Pelican Press

Recreation Centre booming with Friday night lights for youngsters in teenage Rec Connect program Recreation Centre booming with Friday night lights for youngsters in teenage Rec Connect program A popular and proactive program for Margaret River’s teenagers is back tonight at the Recreation Centre. Source link #Recreation #Centre #booming #Friday #night #lights #youngsters #teenage #Rec #Connect #program Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kiborg Review | TheSixthAxis | N4G Kiborg Review | TheSixthAxis | N4G WTMG’s Leo Faria: “I think this is the best way to sum up KIBORG: a neat premise that just ended up feeling like a mixed bag. For every admittedly interesting aspect, such as its visuals, ultraviolence and combat, there’s something else that brings it down a handful of notches, such as the awful voice acting, difficulty spikes, and bugs. With that being said, considering how flooded and overly saturated the roguelike/lite market is nowadays, KIBORG does manage to stand out, even if by just a little bit. It’s not terrible, it’s also far from being amazing, but it’s certainly not entirely fogettable.” Source link #Kiborg #Review #TheSixthAxis #N4G Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump urged Speaker Johnson to raise top tax rate, sources say Trump urged Speaker Johnson to raise top tax rate, sources say By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump privately urged House Speaker Mike Johnson during a phone call on Wednesday to raise the tax rate on the wealthiest Americans and close the carried interest loophole for Wall Street investors, two people familiar with the conversation said on Thursday. Trump and Johnson spoke as the Republican-controlled House of Representatives prepares to unveil landmark legislation to extend the president’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for businesses and individuals, while eliminating taxes on tip income, overtime pay and Social Security benefits. Republicans are aiming to complete Trump’s “one big beautiful bill” by late next week and pass it in the House ahead of the May 26 U.S. Memorial Day holiday. Trump is pushing to raise the top tax rate from 37% to 39.6% for individuals earning $2.5 million and higher or joint filers earning $5 million, with carve-outs for small businesses, according to one source. “They’ve been talking about this for weeks,” another source said. Republicans have been under pressure from the Trump’s populist MAGA base to raise taxes on the wealthy. But Johnson and other top Republicans have resisted an increase in the top tax rate, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters last week that Trump had ruled out the idea. The current legislative plan calls for offsetting tax cuts by reducing spending on the Medicaid healthcare program for lower-income Americans and nutrition support programs and by eliminating popular environmental tax credits, changes opposed by Republican centrists. “The spending reduction side of this equation has been the most challenging, which is a sad commentary on my party and my conference. But it’s the reality,” House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington told reporters. Arrington and other House Republicans said failure to achieve $2 trillion in spending cuts over a decade would jeopardize Trump’s hopes of making his 2017 tax cuts permanent. A higher tax rate on the wealthy could provide added revenues to compensate for cuts elsewhere. Representative Jason Smith, who chairs the tax-writing House Ways & Means Committee, said in a recent interview that his panel could close tax loopholes that benefit the rich in the upcoming bill. (Reporting by David Morgan, Steve Holland and Jasper Ward; Editing by Alistair Bell) Source link #Trump #urged #Speaker #Johnson #raise #top #tax #rate #sources Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This stock tied to crypto is breaking out as bitcoin retests $100,000 level, according to the charts This stock tied to crypto is breaking out as bitcoin retests $100,000 level, according to the charts Shares of Coinbase (COIN) are demonstrating constructive technical characteristics going into today’s quarterly earnings report. With bitcoin retesting the “ultimate resistance” at $100,000 , and news this week of Coinbase acquiring crypto options firm Deribit, the recent rally may just be the beginning of a new bullish phase. The daily chart of COIN features a cyclical pattern from a low in September around $150 to an early December peak at $350. Coinbase then proceeded to lose almost 60% of its value, retracing 100% of the way back to $150 in early April 2025. The PPO indicator featured a bullish divergence as the price made a new swing low in April, hinting that COIN could find support as it retested that September low. Over the past four weeks, Coinbase has now bounced above its 50-day moving average, leaving a breakout above the 200-day moving average as the last validation of a new uptrend phase. The weekly chart of COIN is close to confirming the bullish evidence on the daily chart, as it shows how the September 2024 and April lows represented a 61.8% retracement of the 2023-2024 bull market phase. This could also help to structure our risk vs. reward scenario, now that we see how this recent support is based on a confluence of technical approaches. The weekly PPO indicator gave a bullish signal in October, soon after the September low at $150. With the recent rally for shares of COIN, the weekly PPO is very close to generating a similar signal in the coming weeks. We’re also noting that the 150-week moving average, a long-term barometer of market trends, is currently right around those 2024 and 2025 lows. Any play on Coinbase is essentially a play on bitcoin, and the good news is the charts suggest further upside for this leading cryptocurrency. A bullish divergence into the April 2025 low has been followed by a dramatic rally to retest the $100,000 level for the first time since February. With bitcoin back above moving average support, and the RSI pushing into the overbought region, we’re noting a number of similarities to previous bull cycles. If we see a successful push above the $100,000 level, and a retest of the all-time highs from December 2024 and January 2025, Coinbase and other crypto plays could just be in the early stages of a new bullish trend phase. David Keller, CMT marketmisbehavior.com DISCLOSURES: none. 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 #stock #tied #crypto #breaking #bitcoin #retests #level #charts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo's Switch 2 sales forecast predicts 15 million consoles in its first fiscal year – Engadget Nintendo's Switch 2 sales forecast predicts 15 million consoles in its first fiscal year – Engadget Nintendo’s Switch 2 sales forecast predicts 15 million consoles in its first fiscal year EngadgetNintendo Gives Conservative Switch 2 Sales Outlook of 15 Million Bloomberg.comNintendo Issues ‘Conservative’ Switch 2 Sales Forecast Amid Uncertainty Around Tariffs IGNNintendo forecasts sales of 15 million Switch 2 consoles as it gears up for launch CNBCNintendo low-****** its Switch 2 sales estimates, but they’re still huge Polygon Source link #Nintendo039s #Switch #sales #forecast #predicts #million #consoles #fiscal #year #Engadget Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US and *** agree deal slashing Trump tariffs on cars and metals US and *** agree deal slashing Trump tariffs on cars and metals Getty Images/Pool/AFP The US has agreed to reduce import taxes on a set number of British cars and allow some steel and aluminium into the country tariff-free, as part of a new agreement between the US and ***. The announcement offers relief for key *** industries from some of the new tariffs announced by President Donald Trump since entering office in January. But it will leave a 10% duty in place on most goods from the ***. Though hailed by leaders in the two countries as significant, analysts said it did not appear to meaningfully alter the terms of trade between the countries, as they stood before the changes introduced by Trump this year. No formal deal was signed on Thursday and the governments were light on details. Speaking from a Jaguar Land Rover factory in the West Midlands, Sir Keir Starmer described the deal as a “fantastic platform”. At the White House, Trump called it a “great deal” and pushed back against criticism that he was overstating its importance. “This is a maxed out deal that we’re going to make *******,” he said. What’s in the deal? The two sides said the US had agreed to reduce the import tax on cars – which Trump had raised by 25% last month – to 10% for 100,000 cars a year. That will help luxury carmakers such as Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls Royce, but could limit growth in the years ahead, as it amounts to roughly what the *** exported last year. Tariffs on steel and aluminium, which Trump had also raised earlier this year to 25%, have also been slashed, according to the Prime Minister’s Office. The office also said the two sides had agreed to “reciprocal access” for beef exports, with a quota of 13,000 metric tonnes for *** farmers. Those figures were not confirmed by the White House, though it said it expected to expand its sales of beef and ethanol to the ***, a longstanding demand on the part of the US. The US said the deal would create a $5bn “opportunity” for exports, including $700m in ethanol and $250m in other agricultural products. “It can’t be understated how important this deal is,” US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said. *** Steel Director General Gareth Stace welcomed the agreement saying it would offer “major relief” to the steel sector. “The *** Government’s cool-headed approach and perseverance in negotiating with the US clearly paid off,” he said. Other business groups expressed more uncertainty. “It’s better than yesterday but it’s definitely not better than five weeks ago,” said Duncan Edwards, chief executive of BritishAmerican Business, which represents firms in the two countries and supports free trade. “I’m trying to be excited but I’m struggling a bit.” In the House of Commons, Conservative Shadow Trade Secretary Andrew Griffith dismissed the announcement as “a Diet Coke deal, not the real thing”. Trade Minister Douglas Alexander stressed that the deal was “jobs saved, not job done”. Win for US ranchers? The US and *** have been discussing a trade deal since Trump’s first term. They came close to signing a mini-agreement at that time. But the US has long pushed for changes to benefit its farmers and pharmaceutical issues, which had been non-starters politically for the ***. It was not clear how much those issues had advanced. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said the agreement in-principle had delivered a “tremendous win” for American ranchers but the US Meat Export Federation, which tracks trade barriers for farmers in the US, said it was still trying to pin down information about the changes. The *** said there would be no weakening in food standards for imports. While the *** appears to have made some commitments, “the ****** will be in the details,” said Michael Pearce, deputy chief economist at Oxford Economics, which said it was making no change to its economic forecasts as a result of the announcement. Other issues loom. Trump has said repeatedly that he wants to tax imports of pharmaceuticals, in a bid to ensure the US has a strong manufacturing base for critical medicines. The *** said the US had agreed to give British firms “preferential treatment”. But Ewan Townsend, a lawyer at Arnold & Porter, who works with health care firms, said the industry was now “left waiting to see exactly what this preferential treatment will mean”. Source link #agree #deal #slashing #Trump #tariffs #cars #metals Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered review | Loot Level Chill The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered review | Loot Level Chill CCG writes – “Overall, Oblivion Remastered is a mixed bag. While the general stability enhancements are very welcome, the new graphical style may prove divisive to fans of the original. Morally, this is obviously a game meant only for mature audiences. If you want to play Oblivion again or are getting into it for the first time, then this is a pretty decent way to do so, provided you have the hard drive space available.” Source link #Elder #Scrolls #Oblivion #Remastered #review #Loot #Level #Chill Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man charged with stalking Jennifer Aniston after ‘crashing into actor’s home’ Man charged with stalking Jennifer Aniston after ‘crashing into actor’s home’ A man accused of crashing his car through the gates of actor Jennifer Aniston’s home has been charged with stalking and vandalism. Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, of New Albany, Mississippi, is accused of repeatedly sending the Friends star unwanted voicemail, email and social media messages since March 2023. The 48-year-old is alleged to have crashed his grey Chrysler PT Cruiser through the front gate of Aniston’s home in the Bel Air neighbourhood of Los Angeles on Monday afternoon. Prosecutors said the collision caused major damage and Aniston, 56, was at home at the time of the incident. According to the LA Police Department, a security guard stopped Carwyle on Aniston’s driveway before police arrived and arrested him. Carwyle has been charged with felony stalking and vandalism, prosecutors said on Thursday. He also faces an aggravating circumstance of the threat of great bodily harm. Carwyle is accused of harassing the Friends actor since 1 March 2023 by sending her unwanted communications. He is due to appear in court on Thursday. If convicted of the charges, he could face up to three years in prison, according to the LA Police Department. District Attorney Nathan Hochman said: “Stalking is a crime that can quickly escalate from harassment to dangerous, violent actions. “My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorise others.” Aniston has not yet commented on the incident and there have been no reports of injuries. This is not the first time Aniston has encountered stalking, having previously obtained a restraining order against a man who believed he was in a relationship with her in 2010. Source link #Man #charged #stalking #Jennifer #Aniston #crashing #actors #home Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes loses appeal rehearing bid Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes loses appeal rehearing bid Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes arrives to begin serving her prison sentence for defrauding investors in the failed blood-testing startup, at the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, May 30, 2023. Go Nakamura | Reuters Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes on Thursday lost her bid to have an appeal of her 2022 fraud conviction reheard. The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals denied Holmes’ request for a rehearing before the original three-judge panel that upheld her conviction. At the same time, the court said no judge on the circuit court had asked for a vote on whether to have the full court rehear the appeal. The decision leaves Holmes with the Supreme Court as her last chance to undo her conviction. She will have to ask the court to hear the case. Holmes, 41, was sentenced in January 2023 to 11 years and 3 months in prison after being found guilty of four counts of wire fraud in January 2022. She was found guilty of deceiving investors about the capabilities of Theranos, the blood-testing company she founded in 2003. The company crumbled after a Wall Street Journal story outlined the firm’s struggles and shut down in 2018. Holmes and former Theranos executive Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison on fraud charges, were ordered to pay $452 million in restitution. Balwani was Holmes’ mentor and former lover. Holmes began serving her sentence on May 30, 2023, at a women’s federal prison in Bryan, Texas. She has since had time shaved off her sentence. In July 2023, about two years were cut and in May 2024 her time was reduced by a further four months. Holmes, the one-time rising star of Silicon Valley, has two children, one born before her trial in 2021 and the other after her sentencing. — CNBC’s Scott Cohn contributed to this report. Source link #Theranos #founder #Elizabeth #Holmes #loses #appeal #rehearing #bid Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******: The Old Country – Release Date, Trailer, $50 Price, Smaller Time Commitment, And Everything Else We Know ******: The Old Country – Release Date, Trailer, $50 Price, Smaller Time Commitment, And Everything Else We Know 2K’s ****** franchise returns this August with ******: The Old Country. The game is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and in a big shift from other AAA games, it’s priced not at $70 or $80, but $50. It’s the first new ****** game since 2016’s ****** III, and it comes from the same studio, Hangar 13. In this post, we’re running through everything we know about ******: The Old Country, including its status as a less-expensive, less time-consuming title, preorder details, story information, and lots more. When will ******: The Old Country be released? ******: The Old Country is set for release on August 8, 2025. That’s about a month before the next big 2K game, Borderlands 4, launches in September. GTA 6–another title from 2K owner Take-Two–was set to follow sometime after in 2025, but the game has been delayed to May 2026. ******: The Old Country platforms ******: The Old Country is in development for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It’s not coming to PS4 or Xbox One, and it’s not going to be in the Game Pass or PlayStation Plus catalogs at launch. Preorder ******: The Old Country ******: The Old Country is available to preorder today on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, starting at $50 for the standard edition. A $60 Deluxe edition is also available to preorder, and it comes with a variety of extras, including cosmetics, weapons, the soundtrack, and a digital art book. Everyone who preorders ******: The Old Country gets the Soldato Pack, which includes various cosmetics. Be sure to consult GameSpot’s preorder guide–coming soon!–to learn more about the game’s various editions and bonuses. ******: The Old Country trailer The newest trailer for ******: The Old Country debuted in early May 2025, showing off a detailed look at the game’s setting, 1900s Sicily, the main character Enzo, and lots of combat. The game was developed using Epic’s Unreal Engine 5 and leverages the company’s MetaHuman technology–basically, it looks quite impressive. Take a look at the trailer below. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. ******: The Old Country – “Whatever it Takes” Gameplay Trailer Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter ******: The Old Country story, setting, and characters ******: The Old Country takes players back to, well, the old country–that is, Sicily. Players take on the role of Enzo Favara, a mobster whose life began in forced labor in his childhood. Now, 2K says he’s “ready to risk everything to become a man of honor in the Torrisi crime family.” The game will play like a “classic mob movie,” 2K says, and this means players will encounter the criminal underworld and everything that entails. Players can expect to face off against “cutthroat enemies” as they live the life of a mobster battling in turf wars. “Enzo’s story unfolds in a time when skill with a stiletto blade was a deadly asset, a lupara sawed-off shotgun was a go-to firearm, murderous vendettas raged for decades, and mafiosi patrolled their protection rackets on foot, horseback, or behind the wheel of turn-of-the-century motorcars,” 2K said. Not open world Unlike previous entries in the series, ******: The Old Country is a liner, narrative-driven game as opposed to an open-world title. 2K has said it believes there is a “large audience for compelling stories that don’t require massive time commitments.” 2K is releasing The Old Country as a linear game, and priced at $50 instead of $70 or more, against the backdrop of the proliferation of games with ballooning budgets, higher price points, and ******* asks from players to spend more time in their worlds. So far, players have responded positively to the news of The Old Country’s lower price point and trimmed-down scale, but it’s too soon to say if this will pay off both in terms of the game’s critical reception or sales. ******: The Old Country game engine ******: The Old Country is developed using Epic’s Unreal Engine 5, as well as Epic’s AI-powered MetaHuman technology for its character models. In this developer video, the developers talk about using Epic’s game engine to hone in on “tiny details” to make The Old Country look alive. The use of MetaHuman allows characters to have “micro-expressions” and lifelike details, developers said. A scene from ******: The Old Country Who’s developing ******: The Old Country? ******: The Old Country is developed by Hangar 13, the same team that made 2016’s ****** III, as well as 2020’s ******: Definitive Edition. The studio also made 2024’s TopSpin 2K25–very much not a mobster game. The ****** franchise was created by Illusion Softworks, which rebranded to 2K Czech when 2K bought the studio in 2008 and put the team on ****** II. 2K Czech later merged with Hangar 13. ******’s creator, Daniel Vavra, now heads up Kingdom Come studio Warhorse. Source link #****** #Country #Release #Date #Trailer #Price #Smaller #Time #Commitment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Before being named Pope Leo XIV, he was Cardinal Robert Prevost. Who is he? – National Before being named Pope Leo XIV, he was Cardinal Robert Prevost. Who is he? – National Robert Prevost, the choice of the world’s Catholic cardinals to serve as leader of the 1.4-billion-member Church, is the first pope from the United States and a relative unknown on the global stage. Aged 69 and originally from Chicago, Prevost has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru and became a cardinal only in 2023. He has given few media interviews. He takes the papal name Leo XIV, and succeeds Pope Francis, who had led the Church since 2013. 1:36 New pope elected: White smoke billows from chimney of Sistine Chapel Rev. Mark Francis, a friend of Prevost since the 1970s, told Reuters the cardinal was a firm supporter of his predecessor’s papacy, and especially of the late pontiff’s commitment to social justice issues. Story continues below advertisement “He was always friendly and warm and remained a voice of common sense and practical concerns for the Church’s outreach to the poor,” said Francis, who attended seminary with Prevost and later knew him when they both lived in Rome in the 2000s. “He has a wry sense of humor, but was not someone who sought the limelight,” said Francis, who leads the U.S. province of the Viatorian religious order. Prevost first served as a bishop in Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023, and became a Peruvian citizen in 2015, so he has dual nationalities. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Pope Francis brought him to Rome that year to head the ******** office in charge of choosing which priests should serve as Catholic bishops across the globe, meaning he has had a hand in selecting many of the world’s bishops. FILE – New Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, stands for a portrait at the end of the consistory where Pope Francis elevated 21 new cardinals in St. Peter’s Square at the ********, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca, File). Jesus Leon Angeles, coordinator of a Catholic group in Chiclayo who has known Prevost since 2018, called him a “very simple” person who would go out of his way to help others. Story continues below advertisement Leon Angeles said Prevost had shown special concern for Venezuelan migrants in Peru, saying: “He is a person who likes to help.” More than 1.5 million Venezuelans have moved to Peru in recent years, partly to escape their country’s economic crisis. In a 2023 interview with the ********’s news outlet, Prevost focused on the importance of evangelization to help the Church grow. “We are often preoccupied with teaching doctrine … but we risk forgetting that our first task is to teach what it means to know Jesus Christ,” he said. Prevost said during a 2023 ******** press conference: “Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church.” Trending Now What to know about search for 2 missing siblings in rural Nova Scotia RCMP have ‘scaled back’ search for missing N.S. children, say little chance they are alive Prevost was born in 1955 and is a member of the global Augustinian religious order, which includes about 2,500 priests and brothers, operates in 50 countries and has a special focus on a life of community and equality among its members. Story continues below advertisement He has a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University in Philadelphia, a master’s from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a doctorate in Church law from the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. Prevost first went to Peru as a missionary in 1985, returning to the United States in 1999 to take up a leadership role in his religious order. 2:46 Who will be the next pope? Cardinals enter secret conclave He later moved to Rome to serve two six-year terms as head of the Augustinians, visiting many of the order’s communities across the world. He is known to speak English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese. Returning to Rome in 2023, Prevost generally did not take part in many of the social events that attract ******** officials throughout the city. Leon Angeles said he is a person with leadership skills, “but at the same time, he knows how to listen. He has that virtue.” Story continues below advertisement “The cardinal has the courtesy to ask for an opinion, even if it’s from the simplest or most humble person,” she said. “He knows how to listen to everyone.” More on World More videos Source link #named #Pope #Leo #XIV #Cardinal #Robert #Prevost #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach Preview – Meet The Strange And Powerful Members Of Drawbridge Death Stranding 2: On The Beach Preview – Meet The Strange And Powerful Members Of Drawbridge Drawbridge is the new organization Sam works for in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Led by Fragile, the organization’s goal is more or less the same as Bridges’ in the first game: reconnect entire nations to the Chiral Network to prevent human extinction. To do that, Sam is assisted by a whole new team of allies who manage to be even more strange – and compelling – than his friends in the first game. I spent a good amount of time getting to know the Drawbridge crew during my nearly 25 hours playing the game. Here’s a general overview of the previously revealed members and what they each bring to the table. Dollman Perhaps more than any new face in Death Stranding 2, Dollman has captured the attention of fans, given that he’s a sentient doll who moves with half the animation frames of every other character, giving him the appearance of a stop-motion figure. So what exactly is his deal? Dollman was originally a normal human and a spirit medium. Somehow, his soul (or Ka) found its way into a doll. From what I’ve seen so far, Dollman has the most gameplay involvement of any Drawbridge member since he accompanies Sam on deliveries. Secured to Sam’s waist à la Mimir to Kratos in God of War, Dollman regularly chats with him about the world and current events, sharing intriguing anecdotes and providing helpful background information. When resting in Private Rooms, Dollman often has something new to say about what’s going on, and I encourage regularly speaking to him. Specific conversations can lead to some wildly surprising and entertaining events. Furthermore, Dollman can aid players in combat. Selecting him from the inventory wheel lets you toss him into enemy camps where he’ll survey and tag enemies. He can also distract alerted foes. Tarman Sporting the likeness of Mad Max creator/director George Miller, Tarman serves as the captain and pilot of the DHV Magellan. He steers the ship through the Tar Network, the ****** substance BTs emerge from, by shoving his severed, tar-coated arm into a strange port; think of this like using a car key. Functionally speaking, this connection allows for fast-travel to various locations. Tarman is usually seen with his tar-covered winged cat and seems to have a particular love for Moby *****, one of the many classic books Sam can read in his Private Room. Rainy Despite enduring the horrific reality of a post-Death Stranding Earth, Rainy has a surprisingly cheerful demeanor compared to pretty much everyone. However, this positivity belies an internal sadness; prior to meeting her, Rainy spent much of her life being ostracized for the powerful ability she possesses. Her name is a dead giveaway as to what she has command over, though there’s more to it than you think. Rainy is also seven months pregnant, and a mystery surrounds the status of her child and the father. Tomorrow Portrayed by Elle Fanning, Tomorrow is the most enigmatic Drawbridge member I encountered. Previous trailers showed her introduction, where Drawbridge discovers her inside a cocoon-like shell of Tar. Tomorrow is initially quiet and somewhat frightened of her new surroundings. When she does speak, she does so with the competency of a toddler. Despite Tomorrow’s communication limitations, she wields an incredible power tied to her apparent origin. Based on what I’ve seen, she may well be the most powerful member of Drawbridge. Charlie Charlie is the guise of Drawbridge’s mysterious benefactor. Taking the form of a mannequin bust who communicates with emoji-like anime-style facial reactions, his silly appearance juxtaposes with his importance to the cause. Since he’s the money man, he serves in a leadership capacity and will assign Sam tasks, but he still answers to Fragile first and foremost. When players meet him, they can assign his voice to sound like Sam’s previous comrades in Bridges to help ease Sam’s initial distrust of Charlie. The identity of the real person behind the mannequin is unknown. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach launches on June 26 for PlayStation 5. You can learn more about the game by following the links to the following features: Death Stranding 2 Hands-On Impressions – Building a Stronger Connection Death Stranding 2’s Improved Combat Channels Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain In The Best Way How Death Stranding 2’s Interactive Encyclopedia Helps Players Make Sense Of The Lore And Narrative Death Stranding 2’s New Progression Systems Encourage Flexibility And Reward Every Approach Death Stranding 2 Lets You Create Monorails And Transport Animals Source link #Death #Stranding #Beach #Preview #Meet #Strange #Powerful #Members #Drawbridge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to let it end humanitarian parole for 500k migrants from 4 countries Trump administration asks Supreme Court to let it end humanitarian parole for 500k migrants from 4 countries Washington — The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to clear the way for it to end a program that allowed more than 500,000 Cubans, Nicaraguans, Haitians and Venezuelans to temporarily live and work in the United States. The request for emergency relief arose from a case challenging Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s decision to revoke a grant of parole that had been extended by the Biden administration to migrants from the four countries through a special parole program. The 532,000 people who were temporarily protected from deportation through the program, known as CHNV, were set to lose their legal status April 24. A federal district court judge halted the secretary’s March notice, finding that the Immigration and Nationality Act did not give Noem the discretion to terminate parole en masse for the 532,000 Cubans, Nicaraguans, Haitians and Venezuelans. Instead, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled that there had to be individualized decisions to end parole. A federal appeals court declined to allow Noem to move forward with the termination of the CHNV program, and the Trump administration has now filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court. In its request, Solicitor General D. John Sauer said that the district court did not have jurisdiction to enter its order because federal immigration law leaves parole-termination decisions to the discretion of the Homeland Security secretary. Sauer said the district court lacked the authority to “usurp the Executive Branch’s control of foreign policy and immigration.” “In doing so, the district court engaged in the very review Congress prohibited — needlessly upending critical immigration policies that are carefully calibrated to deter ******** entry, vitiating core Executive Branch prerogatives, and undoing democratically approved policies that featured heavily in the November election,” he wrote. The Department of Homeland Security created special parole programs for certain nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuelan in late 2022 and early 2023. The Biden administration had said that the policy promoted legal immigration and dissuaded migrants from crossing the southern border. Under the CHNV program, 532,000 migrants were allowed to enter the U.S. after securing a sponsorship from individuals based in the U.S. After entering the country, the migrants were granted parole and could then work legally in the U.S. for two years. But the parole program was paused when President Trump returned for his second term in the White House. The policy was part of several others implemented in an effort by the Trump administration to crack down on immigration. Many aspects of Mr. Trump’s immigration agenda have been challenged in federal court and temporarily blocked. The Department of Homeland Security said in March that beneficiaries of the parole program had 30 days to leave the U.S. or face arrest and deportation. A group of 23 individuals and a nonprofit organization challenged the termination of the CHNV parole program and prevailed before the U.S. district court in stopping the administration from terminating their legal protections. The Trump administration has with increasing frequency been turning to the Supreme Court for emergency relief as more than 200 legal challenges arising from the president’s policies are moving through the federal courts. 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 #Trump #administration #asks #Supreme #Court #humanitarian #parole #500k #migrants #countries Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Shire of Augusta-Margaret River council rejects public review of CEO’s performance Shire of Augusta-Margaret River council rejects public review of CEO’s performance A council submission on proposed reforms affecting the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River’s chief executive has triggered a spray at the State Government. Last week’s shire council meeting heard members debate a submission to the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries on proposed changes that could force the shire to make sensitive internal information available for public consumption. While Parliament had already passed the reforms, some of the more contentious changes were not yet in place. Consultation had included submissions from peak bodies including the WA Local Government Association and the WA branch of the Local Government Professionals Association who were against some of the moves. Of particular contention in last week’s debate were items first considered by members during a March workshop with the State Government department. The reforms proposed to publish the shire chief executive’s KPIs and subsequent council-led performance reviews for public transparency as well as introduce an online register to track various activities including gifts and leases. The tenet of the shire’s feedback was against the public measures which president Julia Meldrum said imposed too much on the local government. “I would like to see these same regulations and requirements for State Government,” she said at last week’s meeting. “This is an impost on us and I feel other levels of government should have the same extra regulation.” Deputy president Tracey Muir echoed remarks made by the president earlier this year about Labor’s reforms undermining the local government sector as a whole. “It is concerning to me that the Government is continually trying to push forward further regulations that take power away from local governments,” Cr Muir said. “That takes power away from local communities and we are bearing the brunt of that and there’s considerable extra workload for our staff without commensurate funding available, and I think it’s a concerning development.” The approved shire submission to DLGSCI backed up criticism from WALGA and said the relationship between councillors and their chief employee could be affected by public reporting requirements. “A target may be applied as an aspirational point that council and the CEO want to strive towards,” the submission said. “It is the performance indicators that demonstrate if performance is improving or declining. “What is important is the direction performance is heading towards, opposed to a potentially difficult to quantify and measure target.” The submission also noted some aspects of executive feedback could be confidential, and failing to disclose that to the public might cause the impression the shire was not being transparent. “Certain performance criteria may be confidential including personalised leadership improvements, change management initiatives, restructures, etc.,” the submission said. Concerns around the public registers were not as ardent, with workload requirements and lack of clarity in some of the department’s stipulated requirements cited in the response. Source link #Shire #AugustaMargaret #River #council #rejects #public #review #CEOs #performance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Backbone Pro review: Mobile controller royalty charts a bold new course Backbone Pro review: Mobile controller royalty charts a bold new course BackBone Pro MSRP $169.99 “Backbone Pro reaches the summit of what a mobile controller can accomplish, and then dives further into a the realm of a do-it-all device. It doesn’t come cheap, but delivers beyond it’s ballpark.”” Pros Outstanding build quality Excellent triggers and thumbsticks Dual-mode connectivity A rewarding companion app Unified retro emulation cores Cons Relatively pricey for a mobile controller Features tied to annual subscription Table of Contents Table of Contents Thoughtful design, stunning build The best-grade inputs out there A versatile gaming experience A rewarding controller app Verdict Mobile gaming is having a moment, and with more fervor on Apple’s ecosystem than Android. Finding the right controller, however, can be an arduous task. In 2020, Backbone landed on the scene and instantly became a hot favorite for gaming on phones. Over the years, the company has released two iterations of its One controller, and even one for PlayStation fans. With its latest, the Backbone Pro, the company hopes you won’t look for another controller. From mobile and cloud devices to PC and VR hardware, this is one controller to rule them all. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends Backbone went back to the engineering table and made a host of changes to ensure that the Pro can be used in USB-tethered mode, as well as a standalone mode. That mandated a bulk-up, but also introduced perks that gaming enthusiasts will love. The price is still at a premium, but the sum total of this $169.99 package is more than what you would get from an average controller. Thoughtful design, stunning build Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends The Backbone Pro is ******* and bulkier than its One sibling, though it still tips the scales at under 200 grams. Maneet Khaira, the founding chief of Backbone, tells me that the flagship controller has been in development for over three years and entailed hundreds of 3D-printed prototypes. Over the course of testing, the team performed camera capture to finalize the most comfortable grip, button layout, and even the texture work. The updated thumbsticks required multiple micrometer-level adjustments to get them right. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends All the work that went into design and engineering reflects during usage. I’ve tried nearly half a dozen game controllers in the past few months, including those with a telescoping bar like the Pro. The Backbone controller stands out with its superb build quality and weight balance. A neat touch on the Pro model is the dotted texture on the handle. It’s not rubberized, but it still offers a remarkable surface-level grip. Khaira tells me that the team experimented with multiple laser-etched textures to ensure that it’s not too rough, and doesn’t get the palm sweaty either. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends Jumping across different venues in Grid Legends in a sweltering 98 degrees Fahrenheit weather, the Backbone Pro did an admirable job at maintaining surface grip against my perspiring palms and prevented slipping. The handles are thicker this time around, and I quite like them. It’s a personal perk because I’ve grown used to the official Xbox controller and felt right at home with the Backbone Pro. The added heft is also reassuring. In hindsight, it offers a more controlled experience if you are using gyro tilt in racing games. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends The Backbone Pro also throws a couple of customizable rear buttons into the mix. Positioned towards the inner side of the handle, these curved buttons offer a satisfying click feedback and really come in handy for games with crowded controls. The telescopic bar can fit any smartphone easily, including the big ones like the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Red Magic 10 Pro. It barely falls short of accommodating the iPad mini. Thankfully, the controller won’t cause any trouble if you don’t want to take the case off your phone. The best-grade inputs out there Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends For all that increase in size and heft, the Backbone Pro added a serious functional perk. In addition to using it in tethered mode via the USB-C insert, this one can also act as a standalone wireless controller for all your devices, including TVs, tablets, and laptops. I spent most of my time using the controller in wireless mode, burning up hours in Warframe, Alien: Isolation, and the new Resident Evil titles. I didn’t run into any issues with latency, and the pairing process was also fairly seamless across the screens I tried. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends This dexterity also ties into a continuity feature for gaming. For example, if you left playing a game at a certain point on a large screen, you can seamlessly carry it over on a phone via the official streaming client, such as Xbox Cloud. “We want to support every platform,” Khaira told me during a live demonstration of the Backbone Pro controller. So far, my own experience with playing games across various formats has been fairly smooth and hassle-free. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends In wireless mode, the built-in battery is touted to last 40 hours. I couldn’t verify this number, and honestly, you shouldn’t be concerned about it, either. That’s because the controllers allow parallel charging via the USB-C port on the right handle. When plugged in, the port can top up the phone as well as the built-in battery. Technically, I never ran out of juice during my gaming sessions. Thankfully, the companion app conveniently shows the phone and the controller’s battery levels, so you can keep an eye on the drain. A versatile gaming experience Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends The buttons and sticks you get on the Backbone Pro are arguably the best you will find on a controller out there. *******. In retrospect, you shouldn’t settle for anything less at this asking price. The round action buttons offer a nice clicky feedback with a satisfying level of vertical travel, perfect for mashing during your dungeon grinds. The D-Pad, in contrast, offers a quieter response, but they’re really well put together. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends The slight elevation on the edges and a concave profile combine to offer a rewarding circular input for executing combos in fighting games. The Hall Effect triggers, unsurprisingly, perform just as well and keep concerns of drifting at bay. My favorite element of the controller is the full-sized ALPS joysticks. They have a nice texture around the periphery for extra grip. The pair offers precise movement control, especially in racing games where cornering and hand-brake combos require nimble fingers and subtle radial movements. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends You can calibrate the trigger depth and also configure the thumbstick dead zone. Button remapping is also part of the package, but I wish the app also offered an in-game launcher experience, the way labels like Red Magic have executed. I had a fantastic time gaming with the Backbone Pro and can report that the aspects such as depth sensitivity, response time, and keypress feedback are all top-notch. The only misstep was the occasional bugs in the app, which is to be expected while running a TestFlight build. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends In the stable version that I was running on the Red Magic 10 Pro and OnePlus 13, I didn’t notice any lag or non-responsive buttons. Depending on the platform, you can also save custom key presets and set unique profiles, as well. A rewarding controller app The most enticing element of the Backbone Pro experience is actually the mobile app. The layout and feel will be second nature to Xbox mobile app users if you’re on Team Green. The app has been beautifully designed, and the content organization is lovely. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends Games are neatly sorted across platforms, categories, and the cloud service providers. The app acts more like an aggregator, where you can seamlessly pick up games across Android, iOS, Apple Arcade, Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, and other libraries. And yes, you can launch the games directly, as well. The game cards are dynamic, which means even without tapping on them, you can get a short preview of the gameplay. When I launched the app, I got access to a bunch of freebies with the Backbone+ subscription, such as Discord Nitro and Apple Arcade for three months. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends The biggest surprise? A native emulation tool in the Backbone app. The team has built a unified system where emulation cores for multiple retro Nintendo consoles have been placed in a single container. For now, you can enjoy games for SNES, NES, Game Boy, and Game Boy Advance platforms. The Backbone chief tells me that the emulation stack will go as far back as Nintendo 64. When I asked about bringing more legacy console platforms, Khaira said it’s not about choosing a side (read: Sony or Nintendo), but technical capabilities. “We want to support every platform,” he put it bluntly. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends Backbone is currently testing emulation cores for PlayStation 1, PSP, and Nintendo DS, in case you’re wondering. When I asked him to dig further into the challenges at hand, the Backbone chief told me that the “biggest constraint is memory on the phone.” Tying it all together is the Backbone+ subscription, which serves a bunch of exclusive tools and benefits. Priced at $39.99 per year, it offers $35 worth of in-game benefits, a 30% discount on Backbone products, the ability to record game videos at full-HD 60fps with cloud storage, in-app voice chats, and Twitch direct streaming. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends The best, however, is yet to come. Khaira tells me that the subscription bundle will bring more titles and content later this year. “We are working on adding licensed games into the subscription bundle,” he tells me. In addition to new games, Backbone envisions offering free games as well as instantly playable games that can work offline with the premium bundle. “We want to bring down the barrier of entry as much as possible,” Khaira explains, adding that Backbone hopes to evolve into a gaming platform of its own by working with multiple partners in the gaming industry. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends “We are really trying to be an alternative way to play games.” – Maneet Khaira, founder and CEO of Backbone. Verdict The Backbone Pro is an unabashedly premium controller. But for its $169.99 ask, it inches close to the territory where you find first-party controllers from the console warlords. But where the Backbone option races ahead is the sheer flexibility. Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends The buttons and joysticks are fantastic, and so is the flexibility of using it in docked as well as standalone mode across different platforms. From a hardware perspective, it is as good as it gets. If your preferred gaming platform is mobile devices, and the best experience is what you seek, the Backbone Pro will serve you just fine. It goes a step further by offering a fantastic catalog aggregator in the mobile app. For fans of emulation, the built-in emulator will be a huge draw. The Backbone One will remain on the shelf at its $99.99 ask, going against the Razer Kishi V2. And if you’re looking for budget alternatives, the GameSir X5 Lite is a great option. But for folks willing to spend on the Backbone Pro, you are in for a premium gaming experience par excellence. Source link #Backbone #Pro #review #Mobile #controller #royalty #charts #bold Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Preview – Honoring Two Of The Most Critically Acclaimed Games Ever Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Preview – Honoring Two Of The Most Critically Acclaimed Games Ever I have a long history with the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise. After my cousin brought his PlayStation and a copy of the first Tony Hawk game to our grandparents’ house for Thanksgiving 1999, I couldn’t save money to buy a PS1 fast enough. From there, I obsessed over Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and its direct sequels. I continued playing the series through games like American Wasteland, Project 8, and Proving Ground, but those first four games and Underground have always remained my favorites. That’s why when Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 arrived in 2020, I was elated by the quality of those remakes and their ability to replicate the feeling those games gave me two decades prior. In my review of that game, I mentioned that the franchise finally felt like it once again had a bright future, but I never envisioned it would take five years to see that potential manifest into something tangible. When the long-awaited Tony Hawk’s 3 + 4 was finally announced, I could not wait to get my hands on it. Thankfully, I had that chance this week, as Activision and Iron Galaxy invited me to spend hours playing the upcoming Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. Pushing Forward the Legacy Pushing Forward the Legacy Following the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, reports surfaced that similar remakes of the third and fourth entries were canceled following developer Vicarious Visions’ merging into Blizzard. Though it felt as though these remakes would never see the light of day, earlier this year, Activision announced it was finally happening with Killer Instinct and Divekick developer Iron Galaxy Studios at the helm. Iron Galaxy, which had previously worked with Activision as a support studio on remaster collections like ****** Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy, takes the lead role in this collaboration with the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater publisher. “We apparently won them over with what we said we could do, what we pitched them on, and what we wanted to bring to the franchise,” design manager Mike Rossi says. “I was just as bummed when it seemed like it was, like, ‘Oh, so close. Can we get it?’ So, I’m so pumped to be able to bring this out.” Once it was officially making Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, Iron Galaxy began considering how it wanted to approach creating the successors to Vicarious Visions’ excellent remake. “1 and 2 f—ing nailed it; they set the bar,” Rossi says. “Frankly, it was a little intimidating, to be honest. It was definitely something that’s like, ‘Okay, we have this foundation that’s really solid, so we need to take that, hit it, and exceed it.’ So, looking at that and the franchise as a whole, I think it’s fair to say it’s a staple of gaming franchises. […] We’ve got pretty high expectations to hit; that was something we had to keep evaluating ourselves.” In particular, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 is praised as one of the greatest games ever. That third mainline entry holds a 97 out of 100 aggregate score on Metacritic (including a 9.75 out of 10 from Game Informer), tying it for the fourth highest-rated game of all time among other iconic titles like Red Dead Redemption, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Super Mario Galaxy. Meanwhile, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 is no slouch itself, holding a 94 out of 100 on Metacritic (including a 9.25 out of 10 from Game Informer), tying it with such titles as Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Batman: Arkham City, and Metroid Prime. Switching Stance Switching Stance The team felt pressure to preserve and honor that legacy. That’s why, when it decided to make adjustments—whether minute details in an existing park or the fundamental change of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4’s career mode to follow the two-minute session format of the prior three games—it carefully considered what was best for the overall product for both new and returning players. “We looked at 1 + 2 and thought that was captured really well and thought it was a good representation of those two,” Rossi says. “We looked at 3, and that was obviously another very highly regarded title in the franchise. So then it was, ‘Let’s look at 4. It’s quite different, but what, at its essence, is it?’ Our goal here is to make the ultimate package of 3 and 4. So ultimately, we felt that taking it into feeling more towards the 3 format, as opposed to what 4 did originally, was a better representation for a cohesive package that we were making.” When I drill down into the decisions to make changes across both games, Rossi admits there was always anxiety when the team made the call to alter something. Still, he maintains that the team’s decisions benefited the titles as they exist in this upcoming package. From my hands-on session, most of the changes are small in scope, such as an extra rail to open a new line for players, or beneficial quality-of-life improvements, like the ability to combo together with skitching, where the skater holds onto the back of a vehicle to gain extra speed, or customizable timers for sessions. And having spent more than 90 minutes playing the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 side of this package, I do appreciate the cohesion and feature parity that this package brings thanks to the format change. Getting On Board Getting On Board Outside of that foundational change to the fourth game, the most significant addition players will notice when they fire up Tony Hawks Pro Skater 3 + 4 this July will be the first all-new THPS parks in over a decade. I was skeptical when I first loaded into Waterpark; after all, replicating the design conventions while trying to recapture the parks’ magic from the original games could have easily made them feel like cheap knock-off maps. However, after playing several sessions of this new level, I was impressed by how easily you could have convinced me it was a hidden level from the original THPS 4 that I never found. “The big thing I told the level design team was that this needs to feel like it was left on the cutting-room floor, like Activision gave us some old hard drive from 4 and we found this unfinished Waterpark level, and we brought it up to modern standards,” Rossi says. “That was always the mantra: Does this feel like this could have fit in the original game?” That’s what stood out to me the most during my hands-on session: The soul of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games from the late ’90s and early ’00s is alive and well. Whether I was knocking a foreman into the water on Foundry, clearing branches from powerlines in Suburbia, or destroying the high-score goals on Alcatraz, the exhilaration I once closely associated with the series’ heyday came flooding back to me. Though I was initially rusty, it soon dawned on me how re-learning to skate in a THPS game is, funnily enough, like riding a bike. After a few quick sessions to regain my bearings, I returned to my top form from when I poured dozens of hours into Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 back in 2020. It’s great to see the entire skater lineup from that exemplary remake return in this package, with several additional faces also filling out the roster. That’s not even counting the robust character creation and customization options that also come back for 3 + 4. The immediate rush that comes from nailing a line in THPS, with on-the-fly planning, rapid improvisation, and a light-speed calculus of risk and reward, coalesces into something truly special. When you’re in the thick of a really great session, it’s impossible not to remember the magic this series once delivered every time you dropped into a halfpipe or ollied from one rail to another. The announcement of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 excited me in ways most other game announcements in 2025 simply cannot. However, after spending several hours revisiting these glory days with old digital friends like Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Bob Burnquist, and the rest of the roster, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 has become one of my most anticipated games of 2025. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on July 11, before releasing on Switch 2 sometime this summer. In addition to local multiplayer, prospective skaters can expect eight-player online with crossplay across all seven platforms, as well as cross-platform sharing of Create-a-Park creations. Source link #Tony #Hawks #Pro #Skater #Preview #Honoring #Critically #Acclaimed #Games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Empyreal (PlayStation 5) Review – CGMagazine Empyreal (PlayStation 5) Review – CGMagazine Empyreal is a third-person action RPG set in the far flung reaches of space, where you play a mercenary tasked with unlocking the secrets of an ancient Monolith built by a lost civilisation. Expect fast-paced combat, tough boss fights, and the ability to batter enemies with a massive shield. Source link #Empyreal #PlayStation #Review #CGMagazine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Real Stars of the Papal Conclave: Seagulls The Real Stars of the Papal Conclave: Seagulls Three sea gulls, including a chick, were possibly the first beings on earth to learn that a new pope had been elected on Thursday. Minutes before white smoke bellowed out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel — a sign that the conclave had ended with a winner — the birds flew in and perched themselves on the roof. After two days of drawing attention to themselves, they grabbed front-row seats to the show in which Robert Francis Prevost, an American, was named pope, taking the name Leo XIV. As the conclave unfolded over the last two days and news channels around the globe focused their cameras on the chimney, the sea gulls of Rome flitted in and out of the shot, turning the city’s pests into global star attractions of a conclave that has become a social media moment. On CNN on Wednesday, the anchor Erin Burnett, who was standing in St. Peter’s Square, noted that everyone “is paying attention” to those sea gulls — “when they leave, when they come back, there’s clapping.” “They are a part of this story here at the ********,” she added. Online, too, the sea gulls provided levity and entertainment on Wednesday. “Habemus Seagull,” Charlotte Clymer, a writer, posted on X — a twist on the Latin phrase “habemus papam,” which translates to “we have a pope.” “Shout out to that one seagull locked in on the Conclave proceedings,” Father Cassidy Stinson, a priest in Virginia, posted on X. Others posted videos on TikTok of **** cats tuned into live streams of the chimney, batting at the sea gulls onscreen. Some pondered the significance of the birds. “Because we know nothing else about what’s going inside, we need a mascot and the seagulls have become the Conclave mascot,” Katie McGrady, a host on the Catholic Channel on SiriusXM and a ******** analyst at CNN, said in an interview. It’s unlikely, though, that they’re omens or signs of any kind because, “as far as I know, God prefers to communicate with doves,” she added. This is not the first time the sea gulls have inserted themselves into happenings at St. Peter’s Square. In 2013, when the previous pope was being elected, their cameos on the chimney spawned their own Twitter account and jokes and memes across the internet. In 2014, when the late Pope Francis released a peace dove for Ukraine, a hungry sea gull swooped in and attacked it. It’s almost as if the sea gulls know how to leverage a good spotlight moment, Ms. McGrady said. “I feel like those little guys have some personality.” Source link #Real #Stars #Papal #Conclave #Seagulls Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Crossword: answers | Digital Trends NYT Crossword: answers | Digital Trends The New York Times has plenty of word games on its roster today — with Wordle, Connections, Strands, and the Mini Crossword, there’s something for everyone — but the newspaper’s standard crossword puzzle still reigns supreme. The daily crossword is full of interesting trivia, helps improve mental flexibility and, of course, gives you some bragging rights if you manage to finish it every day. While the NYT puzzle might feel like an impossible task some days, solving a crossword is a skill and it takes practice — don’t get discouraged if you can’t get every single word in a puzzle. If you’re having trouble completing today’s NYT Crossword, we’re here to help. We’ve got all the answers for today’s clues down below. NYT Crossword answers today New York Times Across Source link #NYT #Crossword #answers #Digital #Trends Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Is Energy Transfer Undervalued or a Value Trap? Is Energy Transfer Undervalued or a Value Trap? Energy Transfer Equity LP (NYSE:) delivered an as-expected earnings report on May 6. The midstream energy company delivered earnings per share of 36 cents on revenue of $21.02 billion. The bottom line number came in three cents above analysts’ forecasts and was 12.5% higher year-over-year (YOY). On the top line, however, the number was lighter than the $22.28 billion expected and was 2.8% lower YOY. Those numbers, however, say more about the macroeconomic situation with oil prices than they do about Energy Transfer’s business. But should investors view ET stock as a solid choice at a time when they are hunting for value? Energy Transfer Is a Silent Partner for Many Investors A core argument for investing in Energy Transfer is that the company operates as a Master Limited Partnership (MLP). The headline for investors is that MLPs can avoid paying corporate taxes by passing on much of their free cash flow (FCF) to investors in the form of distributions, which are like dividends but taxed differently. Investors typically won’t be taxed on the distributions in the year they are received. By contrast, investors get a lower cost basis and pay tax on a larger capital gain when they sell. However, as long as they hold their shares, they are collecting tax-deferred income. That’s a win-win and a key reason investors have earned a total return of over 240% in the last five years. But critics will cite that ET stock is still well below its all-time high (ATH) set in 2015. In fact, over the last 10 years, the total return has been just 14%. Can You Trust the Distribution? One issue investors have had with Energy Transfer is that it cut its distribution in half in 2020. Of course, many companies were doing that at a time of tremendous uncertainty surrounding a public health crisis. To be fair, Energy Transfer has been increasing its distribution at an average annualized rate of around 27% in the last three years. That should be enough to give investors confidence, particularly since the company has a new chief executive officer (CEO) since that decision was made. However, when it comes to the benefits of MLPs, investors have other options. Companies such as Enbridge Inc. (NYSE:) and Enterprise Product Partners L.P. also have attractive distributions and a longer history of increasing their dividends. Is ET Stock a Value Trap? In 2025, ET stock’s total return was -12.3%. That reflects the pressure on oil prices, which has accelerated with the announcement that the nations will increase production. That return could be even more alarming when you consider the high-yield dividend of over 7%. That’s why some investors may hesitate to invest in energy stocks, even ones that pay a juicy dividend like Energy Transfer. However, energy prices are cyclical, and Energy Transfer does much of its business as a midstream company, which makes it agnostic to the price of oil. Plus, if the economy begins to grow as expected in the second half of 2025, oil will lead that charge. One reason to believe that Energy Transfer will benefit is that it has several major projects under construction. This includes its Lenorah II processing plant in the Permian Basin. That is scheduled to go online by the end of this quarter. So no, Energy Transfer looks undervalued, not a value trap. Investors looking for reassurance, our Energy Transfer analyst forecasts have a consensus Moderate Buy rating on ET stock with a price target of $22.09. That suggests 30% upside in the next 12 months. Original Post Source link #Energy #Transfer #Undervalued #Trap Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump to unveil Medicare drug pricing plan after teasing “earth-shattering” announcement Trump to unveil Medicare drug pricing plan after teasing “earth-shattering” announcement The big announcement that President Trump teased earlier this week in the Oval Office is a “most favored nation” plan to cut Medicare drug prices, sources told CBS News. The Trump administration previously sought to implement the “most favored nation” idea during Mr. Trump’s first term, tying some high-cost Medicare drugs administered by health care providers to “the lowest price that drug manufacturers receive in other countries.” Trump said in the Oval Office on Tuesday that in the coming days, he’d reveal “a truly earth-shattering and positive development for this country and for the people of this country.” White House spokespeople declined to comment. Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Court orders sought by the drug industry and others blocked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from implementing the proposal in Mr. Trump’s first term, saying that the government failed to go through the proper rulemaking steps to create and implement the policy, which was finalized in late 2020. “While there’s nothing unlawful per se about rushing to enact policy in the final days of a presidential administration (indeed, it’s a time-honored tradition), executive branch officials may not circumvent clear legal requirements in the eleventh hour to achieve goals they couldn’t accomplish in the normal course,” a federal judge in California ruled in 2020. The Biden administration abandoned the proposal in 2022, blaming court orders blocking the model and concerns raised by stakeholders, including fears that it could cut off some Medicare beneficiaries from drugs and strain providers. Mr. Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hinted at the possibility of the policy returning on Tuesday, pointing to higher prices in Europe for the blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic. The drug is also used for weight loss under a different brand name, Wegovy. “Right now the big impediment is really price. And we’re negotiating that with the drug companies and seeing if we can at least launch some pilot programs, or if we can get the price low enough, we can make it available at government cost to everybody,” he said in an interview with Newsmax. Kennedy defended a decision by the Trump administration last month not to cover weight loss drugs in Medicare and Medicaid, scrapping a proposal touted by the Biden administration. The Trump administration is continuing to negotiate the cost of Ozempic in Medicare under talks launched by the Biden administration, but only for its uses to treat diabetes and other health conditions. While drugs like Ozempic are “miracle drugs in many ways,” Kennedy warned that their cost was prohibitively expensive. “If we made that so that Medicaid, Medicare paid for it, and that private insurance companies had to pay for it, we would double the cost of health insurance to most employers in this country. And that would really be destructive,” he said. Politico reported earlier that Mr. Trump would direct aides to pursue the initiative to reintroduce the drug pricing plan he wanted in his first term. Jennifer Jacobs Jennifer Jacobs is a senior White House reporter at CBS News. Source link #Trump #unveil #Medicare #drug #pricing #plan #teasing #earthshattering #announcement Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******: The Old Country Isn’t Open World And Doesn’t Require A “Massive Time Commitment” ******: The Old Country Isn’t Open World And Doesn’t Require A “Massive Time Commitment” ******: The Old Country is not following ****** III’s open-world format but will instead take the shape of a “linear, narrative-driven” experience, according to 2K Games. The publisher confirmed this in an FAQ that was published today alongside news of the game’s release date and a new gameplay trailer. Additionally, ******: The Old Country is bucking a AAA trend and will sell for $50 (a more expensive, digital-only Deluxe edition is also going to be available). You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter Now Playing: ******: The Old Country – “Whatever it Takes” Gameplay Trailer “We think there’s a large audience for compelling stories that don’t require massive time commitments,” 2K President David Ismailer said in a press release. “We’re excited to offer a game like ******: The Old Country in our portfolio, and to provide a linear highly-polished narrative experience that can easily complement the other more persistent games our players also love and engage with on a more consistent basis.” This is a notable development considering many games and publishers have leaned into ******* open-world designs that require significant time investments to play and enjoy. These might be referred to as “lifestyle” games. Players have so far generally responded positively to the news that ******: The Old Country is taking a different approach, but of course, it’s still early days. The $60 Deluxe edition includes a range of bonus items, including special guns, outfits, and accessories, along with the game’s score and a digital artbook. Everyone who preorders The Old Country gets the Soldato Pack, which includes various cosmetics. The Old Country takes place in 1900s Sicily, with players taking on the role of mobster Enzo Favara. 2K says the game will play out like a “classic mob movie,” featuring a “cast of unpredictable allies and cutthroat enemies.” In terms of combat, players will shoot and stab people with knives and shotguns, while players can traverse the Sicilian countryside on horseback or in cars. The Old Country launches on August 8 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It’ll be followed by another big 2K game, Borderlands 4, in September. Source link #****** #Country #Isnt #Open #World #Doesnt #Require #Massive #Time #Commitment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Catholic Church has elected Cardinal Robert Prevost as pope – NPR The Catholic Church has elected Cardinal Robert Prevost as pope – NPR The Catholic Church has elected Cardinal Robert Prevost as pope NPRLive updates: Robert Prevost of the United States is named Pope Leo XIV AP NewsWho is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV? BBCCardinals pick new pope as white smoke seen at ******** CNBCThe Real Stars of the Papal Conclave: Seagulls The New York Times Source link #Catholic #Church #elected #Cardinal #Robert #Prevost #pope #NPR Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Thursday, May 8 NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Thursday, May 8 Table of Contents Table of Contents How to play Strands Hint for today’s Strands puzzle Today’s Strand answers 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 “Well, fancy that!” Here’s a hint that might help you: bling bling. 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 GAUDY SNAZZY DELUXE LAVISH EXTRAVAGANT ORNATE Please enable Javascript to view this content Source link #NYT #Strands #today #hints #spangram #answers #Thursday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rockwell Stock Pops 10%—What Comes Next for This Cash Flow Giant? Rockwell Stock Pops 10%—What Comes Next for This Cash Flow Giant? To paraphrase Rockwell Automation’s CEO, Blake Moret, the company’s home-field advantage ideally positions it to benefit from onshoring U.S. manufacturing. Its manufacturing footprint is North American-centric, with more than 70% located within the continental US. The company is a leader in automation; its products are devices and tools to automate processes and increase efficiency, which businesses and industries need to manufacture domestically and succeed. The takeaway is that Rockwell’s business may not grow robustly over the coming years, but it will grow and sustain its capital return, which is critical to the investment. Rockwell Automation (NYSE:) is a capital return machine that pays a solid dividend and buys shares aggressively. The dividend annualizes to about 2% in early May and is safe at 53% of the earnings forecast. The dividend is also reliable and expected to increase annually because of the 15-year history, cash flow, and balance sheet. Regarding the buybacks, they are also reliable and reduce the count significantly each quarter. Buybacks in Q1 shaved more than 1.25% off of the average count and are expected to continue robustly this year. The company has more than $1 billion left on the authorization, which amounts to about eight quarters at the Q1 pace. Rockwell Automation Stock Price Surges After Beat-and-Raise Quarter Like many other businesses, Rockwell Automation struggled in CQ1/FQ2, but results were less bad than feared. The company reported only $2 billion in net revenue due to weakness in both core segments, but the 6.1% decline is 100 basis points above MarketBeat’s reported consensus and compounded by improved operational quality. The company widened its pretax margin by 30 basis points and the segment operating margin by 140, leaving the adjusted earnings down only 2% compared to the larger top-line decline. The gains also outpaced analysts’ forecasts, a detail applauded in client notes, and the cash flow details are more impressive. The company’s efforts to improve quality increased the free cash flow by roughly 250%, increasing its financial health and ability to continue with its capital return. Regarding the guidance, it what improved to a range with revenue growth expected at the high-end range and the low-end aligning with the analysts consensus. Rockwell Automation Dividend Payments Analysts are generally bullish on this stock, rating it with a consensus of Hold and a price target forecasting 5% upside, including the post-release price surge. The guidance increase will likely lead them to increase their quarterly forecasts and stock price targets, the question is by how much? As it is, the high-end range in early May puts this market near $350 or another 15% upside that could be achieved by year’s end. Likewise, institutional activity is supportive of this market. The institutions provide a solid support base owning about 75% of the stock and buying at a pace of 2-to-1 versus sellers over the past 12 months. Selling has intensified in 2025, but remains below the buying pace, leaving bulls in control. With this in play, Rockwell Automation’s price action could retreat, but significantly lower lows are not expected. Rockwell Automation: Range-Bound Trading for This Capital Return Machine Rockwell Automation’s stock price surged 10% following the release and could continue higher. However, higher highs than the top of the multi-year trading range are unlikely without positive revisions from analysts or some other, stronger catalyst. Until then, this market will most likely remain range-bound, but there is a silver lining to the cloud. The top of the range is near the $350 level, and a 20% gain when it is reached. In the long term, this market will likely sustain its uptrend despite volatility and reach new all-time highs due to share repurchases and value gains. Original Post Source link #Rockwell #Stock #Pops #10What #Cash #Flow #Giant Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]