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3 Red-Hot Cloud Infrastructure Stocks Powering 2025 Growth 3 Red-Hot Cloud Infrastructure Stocks Powering 2025 Growth The size of the global cloud computing market is expected to roughly double from 2023 to 2028, reaching nearly $1.3 trillion by the end of that five-year *******. Demand for cloud computing continues to surge, and the companies that make this technology possible—data centers, platform operators, and others catering to cloud infrastructure needs—stand to be primary recipients of the increase in spending on all things cloud. Though the cloud industry is increasingly well-established, there is still some jostling for position among cloud infrastructure firms. Further, new technological developments and expansion into burgeoning markets mean that there is space for some of these companies to capture additional market share. From an investor’s perspective, it may be difficult to determine which cloud infrastructure plays are most likely to be winners. Here, we examine three companies with varying levels of name recognition within the cloud space to see how each might appeal to investors interested in exposure to this fast-growing market. 1. Wall Street Bullish Despite Mixed Results, Cloud Spin-Off Rumors Swirl With a market capitalization of $1.2 billion, Applied Digital Corp (NASDAQ:) is among the larger providers of data centers and artificial intelligence cloud services currently representing the industry. The company enjoys unanimous support among Wall Street analysts, with nine reviewers assigning it a Buy rating and a consensus price target just over double the current price. Applied Digital focuses on data centers for hyperscalers, major tech firms like Amazon.com (NASDAQ:) and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:), with tens of billions of dollars to spend on building up infrastructure for their cloud and AI projects. APLD has had mixed stock performance over multiple time periods, including gains of about 68% in the last year and a decline of roughly a third year-to-date (YTD). Part of this may be due to a lack of alignment between what investors see as a strongly promising industry—in which Applied Digital has taken an early lead after its 2022 pivot away from cryptocurrency mining—and its results. In the latest quarter, Applied Digital missed analyst expectations on revenue, despite posting a year-over-year (YOY) increase of more than 22%. However, its net loss per share was two cents better than expected. The report threw Applied Digital’s future into question, though, as the company’s executives speculated about selling off its fast-growing cloud services business and potentially transitioning into a REIT. 2. Couchbase Narrows Losses and Grows Revenue, Eyes Edge Computing for Future Growth Couchbase Inc (NASDAQ:) is distinct from Applied Digital’s business model in that it supplies database-as-a-service products for enterprise applications. This allows customers to deploy and manage Couchbase Server across different cloud settings. Couchbase’s fiscal 2025, which ended Jan. 31 of this year, saw a fairly solid 16% YOY revenue improvement. It also saw annual recurring revenue growth of 17% for the same *******—this latter figure may point to the sustainability of Couchbase’s relationships with individual customers over time. Losses remain a factor, although Couchbase narrowed its losses from operations in the most recent quarter compared to the prior-year *******. The company has struggled with cash flow, which declined YOY on both an annual and a quarterly basis as reported in February. On the other hand, analysts may be optimistic about Couchbase’s recently launched Edge server, designed to be used offline for low-latency data access and processing. Expansion into new areas such as this could be key to Couchbase’s continuing to carve a niche for itself in a competitive industry. 3. Operational Losses and Revenue Retention Are Issues for Fastly Another service provider in the edge cloud platform space, Fastly Inc (NYSE:), generates a substantial portion of its revenue from content delivery and security services. While this provides it with an operational focus, it also positions the company to compete with larger, better-established providers. Fastly tends to cater to larger customers, although it has faced trouble with dwindling revenue from these clients. Negative operating income also plagues Fastly, meaning that the firm has that much more of an uphill battle before it can achieve sustainable profitability. This is enough to give analysts pause, as all nine ratings for Fastly are Hold, and the stock is down about 37% YTD. In the battle of cloud infrastructure firms, investors may have more success with another company, although the price drop has given the company a relatively attractive P/S ratio of 1.6. Original Post Source link #RedHot #Cloud #Infrastructure #Stocks #Powering #Growth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Rory McIlroy: Masters champion has ‘nothing but positive vibes’ before major return Rory McIlroy: Masters champion has ‘nothing but positive vibes’ before major return McIlroy, who turned 36 on Sunday, skipped the RBC Heritage tournament following the Masters while he returned home to Northern Ireland to visit his parents. Since then, McIlroy has returned to action alongside Shane Lowry for the defence of their Zurich Classic of New Orleans title, where they finished tied 12th. Having opted against playing the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Texas, where world number one Scottie Scheffler cantered to an eight-shot victory, McIlroy fulfilled more media obligations last week, appearing in the US on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and The Today Show. “It’s not even the celebrating, it’s the obligations you have afterwards,” McIlroy said. “I wanted to go home and see my folks after [the Masters] but having to play in New Orleans, it’s a different week and a fun week so I didn’t feel like I had to prepare all that much, I could lean on Shane when I needed to. “But last week, I had Michael Bannon [his swing coach] in town, we practised for three days but then I was up in New York for three days doing a few bits and pieces. “When I got back home and back into my real routine on Sunday/Monday and coming up here, it feels like that ******* is behind me and I’m looking forward to the next few months.” Source link #Rory #McIlroy #Masters #champion #positive #vibes #major #return Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Starbreeze acquires Payday 3 publishing rights from Plaion Starbreeze acquires Payday 3 publishing rights from Plaion Developer Starbreeze Studios has reached a deal with publisher Plaion to acquire publishing rights for Payday 3, supposedly allowing the studio to expedite content development. The game has not had the greatest reception and has largely been played by hundreds rather than the constant thousands like its precursor, Payday 2. Announced on its website, Starbreeze notes that this “lays the groundwork for a long-term partnership between Starbreeze and Plaion on future Payday franchise projects.” “This agreement enables Starbreeze to fully acquire the publishing rights to Payday 3 from Plaion, significantly accelerate our content development roadmap, and pursue broader strategic opportunities for the Payday franchise as a whole. We appreciate Plaion’s support, which underscores their confidence in Starbreeze’ future and strengthens our strategic alignment with major global industry players.” The biggest hurdle that Payday will face is simply the stigma it has, the game has been drug through the mud and the two studios have unfortunately drug its feet to do anything about that. Here’s hoping Starbreeze can turn things around and make people see this as another instance of a game going from bad to good. Gabriel Stanford-Reisinger Editor-in-Chief Gabe has been a gamer since he was young, playing games like Pajama Sam, Freddi Fish, Guitar Hero, and whatever looked cool on GameFly. Ever since 2018, he’s been infatuated with the inner workings of the gaming and entertainment industries, covering a wide range of topics from video games to TV and film. Starting as a contributor for PSX Extreme, he’s worked his way up to its Managing Editor. Using what’s he learned over the years, he founded Smash Jump to remind everyone to smash jump. Source link #Starbreeze #acquires #Payday #publishing #rights #Plaion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Meta awarded $167m in court battle with spyware mercenaries Meta awarded $167m in court battle with spyware mercenaries A California court has ordered Israeli spyware merchant NSO Group to pay $167.25m in punitive damages, and $444,719 in compensatory damages, for enabling state-backed hacks of mobile devices belonging to 1,400 users of Meta’s WhatsApp messaging service. The judgment, handed down this week in a federal courthouse, comes five months after US district judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled in favour of Meta in the case, having reviewed evidence that NSO’s Pegasus code had transited WhatsApp’s California-based servers 43 times during May 2019 after exploiting a vulnerability, CVE-2019-3568, in the WhatsApp voice calling feature. The court had also ruled NSO infringed WhatsApp’s terms of service by using it for malicious or ******** purposes. Besides spending millions of dollars every year hacking and developing malicious exploits for instant messaging apps, mobile browsers and operating systems, NSO became tainted after campaigners exposed systemic wrongdoing by its customers, mostly government agencies and many in states hostile to Israel. Details of how its notorious zero-click spyware package Pegasus was misused started to trickle out following a lengthy investigation by Citizen Lab, an interdisciplinary laboratory based at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs. Famously, Pegasus was implicated in the ******* of a Washington Post journalist by the Saudi Arabian government, among many other things. NSO has always maintained that it had no responsibility for how its products were used, but repeatedly insisted that it thoroughly vetted its government customers. It appears likely that this disconnect proved a significant factor in Meta’s victory. NSO has additionally been subjected to US sanctions and has also been sued by Apple, although that case was dropped in 2024 for security reasons. In a blog post, a Meta spokesperson hailed an “important step forward for privacy and security as the first victory against the development and use of ******** spyware that threatens the safety and privacy of everyone”. The firm said: “Today, the jury’s decision to force NSO, a notorious foreign spyware merchant, to pay damages is a critical deterrent to this malicious industry against their ******** acts aimed at American companies and the privacy and security of the people we serve. “For the first time, this trial put spyware executives on the stand and exposed exactly how their surveillance-for-hire system – shrouded in so much secrecy – operates. Put simply, NSO’s Pegasus works to covertly compromise people’s phones with spyware capable of hoovering up information from any app installed on the device. Think anything from financial and location information to emails and text messages, or as NSO conceded: ‘every kind of user data on the phone.’ It can even remotely activate the phone’s mic and camera – all without people’s knowledge, let alone authorisation.” It said that it would continue to pursue mercenary spyware vendors in the courts, describing their “malicious” technologies as a “threat to the entire ecosystem.” Cyber accountability “[The[ verdict against NSO is an enormous victory for digital rights and for victims of Pegasus spyware around the world,” said Access Now senior tech legal counsel, Natalkia Krapiva. “Congratulations to Meta for sticking with their lawsuit and holding NSO to account. We urge other companies whose infrastructure and users are targeted by NSO and other spyware companies to explore filing similar legal actions.” Michael De Dora, US policy and advocacy manager at Access Now, added: “This verdict sends a clear message to spyware companies that targeting people through US-based platforms will come with a high price. It underscores the importance of US institutions protecting the digital infrastructure and individuals that rely on it from unlawful surveillance.” Carolyn Crandall, CMO at AirMDR, a supplier of AI-enabled managed detection and response (MDR) services, described a defining moment for accountability in cyber security, but said that the ruling opened up potentially difficult new questions for some organisations. “By holding a spyware vendor liable for how its tools were used, the court has drawn a clear line between those who knowingly enable illicit hacking and those who build dual-use defensive solutions in good faith,” she said. “But it also raises an important question: where will courts draw that line next? As more cyber security tools blur the boundary between offence and defence, transparency and intent will become defining factors. Tools like Mimikatz underscore the complexity of dual-use software, originally developed for security research and red teaming, yet widely exploited by threat actors. “In a shifting legal landscape, how such tools are governed, documented, and distributed will increasingly influence how they are interpreted, and whether their creators are pulled into the crosshairs. The days of plausible deniability are fading, and vendors must get ahead of that curve,” said Crandall. Appeal possible In a statement shared with Courthouse News, NSO’s Gil Lanier said the company maintained its stance that its technology plays a critical role in stopping serious crime and terrorism, and has been “deployed responsibly” by governments. He claimed NSO’s technology had saved many lives, including in the US, and that this evidence had been excluded from the jury’s consideration. The firm has indicated that it plans to appeal. Meta said it had a long road ahead to collect the awarded damages from cash-strapped NSO, but added that it does intent to do so. Ultimately, it said, it would like to make a significant donation to digital rights organisations that have been working tirelessly to expose the activities of mercenary spyware firms and provide guidance and protection to at-risk users. Source link #Meta #awarded #167m #court #battle #spyware #mercenaries Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Submissions for Environs Kimberley annual fundraising art auction are now open Submissions for Environs Kimberley annual fundraising art auction are now open Submissions for Environs Kimberley Annual fundraising art auction are now open with the vibrant highlight on Broome’s arts calendar set to take place in August. Source link #Submissions #Environs #Kimberley #annual #fundraising #art #auction #open Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Moderna study shows immune response in older adults for a combo flu and COVID-19 shot Moderna study shows immune response in older adults for a combo flu and COVID-19 shot A combination shot for flu and COVID-19 using messenger RNA generated antibodies in a study, but U.S. government regulators want to see data on whether the new vaccine protects people from getting sick. Researchers from vaccine-maker Moderna reported in a study published Wednesday that the new combo shot generated a stronger immune response against COVID-19 and most strains of flu than existing standalone shots in people 50 and older. Side effects were injection site pain, fatigue and headaches. Moderna previously reported a summary of the results from the company-sponsored trial in 8,000 people. The mRNA technology is used in approved COVID-19 and RSV shots, but has not yet been approved for a flu shot. Moderna believes mRNA could speed up production of flu shots compared with traditional processes that use chicken eggs or giant vats of cells. A combo shot also might improve vaccination rates, the researchers wrote in the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Greg Poland, who studies vaccine response at Mayo Clinic and was not involved in the new study, said he’s not convinced that a combo shot would be popular. And while flu comes in seasonal waves, COVID-19 has been spreading throughout the year, Poland said, posing challenges for how to time the shots to keep protection strong. He’d also like to see data on how well the new shot protected people from infection and hospitalization. The findings are based on measuring antibodies in participants’ blood after 29 days, an indication of short-term disease protection. Last week, Moderna pushed its target date for the vaccine’s approval to 2026 after the Food and Drug Administration requested a more direct measure: how much the shot lowered the risk of disease. “I agree in this case with FDA that efficacy data are important to see,” Poland said. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has cast doubt on the safety of mRNA vaccines, but Moderna President Stephen Hoge told investors in an earnings call last week that talks with the FDA were productive and “business as usual.” Also last week, Novavax said the FDA was asking the company to run a new clinical trial of its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine after the agency grants full approval, sowing uncertainty about other vaccine updates. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Source link #Moderna #study #shows #immune #response #older #adults #combo #flu #COVID19 #shot Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Figma launches premium Figma Make ‘vibe-coding’ AI software designer Figma launches premium Figma Make ‘vibe-coding’ AI software designer From left, Steven Levy, Wired editor at large, and Dylan Field, co-founder and CEO of Figma, speak onstage at Wired’s The Big Interview event in San Francisco on Dec. 3, 2024. Kimberly White | Wired | Getty Images Design software startup Figma on Wednesday debuted an artificial intelligence feature to automate the process of building websites and applications. The new feature, called Figma Make, is the company’s response to the rise of “vibe-coding” tools, which turn a short written description into the source code necessary for a website. Google and Microsoft have both touted their own “vibe-coding” tools this year. OpenAI has also entered the space, holding acquisition talks with one startup in the space, Windsurf, and reaching out to another called Cursor on multiple occasions, CNBC reported. The move might draw additional business to Figma, which confidentially filed for an initial public offering last month. Many of today’s “vibe-coding” products offer a free tier for light use before requesting payment. Figma Make will only be available to those with full seats that start at $16 per person per month when purchased annually. The company is beta-testing the feature with those users. People with premium subscriptions likely work for companies that store font sizes, color combinations and other design assets in Figma. Over time, the new feature will be able to create designs that adhere to those design systems. Figma’s new tool relies on Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet AI model. For those who don’t want to start from scratch, Figma Make can alternatively accept Figma design files as an input and generate code that approximates them. Third-party products such as Vercel’s v0 and StackBlitz’s Bolt.new offer similar capability but can’t inherit existing design systems. Like many other “vibe-coding” programs, Figma Make presents a chat box to ask for and receive adjustments of drafts it comes up with. But sometimes a simple fix such as a font change is all that’s necessary. Drop-down menus for specific elements allow for quick alterations, meaning that there’s no need to consult the AI model again and wait for a response. Customers who received early access to Figma Make got it to craft video games, a note-taking app and a personalized calendar, a spokesperson said. That doesn’t mean there’s no place for designers inside companies with the advent of AI. “The more time has gone on, the more that I’m confident in a designer’s role — and believe that it’s going to be one of the critical roles in bulding software in the future,” Dylan Field, Figma’s co-founder and CEO, said in conversation recently with Garry Tan, president and CEO of Silicon Valley startup accelerator Y Combinator. Also on Wednesday, Figma said it was beginning to test Figma Sites, another feature that requires full seats. It can convert designs into working websites. Support for AI code generation will follow in the next few weeks, Figma said. WATCH: The rise of AI ‘vibe coding’ Source link #Figma #launches #premium #Figma #vibecoding #software #designer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Raptor Lake instability saga continues as Intel releases 0x12F update to fix Vmin instability Raptor Lake instability saga continues as Intel releases 0x12F update to fix Vmin instability Reports of Raptor Lake instability issues have been at an all-time low since Intel released firmware updates several months ago — but they’re not completely gone. Intel released microcode update 0x12F last week to fix Vmin Shift instability, an issue that was thought to have been fixed with previous microcode updates. Microcode update 0x12F is reportedly an extension of the microcode update 0x12B, and it supplements 0x12B with additional fixes that weren’t covered. Specifically, 0x12F fixes a limited issue surrounding instability on Raptor Lake systems operating for multiple days in a row, running low-activity, lightly-threaded workloads. Intel confirmed that microcode update 0x12F does not incur any additional performance penalties beyond what previous microcode updates might have added. To clarify, microcode update 0x12F specifically applies to 13th- and 14th-generation processors and does not apply to Intel’s latest-generation Core Ultra 200S series processors, which have no (known) instability issues. Intel fixed the majority of Raptor Lake’s instability issues in September 2024 with mega firmware update 0x12B, which addressed several major issues causing chaos on affected chips (and lead many chips to an accelerated death). Update 0x12B combined microcode updates 0x125 and 0x129, and addressed elevated voltage requests by Raptor Lake CPUs during light activity or when idle. (Update 0x125 addressed an eTVB issue causing Vmin shift, while 0x129 addressed other high voltage requests by Raptor Lake CPUs, similar to 0x12B). Prior to these firmware updates, many Raptor Lake chips were experiencing accelerated wear and tear, especially on the K-series parts — due to extreme stress on the clock tree circuit inside the IA core, and excessively high voltages and temperatures. Failure of the clock tree circuit would cause a shift in the clock duty cycle, leading to system instability — and, in many cases, CPU death. Raptor Lake owners won’t have to wait long for BIOS updates to arrive with the new firmware update. ComputerBase reports that some motherboard makers, such as ASRock, are already releasing BIOS updates with microcode update 0x12F. 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. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Raptor #Lake #instability #saga #continues #Intel #releases #0x12F #update #fix #Vmin #instability Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Weightwatchers files for bankruptcy as Ozempic and Mounjaro surge in popularity. Weightwatchers files for bankruptcy as Ozempic and Mounjaro surge in popularity. WeightWatchers has filed for bankruptcy in the US as it struggles with debt and fierce competition from ****-loss jabs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. The legal process will see $1.15bn (£860mn) of the 60-year-old diet brand’s debt written off while it agrees new terms for paying back its lenders. WeightWatchers said it will remain “fully operational” during the process with “no impact to members”. It follows the meteoric rise in popularity of weightloss injections in what the firm said was a “rapidly changing weight management landscape”. “WeightWatchers has empowered millions of members to make informed, healthy choices, staying resilient as trends have come and gone,” said chief executive Tara Comonte. Source link #Weightwatchers #files #bankruptcy #Ozempic #Mounjaro #surge #popularity Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xbox-Branded Handheld Photos Leak, As Xbox App Gets Handheld-Friendly Update Xbox-Branded Handheld Photos Leak, As Xbox App Gets Handheld-Friendly Update The odds of an Xbox-branded handheld arriving this year look like they’re increasing. That’s because images have leaked of the ROG Ally 2, with one version sporting an Xbox button and better specs, according to VideoCardz. This would confirm reports from earlier this year that Microsoft was partnering with Asus on a portable device. On X, user Huang514 posted pictures of two different variations of the ROG Ally 2. The ****** version is supposedly the Xbox-branded edition of the hardware, apparently boasting an eight-core AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor and 64GB of memory. The images were discoverable after website 91mobiles spotted Indonesian certification office entries for the devices from Asus. Keep in mind that the official Xbox account on X teased a collaboration with Asus in March, too. This all certainly sounds like project Kennan. In addition, in possibly a happenstance moment, The Verge’s Tom Warren noted on BlueSky that the Xbox app on PC just received an update that adds battery status and Wi-Fi signal icons for the compact mode. These newly implemented features certainly seem relevant in light of the leaked images. The ROG Ally launched in mid-2023 and became a Steam Deck competitor. Last year, Asus delivered a mid-generation refresh with the ROG Ally X, sporting a ******* battery and more RAM. Meanwhile, it’s believed Microsoft is working internally on its own Xbox handheld that could come out in 2027 along with a new home console. What will be intriguing for this apparent Xbox edition of the ROG Ally 2 relates to the handheld’s price tag. Microsoft just raised Xbox Series X|S console prices–Series X now costs $600–and stated that select first-party games will retail for $80 this holiday season. Source link #XboxBranded #Handheld #Photos #Leak #Xbox #App #HandheldFriendly #Update Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

EU will announce countermeasures against US tariffs on Thursday EU will announce countermeasures against US tariffs on Thursday Maros Sefcovic, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security; Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency, speaks to reporters in Singapore on May 7, 2025, after signing of the EU-Singapore Digital Trade Agreement (DTA), a landmark initiative enhancing digital economic cooperation between the European Union and Singapore. Roslan Rahman | Afp | Getty Images The European Union’s executive arm will announce further details of its proposed countermeasures to U.S. tariffs in a Thursday update, European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said Wednesday. “Tomorrow we will announce next preparatory steps, both in the area of possible rebalancing measures, and also in the areas important for the further discussions,” Sefcovic said during a news conference in Singapore on Wednesday, in comments reported by Reuters. CNBC has contacted the European Commission for comment. In a statement on Tuesday, Sefcovic said: “A negotiated solution [with the U.S.] remains our clear preference, respecting our interests and regulatory autonomy. To help get talks underway, we’ve scoped out ways to reduce barriers. We now need the U.S. to show it’s ready for a fair, balanced deal.” Trump initially imposed a 20% “reciprocal” tariff on all goods coming from the EU but paused the measures for 90 days for negotiations, lowering the duty to 10% until that time. A 25% tariff on foreign cars and steel and aluminum imports remains in place. The EU has currently paused its initial set of retaliatory measures — a response to the metals duties — which target around 21 billion euros ($24.1 billion) worth of U.S. goods, chiefly with a tariff rate of 25%. Source link #announce #countermeasures #tariffs #Thursday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

How tensions escalated between India and Pakistan How tensions escalated between India and Pakistan In the early hours of Wednesday, India said it had launched a series of missile strikes on what it called “terrorist infrastructure sites” in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan said six locations were hit, with 26 people killed and 46 injured. Meanwhile, India’s army said 10 civilians were killed by Pakistani shelling on its side of the de facto border. Pakistan said it shot down five Indian jets and a drone. Delhi has not commented on this. Hear from BBC reporters and witnesses on the ground about how the day of escalating tensions unfolded. Video produced by Anahita Sachdev. Source link #tensions #escalated #India #Pakistan Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Concerns raised over Foresight AI trained on 57 million NHS medical records Concerns raised over Foresight AI trained on 57 million NHS medical records The Foresight AI model uses data taken from hospital and family doctor records in England Hannah McKay/Reuters/Bloomberg via Getty Images An artificial intelligence model trained on the medical data of 57 million people who have used the National Health Service in England could one day assist doctors in predicting disease or forecast hospitalisation rates, its creators have claimed. However, other researchers say there are still significant privacy and data protection concerns around such large-scale use of health data, while even the AI’s architects say they can’t guarantee that it won’t inadvertently reveal sensitive patient data. The model, called Foresight, was first developed in 2023. That initial version used OpenAI’s GPT-3, the large language model (LLM) behind the first version of ChatGPT, and trained on 1.5 million real patient records from two London hospitals. Now, Chris Tomlinson at University College London and his colleagues have scaled up Foresight to create what they say is the world’s first “national-scale generative AI model of health data” and the largest of its kind. Foresight uses eight different datasets of medical information routinely collected by the NHS in England between November 2018 to December 2023 and is based on Meta’s open-source LLM Llama 2. These datasets include outpatient appointments, hospital visits, vaccination data and records, comprising a total of 10 billion different health events for 57 million people – essentially everyone in England. Tomlinson says his team isn’t releasing information about how well Foresight performs because the model is still being tested, but he claims it could one day be used to do everything from making individual diagnoses to predicting broad future health trends, such as hospitalisations or heart attacks. “The real potential of Foresight is to predict disease complications before they happen, giving us a valuable window to intervene early, and enabling a shift towards more preventative healthcare at scale,” he told a press conference on 6 May. While the potential benefits are yet to be supported, there are already concerns about people’s medical data being fed to an AI at such a large scale. The researchers insist all records were “de-identified” before being used to train the AI, but the risks of someone being able to use patterns in the data to re-identify the records are well-recorded, particularly when it comes to large datasets. “Building powerful generative AI models that protect patient privacy is an open, unsolved scientific problem,” says Luc Rocher at the University of Oxford. “The very richness of data that makes it valuable for AI also makes it incredibly hard to anonymise. These models should remain under strict NHS control where they can be safely used.” “The data that goes into the model is de-identified, so the direct identifiers are removed,” said Michael Chapman at NHS Digital, speaking at the press conference. But Chapman, who oversees the data used to train Foresight, admitted that there is always a risk of re-identification: “It’s then very hard with rich health data to give 100 per cent certainty that somebody couldn’t be spotted in that dataset.” To mitigate this risk, Chapman said the AI is operating within a custom-built “secure” NHS data environment to ensure that information isn’t leaked out of the model and is accessible only to approved researchers. Amazon Web Services and data company Databricks have also supplied “computational infrastructure”, but can’t access the data, said Tomlinson. Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye at Imperial College London says one way to check whether models can reveal sensitive information is to verify whether they can memorise data seen during training. When asked by New Scientist whether the Foresight team had conducted these tests, Tomlinson said it hadn’t, but that it was looking at doing so in the future. Using such a vast dataset without communicating to people how the data has been used can also weaken public trust, says Caroline Green at the University of Oxford. “Even if it is being anonymised, it’s something that people feel very strongly about from an ethical point of view, because people usually want to keep control over their data and they want to know where it’s going.” But existing controls give people little chance to opt out of their data being used by Foresight. All of the data used to train the model comes from nationally collected NHS datasets, and because it has been “de-identified”, existing opt-out mechanisms don’t apply, says an NHS England spokesperson, though people who have chosen not to share data from their family doctor won’t have this fed into the model. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), people must have the option to withdraw consent for the use of their personal data, but because of the way LLMs like Foresight are trained, it isn’t possible to remove a single record from an AI tool. The NHS England spokesperson says that “as the data used to train the model is anonymised, it is not using personal data and GDPR would therefore not apply”. Exactly how the GDPR should address the impossibility of removing data from an LLM is an untested legal question, but the *** Information Commissioner’s Office’s website states that “de-identified” data should not be used as a synonym for anonymous data. “This is because *** data protection law doesn’t define the term, so using it can lead to confusion,” it states. The legal position is further complicated because Foresight is currently being used only for research related to covid-19, says Tomlinson. That means exceptions to data protection laws enacted during the pandemic still apply, says Sam Smith at medConfidential, a *** data privacy organisation. “This covid-only AI almost certainly has patient data embedded in it, which cannot be let out of the lab,” he says. “Patients should have control over how their data is used.” Ultimately, the competing rights and responsibilities around using medical data for AI leave Foresight in an uncertain position. “There is a bit of a problem when it comes to AI development, where the ethics and people are a second thought, rather than the starting point,” says Green. “But what we need is the humans and the ethics need to be the starting point, and then comes the technology.” Article amended on 7 May 2025 We have correctly attributed comments made by an NHS England spokesperson Topics: Source link #Concerns #raised #Foresight #trained #million #NHS #medical #records Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ford Motors cites tariffs for hiking prices on some Mexico-made vehicles – National Ford Motors cites tariffs for hiking prices on some Mexico-made vehicles – National Ford Motor is hiking prices on three of its Mexico-produced models effective May 2, becoming one of the first major automakers to adjust sticker prices following U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Prices on the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, Maverick pickup and Bronco Sport will increase by as much as US$2,000 on some models, according to a notice sent to dealers reviewed by Reuters. Ford earlier this week said U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war would add about US$2.5 billion in costs for 2025, but it expects to reduce that exposure by around US$1 billion. Rival General Motors GM.N said last week tariffs were projected to cost it between US$4 billion and US$5 billion following the imposition of hefty levies on foreign imports of automobiles, but it expected to offset that by at least 30 per cent. A Ford spokesperson said the price hikes will affect vehicles built after May 2, which would arrive at dealer lots in late June. The spokesperson said the price hikes reflect “usual” mid-year pricing actions, “combined with some tariffs we are facing. We have not passed on the full cost of tariffs to our customers.” Story continues below advertisement Ford shares fell less than one per cent in morning trading. The automaker is still running a discount program through the July 4 weekend on many of its models, the spokesperson said. 1:55 White House reverses course on ********* auto parts tariffs Trump’s tariffs have unleashed weeks of uncertainty across the auto sector, as major carmakers in the United States and Europe have pulled forecasts, shifted production and caused companies to idle plants. Trending Now Smith dismisses Ford’s warning about separatist threats in Alberta Former Quebec junior hockey player Noah Corson sentenced to 2 years of jail time in sex-assault case Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Following weeks of pushback from the auto industry, Trump softened his tariffs on foreign auto parts imports to give carmakers credits for what is produced in the U.S. and to avoid double-tariffs on raw materials used in auto production. However, the White House has not rescinded a 25 per cent tariff on the eight million vehicles the U.S. imports annually. Analysts have said U.S. auto sales could drop by more than one million vehicles a year if tariffs were to remain in place. Story continues below advertisement Ford is in a better position to weather tariffs than some of its competitors because of its strong U.S. manufacturing base. The Dearborn, Michigan automaker assembles 79 per cent of its U.S.-sold vehicles domestically, compared to GM’s 53 per cent, Barclays analysts said in a note. Still, Ford imports one of its most affordable and popular vehicles, the Maverick, from Mexico. Most major U.S. automakers face significant price hikes on their cheaper models produced in the country. Ford and GM also face significant levies on imports from China and South Korea, respectively. GM estimated that the costs on its Korean imports totaled about US$2 billion, while Ford declined to specify the expenses around importing vehicles from China. —Reporting by Nora Eckert; Editing by Andrew Heavens, Kirsten Donovan More on Lifestyle More videos Source link #Ford #Motors #cites #tariffs #hiking #prices #Mexicomade #vehicles #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Strange microbes give clues to the ancestor of all complex life Strange microbes give clues to the ancestor of all complex life An artist’s impression of Earth in the Archaean Eon, 3.8 billion to 2.5 billion years ago CHRISTIAN JEGOU/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Mysterious microbes living in wetlands in China have helped to narrow down when the ancestor of all animals and plants lived – and the oxygenation of Earth’s atmosphere may have played a key role in its emergence. The new data brings us a step closer to understanding “an event which happened billions of years ago”, says Burak Avcı at Aarhus University in Denmark. This event was… Source link #Strange #microbes #give #clues #ancestor #complex #life Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Review – Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero (PC) | WayTooManyGames Review – Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero (PC) | WayTooManyGames Travis Bruno of Capsule Computers writes: “When it comes to Nippon Ichi Software the first game series that many will think of is Disgaea, and rightly so since not only is that their first major game to make a mark in the West, but it is also one that they have tapped into consistently throughout the years, be it sequels, spin-offs, enhanced editions, and more. This has left quite a few of their other RPGs lost to the past or rarely touched to the point that not too long ago the company brought some of these RPGs out again through classics collections. One such game that was included in those collections happened to be Phantom Brave, an oft revisited title by Nippon Ichi that saw various enhancements through the years but never was given a chance at a sequel. Until now that is. Arriving over twenty years after the first game, Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero gives fans a chance to see how Marona and Ash’s story will continue, but will it be for the best?” Source link #Review #Phantom #Brave #Lost #Hero #WayTooManyGames Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Wall St edges up on China trade de-escalation hopes Wall St edges up on China trade de-escalation hopes The three main US stock indexes are inching higher as hopes for a de-escalation in trade tensions with Beijing firmed and investors awaited the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decision later in the day. Washington announced late on Tuesday that representatives of the two countries would meet over the weekend in Switzerland for ice-breaker trade discussions. The meetings will follow weeks of ****-for-tat tariffs that roiled financial markets and flagged concerns about global economic growth. Mixed signals from the world’s two biggest economies recently on the status of the negotiations have led to uncertainty, pushing many companies to shelve their forecasts. The US central bank, meanwhile, adopted a wait-and-watch approach despite signs of slowing growth. President Donald Trump’s administration has said potential deals with major trading partners are underway, but markets are yet to see tangible results on that front. “There’s a lot of theatre that’s going to go on, but I would think that (moving forward) sooner rather than later is probably what both parties want,” said Kim Forrest, chief investment officer at Bokeh Capital Partners in Pittsburgh. “It’s become clear that a lot of the tariff talks are more for discussions on how to change trade.” In early trading on Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 221.20 points, or 0.54 per cent, to 41,050.20, the S&P 500 gained 18.42 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 5,625.33, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 43.41 points, or 0.25 per cent, to 17,733.07. Seven of the 11 S&P 500 sectors ticked up, with communication services among top advancers, helped by Walt Disney’s 10.4 per cent rise after the streaming firm’s quarterly results topped Street expectations. The US Federal Reserve is scheduled to announce its policy decision on Wednesday afternoon, when it is widely expected to hold interest rates steady. Traders are now roughly pricing in a rate cut by July, according to data compiled by LSEG, after a mixed bag of reports last week signaled a slowing US economy and resilient labour market. Commentary from policymakers will be scrutinised for clues on how they plan to approach monetary policy easing this year, given the backdrop of Trump’s criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell as well as repeated calls for lower interest rates, which spooked investors in April. Wall Street ended lower for the second straight session on Tuesday, but all indexes have recouped declines logged since Trump’s announcement of “Liberation Day” reciprocal tariffs on April 2. Advanced Micro Devices was up 2.2 per cent after the chipmaker forecast revenue for the second quarter above Street estimates. Uber dropped six per cent as the ride-hailing company missed quarterly revenue expectations. CrowdStrike dropped 3.9 per cent. The cybersecurity company reiterated its fiscal 2025 and 2026 forecasts and announced a plan to cut jobs. Contract research firm Charles River Laboratories shot up 20 per cent after it said it had reached an agreement with activist investor Elliott Investment Management and raised its 2025 earnings forecast. Arista Networks fell 6.9 per cent after its quarterly report. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 2.37-to-1 ratio on the NYSE, and by a 1.6-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted seven new 52-week highs and three new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 24 new highs and 37 new lows. Source link #Wall #edges #China #trade #deescalation #hopes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The birds upending our idea of shared parenting The birds upending our idea of shared parenting Superb starlings take an unusual approach to co-parenting Grahame Cornforth / Alamy Stock Photo They say it takes a village to raise a child; for these birds, it is no different. Superb starlings not only help raise other starlings’ chicks, but they also switch between the roles of “parent” and “nanny” multiple times throughout their lives. Scientists have long debated whether animals other than humans are capable of reciprocity – the tendency to help individuals in the hope they will help you down the road in turn. Recent research has uncovered that animals such as elephants, orcas and some primates care for the young of others. By analysing 20 years’ worth of data from a breeding site of African superb starlings (Lamprotornis superbus) in Kenya, researchers found the birds also display this complex social behaviour. Up to 16 “helper” birds would assist a given set of parents in rearing their chicks. While the birds showed some preference for helping those to which they were genetically related, they would readily give aid to – and accept help from – non-kin group members. This finding also undercuts the assumption that only closely related individuals act altruistically towards one another when rearing young. What was especially unusual was that the breeding pair would often switch to a helper role during the next reproductive season. In species where animals act as “nannies” to others, they are typically younger individuals that stand to benefit from the experience before graduating to parenthood. Here, even seasoned bird parents take turns as helpers. “These benefits are likely to combine and interact in fascinating ways that we don’t yet fully understand,” says Gerry Carter at Princeton University. The authors say the discovery would not have been possible with a short-term study, as the pattern emerged only over many years of observation. Around 10 per cent of all bird species breed cooperatively, and long-term studies may reveal reciprocal relationships in these groups as well, says Carter. Topics: Source link #birds #upending #idea #shared #parenting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Chaos spreads at Co-op and M&S following DragonForce attacks Chaos spreads at Co-op and M&S following DragonForce attacks The bank holiday weekend saw continuing disruption from a series of cyber attacks on the *** retail sector that have unfolded over the past fortnight, with gaps appearing on shelves at Marks and Spencer (M&S) and Co-op. The attacks, which began over the Easter weekend, have been claimed by representatives of the DragonForce ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation. They were first linked to Scattered Spider and The Com, two overlapping English-speaking hacking collectives, acting as a DragonForce affiliate. In a further update over the weekend, Co-op CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq told customers via email that the cyber criminals behind the attack were “highly sophisticated” and that managing its severity meant multiple services must remain suspended. Khoury-Haq reiterated that customer data has been impacted in the attack. “This is obviously extremely distressing for our colleagues and members, and I am very sorry this happened. We recognise the importance of data protection and take our obligations to you and our regulators seriously, particularly as a member-owned organisation,” she said. The impacted data on Co-op members appears to include names, dates of birth and contact information, but not passwords, financial details, or any information on members’ shopping habits or other interactions with the organisation. DragonForce, the white-label ransomware-as-a-service group claiming responsibility for all three attacks, had previously shared a sample of this data on about 10,000 Co-op members with the BBC and told reporters that other *** retailers were on a blacklist. Meanwhile, M&S insiders – speaking to Sky News – revealed how IT staff have been forced to sleep over in the office amid the chaos. The employees described how a lack of planning for such a scenario had led to chaos within M&S, and said it could be a significant length of time before things start to return to normal. The National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Jonathan Ellison and Ollie Whitehouse, director of national resilience and chief technology officer respectively, said: “The NCSC is working with organisations affected by the recent incidents to understand the nature of the attacks and to minimise the harm done by them, and providing advice to the wider sector and economy. “Whilst we have insights, we are not yet in a position to say if these attacks are linked, if this is a concerted campaign by a single actor, or whether there is no link between them at all. We are working with the victims and law enforcement colleagues to ascertain that,” they said. “We are also sharing what we know with the companies involved and the wider sector – through our sector-focused Trust Groups run by the NCSC – and encouraging companies to share their experiences and mitigations with each other,” added Ellison and Whitehouse. What is DragonForce? SentinelOne senior threat researcher Jim Walter said DragonForce had started out as a Malaysia-based hacktivist network supporting ************ causes, but since its emergence in the summer of 2023 it has pivoted to a hybrid model of political hacktivism and ransomware-enabled extortion. It has targeted multiple government bodies in Israel, India, Saudi Arabia and the ***, as well as commercial businesses and organisations aligned with specific political causes. The wave of attacks against *** businesses highlights the ongoing need for strong cyber security practices and policies, along with well-developed incident response procedures Jim Walter, SentinelOne Walters said that although some components of the attacks had been attributed to an affiliate, there was a lack of strong technical evidence in this regard, although there were clear behavioural and operational characteristics consistent with attacks by Scattered Spider and The Com. “While DragonForce continues to blur the line between hacktivism and financial motivation, its recent targeting suggests the group is increasingly motivated by financial rewards,” wrote Walters in a blog post. “Although DragonForce’s large-scale cartel model is not the first of its kind, its current successes and the recent demise of rival operations suggest that it will become increasingly attractive both to orphaned ransomware actors and more resourced groups looking to thrive in an increasingly competitive space. “The wave of attacks against *** businesses in recent weeks highlights the ongoing need for strong cyber security practices and policies, along with well-developed incident response procedures.” DragonForce, or its affiliates, typically gain access to their victim environments using a combination of targeted phishing emails and exploitation of known vulnerabilities. They have favoured several ‘hardy perennials’, including Log4j and high-profile Ivanti vulnerabilities. It is also known to use stolen credentials – this may have been the case in the M&S incident, and or credential stuffing attacks against remote desktop protocol (RDP) services or virtual private networks (VPNs). Typically, it uses Cobalt Strike and similar tools to run its campaigns, and remote management tools such as mimikatz, Advanced IP Scanner and PingCastle to conduct lateral movement, establish persistence and elevate their privilege. These are all highly typical behaviours for ransomware gangs. The ransomware payload, which was initially built entirely on the leaked LockBit 3.0/****** locker, has of late evolved into a bespoke branded ransomware with more roots in Conti’s codebase. Its encryption features are a little out of the ordinary – it uses AES for primary file encryption and RSA to secure the keys – although Conti-derived samples encrypt with the ChaCha8 algorithm. Affiliates can take advantage of various tools to build new payloads and manage campaigns, with targeted variants for platforms such as Linux, VMware ESXi and Windows. The payloads can also be heavily customised in their behaviour, so affiliates can dictate, for example, what extensions they want to append, different command line scripts, and allow and deny lists for file encryption. They can even set up delayed execution if they wish. For data exfiltration, multiple options are possible, and affiliates can also set up collaborative teams within the ransomware control panel, enabling them to more effectively work together and communicate and coordinate with victims More recently, DragonForce has introduced a new white-labelling service that lets affiliates wrap the ransomware in their own branding for an additional fee, expanding into a more active cartel type service, explained Walters. Source link #Chaos #spreads #Coop #DragonForce #attacks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Live Updates: Cardinals Begin Conclave to Elect Pope Live Updates: Cardinals Begin Conclave to Elect Pope Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York has some advice for cardinals who are about to experience their first conclave. “Bring a book,” he said in an interview on Tuesday afternoon, as the cardinals packed their bags to move into Casa Santa Marta, the ******** City guesthouse where scores of cardinals stay during the conclave, the process of selecting the next leader of the Catholic Church. “I do,” said Cardinal Dolan, “because in the conclave is mostly silence.” When the cardinals meet for the conclave, they gather in the Sistine Chapel. All cardinal electors must swear an oath of secrecy and vote by secret ballot. The cardinals cast repeated votes until there is a two-thirds majority, and the next pope is selected. The voting process can take an hour or two each time, so there is a lot of waiting while each cardinal fills out his ballot and submits it in an elaborate ritual to ensure there are no election violations, he said. “It’s not like you’re at the edge of the seat, and watching them all do that,” said Cardinal Dolan, who attended the conclave that elected Pope Francis in 2013. He’s bringing a biography of Michelangelo, which felt appropriate, as he will be surrounded by some of the artist’s masterpieces, including “The Last Judgment,” which depicts the second coming of Christ and covers the altar wall of the Sistine Chapel. Cardinal Dolan said he had top candidates for pontiff in mind, men whose writing and work he has studied. “You want to see a guy who speaks well, you look for some linguistic ability. It would be very difficult for someone who did not know enough Italian,” he said. “If you don’t know the difference between carbonara and tagliatelle, you’re in trouble. It would be very difficult for somebody who only knows Italian, because you’re also a universal pastor.” As he spoke, he looked down at St. Peter’s Basilica from the roof terrace of the Pontifical North American College. “I think it’ll be longer than last time,” he said, referring to the process that selected Pope Francis, which took two days. He said he had brought 12 packets of peanut butter, thinking that would be enough for him to eat three a day while sequestered. “So you figure that out,” he said on the math. The meetings held before the conclave have been “strenuous,” he said, with “one cardinal after another” getting up to speak. Cardinal Dolan said the cardinals had shared their concerns about what they see as challenges for Christians in Islamic countries; in countries with oppressive governments; in regions without enough Catholic priests; or where religious liberty is suppressed. “Think of the cardinal from Sudan. Think of the cardinals from the Holy Land,” he said. One cardinal was grateful that Francis had traveled all over the world, he said, while another said maybe the next pope should largely stay at the ******** and bring cardinals to meet with him there. “One of the cardinals said, I love Pope Francis, and I am grateful for his 12 years. But we are here to elect the successor of Peter, not the successor of Francis,” he said, referring to St. Peter, the first pope. “That of course is true.
We have to remember that.” The ancient and elaborate rituals of the conclave can be mystifying for those watching from afar. But new cardinals “will also say, we don’t really know the rituals and the protocol, we don’t even know what to wear,” he said. “They’re so honest and they’re so fresh.” After a morning Mass on Wednesday, the cardinals are expected to go back to Casa Santa Marta, unpack and have lunch. The accommodation and cuisine are relatively simple. “The food’s not that good,” Cardinal Dolan said. The process is also extremely secretive, so much so that at the last conclave, even the blinds of Cardinal Dolan’s windows were secured shut so that no one could see in or out. ******** City shuts down, and the cardinals are sequestered, but they have a physician and a confessor available, “if we need help in body or soul,” he said. Source link #Live #Updates #Cardinals #Conclave #Elect #Pope Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Smokey Robinson accused of ******* assault by former housekeepers – The Washington Post Smokey Robinson accused of ******* assault by former housekeepers – The Washington Post Smokey Robinson accused of ******* assault by former housekeepers The Washington PostSmokey Robinson accused of ******* assault by four women BBCSmokey Robinson issues 3-word response to shocking ******* assault allegations New York Post4 women file lawsuit accusing Smokey Robinson of ***** and ******* assault ABC NewsMotown legend Smokey Robinson is accused of ******* assault by 4 housekeepers in lawsuit NBC News Source link #Smokey #Robinson #accused #******* #assault #housekeepers #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Everything you need to know about Ragnarok X: Next Generation Everything you need to know about Ragnarok X: Next Generation The beloved cult-classic, Ragnarok X: Next Generation (ROX), is making its triumphant launch in the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and Western Europe on May 8th. Developed by Gravity Game Hub (GGH)–the original creators of Ragnarok Online–ROX is a free-to-play remake featuring enhanced full 3D visuals and fresh gameplay mechanics that bring the magic of the original series forward for a new generation. With pre-registrations live on PC, iOS, and Android, GameSpot is here to tell you everything you need to know about Ragnarok X: Next Generation and how it introduces the next chapter of the Ragnarok series. Explore a living, breathing, player-driven world In Ragnarok X: Next Generation, combat is just one of many ways to enjoy the adventure. Rox is a dynamic world with a real in-game economy shaped directly by player activity. Venture into dungeons to uncover rare loot to trade, or take on life skill jobs like fishing, mining, and farming to gather resources for yourself and to sell in the market. Just like in real life, the in-game market is in constant flux, creating an immersive environment that rewards player resourcefulness and ingenuity. The major cities of ROX are also constantly evolving. Explore them solo or with friends to uncover hidden quests, secret dungeons, and limited-time events. Or kick back and relax–shop for new gear, complete your daily chores, and partake in mini-games like Battle of Arms. Forge your path alone or with friends Whether you’re tackling Midgard’s challenges by yourself or teaming up with friends, ROX lets you choose your path. Going solo is a satisfying way to overcome obstacles and build something of your very own, but when you’re ready to band together via cross-play, you and your adventurer buddies can clear dungeons, hunt powerful MVP bosses, and unravel the world’s many mysteries. The new and improved guild system makes joining a guild or building and managing your own a simple affair. Guilds aren’t just opportunities to join fellow players to find quests but also to take part in events and earn some excellent rewards, ranging from exclusive offline prizes to in-game loot. Anyone who forms or joins a guild to partake in guild events qualifies for rewards, so don’t be afraid to invite your friends or make new ones within ROX’s lively community. Choose from six evolving classes From the moment you step into Midgard, players’ destinies can branch into six professions, each with unique paths, signature abilities, and legendary gear: Swordsmen can embrace the stalwart defence of the Knight or – for team boosting buffs–the holy might of the Crusader Mages harness elements as Wizards to unleash devastating spells or refine their magical arts into supportive Sages for enchantments to turn the tide of battle. Archers can progress to become Hunters whose arrows block out the sun, or a harmonious Bard for inspirational melodies to aid teammates. Acolytes can become Priests whose healing abilities can safeguard their comrades, or channel their faith into Monks’ chants, which offer both damage and protection. Thieves can either take the stealthy route to become a deadly Assassin, or they can use their cunning to become a Rogue, where their unique tricks and speed can give them the edge. Merchants can become Blacksmiths to master the art of weapon and armour creation, or Alchemists to brew special potions and elixirs that can reshape the flow of combat. As you play, you’ll unlock new Tiers in your chosen profession to gain even more powerful skills, plus exclusive mounts and class-specific equipment. All these elements mean that you can fine-tune your build for any challenge, whether it’s PvE raids, PvP showdowns, or all-out Guild v Guild brawls. Every drop is yours to trade, and with the economy of the game driven by the player, trading your equipment, along with the bounty from your fishing, cooking, and mining activities, is very much encouraged. Whatever path you choose, be it the path of steel or the road of ingenuity, the journey is unique to you. Fully customisable real-time gameplay Job classes in Ragnarok X: Next Generation have roles tailored to specific playstyles. These can be further customised by equipping different weapon types and allocating skill points to boost specific stats. Play as an archer with boosted vitality to increase your HP and stay in the fight for longer, or play as a fleet-footed acolyte with a boosted dexterity stat to evade enemy attacks while keeping the team alive with healing magic. Combat in ROX takes place in real time, with fast, responsive controls that can be fully customised on both mobile and PC. The improved auto-battle and pathfinding systems let players dynamically engage enemies using preset tactics and locate and complete quests automatically. A cult-classic reborn Whether you’re new to the franchise or a seasoned veteran, Ragnarok X: Next Generation delivers a fresh experience that blends nostalgia with modern, intuitive gameplay set in a charming, colourful, and vibrant world. As an award-winning free-to-play MMORPG that avoids pay-to-win mechanics, ROX is the most accessible entry in the franchise yet, giving players the freedom to forge their own journey, shape their identity, and immerse themselves in the decades-long story that started it all. Recognized by Google Play as the Best Game of the Year, Best Competitive Game, and Best Tablet Game, ROX continues to redefine the future of mobile MMORPGs. Combining nostalgic appeal with cross-platform gameplay, ROX brings an unparalleled gaming experience that redefines what players expect from an MMORPG. Join over 20 million players already online when Ragnarok X: Next Generation launches on May 8 across North America, South America, and Western Europe on PC, App Store, and Google Play. Source link #Ragnarok #Generation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Liam Payne left behind £24m fortune without making a will Liam Payne left behind £24m fortune without making a will Liam Payne left behind money, property and possessions worth more than £24m when he died last year, official records show. The former One Direction singer died in Argentina in October without making a will. If someone dies without making a will, the rules say any children will normally inherit their estate if there is no living husband, wife or civil partner. Payne never married but he and Former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl had a son, Bear, who is now aged nine. Cheryl, who was Payne’s partner for more than two years, and music industry lawyer Richard Bray have been named administrators of his estate. They will manage the money, but they currently have limited authority and cannot distribute it. Payne died at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. His death shocked the music world and millions of fans of One Direction, one of the most successful pop groups of the 2010s. Probate documents show that the total gross value of his estate was £28.6m, but was reduced to £24.3m when any debts and expenses were deducted. Tweedy and Bray have been given a limited grant of representation, described as being “to allow the administrator power to preserve the deceased’s estate until a general grant is made”. Source link #Liam #Payne #left #24m #fortune #making Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Overwatch 2 and Street Fighter 6 Crossover Leaked by PlayStation Overwatch 2 and Street Fighter 6 Crossover Leaked by PlayStation A leak on the official PlayStation website revealed an upcoming crossover between Overwatch 2 and Street Fighter 6. Source link #Overwatch #Street #Fighter #Crossover #Leaked #PlayStation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Volvo XC70 returns from the dead, but it’s no longer a wagon Volvo XC70 returns from the dead, but it’s no longer a wagon The Volvo XC70 is back, but this time around it’s a not jacked high-riding wagon, but a plug-in hybrid crossover. The XC70 is the first product from Volvo to ride on the new Scalable Modular Architecture (SMA) designed primarily for “extended range plug-in hybrid” drivetrains. Newly reinstalled CEO Hakan Samuelsson says the new XC70 offers a “highly attractive alternative to customers who are not yet ready for fully electric cars”. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert Drivetrain and battery details have yet to be released, but the company claims the XC70 has an EV range of 200km when using China’s generous CLTC standard. Similarly Volvo is keeping its powder dry regarding the XC70’s dimensions, with the company simply stating it is “slightly larger and more spacious” than the 4.7m-long XC60. The XC70 will be available to order later this year in China, and Volvo says it will explore “potential additional markets at a later stage”. Presumably more details about the car will be released closer to its full launch. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert Like the all-electric ES90 sedan and EX90 crossover, the XC70 has a grille-less front end featuring the latest interpretation of the Thor’s hammer headlight graphic. Along the side, the XC70 has flush-fitting door handles and frameless windows. While at the rear, the brand’s signature hockey stick tail-lights reach all the way up to the roof. Back in 2021 Volvo was one of the first “legacy” automakers to commit to an electric-only range, promising to sell its last vehicle with an internal combustion engine by 2030. In Australia the brand was even more ambitious, claiming it would go EV-only by 2026. While the market share for electric vehicles continues to grow, especially in Europe and China, their uptake hasn’t been quite as fast as many automakers had originally envisioned. Volvo has now revised its target, hoping to have electrified vehicles — plug-in hybrid and full electric — account for 90 per cent of global sales by 2030. Camera IconSupplied Credit: CarExpert Clearly the launch of an all-new plug-in hybrid model in 2025 wasn’t part of Volvo’s planning at the beginning of the decade. With the XC70, not only is Volvo reacting to drivetrain preferences, but according to Mr Samuelsson, it is also “example of regionalisation, where we adapt to the local market needs”. Following on from the EM90 people mover, the XC70 is second Volvo model designed primarily with China in mind. The XC70 name has been dormant since the mid-2010s. Originally launched in 1997 as a high-riding, all-wheel drive variant of the V70 wagon patterned after the highly popular Subaru Outback based on Liberty wagon. Camera IconEarly 2000s XC70 Credit: CarExpert Branding differed from market to market, with some calling the lifted the Volvo wagon the V70 Cross Country, and others the V70 XC. It wasn’t until after the launch and success of the XC90 crossover the company finally settled on the XC70 name. Starting in 2016, Volvo simplified its model naming structure around the 40-, 60- and 90-series, eliminating the likes of the V70 and S80. It also reserved the XC prefix for its SUV-like crossovers, with lifted wagons reverting to the Cross Country moniker. MORE: Everything Volvo Source link #Volvo #XC70 #returns #dead #longer #wagon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]