Latest news with #Hoover
News18
a day ago
- News18
5 Tigers Found Dead In Karnataka, Sparking Outcry Over Unpaid Forest Staff And Lax Surveillance
Poisoning is strongly suspected as the cause, with a laced cow carcass found nearby believed to have been the fatal bait. The tragic incident is thought to have occurred on 25 June A pall of grief and outrage has descended upon the M.M. Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar district following the discovery of five dead tigers – a mother and her four cubs – on Thursday, 26 June. Poisoning is strongly suspected as the cause, with a laced cow carcass found nearby believed to have been the fatal bait. The tragic incident, thought to have occurred on Wednesday, 25 June, has not only highlighted the vulnerability of India's tiger population but also ignited a fierce debate over alleged administrative lapses within the forest department. The 11-year-old tigress, first identified in 2014, is believed to have killed and partially consumed the cow before returning to the poisoned remains with her unsuspecting offspring. In the wake of this devastating loss, environmental activists have swiftly pointed fingers at the alleged non-payment of salaries to forest watchers for the past three months. Activists allege that this led to critical gaps in surveillance and monitoring, potentially enabling unauthorised entry into the sanctuary and the subsequent poisoning. Joseph Hoover, a prominent environmentalist, did not mince words, questioning the efficacy of the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF). 'What was the DCF doing?" Hoover said. 'These forest watchers have not been paid for months, and they have raised these issues with the officers. How do we expect them to go into the forest and do their duty?" Karnataka's Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, Eshwar B. Khandre, has acknowledged the gravity of the situation, calling for a detailed report and vowing stringent action against those responsible. He confirmed that initial indications suggest tiger deaths were unnatural. 'Preliminary reports indicate that all these are unnatural deaths. According to protocol, a postmortem will be conducted. This is a heart-wrenching incident. I am instructing the vigilance squad to work more efficiently and increase monitoring rounds at all national parks and sanctuaries in the state," he said. A high-level inquiry committee, comprising senior forest officials, a veterinary officer, and a wildlife expert, has been constituted to expedite the investigation. The committee is expected to submit its findings within 14 days. Samples have been collected for toxicology, histopathology and DNA profiling after necropsies were conducted in line with the NTCA protocol. In response to the crisis, authorities have announced intensified measures, including increased monitoring, real-time surveillance with infrared cameras, GPS-based patrolling, heightened alerts for anti-poaching camps, and sweeps for snares and traps. These efforts aim to bolster the safety of Karnataka's significant tiger population, which, at 563, ranks as the second-highest in the country. The ongoing investigation into the tiger deaths is now heavily focused on tracing the ownership and origin of the poisoned cow. Forest officials are currently interrogating local herdsmen, though residents are denying ownership of the carcass. The perplexing question of how the cow came to be in the sanctuary – including the possibility that it was brought from elsewhere – remains a key puzzle. Furthermore, authorities are scrutinising whether any cattle grazing took place within the forest area and, if so, who authorised it — raising critical questions about potential negligence by forest officials. The probe aims to definitively ascertain whether herdsmen were involved in the poisoning or whether hunters are responsible for setting the fatal bait.
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Apparently fake clemency letter for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover sent to Gov. JB Pritzker
Weeks after President Donald Trump commuted the federal life sentence of Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover, a letter arrived at the offices of Gov. JB Pritzker that appeared to be Hoover's final push for freedom: asking for clemency in his state murder case. At first glance, the petition, which was stamped as received by the governor's office on June 16, would seem to be a legitimate plea from Hoover himself, using the same language about atonement and redemption that the imprisoned gang leader has used in numerous previous requests for parole and clemency from the courts. But a closer inspection revealed some tell-tale signs that the document, first obtained by the Tribune through a public records request, might be a fake. For one, it was purportedly sent June 5 from the 'supermax' prison in Florence, Colorado where Hoover, 74, had been housed for the past three decades. But Hoover had in fact been released from that facility days prior due to Trump's clearing of his federal sentence on May 29. Another clue: the stationery used in the three-page letter had a quote at the bottom often attributed to the medieval fraternal organization known as freemasons, along with one of the group's insignias depicting a square and compass. Hoover's attorneys say he never would have had access to such stationery in the high-security environment in Florence, where use of any insignias is banned. When the Tribune reached out to lead Hoover attorney Justin Moore on Wednesday, he said he had suspicions about the authenticity of the letter but could not say for certain that Hoover had not sent it. On Wednesday evening, Moore confirmed on social media that the petition was sent without the knowledge or consent of Hoover's legal team and is believed to be a forgery. 'I was just informed that there was a fake clemency petition sent to the Governor of Illinois with Larry Hoover's name forged on it,' Moore wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 'I've already had one media outlet contact me about this. No one from my office, nor any other retained attorney by Larry Hoover assisted with this.' Moore said Thursday he was still investigating its origins and hoped to talk to Hoover about it soon. A spokesman for Pritzker's office had no comment on the document Thursday. The apparently fake clemency request may be a blip in Hoover's ongoing legal saga, but it's also an indication of the lasting mystique that continues to follow one of Chicago's most notorious gang leaders even though he's been behind bars for more than 50 years. The letter obtained by the Tribune had been received Monday by the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, which reviews all requests for clemency and makes recommendations to the governor. Pritzker, who formally announced Thursday he will run for a third term, has previously commented that any clemency requests from Hoover would be treated the same as any other prisoner. 'We have a process in the state of Illinois,' Pritzker told reporters soon after Trump's commutation of Hoover's federal sentence. 'If you want to seek commutation or pardon, you go through a process. First you apply through the Prisoner Review Board, and then the Prisoner Review Board makes a recommendation to the governor.' Pritzker said it was important to make decisions based on a full record, after interviewing not only the prisoner but also their family, friends as well as victims or victims' relatives. 'I have, as you know, had pardons and commutations, hundreds of them during the course of my administration, and they all — every single one of them has involved that kind of a record,' Pritzker said. Hoover's other avenue to freedom would be the granting of parole, a decision made by the Prisoner Review Board. His most recent bid for parole fell short last year, though he's allowed to renew his request next year, records show. Once one of the nation's largest street gangs, the Gangster Disciples became a major criminal force under Hoover's leadership, with operations that spread to dozens of U.S. cities and were as sophisticated as many legitimate corporations, including a strict code of conduct for members and a franchise-style system for drug sales. Hoover was convicted in state court in 1973 of the murder of William Young, one of Hoover's gang underlings who was shot to death that same year after he and others had stolen from gang stash houses. He was sentenced to 200 years in prison. In the early 1990s, before Hoover was charged in federal court, former Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer lobbied the IDOC parole board on his behalf, arguing that Hoover could help stem Chicago's street violence if he were allowed to return home, the Tribune reported at the time. Hoover was indicted in federal court in 1995 on charges he continued to oversee the murderous drug gang's reign of terror from prison. He was convicted on 40 criminal counts in 1997, and then-U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber sentenced him to the mandatory term of life. For years, Hoover had been housed in solitary confinement at the supermax prison in Colorado, which counts a number of high-profile and notorious detainees, including Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, Sept. 11 terrorist attack plotter Zacarias Moussaoui, and Jeff Fort, the Chicago gang leader who founded the El Rukns. Federal prosecutors vehemently opposed any breaks for Hoover, arguing he did untold damage to communities across Chicago during his reign on the streets. They argued he has continued to hold sway over the gang's hierarchy while imprisoned, even promoting an underling he'd secretly communicated with through coded messages hidden in a dictionary. Hoover's attorneys, meanwhile, have claimed that decades behind bars have left him a changed man and that prosecutors have unfairly painted him as a puppet master to try to keep him locked up. At a hearing last year, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey asked Hoover's defense attorney point-blank: 'How many other murders is he responsible for?' 'I don't know what the methodology is for determining that,' attorney Bonjean replied, somewhat taken aback by the unusually blunt query. 'So many we can't count?' Blakey shot back. Days after Trump commuted his federal sentence, Hoover was transferred out of the supermax prison in Florence and is currently being housed in the Colorado state Department of Corrections system, though his exact whereabouts are not public.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Colleen Hoover's ‘Reminders Of Him' Moves Ahead Of Margot Robbie & Jacob Elordi's ‘Wuthering Heights' In Pre-Valentine's Day 2026 Frame
Universal is positioning its Valentine's Day entry Colleen Hoover's Reminders of Him, in just the right place, moving the Vanessa Caswill directed movie from Feb. 13, 2026 to Feb. 6. That's ahead of another female skewing film for the frame, Warner Bros' Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi from filmmaker Emerald Fennell. Reminders of Him stars Maika Monroe, Lauren Graham, Bradley Whitford, Lainey Wilson and Nicholas Duvernay. The source material was a No. 1 New York Times bestselling tome about motherhood, forgiveness and the power of one love to heal even the most shattered heart. More from Deadline BBC & Working Title Developing 'A Passage To India' TV Series Jacob Elordi On Playing A Haunted POW In 'The Narrow Road To The Deep North' And His Growing Zeal For Acting As He Tees Up 'Frankenstein' & 'Wuthering Heights' Ariana Grande Joins 'Meet The Parents' Sequel At Universal; Fall 2026 Release Date Set Hoover adapted her own novel with Lauren Levine. Pic is produced by Hoover and Levine for their production company, Heartbones Entertainment. Gina Matthews is producing through her Little Engine Productions. Robin Fisichella is executive producing. First published in 2022, Reminders of Him has sold more than 6 million copies in the United States and has been translated into 45 languages. The feature take of Hoover's It Ends With Us was a surprise box office sensation last summer grossing over $351M and netting $207M after all global ancillaries and expenses. In the wake of the success of that Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively movie, Hollywood jumped on the Hoover bandwagon much like they did with authors such as Stephen King in the 1980s and John Grisham in the 1990s. Reminders of Him will share the Feb. 6-8 weekend next year with the Angel Studios' comedy Solo Mio. Left on Valentine's Day weekend with Wuthering Heights is an untitled NEON horror movie, the Sony Animation feature Goat and the Chris Hemsworth-Barry Keoghan Amazon MGM Studios movie Crime 101. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out?
Wales Online
18-06-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Hundreds of homes planned for former Hoover site in Merthyr
Hundreds of homes planned for former Hoover site in Merthyr It would involve the demolition of current buildings as well as the inclusion of a community hub with shops and businesses as well as open spaces with active travel routes The former Hoover factory in Merthyr Plans to demolish the current buildings at the Hoover site in Merthyr Tydfil and build more than 400 homes there have been officially revealed. Walters Land Limited has submitted an application for up to 441 homes on the site in Pentrebach which would also include a community hub with shops, financial and professional services, food and drink, business and non-residential institutions and it would also include employment land for business, industrial and storage and distribution uses as well as open spaces including active travel routes. An area for what the application calls a potential community heat hub has also been identified and as part of the overall strategic plans within the replacement local development plan (RLDP) it would safeguard land and access for a metro station and a new park and ride facility but the station would not be delivered as part of this planning application. The application says that the vacant, previously developed site is a key development site in the county borough and is a key regeneration opportunity. It says that the site forms a key element of the 59 hectare Hoover Strategic Regeneration Area which is expected to contribute 20% of the total housing requirement of the revised local development plan (LDP). This plan involves demolition of the current buildings as well as ground reclamation and remediation. To get all the latest Merthyr Tydfil news straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here. Article continues below The former Hoover manufacturing plant opened in 1948 and employed up to 5,000 people at its peak manufacturing washing machines but production finished in 2009 after which it was used mainly as a warehouse and distribution centre. In 2024, Hoover announced it would be withdrawing its remaining operations from the site. The site for this application covers an area of almost 16 hectares with three separate land parcels including the former Hoover Candy factory site area, former car park and pump station. The main site area is made up of the former Hoover Candy manufacturing plant including the manufacturing plant to the south and the assembly plant to the north with an access road to separate the two plant buildings. The southern area of the site includes a disused bowling green, pavilion and cricket pitch. In between the bowling green and Pentrebach station is an area of rough ground which is used for storage. Another storage area is located to the north of the bowling green at the location of former tennis courts and a helipad is located on the northern edge of the cricket pitch. A car park, former social club and gatehouse is located in between the cricket pitch and the Hoover manufacturing plant area. A new storage building which was formerly a polystyrene plant lies to the west of the car park and the social club. Article continues below At this stage all matters apart from the main access are reserved for subsequent approval, the application says.
Telegraph
17-06-2025
- Telegraph
Dyson 360 Vis Nav review: It's still the best robot vacuum cleaner you can buy
This article contains affiliate links. The products or services listed have been selected independently by journalists after hands-on testing or sourcing expert opinions. We may earn a commission when you click a link, buy a product or subscribe to a service. What is the Dyson 360 Vis Nav? The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is a high-end machine that was named the Best Buy in our round-up of the best robot vacuum cleaners. It's not a do-it-all robot vacuum, like the Dreame X50 or Shark PowerDetect models, but it instead combines powerful suction with intelligent navigation. Its standout feature is a 360-degree vision system that maps rooms in real time, allowing for methodical, edge-to-edge cleaning. Unlike many of its competitors, the 360 Vis Nav has a unique D‑shaped body engineered to reach into corners, a full-width brush bar that stretches across the front of the machine, and a side-edge duct that captures dust along skirting boards and in corners. The device connects to the MyDyson app, which provides an interface for viewing maps, adjusting no-go zones and scheduling cleans by room and power mode. It also lets you monitor battery life, bin status and the filter condition. While its premium price may give pause, especially given its lack of self-emptying and mopping capabilities, the 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum cleaner is one of the few that can match the performance of even the best cordless vacuums. A cheaper alternative however is the Hoover HG4 robot vacuum, which was named the Best Value buy in our round-up. JUMP TO: How we test I tested the Dyson 360 Vis Nav by assessing its vacuuming performance across my entire home over a two-week period. I set up one dock downstairs to test it on the wooden floors in the living room, kitchen and utility room, and the second one upstairs, where the rooms are carpeted. It didn't just have different floor types to contend with: it had to navigate a one-year-old with a tendency of throwing food, a greyhound that takes up as more space than your average piece of furniture, and a high-pile rug that has successfully bewildered some of Dyson's competitors. As with all of our robot vacuum reviews, we assessed the Dyson 360 Vis Nav's performance across five key metrics. I considered whether its design was fit for purpose, how easy the companion app is to navigate, whether the battery life can see it through a full-home clean and whether it matches up to Dyson's lofty claims when it comes to vacuuming performance. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product. No manufacturer ever sees Telegraph Recommended reviews before publication and we don't accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. All opinions are based on independent expert opinion and our hands-on testing. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. Design and build Score: 9/10 The 360 Vis Nav is immediately recognisable as a Dyson machine thanks to its striking blue chassis and the chunky cyclones that sit on top of the dust canister. It's perhaps not instantly recognisable as a robot vacuum, though, as its unique D-shaped body – which Dyson has engineered to better fit into corners for edge-to-edge cleaning – is unlike anything else on the market. It is also different in that it lacks the rotating side brushes you typically see on robot vacuums. Instead, it features a bar brush that spans the entire length of the vacuum's body and a novel extending side duct that automatically redirects suction to capture dust and debris right up to the wall. While these features are impressive, my favourite thing about the 360 Vis Nav's design is its small footprint and the fact that two docks are included as standard, which proved incredibly practical during testing. I placed one upstairs and one downstairs, making multi-floor cleaning far less of a hassle as there was no lugging the vacuum or base between levels. I'm also a fan of the smooth action of the vacuum's bin-emptying mechanism, though it's somewhat disappointing that it doesn't come with a self-emptying function, especially given its luxury price tag. Performance and results Score: 9/10 At the core of the Dyson 360 Vis Nav is a motor that spins at up to 110,000 rpm, generating an impressive 65 air watts of suction. This is significantly stronger than most robot vacuums on the market and makes the Vis Nav particularly effective at lifting embedded dirt, fine dust and pet hair, even in low power modes. It's one of the few robot vacuums we tested that rivals the cleaning performance of a full-size cordless model – I only ran to my trusty Dyson V8 for the stairs. For more power, consider a stick vacuum, such as the Dyson Gen5Detect instead. I was impressed by its cleaning performance on all floor types, efficiently handling scattered food crumbs and half-eaten bits of pasta on my laminate flooring, and leaving the high-pile rug in my living room looking refreshed and thoroughly cleaned, which is something that other models have struggled to achieve. But it is on carpets where the 360 Vis Nav really shows off. Thanks to the full-width brush head, which has stiff nylon bristles that remove deep dirt in carpets, the robot vac left our upstairs floors looking spotless, even along edges and skirting boards. I tested the vacuum mostly in Auto mode, which means the 360 Vis Nav automatically crank up the suction when it encounters a particularly dusty area (read: my whole home). Connectivity Score: 9/10 After a couple of months of testing various robot vacuums, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav was a breath of fresh air when it came to set up. Assembly took just minutes, and from there I simply had to plug in the charging dock, fire up the MyDyson app (yes, the same app where you manage the warranty for your hair dryer) and enter the Wi-Fi password. The Dyson then set off on its maiden voyage. It first performs a mapping run, using its 360-degree fish-eye camera to see its surroundings, rather than a laser-guided LiDAR system like most of its rivals. This was completed quickly, and the map was pretty accurate though you do have to manually divide the space into rooms and add in any 'no-go' zones. The MyDyson app is incredibly basic, perhaps due to the limited functionality of the robot vacuum itself (its lack of mopping capabilities, for example). There's no option to watch the vacuum as it moves around your home, for example, with the app instead offering a retrospective look at its last activity that tells you how long it cleaned for and highlights any particularly dusty areas it encountered. The Dyson 360 Vis Nav offers alternative ways to interact with it, though. You can manually set it to clean via the onboard display, or with voice control using Amazon Alexa or Google Home. Usability Score: 10/10 If a technophobe friend or family member is in the market for a robot vacuum and you're already dreading the late-night phone calls asking for help – 'my vacuum cleaner says it's stuck on a cliff!' – the Dyson 360 Vis Nav could be an excellent option. Not only is it easy to set up, but it's incredibly easy to use, so much so that I often forgot it existed. The simplicity of the app means it's ideal for even non-tech-savvy folk; you can simply press a button for the vacuum to start cleaning, or set a schedule for it to clean your home at the same time each day. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that, in the two weeks I tested it, I had no issues; no warnings that the vacuum was stuck, and no nasty run-ins with loose Apple Watch chargers. Just press a button and off it goes, easily navigating obstacles (like greyhounds) and gliding under furniture to provide a deep clean. Battery life and recharge time Score: 9/10 The vacuum offers four operating modes – Quiet, Auto, Quick and Boost – each tailored for different tasks and energy consumption. Battery life ranges up to about 50 to 65 minutes in Auto mode, according to Dyson, dropping to around 15 minutes in Boost mode. When power runs low, it autonomously returns to its dock to recharge and resume cleaning where it left off. During all my tests the vacuum didn't once run out of charge mid-clean however, even in Boost mode, though perhaps that's owing to the modest size of my home. According to Dyson, the Vis Nav takes just shy of three hours to recharge to full from zero (again, not a problem I've encountered during my time with the robot vac). Technical specifications Dyson might be the biggest name in vacuum cleaners, but how does it compare to Roomba, a brand synonymous with vacuums of the robot kind? Should you buy the Dyson 360 Vis Nav? On paper, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav isn't the most capable robot vacuum cleaner on the market; it's over a year old, it doesn't mop and you have to empty the dust canister manually. However, it remains the best performance-wise and left my carpets looking cleaner than ever. If being able to mop is important to you, the Dyson Wash G1 is a dedicated hard floor cleaner, though it is on the pricey side. Yes, if: You want a powerful robot vacuum for different floor types that gets into the edges You don't want a bulky robot vacuum taking up space You have pets and/or allergies No, if: You want a robot vacuum that self-empties You want a robot vacuum that also mops Dyson 360 Vis Nav FAQ Does the Dyson 360 Vis Nav self-empty? No, the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum cleaner does not feature a self-emptying capability. Unlike some premium models equipped with auto-empty docks, the 360 Vis Nav requires manual intervention to empty its dustbin. It utilises a hygienic one-touch ejection mechanism, allowing users to dispose of collected debris without direct contact. While this design maintains Dyson's commitment to cleanliness, it may be less convenient for those seeking an entirely hands-off cleaning experience. How well does the Dyson 360 Vis Nav navigate and map homes? The Dyson 360 Vis Nav excels at navigation and mapping, thanks to its 360-degree vision system and intelligent Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) technology. It creates detailed floor maps in real time, enabling precise, systematic cleaning rather than the erratic paths of cheaper models. The robot avoids obstacles and adjusts to different floor types, while its MyDyson companion app shows users cleaning reports and offers the chance to set room-specific routines. Overall, its navigation is among the most advanced in the robotic vacuum category. How effective is the Dyson 360 Vis Nav on different floor types and with pet hair? The Dyson 360 Vis Nav performs impressively across various floor types, from hardwood and laminate to carpet and even high-pile rugs. Its powerful suction is among the strongest in the robot vacuum market, with Dyson's Hyperdymium motor spinning at up to 110,000 rpm, generating an impressive 65 air watts of suction. The motorised full-width brush bar effectively lifts debris and embedded pet hair. While impossible to test, Dyson claims the vacuum is capable of trapping 99.99 per cent of particles as small as 0.1 microns thanks to its whole-machine HEPA filtration, making it well suited to allergy sufferers and pet owners.
