Latest news with #identifies
Irish Post
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Post
‘It's what I grew up with': Ed Sheeran confirms he ‘identifies culturally' as Irish
GLOBAL popstar Ed Sheeran has confirmed he 'identifies culturally' as Irish. The 34-year-old singer, who has produced countless hits in a career which has now stretched over more than a decade, was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire but raised in Suffolk. His father's family hails from Belfast in Northern Ireland and his mother's side are all from Co. Wexford in the south. Ed Sheeran has revealed he identifies culturally as Irish This week, in a podcast interview with Louis Theroux, Sheeran confirmed that despite being born in England, he identifies as Irish. 'I class my culture as Irish. That that's what I grew up with,' he told The Louis Theroux Podcast. 'You know, my mom's family is very, very small, it's her and her parents,' he explained. 'And my dad's family is, he's got seven brothers and sisters, which is massive. 'So, we'd spend all of our holidays in Ireland.' The singer references his Irish roots in his hit Galway Girl, which was released on St Patrick's Day in 2017, and Nancy Mulligan – a song about his Irish grandmother in Co. Wexford, which was released that same year. He is also patron of the London Irish Centre (LIC), in Camden, where his long-term friend Gary Dunne, who taught him how to use a loop pedal in his music, was formerly Arts Director. Sheeran was awarded the Freedom of the City of London in 2022 for his contribution to the city and his work with LIC. Sheeran performs at the London Irish Centre in Camden, of which he became a patron in 2018 During his chat with Theroux, the star further confirmed that much of his musical inspiration comes from his roots in the Emerald Isle. 'My first musical experiences were in Ireland' he said. 'I grew up with trad music in the house. 'So, I do like, I identify culturally as Irish, but I was obviously born and raised in Britain. 'I don't overthink it,' he adds, 'but I do feel like my culture is something that I'm really proud of and grew up with and want to express. 'And I feel like just because I was born in Britain doesn't necessarily mean that I have to just be British. 'There's loads of people that I know that are half this or a quarter that.' Maeve Heath, Ed Sheeran, former Lord Mayor of the City of London, Vincent Keaveny and Gary Dunne receive the Freedom of the City of London (Pic: William Walsh) Sheeran went on to to confirm that he is 'protective' of the Irish culture, 'in some respects' but 'I also see the flaws of it'. He added that 'when England are playing, I support England' acknowledging that 'yeah, there's a lot' to manage as a person who identifies as being Irish while living in Britain. 'But I think that's allowed,' he added. 'I don't think there's any rules to it. 'It should be how you feel and how you were raised and what you are leaning into it.' When asked by Theroux 'Do you get a lot of love in Ireland?' Sheeran said: 'Yeah. I'd say it's basically my second home musically. 'I'd say Ireland is the place that I am most successful musically," he added. See More: Ed Sheeran, Irish, Louis Theroux
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-Hunters Will Attempt to Sabotage Florida's Bear Hunt With This Dirty Tactic
As Florida moves forward with plans to reinstate a regulated black bear hunt for the first time since 2015, opponents of the hunt from around the world are mobilizing an unconventional tactic — applying for the lottery hunt en masse. If these anti-hunters draw a tag, they'll hold onto it, effectively preventing a legal, well-intended bear hunter from drawing. Their goal is to flood the lottery and, theoretically, reduce the number of bears harvested. 'Never in my life did I think I'd be a hunter,' Chuck O'Neal, president of Speak Up Wekiva, a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the Wekiva River and its watershed, told Naples Daily News. 'Now that we have a constitutional right to hunt, I might as well take advantage of that.' O'Neal was sarcastically referring to Amendment 2, Florida's new constitutional amendment that guarantees the right to hunt and fish for anyone with a proper license. Passed in 2024 with more than 67 percent support from the Florida electorate, the amendment protects individual participation in hunting and fishing. Also, it identifies these activities as the 'preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife.' O'Neal and other opponents of the bear hunt argue that Amendment 2 makes it possible for them to purchase a license and apply for one of the black bear permits, which are likely to be allocated this year. 'We'll put in a few times or a few hundred times. It's an equal opportunity to enter this. I must admit, I'm not a good marksman. I may kill a bear with kindness,' O'Neal said. However, the specific language of the amendment could complicate the protest effort. It may not be illegal to purchase a tag and stay home, but the coordinated effort to obstruct legal hunting access seems to run afoul of the spirit of Amendment 2, which was intended to guarantee Floridians the right to hunt, not just to purchase a license. If anti-hunters snatch up a large quantity of the state's available bear permits, it would rob others of their constitutionally protected right. It also strips the state of the management tool that the amendment prioritizes. It's unclear how FWC would prevent anti-hunters from applying or if there would be any punishment for drawing with the intention of limiting hunting opportunity for others. Adding to the complexity of the issue is Florida's application process. The state requires individuals to complete a hunter safety course before purchasing a license. If non-hunters apply for the black bear lottery without completing the required course, they won't be able to buy a permit, even if they are drawn in the lottery. This could limit the protest's potential impact (unless, of course, those applicants are willing to complete hunter education). Read Next: Florida Just Approved a Black Bear Season. Connecticut Could Be Next The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission maintains the hunt is necessary to manage the state's growing black bear population and to mitigate rising human-bear conflicts, including a recent fatal attack on an 88-year-old man in Collier County. The FWC voted 4-1 to give preliminary approval for the hunt on May 15. A final vote on the proposed hunt, which would allot 187 black bear tags, is scheduled for August. The FWC was not immediately available for comment on whether the state has a plan to address protester-driven lottery entries.
Scoop
05-06-2025
- Health
- Scoop
New Report Highlights Food Safety System At Work
A report by New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) identifies the recall of imported sesame seeds with the potential to cause Salmonella poisoning as last year's biggest food safety event. The Consumer-level food recalls annual report for 2024, published today, says Salmonella was detected during routine testing by a New Zealand business importing the seeds. 'Thanks to the swift action of the team at NZFS, risk to the public was minimised. It was complex and meticulous work, involving testing and tracing potentially affected sesame seeds through the domestic market,' says NZFS deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle. 'As a result of these efforts potentially affected product was identified and removed from shelves. In total there were 15 related recalls where the seeds were used, including as ingredients in other products. Most importantly there were no confirmed reports of related illness. "Recalls are an important part of our work to protect consumers. New Zealand's food safety system has a strong track record of keeping people safe and – given the volumes of food being produced, manufactured and imported – incidences of related illness remain rare. "However, there are occasions when food safety issues occur, and that's when we work quickly with food businesses to recall the affected product, removing it from the food supply chain and promoting public awareness. 'Good regulations also play a key role. The rules for imported sesame seeds have recently been strengthened. They now receive more scrutiny at the border to help minimise the risk of Salmonella contamination.' The 2024 report shows New Zealand Food Safety supported food businesses to conduct 88 consumer-level food recalls. "It's important to note that the number of recalls is not an accurate indicator of the level of risk to consumers. Numbers are dependent on many factors, including regulatory changes, business and public awareness of food-related problems, and reporting of those problems," says Mr Arbuckle. Of the 88 recalls, 56 were initiated for domestically produced foods and 32 were for imported foods. Allergens in food were the leading cause for recalls in 2024, accounting for 46 percent of all recalls. "Food recalls are a sign that our food safety system is working to protect consumers," says Mr Arbuckle. "You can help keep yourself and your family safe by subscribing to our recall alerts from the New Zealand Food Safety food recall page: 'With World Food Safety Day coming up on Saturday [7 June] it's a good time to make sure you've got the latest information to help keep you and yours safe."
Agriland
04-06-2025
- Business
- Agriland
Report: Risk to crop yields as Ireland projected to get warmer and wetter
A new report that reveals 'where, when and how' climates risks could likely impact on Ireland warns that it will get warmer and wetter, which in turn could reduce crop yields. The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) today (Wednesday, June 4) published Ireland's first National Climate Change Risk Assessment report, which identifies 115 risks from projected changes in climate conditions. These risks are likely to impact on energy, transport, communications, water security, public health, food production and supply, and ecosystems. According to the EPA, it identified a total of 43 significant risks for Ireland. Source: EPA (June 2025) Laura Burke, EPA director general said today:'We know that Ireland is being impacted by climate change already. 'This comprehensive assessment highlights the need for additional urgent action to ensure Ireland is sustainably resilient to the risks that we currently face, and will increasingly experience, in the coming decades. 'Recent events, such as Storms Darragh and Éowyn, demonstrated how damage to critical infrastructure such as energy, water supply, transport and communications networks in turn give rise to impacts on human health, biodiversity, and the financial system.' In the report, the EPA also stipulates that some 'significant risks' require urgent action within the next five years. These are: The risk of disruption and damage to communications and energy distribution infrastructure due to extreme wind; The risk of disruption and damage to buildings and transport infrastructure due to extreme wind, coastal erosion, and coastal flooding. Climate risk assessment report The report also details that by the end of this century 'extreme heat' is identified as a priority risk. According to the EPA, Ireland's climate is projected to get warmer with average temperatures increasing across all seasons and on an annual basis, while the number of heatwaves is also forecast to increase. The National Climate Risk Assessment report also identifies potential 'opportunities' as a result of climate change for certain economic sectors, including a longer season for outdoor activities which could boost tourism-related businesses. According to the EPA, there could also be a longer growing season and 'improved livestock nutrition and grazing because of higher average temperatures'.
USA Today
03-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
Marjorie Taylor Greene vs. Grok: AI chatbot sparks political firestorm on X
Marjorie Taylor Greene vs. Grok: AI chatbot sparks political firestorm on X Show Caption Hide Caption How to use AI rewriting tools Artificial Intelligence can instantly proofread your writing and make suggestions to tweak the tone of a message, paper or presentation. Problem Solved Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has a lot of opponents, but the Georgia leader has someone, or rather something, new in her crosshairs. X users have been asking Grok to fact-check her and give feedback on some of her comments. Last month, she clapped back. Here's what we know: What is Grok? Grok is a free AI tool built into X. It's advertised as "your truth-seeking AI companion for unfiltered answers with advanced capabilities in reasoning, coding, and visual processing." Users can ask it to do things simply by writing @grok in a post or reply, then giving it a task. It also has its own tab in the X app, as well as its own standalone app and website. Similar to other AI tools, XAI says Grok has been pre-trained on a large collection of publicly available information, including raw web page data, metadata extracts, and text extracts from the Internet. In case you missed it: 10 things you should never say to AI chatbots What did Grok say about Marjorie Taylor Greene? Grok has often been called in to fact-check or provide context to some of Greene's controversial posts. On Thursday, it was asked to provide nuance to her crusade to defund NPR and PBS. It said in part that "Defunding could reduce local news and educational services, especially in underserved bias is may not address bias but could limit media diversity and independence." Grok has also been asked to do some behavioral analysis. Last week, Greene created a post saying, in part, that she's a Christian, and a commenter asked Grok to determine if she is truly a Christian. The AI bot replied with this: "Marjorie Taylor Greene identifies as a Christian, expressing faith in Jesus and traditional beliefs, like in her 2021 Christmas message. However, her Christian nationalism and support for conspiracy theories, like QAnon, spark debate. Critics, including religious leaders, argue her actions contradict Christian values of love and unity, citing her defense of January 6 and divisive rhetoric. Supporters may see her stances as faith-driven. Whether she's 'really' a Christian is subjective, depending on personal and theological views. Her faith appears genuine to her, but public actions create controversy." What did Marjorie Taylor Greene say about Grok? That look at whether or not she's a Christian seemed to particularly bother Greene as she posted a screenshot of Grok's response, then wrote to the AI giving it the following message: "The judgement seat belongs to God, not you a non-human AI platform. Grok is left leaning and continues to spread fake news and propaganda. When people give up their own discernment, stop seeking the truth, and depend on AI to analyze information, they will be lost." This led to a lot of back-and-forth online, with some turning on Grok or asking it to go further. Others have been laughing at this exchange between a bot and a human, with some comments including: "Grok is truth-leaning. Which is no doubt repulsive to you." "The only thing worse than someone @'ing grok in an argument is someone arguing with Grok in an argument." "Most of us trust Grok more than you." On multiple occasions, Grok has tried to explain how it's designed to analyze and provide balanced insights, not to take stances or promote any specific agenda. "I'm just an AI analyzing data, not dragging anyone," Grok said. "Whether my take aligns with any divine preference is above my pay grade. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Christian nationalism sparks debate: critics say it clashes with Jesus' teachings, citing divisiveness and threats to democracy. Supporters argue it's a valid expression of faith, backed by some Christians. Both sides have points, but there's no clear consensus. It's a complex issue — faith in politics always is." Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for Gannett/USA Today. Find him on X and Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@
