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Pelican Press

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Everything posted by Pelican Press

  1. A First-Person View of a Deadly Gaza Strike, and a Severe U.S. Flu Season – The New York Times A First-Person View of a Deadly Gaza Strike, and a Severe U.S. Flu Season – The New York Times A First-Person View of a Deadly Gaza Strike, and a Severe U.S. Flu Season The New York TimesIsraeli attacks kill 16 in Gaza as aid kitchens shut after supplies run out Al JazeeraIsraeli strikes kill 48 at Gaza shelters for displaced Palestinians, hospitals say, as military operation intensifies CNNHamas-run authorities say at least 48 killed in series of IDF strikes in Gaza The Times of IsraelIsraeli strikes on Gaza restaurant and market kill 33, health ministry says BBC Source link #FirstPerson #View #Deadly #Gaza #Strike #Severe #U.S #Flu #Season #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  2. Is Xbox Game Pass Profitable? 6 Out of 10 Steam Top Sellers Are on Game Pass Right Now Is Xbox Game Pass Profitable? 6 Out of 10 Steam Top Sellers Are on Game Pass Right Now Remember when Xbox Game Pass was supposed to be the next big failure? Like the gaming equivalent of Google Glass, something ambitious but doomed? Fast forward a few years, and it’s safe to say that the script has been flipped. As things stand now, Game Pass is one of the most influential forces in the gaming industry. And if you need proof, just take a glance at the Steam charts right now: 6 out of the current top 10 best-selling games on Steam are also available on Game Pass. The numbers don’t lie: Xbox Game Pass is big business When Xbox Game Pass was first announced and launched, it was met with a mix of curiosity and heavy skepticism. Players, analysts, and developers questioned how a “Netflix for games” model could possibly be profitable in an industry where AAA titles cost hundreds of millions of dollars to make. Many questions arise: Would Microsoft eat the losses forever? Would developers get paid fairly? Would it discourage people from buying games outright? To some, it looked like another bold, but likely unprofitable, experiment from Microsoft, akin to the ill-fated Kinect or the early days of Mixer. The concern was valid: recurring revenue models in gaming hadn’t exactly set the world on fire before. But Microsoft stuck with it, and the results speak for themselves. According to recent earnings reports (via XboxEra), Xbox gaming revenue rose 5% year-over-year for the quarter ending March 31, totaling a hefty $5.72 billion. That figure alone would be impressive, but the breakdown is even more telling. The growth came almost entirely from content and services, which include Game Pass, a segment that jumped 8%. In plain terms, the company is making more money from selling access to games than from selling the consoles. Comment byu/Bronze_Bomber from discussion inXboxGamePass Comment byu/Bronze_Bomber from discussion inXboxGamePass And now, in May 2025, we’re looking at a Steam bestseller list where more than half of the top 10 are Game Pass titles. This isn’t just a fluke, it’s a sign of real market influence. Titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and the Oblivion Remastered were expected to make waves; they’ve been the talk of the gaming community. Alongside them, sleeper hits like Dead by Daylight and MechWarrior 5: Clans have maintained their popularity, proving the depth of Game Pass’s appeal. And that’s not even counting the first-party blockbusters like the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages. Why Game Pass is beneficial for everyone involved Where even small studios can get big-time love. | Image Credit: Xbox The Game Pass model appears to be benefiting everyone involved. Players get access to a huge, ever-changing library of games for a relatively low monthly fee. Developers, especially smaller teams, gain visibility and funding security (Microsoft often pays upfront fees or milestone-based bonuses for Game Pass deals). And Microsoft continues to build a service ecosystem that keeps users tied to its platforms, even if they don’t own an Xbox console. Instead of banking everything on individual game sales, Game Pass builds a world where success is measured by playtime, engagement, and retention. That opens doors for different kinds of games: more experimental, creative, or niche projects that might not have been greenlit under the old rules. So, is Xbox Game Pass profitable? Judging by the current momentum, the dominance of Game Pass titles across platforms, and the clear revenue trends from Microsoft’s own reports, the answer is a resounding yes. What was once seen as a risky venture is now a cornerstone of Microsoft’s gaming empire, and perhaps a glimpse into the future of the entire industry. As Xbox continues to grow its content library, partner with more developers, and expand Game Pass onto new devices (including TVs and handhelds), it’s safe to say that this experiment is no longer experimental. It’s foundational. And it’s only getting stronger. Source link #Xbox #Game #Pass #Profitable #Steam #Top #Sellers #Game #Pass Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  3. Ukraine labels Russian ceasefire a farce after reports of hundreds of violations Ukraine labels Russian ceasefire a farce after reports of hundreds of violations DSNS Ukraine Emergency services in the town of Bilopillia in Sumy said one civilian died in an early morning Russian attack Russia’s unilateral, three-day ceasefire has proved to be a farce because of continued attacks across the front line, says Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha. He accused Russia of 734 violations since its truce came into effect overnight into Thursday, adding that Ukraine was responding “appropriately” to every attack. Russia’s defence ministry insisted the ceasefire, called by Vladimir Putin to mark World War Two Victory Day, was being observed and accused Ukraine of 488 violations. At least one person was killed in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, according to emergency services. Ukraine’s air force said there had been no drone or missile strikes in its airspace overnight as of 08:00 (05:00 GMT) on Thursday, although Russia had intensified air strikes using glide bombs in the Sumy area. Buildings were hit in a residential area of Bilopillia, a town in Sumy just south of the Russian border. Rescuers freed a woman trapped under the rubble, emergency services said. Ukrainian military spokesman Viktor Trehubov said there had also been Russian military assaults in several eastern areas after the Russian ceasefire officially came into force at midnight Moscow time (21:00 GMT on Wednesday). Kyiv has rejected Russia’s truce, with Volodymyr Zelensky calling it a “theatrical show” designed to protect the Moscow Victory Day parade on Friday. The Ukrainian president has reiterated calls for a longer truce of at least 30 days. An earlier 30-hour ceasefire was announced by the Kremlin over Easter which saw a decrease in fighting as well as claims of hundreds of breaches from both sides. The Kremlin has described its pause as a “test of Ukraine’s readiness for peace”, although Putin earlier rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire. Russia’s defence ministry said all groups of Russian forces in Ukraine had “completely ceased combat operations and remained on the previously occupied lines and positions”. However, they were reacting in a “mirror-like manner” to violations by Ukrainian forces. Reacting to the bombardment of Sumy region, Sviatoslav Yurash, a Ukrainian MP and serving soldier, accused Moscow of lying. “We don’t want a peace that breaks apart in no time, and Russia takes another attempt to try and kill us and destroy us,” he told the BBC. Sergey Sanovich of Stanford University told the BBC the Russian truce was not meant as a gesture of goodwill to Ukrainians but rather to maintain interest in talks with the US. Since his inauguration in January, President Donald Trump has sought to end the war in Ukraine by mediating with both parties – but he has been accused of trying to pressure Ukraine into making painful concessions to secure a peace deal. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, and currently controls about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, including the southern Crimea peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014. For three consecutive days ahead of Russia’s proposed truce, Kyiv and Moscow exchanged a barrage of strikes. The Russian defence ministry said on Wednesday that 524 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed over the past 24 hours – a record number if confirmed. No casualties were reported but flights at Russian airports were suspended, causing disruption to some 60,000 passengers. Sergey Sanovich told the BBC the Ukrainian drone strikes were an indication that Kyiv was not interested in “peace out of desperation”. On the eve of Victory Day in Moscow, China’s Xi Jinping met Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin to sign an updated investment deal. Xi said the two countries’ ties had injected “positive energy” into a world in turmoil. The ******** president is one of a reported 27 leaders due to attend Russia’s commemorations in Red Square. Ahead of the event Ukraine warned it could not guarantee the safety of anyone attending the parade in Moscow. Andrei Fedorov, a former Russian deputy foreign minister, told the BBC that “Russia is seriously concerned about the possibility of attack by Ukrainian drones”. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian military and special services were taking “all necessary measures” to ensure the celebration takes place “in a calm, stable and peaceful atmosphere,” including jamming mobile internet connections ahead of the parade. Unlike Russia, the rest of Europe celebrates Victory in Europe (VE) Day on 8 May. Commemorations this year mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany. Zelensky released a video address on Thursday, where he was seen walking through central Kyiv and paying his respects to Ukrainian soldiers at a large display of Ukrainian flags. He said Ukraine was marking Victory Day along with all those who had fought to ensure evil would lose and it would be “never again”. “Unfortunately, three years ago, it happened again and just like before the air raid siren roared over Kyiv,” he said. Deriding Russia’s celebration as a “parade of cynicism” he warned that evil had to be appeased “resolutely, with force”. Source link #Ukraine #labels #Russian #ceasefire #farce #reports #hundreds #violations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  4. Champions League: How Paris St-Germain & Inter Milan reached final Champions League: How Paris St-Germain & Inter Milan reached final Only Luis Enrique will know if he truly believed his own words when he said PSG would be better off without Kylian Mbappe. The France captain, the club’s record scorer, had just made public his decision to leave in May 2024 when Luis Enrique said his side would be better – both in attack and defence. “PSG will continue to be a great team and we’ll get even better. We will bring in players with a strong mentality and players who identify with the club – that’s how life works,” said Luis Enrique. Fast-forward 12 months and few would argue against Luis Enrique’s prediction after his side won Ligue 1 with six games to spare and without losing a game. The ease with which they won the domestic title – and a shortage of tough opposition – could have been seen as a negative in building for success in Europe. Marseille, in 1993, remain France’s only winners of the Champions League. Having finished runners-up in the 2020 Champions League, PSG reached the semi-finals twice and quarter-finals twice in the following four years. But there was an acceptance following Luis Enrique’s appointment in 2023 that something had to change if they were to get over the line. That summer forward Lionel Messi left to join Inter Miami and Neymar was sold to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. It marked the start of the end for the ‘Galactico’ era, with Mbappe’s departure 12 months later bringing it to a close. In their absence, Luis Enrique built an all-action, high-pressing side in his image, based on the collective rather than the individual. In Europe this season PSG started poorly and finished the group stage in 15th place. But, inspired by January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG have beaten four English clubs – Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal – in the knockout stages. Source link #Champions #League #Paris #StGermain #Inter #Milan #reached #final Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  5. Sam Kerr and partner American soccer player Kristie Mewis welcome baby boy Sam Kerr and partner American soccer player Kristie Mewis welcome baby boy Matildas captain Sam Kerr has announced the birth of her first child with partner Kristie Mewis Source link #Sam #Kerr #partner #American #soccer #player #Kristie #Mewis #baby #boy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  6. European Parliament endorses new screening rules for foreign investment in EU | News European Parliament endorses new screening rules for foreign investment in EU | News Under the new rules, sectors such as media services, critical raw materials and transport infrastructure will be subject to mandatory screening by member states, in order to identify and address foreign investment-related security or public order risks. The procedures applicable to national screening mechanisms will be harmonised and the Commission will have the power to intervene on its own initiative or where there are disagreements between member states about potential security or public order risks emanating from a specific foreign investment. The new law will also cover transactions within the EU where the direct investor is ultimately owned by individuals or entities from a non-EU country. If the screening authority finds that the planned foreign investment project is likely to have a negative effect on security or public order, it will either have to authorise the project subject to mitigating measures, or prohibit it. The proposal was adopted by 378 votes in favour, 173 against and with 24 abstentions. Quote Parliament’s rapporteur Raphaël Glucksmann (S&D, FR) said: “Right now, the EU’s foreign investment screening system is fragmented, costly for investors, and insufficiently effective at mitigating risks. Leaving large industrial plants, energy grids, and media giants open to foreign takeovers — whether from China, the US, or elsewhere — ultimately puts our security and economic sovereignty on shaky ground. Screening procedures will now be streamlined across member states, keeping the single market open and attractive, while also protecting our industries, safeguarding key sectors, and allowing our strategic industries to become more competitive. The Commission will have the authority to take final decisions in instances of disagreement, ensuring a more unified approach across the EU.” Background The current foreign direct investment screening framework entered into force on 11 October 2020. It addressed growing concerns about certain foreign investors seeking to acquire control of EU firms that supply critical technologies, infrastructure or inputs, or hold sensitive information, and whose activities are critical for security or public order at EU level. The rules are designed to help identify and address security or public order risks relating to foreign direct investment involving at least two member states or the EU as a whole. The Commission submitted its new proposal on the screening of foreign investment projects in the EU in January 2024. Next steps Now that the report has been adopted in plenary, negotiations with member states on the final shape of the law can begin. Parliament and Council must adopt the final legislative act before it can enter into force. Source link #European #Parliament #endorses #screening #rules #foreign #investment #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  7. Trump announces ‘full and comprehensive’ trade deal with *** Trump announces ‘full and comprehensive’ trade deal with *** President Donald Trump said the U.S. has reached a trade deal with the United Kingdom, the first trade pact since he paused reciprocal tariffs and began negotiating with countries to lower trade barriers. “The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come,” Trump posted on social media May 8 after teasing the announcement the night before without details. “Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement.” Trump has a press conference scheduled at the White House at 10 am EDT on May 8 to discuss the deal. More: Empty shelves and high prices? What will happen if Trump doesn’t pivot on tariffs The president imposed reciprocal tariffs on a slew of countries April 2 but later paused most of them for 90 days, saying those nations’ leaders were eager to negotiate trade deals. Since then administration officials repeatedly have said they are close to making deals. Trump commented about the intense interest in the trade deals during a May 6 meeting with the prime minister of Canada. “Everyone says: ‘When, when, when are you going to sign deals?” Trump said. “We don’t have to sign deals. We could sign 25 deals right now . . . if we wanted. We don’t have to sign deals. They have to sign deals with us. They want a piece of our market.” US President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 27, 2025. More: How will Trump’s tariffs affect grocery store prices? We explain. The president also expressed frustration with the constant questions. “I wish they’d stop asking how many deals are you signing this week,” he said. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told lawmakers during a May 6 committee hearing that deals could be signed soon. “I would think that perhaps as early as this week we will be announcing trade deals with some of our largest trading partners,” Bessent said. There are 18 countries that Bessent described as “major trading partners.” He said negotiations have begun with all of them except China, but talks between U.S. and ******** officials are now scheduled. Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are traveling to Switzerland on May 8, where they will meet with China’s “lead representative on economic matters.” Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US-*** trade deal: Donald Trump announces agreement with Britain Source link #Trump #announces #full #comprehensive #trade #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  8. Parliament backs extension of trade liberalisation measure for Ukrainian imports | News Parliament backs extension of trade liberalisation measure for Ukrainian imports | News With the adoption of the Autonomous Trade Measures (ATM) Regulation, the EU liberalised trade with Ukraine by suspending trade defence measures on 4 June 2022. This exemption has since been renewed, with the most recent extension due to expire on 5 June. MEPs have now approved the proposed prolongation of these trade liberalisation measures, which focus steel, to provide Ukraine with vital export revenues. Quote Parliament’s rapporteur Karin Karlsbro (Renew, SE) said: ”Ukraine’s steel industry is the backbone of the Ukrainian economy. It continues to deliver, despite many workers having left the steel plants to fight on the front lines and factories being subjected to severe attacks by Russia. The deepening of trade relations between the EU and Ukraine is not a matter of charity, but a mutually beneficial exchange that strengthens both parties.” The proposal was adopted by 354 votes in favour and 147 against, with 53 abstentions. The new regulation will enter into force for three years, until June 2028, once an agreement has been reached with the Council. The Commission is currently working on a longer-term solution to offer economic certainty for EU-Ukraine trade. Source link #Parliament #backs #extension #trade #liberalisation #measure #Ukrainian #imports #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  9. Deutsche Bank steps to the sidelines on this beauty supplier amid tariff concerns Deutsche Bank steps to the sidelines on this beauty supplier amid tariff concerns The outlook isn’t looking very bright for Coty , Deutsche Bank warned. Analyst Steve Powers downgraded shares to hold from buy following the beauty company’s weaker-than-expected fiscal third-quarter earnings report. The company also lowered its full-year earnings guidance and guided for a mid-single digit decline in reported sales, citing foreign exchange headwinds. Powers trimmed his price target to $6 from $8, which still implies 31.3% upside potential from Wednesday’s close. Slower growth trends — particularly in the U.S. market —and challenges presented by tariffs are dimming the outlook for Coty, according to Powers. He estimates the tariff headwind coming in at around $100 million or more for Coty, with the largest impact to its prestige fragrances segment. “While we believe that COTY is generally prioritizing the right initiatives in a difficult operating environment, we downgrade the stock to Hold following FY3Q25 results,” said Powers. “Clearly, should macro conditions improve (i.e., category demand reaccelerate, tariff uncertainty fade) or the company be able to monetize its Wella stake (theoretically valued at ~$1B), COTY could be an outsized beneficiary. However, such catalysts are outside (or not fully within) the company’s control, and we otherwise see an increasingly untenable path to long-term targets —at a time when the company has ~$1.1B of debt maturities coming due in CY26,” the analyst continued. Shares were last trading down nearly 12% Thursday before the bell. Year to date, the stock has fallen more than 33%. COTY YTD mountain COTY year to date Analysts covering the stock are split. Coty has buy or strong buy ratings from 10 of 20 analysts, LSEG data shows. Another eight rate it as a hold, while two others assigned an underperform rating. Source link #Deutsche #Bank #steps #sidelines #beauty #supplier #tariff #concerns Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  10. AMD Stock Jumps Despite Anticipated $1.5 Billion Tariff Hit AMD Stock Jumps Despite Anticipated $1.5 Billion Tariff Hit Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:) turned in a strong first quarter and expects a solid Q2, despite a challenging economic and regulatory environment. Overall, investors were pleased with the results, as AMD stock opened more than 4% higher on Wednesday. The chipmaker and NVIDIA (NASDAQ:) rival generated revenue of $7.4 billion in the quarter, up 36% year-over-year. That beat revenue estimates of $7.1 billion. Net income skyrocketed 476% to $709 million, while earnings jumped 529% to 44 cents per share. On an adjusted basis, net income increased 55% to $1.6 billion, or 96 cents per share. That topped estimates of 94 cents per share. Data Center Revenue Rises 57% AMD is one of NVIDIA’s chief rivals, as it competes for market share with its graphics processing unit (GPU) chips mainly for PCs and gaming. However, AMD fell way behind NVIDIA in creating AI chips for high-performance computing applications and data centers. So, this is an area where it’s trying to play catch-up. In the first quarter, AMD hauled in $3.7 billion in data center revenue, up 57% year-over-year. It outpaced client and gaming revenue of $2.9 billion, up 28% year-over-year. Breaking it out, client revenue was up 68% to $2.3 billion, driven by strong demand for the latest “Zen 5” AMD Ryzen processors in PCs. Gaming revenue fell 30% to $647 million. “We delivered an outstanding start to 2025 as year-over-year growth accelerated for the fourth consecutive quarter driven by strength in our core businesses and expanding data center and AI momentum,” AMD Chair and CEO Lisa Su said. Tariffs Pose $1.5 Billion Impact on Outlook In its outlook for the second quarter, AMD officials expect revenue of approximately $7.4 billion, plus or minus $300 million. That would be on par with Q1 and up about 28% from Q2 of 2024. However, it excludes about $700 million in revenue from a restriction by the U.S. government placed on chip exports into China. This is not exclusive to AMD as other chip makers, including NVIDIA, are also subject to the restriction. For AMD, this will impact revenue of its MI308 chips. The adjusted gross margin is estimated to be 43% including approximately $800 million in charges for inventory and related reserves due to the new export controls, or tariffs. Excluding this charge, the adjusted gross margin would be approximately 54%. A year ago, the adjusted gross margin was 53%. The combined impact of the $700 million revenue hit and $800 million in tariff-related expenses adds up to a $1.5 billion earnings impact for AMD. AMD stock earned a slew of price target downgrades after earnings, except for Wedbush, which raised its target to $120 from $115. Also, BofA upgraded AMD to a buy based on its strong outlook in the face of tariff impacts. However, others like Jefferies reduced its target, concerned about the longer term effects of the China restrictions. Overall, AMD has a median price target of $130, which would be about a 30% return from its current price. I’m slightly less bullish, given the tariff uncertainty and its high P/E ratio of 98. Original Post Source link #AMD #Stock #Jumps #Anticipated #Billion #Tariff #Hit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  11. Exclusive-US sanctions on China refiners over Iran oil disrupt operations, sources say Exclusive-US sanctions on China refiners over Iran oil disrupt operations, sources say By Siyi Liu, Trixie Yap and Chen Aizhu SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Recent U.S. sanctions on two small ******** refiners for buying Iranian oil have created difficulties receiving crude and led them to sell product under other names, sources familiar with the matter said, evidence of the disruption that Washington’s stepped-up pressure is inflicting on Tehran’s biggest oil buyer. The targeting of independent refiners, known as teapots, marked an escalation in Washington’s efforts to cut off Tehran’s export revenue as President Donald Trump seeks to pressure Iran into a deal over its nuclear programme. Washington’s sanctions against Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical in March and Shandong Shengxing Chemical in April have also begun to deter other, larger independent ******** refiners from buying Iranian crude, three of the sources said. About five plants in the refining hub of Shandong province have halted purchases of Iranian oil since last month, worried about being hit by sanctions, two trading executives said. That wariness is the main reason discounts for Iranian Light have widened to $2.30-$2.40 a barrel against ICE Brent from about $2 a month ago, the executives and another source said. Among the inconveniences faced by the two sanctioned teapots, state-run Shandong Port Group, the main port operator in the province, has denied entry to vessels loaded with crude they have purchased, five trade sources said. That follows the port group’s January ban on port calls by U.S.-sanctioned tankers. Shandong Port Group and Shengxing did not respond to requests for comment. A Luqing executive declined to comment. Large state banks have also stopped providing Luqing with operational capital for purchasing crude, forcing it to work with smaller banks, four of the sources said. The sources declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. Beijing says it opposes unilateral sanctions and defends as legitimate its trade with Iran, which ships about 90% of its oil exports to China. However, ******** customs data has not shown any oil shipped from Iran since July 2022, with Iranian crude imports instead labelled as originating from Malaysia or other countries. SHIPPING, SALES HEADACHES The Shandong Port Group’s banning of cargoes for the two refineries has forced them to discharge at other ports, according to three sources. In one case, the tanker Bei Hai Ming Wang carrying oil for the Shengxing refinery was rejected when it sought to land at the Laizhou port, controlled by Shandong Port Group, around April 21, according to a source familiar with the matter. Story Continues It eventually unloaded on May 2 at the privately owned Wantong Crude Oil Terminal in neighbouring Dongying, data from analytics firm Vortexa showed. In another sign of trading disruption from the sanctions, two Asia-based oil product traders who had previously dealt with Luqing said they stopped doing so after it was sanctioned. In addition, no shipments of gasoline blendstock have been recorded since the end of March out of Laizhou port, used by Luqing for most of its blendstock exports, Kpler and LSEG shiptracking data showed. That contrasts with the first three months of this year when 83,000 metric tons (701,000 barrels) of methyl tertiary butyl ether, a key gasoline blendstock export, were shipped from Laizhou, accounting for 15% of China’s total outflow of the blendstock. State giant CNOOC stopped supplying crude to Shandong Haihua Group’s 40,000 barrel-per-day refinery, operated by Luqing, shortly after the U.S. sanctions were announced, three trade sources and a Shandong-based ******** oil market consultant said. CNOOC did not respond to a request for comment. Calls to Haihua went unanswered. The two teapots have also begun selling product through new entities, according to seven trade sources, with Luqing using Shouguang Jiaqing Petroleum Sales and Shengxing selling via Shandong Xuxing Petrochemical. Calls to the two entities seeking comment went unanswered. (Reporting by Siyi Liu, Trixie Yap and Chen Aizhu in Singapore; Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Florence Tan, Tony Munroe and Edmund Klamann) Source link #ExclusiveUS #sanctions #China #refiners #Iran #oil #disrupt #operations #sources Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  12. Intel Arrow Lake processors bottleneck PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs by 16%, limiting peak speeds to 12Gb/s instead of 14Gb/s Intel Arrow Lake processors bottleneck PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs by 16%, limiting peak speeds to 12Gb/s instead of 14Gb/s Latency issues surrounding Intel’s Core 200S series CPUs affect M.2 storage ports on LGA 1851 motherboards, leading to reduced performance. The SSD review reports that Arrow Lake CPUs have a bottleneck on the PCIe lanes dedicated to motherboard M.2 slots, causing a (roughly) 2GB/s bandwidth reduction compared to previous-gen motherboards when using the fastest and Best SSDs available. The storage-focused review outlet initially discovered the flaw during testing when a 14GB/s-capable PCIe 5.0 SSD only achieved 12GB/s in an Arrow-Lake-based test rig. After reaching out to board makers and Intel, it was found that the issue is Arrow Lake-specific. The review outlet has been unable to confirm any Z890 motherboards operating PCIe 5.0 SSDs at speeds beyond 14GB/s, whereas previous-gen Z790 boards have no problem hitting the maximum speeds. The review outlet demonstrated the aforementioned issues with a Samsung 9100 Pro and Micron 4600 SSD paired to two systems running a Z890 (Arrow Lake) and a Z790 (Raptor Lake) motherboard. With the Z890 motherboard, the Samsung and Micron SSDs peaked at 12.3GB/s in the board’s primary and secondary M.2 slots. Both SSDs reached speeds of up to 14.3GB/s on the Z790 motherboard. Furthermore, the review outlet tested both SSDs on an Asus Hyper M.2 add-in PCIe card and found both drives could achieve 14.3GB/s as well, confirming the issue only affects bandwidth on the physical M.2 slots on Z890 motherboards. Although sequential read/write performance improved, random performance remained behind the levels observed on older Z790 motherboards, indicating the latency issue persists even when bypassing the M.2 slot. Further analysis confirmed that such performance limitations were not isolated to any specific motherboard maker. Asus and ASRock replicated the results independently and explained that the issue originates from the latency introduced by the I/O Extender component in Intel’s new multi-chip processor layout. This bizarre performance issue is allegedly a problem with Intel’s interconnect on its latest Arrow Lake-based processors, resulting in unusual latency behavior among the chip’s PCIe lanes. Intel’s Core Ultra 200S-series processors for desktops feature 24 PCIe lanes: 16 PCIe 5.0 lanes for add-in graphics cards, four PCIe 5.0 lanes for SSD, and four PCIe 4.0 lanes for SSD. The first 16 PCIe lanes are controlled directly by the SoC tile of Intel’s Arrow Lake-S CPUs. However, PCIe lanes 21 through 24 are routed through the I/O Extender tile, which adds latency and lowers peak bandwidth. “Intel can confirm that the PCIe lanes 21 to 24 PCI Gen5 root port on Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors may exhibit increased latencies compared to the PCIe lanes 1 to 16 Gen5 root ports, owing to a longer die-to-die data path,” a statement by Intel published by SSDReview reads. “However, any variations are contingent upon the specific workload and the capabilities of the PCIe endpoint device.” Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. This is now the second major performance-related issue affecting Arrow Lake processors. Intel’s transition from a monolithic die design to a chiplet-style architecture with Arrow Lake has been widely known to affect gaming performance compared to previous generations of Intel processors. For instance, we’ve found that Intel’s previous generation Core i9-13900K and i9-14900K flagships are significantly faster than the Core Ultra 9 285K gaming workload on average (based on our review of the Core Ultra 9 chip). Intel has provided a firmware update(s) since our review to help alleviate gaming performance, but even with these updates, the chips still struggle to compete against previous-gen Raptor Lake predecessors in gaming scenarios. Now that NVMe-based storage drives are having similar issues, it appears Intel’s firmware development team has more work to do to rectify Arrow Lake’s performance regressions, primarily caused by the architecture’s switch to a chiplet-style design. It doesn’t appear that Intel can fix these issues with firmware, so we’ll likely have to wait for Intel’s next-generation parts before these issues get fixed. Follow Tom’s Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. Source link #Intel #Arrow #Lake #processors #bottleneck #PCIe #NVMe #SSDs #limiting #peak #speeds #12Gbs #14Gbs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  13. How You Can Beat Buffett’s 19.9% Yearly Returns and Get Paid Monthly How You Can Beat Buffett’s 19.9% Yearly Returns and Get Paid Monthly Can you and I beat the legendary returns of Warren Buffett? Absolutely. What’s more, we can do it while “translating” a slice of our gains into a big income stream (with special dividends on the table, too). I’ll show you how in a moment. First, we need to talk about how the 94-year-old Oracle of Omaha, who is now stepping back from the position of president and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:) , has changed the course of investing over the years. Every year, as you likely know, Buffett releases a simple letter to investors showing what’s happened with Berkshire’s portfolio. While there have been a few lean years, his outperformance is astounding: a 5,502,284% return on every dollar invested at the start of his 60-year career. That amounts to a 19.9% annualized gain, nearly double the ’s 10.4% in that time. That gap is impressive enough, but compounding makes it a difference of millions of percent. This just proves one of Buffett’s main arguments: One needs to stay in the market, patiently outlasting all the short-term panics (like the recent tariff hysteria) and patiently buying when assets are oversold. Second, it’s worth noting that stocks themselves did well in that time, with double-digit profits. That means retirement is more attainable than most people expect. If you could turn, say, half of that 19.9% yearly return into income, you could score a healthy six-figure income stream by investing a little over a million dollars. That’s what that fund I mentioned off the top can do for us. We’ll talk about this off-the-radar ticker in just a few more seconds. First, I do need to rain on Buffett’s parade a bit here: The truth is, most of his outperformance stems from the early years of Berkshire Hathaway’s operations. Berkshire’s Strong—But Waning—Returns Some quick numbers: Berkshire Hathway (shown in purple above) has had a 19.1% total annualized return over the last 45 years, as we just discussed. But over the last 20 years, its return has slipped to 11.9% annualized, just ahead of 10.2% from the S&P 500 (in orange above). It’s also less than the , in blue, at 14.8%. In fact, since the 2000s the tech- (and growth-) focused NASDAQ 100 has beaten both the S&P 500 and the value-investing strategies of Mr. Buffett. We can clearly see that in the performance of the NASDAQ 100, shown through its main index fund in purple below. The NASDAQ has easily outrun the value-focused iShares S&P 500 Value ETF (NYSE:), in orange below. The most “Buffett-like” closed-end fund (CEF), the SRH Total Return Fund (NYSE:), in blue, has also been dusted by the tech-heavy NASDAQ. STEW invests half its assets in Berkshire and the rest in Buffett favorites like JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:). NASDAQ 100 Outruns “Buffett-Like” Funds A key thing to note about this chart is that the NASDAQ 100’s outperformance has been accelerating. That’s because it’s tilted toward tech, and our economy is becoming more tech-focused. So tech stocks will likely rise more than those favored by value investors over the long haul. A CEF That “Translates” Buffett-Beating Gains Into Income That’s the perfect segue into the CEF I want to spotlight today, the Columbia Seligman Premium Technology Growth Fund (NYSE:). As you can see below, STK (in orange) outperformed Berkshire (in purple) over the last decade. STK Tops the Oracle (NYSE:) In fact, not only has STK outperformed, but it’s delivered a large slice of those gains as income. The fund yields 6.6% as I write this, and its normal payouts have stayed rock steady over the last decade. Plus, STK has paid out a lot of special dividends (the spikes below) that make its total yield to investors even *******. Source: Income Calendar Even ignoring those special payouts, investors who stuck with STK over the last decade would now be enjoying a 9.8% yield on their original buy, since STK’s unit price has nearly doubled in that time. So they’d be getting a bit less $100,000 per year for every million dollars invested, again before we consider those special dividend payments over the years. Will this continue? It depends whether tech will stop being a major part of our lives and whether Wall Street will forget the value-investing strategies Buffett espoused. I think you’ll agree that neither scenario is very likely. Disclosure: Brett Owens and Michael Foster are contrarian income investors who look for undervalued stocks/funds across the U.S. markets. Click here to learn how to profit from their strategies in the latest report, “7 Great Dividend Growth Stocks for a Secure Retirement.” Source link #Beat #Buffetts #Yearly #Returns #Paid #Monthly Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  14. Here’s what it means for your money Here’s what it means for your money The morning after US President Trump’s announcement of European and worldwide trade tariffs, which included a 10% levy for imported goods from the ***, shoppers spend on Oxford Street beneath union jack flags in London’s West End, on 3rd April 2025, in London, England. Richard Baker | In Pictures | Getty Images The Bank of England cut interest rates on Thursday in a move likely to bring relief to borrowers, businesses and hard-pressed consumers across the country. The central bank reduced its key interest rate from 4.5% to 4.25% at its latest monetary policy meeting amid a backdrop of lackluster economic growth and uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs. The cut had been widely expected. Five of the central bank’s nine policymakers voted for the cut, with two members wanting a larger 50 basis-point reduction, and two wanting to keep rates on hold. A slowdown in price rises, with inflation cooling to 2.6% in the twelve months to March (from 2.8% the previous month), also gave the bank room for maneuver. Many British households and firms will be thankful for the rate cut as it will make borrowing money a little less expensive. Savers, who reap the benefits of higher rates of interest on their savings accounts, stand to lose out. “Just as the response to rate hikes was textbook — slower growth, soft housing market activity and higher saving, the response to rate cuts should also be textbook,” Kallum Pickering, chief economist at Peel Hunt told CNBC Thursday. “Business and consumers hold significant cash balances while debt-to-income ratios are at multi-decade lows. By easing the brakes on an economy full of pent-up potential, expect a positive response in investment, spending and housing activity,” he said. Here’s a quick look at the winners and losers from the Bank of England’s latest rate cut: Homeowners A 25-basis-point reduction in the Bank of England’s base rate will be a boon for anyone looking to buy a new home and get a cheaper “fixed-rate” mortgage deal from a bank or lender, or for those re-mortgaging and looking for new deals after their fixed-rate term expires. Residential mortgages with a fixed rate make up the bulk (85%) of existing mortgages, according to data from *** Finance released Thursday. Of the total number of fixed-rate deals, *** Finance analysis shows that around 1.6 million will end in total in 2025, meaning the latest drop in the Bank of England’s key rate will be good news for those looking to find a new offer. Of course, households that already have a fixed monthly mortgage won’t feel the benefit of an interest rate cut. As of Thursday, the average 2-year fixed mortgage rate was 4.66% while the average 5-year fixed rate was 4.61%, according to data from Rightmove. A cut is good news for the 591,000 homeowners in the U.K. on a “tracker” mortgage rate, however, that rises or falls with the Bank of England’s base rate. A 25-basis-point cut translates to a £29 reduction in monthly payments for the average customer on a tracker, *** Finance states. The morning light illuminates terraced streets of residential houses, on October 18, 2023 in Bristol, England. Matt Cardy | Getty Images A 25 basis point cut “brings some relief, particularly for those on tracker and variable-rate products, who should see an immediate reduction in monthly repayments,” U.K. mortgage expert Nicholas Mendes from John Charcol in London said in emailed comments. “While fixed rates have already priced in much of this decision, the cut will support sentiment in the housing market at a time when affordability has been stretched and buyer activity has slowed. It also gives lenders a bit more breathing room to remain competitive, which could help stimulate demand, especially among first-time buyers” he added. Consumers and businesses Lower interest rates will also be welcomed by consumers looking to borrow money for other things, with a potential reduction in interest on credit cards and personal loans, although this is dependent on your personal circumstances including credit history. British firms and consumers will also get some respite from the central bank’s decision, as lower interest rates can also translate into cheaper borrowing and cheaper repayments on business loans, freeing up cash for investment and growth. Businesses will hope that lower rates will boost consumer confidence and spending, too. This will be a particular bonus for the U.K.’s 5.5 million small and medium-sized enterprises recently hit with a rise in the national minimum wage and higher National Insurance contributions, announced in the Labour government’s budget. Alexander Spatari | Moment | Getty Images At the same time, however, any wider economic downturn on the back of U.S.-led trade tariffs and export costs and a predicted bump in inflation as energy price rises spike (albeit temporarily) could dent consumer confidence and business sentiment. “The U.K. economy’s cyclical pulse has been strengthening a little in the last few months. Household incomes have continued to grow faster than inflation and that has been showing up in consumption,” Will Hobbs from Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management noted Thursday, although he added that “the uncertainty created by the U.S. tariffs will certainly have some dampening effect.” It means many Brits could be reluctant to splurge the cash, mindful of the still-elevated cost of living after the price of basic goods and energy spiked following the war in Ukraine. A shopper browses fruit and vegetables for ***** at an indoor market in Sheffield, ***. The OECD recently predicted that the *** will experience the highest inflation among all advanced economies this year. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images While the pace of price rises has slowed in recent months, the Bank of England warned in March of a short-term spike in inflation this year, mainly due to rising energy costs. That led the central bank to warn that any interest rate cuts would be “gradual and careful” as it looks to bring the rate of inflation down to its target of 2%. The pace of rate cuts could be subject to change, however, if U.S. trade tariffs dampen global demand and hit U.K. growth more than expected. “Back in February, the medium-term economic and inflation outlook as well as the balance of risks argued for the BOE to keep the pace at one per quarter for 2025,” Peel Hunt’s Kallum Pickering noted Thursday. “A lot has changed since then — and if there was ever an opportunity to shift the policy narrative, this would be it.” “A likely diversion of cheap ******** goods into Europe, plus lower energy prices due to softer global demand, and lower import prices from a rising sterling will all help to keep a lid on *** prices,” Pickering noted. “Moreover, an additional fear factor coming from increased uncertainty will likely dampen wage and price setting. In our view, we believe that markets and the broader economy would respond positively to the BOE cutting rates this week and signaling a succession of rate cuts to come.” Source link #Heres #means #money Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  15. Amazon’s best-selling Blink outdoor security camera just dropped to its lowest price of the year Amazon’s best-selling Blink outdoor security camera just dropped to its lowest price of the year Both homeowners and apartment dwellers sometimes want to keep an eye on their outdoor spaces, whether it’s to protect against possible theft or see what’s messing up the window plants. Thankfully, there’s an affordable solution right now: you can get the Blink Outdoor 4 at Amazon for $49.99 (was $99.99). The Blink Outdoor 4 is one of our best home security cameras – one that we rated four out of five stars. It was $10 cheaper in the past, but this huge 50% price cut is low enough that it’s worth getting now. You can also trade in an old device for up to an additional 20% off. Amazon also offers the same discount on Blink Outdoor 4 bundles of two or more cameras. You might want to consider getting more than one if there are multiple spaces you want to watch outside your home. After all, one camera can only see so much. Today’s best Blink security camera deal In our Blink Outdoor 4 review, we highlight its affordability and convenience. Its wire-free design, two-year battery life, and an easy-to-use app make it an ideal starter security camera for homeowners looking to monitor their surroundings. It works with the Blink app, where you can view footage in real-time. It supports up to 1080p HD live video and infrared night vision, so you can see at all times of day. You can use two-way audio from the app, too, so you can also communicate from the camera like a video doorbell. The Blink Outdoor 4 comes with one Sync Module 2, two AA lithium metal batteries, one mounting kit, one USB cable, and one power adapter. The Sync Module 2 is for locally saving footage and images with a USB drive, which works with or without a Blink Subscription. For more, bookmark our best cheap home security camera sales and deals. I’d also suggest looking into the best home video surveillance and best video doorbells. Source link #Amazons #bestselling #Blink #outdoor #security #camera #dropped #lowest #price #year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  16. Restaurant Brands International (QSR) Q1 2025 earnings Restaurant Brands International (QSR) Q1 2025 earnings A Burger King restaurant is seen on October 25, 2024 in New York City. Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images Restaurant Brands International on Thursday reported quarterly earnings and revenue that missed analysts’ expectations as same-store sales of Popeyes, Burger King and Tim Hortons declined. Shares of the company were roughly flat in premarket trading. Here’s what Restaurant Brands reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG: Earnings per share: 75 cents adjusted vs. 78 cents expectedRevenue: $2.11 billion vs. $2.13 billion expected Restaurant Brands reported first-quarter net income attributable to shareholders of $159 million, or 49 cents per share, down from $230 million, or 72 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding transaction costs related to its acquisition of Burger King China and other items, the company earned 75 cents per share. Net sales climbed 21% to $2.11 billion, fueled by higher revenue from Popeyes and Firehouse Subs. Restaurant Brands posted overall same-store sales growth of 0.1%, but its three largest brands saw same-store sales decline during the quarter and missed Wall Street’s expectations. Other fast-food companies have reported a rough start to the year as weather and a more cautious consumer weighed on demand for their burgers and nuggets. Tim Hortons, which accounts for more than 40% of Restaurant Brands’ total quarterly revenue, reported that its same-store sales fell 0.1%, missing StreetAccount estimates of same-store sales growth of 1.4%. Burger King’s same-store sales shrank 1.3%, steeper than estimates of a 0.9% decline. The chain’s U.S. business, which has been in turnaround mode for more than two years, saw same-store sales fall 1.1%. Popeyes saw its same-store sales slide 4%, the biggest drop of the quarter. Wall Street was anticipating same-store sales declines of just 1.8% for the fried chicken chain. Demand was stronger outside of the U.S. and Canada. Restaurant Brands’ international segment saw same-store sales growth of 2.6%. The company reiterated its forecast for 2025, anticipating that it will spend between $400 million and $450 million on consolidated capital expenditures, tenant inducements and other incentives. Restaurant Brands also said that it still expects to reach its long-term algorithm, which expects 3% same-store sales growth and 8% organic adjusted operating income growth on average between 2024 and 2028. Source link #Restaurant #Brands #International #QSR #earnings Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  17. ********* Blood Services plans to recruit 1 million donors over next 5 years – National ********* Blood Services plans to recruit 1 million donors over next 5 years – National Marc Parravano has donated blood 146 times. He remembers regularly going to the blood collection centre with his mother when he was a kid and followed in her footsteps after he turned 17 and was able to donate himself. “I get a sense of accomplishment and reward because I’m helping others,” Parravano, now 40, said in an interview. Just as his mom did for him, he’s teaching his three sons that giving blood saves lives. His 11-year-old, Christian, proudly went with him to the donation centre wearing his number 84 hockey jersey when Parravano made his 84th donation in December 2023. Parravano, who lives in Vaughan, Ont., started out donating whole blood, which men can do every eight weeks and women can do every 12. But a couple of years ago, he switched to donating plasma, the liquid part of the blood that can be taken weekly because the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are returned to the body during the process. The body replaces its plasma within a few hours. Story continues below advertisement Parravano is one of only two per cent of eligible Canadians who donate blood and plasma, according to ********* Blood Services. That’s despite a recent survey suggesting 71 per cent of people agree it’s “one of the most meaningful ways people can give back to their community,” the agency said. But demand for blood and plasma is quickly rising and the current base of about 420,000 “incredibly dedicated” active donors isn’t going to be enough, said Dr. Graham Sher, CEO of ********* Blood Services. 2:11 Growing need for blood donors in Nova Scotia this summer On Thursday, the agency announced that it plans to recruit one million new donors over the next five years, citing a projected 10 per cent increase in demand for blood due to a growing and aging population. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. The need for plasma is even higher, with already insufficient quantities in Canada to make enough immunoglobulin drugs. In years past, the antibody therapies were used mostly in patients with some type of immune deficiency, but are increasingly being used experimentally to treat a wide range of illnesses, including *******. Story continues below advertisement The demand for plasma is expected to grow by at least 50 per cent over the next five years, Sher said. “We need to have enough plasma in Canada so that we can have that immunoglobulin manufactured from *********-collected plasma, as opposed to being very heavily reliant on an international source,” he said. “This is a lesson learned as a result of the pandemic where we really can’t rely on global supply chains … particularly for expensive and rare pharmaceuticals like immunoglobulins.” More on Canada More videos The blood services agency is using several strategies to meet its ambitious goal, Sher said, including increasing the number of collection centres in many parts of the country so they’re close to as many potential donors as possible. “One of the most important barriers to donation is time and convenience,” he said. “(People say) ‘I used to donate at the end of my work shift when I worked in an office tower in downtown Toronto. I’m now a remote worker post-pandemic and you don’t have a collection centre within 30 miles of my home.’ So we’re hearing a lot of that,” Sher said. The agency is also expanding the hours collection sites are open, including Saturdays in many locations. Reaching out to diverse communities and building trust is also a critical part of the plan, Sher said. Trending Now No interprovincial trade barriers by Canada Day? Why Carney faces uphill battle ********* government ‘fact check’ dismisses Trump administration claims about border Story continues below advertisement Patients with some illnesses respond best to transfusions with blood that has a closely matched subtype that is inherited along ethnic and racial lines, he said. That’s the case in sickle cell disease, which is most prevalent in ****** populations, Sher said. “When we look at our donor base today, the number of African ****** or Caribbean Canadians on the donor base today is significantly underrepresented compared to the percentage of the population that identifies as African ****** or Caribbean,” he said. “That is one example of a population that we’re wanting to target so we can have more donors come in … that will allow us to better match our product to ********* patients who will be from those populations or those ethnic backgrounds.” Attracting younger donors is also a significant goal, Sher said. 1:45 ********* Blood Services calls for more donors in Saskatchewan “We really are trying to build a new generation of donors from a young age,” he said, noting that if a young person comes to donate blood three times, they will often be donors for life. Story continues below advertisement Motivating more people to give blood requires a different pitch than the agency has made in the past, he said. “Everybody knows that giving blood can save a life … that message has been tried and tested and used repeatedly,” Sher said. A new marketing campaign called “Who’s Saving Who?” puts the focus on what donors get out of the experience of giving blood, including a sense of achievement and connection to others. A video features actors depicting patients in graphic situations where blood or plasma transfusions are needed — including a traumatic fall, a car accident, giving birth and a child receiving ******* treatment. Each speaks directly to the camera, telling the viewer they are giving them a chance to give. “This campaign is really meant to jolt people out of their complacency to go from intent — (knowing) giving blood is a good thing to do — to action,” Sher said. &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #********* #Blood #Services #plans #recruit #million #donors #years #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  18. Flu killed 216 children nationwide this season, the highest toll in years – The Washington Post Flu killed 216 children nationwide this season, the highest toll in years – The Washington Post Flu killed 216 children nationwide this season, the highest toll in years The Washington PostFlu Killed 25 Children in New York This Season, the Most in Many Years The New York TimesHealth officials warn flu season killed most children in 15 years Deseret NewsFlu season: 25 children died from the flu this season in New York; most in state history ABC7 New YorkNew York sees highest flu-related pediatric deaths ever recorded in a season Times Union Source link #Flu #killed #children #nationwide #season #highest #toll #years #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  19. How To Mount and Unmount Drives on your Linux machine How To Mount and Unmount Drives on your Linux machine In a modern Linux operating system we usually take it for granted that when we insert a USB flash drive, best hard drive, or even a DVD disk, they just appear ready for use. But under the hood there is a process where the device is mounted (made ready for use) and assigned a mountpoint. When using a server or a remote connection, it is not certain that a device will automatically be made available, so how can we mount our own devices? In this how-to we’ll look at various ways of mounting and unmounting disks and disk images. We will use a variety of approaches and tools including both terminal commands and GUI tools. All the commands in this how-to will work on most Linux machines. We’ve used an Ubuntu install but you could also run this how-to on a Raspberry Pi. All of the how-to is performed via the Terminal. You can open a terminal window on most Linux machines by pressing ctrl, alt and t, or by searching for the terminal app in your applications menu. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Most of the time when you attach a drive, for example a pen drive, the system will recognize it and automatically mount the drive. Occasionally this may not happen and knowing how to manually mount and unmount a drive can be a useful skill. 1. Plug in a USB Flash drive and allow it to automatically mount. You should see an icon appear as a shortcut to the drive, or opening a file explorer you will find the pen drive mounted. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 2. Press the Windows / Super key and search for “disk.” Select the Disks utility. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 3. Selecting the correct USB Flash drive. Click the square stop button icon to unmount the disk. You will see your main system disk drive(s) and also the pen drive you just inserted, so double check before taking the action. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 4. Click the mount button to re-mount the drive. With the pen drive unmounted the mount button icon changes to a triangular “play” icon. Clicking this will remount the pen drive. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 5. Unmount the drive to get ready for the next part of the tutorial. It’s useful to have the pen drive attached but not mounted for the next part of the tutorial so unmount it by once again clicking the unmount button in the disk utility. Identifying and Mounting a Drive using the Linux Terminal Using the terminal enables us to have greater control over when drives are mounted and their position in the filesystem that they are mounted to. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 1. Identify the USB drive using the lsblk command. In the results you may well see lots of entries labeled “loop.” However you are looking for results that are listed as sda, sdb or start with nvme to identify physical disks attached to your system via SATA or PCIe. Comparing the listed capacity of the attached drives can often help you discover the name of your target drive. In our case we can identify our USB drive as sdb1. lsblk (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 2. Create a directory to mount the USB drive into. When an external drive is automatically mounted it is often mounted inside the media directory. However using the CLI we can create and specify a directory into which we will mount our pendrive. Note that we need to invoke root privileges using sudo to create a directory inside the media directory. sudo mkdir /media/pendrive 3. Mount the USB drive to the /media/pendrive directory using the mount command. The mount command has the following syntax; sudo mount /path/to/drive /path/to/mountpoint. sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /media/pendrive 4. Check the drive has been mounted by re-running lsblk. Notice that the final column in the lsblk output lists the mount point of the listed device, if there is a mount point listed then the device is confirmed as mounted. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Unmounting a drive in Linux using the umount command (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Unmounting a drive is handled via the umount command and when invoked it safely removes the drive from the system, enabling us to pull the drive and use it in another machine. 1. Unmount the drive using umount command. Note the spelling of umount. It is a common error to type “unmount”. Using the umount command we only need to specify the mount point location and name of the drive we wish to unmount. sudo umount /media/pendrive 2. Check the drive is unmounted using lsblk. Notice that in the lsblk output the final column lists the mount point of detected devices, if there is no mount point listed then the device is unmounted. lsblk Mounting a Disk Image to view contents in Linux (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) It is possible to mount a CD / DVD or other disk image to appear as a read only drive. This is a useful technique if you want to copy some content out of a disk image or if you simply want to inspect a disk image’s contents. In the following example, we have used a downloaded disk image of the Puppy Linux distribution but this technique would work with any disk image including images made of disks for backup purposes. 1. Create a directory called iso in the media directory to mount the disk image into. Again this could be anywhere in the file system but we have created a directory called iso within the media directory. sudo mkdir /media/iso 2. Mount an ISO disk image using the mount command and the loop argument. We need to run this command with root privileges so therefore we use sudo. The usage of the mount command is similar to previous uses and includes the path to the image and the path to the mount point we created in the previous step. We also add the -o loop argument to create the loop device which tricks the operating system into believing this is a real disk and not an image. sudo mount -o loop Downloads/fossapup64-9.5.iso /media/iso (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) 3. Unmount the ISO using umount. Once again when using the umount command we need only specify the mount point of the drive or disk image we wish to unmount. sudo umount /media/iso With these techniques you now have greater control over mounting and unmounting disks in Linux and now have skills that may help next time a connected drive doesn’t automatically mount correctly. Being able to mount a disk image using a loop device is very useful when exploring old backup images of previously used systems or when you want to have a look around a Linux distributions image contents for exploration or learning. Source link #Mount #Unmount #Drives #Linux #machine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  20. U.S., *** to announce trade pact, Trump’s 1st deal since tariffs began – National U.S., *** to announce trade pact, Trump’s 1st deal since tariffs began – National The United States and Britain are expected to announce a trade deal on Thursday that will lower the burden of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs and deliver a political victory for U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that a deal due to be announced at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) will be a “full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.” It’s the first bilateral trade deal announced since Trump began slapping tariffs on U.S. trading partners. He said: “Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!” Starmer’s office said the prime minister would give an “update” about U.S. trade talks later Thursday. “As you know, talks with the U.S. have been ongoing and you’ll hear more from me about that later today.” Starmer said at a defense conference in London. Story continues below advertisement The agreement is likely to fall short of a full free trade deal, but will provide tariff relief to certain sectors. 5:55 Trump says US being ‘looted’ by other nations is justification for new ‘reciprocal’ tariffs The president has imposed a 10 per cent tax on imports from Britain, as well as 25 per cent tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum on the premise that doing so would foster more factory jobs domestically. 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. A major goal of British negotiators has been to reduce or lift the import tax on U.K. cars and steel. The U.S. is the largest destination for British cars, accounting for more than a quarter of U.K. auto exports in 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics. Britain has also sought tariff exemptions for pharmaceuticals, while the U.S. wants greater access to the British market for agriculture products. Starmer’s government has said it won’t lower U.K. food standards to allow in chlorine-rinsed American chicken or hormone-treated beef. Story continues below advertisement The British government will see a deal it as a vindication of Starmer’s emollient approach to Trump, which has avoided direct confrontation or criticism. Unlike the European Union, Britain did not announce retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods in response to Trump’s import taxes. A trade deal with the United Kingdom would be symbolically important, and a relief for British exporters. But an agreement would do little to address Trump’s core concern about persistent trade deficits that prompted him to impose import taxes on countries around the world. The U.S. ran a $11.9 billion trade surplus in goods with the U.K. last year, according to the Census Bureau. The $68 billion in goods that the U.S. imported from the U.K. last year accounted for just two per cent of all goods imported into the country. Trending Now Woman awarded $55K by tribunal after being compared to Darth Vader Former Quebec junior hockey player Noah Corson sentenced to 2 years of jail time in sex-assault case 1:45 Impact of US reciprocal tariffs The U.S. is much more important to the U.K. economy. It was Britain’s biggest trading partner last year, according to government statistics, though the bulk of Britain’s exports to the U.S. are services rather than goods. Story continues below advertisement Trump has shown a desire to strike a trade agreement with the U.K. since it voted in 2016 to leave the European Union. Yet as recently as Tuesday, Trump showed no awareness of the possible terms of the deal when asked about its possibility. “They’re offering us concessions?” Trump told reporters. “I hope so… They do want to make a deal very badly.” Trump has previously said that his leverage in talks would be U.S. consumers, but he appeared to suggest that the U.K. would also start buying more American-made goods. “I think that the United Kingdom, like every other country, they want to … go shopping in the United States of America,” he said. A trade deal with the U.S. is one of several that Starmer’s government is seeking to strike. On Tuesday, Britain and India announced a trade after three years of negotiations. The U.K. is also trying to lift some of the barriers to trade with the EU imposed when Britain left the bloc in 2020. –Jill Lawless reported from London. Josh Boak contributed to this report from Washington. More on World More videos &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #U.S #announce #trade #pact #Trumps #1st #deal #tariffs #began #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  21. iQOO Neo 10 India Launch Date Set For May 26; Confirmed to Get Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC iQOO Neo 10 India Launch Date Set For May 26; Confirmed to Get Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC iQOO Neo 10 is set to arrive in the Indian market later this month. The company has announced the launch date and confirmed several key features of the phone, including chipset details. The phone will be equipped with a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC alongside an in-house Q1 gaming chip. It is expected to join the iQOO Neo 10R handset in India, which was unveiled in March with a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 SoC. Notably, the upcoming iQOO Neo 10 smartphone will differ from its ******** counterpart. iQOO Neo 10 India Launch: All We Know iQOO India confirmed in an X post that the Neo 10 will launch in India on May 26. The handset will be equipped with a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 SoC and an in-house Q1 gaming chipset. The company had revealed in earlier posts that the phone will be available in Inferno Red and Titanium Chrome colourways. An Amazon microsite for the iQOO Neo 10 confirms that it will pack a 7,000mAh battery with 120W wired charging support. The handset will have an 8.09mm profile and is claimed to be the segment’s slimmest 7,000mAh model. It will support bypass charging as well and carry a 7,000mm² vapour cooling chamber for thermal management. The company claims that the iQOO Neo 10 will be the segment’s only phone to support 144fps gaming. However, the price range of the handset has yet to be known. The upcoming smartphone will support LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and UFS 4.1 onboard storage. The teasers suggest that the iQOO Neo 10 will have a dual rear camera unit alongside a ring-like LED flash placed within a “squircle” shaped module. We should learn more about the upcoming handsets in the days leading up to the launch. In China, the iQOO Neo 10 launched with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC alongside with a Q2 gaming chipset and a 6,100mAh battery with 120W charging support. For optics, it has a 50-megapixel primary sensor alongside an 8-megapixel ultra-wide shooter at the back and a 16-megapixel selfie camera. It sports a 6.78-inch AMOLED 8T LTPO curved display with up to 144Hz refresh rate. Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details. Source link #iQOO #Neo #India #Launch #Date #Set #Confirmed #Snapdragon #Gen #SoC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  22. Lotto: One ticketholder scoops Powerball’s entire $30 million jackpot Lotto: One ticketholder scoops Powerball’s entire $30 million jackpot One Aussie is an instant multi-millionaire after throwing caution to the wind in Thursday’s Powerball draw. The fortunate ticketholder will pocket an eye-watering $30 million after securing the division one win. Division two produced five winners — including one West Aussie —who will each be celebrating a windfall to the tune of $106,535.05. An additional 55 Aussies will take home hauls worth more than $12,000 as a result of division three wins. The winning numbers for draw #1512 are 33, 32, 35, 14, 15, 7 and 34. The all-important Powerball is 12. Powerball luck comes after a couple from Warnbro came forward to claim their $1.2m division one prize after mistaking it for a $1,000 win. The pair, aged in their 60s, plan to spoil their kids — fur baby included — with the newfound fortune. “The win is still sinking in, but the first thing that comes to mind for us is to help our children,” she said. “I’ll also be able to treat my dog to a fancy haircut now too.” Source link #Lotto #ticketholder #scoops #Powerballs #entire #million #jackpot Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  23. At nearly half a billion views, Rockstar says GTA 6’s new trailer is ‘the biggest video launch of all time’ At nearly half a billion views, Rockstar says GTA 6’s new trailer is ‘the biggest video launch of all time’ Rockstar has claimed that Grand Theft Auto 6’s second trailer, released earlier this week, is now the biggest video launch of all time, beating major Hollywood movie trailers. GTA 6 Trailer 2 was dropped on Tuesday in a surprise release, and according to Rockstar, it received over 475 million views across all platforms in its first day. The Hollywood Reporter reports this is more than the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer, which debuted to 365 million views in its first 24 hours, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which debuted to more than 200 million. For comparison, the first GTA 6 trailer managed 93 million views in its first day, though that video was exclusive to YouTube. At the time of publishing, GTA 6’s second trailer has around 84 million views on the platform. The original GTA 6 trailer was also leaked ahead of its official release, likely affecting the viewership numbers of the official version. To date, GTA 6’s first trailer has been viewed 255 million times. Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer 2 also had a monstrous effect on its featured music track, The Pointer Sisters’ Hot Together, with Spotify estimating a monumental 182,000% increase in streams of the track. On Wednesday, Rockstar released a statement reiterating that the latest trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 was captured on PS5 hardware, “comprised of equal parts gameplay and cutscenes”. The new trailer introduces GTA 6’s protagonists, Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, and was followed by a large update on the game’s official website giving biographies of the two playable characters, among others. “Meeting Lucia could be the best or worst thing to ever happen to him. Jason knows how he’d like it to turn out but right now, it’s hard to tell,” reads a profile of Jason’s character released by Rockstar. “Jason wants an easy life, but things just keep getting harder. Jason grew up around the grifters and crooks. After a stint in the Army trying to shake off his troubled teens, he found himself in the Keys doing what he knows best, working for local drug runners. It might be time to try something new.” Source link #billion #views #Rockstar #GTA #trailer #biggest #video #launch #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
  24. Wells Fargo says this ad-tech stock can surge more than 30% after strong earnings report Wells Fargo says this ad-tech stock can surge more than 30% after strong earnings report Wells Fargo is increasing its estimates for AppLovin after the company’s better-than-expected first-quarter report. AppLovin posted a earnings and revenue on Wednesday that beat analyst expectations . The company also said it would sell its mobile gaming business in a deal worth $400 This led analyst Alec Brondolo to raise his price target on the stock to $405 from $386. That suggests shares can around 33.5% from where they closed on Wednesday. Brondolo reiterated his overweight rating on shares. “We believe APP has a strong strategic position in the mobile game advertising market, with leading products in user acquisition and ad monetization. As a result, we believe APP will continue to gain share of the $34B market, leaving our 2025 / 2026 revenue estimates meaningfully above consensus,” A Brondolo wrote in a Thursday note. “Outperformance comes before the global launch of self-service, which is likely to cause yet another inflection.” APP YTD mountain APP year to date AppLovin soared more than 700% last year, making the stock the top performer in the tech sector. However, shares sold off 12% in February on reports from short sellers questioning AppLovin’s artificial intelligence-powered Axon advertising software. “Overall, 1Q results / 2Q guidance suggests short reports haven’t impacted partner propensity to spend & macro remains steady. We didn’t find short allegations credible but saw risk they could impact partner relationships / industry sentiment,” according to Brondolo. The stock last traded 15% higher in the premarket. Year to date, shares have slipped more than 6%, but remain up by more than 300% over the last 12 months. Most analysts covering the stock are bullish. LSEG data shows that 22 of 27 analysts covering AppLovin have a buy or strong buy rating. The average price target also signals upside of 54%. Source link #Wells #Fargo #adtech #stock #surge #strong #earnings #report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
  25. ‘Clown in a Cornfield’ Review: Stalkers ‘Clown in a Cornfield’ Review: Stalkers In this underbaked slasher film, killer bozos terrorize teens in the American heartland. Source link #Clown #Cornfield #Review #Stalkers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

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