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Four days that took India and Pakistan to the brink Four days that took India and Pakistan to the brink Farhat Javed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir & Aamir Peerzada in India-administered Kashmir BBC News BBC Sixteen-year-old Nimra stood outside, rooted to the spot, as the Indian missiles that had woken her a moment ago rained down on the mosque a few metres from her house in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. She watched one tear the minaret off the top of the building. But she failed to realise she, too, had been struck – in the chest. When the family reached the relative safety of her aunt’s house nearby, someone turned on a phone torch. “My aunt gasped. There was blood on my frock. It was pink and white but now soaked in red. I hadn’t seen it before.” Again they ran. “I was running but my hand was pressed on my chest the whole time. I didn’t want to take it off. I thought if I let go, everything inside me would come out.” A piece of shrapnel was lodged near her heart, she later discovered. A few hours later, in Poonch, Indian-administered Kashmir, a different family was dodging shelling which Pakistan had launched in response to India’s missile strikes. “When the firing began, everyone ran for their lives – children clinging to their parents in fear,” said MN Sudhan, 72. “Some families managed to leave for Jammu in their vehicles. We also decided to escape. But barely 10 minutes into our journey, a shell landed near our vehicle. The shrapnel tore through the car. My grandson died on the spot.” “Our future was shattered at that [very] moment,” Mr Sudhan said of 13-year-old Vihaan’s death. “Now we’re left with nothing but grief. I have witnessed two wars between India and Pakistan, but never in my life have I seen shelling as intense as this.” Reuters Vihaan’s mother (centre) mourns her son at a cremation ground in Poonch Nimra and Vihaan were among many of the villagers caught up in the deadliest attacks for several years in a decades-long conflict between two of the world’s nuclear powers – India and Pakistan. Both sides administer the Himalayan region in part but claim it in full. Both governments deny targeting civilians, but BBC journalists in the region have spoken to families caught up in the violence. The strike that injured Nimra was part of India’s armed response after a militant attack killed 26 people – mostly Indian tourists – last month at a beauty spot in India-administered Kashmir. Police there claimed militants included at least two Pakistan nationals. Pakistan has asked India for evidence of this, and has called for an independent inquiry into who was behind the attack. What followed was four days of ****-for-tat shelling and drone attacks, intensifying each day and culminating in missile strikes on military bases, which threatened to tip over into full-blown conflict. Then, suddenly, a ceasefire brokered by the US and other international players on 10 May brought the two nuclear powers back from the brink. TASEER BEYG / BBC Nimra still has shrapnel lodged inside her body Families on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) – the de facto border in Kashmir – told us they had had loved ones killed and property destroyed. At least 16 people are reported to have been killed on the Indian side, while Pakistan claims 40 civilian deaths, though it remains unclear how many were directly caused by the shelling. We also heard from Indian and Pakistani government insiders about the mood in their respective administrations as the conflict escalated. In Delhi’s corridors of power, the atmosphere was initially jubilant, an Indian government source told the BBC. Its missile attacks on targets in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in Pakistan itself – including the Bilal Mosque in Muzaff arabad, which India claims is a militant camp, though Pakistan denies this – were deemed a success. “The strikes… were not limited to Pakistani-administered Kashmir or along the Line of Control,” an Indian government source told the BBC. “We went deep – even into the Pakistani side of Punjab, which has always been Pakistan’s red line.” But the Pakistani military had been prepared, a source from the Pakistan Air Force told the BBC. Days earlier, the Pakistani government said it was expecting an attack. “We knew something was coming, and we were absolutely ready,” one officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He said Indian fighter jets approached Pakistani territory and the air force was under instructions to shoot down any that crossed into its airspace or dropped a payload. Pakistan claims to have shot down five Indian jets that night, something India has remained silent on. “We were well prepared, and honestly, we were also lucky,” the source said – his account repeated by two other sources. But Mr Sudhan, Vihaan’s grandfather, said there had been no warning to stay indoors or evacuate. “Why didn’t they inform us? We, the people, are caught in the middle.” It is likely that no evacuation orders had been issued because the Indian government needed to keep the military strikes confidential, though the local administration had, following the April militant attack, directed locals to clean out community bunkers as a precautionary measure. A day after the initial missile strikes, Thursday, both sides launched drone attacks, though they each accused the other of making the first move. India began to evacuate thousands of villagers along the Indian side of the LoC. Just after 21:00 that evening, the Khan family in India-administered Kashmir decided they must flee their home in Uri, 270km (168 miles) to the north of Poonch. Most of their neighbours had already left. But after travelling for just 10 minutes, their vehicle was struck by shrapnel from a shell, fatally injuring 47-year-old Nargis. Her sister-in-law Hafeeza was seriously injured. They headed to the nearest hospital, only to find the gates locked. “I somehow climbed the hospital wall and called out for help, telling them we had injured people with us. Only then did the staff come out and open the gate. As soon as they did, I collapsed. The doctors were terrified by the ongoing shelling and had closed everything out of fear,” Hafeeza said. Hafeeza’s sister-in-law Nargis is survived by six children. The youngest daughter Sanam, 20, said the first hospital they went to was not equipped to help, and as they headed to another, her mother died of her injuries. SYED SHAHRIYAR / BBC Sanam’s mother Nargis was fatally struck by shrapnel “A piece of shrapnel had torn through her face. My clothes were soaked in her blood… We kept talking to her, urging her to stay with us. But she passed away on the way.” Since a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan in 2021 there had been relative peace in the region, locals told the BBC. For the first time in years, they had been able to live normal lives, they said, and now this sense of security was destroyed. Sanam, who lost her mother, said: “I appeal to both governments – if you’re heading into war, at least secure your civilians. Prepare… Those who sit in comfort and demand war – they should be sent to the borders. Let them witness what it really means. Let them lose someone before their eyes.” Sajjad Shafi, the representative for Uri in the regional government, said he had acted as promptly as possible. “The moment I got the news that India has attacked, I got in touch with people and started moving them out.” After two days of attacks and counter attacks, the Indian government source said there was now a “clear sense in… power corridors that things were escalating but we were ready. “We were ready because India had spent the last 10 years acquiring and building strategic military assets – missiles, warheads and defence systems.” On the international stage, there had been consternation that the tensions would not be de-escalated by the US, despite its diplomatic overtures during India and Pakistan’s previous Kashmir clashes. US Vice President JD Vance said a potential war would be “none of our business”. This statement came as no surprise, the Indian government source told the BBC. At that stage, “it was clear the US didn’t want to get involved”. By the following day, Friday, shelling had become more intense. Muhammed Shafi was at home with his wife in Shahkot village in the Neelum Valley, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, on the LoC. The 30-year-old was standing in the doorway, just a few steps away from where his son was playing; his wife standing in their courtyard. TASEER BEYG / BBC Muhammed’s wife was killed by a strike very close to their house “I remember looking up and seeing a mortar shell coming from a distance. In the blink of an eye, it struck her. She didn’t even have time to scream. One second she was there, and the next, she was gone. Her face… her head… there was nothing left. Just a cloud of smoke and dust. My ears went numb. Everything went silent. I didn’t even realise I was screaming. “That night, her body lay there, right in our home. The entire village was hiding in bunkers. The shelling continued all night, and I stayed beside her, weeping. I held her hand for as long as I could.” One of those in a bunker was his niece, 18-year-old Umaima. She and her family were holed up in the shelter for four days, on and off, in brutal conditions. “There were six or seven of us packed into it,” she said. “The other bunker was already full. There’s no place to lie down in there – some people stood, others sat. There was no drinking water, no food,” with people shouting, crying and reciting prayers in the pitch ******. Also in a bunker, in the Leepa Valley, Pakistan-Administered Kashmir – one of the most militarised and vulnerable valleys in the region – was Shams Ur Rehman and family. It is Shams’s own bunker, but that night he shared it with 36 other people, he said. Leepa is surrounded on three sides by the LoC and Indian-administered territory, so Shams was used to living with cross-border tensions. But he was not prepared for the complete destruction of his house. He left the bunker at three in the morning to survey the scene. “Everything was gone. Wooden beams and debris from the house were scattered everywhere. The blast was so powerful, the shockwave pushed in the main wall. The metal sheets on the roof were shredded. The entire structure shifted – by at least two inches. TASEER BEYG / BBC Shams Ur Rehman’s house now has to be rebuilt after it was hit by three shells “A house is a person’s life’s work. You’re always trying to improve it – but in the end, it’s all gone in seconds.” Four hours later, back in the Neelum Valley, Umaima and her family also emerged on Saturday 10 May to a transformed landscape. “We came out of the bunker at seven in the morning. That’s when we saw – nothing was left.” As Umaima surveyed the ruins of her village, India and Pakistan’s forces that day were trading ever more destructive blows – firing missiles at each other’s military installations, which both sides accused the other of instigating. India had targeted three Pakistani air bases, including one in Rawalpindi – the garrison city that houses the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters. “This was a red line crossed,” said one Pakistani officer. “The prime minister gave the go-ahead to the army chief. We already had a plan, and our forces were desperately ready to execute it… For anyone in uniform, it was one of those unforgettable days.” TASEER BEYG / BBC The Neelum valley lies along the Line of Control in Pakistan-administered territory Pakistan hit back at Indian military installations. On the diplomatic front, this was seen as a moment to highlight the issue of Kashmir on the international stage, an official in the Pakistan foreign office told the BBC. “It was non-stop. Endless meetings, coordination, and back-to-back calls to and from other countries for both foreign minister and then the prime minister. We welcomed mediation offers from the US, the Saudis, the Iranians, or anyone who could help de-escalate.” On the Indian side, the Pahalgam attack on 22 April had already prompted External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to speak to at least 17 world leaders or diplomats, including *** Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. In most of these conversations, he has tweeted, the emphasis had been on the “cross-border terrorist attack” and focused on building a case to hold the perpetrators accountable for the attack. Then, on Saturday afternoon local time, in the aftermath of the latest missile exchanges, came a diplomatic breakthrough out of nowhere. US President Donald Trump took to social media to reveal that a ceasefire had been agreed. “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. “Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence,” he wrote on social media platform Truth Social. India has since downplayed Washington’s role in the ceasefire and it has rejected that trade was used as a lever to achieve this. Behind the scenes, US mediators, diplomatic backchannels and regional players, including the US, the *** and Saudi Arabia, had proved critical in negotiating the climbdown, experts say. “We hit Pakistani strategic bases deep inside their territory and that must have worried the US,” the Indian government source believes. In Pahalgam, the site of the militant gun attack that sparked the crisis, the search is still on for the perpetrators. Getty Images Pahalgam was an area popular with tourists Vinay Narwal, a 26-year-old Indian Navy officer, was on his honeymoon in Pahalgam when he was killed. He had got married just a week before the attack. A photo of Vinay’s wife Himanshi, sitting near her husband’s body following the attack, has been widely shared on social media. His grandfather Hawa Singh Narwal wants “exemplary punishment” for the killers. “This terrorism should end. Today, I lost my grandson. Tomorrow, someone else will lose their loved one,” he said. SYED SHAHRIYAR / BBC Rayees used to lead treks in Pahalgam A witness to the attack’s aftermath, Rayees Ahmad Bhat, who used to lead pony treks to the beauty spot where the shootings took place, said his industry was now in ruins. “The attackers may have killed tourists that day, but we – the people of Pahalgam – are dying every day since. They’ve stained the name of this peaceful town… Pahalgam is terrorised, and its people broken.” The attack was a huge shock for a government which had begun to actively promote tourism in stunningly picturesque Kashmir, famed for its lush valleys, lakes and snow-capped mountains. The source in the Indian administration said this might have lulled Delhi into a false sense of security. “Perhaps we got carried away by the response to tourism in Kashmir. We thought we were over a hump but we were not.” The four-day conflict has once again shown how fragile peace can be between the two nations. Additional reporting by Vikas Pandey in Delhi Source link #days #India #Pakistan #brink Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Nat Locke: Who would have thought the new Pope had a life before donning the snazzy hat? Nat Locke: Who would have thought the new Pope had a life before donning the snazzy hat? Can we spare a thought for the new Pope? Not because he’s considered one of the most powerful people in the world (thanks Wikipedia), although I assume that would come with some challenges of its own. No, I’m more concerned about the fact that ever since he was elected, there have been news stories emerging of his life well before donning the snazzy hat. For example, there’s video footage of him going to a baseball game in 2005. Gasp! A future pope at the baseball? Whatever next? He wasn’t doing anything other than watching the game. He didn’t catch a foul ball or scull a beer out of a plastic cup. He literally spectated. The ******* question here is who recalled seeing him in the crowd at a baseball game TWENTY YEARS AGO? He’s a White Sox fan, for the record, so if his new job comes with any real clout, we can expect them to have a few good seasons ahead. But I digress. I watch a lot of sport on TV and the only crowd member that I can recall with any clarity was an unfortunate lass who dropped some of her pie on her jumper about 30 years ago, then proceeded to lick it off, because who would waste a bit of their pie? Still, it was enough to stop me from ever eating a pie at the football for the rest of my life for fear of the cameras being trained upon me and commentators *********** at the sight. This was not the case with the future Pope, however. He was just another face in the crowd. Bravo to the intern who had to sift through all of the footage to find him. You deserve a proper job. And then there was the TikTok video of a family watching the papal announcement only to realise that the new Pope had hooked up with their mother when she was 19. Presumably this was before he entered the priesthood, otherwise it’s a much ******* story than we had anticipated. It’s quite the flex for the mum though. Unless hooking up with her was the catalyst for him taking a lifelong vow of celibacy, in which case, it’s just embarrassing. What did concern me however was that if you’re ever in a position to be suddenly elevated to worldwide fame, your history is absolutely going to be picked over and published to a worldwide audience. Now, I hate to break it to you, but most of us won’t be pope at any point in our lives. All the women, for starters. But look, there’s still a slim chance we could do something like snog a Hemsworth or, like actress Anya Taylor-Joy, be scouted by a modelling agent while walking the dog. I walk my dog a lot. This seems possible. But instant worldwide fame would mean that the dumb things I said on Twitter in 2006 might be dredged up. Or those cringey early Instagram posts where I didn’t know what a caption was. Or that I played mixed netball at the Ballajura indoor sports centre sometime in the late 90s. These are not things that the world needs to know about, although I was a surprisingly effective goalkeeper for someone of my limited height. And then there’s the small handful of formerly young men who might want to sell their stories to the lowest bidder. It would be a largely uneventful story, I imagine, other than to point out that I’m an excellent kisser, I assume. But still. Would I be happy if young girls were making TikToks about how their dad once pashed me and now I’m marrying some Scandinavian prince? (Look, I’m running out of options to become truly famous. Just go with it, OK?) I guess what we’ve learned from Pope Leo is that everyone — even popes — have a past life. I mean, sure, his was going to the baseball and kissing at least one girl, although not at the same time. Mild by most standards, but still, I don’t expect that when he was at that White Sox game 20 years ago he envisioned he would be elected pope one day and that the whole world would be looking at videos of him watching baseball. What a weird world. Anyway, I’m off to walk my dog on the off chance there’s a modelling scout wandering by. Source link #Nat #Locke #thought #Pope #life #donning #snazzy #hat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man charged with animal cruelty, biting deputy in Henry County Man charged with animal cruelty, biting deputy in Henry County HENRY COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) – The Henry County Sheriff said that a man has been charged with animal cruelty after allegedly resisting arrest and biting a deputy on May 16. According to the sheriff, the Animal Services Division was notified of animal cruelty allegedly occurring at a residence at Kimway Drive in Axton on Friday. A preliminary investigation revealed the resident of the home, identified as 26-year-old Luis Antonio Bacerra-Eames, had allegedly been physically “beating” his two dogs using a baseball bat and punching them. It is also alleged that Bacerra-Eames used a large rock to hit one of the dogs, the sheriff said. Woman charged with narcotics possession in Henry County Upon arriving at the home, deputies said they briefly spoke with Bacerra-Eames before he allegedly resisted arrest and attempted to flee. The sheriff said that an altercation then occurred, during which Bacerra-Eames allegedly bit a deputy twice and hit another multiple times with his elbow. Bacerra-Eames was then taken into custody and taken to SOVAH Health Martinsville for treatment of minor injuries. He has been charged with the following: Two counts of Animal Cruelty (Felony) Two counts of Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer (Felony) Resisting Arrest (Misdemeanor) Bacerra-Eames is currently being held in the Henry County Adult Detention Center without bond. The sheriff said the two dogs, which are a Pitbull mixed breed, will be taken to a veterinarian for evaluation and will be housed at the Henry County Animal Shelter. The investigation is ongoing. If anyone has information regarding the incident, please contact the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at 276-638-8751. You can also leave an anonymous tip with Crimestoppers at 63-CRIME (632-7463). The Crimestoppers Program offers rewards up to $2500.00 for information related to crime. The nature of the crime and the substance of the information determine the amount of reward paid. 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 WFXRtv. Source link #Man #charged #animal #cruelty #biting #deputy #Henry #County Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Caitlin Clark says flagrant foul on Angel Reese was not 'malicious' as both get technical fouls – AP News Caitlin Clark says flagrant foul on Angel Reese was not 'malicious' as both get technical fouls – AP News Caitlin Clark says flagrant foul on Angel Reese was not ‘malicious’ as both get technical fouls AP NewsClark: Flagrant foul on Reese a ‘basketball play’ ESPNDoyel: Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese drama, a surprise tech and WNBA milestone. Fever opener had it all IndyStarCaitlin Clark receives flagrant foul after hard challenge on Angel Reese, sparking skirmish Yahoo SportsAngel Reese, Caitlin Clark have heated exchange after hard foul during Sky-Fever game Fox News Source link #Caitlin #Clark #flagrant #foul #Angel #Reese #039malicious039 #technical #fouls #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Shropshire photographer captures beauty of back garden wildlife Shropshire photographer captures beauty of back garden wildlife Vanessa Pearce BBC News, West Midlands Andrew Fusek Peters Photographer Andrew Fusek Peters captured a goldfinch with rainbow-effect wings in his Shropshire garden A photographer has spent a decade carrying out “garden safaris” in order to capture the diversity and beauty of Britain’s back garden wildlife. The images, including battling birds and squabbling squirrels, showed just what could be found “under our noses”, said Andrew Fusek Peters. “I wanted to celebrate the everyday stories and reveal the beauty of our birds, mammals and insects that live alongside us,” the Shropshire photographer added. Hundreds of his images feature in a new book. Andrew Fusek Peters Two red squirrels were captured fighting in a back garden on the Isle of Wight The majority of the photographs were taken in his “modest” garden, and local village of Lydbury. “You don’t have to travel to nature reserves or mountains,” he said. “I sometimes get snobbery from the big photographers who go to Africa and do the lions and tigers, or Greenland for the Polar bears,” he explained. “And they think I’m somehow inferior because I do blue ***** in the garden.” Andrew Fusek Peters The photographer set up a hide on a domestic lawn to capture this rare image of a baby hare suckling its mother But, he added, capturing rare images such as a hare feeding her leveret on someone’s back lawn was “just amazing”. “At the time I took it, that had been photographed maybe less than 10 times in the world,” he said. “It was sheer gold on my memory card.” He had also travelled to other parts of the *** in order to capture other “extraordinary moments,” including a fox family playing in Clapham, south London, and a pair of red squirrels on the Isle of Wight. Andrew Fusek Peters This pair of brightly coloured bramblings fighting over food was one of the photographer’s favourite shots Mr Fusek Peters started concentrating on his own garden wildlife after a diagnosis of bowel ******* in 2018, perfecting a technique to “make time stop” to get shots of birds and butterflies taking off and in mid flight. Using his kitchen as a hide, he has also taken rare pictures of birds – showing the effect of diffraction on their wings, giving a rainbow effect. “This winter I got a woodpecker and a nuthatch” he said, adding the images were “extraordinary”. “Everyone’s going to accuse me of using AI, but it’s not – it’s actually scientific.” He added he was “one of the few in the world” to have taken such images. “I just seem to have this blessed luck when I concentrate on what’s out of the kitchen window.” Andrew Fusek Peters This image of a nuthatch is among the collection The book was also a “rallying cry” to transform “over-manicured spaces into more wildlife friendly havens,” he said. “These places are important, I think they really are,” he added. “As we know with climate change and with what’s happening with habitat a lot of species are really suffering, and that includes our garden visitors so it’s important to showcase them. “They are just as important as all the wonderful creatures of the jungle and the desert,” he added. Andrew Fusek Peters A fox family plays in Clapham, South London Andrew Fusek Peters This image of a ruby tailed wasp is included in the book Springwatch presenter Iolo Williams said of the book, Garden Safari: “Andrew makes the ordinary look extraordinary – stunning photography which helps to emphasise the importance of our gardens for wildlife.” “I think this is the best compliment I’ve ever had,” the photographer commented. Andrew Fusek Peters A male pied flycatcher is captured bringing food to the nest Andrew Fusek Peters The photographer said it took six days to capture this image of a bank vole in his back garden Garden Safari is published by Graffeg Books Source link #Shropshire #photographer #captures #beauty #garden #wildlife Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Public tip-off leads to $2.5 million drug factory bust Public tip-off leads to $2.5 million drug factory bust Police acting on a community tip-off have found hundreds of cannabis plants in an outer-city rental factory. Source link #Public #tipoff #leads #million #drug #factory #bust Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Justice Department deal ends a ban on an aftermarket trigger. Gun control advocates are alarmed Justice Department deal ends a ban on an aftermarket trigger. Gun control advocates are alarmed WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration will allow the ***** of forced-reset triggers, which make semiautomatic rifles fire more rapidly, with the federal government ending a ban as part of a settlement that also requires it to return seized devices. The agreement announced Friday by the Justice Department resolves a series of cases over the aftermarket trigger that the government had previously argued qualify as machine guns under federal law. The settlement is a dramatic shift in Second Amendment policy under the Republican administration, which has signaled it may undo many of the regulations that the previous administration of Democratic President Joe Biden had fought to keep in place in an effort to curb gun violence. “This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. Gun control advocates said the settlement would worsen gun violence. “The Trump administration has just effectively legalized machine guns. Lives will be lost because of his actions,” said Vanessa Gonzalez, vice president of government and political affairs at GIFFORDS, a gun control group. There had been several legal battles over forced-reset triggers, which replace the typical trigger on an AR-15-style rifle. The government for years had argued they are essentially ******** machine gun conversion devices because constant finger pressure on the triggers will keep a rifle firing essentially like an automatic. The deal announced Friday was between the Justice Department and Rare Breed Triggers, which was previously represented by David Warrington, Trump’s current White House counsel. Rare Breed Triggers argued that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was wrong in its classification and ignored demands to stop selling the triggers before being sued by the Biden administration. “This victory is a landmark moment in the fight against unchecked government overreach,” Lawrence DeMonico, the group’s president, said in a statement. “The ATF and DOJ tried to silence and bury us not because we broke the law, but because I refused to bend to the will of a tyrannical administration.” Under the settlement, Rare Breed Triggers has agreed not to develop such devices to be used on handguns, according to the Justice Department. The settlement requires the ATF to return triggers that it had seized or that owners had voluntarily surrendered to the government. Source link #Justice #Department #deal #ends #ban #aftermarket #trigger #Gun #control #advocates #alarmed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

2025 PGA Championship leaderboard: Live coverage of Round 3, scoreboard updates, golf scores today – CBS Sports 2025 PGA Championship leaderboard: Live coverage of Round 3, scoreboard updates, golf scores today – CBS Sports 2025 PGA Championship leaderboard: Live coverage of Round 3, scoreboard updates, golf scores today CBS SportsTee times for the third round of the 2025 PGA Championship ESPNUS PGA Championship golf 2025: day three – live The GuardianPGA Championship Round 3 leaderboard, live updates: Can anyone catch Jhonattan Vegas? Yahoo SportsPGA Championship 2025 live updates: Sensational Scheffler takes big lead into Sunday’s final round at Quail Hollow The New York Times Source link #PGA #Championship #leaderboard #Live #coverage #scoreboard #updates #golf #scores #today #CBS #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Austria wins with last-minute vote, as the *** comes 19th Austria wins with last-minute vote, as the *** comes 19th Mark Savage Music Correspondent Getty Images JJ took a break from his job at the Vienna State Opera to compete at Eurovision Austrian singer JJ has won the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, after a nail-biting finish that saw him topple Israel from pole position at the very last minute. The 24-year-old, who is a counter-tenor at the Vienna State Opera, took the title with the song Wasted Love, an tempestuous electro-ballad about unrequited love. “Thank you so much for making my dreams come true,” he said as he accepted the coveted glass microphone trophy. “Love is the strongest force in the world, let’s spread more love.” The singer scored 436 points, with Israel in second place on 357 and Estonia third on 356. The ***’s act, Remember Monday, placed 19th with 88 points. For the second year in a row, the *** received zero from the public. Eurovision 2025: The top five contestantsAustria: JJ – Wasted LoveIsrael: Yuval Raphael: New Day Will RiseEstonia: Tommy Cash – Espresso MacchiatoSweden: KAJ – Bara Bada BastuItaly: Lucio Corsi – Volevo Essere Un *****Alma Bengtsson / EBU KAJ’s song has been number one in Sweden for the last 12 weeks (L-R: Jakob Norrgård, Kevin Holmström and Axel Åhman) It is the third time Austria has won the contest, with previous victories going to Udo Jürgens’ Merci, Cherie in 1966; and Conchita Wurst with Rise Like a Phoenix in 2014. JJ was inspired to take part in Eurovision by Conchita. JJ had been one of the favourites to win the contest, but the most hotly-tipped contestants were Sweden’s KAJ – whose tongue-in-cheek ode to sauna culture, Bara Bada Bastu, ultimately took fourth place. Speaking after the show, JJ said he was “so pleased” that viewers had connected with his story of heartache. “I wanted to let them have an insight on my deepest soul [and] how I felt when we wrote the song.” “What I’m trying to commit [to] is that there’s no wasted love. There’s so much love that we can spread around. It’s the strongest force on planet earth.” Asked how he would celebrate, he replied: “Honestly, I need to sleep now. I’m tired.” Corinne ******** / EBU Yuval Raphael represented Israel, amid protests over the country’s involvement For the second year in a row, there was controversy over Israel’s participation, with protestors arguing for the country’s dismissal over its military action in Gaza. Pro-************ protests took place on the streets of Basel in the hours before the contest. Later, a man and a woman people were prevented from invading the stage during Israel’s performance. “One of the two agitators threw paint and a crew member was hit,” said Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR in a statement to the BBC. “The crew member is fine and nobody was injured. “The man and the woman were taken out of the venue and handed over to the police.” The performance, by young singer Yuval Raphael, was unaffected. The 25-year-old is a survivor of the ****** attacks of 7 October, 2023, an experience which coloured her delicate ballad, New Day Will Rise. The Israeli delegation said Raphael was left “shaken and upset” by the incident, but that it was “extremely proud” of her performance “which represented Israel in a respectful manner”. Alma Bengtsson / EBU Elsewhere, Eurovision was its usual explosion of high camp, ******* innuendo and dresses being removed to reveal smaller, tighter dresses. Malta’s Mariana Conte was forced to rewrite her disco anthem Serving Kant to remove what sounded like a swear word – but performed the censored version with a knowing wink, safe in the knowledge the audience would fill in the blanks. Although it was a fan favourite, Conte could only manage 17th. Estonia’s Tommy Cash, who came third, also kept the innuendo train running, with Espresso Macchiato, a caffeinated disco anthem featuring the unforgettable phrase: “Life is like spaghetti, it’s hard until you make it.” Another highlight was Finland’s Erika Vikman, who dispensed with double entendres entirely on Ich Komme, a vibrant hymn to ******* pleasure. The singer ended her performance by taking flight on a giant phallic microphone that shot sparks into the air. It thrust her into 11th position, and a permanent place in the Eurovision pantheon. Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU Erika Vikman’s performance suffered several technical hitches in rehearsals, but it all went right on the night The contest also dealt with more weighty subjects like economic migration (Portuguese rock band Napa) and environmental catastrophe (Latvia’s Tautumeitas, who scored 12 points from the *** jury). Dutch singer Claude delivered a heartfelt tribute to his mother in C’est La Vie – an upbeat anthem that reflected on her positivity as she uprooted the family from their home country of the Democratic Republic of Congo as a child. In a touching climax, the 21-year-old danced with an image of his childhood self in a mirror on the stage. Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU Also reflecting on their childhood was French singer Louane, whose tearjerking ballad was dedicated to her mother, who died of ******* when she was 17. In one of the night’s most striking performances, she was surrounded by a whirlwind of sand as she hollered the word “mother” over and over again. One of the favourites to win, it ended the night in seventh place, after receiving a disappointing 50 points from the public. JJ’s performance was similarly dramatic. Shot entirely in ****** and white, it saw him being tossed around on a rickety boat, as waves (of emotion) threatened to consume him. An honourable mention also goes to Italy’s Lucio Corsi, whose harmonica solo in Volevo Essere Un ***** marked the first time a live instrument has been played at Eurovision since 1998. Alma Bengtsson / EBU Remember Monday’s performance included a callback to Bucks Fizz’s skirt-shedding performance at the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest The *** spent a third year in the bottom half of the leaderboard, despite a spirited performance from girl group Remember Monday. A group of friends who met at high school, their inventive pop song What The Hell Just Happened? drew on their many years of experience in West End theatre. The girls pulled off their tricky three-part harmonies while dancing around a fallen chandelier, but the performance didn’t connect with voters. Despite earning a healthy 88 points from juries – including 12 from Italy – it bombed with viewers. They ended in 19th place, one below last year’s entrant Olly Alexander. The group laughed off their “nul points” score from the public, holding up peace signs and hugging each other as the score was announced. Getty Images The band took their defeat in good grace The voting was chaotic overall. Thirteen of the 26 finalists received the maximum of 12 points from at least one jury, leaving the competition completely open before the public vote was counted. Israel, who had been languishing in the bottom half of the table, then received 297 points from the public (out of a possible maximum of 444). Twelve of those points came from the ***. For a while, it looked like Yuval Raphael’s lead might be unassailable – but Austria’s tally of 178 was the last to be announced, leaving the singer empty-handed. There was disappointment, too, for fans of ********* singer Céline Dion, who had been rumoured to appear at the contest. The singer won Eurovision for Switzerland in 1988, and had appeared in a video wishing the contestants good luck at Tuesday’s semi-final. Despite hopes from Eurovision organisers that she might turn up, the moment never came to pass. Source link #Austria #wins #lastminute #vote #19th Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

PM to discuss jailed *********** fighter with Zelenskiy PM to discuss jailed *********** fighter with Zelenskiy The fate of jailed *********** Oscar Jenkins is set to be discussed in face-to-face talks between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Rome. Mr Jenkins faces 13 years in a Russian prison after a court found him guilty of taking part in an armed conflict as a mercenary, which denies him the protections provided to prisoners of war under the Geneva Convention. The *********** government insists he was fighting as a member of the Ukrainian defence forces and should be entitled to humane treatment as a prisoner of war. “This is an appalling decision from Russia, and another outrage in a long line of outrages when it comes to matters involving Ukraine,” federal frontbencher Murray Watt told Sky News on Sunday morning. “We consider this to be a sham trial, and we don’t accept that Mr Jenkins should be treated this way.” Mr Watt said he was sure Mr Albanese would bring up Mr Jenkins’ treatment and prospects for release with Mr Zelenskiy. The pair are expected to meet on Sunday, ******** time, on the sidelines of the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in the Holy See. On Saturday, Mr Albanese told journalists he was “outraged” by Mr Jenkins’ incarceration and that Russia was continuing to abrogate its obligations to international law. Mr Zelenskiy held direct talks with Russian officials for the first time on Friday as the two sides make abortive efforts to work towards a ceasefire deal. Mr Jenkins was captured in occupied eastern Ukraine and taken into Russian custody last December. He was seen in social media videos visibly bruised and shaken while being interrogated and beaten by a Russian-speaking captor. The 33-year-old is believed to be the first *********** combatant reportedly captured by Russian forces. All sides of politics have offered their support to Mr Jenkins, with opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson calling his treatment “shocking”. Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has previously said his government added Mr Jenkins to its list of prisoners of war and would negotiate for his release in an exchange. More than three years have passed since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Source link #discuss #jailed #*********** #fighter #Zelenskiy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

A GOP congressman says raising taxes on top earners would help push Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ forward A GOP congressman says raising taxes on top earners would help push Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ forward GOP Rep. Nick LaLota wants to see top earners pay a higher tax rate. LaLota said Saturday that the idea would help push Trump’s “big beautiful bill” forward. The GOP-led tax and immigration package — if it passes — could define Trump’s second term. A GOP congressman said on Saturday that raising the top tax rate for high earners could help President Donald Trump‘s massive tax and immigration package get the votes it needs. “The One Big Beautiful Bill has stalled — and it needs wind in its sails,” Rep. Nick LaLota said on X. “Allowing the top tax rate to expire — returning from 37% to 39.6% for individuals earning over $609,350 and married couples earning over $731,200 — breathes $300 billion of new life into the effort.” LaLota said that his proposal would be fiscally prudent and could be done “without raising taxes on the middle class.” The New York congressman has suggested that the money generated from raising taxes on high earners could protect Medicaid and “fix” the cap on the so-called SALT deduction. A SALT deduction allows taxpayers to deduct their state and local tax payments. Since 2018, however, there’s been a $10,000 limit on those deductions. LaLota is among several New York Republicans who are seeking a higher limit so taxpayers can deduct more. The GOP-led bill proposes raising the cap to $30,000 for taxpayers who earn $400,000 or less. LaLota wants to see the SALT cap set at $62,000 for single filers and $124,000 for joint filers. Hardline conservatives on Capitol Hill, meanwhile, believe the tax bill should include more spending reductions, arguing that it doesn’t go far enough in cutting into the nation’s budget deficit. On Friday, five Republicans on the House Budget Committee joined Democrats to tank a procedural vote that would have advanced the “one big beautiful bill.” House GOP leaders are working through the weekend to put together a deal that could pass in a Sunday night committee vote. They’re still aiming to pass the bill on the House floor by Memorial Day, but the failed vote was a big setback for both Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson. On Friday, Trump urged GOP unity on the bill in a post on TruthSocial. “Republicans MUST UNITE behind, ‘THE ONE, BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL!'” he said. “We don’t need ‘GRANDSTANDERS’ in the Republican Party. STOP TALKING, AND GET IT DONE!” Conservatives have long advocated for tax cuts for higher earners. However, in recent weeks, Trump has seemingly opened the door to raising taxes on rich Americans to help fund the tax bill, a significant development for a GOP president. Earlier in May, Trump said on Truth Social that he’d “graciously accept” a small increase on the top tax rate for millionaires but conceded it would present risks for his party. “Republicans should probably not do it, but I’m OK if they do!!!” he said. Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #GOP #congressman #raising #taxes #top #earners #push #Trumps #big #beautiful #bill Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Austria’s JJ wins Eurovision 2025 with ‘Wasted Love’ – CNN Austria’s JJ wins Eurovision 2025 with ‘Wasted Love’ – CNN Austria’s JJ wins Eurovision 2025 with ‘Wasted Love’ CNNAustria wins Eurovision with JJ’s operatic club jam ‘Wasted Love’ NBC NewsEurovision 2025 Song Contest: Live Updates The New York TimesEurovision fans prepare as 2025 grand final due to kick off in Switzerland BBCEurovision 2025: Austria Wins Song Contest With Johannes Pietsch The Hollywood Reporter Source link #Austrias #wins #Eurovision #Wasted #Love #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*** and EU haggle over key points before first summit since Brexit *** and EU haggle over key points before first summit since Brexit EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock “Don’t expect miracles. But do know – everyone wants this to work.” On Monday in London the EU and *** hold their first bilateral summit since Brexit. Symbolically, this is a big moment. Officials and analysts I speak to, on and off the record, like the individual I just quoted, are quick to point out difficulties that exist between the two sides. But all acknowledge the bilateral bitterness provoked by Brexit is no more. It’s been eviscerated by the gravity of global events. Concerns about Russia and China, the war in Ukraine, the shock of the US under Donald Trump no longer prioritising European defence, plus a growing sense of voter insecurity is propelling the two powers to work closer together. “Failure to do so, in the current international context, would not be a good look,” says Anand Menon, director of the think tank *** in a Changing Europe. Most European countries realise that, he adds: “Even the French.” More than most EU countries, France has been playing hardball in pre-summit negotiations. Is it a coincidence that as talks went to the wire before Monday’s summit, the *** announced that France’s president has been invited for his first state visit? King Charles and Queen Camilla will host Emmanuel Macron and his wife at Windsor Palace in July. A *** attempt to butter up the French leader, perhaps? “It’ll be interesting to see if they can agree common language [for a summit agreement],” says Georgina Wright, European policy expert at the Institut Montaigne. “Everyone in the EU wants closer relations with the *** right now and France doesn’t want to be seen as the one country blocking closer ***-EU cooperation. But that does not mean that Paris is willing to give up on core interests.” Interests like fishing rights in *** waters and bidding for EU defence contracts. The Telegraph/PA French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte have been invited to the *** for a state visit Negotiating – or to be more accurate – haggling over the “meat” of the summit will, I’m told, continue till the last moment. On the day itself, we can expect three separate announcements: A joint declaration that addresses the worrying geopolitical situation and emphasises ***-EU shared foreign policy priorities – such as supporting Ukraine, keeping up pressure on Russia, and ending civilian suffering in GazaAn EU-*** security and defence pactA package of measures targeted at removing some trade barriers between the EU and *** that have come about because of Brexit Closer economic ties to Europe These trade measures are the “reset” of relations with the EU that *** Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised since his party won a general election last summer. They are far from an economic gamechanger for the ***, though. Hardly what you’d call ambitious. Destroying all trade barriers with the EU is impossible if the Labour government keeps to its own “red lines” of not rejoining the bloc’s customs union or single market. Despite promising to prioritise *** economic growth, and polls suggesting the majority of Britons want to do more trade with the EU, Labour will feel hemmed in by the increasingly popular, Eurosceptic Reform Party. It performed well in recent local elections in the ***. While some in Labour (quietly) admit they are tempted by a customs union with the EU to boost growth, any economic benefits would likely not be apparent to voters before the next *** election. Party members fear they would risk being punished at the polls, amidst accusations by the opposition Conservatives and Reform that the government would have betrayed Brexit. These concerns make the Starmer government “more cautious, less bold”, says Mr Menon. So what will be agreed at the summit? The *** is taking a sector-by-sector approach to try reduce costly trade barriers with the EU. Many EU-*** negotiating hours have gone into agreeing a plant and animal health deal, known as an SPS agreement. This will facilitate the export and import of meat and plant products between the EU and *** and help reduce post-Brexit trade complications between Northern Ireland and Britain. In exchange, the EU insists the *** must agree to following any new SPS rules introduced in the future and accept a role for the European Court of Justice in policing the agreement. Those conditions will likely be unpopular with ardent Brexit supporters. They might also put backs up in Washington and complicate the *** doing a wider future deal on agriculture with the US, as the *** would be tied to stringent EU standards. PA A new fishing agreement for *** waters is needed as the current one expires next year But the Labour government knows public opinion polls suggest most people in the *** prioritise trade with the EU over the US. Currently the EU counts for 41% of *** exports; the US for 21%. The *** government will probably insist the SPS agreement is good for the British economy. Though animal and plant exports and imports are, in fact, a small part of overall GDP. In reality “growth is a bit of a red herring here”, says Mr Menon. On the EU side, the French, backed by other fishing nations like the Netherlands and Denmark, have taken a tough stance in these talks – refusing to sign up unless the *** agrees to long-term EU fishing rights in *** waters. The current post-Brexit fishing agreement expires next year. Free-er movement for some The reset we’ll hear about at Monday’s summit will also include a “mobility” section. Starmer will get his ask, for the EU to recognise *** professional qualifications, to encourage cross-border business. There will also be a reduction in visa restrictions for *** musicians travelling and performing in the EU. In exchange, the EU – and Germany, most passionately – wants a youth mobility scheme, allowing young EU citizens to travel, study, and even work in the ***. The *** has similar schemes with Canada, Australia, South Korea and Japan, amongst others. But this has been tricky to agree. Reducing migration figures is a number one priority for the Labour government. It’s a hot-button issue and the *** Home Office will seek to toughen conditions and limit EU numbers. Negotiations are ongoing but, according to EU sources, the scheme already has a name: YES, or Youth Experience Scheme. Some areas of negotiation are more advanced than others. This will be reflected in Monday’s announcement. There will also be talk at the summit of plans to tackle ******** migration, cooperate on carbon border taxes, and simplify energy trading between the EU and ***. Reducing EU-*** trade barriers on chemicals and pharmaceutical goods is also a *** ambition, as is getting access to EU databases, like the Schengen Information System, to better track down criminals. But for now, at least, the EU is saying no to that. If it makes an exception for the ***, other non-EU countries will demand the same, it insists. Of course, it’s in the interest of both sides to fight cross-border crime. The *** argues the current state of the world calls for more flexible thinking from Brussels. Defence and security complications The case for more flexible thinking is also something the *** is calling for when it comes to Monday’s defence and security pact with the EU. The EU and *** already work closely together on Russian sanctions and defending Ukraine. And the pact isn’t a legally binding document, so how complicated can these talks be, you may ask? The answer is pretty complicated. The *** wants its defence companies to be allowed to bid for contracts under the EU’s new re-armament scheme, SAFE (Security Action for Europe). “The *** has earned the right to access such a deal because of the leadership it’s shown over Ukraine,” says international defence expert Sophia Gaston, a visiting fellow at King’s College London. PA Some believe the *** has earned the right to bid for EU arms contracts due to its leadership over Ukraine “Britain is a serious player both in traditional defence capabilities, like producing munitions, and in cutting edge defence innovation, where new growth and energy is. “If the *** has access to the emerging EU defence programmes, it can contribute to mass and pace. [The war in Ukraine] has shown that both are needed.” But Ms Gaston admits, *** companies getting the go-ahead from Brussels is a “messy” process. “Re-Arm EU”, as Brussels dubs its new drive, is still a work in progress, spurred by rapidly changing geopolitics, including fears the US will withdraw at least some of the crucial security support Europe has relied on since World War Two. This is not yet a fully formed EU strategy that the *** can “pay to play” a part in, as it has done post-Brexit with the EU’s research and innovation scheme Horizon, for example. An agreement with the *** in this defence industrial context will be brand new and bespoke. And it’s getting political. Signing the security pact on Monday is just a step in the process. France wants to severely restrict non-EU companies bidding for the bloc’s defence contracts, including the *** but ********* and American firms too. If the EU is spending its taxpayers’ money on defence, it argues it should be spent with EU companies to help boost EU economies. Paris also says, in this rapidly changing world of shifting alliances and allegiances, the EU should be self-reliant, not dependent on suppliers outside the bloc. Sceptics suspect France, which has a sophisticated defence industry, of wanting to hoover up lucrative EU contracts for itself. But it looks like it is losing the internal EU argument, with the Nordics, the Baltics, Poland, Italy and the Netherlands favouring more openness on defence contracts, and particularly with the EU’s biggest economic power, Germany, championing the ***. “Germany and France have very different attitudes towards the ***,” says ******* economist Armin Steinbach from think tank Bruegel. Germany will always put relations with EU heavyweights France and Poland first, says Mr Steinbach. But he believes the *** will be helped in defence and economic negotiations with the EU by new ******* Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who argues “a unified Europe is the absolute priority in the current geopolitical setting”. Huge challenge of defence cooperation A priority maybe, but it’s still a hugely tall order because it’s all about compromise. Political leaders will seek to justify increases in defence spending by insisting to voters that it’s for their personal security and in the interest of their national economy, with boosts in revenue for domestic defence industries. But achieving a pan-European industrial base – built to be efficient, avoid duplication, and to replace much of the US capacity relied on by the continent today – would mean some European countries winning more defence contracts than others. It would also mean some national businesses shutting down, in favour of better-suited ones elsewhere on the continent. That’s a hard sell for political leaders facing their voters. As is another big trade-off: Big increases in defence spending will mean governments have less money to spend on public services. The challenge for Europe is breathtaking. By comparison, Monday’s symbolic EU-*** summit, may seem like a walk in the park. Source link #haggle #key #points #summit #Brexit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Jack Vidgen health update: Singer, reality star reveals ‘relapse’, return to rehab in addiction battle Jack Vidgen health update: Singer, reality star reveals ‘relapse’, return to rehab in addiction battle *********** singer and reality star Jack Vidgen, winner of Australia’s Got Talent in 2011, has shared a heartbreaking update about his personal battle with addiction, revealing he relapsed and is now back in rehab. “Not the video I was hoping to be posting after my Instagram hiatus but here I am, again,” Vidgen wrote in a deeply personal update. “This is now my 7th rehab admission. That sentence fills me with so much embarrassment but at the same time I’m trying to tap into the strength that people tell it takes to keep trying.“This relapse was a really sad one as I feel like (I) lost contact with most of my friends and pushed away the people I loved. “I left like there was not much hope for me.“It fills me with compassion for people who don’t have the resources to just check in to a rehab when they need it.” Vigen, now aged 28, has previously been applauded for his openness when speaking about the battles of addiction and advocating for better support for sufferers. “I’m scared for the future,” he wrote. “I have a situation coming up in the next couple months that’s been lingering for the last 5 years. Something that I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. “I’ve been so terrified but it’s time I step into my strength and my truth.“As a victim of ******* abuse I will get through this. Alive.“I love you all. Jack x,” he wrote. 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. Celebrities were quick to rally around Vidgen, sharing their admiration for his strength and openness, wishing him well in his journey. “Hang in there Jack, you’ve got this,” *********** actor Hugh Sheridan wrote. “We fall off the bike and we get back on and when we’ve got it we still wear a helmet because in life we might fall again. “You are an incredible human. Your honesty and vulnerability is key to how strong you are. Sending big love brave boy.” Influencer and podcast host Alright Hey said: “We are all standing beside you beautiful boy.” *********** performing legend Rhonda Burchmore wrote: “Sending big love and strength.” If you or someone you know needs help, contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). Lifeline: 13 11 14. If you or someone you know needs help, phone SANE Australia Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263). Young people seeking support can phone beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or go to headspace.org.au. Source link #Jack #Vidgen #health #update #Singer #reality #star #reveals #relapse #return #rehab #addiction #battle Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Canada PM Carney reaffirms support for Ukraine in first meeting with Zelenskiy Canada PM Carney reaffirms support for Ukraine in first meeting with Zelenskiy TORONTO (Reuters) -********* Prime Minister Mark Carney on Saturday reaffirmed the country’s support for Ukraine in his first face-to-face meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy since winning the election. “********* people will stand in steadfast and unwavering support … we underscore that there can be no peace without the full support and participation of Ukraine, and that you have our absolute support,” Carney told Zelenskiy. The leaders met while in Rome to attend the inaugural mass of newly elected Pope Leo on Sunday at the ********. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would speak to the presidents of Russia and Ukraine on Monday. Carney also met other world leaders, including his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, President of Italy Sergio Mattarella and European Commission President Ursula von de Leyen ahead of the G7 summit in Canada in June. (Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Toronto; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Source link #Canada #Carney #reaffirms #support #Ukraine #meeting #Zelenskiy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Orioles fire manager Brandon Hyde after 15-28 start to season – Baltimore Sun Orioles fire manager Brandon Hyde after 15-28 start to season – Baltimore Sun Orioles fire manager Brandon Hyde after 15-28 start to season Baltimore SunScuffling O’s fire manager Hyde after slow start ESPNDifferent manager, same result in a 10-6 loss to the Nats Camden ChatHyde out as Orioles manager MLB.comOrioles fire Brandon Hyde: Any hope for a turnaround in Baltimore? There are reasons for optimism CBS Sports Source link #Orioles #fire #manager #Brandon #Hyde #start #season #Baltimore #Sun Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US PGA Championship 2025: Scottie Scheffler leads heading into final round US PGA Championship 2025: Scottie Scheffler leads heading into final round Until Scheffler’s late flourish, the top of the leaderboard was tightly contested for so long during an enthralling day in North Carolina, with the lead fluctuating wildly and at one stage, five players sharing top spot. Overnight leader Jhonattan Vegas began the day two clear but his lead was eroded by bogeys on his first two holes and he finished the day five shots back at six under par. He is alongside two-time major winner Rahm, who thrust himself into contention with a round of 67. Fellow LIV golfer and perennial major contender DeChambeau celebrated when he seized the outright lead with three holes of his round to play, but carded a bogey and a double bogey on his way home to shoot a two-under 69. At the opposite end of the leaderboard, Masters champion Rory McIlroy shot a one-over 72 to end round three 13 shots off the pace. More to follow. Source link #PGA #Championship #Scottie #Scheffler #leads #heading #final Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The real East Enders | The West *********** The real East Enders | The West *********** No part of England’s capital has changed like London’s east in recent decades. Once synonymous with industry, crime, and characters like Jack the Ripper and the Kray twins, it was long portrayed as dirty, dangerous and downtrodden, where the West End of London was dishy, dashing, and dripping with money. Of course, things were never that reductive or ******-and-white. But while the west — more specifically the central-west of London like Mayfair and Soho — remains moneyed and tourist central, gentrification has brushed through the east, transforming districts and leading to a rise in property prices and rents for its assortment of low, medium and high-rise housing. Even many visitors prefer to stay in this half of the city nowadays, and there’s a good choice of stylish and trendy hotels, with many scattered in and around Shoreditch, the epicentre of east London’s renaissance, a bagel’s throw from the skyscrapers and financial headquarters of the Square Mile. Yet gritty and edgy pockets still stud east London, and it’s the socio-economic contrasts, and hodge-podge of architecture, vibes, people and languages, that make this such an absorbing place to explore. Camera IconBethnal Green’s York Hall is known as the home of British boxing. Credit: Steve McKenna/ Enclaves like Bethnal Green and Hackney, in particular, brim with intriguing ingredients, from always-busy, graffiti-marked streets thronged with cosmopolitan shops, eateries and red double-decker buses to leafy, tranquil backstreets with handsome Victorian terraced houses, inviting canal paths and grassy parks where locals picnic and enjoy sports. Having once lived in this part of London for several years, I have my favourite old areas that I like to check in on whenever I’m back in the neighbourhood. These districts are in perpetual flux but still usually manage to retain at least some of their old essence. One place that always drags me back is Broadway Market, which runs between the Regent’s Canal and the sprawling greenery of London Fields. Camera IconVictorian gas holders by the Regent’s Canal are being transformed into expensive new apartments. Credit: Steve McKenna/ It’s an everyday street as much as a market, containing shops, pharmacies, bookstores, watering holes, bakeries and eateries, though stalls do pop up here at the weekend. While fruit and vegetables were once the mainstay of a market that (some say) inspired the one in the TV soap EastEnders, today’s vendors sell everything from aromatic artisan European cheeses to fragrant dishes from Asia and the Caribbean. Strolling along the street early one midweek winter’s morning, I pass an organic grocery store and a plant-based deli that weren’t here last time. Some places I used to frequent are still trading — Victorian gastropub The Cat & Mutton and Buen Ayre, Britain’s first authentic Argentine charcoal grill steakhouse — but sadly F. Cooke isn’t. Camera IconThe former premises of F. Cooke on Broadway Market in Hackney. Credit: Steve McKenna/ Founded in 1900, this was one of London’s last traditional pie, mash and jellied eel shops, but rocketing rates and changing tastes led to its closure in 2019. Its green-and-gold facade and signage remain but, peeking inside, I see an upscale eyewear brand has set up shop, though its retained many of Cooke’s original features such as the stained-glass windows and marble counter. Exiting Broadway Market, I drop down to the towpath of the Regent’s Canal, which threads 14km between north-east and west London. I used to jog here in all weathers, and as I amble by the water today, people younger and older than me are puffing, sprinting and cycling past. Gazing over the line of houseboats moored here, I see a cluster of Victorian gas holders, which were vacant and skeletal a few years ago. Now they’re being filled with fancy new apartments (later, in a real estate agent’s window, I see studio flats priced from $1.3 million). I exit the towpath at Cambridge Heath, a stone’s throw from Bethnal Green. London Overground trains rumble on a viaduct above, while the railway arches below contain a mish-mash of businesses, from car mechanic garages and music studios to coffee roasteries and natural wine stores. Camera IconThe ******* Museum is beneath the railway arches in Bethnal Green. Credit: Steve McKenna/ The ******* Museum — billed as “the world’s first bricks-and-mortar museum dedicated to vaginas, vulvas and the gynaecological anatomy” — is also here, but the shutters are down today. Across the street, and open again after a major overhaul, the Young V&A displays a treasure trove of nostalgia-inducing exhibits and hands-on fun and games. This excellent free museum is next to Bethnal Green Tube station and the York Hall, the so-called “home of British boxing”, staging fight nights since the 1940s (though few as brutal, I’d wager, as the scraps in A Thousand Blows, a new Disney Plus drama by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, set in the world of bare-knuckle boxing in the Victorian-era East End before gloves and proper pugilistic rules were adopted). Camera IconA ****** forms outside E Pellicci, an East London icon. Credit: Steve McKenna/ While York Hall is a real East End stalwart, so too is E Pellicci. This family-run Anglo-Italian “caff” is on Bethnal Green Road, which hasn’t changed as much as some east London thoroughfares in the past decade. I pass South Asian clothes stores and grocery shops and revitalised boozers like The Star of Bethnal Green before joining a small ****** outside E Pellicci. There’s now a small covered outdoor dining area, but I want to sit in the Art Deco heritage-listed interior, where the walls are wood-panelled and the banter flows. “Do you mind sharing a table?” asks Nev, grandson of Priamo Pellicci and his wife Elide, who took over the cafe at the turn of the century. Nev, well into his 40s now, has more salt and pepper in his beard than when I last came, but he remains as friendly as ever, chatting and joking with his customers, who range from local tradesmen and pensioners to tourists and cockney and Hollywood celebrities (think EastEnders stars, Ray Winstone, Tom Hardy, Colin Farrell, and gangsters the Kray twins back in the day). I’m seated at a table of Americans, who’ve travelled to Britain to watch their favourite soccer team (Liverpool), and decided to tack on a London stay. E Pellicci serves a range of home-made Italian and English dishes but throughout the morning a fair few punters come for ”a big fry-up”. Camera IconA full English breakfast at E Pellicci will set you up for a stroll around London’s East End. Credit: Steve McKenna/ The Americans, accustomed to large portions, seem happy with their plates piled with baked beans, eggs, bacon, Cumberland sausage, tomato, mushrooms and toast. Around us, there’s a flurry of conversations in half-a-dozen languages, orders being made and relayed to the kitchen, clashes of crockery and cutlery. It’s cramped, communal and crackling with cooking smells. While prices are higher than before (inflation!) and more Pellicci-branded merchandise is for ***** (including tote bags, tea towels and T-shirts), the soul of this caff endures. When I come to pay — £15.60 ($32.60) for the gut-busting full English with a mug of tea — Nev’s cousin Tony tells me it’s still cash only. I’m so used to paying contactless for everything now, in east London and beyond, that I have no notes in my wallet. “There’s an ATM across the road,” says Tony. Five minutes later I’m back, skipping round the growing ****** outside to settle my bill. fact file + To help plan a trip to London and Britain, see visitlondon.com and visitbritain.com Camera IconE Pellicci has expanded its merchandise offerings in recent years. Credit: Steve McKenna/ Source link #real #East #Enders #West #*********** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

People Are Tossing Their Ziploc Bags After a Disturbing New Class Action Lawsuit People Are Tossing Their Ziploc Bags After a Disturbing New Class Action Lawsuit This article may contain affiliate links that Yahoo and/or the publisher may receive a commission from if you buy a product or service through those links. Ziploc has been a brand we all know and trust for all of our resealable plastic bag needs. But a recent class-action lawsuit against the company might have us rethinking everything we thought we knew about Ziploc bags. Earlier this month, it was announced that Ziploc’s parent company, S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., was being sued by Linda Cheslow, a California resident, for misleading packaging on Ziploc products. The products in question, made from polyethylene and polypropylene, have been medically and scientifically proven to have the potential to release microplastics when subjected to extreme temperatures. The problem — beyond the fact that microplastics are potentially dangerous — is that these bags are marketed as microwave- and freezer-safe. That means that we’ve all been microwaving and freezing in Ziploc bags and containers, unknowingly releasing microplastics into our food. How dangerous are microplastics? Well, according to Dr. Alex LeBeau, a toxicologist and certified industrial hygienist, it depends on a lot of factors. For example, the size of the particles and how the body is exposed to them, be it ingestion, inhalation, or through skin contact, and how much of the substance interacts with the body. But the short answer is yes, although there isn’t enough research yet to conclusively say just how dangerous, microplastics are harmful to the body. “There are some recent studies suggesting that microplastics have been found to contribute to strokes,” says Lebeau. “However, critiques of other vascular-related studies have indicated a lack of associated health effects from the presence of microplastics.” He explains that in the science community people tend to think that associations are not causal, which means that even though something was found it doesn’t mean it caused a specific problem. The bottom line? “More research is necessary to identify an actual cause of harm,” Lebeau adds. However, a spokesperson for S.C. Johnson told USA Today in a statement: “We believe Ziploc products are safe when used as directed and the claims in this lawsuit are without merit.” If you’re worried about whether or not your Ziploc products have been impacted by the potentially misleading marketing, here’s a list of all of the products that have been mentioned in the complaint. Ziploc Freezer Bags (pint, small, quart, & gallon sizes) Ziploc Slider Freezer Bags (quart, & gallon sizes) Ziploc Slider Storage Bags (quart, & gallon sizes) The complaint also contains a number of photos of the products in question with the term “microwave-safe” printed on the packaging. Further Reading The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About Tuscan Chicken Is the “Most Delicious” Dinner of All Time, Says Everyone Who’s Tried It Do Water Filters Really Work — And Which Ones Are the Best? Sign up for The Kitchn’s Daily newsletter to receive our best recipes, posts, and shopping tips in your inbox. Source link #People #Tossing #Ziploc #Bags #Disturbing #Class #Action #Lawsuit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump shows signs of mounting frustration with Supreme Court – The Hill Trump shows signs of mounting frustration with Supreme Court – The Hill Trump shows signs of mounting frustration with Supreme Court The HillSupreme Court blocks Trump from restarting Alien Enemies Act deportations CNNTrump Suggests Supreme Court Is ‘Illegally’ Blocking His Lawless Deportations Rolling StoneSupreme Court rules administration must give Venezuelans more time to challenge deportation under Alien Enemies Act NBC NewsSupreme Court Retains Temporary Block on Using Alien Enemies Act to Deport Venezuelans The New York Times Source link #Trump #shows #signs #mounting #frustration #Supreme #Court #Hill Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A win for Journalism in the 150th Preakness Stakes A win for Journalism in the 150th Preakness Stakes Journalism has won the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes, coming from behind down the stretch to make good on being the odds-on favourite in the middle leg of the Triple Crown two weeks after finishing second to Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby. Finishing first in a field of nine horses that did not include Sovereignty but featured some of the best competition in the country, Journalism gave trainer Michael McCarthy his second Preakness victory and made Umberto Rispoli the first jockey from Italy to win a triple Crown race. “When I crossed the wire, the first things that comes up to my mind, it’s all of the 20 years of my career that pass in front of me,” Rispoli said. “I had to wait so long to be on a champion like that. “I still can’t realise what this horse did. It’s all about him. It’s a pleasure and privilege to ride a horse like him.” Gosger was second by a half-length after getting passed by Journalism just before the wire. Sandman was third and Goal Oriented fourth. Journalism thrived on a warm day that dried out the track after torrential rain fell at Pimlico Race Course for much of the past week. The conditions suited him better than the slop at Churchill Downs in the Derby. Sovereignty did not take part after his owners and trainer Bill Mott decided to skip the Preakness, citing the two-week turnaround, and aimed for the Belmont on June 7. That made this a fifth time in seven years that the Preakness, for various reasons, was contested without a Triple Crown bid at stake. But Journalism staked his claim for 3-year-old horse of the year by winning the $US2 million American classic race run at the old Pimlico Race Course for the last time before it’s torn down and rebuilt. The Preakness is set to be held at nearby Laurel Park, between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., next year before a planned return to the new Pimlico in 2027. Journalism is the first horse to win the Preakness after running in the Kentucky Derby since Mark Casse-trained War of Will in 2019. Only two others from the 19 in the Derby participated in the Preakness: Casse’s Sandman and fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas’ American Promise. Lukas, the 89-year-old who has saddled the most horses in Preakness history, referred to McCarthy once this week as “the new guy.” This was just McCarthy’s second, and he’s 2 for 2 after Rombauer sprung the upset as an 11-1 long shot in 2021. Source link #win #Journalism #150th #Preakness #Stakes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Romanians vote in presidential run-off that could widen EU rifts Romanians vote in presidential run-off that could widen EU rifts By Luiza Ilie BUCHAREST Reuters) -Romanians vote on Sunday in a presidential election run-off that pits a hard-right eurosceptic against a centrist independent, and where the outcome could have implications for both the country’s struggling economy and EU unity. Hard-right nationalist George Simion, 38, who opposes military aid to neighbouring Ukraine and is critical of European Union leadership, decisively swept the first presidential election round, triggering the collapse of a pro-Western coalition government. That led to significant capital outflows. Centrist Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan, 55, who has pledged to clamp down on corruption, is staunchly pro-EU and NATO, and has said Romania’s support for Ukraine is vital for its own security against a growing Russian threat. The president of the EU and NATO state has considerable powers, not least being in charge of the defence council that decides on military aid. He will also have oversight of foreign policy, with the power to veto EU votes that require unanimity. Whoever is elected will also need to nominate a prime minister to negotiate a new majority in parliament to reduce Romania’s budget deficit – the largest in the EU – as well as reassure investors and try to avoid a credit rating downgrade. An opinion poll on Friday showed Dan slightly ahead of Simion for the first time since the first round in a tight race that will depend on turnout and the sizable Romanian diaspora. “Unlike Western states, which can more easily afford mistakes, trust in Romania can be lost much more easily and it could … take generations to gain it back,” said Radu Burnete, director of the country’s largest employers’ group. “We cannot afford to drift.” Voting starts at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) and ends at 9 p.m. (1800 GMT), with exit polls to follow immediately. MISINFORMATION Political analysts have said victory for Simion, a supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, would risk isolating the country abroad, eroding private investment and destabilising NATO’s eastern flank. The vote comes on the same day as the first round of Poland’s presidential election, expected to be led by pro-EU Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and conservative historian Karol Nawrocki. Victory for Simion and/or Trzaskowski would expand a cohort of eurosceptic leaders that already includes prime ministers in Hungary and Slovakia amid a political shift in Central Europe that could widen rifts in the EU. “What the (nationalists) want is a European Union that is as little integrated as possible,” said political analyst and historian Ion M. Ionita. “One that is very little united from a legislative standpoint in which decisions are only taken nationally, but still benefitting from European money.” Romania’s vote comes nearly six months after the initial ballot was canceled because of alleged Russian interference – denied by Moscow – in favour of far-right frontrunner Calin Georgescu, who was then banned from standing again. The cancellation was criticised by the Trump administration, and Simion owes much of his success to popular anger against the decision, as well as frustration with mainstream parties blamed for high living costs and corruption. Simion has said his prime minister pick would be Georgescu, who favours nationalisations and an openness towards Russia. Some analysts warn online disinformation has been rife again ahead of Sunday’s vote. “We’re seeing disinformation spreading like wildfire across social media platforms – through bots and strategic reshares mimicking authentic posting,” said Roxana Radu, expert at Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government. (Reporting by Luiza IlieEditing by Mark Potter) Source link #Romanians #vote #presidential #runoff #widen #rifts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

1 dead, at least 5 injured in explosion outside fertility clinic in Palm Springs – ABC News 1 dead, at least 5 injured in explosion outside fertility clinic in Palm Springs – ABC News 1 dead, at least 5 injured in explosion outside fertility clinic in Palm Springs ABC NewsLIVE COVERAGE: One person dead after suspected bomb explodes in Palm Springs KESQLIVE: One person dead in Palm Springs explosion called an ‘intentional act of violence’ The Desert SunPalm Springs explosion: 1 dead, at least 5 injured in explosion outside fertility clinic in Palm Springs ABC7 Los Angeles1 Dead as Bomb Damages Palm Springs Fertility Clinic, Mayor Says The New York Times Source link #dead #injured #explosion #fertility #clinic #Palm #Springs #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The best photos from grand final The best photos from grand final 9 minutes agoShareSaveAndré Rhoden-Paul BBC News ShareSaveEPA Austria’s JJ won with a dramatic performance with Wasted Love The Eurovision Song Contest brought the drama as 26 countries battled it out for the trophy. The night saw wacky songs, fabulous outfits and high-tempo dancing. It eventually came down to tense stand off during the results between Austria and Israel, with Austria eventually taking the Eurovision trophy. Here are the best photos from the night: Reuters Tommy Cash, representing Estonia, showed off his fancy footwork with Espresso Macchiato Reuters Finland’s Erika Vikman hovered over the stage on a giant microphone stand EPA Israel’s delegation said its singer Yuval Raphael – who won the public vote and came second overall – was left upset when protesters tried to storm the stage EPA The ***’s Remember Monday perform What The Hell Just Happened? EPA Latvia’s Tautumeitas performed beautiful harmonies Reuters France’s performance included ambitious staging, which saw the singer Louane swept up in a tornado of actual sand. EPA Switzerland’s Zoë Më performed to a home crowd and came 10th Reuters JJ put his head in his hands with joy as he is announced winner of Eurovision EPA Fans without grand final tickets watched on a big screen in Eurovision Village in Basel EPA People dressed up inspired by their favourite act, including these two fans of Sweden’s sauna-fuelled act KAJ EPA Eurovision icons from past years came back for guest performances including Baby Lasagna and Kaarija Eurovision Song Contest Source link #photos #grand #final Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Murray Watt dodges questions about Tanya Plibersek’s tenure as environment minister Murray Watt dodges questions about Tanya Plibersek’s tenure as environment minister Anthony Albanese’s new environment tsar has bragged about his abilities to work in tough portfolios in response to questions about his predecessor, Tanya Plibersek. Murray Watt was sworn into the environment portfolio this week as part of the Prime Minister’s reshuffle, with Ms Plibersek getting moved to social services. Ms Plibersek drew ire from both environmentalists and industrialists while heading the ministry in the Albanese government’s first term. Senator Watt on Sunday said he would “leave it to commentators … to determine why I’ve been put in this role” but that his record spoke for itself. Camera IconMurray Watt has taken over from Tanya Plibersek as environment minister. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia “I think my record does show that I’m someone who can bring different groups together and make decisive decisions and then get matters passed through the Senate,” the Environment Minister told Sky News. “I did that in my agriculture role when it came to live sheep exports, which was a very controversial issue, but we got the job done there. “I’ve done that when it comes to the CFMEU administration, getting difficult, contentious legislation through the parliament. “And that’s the sort of approach I’ll be taking here.” Camera IconMs Plibersek weathered scathing criticism from both environmentalists and industrialists. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Senator Watt said he thought “the whole *********** community recognises we need to see reform”. “And what I see from the community is that they want to see politicians, business groups, governments, environmental groups, working together, coming up with common solutions, rather than just pitting each other at each other all the time,” he said. More to come. Source link #Murray #Watt #dodges #questions #Tanya #Pliberseks #tenure #environment #minister Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]