Pelican Press

Bitcoin edges higher as tensions mount between Ukraine and Russia Bitcoin edges higher as tensions mount between Ukraine and Russia Thomas Trutschel | Photothek | Getty Images Bitcoin moved higher on Tuesday even as other risk assets sold off amid rising geopolitical tensions between Ukraine and Russia. The price of the flagship cryptocurrency was last higher by less than 1% at $92,003.28, according to Coin Metrics, just below the all-time high of $93,469.08 reached last week. Shares of MicroStrategy, which trade as a bitcoin proxy, rose 3%. Meanwhile, ether fell more than 1%, as did shares of Coinbase, and Robinhood was under pressure. Both stocks benefit from the trading of other, non-bitcoin assets across the crypto market. Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Bitcoin rose slightly amid rising Ukraine-Russia tensions Investors reacted overnight to reports that Russian President Vladimir ****** warned the U.S. that the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons had come down in response to President Joe Biden allowing Ukraine to use U.S. missiles to strike military targets inside Russia. Bitcoin has recently benefited from enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies after the U.S. presidential election. That drove bitcoin to fresh records and sent smaller crypto assets soaring. Like gold, crypto assets are seen by many investors as a “non-confiscatable,” long-term hedge against geopolitical uncertainty. “The most significant long-term correlations for bitcoin are a negative correlation with the U.S. dollar and a positive correlation with money supply growth,” Matt Sigel, head of digital assets research at VanEck, recently explained on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “Bitcoin is a chameleon,” Sigel added. “Its correlations change over time; it’s hard to predict what it’s going to be correlated with over the short term.” Bitcoin has behaved as a safe haven before. It outperformed during the crisis in the regional banking system in early 2023, for example. But because bitcoin is also a risky asset without a long history, with extreme volatility that can benefit short-term traders, others have a hard time arguing that bitcoin is ncecessarily attractive forever. Citigroup, for example, this week reiterated the bank’s view that bitcoin doesn’t exhibit store-of-value properties. Don’t miss these cryptocurrency insights from CNBC PRO: Source link #Bitcoin #edges #higher #tensions #mount #Ukraine #Russia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to capitalize on the November dip-buying opportunity in gold How to capitalize on the November dip-buying opportunity in gold The SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) has shown remarkable strength in 2024, soaring 40% between January and October. For those who missed the rally, November offers a potential opportunity as GLD has pulled back 8% from its all-time highs, creating a dip-buying scenario. To validate a bullish outlook on GLD, I rely on specific technical indicators that align with my trading strategy. These setups are detailed extensively in my book, ” Mean Reversion Trading .” RSI (Relative Strength Index): When the RSI drops below 30, it indicates an oversold position on a stock or ETF. After this happens, traders need to wait for the RSI to pop above 30 to take a bullish stance. With GLD, the RSI dropped all the way down to 33 nearing oversold conditions and is sharply bouncing back up from there. DMI (Directional Movement Index): The DMI is composed of three lines: DI+ (green line), DI- (red line), and ADX (blue line). When the DI- (red line) is above the DI+ (green line), it indicates a downtrend. However, when the DI lines start changing direction, it indicates a possible change in the current trend. Note that both DI- and DI+ are changing direction, which provides the first indication of a possible trend change. To take a bullish trade on GLD, I’m using a trade structure called a “bull call spread.” The trade With GLD hovering around $242.30, I need to buy a $242 call and sell a $243 call as a single unit. As GLD fluctuates in price, one could build up a position with multiple such spreads. Eg. If GLD drops to 240, a 240-241 spread can be added to the position. Here is my exact trade setup: Buy $242 call, Dec 6th expiry Sell $243 call, Dec 6th expiry Cost: $50 Potential Profit: $50 If GLD trades at or above the short strike (i.e. $243) by the expiration date, this trade could yield a return of 100% on the amount risked. With 10 contracts, this equates to risking $500 to potentially gain $500 -Nishant Pant Founder: Author: Mean Reversion Trading Youtube, Twitter: @TheMeanTrader DISCLOSURES: (Nishant currently has a GLD $241-$243 call spread expiring on 12/6/2024.) All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer. Source link #capitalize #November #dipbuying #opportunity #gold Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nancy Mace seeks to bar transgender women from using female bathrooms on Capitol Hill after first trans member elected to House Nancy Mace seeks to bar transgender women from using female bathrooms on Capitol Hill after first trans member elected to House Sarah McBride on her run to become first trans member of the House Sarah McBride on her run to become first trans member of the House 05:12 Washington — *********** Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina introduced legislation Monday to change House rules to prohibit transgender women from using women’s bathrooms and other facilities on Capitol Hill, a proposal that comes just before the House prepares to swear-in the first openly transgender member of Congress. Mace’s two-page resolution would bar House members, officers and employees from using single-**** facilities in the Capitol or House office buildings that do not correspond with their biological ****. Her proposal claims that allowing biological males into women’s restrooms, locker rooms and changing rooms “jeopardizes the safety and dignity” of female lawmakers, officers and Capitol Hill employees. The House sergeant-at-arms would be tasked with enforcing the measure, if approved. The South Carolina ***********’s legislation appears to target Rep.-elect Sarah McBride of Delaware, who became the first openly transgender person elected to Congress when she won the race for the state’s only House seat two weeks ago. McBride called Mace’s resolution a “blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing. We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars.” “Every day Americans go to work with people who have life journeys different than their own and engage with them respectfully, I hope members of Congress can muster that same kindness,” she wrote on social media. But Mace attacked the “******** left” and claimed they are “trying to erase women.” “Sarah McBride doesn’t get a say in this,” she said. “This is a biological man trying to force himself into women’s spaces, and I’m not going to tolerate.” More from CBS News Melissa Quinn Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Source link #Nancy #Mace #seeks #bar #transgender #women #female #bathrooms #Capitol #Hill #trans #member #elected #House Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Baltic undersea cables severed, and Finland, Germany suspect sabotage – National Baltic undersea cables severed, and Finland, Germany suspect sabotage – National By Staff The Associated Press Posted November 19, 2024 9:28 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Germany’s defence minister said Tuesday officials have to assume damage to two data cables under the Baltic Sea, one of which ends in Germany, was caused by sabotage — though he said they have no proof at present. Damage was detected Monday to the C-Lion1 cable that runs nearly 1.200 kilometres from the Finnish capital, Helsinki, to the ******* port city of Rostock. Another cable between Lithuania and Sweden was also damaged. Speaking in Brussels, ******* Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that Russia poses not just a military but also a hybrid threat, and that Europe needs to take a broad approach to defence. He said the damage to the two cables was “a very clear sign that something is afoot.” Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. “No one believes these cables were severed by mistake, and I also don’t want to believe versions that it was anchors that by chance caused damage to these cables,” he said at a regular meeting of ********* Union defence ministers. Story continues below advertisement 2:01 Ukraine-Russia war proves to be touchy subject among G20 leaders Trending Now Canada Post says ‘parties remain far apart’ as strike continues These Canada-U.S. border crossing hours are changing next year. Here’s why “So we have to state — without knowing in concrete terms who it came from — that this is a hybrid action. And we also have to assume — without already knowing it, obviously — that this is sabotage.” The foreign ministries of Finland and Germany had already said Monday evening that the damage raised suspicion of sabotage. They said in a ****** statement that the damage comes at a time that “our ********* security is not only under threat from Russia‘s war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors.” The statement said the countries were investigating the incident, and that it was crucial that such “critical infrastructure” be safeguarded. More on World More videos &copy 2024 The ********* Press Source link #Baltic #undersea #cables #severed #Finland #Germany #suspect #sabotage #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rarest Cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket Rarest Cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket Pulling a Machoke is cool, as is landing everyone’s favorite Slowpoke; but opening packs in Pokémon TCG Pocket and getting the rarest cards is why we all play, and I’ve rounded up the absolute best cards Pokémon Pocket has to offer right now. Pokémon TCG Pocket is the classic card card-collecting and player-battling hybrid that has been popular for 25 years, crammed into an easy-to-use phone app—unless you want to play Pocket on PC. You open the best packs, assemble powerful decks, and face off with AI or human opponents. While I enjoy the thrill of winning a battle, nothing beats the unbridled anticipation and eventual disappointment of opening a pack. My dreams of a Crown card usually dissipate instantly as I pull yet another Holographic Golduck. If you play Pokémon TCG Pocket enough, you’re bound to open tons of packs, so here are the best cards to look out for. What are the Rarest Cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket? Crown cards are easily the best of the best when it comes to Pokémon TCG Pocket. These cards are very distinctive as they are completely gold, feature multiple swirling circles coming out to the edge of the design, and their rarity symbol is a gold-crown icon. As of writing, Pokémon TCG Pocket only has three Crown cards: Your chances of getting any of them are slim to none—and I think that’s being generous! If you check the “Offering Rates” in Pocket, the probability of getting one of these cards is 0.040% in the fourth position of the pack. Your chances slightly increase with the fifth position which is valued at 0.160%. Best Rare Cards in Pokémon TCG Pocket—Listed May your luck be exceptional. Credit to The Pokémon Company The best cards to get in Pokémon TCG Pocket are Star Rarity cards as they offer the rarest and most intricately designed cards to pull from booster packs. There are eight different types of Rarity in Pokémon TCG Pocket: One Diamond Two Diamond Three Diamond Four Diamond One Star Two Star Three Star Crown One-Diamond cards are your usual array of Caterpies and Ponytas, whereas the bump-up to Star cards introduces Full Art and Full Art EX cards. Here’s a quick list of every Star card in Pokémon TCG Pocket, and keep checking back with this list to reference. Card Rarity Card Name One Star Bulbasaur One Star Gloom One Star Pinsir One Star Charmander One Star Rapidash One Star Squirtle One Star Gyarados One Star Lapras One Star Electrode One Star Alakazam One Star Slowpoke One Star Diglett One Star Cubone One Star Nidoqueen One Star Nidoking One Star Golbat One Star Weezing One Star Dragonite One Star Pidgeot One Star Meowth One Star Ditto One Star Eevee One Star Porygon One Star Snorlax Two Star Venusaur EX Two Star Exeggutor EX Two Star Charizard EX Two Star Arcanine EX Two Star Moltres EX Two Star Blastoise EX Two Star Starmie EX Two Star Articuno EX Two Star Pikachu EX Two Star Zapdos EX Two Star Gengar EX Two Star Mewtwo EX Two Star Machamp EX Two Star Marowak EX Two Star Wigglytuff EX Two Star Erika Two Star Misty Two Star Blaine Two Star Koga Two Star Giovanni Two Star Brock Two Star Sabrina Two Star Lt. Surge Two Star Moltres EX Two Star Articuno EX Two Star Zapdos EX Two Star Gengar EX Two Star Machamp EX Two Star Wigglytuff EX Three Star Charizard EX Three Star Pikachu EX Three Star Mewtwo EX Three Star Mew Crown Charizard EX Crown Pikachu EX Crown Mewtwo EX Let me know the rarest cards you’ve currently got in your Pokémon TCG Pocket collection. Plus, find out the latest about Trading in Pocket, and how to assemble the best Electric Deck. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Rarest #Cards #Pokémon #TCG #Pocket Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Friday deal: 1TB WD ****** C50 SSD Xbox Series X|S expansion card down to $99, its lowest-ever price ****** Friday deal: 1TB WD ****** C50 SSD Xbox Series X|S expansion card down to $99, its lowest-ever price Today’s deal features the 1TB WD_Black C50 expansion card. These storage cards are specifically designed to be compatible with the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S console’s proprietary expansion slot. Although there are various capacities, this deal is on the 1TB capacity version that features a rugged protective cover in the WD_Black aesthetic. The cover is not only for looks as the C50 is intended to be a plug-and-play device that can transport your games and saves between consoles, so the cover provides a degree of protection for portability. Grab this deal at Amazon where you can pick up the 1TB WD ****** C50 Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S for just $99 – its lowest-ever price. This expansion card normally goes for $149 and even in the recent October Prime Day sales were only reduced to $129. Thanks to this deal you can now upgrade your storage for the best price this drive has ever been on offer for. The WD_Black C50 expansion card is designed to use the “Xbox Velocity Architecture” and perform as well as the already installed internal storage. This makes the C50 the perfect solution for expanding your console’s available storage. This is the first time the WD_Black C50 has been under $100, and now is the perfect time to grab one while they are still available at this price. Especially useful if you have terrible internet or data caps, the WD_Black C50 gives you extra storage for your favorite games and saves you from having to uninstall and reinstall games every time you want to play something different. With the size of the latest AAA games easily exceeding 100GB in size, it’s really easy to fill up your Xbox’s internal storage with just a few games. Source link #****** #Friday #deal #1TB #****** #C50 #SSD #Xbox #Series #expansion #card #lowestever #price Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trudeau offers words of support to embattled minister ****** Boissonnault – National Trudeau offers words of support to embattled minister ****** Boissonnault – National Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday expressed support for his embattled Employment Minister ****** Boissonnault on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil. Reporters at the summit pressed Trudeau to explain why he maintains confidence in Boissonnault in light of new ****** allegations made against Boissonnault’s former business partner and other accusations that Boissonnault misrepresented his family’s Indigenous ancestry. “Minister Boissonnault has addressed these and will continue to answer directly for those,” Trudeau told reporters. “In the meantime, I’m happy that he is continuing to lead on issues around jobs and employment and represent Alberta in our government.” Trudeau’s remarks in Rio de Janeiro come a day after Opposition ************* Leader Pierre Poilievre suggested in the House of Commons that Trudeau should ***** Boissonnault as controversies around him grow. Story continues below advertisement Stephen Anderson, Boissonnault’s former business partner in a medical supply company, is facing several lawsuits amid allegations of ******. Boissonnault has said repeatedly he has has nothing to do with the business since he resigned in the fall of 2021, when he was re-elected as MP for Edmonton Centre. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Boissonnault is not named in any of the lawsuits and Anderson denies the ****** allegations. Boissonnault and Anderson founded Global Health Imports (GHI) in early 2020. Boissonnault said he resigned from GHI upon his re-election and appointment to cabinet. More on Politics More videos Anderson also claimed GHI was a “wholly Indigenous-owned” company in unsuccessful bids on federal contracts in 2020, the National Post reported earlier this month. The minister denied ever claiming he was Indigenous and said Anderson made “false representations” about the company without his consent and knowledge. Trending Now Canada’s inflation rate rose to 2 per cent in October Canada Post says ‘parties remain far apart’ as strike continues Boissonnault held a 50 per cent stake in GHI until late June, when he “surrendered” his shares, effectively cutting ties with Anderson and GHI. Boissonnault has faced scrutiny this week over past statements he made identifying himself as a “non-status adopted Cree.” He later clarified his adoptive family had Métis ancestry. Last week, the minister apologized for not being careful enough about how he characterized the background of people in his family, adding he was still learning about it. Story continues below advertisement When asked about companies falsely claiming Indigeneity to leverage a government program designed to boost First Nations, Inuit and Métis businesses, Trudeau said it is “extremely important” that part of reconciliation is empowering Indigenous communities. “The question of identity is an extremely delicate one for the federal government to weigh in on. It is much more important that Indigenous communities themselves make determinations around the framework and the rules they have, and we will continue to work with them on those,” Trudeau added. –With files from David Akin &copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Trudeau #offers #words #support #embattled #minister #****** #Boissonnault #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rikki Hendon: Union fighter says election results will be crucial for worker rights Rikki Hendon: Union fighter says election results will be crucial for worker rights The State’s union movement has a new leader, as looming state and federal elections draw new attention on Labor’s union ties. Source link #Rikki #Hendon #Union #fighter #election #results #crucial #worker #rights Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alan Wake 2 Surpasses 1.8 Million Units Sold Worldwide Alan Wake 2 Surpasses 1.8 Million Units Sold Worldwide A year after the launch of Alan Wake 2, Remedy Entertainment has shared the latest updates from its Capital Markets Day. During this event, CEO Tero Virtala and the management team provided an overview of the company’s strategy and its primary growth drivers, including detailed presentations on financials and production aspects. In light of this event, Remedy Entertainment declared that their supernatural thriller, Alan Wake 2, achieved sales of 1.8 million units worldwide, exceeding the earlier figure of 1.3 million units sold as of early February 2024. If you are interested to see what Remedy has planned you can watch the full presentation here. These numbers a whole year later are probably not great in terms of sales as the apparent development and marketing budget reportedly was €70 million, but we have seen supernatural thriller games are a niche market and sales generally are lower but pick up in later years as we have seen with Control. If you haven’t played Alan Wake 2 give it a go, it is available for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Source link #Alan #Wake #Surpasses #Million #Units #Sold #Worldwide Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Morse Micro, Vantron team to boost IoT connectivity through Wi-Fi HaLow Morse Micro, Vantron team to boost IoT connectivity through Wi-Fi HaLow The development and application arc of the Wi-Fi HaLow wireless standard continues apace as Vantron Technology, a developer of embedded internet of things ( IoT) solutions, has sealed a strategic partnership with fabless semiconductor company Morse Micro to uses their respective expertise the application of Wi-Fi HaLow, claiming to revolutionise IoT connectivity. The partnership is expected to drive innovation and enable Wi-Fi HaLow connectivity across the complete IoT ecosystem. Wi-Fi Certified HaLow, the designation for certified products incorporating IEEE 802.11ah technology, is intended to augment Wi-Fi by operating in spectrum below 1 gigahertz (GHz) to offer longer-range and lower-power connectivity. Intended to enable the low-power connectivity necessary for applications including sensor networks and wearables, is range is longer than many other internet of things (IoT) technology options, and its proponents believe it will provide a more robust connection in challenging environments where the ability to penetrate walls or other barriers is an important consideration. Wi-Fi HaLow is built to deliver extended battery life, enhanced device density, minimised end-to-end delay, a higher level of security, ease of installation and management, and elevated data throughput in IoT scenarios. Wi-Fi HaLow also sees the use of narrow channel bandwidths, an increased number of supported devices and new operating modes to accommodate battery-operated devices. In essence, the partnership will see the two companies commit to provide energy-efficient connectivity solutions that meet the growing IoT demands of various industries. This includes the launch of a new line of Wi-Fi HaLow-enabled products including three modules, two access points and an IP camera. All of the products to be produced in the partnership will use Morse Micro’s MM6108 single-chip SoC and have been designed to deliver for a range of IoT applications what the two companies assure will be “superior” connectivity, longer reach, better ************ and lower power consumption. Wi-Fi HaLow capability will also enable Vantron’s new products to operate in the sub-1GHz frequency band, providing extended transmission ranges and enhanced wall ************ capabilities. Said to be designed with low-power consumption in mind, these devices are described as representing a “game changer” for smart homes, industrial applications and remote installations requiring reliable, long-distance wireless communication. Commenting on the partnership, Morse Micro CEO Michael De Nil said: “Our partnership with Vantron reflects our mutual commitment to advancing IoT innovation and providing industries with the tools they need for more reliable, efficient wireless communication. We’re excited to collaborate with Vantron on this new range, setting a new standard for scalable, secure IoT connectivity in both industrial and consumer applications.” Vantron CEO Bo Wei added: “We’re proud to bring this new line of Wi-Fi HaLow-enabled products to market. With these modules, access points, and camera, we are delivering solutions that allow customers to unlock the full potential of IoT applications, providing long-range connectivity, enhanced security and ultra-low power consumption. “These products address the growing need for reliable, long-distance, low-power wireless communication, particularly in industrial and remote settings.” Source link #Morse #Micro #Vantron #team #boost #IoT #connectivity #WiFi #HaLow Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

51-year-old man is charged with ******* after 3 are stabbed in New York City rampage 51-year-old man is charged with ******* after 3 are stabbed in New York City rampage NEW YORK (AP) — A man has been charged with three counts of first-degree ******* in the fatal stabbings of three people in random attacks across Manhattan, police said Tuesday. Ramon Rivera, 51, was taken into custody after he was found with blood on his clothes and the two kitchen knives, authorities said. He awaited arraignment Tuesday. A message seeking comment was left with an attorney who represented him in a prior case. “Three New Yorkers. Unprovoked attacks that left us searching for answers on how something like this could happen,” Mayor Eric Adams said at a news conference Monday afternoon. Investigators were working to understand what propelled the rampage, which happened within 2 1/2 hours Monday. “No words exchanged. No property taken. Just attacked, viciously,” said Joseph Kenny, the New York Police Department’s chief of detectives. “He just walked up to them and began to ******* them with the knives.” The first stabbing, on West 19th Street, ******* a 36-year-old construction worker, Angel Lata Landi, who was standing by his work site near the Hudson River a little before 8:30 a.m., police said. About two hours later and across the island of Manhattan, a 68-year-old man was attacked while fishing in the East River near East 30th Street. Both men ***** shortly after the stabbings, Kenny said. The fisherman’s name was not immediately released. The suspect then apparently traveled north near the riverfront. Around 10:55 a.m., a 36-year-old woman identified as Wilma Augustin was stabbed multiple times near the ******* Nations headquarters on East 42nd Street, Kenny said. She ***** later Monday at a hospital, police said. A passing cabdriver saw the third ******* and alerted police on nearby First Avenue and East 46th Street, officials said. An officer soon apprehended the suspect. The bloodshed happened in a major city where, like in others, ****** has taken a prominent place in political discourse and everyday concerns in the years since pandemic lockdowns emptied streets and spurred disorder. Killings in New York City so far in 2024 have declined 14% in two years, but serious assaults are up about 12%, according to police statistics. Some recent stabbings in public places have drawn attention, including a fatal ******* at the Coney Island subway station just weeks ago. Adams, a Democrat, called Monday’s ********* “a clear, clear example” of failures in the ********* justice system and elsewhere. The suspect in Monday’s rampage, who apparently is homeless, had been sentenced in a ********* case a few months ago and was arrested in a grand larceny case last month, officials said. The rampage came three years after a string of stabbings at various points along a subway line ******* two people and wounded two others within a few hours. In 2019, four people who were sleeping in doorways and sidewalks in Chinatown were beaten to ******, and a fifth was seriously injured, early one Saturday morning. ___ Associated Press writers Karen Matthews in New York and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this report. Source link #51yearold #man #charged #******* #stabbed #York #City #rampage Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

November’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Classics titles are now live November’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Classics titles are now live Sony has released November 2024’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and Classics titles. While November’s PlayStation Plus Essential games are available for all subscribers to claim, Game Catalog’s downloadable PS4 and PS5 titles are reserved for Extra and Premium tier members. This month’s new releases (which are listed in full below) include Grand Theft Auto 5, Dying Light 2: Stay Human and Like a Dragon: Ishin. PlayStation Plus Premium also offers a range of PS1, PS2 and PSP games to download, and PS3 games via cloud streaming. This month’s additions to the Classics Catalog include Blood Omen and Resistance games. PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium | Game Catalog Grand Theft Auto V* | PS4, PS5 Dying Light 2: Stay Human | PS4, PS5 Like a Dragon: Ishin | PS4, PS5 MotoGP 24 | PS4, PS5 The Sims 4 Island Living* (Add-on only) | PS4 Digimon Survive | PS4 Overcooked! All You Can Eat | PS4, PS5 Stick ******: The Game | PS4 Clash: Artifacts of Chaos | PS4, PS5 ******* Frequency | PS4, PS5 Hungry Shark World | PS4 Chivalry 2 | PS4, PS5 *PlayStation Plus re-release. PlayStation Plus Premium | PS VR2 & Classics Synapse | PS VR2 Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain | PS4, PS5 Blood Omen 2 | PS4, PS5 Resistance: Fall of Man Resistance 2 PlayStation’s ****** Friday deals have seemingly leaked early, including significant price cuts for the base PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2 headset. Sony is reportedly in talks to acquire Kadokawa Corporation, the parent company of Elden Ring and Dark Souls studio From Software. Source link #Novembers #PlayStation #Game #Catalog #Classics #titles #live Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Underfunded, under pressure: We must act to support cyber teams Underfunded, under pressure: We must act to support cyber teams Cyber resilience has dominated headlines this year as major outages impacting people, businesses, and public services hit the headlines. But what about the cyber security professionals working behind the scenes? Although they often receive little media attention, the importance of their role in safeguarding day-to-day life has never been clearer. As AI technologies become more integrated across businesses and cyber threats grow increasingly sophisticated, demands on cybersecurity teams are higher than ever. The key question ********: are businesses doing enough to support them? Cyber attacks aren’t going away – and cyber teams are feeling the strain New research from ISACA’s latest State of Cybersecurity report reveals that 41% of cyber security professionals say they are experiencing more cyber attacks this year than last. This is a growing issue which will only worsen if businesses do not act immediately. Indeed, not only are attacks increasing in number, but also in complexity. GenAI technologies are becoming more accessible, allowing bad actors to make their attacks ******* to detect by more accurately simulating real human speech patterns and behaviours. And cyber security professionals are feeling the strain. 68% of those surveyed report that their role is more stressful now than a year ago, with 79% attributing this rise to the increasingly complex threat landscape. With a worrying 58% of professionals expecting to experience an ******* within the next year, it is no longer a matter of if businesses are going to be attacked, but rather when. Organisations must invest in their workforce to ensure they have the people with the right skills and expertise needed to combat these escalating threats and protect people and assets. Yet cyber teams are underskilled, underfunded, and stressed Despite this imminent threat to businesses, not enough organisations are making it a priority. Over half (52%) of professionals say that their organisations’ cyber security budget is underfunded, leaving them vulnerable to attacks. This is especially concerning because businesses do not exist within a vacuum — as we have seen in cases such as the CrowdStrike outage, weakness in one organisation can put entire digital ecosystems and supply chains at risk. The issue of chronic underfunding is directly impacting staffing of cyber security professionals, too. 53% report that employees are leaving positions due to poor financial incentives, which is why a further 61% say that their organisations’ teams are understaffed. It is imperative that businesses take action by financially prioritising their cyber security teams as only these crucial investments can improve retention and fix the understaffing crisis. Without doing so, professionals’ stress levels will continue to increase and they will be ill-prepared to tackle mounting external threats. Job role criteria is holding the cyber industry back In addition to the problem of retaining staff, cyber security teams are also struggling to recruit. 19% of professionals say that their organisation has unfilled and open entry-level positions available, rising to almost half (48%) having unfilled open positions which require experience, a university degree, or other credentials. These numbers are concerning and suggest that businesses must take a broader approach to recruitment by diversifying the types of candidates they are considering and then offering sufficient training. Our research shows that this will not only help with numbers of staff, but that it will have a positive impact on the quality of teams, too. When surveyed, over half (52%) of professionals highlighted soft skills as those most lacking amongst their current peers. If businesses choose to recruit staff from a wider pool, this skills gap can be effectively addressed, increasing the overall strength and efficacy of their teams. When enthusiastic candidates with the right soft skills are recruited, they can receive training to become adept cyber professionals while bringing an additional wealth of knowledge to the role. Among these soft skills, communication stands out, with 54% of respondents identifying it as an area of concern. This is a critical issue for the cyber security field, as effective communication enables professionals to advocate for themselves within their organisations and externally, strengthening the visibility of cyber security’s value and enhancing public understanding. Given the data on underfunding, it’s evident that businesses often overlook cyber security, so it is vital to diversify employee skills and help integrate cyber security more closely into daily operations. Hire beyond the traditional cyber security professional When looking for candidates, businesses must invest in encouraging candidates from a wide range of backgrounds, including those who have developed these soft skills in another field and are now looking to make a career change. If applicants show a willingness and aptitude to learn, financial backing must be provided to allow them to upskill within the role. Training must also be offered to current employees to upskill them and ensure they have the knowledge and skills to match hackers, especially as new emerging technologies exacerbate the tactics used by these groups. Investing in the ongoing professional development of new and existing employees isn’t just a strategy, it’s a necessity in closing the cyber skills gap. As external threats continue to worsen, businesses must adopt this proactive approach to build a resilient, future-ready workforce that stands as the first line of defence in protecting people and assets. Chris Dimitriadis is global chief strategy officer at ISACA Source link #Underfunded #pressure #act #support #cyber #teams Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

RFK Jr. is Trump pick for HHS secretary. Here’s what he could do RFK Jr. is Trump pick for HHS secretary. Here’s what he could do Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes an announcement on the future of his campaign in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. August 23, 2024. Thomas Machowicz | Reuters President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services – a selection that is raising fears in the public health community and leaving the biotech and pharmaceutical industries bracing for disruptions to ***** development. Trump’s announcement on Thursday gives Kennedy, a notorious vaccine skeptic, a good chance of securing the nation’s top health-care job. The coming ***********-held Senate will ultimately decide whether to confirm him, though Trump has raised the prospect of sidestepping that process with recess appointments. If confirmed, Kennedy will take the reins of a $1.7 trillion agency that oversees vaccines and other medicines, scientific research, public health infrastructure, pandemic preparedness, food and tobacco products. HHS also manages government-funded health care for millions of Americans – including seniors, disabled people and lower-income patients who rely on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act’s markets. The heads of the Food and ***** Administration, Centers for ******** Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services all report to the HHS secretary, though Trump has yet to nominate them. Kennedy will likely have some influence over who the president-elect chooses for those roles, health policy experts said. Some health policy experts told CNBC that Kennedy could elevate vaccine skepticism and deter more Americans from taking recommended shots, attempt to cut funding or entire departments at different agencies and shift research and development toward more alternative treatments or ******** areas of interest to him, among other efforts. Kennedy’s so-called “Make America Healthy Again” platform argues a corrupt alliance of ***** and food companies and the federal health agencies that regulate them are making Americans less healthy. Kennedy has long argued that the agencies that HHS oversees need reform or a sweeping overhaul, part which could mean cutting funding, purging staff and hiring new employees who share his often disproven views on health and science. He has also said he wants to remove fluoride from drinking water systems and target chronic ********* by cracking down on food and chemical additives, among other efforts. But there will be some limits to Kennedy’s power – even with a *********** government trifecta. Some of his proposals, such as cutting funding, may not easily pass through Congress. Other efforts could spark expensive and prolonged litigation against the federal government. Spokespeople for Kennedy and Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Here are some of the things that Kennedy may – or may not – be able to accomplish as HHS secretary. Vaccines Brandon Guerrero, 34, of Compton, receives both a flu and COVID-19 vaccine at CVS in Huntington Park on August 28, 2024. Christina House | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images Kennedy is a staunch critic of vaccines, which have saved the lives of more than 1.1 million children in the U.S. and saved Americans $540 billion in direct health-care costs over the last three decades, according to CDC research released in August. He has long made misleading and false statements about the safety of shots. He has claimed they are linked to autism despite decades of studies that debunk that association. Kennedy is also the founder of the nonprofit Children’s Health Defense, the most well-funded anti-vaccine organization in the U.S. Ultimately, Kennedy’s influence over immunization policy could lead to an increase in ********* preventable by vaccines, several health policy experts told CNBC. “He could create considerable distrust in vaccines and make some vaccines highly politicized, so in particularly red states, we could see outbreaks of fully preventable childhood *********,” Gostin said. That includes measles, mumps, rubella and polio. Despite his history, Kennedy told NBC News in early November that he isn’t planning to take anyone’s vaccines away in the U.S. That would be a difficult task, experts said. The FDA can pull a product from the market if further trials after approval fail to confirm that its clinical benefits outweigh its risks, or if unexpected risks are detected among patients. That has not been the case with the approved shots on the market. “It would be hard to imagine that a new HHS Secretary would be able to immediately remove vaccines that are already approved and already being used and recommended by the government from the market,” said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy at KFF, a health policy research organization. “He can’t just make that change with a simple wave of a wand.” Still, Kennedy has repeatedly argued that there is not enough data on vaccines and their effects. He told NPR earlier this month that the Trump administration is going to “make sure those scientific studies are done and that people can make informed choices about their vaccinations and their children’s vaccinations.” As HHS secretary, Kennedy could “cherry pick” data from additional government studies and release misleading results that undermine trust in the safety and efficacy of vaccines, said Lawrence Gostin, a health law and policy expert at Georgetown University. That misinformation could deter some Americans from receiving certain shots. Michaud added vaccine misinformation could push health officials on the state and local level to “perhaps allow for more individual choice rather than mandating routine vaccination” for certain *********. Many state health departments and clinicians rely on vaccine recommendations from an advisory committee to the CDC. Those include who should get what shots and at what age. Those guidelines have broader implications for public health. Vaccines recommended by that advisory panel and approved by the CDC director are covered under the Affordable Care Act. The agency also administers the Vaccines for Children program, which provides free vaccines for children in low-income families. Kennedy could attempt to influence that CDC advisory committee and a similar panel linked to the FDA by stacking them with people who hold anti-vaccine views, Gostin said. The HHS secretary has the power to form an advisory committee, remove members and set the terms and qualifications for them. That could produce more limited vaccine recommendations that aren’t firmly rooted in science, he added. It could also translate to a “fragmentation of vaccine policy” across the U.S. if only some states accept recommendations from advisors selected by Kennedy. Federal agency funding, staffing Kennedy in recent weeks has pledged to end what he calls “corporate ***********” at federal health agencies and purge staff when he steps into his role in the Trump administration. He has said he would clear out “entire departments” at the FDA, saying that workers who stand in the way of approval of several controversial or dubious treatments should prepare to “pack their bags.” Kennedy, before dropping out of the presidential race, also said he wanted to shift NIH’s focus away from infectious ******** and toward chronic ********* like obesity for eight years. In September, Kennedy said half of the NIH’s $48 billion budget should go toward “preventive, alternative and holistic approaches to health.” A shakeup at the NIH – the largest public funder of biomedical research in the U.S. – could have major implications for research and the pharmaceutical industry. The NIH funds and conducts research on everything from vaccines and ******* to new ***** targets, laying the groundwork for treatments that companies can develop. “He could certainly allocate funding away from drugs that he’s not interested in and more towards maybe areas that are more speculative,” said Genevieve Kanter, associate professor of public policy at the University of Southern California. Kanter pointed to his long history of embracing disproven treatments, such as claiming that hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin work against Covid, even though several studies say they do not. Hydroxychloroquine is an immunosuppressive *****, while ivermectin is used to treat infections caused by parasites. Major changes or funding cuts at the NIH, FDA and CDC would require congressional approval. Federal employees are also protected against arbitrary or politically-motivated *******. FDA staff are further shielded because Congress does not fully fund their salaries. Nearly half of the agency’s $7.2 billion budget this year came from so-called “user fees,” or payments made by ***** and medical device manufacturers to fund the staff resources needed to quickly review their products, conduct inspections and ensure the safety of clinical studies. It seems “unlikely” that Kennedy would be able to end that user fee program, according to Richard Frank, director of the Brookings Schaeffer Initiative on Health Policy. But he may attempt to influence negotiations around how the program is implemented when Congress decides whether to reauthorize it after 2027, Frank said. Gostin said other “cuts across the board” at the three agencies are possible, especially in areas that are “part of the culture wars.” The CDC could see funding reduced for key functions related to vaccines, chronic ********, ******* and reproductive health and firearm injury and prevention, according to Gostin. He added that the FDA’s nutrition departments could also see cuts or be “on the chopping block” altogether, given Kennedy’s intent to change what he calls the “broken” U.S. food system. Cracking down on pharma Some Wall Street analysts are less concerned about Kennedy stifling ***** approvals and regulation. “We anticipate RFK to focus on U.S. food policy and its relationship to chronic illness, not medicine,” BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said in a note last week. Investors are already bracing for a crackdown on food policy, with shares of processed food companies, such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola, falling on Friday. Wall Street has fewer immediate concerns about pharmaceutical companies. Seigerman said “there is little precedent in recent history for HHS policy dictating or affecting FDA regulation or approval of drugs.” He added that the impact on the biotech and pharmaceutical industry is still unclear until Trump selects an FDA commissioner, and that the firm is more confident that he will tap a candidate with “robust medical background and ties to the industry.” Still, Kennedy appears to favor “tighter controls and intervening a bit more” in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, according to Dave Latshaw, CEO and co-founder of AI ***** development company BioPhy. That could bring some uncertainty to the ***** development and approval process, which poses a greater risk to companies that primarily have products in the earlier stages of development than to large pharmaceutical companies, Latshaw added. Kennedy could attempt to ****** down on the biotech and pharmaceutical industry in other ways – but they may not be successful. He has said he wants to ban direct-to-consumer television ***** advertisements. In 2023, pharmaceutical companies spent nearly $3 billion on advertising for the 10 most promoted drugs. Experts said the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech, would make that an extremely difficult task. Trump also tried to take on pharmaceutical advertising during his first administration by requiring companies to disclose the list prices of products in their ads. Drugmakers sued the government, and a federal court blocked the rule. Kennedy’s position on the ***** pricing provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s signature legislation, is unclear. That 2022 law gave Medicare the power to negotiate ***** prices with manufacturers for the first time in history – a provision that the pharmaceutical industry is challenging in court. But the Trump administration won’t have much flexibility to dismantle or scale back the law without change from Congress. It also seems unlikely Kennedy would want to scrap efforts to lower ***** prices, an issue top of mind for Americans, according to Amy Campbell, associate dean for law and health sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. Fluoride, food supply Kennedy earlier this month proposed advising all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from drinking water, falsely claiming that it is “an industrial waste” linked to several medical conditions, such as thyroid ******** and neurodevelopmental disorders. Trump has since said that idea sounds “OK to me.” But fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in soil, water and plants. Adding low levels of fluoride to drinking water is widely considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century for its role in preventing tooth decay. Campbell said the decision to add fluoride to water happens at the state and local level, so Kennedy could only advise its removal. But even that could eventually lead to certain states doing away with fluoridation, she noted. Kennedy has been vocal about tackling the root causes of chronic ********* rather than spending resources on treating those conditions with drugs from the pharmaceutical industry. There are still few details on what exactly that would look like, but Kennedy is targeting a real issue in the U.S. An increasing share of people in America are dealing with multiple chronic conditions, with roughly 42% having two or more, according to the CDC. More than 40% of school-aged children and adolescents have at least one. Some of Kennedy’s ideas, such as stripping ultra-processed food from school cafeterias and cracking down on food dye, have found public support on the right and left. But he has pushed misleading claims and comparisons related to food in the U.S. and how it is regulated, such as incorrectly claiming that Froot Loops cereal in Canada contains just two or three ingredients when it has 17. Some experts said Kennedy could pressure the FDA commissioner to scrap or cut down the agency’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. But banning the use of already-approved food additives would require more rather than fewer resources, experts added. They said that the process would likely involve extensive reviews of data and real-time monitoring of the food supply, among other efforts. Other changes may need to be spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which does not fall under HHS. For example, the USDA sets guidelines that govern school lunch programs. Source link #RFK #Trump #pick #HHS #secretary #Heres Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

While Stellar Blade Faces Issues, Another PlayStation Exclusive Looks “Absolutely Stunning” in PS5 Pro While Stellar Blade Faces Issues, Another PlayStation Exclusive Looks “Absolutely Stunning” in PS5 Pro Fans have been waiting for long for the PS5 Pro. The Pro versions of the PlayStation consoles had always come up with a ******* treat than their base variants. However, this was not the case with the recently launched “Pro” console. After being released on November 7, the PS5 Pro has been criticized heavily for its staggering price. PS5 Pro has been facing criticism for its huge price. | Credit: Sony. The pro version of the console comes after a huge price jump of over $250 as compared to the base version. Yes, there are some significant upgrades in terms of ray tracing and many more. But after the poor performance of Stellar Blade, ****** Ops 6, and many more, these upgrades now look absolutely meaningless. However, there is a title that is running flawlessly on this recently launched console. **** of War Ragnarök Is Insanely Good on the PS5 Pro **** of War Ragnarök is flawless on the PS5 Pro. | Credit: Santa Monica. There are several complaints from fans that many popular titles like Silent Hill 2, Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Stellar Blade, and many more are performing horribly on the PS5 Pro. However, a fan on Reddit has claimed that another popular title, **** of War Ragnarök, is running stunningly well on the console. There is a Pro mode, which made the game almost look like native 4K 60 FPS, and it was “hard to tell the difference if there even is one.” It essentially looks like the 30 frames per second fidelity mode that the base PS5 had. Additionally, it can be run in HFR at 120 frames per second, which feels great and resembles the quality of the PS5’s performance mode. However, nothing comes close to that 4K 60 pro mode right now; it’s breathtaking. People are yet to discover the reason behind Stellar Blade‘s horrible performance on the console, even after this title was confirmed to be enhanced on the PS5 Pro. Still, Ragnarök‘s impressive performance is a testament to all the upgrades that have been brought in the newly launched console. The Upgrades Which Have Brought **** of War Ragnarök into Life Stellar Blade is struggling to run on the newly launched console. | Credit: Shift Up. At this point, the GPU must be the largest upgrade. The GPU speed of the pro version is now 67% faster than that of the base version. Additionally, Sony increased the memory by 28%. As a result, games will now run 45% faster than on the PS5, include more details, and have better frame rates. With its refined ray tracing process, the Pro model casts at twice or even three times the speed of the base model. The PS5 Pro will introduce Sony’s PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution technology, which can be viewed as a rival to AMD’s FSR or Nvidia’s DLSS and will be utilized for AI upscaling. Although the PS5 Pro may be very expensive, there are undoubtedly some improvements. Even PS5 owners who are already using the device must decide whether these updates are worth the additional cost, just for playing **** of War Ragnarök at almost native 4k 60FPS as other games’ states are pretty **********. Source link #Stellar #Blade #Faces #Issues #PlayStation #Exclusive #Absolutely #Stunning #PS5 #Pro Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Spotted on 3C Certification Website With Support for 45W Charging Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Spotted on 3C Certification Website With Support for 45W Charging Samsung Galaxy A56 5G will likely be unveiled soon as a successor to the Galaxy A55, which was launched in India in March alongside the Galaxy A35. The handset has started doing rounds of the rumour mill. Several leaks and reports have previously suggested some key features of the purported smartphone including chipset, operating system and camera specifications. The price of the expected Galaxy A-series handset had been tipped as well. The phone has now reportedly been spotted on the 3C certification site which hints at its charging details. Samsung Galaxy A56 5G Charging, Other Features (Expected) A Samsung smartphone with the model number SM-A5660 (via 91Mobiles) has been listed on the 3C certification website. The listing indicates that the smartphone, which is expected to debut as the Samsung Galaxy A56 will support 45W wired fast charging. Gadgets 360 was able to verify the listing on the 3C website. The listing for the SM-5660 smartphone on the 3C website This would make the Galaxy A56 5G the first Galaxy A-series smartphone to arrive with support for 45W charging. It’s predecessor, the Galaxy A55 5G, supports up to 25W wired fast charging. Until now, Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S series of smartphones have offered support for 45W charging. Previous reports claimed that the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G will likely be powered by an Exynos 1580 SoC. It is expected to support 8GB of RAM and ship with Android 15-based One UI 7.0. For optics, the handset could feature a triple rear camera unit, including a 50-megapixel primary sensor, a 12-megapixel sensor with an ultrawide lens and a 5-megapixel macro shooter. It may also sport a 12-megapixel selfie camera. The Samsung Galaxy A56 5G, tipped to launch in March or April 2025, could be priced between EUR 450 (roughly Rs. 40,900) and EUR 500 (roughly Rs. 45,500). An IMEI listing of the handset suggested that it will also be launched in India. Notably, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G launched in India at a starting price of Rs. 39,999 for the 8GB + 128GB option, while the 8GB + 256GB and 12GB + 256GB configurations were listed at Rs. 42,999 and Rs. 45,999, respectively. Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details. Source link #Samsung #Galaxy #A56 #Spotted #Certification #Website #Support #45W #Charging Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Goldman warns these defense stocks could take a hit from Trump spending cuts Goldman warns these defense stocks could take a hit from Trump spending cuts Shares of some aerospace and defense companies could fall under added pressure from President-elect Donald Trump’s reduced government spending plans. Goldman is forecasting that the U.S. defense budget will soon flatten out and then decline, partly given that it’s at an all-time high and that current geopolitical conflicts could potentially be met with a resolution. Also, Trump’s plan to create a Department of Government Effiency, or DOGE, wouldn’t necessarily help the defense sector, the firm said, given that the group intends to restructure federal agencies and cut spending in an effort to bring down the national debt. The Department of Defense receives a large portion of total U.S. government spending. “Whether or not DOGE impacts defense spending, we already hold a cautious view on the defense sector … the DoD budget is near peak relative to historical cycles and spending levels, margins are structurally under pressure, while valuations are high,” analyst Noah Poponak said in a recent note to clients. “Defense spending cycles up and down over time, and can be vulnerable to efforts to reduce total government spending.” Poponak noted that although Trump has expressed broad support for the U.S. military and Department of Defense, any cost-cutting effort could still be a ***** for the national defense budget. “It is difficult to embark on any large government spending reduction effort without touching defense, and there are potentially enough inefficiencies within the defense budget to reduce its total level without necessarily reducing military readiness or capability,” he said. Poponak maintained his sell ratings on Lockheed Martin , Northrop Grumman , L3Harris Technologies and Huntington Ingalls Industries . As of Monday, shares of these four names had taken a significant hit this month, with defense contractor Lockheed losing more than 13% and Huntington Ingalls plunging nearly 25% during this time. Lockheed’s recent earnings report reflected an increase in its annual profit and sales forecasts, but its F-35 fighter jet program has faced several challenges that have dragged the stock lower. Northrop recently beat third-quarter earnings expectations, but fell short of analysts’ revenue projections, per LSEG. Poponak recommended sticking with companies in government IT, as that sector has substantially outperformed defense hardware given current market share shifts in national security budgets to data analytics, cyber and artificial intelligence. Booz Allen Hamilton is expected to be the biggest beneficiary of this trend, he said. Leidos Holdings is another buy-rated pick as it trades at a discounted valuation even after seeing strong growth and margins. “Lower defense spending would flow to government IT to some degree. … It is also possible that a DOGE effort determines the advanced technologies of these companies helps to create efficiencies, especially if there is an effort to reduce the size of federal agencies, such that there is a scenario where government IT companies are a net beneficiary of DOGE,” the analyst wrote. Shares of popular defense ETFs have slumped in recent weeks. The iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF and Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF are down 3% and 1.8% over the past month, respectively, but are still showing strong year-to-date gains. Source link #Goldman #warns #defense #stocks #hit #Trump #spending #cuts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Instagram testing tool that removes all recommended posts Instagram testing tool that removes all recommended posts Instagram is testing a new feature which allows people to completely remove all the content being recommended to them. Its “reset” tool – which it says will be available globally “soon” – effectively cleanses a user’s feed of content suggested by the site’s algorithm, though Instagram says recommendations will “start to personalise again over time.” It comes as Instagram has announced a raft of new features aimed at improving the wellbeing of people on the platform, with safety features in October following new teen accounts launched in September. The *** media regulator, Ofcom, welcomed the announcement – but said more action would be needed to make social media safe. “It’s good to see Instagram bringing these changes in before regulation starts to *****, and we’ll be pressing for companies to do more to protect and empower their users,” it said in a statement. Tech firms have previously been warned they will need to “make very significant changes” ahead of the ***’s new Online Safety Act (OSA) taking full effect. “When the ***’s online safety laws are fully in force, the largest sites and apps will have to give people more control over what they see,” the Ofcom statement added. Some campaigners argue the OSA does not go far enough, and will need to be toughened or supplemented with other restrictions, for example on mobile phone use by young people. There is also a fierce international debate on how to keep young people safe online, with Australia recently proposing banning social media for under-16s. Meta – which owns Instagram – says the new system will be available to everyone including those with teen accounts, and will let people to reset their recommendations “in just a few taps.” “We want to make sure everyone on Instagram – especially teens – has safe, positive, age-appropriate experiences and feels the time they’re spending on Instagram is valuable,” Meta said in a blog post announcing the move. Users who want to refresh their feeds will be able to select “reset suggested content” from their “content preferences” screen. From there, they will be asked if they want to unfollow the accounts whose posts are shown to them most often. At that point, users can then reset their feeds. People who use Instagram can already have some impact on what is recommended to them by telling the algorithm whether they are interested in posts they see or not. TikTok already has a similar feature, where people can reset their “For You” feed by following a few steps. Instagram’s move comes ahead of implementation of the Online Safety Act in December, which will set a ticking clock for tech firms. Companies like Meta will have three months to assess the risks of ******** content appearing online, and will have to take steps to block it. Separately, the regulator will finalise its Children’s Safety codes of practice in April 2025, which is set to include a requirement for firms to give children more control over what they see in their feeds on social media platforms. Source link #Instagram #testing #tool #removes #recommended #posts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Beastieball is a lovely mix of Haikyuu and Pokémon | TheSixthAxis Beastieball is a lovely mix of Haikyuu and Pokémon | TheSixthAxis This RPG looks similar to Pokémon, but rather than taking part in turn-based battles your creatures (known as Beasties) take part in turn-based volleyball matches instead. Each Beastie has a unique personality and teamwork style, which helps them build different types of relationships with other Beasties and learn various combo moves as a result. The aim is to progress through the game’s story and win the Beastieball League. Source link #Beastieball #lovely #mix #Haikyuu #Pokémon #TheSixthAxis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NASA’s Viking Mission May Have Destroyed Martian Life with Water Experiments NASA’s Viking Mission May Have Destroyed Martian Life with Water Experiments In 1975, NASA’s Viking programme made history when its twin landers became the first ********* spacecraft to successfully reach the surface of Mars. These landers conducted pioneering experiments, collecting and analysing Martian soil samples for over six years in a quest to determine whether microbial life existed on the Red Planet. However, a provocative new theory suggests that the very methods used in these experiments may have unintentionally ******* potential life on Mars. Life Detection Methods Under Scrutiny Dirk Schulze-Makuch, an astrobiologist at the Technische Universität Berlin, has proposed that the Viking experiments might have encountered Martian microbes but destroyed them by introducing liquid water. In a commentary published in Nature Astronomy, Schulze-Makuch argued that Mars’ hyperarid environment, drier than Earth’s Atacama Desert, likely harbours lifeforms adapted to extract moisture from salts in the atmosphere. These organisms, if present, could be fatally overwhelmed by the addition of liquid water, as used in the Viking experiments. Misguided Assumptions About Water The Viking programme assumed that Martian life, like life on Earth, would depend on liquid water. The experiments added water and nutrients to the soil samples, monitoring for metabolic reactions. While initial results showed potential microbial activity, they were later dismissed as inconclusive. Schulze-Makuch believes these findings might instead indicate the destruction of lifeforms adapted to Mars’ arid conditions. He has suggested adopting a “follow the salts” strategy, which focuses on detecting organisms thriving in salt-driven moisture environments. Shifting the Search for Life Highlighting parallels with Earth’s deserts, Schulze-Makuch pointed to evidence of microbes in salt-rich regions surviving through a process called deliquescence, where salts absorb moisture to create brines. His proposal calls for multiple life-detection methods, including AI-assisted motility analysis and advanced microscopes, to avoid relying on water-based assumptions. This theory challenges NASA’s longstanding approach of searching for water as the key to extraterrestrial life, urging a broader exploration strategy. While controversial, it opens a critical discussion about refining techniques to uncover life on Mars. Source link #NASAs #Viking #Mission #Destroyed #Martian #Life #Water #Experiments Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bose buys McIntosh, storied maker of high-end luxury audio equipment Bose buys McIntosh, storied maker of high-end luxury audio equipment The BOSE display at the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. David A. Grogan | CNBC Bose Corp. will purchase the McIntosh Group, a deal that will give the Massachusetts-based company control of one of the most storied names in high-end audio. McIntosh will continue to manufacture the high-end audio equipment it is known for out of its longtime headquarters in New York, Bose CEO Lila Snyder said. The deal also includes Sonus Faber, a company that makes high-end speakers by hand in Italy. The purchase of the two audio workshops provides Bose access into the high-end luxury audio market, Snyder told CNBC in an interview. “There is this opportunity for luxury, where the consumer is more discerning, really interested in the heritage and the story, and that handcrafted nature,” she said. Snyder, who took over as Bose CEO in 2020, did not provide terms or a price for the deal. McIntosh was previously owned by Highlander Partners, a Dallas-based private equity firm. McIntosh has been making high-end amplifiers and other audio equipment since 1949, and one of its devices can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Sonus Faber sells a pair of speakers that costs $140,000. The purchase shows how Bose is navigating an environment where there is more competition in headphones and audio electronics than ever. Bose is privately held and doesn’t share annual revenue, although it had about $3 billion in sales in 2023, according to Forbes. It has about 3,000 employees. Bose enters the high-end luxury audio market Luxury audio — defined as products that cost more than $5,000 — grew 12% in 2023 to about $2.8 billion in total sales, according to an estimate from Futuresource Consulting. The deal will allow Bose to test a higher-end market for its products, which are already expensive – a pair of Bose headphones can easily cost $350. “These are different customers that right now we’re not really reaching with our technology and with our products,” she said. Snyder did not rule out the possibility of Bose producing McIntosh-branded headphones or other products. “We do think there’s a real opportunity around wearables in the luxury and high-performance space as well, which is something that we would expect you to see from us down the road,” Synder said. Bose is best-known for its speakers and its headphones, including the QuietComfort headphones line, which was one of the first noise-canceling headsets to hit the market in 2000. It also sells soundbars, wireless earbuds, speakers and audio equipment for cars. It divested a group that built sound systems for auditoriums and other professional environments last year. The audio market has grown since Bose was one of the few high-end brands. Bose now competes against some of the biggest companies in the world, including Apple, which bought Beats Electronics for $3 billion in 2014 and released the AirPods in 2016, targeting the premium headphone market. There is also new audio-focused competition for Bose. Sonos, which was best known for its in-home speakers, introduced its first noise-canceling headphones earlier this year, although the company is reeling from an app redesign in May that was received poorly by users. Bose also spent the past decade competing with smart speakers from the likes of Amazon and Google that were often priced aggressively low to spur adoption. The purchase of the two luxury audio workshops could help Bose grow in the in-car stereo market, which Snyder said makes up about a third of the company’s overall business. Sonus Faber produces speakers for Lamborghini cars, for example, and some Jeeps have a McIntosh-branded audio system. One possibility that Bose is excited about is that it can integrate its noise-canceling technology in electric cars to make the vehicle ride quieter, she said. “There are places today where the Bose brand probably can’t go. Lamborghini is a great example of that,” Snyder said. “You really want the very best kind of cutting-edge technology to be in those luxury or highest-performing vehicles.” WATCH: Why the hearing aid industry is poised to grow Source link #Bose #buys #McIntosh #storied #maker #highend #luxury #audio #equipment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

RFK Jr. is Trump pick for HHS secretary. Here’s what he could do RFK Jr. is Trump pick for HHS secretary. Here’s what he could do Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes an announcement on the future of his campaign in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. August 23, 2024. Thomas Machowicz | Reuters President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services – a selection that is raising fears in the public health community and leaving the biotech and pharmaceutical industries bracing for disruptions to ***** development. Trump’s announcement on Thursday gives Kennedy, a notorious vaccine skeptic, a good chance of securing the nation’s top health-care job. The coming ***********-held Senate will ultimately decide whether to confirm him, though Trump has raised the prospect of sidestepping that process with recess appointments. If confirmed, Kennedy will take the reins of a $1.7 trillion agency that oversees vaccines and other medicines, scientific research, public health infrastructure, pandemic preparedness, food and tobacco products. HHS also manages government-funded health care for millions of Americans – including seniors, disabled people and lower-income patients who rely on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act’s markets. The heads of the Food and ***** Administration, Centers for ******** Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services all report to the HHS secretary, though Trump has yet to nominate them. Kennedy will likely have some influence over who the president-elect chooses for those roles, health policy experts said. Some health policy experts told CNBC that Kennedy could elevate vaccine skepticism and deter more Americans from taking recommended shots, attempt to cut funding or entire departments at different agencies and shift research and development toward more alternative treatments or ******** areas of interest to him, among other efforts. Kennedy’s so-called “Make America Healthy Again” platform argues a corrupt alliance of ***** and food companies and the federal health agencies that regulate them are making Americans less healthy. Kennedy has long argued that the agencies that HHS oversees need reform or a sweeping overhaul, part which could mean cutting funding, purging staff and hiring new employees who share his often disproven views on health and science. He has also said he wants to remove fluoride from drinking water systems and target chronic ********* by cracking down on food and chemical additives, among other efforts. But there will be some limits to Kennedy’s power – even with a *********** government trifecta. Some of his proposals, such as cutting funding, may not easily pass through Congress. Other efforts could spark expensive and prolonged litigation against the federal government. Spokespeople for Kennedy and Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Here are some of the things that Kennedy may – or may not – be able to accomplish as HHS secretary. Vaccines Brandon Guerrero, 34, of Compton, receives both a flu and COVID-19 vaccine at CVS in Huntington Park on August 28, 2024. Christina House | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images Kennedy is a staunch critic of vaccines, which have saved the lives of more than 1.1 million children in the U.S. and saved Americans $540 billion in direct health-care costs over the last three decades, according to CDC research released in August. He has long made misleading and false statements about the safety of shots. He has claimed they are linked to autism despite decades of studies that debunk that association. Kennedy is also the founder of the nonprofit Children’s Health Defense, the most well-funded anti-vaccine organization in the U.S. Ultimately, Kennedy’s influence over immunization policy could lead to an increase in ********* preventable by vaccines, several health policy experts told CNBC. “He could create considerable distrust in vaccines and make some vaccines highly politicized, so in particularly red states, we could see outbreaks of fully preventable childhood *********,” Gostin said. That includes measles, mumps, rubella and polio. Despite his history, Kennedy told NBC News in early November that he isn’t planning to take anyone’s vaccines away in the U.S. That would be a difficult task, experts said. The FDA can pull a product from the market if further trials after approval fail to confirm that its clinical benefits outweigh its risks, or if unexpected risks are detected among patients. That has not been the case with the approved shots on the market. “It would be hard to imagine that a new HHS Secretary would be able to immediately remove vaccines that are already approved and already being used and recommended by the government from the market,” said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy at KFF, a health policy research organization. “He can’t just make that change with a simple wave of a wand.” Still, Kennedy has repeatedly argued that there is not enough data on vaccines and their effects. He told NPR earlier this month that the Trump administration is going to “make sure those scientific studies are done and that people can make informed choices about their vaccinations and their children’s vaccinations.” As HHS secretary, Kennedy could “cherry pick” data from additional government studies and release misleading results that undermine trust in the safety and efficacy of vaccines, said Lawrence Gostin, a health law and policy expert at Georgetown University. That misinformation could deter some Americans from receiving certain shots. Michaud added vaccine misinformation could push health officials on the state and local level to “perhaps allow for more individual choice rather than mandating routine vaccination” for certain *********. Many state health departments and clinicians rely on vaccine recommendations from an advisory committee to the CDC. Those include who should get what shots and at what age. Those guidelines have broader implications for public health. Vaccines recommended by that advisory panel and approved by the CDC director are covered under the Affordable Care Act. The agency also administers the Vaccines for Children program, which provides free vaccines for children in low-income families. Kennedy could attempt to influence that CDC advisory committee and a similar panel linked to the FDA by stacking them with people who hold anti-vaccine views, Gostin said. The HHS secretary has the power to form an advisory committee, remove members and set the terms and qualifications for them. That could produce more limited vaccine recommendations that aren’t firmly rooted in science, he added. It could also translate to a “fragmentation of vaccine policy” across the U.S. if only some states accept recommendations from advisors selected by Kennedy. Federal agency funding, staffing Kennedy in recent weeks has pledged to end what he calls “corporate ***********” at federal health agencies and purge staff when he steps into his role in the Trump administration. He has said he would clear out “entire departments” at the FDA, saying that workers who stand in the way of approval of several controversial or dubious treatments should prepare to “pack their bags.” Kennedy, before dropping out of the presidential race, also said he wanted to shift NIH’s focus away from infectious ******** and toward chronic ********* like obesity for eight years. In September, Kennedy said half of the NIH’s $48 billion budget should go toward “preventive, alternative and holistic approaches to health.” A shakeup at the NIH – the largest public funder of biomedical research in the U.S. – could have major implications for research and the pharmaceutical industry. The NIH funds and conducts research on everything from vaccines and ******* to new ***** targets, laying the groundwork for treatments that companies can develop. “He could certainly allocate funding away from drugs that he’s not interested in and more towards maybe areas that are more speculative,” said Genevieve Kanter, associate professor of public policy at the University of Southern California. Kanter pointed to his long history of embracing disproven treatments, such as claiming that hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin work against Covid, even though several studies say they do not. Hydroxychloroquine is an immunosuppressive *****, while ivermectin is used to treat infections caused by parasites. Major changes or funding cuts at the NIH, FDA and CDC would require congressional approval. Federal employees are also protected against arbitrary or politically-motivated *******. FDA staff are further shielded because Congress does not fully fund their salaries. Nearly half of the agency’s $7.2 billion budget this year came from so-called “user fees,” or payments made by ***** and medical device manufacturers to fund the staff resources needed to quickly review their products, conduct inspections and ensure the safety of clinical studies. It seems “unlikely” that Kennedy would be able to end that user fee program, according to Richard Frank, director of the Brookings Schaeffer Initiative on Health Policy. But he may attempt to influence negotiations around how the program is implemented when Congress decides whether to reauthorize it after 2027, Frank said. Gostin said other “cuts across the board” at the three agencies are possible, especially in areas that are “part of the culture wars.” The CDC could see funding reduced for key functions related to vaccines, chronic ********, ******* and reproductive health and firearm injury and prevention, according to Gostin. He added that the FDA’s nutrition departments could also see cuts or be “on the chopping block” altogether, given Kennedy’s intent to change what he calls the “broken” U.S. food system. Cracking down on pharma Some Wall Street analysts are less concerned about Kennedy stifling ***** approvals and regulation. “We anticipate RFK to focus on U.S. food policy and its relationship to chronic illness, not medicine,” BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said in a note last week. Investors are already bracing for a crackdown on food policy, with shares of processed food companies, such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola, falling on Friday. Wall Street has fewer immediate concerns about pharmaceutical companies. Seigerman said “there is little precedent in recent history for HHS policy dictating or affecting FDA regulation or approval of drugs.” He added that the impact on the biotech and pharmaceutical industry is still unclear until Trump selects an FDA commissioner, and that the firm is more confident that he will tap a candidate with “robust medical background and ties to the industry.” Still, Kennedy appears to favor “tighter controls and intervening a bit more” in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, according to Dave Latshaw, CEO and co-founder of AI ***** development company BioPhy. That could bring some uncertainty to the ***** development and approval process, which poses a greater risk to companies that primarily have products in the earlier stages of development than to large pharmaceutical companies, Latshaw added. Kennedy could attempt to ****** down on the biotech and pharmaceutical industry in other ways – but they may not be successful. He has said he wants to ban direct-to-consumer television ***** advertisements. In 2023, pharmaceutical companies spent nearly $3 billion on advertising for the 10 most promoted drugs. Experts said the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech, would make that an extremely difficult task. Trump also tried to take on pharmaceutical advertising during his first administration by requiring companies to disclose the list prices of products in their ads. Drugmakers sued the government, and a federal court blocked the rule. Kennedy’s position on the ***** pricing provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s signature legislation, is unclear. That 2022 law gave Medicare the power to negotiate ***** prices with manufacturers for the first time in history – a provision that the pharmaceutical industry is challenging in court. But the Trump administration won’t have much flexibility to dismantle or scale back the law without change from Congress. It also seems unlikely Kennedy would want to scrap efforts to lower ***** prices, an issue top of mind for Americans, according to Amy Campbell, associate dean for law and health sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. Fluoride, food supply Kennedy earlier this month proposed advising all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from drinking water, falsely claiming that it is “an industrial waste” linked to several medical conditions, such as thyroid ******** and neurodevelopmental disorders. Trump has since said that idea sounds “OK to me.” But fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in soil, water and plants. Adding low levels of fluoride to drinking water is widely considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century for its role in preventing tooth decay. Campbell said the decision to add fluoride to water happens at the state and local level, so Kennedy could only advise its removal. But even that could eventually lead to certain states doing away with fluoridation, she noted. Kennedy has been vocal about tackling the root causes of chronic ********* rather than spending resources on treating those conditions with drugs from the pharmaceutical industry. There are still few details on what exactly that would look like, but Kennedy is targeting a real issue in the U.S. An increasing share of people in America are dealing with multiple chronic conditions, with roughly 42% having two or more, according to the CDC. More than 40% of school-aged children and adolescents have at least one. Some of Kennedy’s ideas, such as stripping ultra-processed food from school cafeterias and cracking down on food dye, have found public support on the right and left. But he has pushed misleading claims and comparisons related to food in the U.S. and how it is regulated, such as incorrectly claiming that Froot Loops cereal in Canada contains just two or three ingredients when it has 17. Some experts said Kennedy could pressure the FDA commissioner to scrap or cut down the agency’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. But banning the use of already-approved food additives would require more rather than fewer resources, experts added. They said that the process would likely involve extensive reviews of data and real-time monitoring of the food supply, among other efforts. Other changes may need to be spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which does not fall under HHS. For example, the USDA sets guidelines that govern school lunch programs. Source link #RFK #Trump #pick #HHS #secretary #Heres Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New plan for early release of short-term prisoners in Scotland New plan for early release of short-term prisoners in Scotland The Scottish government is proposing to lower the minimum term served by prisoners who have been given short sentences. It is predicted that between 260 and 390 inmates would be eligible for immediate release in February 2025 if the legislation is approved. The new law would see most people serving less than four years being released after serving 40% of their sentence, rather than the current 50%. The Scottish government says it hopes to pass the Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill under emergency procedures to help deal with the significant rise in the prison population over the past year. Justice Secretary Angela Constance said the bill would ensure jails continued to function safely and effectively, as overcrowding could reach “critical levels” if ministers did not act. But it would not apply to those sentenced for domestic ****** or ******* offences. Scotland’s prison population was 8,253 at the start of November – above the target operating capacity of 8,007. Under the new plans, early releases would be managed in three stages over six weeks. The change would also apply to new prisoners sentenced from the point the bill is introduced. In the long term, the government said it could result in a sustained reduction of about 5% to the sentenced prison population. The proposals replicate a change made south of the border by the *** government. The new bill also proposes powers for ministers to change the point of release under licence conditions for people serving sentences of four years or more. In June and July, a total of 477 people were let out early under an emergency scheme introduced by the Scottish government. It involved prisoners who had been sentenced to less than four years in jail and who had less than 180 days still to serve. But it was revealed in September that the prison population was already higher than it had been before the early release. In October, the Scottish government shelved proposals for the automatic early release of long-term prisoners due to concerns from victims of ******. At the time the justice secretary said a consultation process had revealed “significant practical difficulties” but she was still committed to considering changes to the rules for long-term prisoners. Unveiling the proposals on Tuesday, Ms Constance said the prison population had continued to rise and was projected to reach critical levels again. “Long-term action is necessary to deliver a sustained reduction to the prison population and support the effective functioning of prisons,” she said. “The proposals include built-in exemptions for those serving sentences for ******* offences or domestic ******. “We need the prison system to focus on those who pose the greatest risk to the public and provide a range of support to help reduce reoffending and integration back into the community.” Ms Constance said she recognised that victims and their families may have concerns, and that she would engage with victims’ organisations ahead of any changes. Victim support groups have previously said that early release has been shown not to work. The Scottish Conservatives’ justice spokesman Liam Kerr said the SNP’s “knee-*****” plans to release more prisoners early represented “a threat to public safety”. He added: “It is just common sense that a ********* should serve their sentence in full and the public will be alarmed that this out-of-touch SNP government’s approach is letting ********** out of jail even earlier instead. “The fact that the SNP government wishes to ram this through should concern everyone”. Source link #plan #early #release #shortterm #prisoners #Scotland Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Tuesday, November 19 NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Tuesday, November 19 Strands is a brand new daily puzzle from the New York Times. A trickier take on the classic word search, you’ll need a keen eye to solve this puzzle. Like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be a bit difficult to solve some days. There’s no shame in needing a little help from time to time. If you’re stuck and need to know the answers to today’s Strands puzzle, check out the solved puzzle below. How to play Strands You start every Strands puzzle with the goal of finding the “theme words” hidden in the grid of letters. Manipulate letters by dragging or tapping to craft words; double-tap the final letter to confirm. If you find the correct word, the letters will be highlighted blue and will no longer be selectable. If you find a word that isn’t a theme word, it still helps! For every three non-theme words you find that are at least four letters long, you’ll get a hint — the letters of one of the theme words will be revealed and you’ll just have to unscramble it. Every single letter on the grid is used to spell out the theme words and there is no overlap. Every letter will be used once, and only once. Each puzzle contains one “spangram,” a special theme word (or words) that describe the puzzle’s theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. When you find the spangram, it will be highlighted yellow. The goal should be to complete the puzzle quickly without using too many hints. Hint for today’s Strands puzzle Today’s theme is “Pick-ups” Here’s a hint that might help you: eating tools. Today’s Strand answers NYT Today’s spanagram We’ll start by giving you the spangram, which might help you figure out the theme and solve the rest of the puzzle on your own: Today’s Strands answers FORK ****** SPOON SPORK SKEWER TONGS CHOPSTICKS Source link #NYT #Strands #today #hints #spangram #answers #Tuesday #November Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Minecraft enters real world with $110m global theme park deal | Merlin Entertainments Minecraft enters real world with $110m global theme park deal | Merlin Entertainments The global gaming phenomenon Minecraft is coming to the real world for the first time in a global deal to open themed rides, attractions, hotel rooms and retail outlets, starting with the *** and US. Minecraft has struck a deal with ***-headquartered Merlin Entertainments – Europe’s largest theme park operator and the second biggest globally after Disney – which runs more than 135 attractions in 23 countries including Alton Towers, Legoland, Sea Life, Madame Tussauds and the London Eye. Under the terms of the deal, Merlin will invest more than £85m ($110m) in the first two attractions. They are due to open in the *** and the US in 2026 and 2027, in either an existing theme park or as new city centre attractions. Over the longer term the two companies plan to expand the strategic partnership, which is called “Adventures Made Real”, to other countries and territories. Minecraft is the bestselling video game of all time, with 140 million players each month, in territories as disparate as Antarctica and ******** City, and there are more than 1.3tn videos posted by game players on YouTube. Merlin’s partnership with Minecraft is called ‘Adventures Made Real’. Photograph: Merlin and TM & © Mojang AB “We are everywhere digitally, Merlin is everywhere physically,” said Kayleen Walters, the vice-president, franchise development, for gaming at Microsoft, which acquired the Minecraft maker Mojang for $2.5bn in 2014. “It is about how do we expand Minecraft beyond the game. Mojang and Microsoft are experts on Minecraft and the brand, Merlin are the experts on location-based experiences; it is a shared vision.” Minecraft is on something of a brand extension *****: a much-delayed film is due for release next April, featuring Hollywood stars including Jason Momoa and Jack ******, and earlier this year Netflix announced plans to release an animated series based on the game. For Merlin, the Minecraft partnership has the potential to be its biggest deal since it struck a deal with Lego to buy its four Legoland theme parks in 2005. In recent years, Merlin has been upping its strategy of focusing on deals with “crown jewel” intellectual property owners to drive the popularity of its parks and attractions, in the same way Hollywood studios do with blockbuster franchises. A Minecraft Movie is due for release next April. Photograph: Warner Bros. In 2022, Merlin struck a deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to bring the $2bn Hollywood film franchise Jumanji to its parks, with a range of rides and attractions opening at Chessington in the *** last year. Earlier this year, Merlin announced an expansion of its Peppa Pig deal to create rides and attractions in Duplo-themed areas at a number of its parks. “When we look for partners we look for the right people, scale and community,” said Scott O’Neil, the chief executive of Merlin Entertainments. “We are in 23 countries, what brands can play at that level, you have to be one of the biggest brands in the world. We have partnered with the number one toy brand, Lego, the number one toddler brand, Peppa Pig, and now in Minecraft the biggest video game. Bringing Minecraft to life is going to be one of the greatest joys; this is just the beginning; our aspirations are very big.” Last year, Minecraft became the first single video game to pass 300m sales, well ahead of other top-selling global titles including Grand Theft Auto V (205m), Nintendo’s Wii Sports (83m) and PUBG: Battlegrounds (75m). skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we’ll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Tetris and the Super Mario franchise have sold more copies but Minecraft, which was launched in 2011, is the only single game to have reached that mark. Minecraft is the bestselling video game of all time. Photograph: Iurii Vlasenko/Alamy In 2020, Minecraft moved to make its educational-themed worlds available for free, to help pupils no longer able to attend school because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The company, which said it wanted to do its part to “help keep young minds sharp and stimulated”, made 12 digital lessons available, including a game about generating power from renewable energy sources and an interactive lesson about ancient Greece. In 2015, Minecraft was given to every secondary school in Northern Ireland for free as part of a cultural technology festival, which was government funded, the first time it had been distributed across an entire region. In 2019, a consortium led by the family that controls the Lego toymaking empire agreed a £6bn takeover of Merlin. The consortium is 50% owned by Kirkbi, the private investment company of the Kirk Kristiansen family, the inheritors of the Lego fortune. The other 50% is owned by the private equity company Blackstone and CPPIB, the ********* pension fund. This article was amended on 19 November 2024 to remove Peppa Pig World from a list of attractions run by Merlin Entertainments. Source link #Minecraft #enters #real #world #110m #global #theme #park #deal #Merlin #Entertainments Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]