mid #North #Coast #Victoria #warned #brace #impact Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

114 adults, 40 youths arrested in alleged street racing bust in OKC 114 adults, 40 youths arrested in alleged street racing bust in OKC The latest crackdown by Oklahoma City police against street races led to the arrest of more than 150 people over a recent weekend. Officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department arrested 114 adults and 40 minors in connection to what police described as a “street takeover” for an “******** speed contest” near SE 66th Street and Interstate 35. OKC police Sgt. Dillon Quirk said the arrests involved about four dozen officers and spanned more than 12 hours, from about 6 p.m. Saturday, May 17, to about 6 a.m. Sunday, May 18. Police are accusing the 154 of engaging in unlawful assembly and assembling/witnessing an ******** speed contest. “One of them is a state statute, the other is a city ticket, so they’re misdemeanor charges,” Quirk said. “We were given information of a gathering of an ******** street takeover for that area for that timeframe, and some of it was in the private parking, but all of the arrests were effected due to activities on the public roadway there, on the city street.” An Oklahoma City Police Department vehicle is pictured March 13, 2023, along Shartel Avenue in front of the Oklahoma County jail in Oklahoma City. Police also impounded more than 60 vehicles and confiscated firearms and drugs at the event, Quirk said. In addition, a spokeswoman with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol said troopers were called to assist at the site, but that agency did not make any arrests. Raul Anaya, 31, owner of Rocket Wrapz, has been accused of organizing the event but was released on a $1,000 bond from the Oklahoma County jail on Monday, May 19. According to News 9, he said he organized a family-friendly event, including food trucks and snow cones, that was meant to keep teens and young adults involved in “something positive.” But instead, Anaya said “police treated him like a criminal.” ‘A large-scale, coordinated effort’ Quirk described the mass arrest as “a large-scale, coordinated effort.” It is the latest mass arrest in recent years targeting alleged street racing and ******** street takeovers. In June 2023, police arrested 110 people at a warehouse in the 8700 block of S. Pole Road, and nearly 70 people in August 2021 at a parking lot near 2213 W. Interstate 240 Service Road. Since early 2020, street racers have been seen in social media videos blocking the flow of traffic to different interstate exits throughout the metro area. Shutdowns from highway street racing also have been documented in other states. Drivers have been seen doing doughnuts with their vehicles, a risky maneuver in which a driver spins the car to leave a circular skid mark. More: OKCPD arrests more than 100 people at street racing takeover News of the crackdown over the weekend generated controversy on social media and even spilled into meetings with local county officials in the days after the arrests. Brigitte Biffle, chief public defender for Oklahoma County, said the sudden surge in the jail population over the weekend led to significant strain on the understaffed facility. She said there are only six detention officers at the jail on duty nights and weekends. When a county commissioner said parents were concerned that their young adult children had still not been processed after four days, Biffle said it was “completely unacceptable” and called for more funding to increase staffing at the jail. “There were over 100 people arrested for that. Yes, a lot of them are high school kids who are now missing (school) … and we only have a certain number of officers to book all those in,” Biffle said. “(With) that amount of officers, that is taking days. That is completely unacceptable and that’s unconstitutional, when someone is supposed to be posting your bond and you’re staying in there for hours afterward. Yes, I have numerous concerns.” This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC police arrest over 150 people in alleged street racing crackdown Source link #adults #youths #arrested #alleged #street #racing #bust #OKC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Waymo CEO says company hit 10 million trips, doubling in five months Waymo CEO says company hit 10 million trips, doubling in five months A Waymo self-driving car, seen with a driver, stops at a red light outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Friday, March 31, 2025. Bill Clark | CQ-Roll Call, Inc. | Getty Images Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana told CNBC on Tuesday that the Alphabet-owned ride-hailing company has reached 10 million trips, doubling in the past five months. “These are all paid trips, and they represent people who are really integrating Waymo Driver into their everyday lives,” said Mawakana, speaking at the Google I/O developer conference. The 10 million figure includes rides in Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Phoenix area. Waymo is delivering more than 250,000 paid robotaxi rides a week, Alphabet said in its April earnings report. On Monday, Waymo said it had won approval to expand its autonomous ride-hailing service to more parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose. The robotaxi company is part of Alphabet’s “Other Bets” unit. Revenue in the overall category fell 9% in the first quarter from a year earlier to $450 million, and operating loss grew from to $1.23 billion from $1.02 billion a year ago. While those figures include a number of businesses, Mawakana confirmed that Waymo is not yet profitable but that the company is “super focused on building a sustainable business.” “We’re proving out that it can be a profitable business,” she said. “There’s a path to profitability.” Waymo faces potential competition from Tesla, which has promised to launch its robotaxi service in Austin next month. Tesla CEO Elon Musk told CNBC on Tuesday that the plan was still on track, and that the company will start with about 10 vehicles and rapidly expand to thousands if the debut goes well with no incidents. Musk said Tesla aims to bring its robotaxis to Los Angeles and San Francisco following the planned Austin launch. He has previously claimed Tesla’s “generalized” approach to robotaxis is more ambitious than Waymo’s. Tesla primarily relies on camera-based systems and computer vision instead of using sophisticated sensors including lidar and radar in its vehicles. Mawakana said that Waymo has taken what it views as the “safest path.” “There’s probably a lot of ways it can be done, but we’re the only ones that have done it,” she said. “We’ve been doing it 24 hours a day for almost five years. And so to us, it’s really important to focus on safety, not focus on safety and then cost — not cost and then safety.” WATCH: Waymo co-CEO announces 10 million autonomous trips milestone Source link #Waymo #CEO #company #hit #million #trips #doubling #months Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google I/O conference: AI upgrades, subscriptions and smart glasses – Reuters Google I/O conference: AI upgrades, subscriptions and smart glasses – Reuters Google I/O conference: AI upgrades, subscriptions and smart glasses ReutersGoogle Unveils ‘A.I. Mode’ Chatbot, Signaling a New Era for Search The New York TimesShop with AI Mode, use AI to buy and try clothes on yourself virtually Google BlogGoogle I/O 2025 live coverage: Google AI Ultra, Project Mariner, Gemini app updates, and more TechCrunchAlphabet Stock Slides as Company Talks AI at Google I/O Barron’s Source link #Google #conference #upgrades #subscriptions #smart #glasses #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Good character references restricted in ***** cases Good character references restricted in ***** cases The consideration of good character references for accused rapists will be restricted under major Queensland court reforms but some advocates say it does not go far enough. The changes introduced to Queensland parliament this week are among the recommendations made by a Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council report into ***** and ******* assault. Good character references from friends and families of accused rapists have traditionally been a consideration in a judge’s decision on the sentence. The report recommended that the use of good character references, including evidence of the offender’s standing and contributions in the community, should be restricted in sentencing. “No one wants to hear that a ******* is all-round great person, a trustworthy mate, or that they’re respected in the community – especially not their victim, bravely sitting in court,” Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said. Ms Frecklington said this law reform is very close to her heart. One of the last criminal matters when she was a lawyer involved a former school principal who had been the citizen of the year in her local community. A good character reference was taken into consideration during his sentencing. “It is extremely distressing still for many of the victims,” she told parliament. The bill means good character references can only be used as a mitigating factor if it is relevant to the offender’s prospects of rehabilitation or risk of offending. Courts can also decide not to treat the character reference as a mitigating factor depending on the “nature and seriousness of the offence”. “This will limit the use of problematic good character evidence,” Ms Frecklington said. The bill also includes recognition of victim harm as an “express purpose of sentencing” and ensuring courts do not draw any inference about whether the victim was harmed from the fact that no victim impact statement was given. The introduction of the laws was welcomed by the state opposition, who had lobbied for changes, calling it a win for ******* assault victim survivors. “These new laws will empower victim-survivors and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable,” shadow Attorney General Meaghan Scanlon said. The state’s Victims’ Commissioner, Beck O’Connor, tentatively welcomed the change but claimed it does not go far enough. She said the laws should be strengthened to mean courts do not give any consideration to good character references in any circumstances. “Victim-survivors continue to share their distress and trauma about the acceptance and reliance of character references, with little to no effort made by anyone to verify the content,” Ms O’Connor said.”Completely preventing the use of good character evidence is the best way to show victims they are being listened to, and their significant concerns have been addressed.” A review of sentencing guidelines in NSW is underway, while the use of good character references remains in other states and territories. Good character references for child sex offenders were removed in Tasmania in 2016. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) National ******* Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028 Source link #Good #character #references #restricted #***** #cases Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]