Latest news with #Wardell
26-06-2025
- General
'Rangers lead the way' -- World War II Army Rangers honored with Congressional Gold Medal
'We didn't do it for recognition. We did it out of duty to one another and to our country.' Those are the humble words of Pfc. John Wardell, 99, as he and U.S. Army Ranger veterans from World War II were honored with the Congressional Gold Medal on Thursday. 'To be a Ranger is to live by a code: Courage. Sacrifice. Resolve,' Wardell said. 'That legacy lives on in every Ranger who follows. Our motto has stood the test of time, and it always will. Rangers lead the way!' Wardell, who served in E Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion, joined Sgt. Joe Drake as two of five surviving Army Rangers -- among more than 6,500 who served in WWII -- for a patriotic ceremony in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol. 'On behalf of all the Rangers, I accept this special award,' Drake, 100, said. 'I'd like to thank each member of this Congress for giving me and every Ranger this extraordinary award.' The Congressional Gold Medal, which is struck from 24-karat gold, is the highest civilian award given by Congress to people who have made a major and long-standing impact on American history and culture. 'This band of brothers is so deserving, and this day, to be frank, is long overdue,' House Speaker Mike Johnson said. 'They formed the spearhead of American special operations in the Second World War, and today, we express our most profound gratitude for their courageous contributions with the highest honor that this body can bestow, and that is the Congressional Gold Medal.' Today marked the 159th time that Congress has awarded the medal. Ranging from its first recipient George Washington to Robert Frost, Walt Disney, Rosa Parks and the Tuskegee Airmen, Speaker Johnson remarked the U.S. Army Rangers who served in World War II came from 'every corner of American life,' from welders and waiters to factory hands and musicians. 'There were ordinary men called to extraordinary valor, who stared death in the face and by the grace of God, achieved the incredible and defended freedom,' Johnson said. 'They were America's best.' That sentiment was bipartisan, as congressional leaders and military officials honored the Rangers. 'What the Army Rangers achieved in Normandy, they did again and again and again throughout the war, across every theater, against overwhelming odds,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. 'With the fate of the free world on the line, Army Rangers led the way.' It was during the D-Day invasion on the beaches of Normandy in France that the Rangers gained their motto. Following the United States' strikes against Iran's nuclear sites last weekend and a trip with President Donald Trump to a NATO summit at The Hague earlier this week, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared at the ceremony, as did Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 'Today we celebrate real heroes,' Hegseth said. 'We point the spotlight exactly where it deserves to go.' 'It is altogether fitting and proper that we are here today honoring these two men and the other three at home, and all the Army Rangers of World War Two and all generations who've been willing to put it all on the line for the rest of us,' Hegseth said. 'There are heroes among us, ordinary people who did extraordinary things.'
Otago Daily Times
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Golfer wins spot in world final
Former Geraldine golfer George Wardell has won his first international long drive title. PHOTO: GOLF AUSTRALIA A former Geraldine golfer has scratched off his main goal for the year in style. New Zealand long-drive golf champion George Wardell can now add international champion to his resume after claiming the Australian Long Drive Tour Championship earlier this month. In the final leg of the 2024-25 Australian Long Drive season, Wardell teed off at Carbrook Golf Club in Queensland against the top four players from the season's order of merit. A drive of 333.4m secured him the title and confirmed his spot at the World Long Drive Final in Colorado later this year. Wardell said he was happy to have secured his first international win and achieved his main goal for the year. "Australia has been a great hunting ground for the Kiwis the last two seasons and I'm thrilled to finally get across the line after a lot of second and third place finishes over there. "I've got a good winter window to increase my speed and sharpen my skills before a series of international events September to November. This win has really propelled my confidence and I'm excited for the year ahead."
Irish Independent
19-06-2025
- Science
- Irish Independent
Irish researcher joins €1.7bn hunt for Einstein's ‘ripples in space-time'
This work is part of the European Space Agency's €1.74bn Lisa (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission to deploy the first gravitational wave detector in space to detect the ripples. Gravitational waves have opened up a new way of observing the universe, according to said Barry Wardell, associate professor of mathematics and statistics at UCD. Prof Wardell has been awarded a €2.5m Advanced European Research Council Grant to study gravitational waves within the Lisa mission. Until recently, scientists' understanding of the universe came mostly from light – in its visible, radio or X-ray forms. The problem with relying on this, according to Prof Wardell, is that light cannot access all regions of space, especially near black holes, or the moments right after the Big Bang. 'Gravitational waves, by contrast, travel virtually untouched across the cosmos, carrying information about the most extreme, energetic events in existence,' he said. 'This lets us peer into environments we could never reach with telescopes alone.' By operating in space, the Lisa detector will be far away from all possible interfering 'noise' on Earth. 'We will be able to 'hear' signals from some of the most extreme events in the cosmos, including black holes the size of our Sun spiralling into supermassive black holes millions of times larger,' Prof Wardell said. For almost 100 years, scientists could only assume that gravitational waves existed, without having observed them directly, relying on Einstein's theories. They were first detected in 2015 in a dramatic discovery that led to the three researchers responsible together receiving the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Studying gravitational waves can help scientists answer questions like how galaxies and black holes form and develop over time. Prof Wardell will be working as part of an international network of scientists. 'What was the universe like in its earliest moments, before light could even travel freely?' he said. 'Gravitational waves are like messengers from those inaccessible corners of time and space.' Getting answers is a highly complex challenge that requires the use of advanced mathematics, supercomputers, and AI. 'While Einstein's predictions have held up for over a century, we've never been able to probe them in environments like merging black holes before,' Prof Wardell said. 'Gravitational wave detections could eventually reveal where his theory breaks down, pointing us toward new physics that might unify gravity with quantum mechanics – one of the biggest unsolved problems in science.' Yet how is all this relevant to our earthbound lives? 'Gravitational waves might sound far removed from everyday life,' Prof Wardell said. 'But even for ordinary people, they matter more than it first seems. 'This is a story of curiosity: our drive to understand where we come from, how the universe works, and what fundamental forces shape our reality.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Arrest warrant issued for man accused of animal abuse after missing court hearing
Content warning: This article contains details about animal cruelty and violence. Please read with caution. MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – The man accused of abusing a puppy earlier this year had an arrest warrant issued Thursday after he missed his court hearing earlier the same morning. Cody Wardell, 29, was arrested in March after he allegedly threw his dog off a raised porch, held the animal and repeatedly struck her. The puppy was then tied under the porch of his home. Judge Scott Burrill issued the warrant, ruling there is no 48-hour grace period for Wardell's arrest. When he is apprehended, he will be brought before the judge as soon as it's practicable, Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Fisher told WesternSlopeNow. Wardell's bond was set at $1020 cash-only for his charge of cruelty to animals. His other bond for possession of a controlled substance was set at $1010. Wardell relinquished the dog to Mesa County Animal Control. He allegedly admitted to law enforcement that he struck the animal. The pup – Azalea – had to have immediate surgery and ultimately lost her back leg. Grand Rivers Humane Society coordinated her surgery. The shelter also started the Azalea's Fund, which will help other dogs and cats who have high medical costs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Popular Space Strategy Game, Galactic Civilizations IV v3.0 Hyperlane Update Announced, Franchise Sale on Steam
The Turn-based space strategy game sees a revamp of galaxy generation, fleet management, computer AI, and much more PLYMOUTH, Mich., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Popular space strategy game, Galactic Civilizations IV is receiving a major overhaul of core game mechanics, map generation and computer opponents in Galactic Civilizations IV v3.0 Hyperlane Update which releases on June 12, 2025, free for all players. To celebrate the announcement, Stardock has put the entire franchise on sale this week as well as provided updates to the previous editions in the series. For Galactic Civilizations IV v3.0 Hyperlane Update, players can look forward to: Hyperlanes. One of the defining features of the game is the free-form movement of ships on the map. Galactic Civilizations IV keeps the freeform movement but also now generates maps where groups of stars are connected by hyperlanes that drastically increase unit speed between stars. "The Galactic Civilizations games have always stood out because players can take their fleets and move them freely on the map. However, players have requested having map generation where groups of stars are very distant from each other within a given sector," said Brad Wardell, CEO of Stardock Entertainment. "The challenge there is that players also don't want to spend dozens of turns moving through the void of deep space, Hyperlanes let us have it both ways." Fleet Supply. To decrease micromanagement as well as make starship quality more distinct, the game now adds the concept of a civilization-wide fleet supply limit which can be increased by technology, events and other mechanics. "The goal here is to make the path to victory not be dependent on who can put together the largest blob of units. While mass fleet sizes are still possible, players have to earn that by making that part of their strategy as opposed to it being the default and only path," said Wardell. User Experience Revamp. While not a specific feature, Version 3.0 includes hundreds of small updates and improvements across the board. From new, higher resolution textures for ships to balance improvements to the new Civilization data screens which let players get insights into their civilizations. "Over the past year we've received thousands of requests and suggestions from the fanbase. The Hyperlane Update was our opportunity to integrate as many of these as we could into a single huge update," said Wardell. The Hyperlane Update is now available as a Preview build on Steam with the final release scheduled for early June. In addition, starting today, the entire franchise is on sale on Steam. For more information on Galactic Civilizations IV, check out Galactic Civilizations IV is available now on Steam, Epic Games Store, or directly at Click HERE for Assets About StardockStardock is a pioneer in the strategy gaming genre headquartered in Plymouth, Mich. that has pioneered strategy and simulation games since 1993. Starting with Galactic Civilizations and later adding Sins of a Solar Empire, Ashes of the Singularity, The Political Machine, and Elemental the company continues to push the boundaries of innovation in the strategy, simulation arena. Learn more at Media Contact:Colin ReganStardock_Media@ Partners View original content: SOURCE Stardock Entertainment Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
