Pakistan vows retaliation over India’s strikes
Pakistan vows retaliation over India’s strikes
India has hit Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir with missiles and Pakistan says it shot down five Indian aircraft and is vowing to retaliate, in the worst fighting in more than two decades between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
India said it struck nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites on Wednesday, some of them linked to an attack by Islamist militants on Hindu tourists that killed 26 people in Indian Kashmir last month.
Pakistan said at least 26 people had been killed on Wednesday and India “had ignited an inferno in the region”.
Islamabad pledged to respond “at a time, place and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives and blatant violation of its sovereignty”.
A government security committee said Islamabad emphatically rejected Indian allegations of the presence of terrorist camps on its territory.
The Indian strikes included targets in Punjab, its first attacks on Pakistan’s most populous province since the last full-scale war between the old enemies more than half a century ago, triggering fears of further hostilities in one of the world’s most dangerous flashpoints.
“The targets we had set were destroyed with exactness according to a well-planned strategy,” Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.
“We have shown sensitivity by ensuring that no civilian population was affected in the slightest.”
Islamabad said none of the six locations targeted in Pakistan were militant camps.
At least 26 civilians were killed and 46 wounded, a Pakistan military spokesperson said.
Indian TV channels showed videos of explosions, fire, large plumes of smoke in the night sky and people fleeing in several places in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir.
In Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, damage from an Indian strike was visible at sunrise.
Security forces surrounded a small mosque in a hillside residential neighbourhood that had been hit, with its minaret collapsed.
Later in the day, funerals were held for several of those killed.
Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over *******-majority Kashmir, which both sides claim in full and control in part.
The Pakistan prime minister’s office said five Indian fighter jets and drones had been shot down, although this was not confirmed by India.
Local government sources in Indian Kashmir told Reuters that three fighter jets had crashed in separate areas of the Himalayan region during the night and their pilots had been hospitalised.
Indian defence ministry officials were not immediately available to confirm the report.
Images circulating on local media showed a large, damaged cylindrical chunk of metal lying in a field at one of the ****** sites.
Indian forces attacked facilities linked to Islamist militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, two Indian military spokespeople told a briefing in New Delhi, in what New Delhi called Operation Sindoor.
India had earlier said two of three suspects in the tourist attack were Pakistani nationals, without detailing any evidence.
Pakistan has denied any links to the attack and called for an independent investigation.
The strikes used precision weapons to target “terrorist camps” that served as recruitment and indoctrination centres, and housed weapons and training facilities, the military spokespeople said.
Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri, the top official in its external affairs ministry, told the briefing that the strikes were to pre-empt further attacks on India.
The neighbours also exchanged intense shelling and heavy gunfire across their de facto border in Kashmir.
The shelling killed 15 civilians and wounded 43 in the Indian part of the region, and at least six people were killed on the Pakistani side, officials said.
The scale of the strikes went far beyond New Delhi’s response to previous attacks in Kashmir it has blamed on Pakistan, including in 2019 and 2016, which some analysts said meant the risk of escalation was higher.
US President Donald Trump called the fighting “a shame” and added, “I hope it ends quickly.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for maximum military restraint from both countries, a spokesperson said.
China, which neighbours both India and Pakistan, and Russia also called for restraint.
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Square Enix Confirms Entire Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Will Come To Nintendo Switch 2
Square Enix Confirms Entire Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Will Come To Nintendo Switch 2
Since the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct aired on April 2, Nintendo has published a weekly video series called Creator’s Voice, in which developers working on games for the Nintendo Switch 2 speak about the experience. The latest video features Square Enix’s Naoki Hamaguchi, director of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, who confirmed that all three FF7 Remake games will eventually come to Switch 2.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade was included among games coming to Switch 2 mentioned during the Direct, but the Creator’s Voice video is the first confirmation that all three games–Remake, Rebirth, and the as-yet-unnamed third game–will launch on Nintendo’s new console in the future. No official release dates have been confirmed for the Switch 2 ports of Remake and Rebirth.
During the interview, Hamaguchi revealed that, despite his 24 years of experience developing games, this is the first time he’ll be creating something for a Nintendo console. “When I first saw the Switch 2, I was intrigued,” Hamaguchi says in the video. “I felt it would have enough power to run the FF7 remake series I was creating. That’s what convinced me to get involved.”
FF7 Remake Intergrade isn’t the only Square Enix game confirmed for Switch, with Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster launching on June 5–the same day as the console itself. Other Switch 2 launch titles include Mario Kart World, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, and updated Switch 2 Edition versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
The third game in the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy, meanwhile, has seen no details emerge other than a confirmation of its existence during the Final Fantasy 7 Anniversary stream in June 2022. Recently, the development team confirmed that work on the third game began immediately after Rebirth was completed, and that the story scenario had been fully written as of the end of 2024.
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These stocks’ recent earnings show they can ride out the tariff storm, says Wolfe Research
These stocks’ recent earnings show they can ride out the tariff storm, says Wolfe Research
Wolfe Research says sticking with stocks that are coming off of strong earnings are best suited to ride out tariff headwinds. “Our sense is, while tariff uncertainty reigns supreme, these companies are likely to ‘ride out the storm’ with positive fundamental momentum,” Wolfe Research chief investment strategist Chris Senyek wrote in a Wednesday note. Stocks were higher on Wednesday as investors hoped that news of preliminary trade talks between the U.S. and China will result in a deal. Markets have been volatile since President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariff announcement last month, which has some worried that the economy could be headed toward a recession as a result of the trade shakeup. To contend with the uncertainty, the firm screened for stocks that have surpassed Wall Street estimates on the top and bottom line for two-straight quarters and have risen after reporting results. Wolfe further narrowed the list by including positive year-to-date earnings per share revisions for 2025 as an additional criteria. Here’s a look at some of the names that made Wolfe’s list. Facebook-parent company Meta Platforms made the cut. Meta’s better-than-expected first-quarter results were underpinned by strength in the company’s advertising segment, despite macroeconomic pressure. Analysts lauded the results, and largely stood by their optimistic view of the stock. The results followed similarly strong fourth-quarter results earlier this year. META YTD mountain Meta Platforms stock. Analysts have also raised their EPS estimates for Meta by 0.2% so far in 2025. Eighty-eight percent of analysts polled by FactSet have a buy rating on Meta stock, with an average price target that implies about 18% upside. Streaming darling Netflix also made the list. Analysts have raised their earnings outlooks for Netflix by a robust 7% in 2025. The company is coming off of an impressive first quarter, which saw Netflix notch revenue growth of 13% thanks to increased subscription and advertising dollars. Despite the big beat, Netflix reiterated its 2025 outlook. Still, the results were encouraging enough to propel Netflix shares to a historic streak of 11 straight winning sessions. Roughly 70% of analysts surveyed by FactSet have a buy rating on Netflix stock. However, after the strong run the stock has had, the consensus price target equates to about 3% downside. Other names on Wolfe’s list include financial stocks Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase .
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It’s ‘hard to see’ how US avoids recession, economist says
It’s ‘hard to see’ how US avoids recession, economist says
00:00 Speaker A
It’s time now for today’s strategy session. Over the past few months, President Trump’s trade policies along with some other headwinds have weakened the US dollar against most major currencies, triggering doubt around the dollar’s long-standing dominance. This combined with record debt levels could create a genuine financial crisis, according to our next guest. Joining us now to discuss Kenneth Rogoff, a former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund and the author of “Our Dollar, Your Problem”. Ken, great to have you. Thank you for coming in studio.
00:25 Kenneth Rogoff
Glad thank you for having me.
00:27 Speaker A
We appreciate it. So, talk to me about the declines we’ve seen in the dollar. Was the dominance of the dollar already at risk prior to this administration? And what is that signaling to you?
00:37 Kenneth Rogoff
So, the dominance of the dollar, and we’re talking about not just the level of the dollar, which I will say is super high, still, even after coming down, but how much it’s used in trade, finance, what have you, like English. Uh, it actually was coming down for about a decade, at least, by many measures that I look at. And I think there are a lot of reasons for decline. One is there’s an appetite on the outside, particularly from China and parts of Asia, but Africa, parts of Asia, uh, uh, Russia, obviously, but Europe too, to have other options, not just for what things are denominated in, but for the financial system. You want to do a transaction that President Trump or the Americans can’t see? There’s a huge appetite. And, I tell you, it’s the, it’s not just the ********, they don’t like all this American control. So the most efficient thing is to have one currency, but not politically, not if America gives America too much power. But I’d also say, on the inside, you know, the internal problems with, particularly our budget deficit, which I know people have been talking about for decades, but interest rates have normalized in my opinion. Long-term real interest rates are probably higher for much, much, much longer. I’ve been talking about that, and writing about it for a long time in my research. Uh, you know, we had a big drop after the financial crisis happened many times. If you look at centuries, it’s high, it’s low, until it isn’t. I mean, after the Great Depression, it was down around zero for a while also. So that, when you’re the world’s biggest debtor, that’s a problem. And then if we lose some of our exorbitant privilege, which gives us a lower rate than we would pay otherwise, that’s so much the worse. I think that was fading, not going away, but clearly got an acceleration under President Trump.
03:36 Speaker B
I wonder how you evaluate all of the flows into gold by central banks and how that creates more of a long-term headwind for the dollar right now.
03:51 Kenneth Rogoff
Well, absolutely. For central bank reserves, gold has become a big option. The Russians have been doing that for ages. They’ve been absorbing their whole gold supply. The ******** are doing it. Everybody’s doing it. So, that’s, you know, that’s not the main event.
04:16 Speaker B
Sure.
04:17 Kenneth Rogoff
But, in terms of, it’s one of the signs of, they’re just trying to look to diversify. Now over the long run, gold’s not ideal. They’d like to have something more liquid, easily traded. Uh, but I think that’ll come in time.
04:32 Speaker A
Do you mind breaking down for me, just in layman’s terms, why we like to have the world’s reserve currency? Like why does that benefit us? And why might we not want to lose that status and that privilege, as you say?
04:43 Kenneth Rogoff
So it benefits us in manifold ways. And not to pitch my book, but you kind of have to read it to read about it. But, you know, the obvious ones that I mentioned, you pay an interest rate that’s lower than you would otherwise. It’s a big market, it’s so liquid, you feel safe. That was true when the *** was the dominant currency and now we are. But there are lots of other things. So one thing is we are able to borrow a lot in a crisis. And there will be another crisis. I don’t just mean one that Trump causes. I mean a pandemic, uh, cyber war, something. We, progressives complain we don’t borrow enough, but we borrow a lot more than anybody else does. And why don’t the other countries borrow as much? Because they see their interest rate shoot up. Ours go up, but more gently. Although that has gotten worse as interest rates have gone up. There are more subtle national security things that are a big deal. A lot of modern spying is cyber. Somebody sitting with a laptop in a dark room and, you know, the uh, CIA building, not the James Bond stuff. And a lot of that is uh, what we got from the financial system. Everything flows through the United States because of our dominance, the dollar, our military dominance. So, there, there are many, and there are many things beyond that. So, why might we not like it? Of course, the Trump administration has Steve Moore, who’s very smart guy who’s the chair, has said no, it’s a burden, it’s terrible. It makes the dollar high, it de-industrializes us. And, you know, a short answer to and and makes us run deficits. And a short answer to that is we’ve been the dominant currency for a while. We weren’t running deficits in the ’60s and ’70s and we were still the dominant currency. The *** was the dominant currency when, you know, the 19th century, when the sun never set on the British Empire, and they ran surpluses. Uh, there are, you know, reasons for de-industrialization which have to do with trade. There are many things that affect our, I should say there are many things that affect our exchange rate. But the big point is that our trade deficit is basically how much the country saves versus how much we invest. Invest meaning real investment, plants and equipment, etc. Well, a lot of things affect that besides the exchange rate. One of them, what do you know, is the government budget deficit, which right now is higher than our trade deficit. So if I really cared about stability and this trade deficit, how about closing up the government budget deficit?
08:28 Speaker B
At a House meeting committee hearing Tuesday, we know Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin was asked about the X-date here, the date where the U.S. government will reach its borrowing limit. I want to play a clip for you of what he said and get your reaction on the other side.
08:57 Steven Mnuchin
As an outfielder running for a fly ball, uh we are on the warning track. And, of course, the United States government will never default. That we will raise the debt ceiling and Treasury will not use the, any gimmicks. Uh, we will make sure that the debt ceiling is raised.
09:41 Speaker B
And so what, what is an appropriate level for the debt ceiling to be raised to? And, and how sustainable is the just continuous raising of the ceiling in order to accomplish what spending targets are also being put forward as well?
10:01 Kenneth Rogoff
I mean, I think it’d be fine if we got rid of the debt ceiling. That’s not really our problem. The Treasury Secretary is right, we’re always gonna raise it. The debt ceiling is sort of, I have a credit card bill, but I don’t know if I want to pay it even though I have a lot of money. Uh, no the sustainability of the debt has more to do with, most of all, that interest rates have gone up. So, back for a long time, it seemed like there was no, you know, bill to pay, you just kept borrowing and re-borrowing. You didn’t even pay the interest. But now, the interest bill, if you’ve noticed, has doubled, on its way to tripling. It’s gonna be more than, it is more than the defense budget, on its way to a trillion dollars. And that’s when you, it gets less easy to borrow another 30% of GDP if there’s a pandemic, uh, to pay for something. Uh, there there are, there’s a cost. You would rather have lower debt. I mean, there’s nothing easy to do about it. But, uh, no, the debt ceiling’s sort of theater and power grabbing. And maybe there’ll be a slip sometime and we’ll ****** up and actually default. Great for sales of my book, but I don’t think it’ll ever happen.
11:45 Speaker A
Okay. Well, that is at least some good news. I do want to bring us back to some potential bad news. What is your call on a potential recession?
11:56 Kenneth Rogoff
So that is, I think it’s more than 50/50 to have at least a gentle slowdown. But we’re trying to read into the mind of Trump. Because of course, if he really did an about-face on the tariff stuff. And I don’t mean the 10%, which is maybe not the greatest idea, but just, you know, the “let’s make a deal”, “I’m uh Hollywood needs to be protected. Let’s have a tariff on that.” I was just in the ***, and you probably, maybe reported on this, but he wants them to have free speech. And they’re going like, “We gave you free speech. We, we’re the home of free speech.” And a lot of the things are just, you know, out there. That they’re asking for sort of some MAGA wish list. And it’s, it’s very disconcerting. Now I have to say, a lot of people you probably talk to, you know, big finance people and hedge fund people, and clearly the market thinks, “Uh, he’s a pragmatist at heart. He knows he screwed up.” I don’t know if he knows he screwed up. “He’s gonna back off.” And they just think it’s gonna go away. That, I think if you did a poll, you can try it, of where are we gonna be in a year? They’d all say, “10% tariffs, maybe a little fluff with China, it’ll all be over.” I’m skeptical of that. And that’s why I think the odds of recession are higher. I mean, Trump’s still gonna be Trump, uh, for better or for worse. So, I don’t see an exit from the chaos. If there’s no exit from the chaos, uh, it’s hard to see how we don’t have at least a mild recession.
13:53 Speaker B
Is this a case where we need to see some of these smaller trade deals start to come through first or is there need, there’s, does there need to be resolution on one of the larger trade partners out of the gates here to really set the tone? Because some could argue that he already kind of showed his hand. Didn’t want the stock market to go into bear market territory. That would have looked bad. And then additionally, you’ve got all the CEOs showing up at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue’s doorstep, saying, “Hey, we’re not going to have stuff on shelves in the summer if you don’t step back off of this.”
14:30 Kenneth Rogoff
No, you are so right. That’s what not just the markets thinking, that’s what all our trade partners are thinking. They’re, why aren’t you seeing reports of, you know, sudden deals? Because they don’t want, they can’t for their own public. By the way, if Xi gave in to Trump and lost face, he’d be done. I mean, he cannot any more than Putin, you know, can surrender. Uh, he can’t. So you know, everybody, my conservative friends, and uh, I regard myself as a centrist, but my conservative friends will say, “Ah, this is just the, you know, Art of the Deal, don’t pay attention.” And I say, “Okay, but when he was a real estate mogul, he was bidding on a hundred things. So he got three of them. Great. He got three good deals, he’s making a lot of money.” We can’t walk away from the other 97 countries, you know, in this case.
15:25 Speaker B
Not a great percentage.
15:25 Kenneth Rogoff
Yeah, it’s not a good percentage when you’re President. It was a, it was a great, you know, approach when you’re a real estate mogul. So we’ll see. If I want to say something that could turn in his favor and make him look amazing in 10 or 15 years, it would be that even though it’s all chaotic, and he’s not always lasering in, China is our rival. They are down right now. He’s hitting them while they’re down. And if he didn’t, there’s gonna be something over Taiwan, there’s gonna be a problem somewhere. And so maybe he’ll say, “Oh, just a stroke of genius that he took ’em on when they were vulnerable. Xi fell and they got rid of Xi, turned into more.” I’m really playing this out. “Had a more democratic government, it all worked.” And Trump, although he was so uh, you know, brutal in his approach to trade, he got it done. Anyway, I’m an American, I wish well for our President. I hope that’s what we’re writing in 10 years.
16:51 Speaker B
Dr. Kenneth Rogoff, we really appreciate you coming on and sharing your insights with us today. Thank you.
17:13 Kenneth Rogoff
Thank you.
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EVE Vanguard Preview – An Ambitious Second Chance At MMO FPS Innovation
EVE Vanguard Preview – An Ambitious Second Chance At MMO FPS Innovation
EVE Online is arguably the most obtuse MMO ever made. Famous for its headline-making space battles, it continues to entertain its audience 22 years after its release. Icelandic developer CCP Games aims to transform how players can approach its persistent sci-fi world, New Eden, with the development of its upcoming extraction shooter, EVE Vanguard. The studio wants players to inhabit the same world through the two games and seeks to answer the question: “What if the events in one game affected the other?”
“Imagine a friend of yours on Twitter says, ‘Hey, there’s this massive war happening in EVE Online. Download the client and join our squad. Jump in and be part of this massive EVE war.’ And no other game can really do that. They can pretend war is happening, but there’s actually going to be a war happening in EVE,” producer Jamie Stanton says.
EVE Fanfest 2025 – EVE Vanguard Keynote:
However, despite its ambitiousness, this isn’t the studio’s first attempt at such an idea—it’s the second. Dust 514, a 2013 free-to-play PS3 exclusive that went offline in 2016, marked the company’s first venture connecting a first-person shooter to EVE Online’s universe.
“Dust 514 is also fully integrated with the notorious sci-fi setting of EVE Online,” a 2013 press release states. “Together, Dust 514 and EVE Online offer a combined sandbox of unprecedented intergalactic scale, with the outcome of ground battles impacting the persistent universe of EVE and shifting the tide of war for legions of participants. Mercenaries can gain an advantage by coordinating with starship pilots in EVE Online, calling in devastating orbital strikes against opposing squads.”
The old press release effectively summarizes the pitch for EVE Vanguard, which enters Steam Early Access in Summer 2026. However, CCP hopes to avoid the perils that befell Dust—the press criticized it for subpar FPS mechanics and having the depth of a puddle—by approaching its early development years with a narrow but deeper scope.
“Forget everything else. This has to be a good shooter first,” game director Scott Davis says. “When we’ve built some confidence around it, we ask, ‘How do we grow out of the perception that [Vanguard] is just an extraction shooter?’”
After laying down the foundation, Davis hopes to add deeper layers of player agency and cause-and-effect across the two games, even if it’s only single threads here and there. In a previous Vanguard technical test, players fought for control of artillery cannons on the surface to fire into the Raihbaka system’s contested airspace in EVE Online. While the limited event showcased the Carbon engine’s potential, the battle failed to have a meaningful, long-lasting effect on the star system, according to a popular EVE analytics tool.
“We have a vision in mind, and we’ve created some preliminary connections, but we have to [expand] very slowly. If we jumped straight to trying to figure out [the full integration] now, we would end up with a half-baked shooter,” Stanton says.
While the studio has yet to establish Vanguard’s full scope, the early build I recently played at EVE Fanfest is promising. The project’s intimate scale transforms minor ship parts into massive wreckages, which serve as points of interest across its dark-but-colorful biomes. While still premature, weapons emit brilliant lasers reminiscent of golden-era sci-fi shooters like Unreal Tournament and Quake, supported by ample screenshake and over-the-top sound design. While even earlier in development, graybox objects like mobile item extractors shake up genre trappings by allowing players to secure their loot without exiting the match.
“I’ve been disappointed by games not trying to innovate past having just to take everything away from you,” Davis remarks, voicing his disdain for progression resets, a familiar tactic extraction shooter developers use to prevent seasoned players from griefing newbies with more limited resources. “I don’t like that. And I don’t think a more casual audience, which some of these games are trying to [attract] now, will like having their stuff taken away from them every season.”
To solve the genre’s progression problem, the team is looking to MMOs for inspiration. Starting players in low-level zones with safeguards to dissuade PvP allows them to learn the basics in the paddling pool before swimming to the deep end. Despite featuring traditional matchmaking, CCP envisions its levels as physical locations in a star system, each with static difficulty ranges enabling players to quest in an appropriate zone before graduating to the next level. The studio’s ultimate goal is to allow corporations, the player-led organizations vying for sovereignty in EVE Online, to commission Vanguard players to extract valuable resources from planetary surfaces in exchange for valuables from the stars.
As someone who loves MMOs, I’ve always wanted to play the long-running space sim, but its complicated systems have prevented me from fully diving into it. If successful, EVE Vanguard has the potential to innovate in the multiplayer space and also open a gateway for players like me to participate in the series’ legendary stories from a fresh perspective.
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Wall Street awaits Fed decision and U.S.-China talks. Here’s what investors should watch – MarketWatch
Wall Street awaits Fed decision and U.S.-China talks. Here’s what investors should watch – MarketWatch
Wall Street awaits Fed decision and U.S.-China talks. Here’s what investors should watch MarketWatchFed set to hold rates steady as Trump’s tariffs cloud economic growth CNNWhat to Watch at the Federal Reserve’s May Meeting The New York TimesAll eyes on Powell as Fed grapples with Trump tariff dilemma Yahoo FinanceFederal Reserve interest rate decision May 2025: What to know about the economy ahead NBC News
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India strikes unleash wave of misinformation online
India strikes unleash wave of misinformation online
Matt Murphy, Olga Robinson & Shayan Sardarizadeh
BBC Verify
Reuters
India’s strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir have unleashed a wave of misinformation online, with unrelated videos purporting to be from the strikes gaining millions of views.
Dramatic clips debunked by BBC Verify have claimed to show attacks on an Indian army base and an Indian fighter jet shot down in Pakistan.
One video, which had more than 400,000 views on X at the time of writing, claiming to show an explosion caused by a Pakistani response was actually from the 2020 Beirut Port explosion in Lebanon.
An expert told BBC Verify that in moments of heightened tension or dramatic events, misinformation is more likely to spread and fuel distrust and hostility.
“It’s very common to see recycled footage during any significant event, not just conflict,” Eliot Higgins, the founder of the Bellingcat investigations website, said.
“Algorithmic engagement rewards people who post engaging content, not truthful content, and footage of conflict and disasters is particularly engaging, no matter the truth behind it.”
One of the most viral clips, which gained over 3 million views on X in a matter of hours, claimed to show blasts caused by the Indian strikes on Pakistan-administered Kashmir. A search for screengrabs from the video on Google found the footage actually showed Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip on 13 October 2023.
While much of the debunked footage has purported to show the immediate aftermath of the Indian strikes, some clips analysed by BBC Verify appeared to be trying to portray the Pakistani response as being more severe than it actually was.
One video, which has racked up almost 600,000 views on X, claimed to show that the “Pakistan army blew up the Indian Brigade headquarters”. The clip, which shows blasts in the darkness, is actually from an unrelated video circulating on YouTube as early as last month.
X/Sulaiman Ahmed
Elsewhere, one set of photos purported to show an operation carried out by the Pakistan Air Force targeting “Indian forward air-bases in the early hours of 6 May 2025”. The images – which appeared to be captured by a drone – were actually screengrabs taken from the video game Battlefield 3.
The Pakistani military says it destroyed five jets on Wednesday morning local time. That announcement has led to some users sharing unrelated clips which they claimed showed the wreckage of Indian fighter jets. Some of these videos have obtained millions of views.
But two widely shared images actually showed previous Indian air force jet crashes – one from an incident in Rajasthan in 2024 and another in the Punjab state in 2021. Both crashes were widely reported.
X/Sulaiman Ahmed
Prof Indrajit Roy of York University said that the images “are being generated with a view to get support for the military in Pakistan”. One clip circulated by the Pakistani military itself was later withdrawn by news agencies after it turned out to be from an unrelated event.
“We have jingoists on both sides of the border, and they have a huge platform on Twitter (X). You can see how fake news, as well as some real news, gets amplified, distorted and presented in ways designed to generate hostility, animosity and hatred for the other side.”
The conflict in Kashmir has long attracted a high degree of misinformation online. In the aftermath of the deadly militant attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam last month, AI images circulated – with some seeking to dramatise actual scenes from the attack.
Vedika Bahl, a journalist with France 24, said the Pahalgam attacks had prompted a sharp “uptake in misinformation from both sides surrounding the conflict”.
“Lots of this misinformation begins on X,” she said. “Eventually this trickles down over time from X to WhatsApp which is the communication tool which is most used in South Asian communities.”
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Pro-Russian hackers claim to have targeted several *** websites | Cybercrime
Pro-Russian hackers claim to have targeted several *** websites | Cybercrime
A pro-Russian hacking group has claimed to have successfully targeted a range of *** websites, including local councils and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, during a three-day campaign.
In a series of social media posts, the group calling itself NoName057(16) suggested it had made a number of websites temporarily inaccessible, although it is understood the attacks were not wholly successful.
The hackers sought to flood a range of websites with internet traffic in what is known as a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. The group wrote on X: “Britain is invested in the escalation of the [Ukraine] conflict, and we are disconnecting its resources.”
Its success was limited, however, with councils in Blackburn and Darwen and Exeter among those reporting that their websites were unaffected despite the hacking group’s claims of success.
A number of other allegedly targeted organisations, including the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, Harwich International Port, and Cardiff city council were unavailable for comment.
Where websites did temporarily become inaccessible due to the sudden surge of traffic, they were back operating within hours, officials said.
A spokesperson at Arun district council said: “We can confirm that we did experience problems with our website [on Tuesday morning] starting around 7.15am, our website was fully operational by 11.30am. We are aware of the claims made on X and continue to investigate.”
The National Highways said they had also faced a Ddos attack but that the website would soon be operating as normal.
The attack is a rerun of an attempt made last October to disrupt the websites of half a dozen councils. It did not put at risk the data of users or residents but disabled the websites for a short ******* as they were swamped by traffic.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said at the time that the agency had “provided guidance” to affected local authorities. “Whilst DDoS attacks are relatively low in sophistication and impact, they can cause disruption by preventing legitimate users from accessing online services,” it said.
Since its launch in 2022, NoName057(16) has used such attacks to disrupt the running of a range of Ukrainian, European and American government agencies and media outlets. In January 2023, it targeted the websites of Czech presidential candidates in a first attempt to attack political figures.
Research published last summer by the cybersecurity company Bridewell found that 63% of businesses in the government sector had experienced a ransomware attack over the past 12 months. The National Audit Office warned in January that the “cyber threat to *** government is severe and advancing quickly”.
The NCSC was forced to issue new guidance this week after a spate of cyber-attacks on retailers that appear to have been made possible through criminals impersonating IT help desks. They include attacks on Marks & Spencer, Co-op and Harrods.
The criminals had targeted IT help desks to change passwords and reset authentication processes as they sought to gain access to systems.
Of the attacks on retailers, the NCSC said it was “not yet in a position to say if they are linked, if this is a concerted campaign by a single actor or whether there is no link between them at all”.
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Samsung’s Galaxy A56, Galaxy A36 Reportedly Get Google Gemini Side Button Functionality
Samsung’s Galaxy A56, Galaxy A36 Reportedly Get Google Gemini Side Button Functionality
Samsung has reportedly started pushing the May software update to its newest Galaxy A series devices, including the Galaxy A56, Galaxy A36, and Galaxy A26. A key highlight of this update is a new feature for the side or power button, which now allows users to quickly access Gemini. The press-and-hold shortcut functionality for Gemini was limited to the flagship Galaxy S series smartphones earlier. As Samsung had promised, this feature is now expanding to the more budget-friendly Galaxy A series with the May update.
As reported by Sammyfans, Samsung is rolling out a new software update for the Galaxy A56 and Galaxy A36 that enables Google Gemini access via the power button. This allows users to launch the AI assistant just by pressing and holding the side button. The AI feature powered by One UI 7 is reportedly reaching eligible handsets with the May 2025 security patch.
The Galaxy A26 is also said to be getting this software update. Users can reportedly customise the side button through Settings to match their preferences. They can either launch Gemini or stick with Bixby.
Additionally, the update is said to bring support for cross-app functionality. Apps such as Calendar, Notes, Reminder, and Clock now integrate seamlessly with Gemini. Users can now perform tasks in these apps by providing voice commands with Gemini.
Samsung Announced AI Side Button Feature for Galaxy A-Series
Samsung had promised recently that select Galaxy A series devices, including Galaxy A56, Galaxy A36, and Galaxy A26, would soon support AI assistant activation through the side button in early May. This update is part of Samsung’s goal of making AI experiences more accessible. It was earlier exclusive to Galaxy S series devices. During the Galaxy S25 series launch in January, the Gemini integration was announced as a standout feature.
The latest update is likely to arrive automatically for the eligible Galaxy A56, Galaxy A36, and Galaxy A26 units. Users can also manually check for the update by heading to Settings > Software update > Download and Install.
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Vance says Russia ‘asking for too much’ to end war with Ukraine – Politico
Vance says Russia ‘asking for too much’ to end war with Ukraine – Politico
Vance says Russia ‘asking for too much’ to end war with Ukraine PoliticoTrump admin live updates: Vance says Russia is asking for ‘too much’ to end war with Ukraine ABC NewsPutin says he hopes Russia will not need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine PBSUS Focused on Long-Term Ukraine Peace, Not Ceasefire, Vance Says BloombergVance calls out Russia for ‘asking for too much’ to end Ukraine invasion New York Post
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Watch on iPlayer
Watch on iPlayer
In his first interview since leaving office, the former US President talks Trump, Russia and US-Europe relations with the BBC.
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Sly-Grogging crackdown in the Kimberley sparks debate over alcohol disposal
Sly-Grogging crackdown in the Kimberley sparks debate over alcohol disposal
Kimberley police District Supt John Hutchison explains that the police practice of smashing enormous stockpiles of confiscated alcohol with heavy machinery is not just a PR stunt
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Tesla may be forming a double-top pattern. How to trade it from here
Tesla may be forming a double-top pattern. How to trade it from here
Tesla Inc. (TSLA) is facing mounting challenges with recent declines in deliveries and revenue signaling weakening demand in key markets. Despite strong profitability and growth metrics, TSLA’s sky-high valuation presents substantial downside risk. Coupled with stiff competition from ******** EV makers eroding market share and market timing indicating a potential reversal, this creates an attractive opportunity for adding bearish exposure. Trade timing The timing for adding bearish exposure to TSLA is optimal, as the stock has recently rallied to its $300 resistance level, forming a double-top pattern. This technical set-up, combined with overbought conditions, suggests a potential reversal lower, with a downside target near $220, offering an attractive risk-to-reward profile for a bearish trade. TSLA trades at a substantial premium to its industry because of industry leading growth and profitability metrics, but it presents significant downside risks due to significant overvaluation and declining performance. Forward PE Ratio: 144x vs. Industry Average 11x Net Margin: 7% vs. Industry Average 3% Expected EPS Growth: 17% vs. Industry Average 10% Expected Revenue Growth: 13% vs. Industry Average 3% Bearish thesis Weakening Demand : Tesla’s Q1 2025 deliveries fell 13% YoY to 336,681 vehicles, with a 37% YoY sales drop in Europe and a 15% YoY decline in the US, reflecting weak demand exacerbated by a brand crisis linked to CEO Elon Musk’s political activities. Competitive Pressure : Stiff competition from ******** EV makers is eroding Tesla’s market share, which fell from 17.9% to 9.3% in Europe in Q1 2025, while high inventory levels signal oversupply amid declining demand. Options trade To capitalize on TSLA’s potential downside, I’m selling a June 20, 2025 $275/$225 Put Vertical @ $16.63 Debit. This entails: Buying the June $275 put @ $22.63 Selling the June $225 put @ $6.00 The maximum reward is $3337 if TSLA is above $275 at expiration. The maximum risk is $1663 if TSLA is below $225 at expiration. The breakeven point for this trade is $258.37. View this Trade with Updated Prices at OptionsPlay This strategy positions you to benefit from TSLA’s potential downside, leveraging its technical reversal, valuation, and competitive pressures to profit from selling premium with defined risk. With Tesla facing structural challenges in demand and market share, this put vertical offers a compelling opportunity to capitalize on a high-premium name DISCLOSURES: (None) All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer.
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Why ***-India trade deal won’t save whisky and car industries from Trump’s tariffs
Why ***-India trade deal won’t save whisky and car industries from Trump’s tariffs
Sir Keir Starmer has hailed as a ‘landmark’ an agreement to strike Britain’s biggest post-Brexit trade deal with India.
Ministers say the move which will see tariffs reduced on *** whisky, ****, cars and cosmetics, will boost trade by £25.5bn and add £4.8bn a year to the *** economy, as well as boosting wages by £2.2bn annually.
It comes as the prime minister hopes to secure a trade deal with the US, in a bid to offset some of Donald Trump’s tariffs, which have triggered global economic chaos.
What will it mean for the whisky industry?
India is the biggest consumer of whisky worldwide by volume and *** sales to the country were worth more than £200 million a year in 2022. Under the new deal, tariffs on whiskies will initially be cut from 150 per cent to 75 per cent. But after ten years they are due to fall again to 40 per cent.
India is already among the largest export markets for Chivas Brothers’, which includes brands such as Chivas Regal and Glenlivet, while Diageo, whose brands include Johnnie Walker, already has 50 manufacturing facilities across India.
The *** has struck a trade deal with India (Alamy/PA)
How has the whisky industry responded?
Very well.
Jean-Etienne Gourgues, the chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers has called the agreement a “welcome boost” for his company “during an uncertain global economic environment”. He also said that greater access to the Indian market would be a “game changer for the export of our Scotch whisky brands, such as Chivas Regal and Ballantine’s”.
The deal will support investment and jobs in our distilleries and bottling plants in Scotland, he added.
Diageo chief executive Debra Crew described the deal as a “huge achievement” and said it would be “transformational for Scotch and Scotland, while powering jobs and investment in both India and the ***”.
What does it mean for the car industry?
British high-end cars will see their tariffs fall by a whopping 90 per cent under the plans. The added tax placed on them as they enter the country will plummet from more than 100 per cent to just 10 per cent under a quota.
Under the plans, the reform will start with cars with internal combustion engines but then move to electric and hybrid vehicles, “to reflect how manufacturing in the *** is evolving”.
Will the deal undercut British workers?
Ministers have denied the agreement undercuts British workers, after opposition politicians criticised part of the deal that exempts some temporary Indian workers from national insurance payments for three years.
On Wednesday, Jonathan Reynolds described the claim as “completely false”, telling the BBC: “There is no situation where I would ever tolerate British workers being undercut through any trade agreement we would sign. That is not part of the deal.”
The move is under what is known as the “double contribution convention”, which is designed to stop workers and employers paying twice, once in each country. It is also reciprocal, meaning any *** workers who work temporarily in India would pay no further taxes there and there are similiar agreements in place with other countries.
Will it offset the impact of Trump’s tariffs?
In a word – no.
The US remains the largest key market for whisky by value, at an estimated £971 milliona year. Sir Keir Starmer hopes to secure a trade deal with the US soon – with officials suggesting it could happen this week – which would lessen the impact of Trump’s tariffs, following weeks of talks.
This deal could include quotas that would exempt a certain number of *** exports from the full impact of 25 per cent tariffs on the British car and steel industry.
But no matter the carve out for individual *** sectors or Britain in general, the *** will still be forced to weather the havoc the US tariffs wreak on the global economy.
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Sony Interactive Entertainment establishes teamLFG – Gematsu
Sony Interactive Entertainment establishes teamLFG – Gematsu
Sony Interactive Entertainment establishes teamLFG GematsuWelcome teamLFG to the PlayStation Studios family PlayStation.BlogSony reveals new PlayStation studio from former Bungie developers EurogamerPlayStation announces new studio focused on ‘immersive multiplayer worlds’ The VergePlayStation Announces TeamLFG, A New PlayStation Studios Team Comprised Of Former Destiny, Fortnite, Roblox And League Of Legends Developers Wccftech
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Sycamore Gap felling ‘bit of a laugh’ to accused, says prosecutor
Sycamore Gap felling ‘bit of a laugh’ to accused, says prosecutor
Duncan Leatherdale
BBC News, North East and Cumbria
Prosecutors allege a video was filmed of the moment the Sycamore Gap tree was felled
Two men chopped down the world famous Sycamore Gap tree as a “bit of a laugh” and then feared becoming public enemy number one, prosecutors have told jurors.
The tree had grown in a dip on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland for more than 100 years before it was felled in a “moronic mission” in the early hours of 28 September 2023, Newcastle Crown Court has heard.
Daniel Michael Graham, 39, from Carlisle, and Adam Carruthers, 32, from Wigton in Cumbria, each deny two counts of criminal damage relating to the tree and the Roman Wall.
In closing speeches, prosecutors said the pair carried out the “arboreal equivalent of mindless thuggery”, while the men’s barristers reiterated their innocence.
Jurors were previously told the tree was a much-loved landmark and had global significance for its position on the former frontier of the Roman empire.
Mr Graham’s phone and Range Rover were both tracked going to and from the site, while a video, which prosecutors allege shows the moment the tree was felled, was filmed on his mobile, the court has heard.
CPS
Prosecutors said Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers were “in the business” of chopping down trees
A photograph was then taken on Mr Graham’s phone of a wedge of wood, which prosecutors say was a “trophy” taken by the men, in the boot of his car, jurors have heard.
Both men deny any involvement at all with the felling and claim they were each at their respective homes all night.
Mr Graham has told jurors his “best pal” Mr Carruthers admitted doing it and took his car to get to the scene, while Mr Carruthers said he had “no clue” who was responsible and his co-accused was lying.
In his closing speech, prosecutor Richard Wright KC said the “two-man team” and “odd couple” had seen it as “just a tree” and “they must have thought that this was a bit of a laugh”.
But, he said, they had not appreciated the public’s outrage at the destruction of “something so beautiful for no good reason”.
“From Felixstowe to Falkirk and from Bishop Auckland to Barnstable, up and down this country and across the world, the reaction of all right-thinking people to the senseless felling of the Sycamore Gap tree has been one of sadness and anger,” Mr Wright said.
CPS
Experts say a wedge of wood came from the tree and was pictured in Daniel Graham’s car
He said the video the pair allegedly filmed of “the moment the world famous tree was cut down” was “gold dust” and would have “gone viral”.
Mr Graham and Mr Carruthers were the only people in the world who had that video on their phones and who knew what had happened to the tree, Mr Wright said, and according to them it must just be a “freak coincidence”.
The prosecutor said both men had told lies as, having seen the furore they caused, they did not have the courage to admit what they had done.
“Owning up to this arboreal equivalent of mindless thuggery would make them public enemy number one,” Mr Wright said.
He said Mr Graham was “evasive” and “ducked questions by throwing insults or becoming threatening” during the trial.
Mr Wright said it was “rather odd” that Mr Graham claimed he had not heard of the tree until Mr Carruthers told him about it in 2021 when the year before he had reported a car stolen from Steel Rigg, the closest public car park to the tree.
PA Media
The tree was planted on Hadrian’s Wall in the 1800s
He said Mr Carruthers’ style in court might have been different and less combative but he had been equally unhelpful to jurors.
His phone was tracked travelling to and from near Sycamore Gap the afternoon before the tree was felled, which Mr Carruthers claimed was him embarking on and then aborting a three-hour round trip to the Metrocentre with his partner and their new-born baby.
Mr Wright said that claim was “nonsense” and “actually he was going on a reccy”.
The prosecutor said both men “knew exactly what they were doing” and were “in the business of cutting down big trees together”.
He said they also knew there was a storm coming that night which would be the “perfect weather for cutting down a big tree” as the wind would have pushed the trunk away from falling back on to the saw, thereby reducing the amount of equipment needed.
PA Media
The tree’s felling sparked global outrage
Mr Wright said the only reason to take away the wedge cut out of the tree was as a “souvenir and trophy”.
The prosecutor said the defendants were “best mates” and “obsessively close friends” who, before they fell out “spectacularly” in the aftermath, did everything together, the “ultimate two-man team”.
Messages the men exchanged in the aftermath showed them “revelling in” what they had done, the prosecutor said.
Nick Lewis
Daniel Graham says Adam Carruthers was responsible while Mr Carruthers claims he has “no clue” who did it
Christopher Knox, barrister for Mr Graham, said his client’s position was that he was not involved at all and Mr Carruthers and a second mystery man were responsible.
Mr Knox said Mr Carruthers had “some sort of thing” for the tree and possessed the kit and capability to fell it.
He said it was “extraordinary” when Mr Carruthers told jurors he thought it was “just a tree” and that may have been a clue as to why his client’s co-accused wanted to fell it.
Mr Knox said Mr Graham admitted he had lied to cover up for his “erstwhile very good friend”, with the pair being “reasonably isolated figures”.
Mr Carruthers’s barrister is set to give his closing speech next.
The trial continues.
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Augusta-Margaret River councillors and executive set for pay upgrade
Augusta-Margaret River councillors and executive set for pay upgrade
Councillors will be asked to consider whether to give themselves an approved pay rise.
The approved increase is also open to the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River president and chief executive with the State Administrative Tribunal’s Salaries and Allowances committee recently clearing the way for another bump in pay rates for 2025-26.
Decisions on whether to accept or advance the increases will be made during the next two months.
Shire corporate and customer services director Mel Stevens said it was the local government’s role to consider the tribunal recommendations during the budget-setting process.
“For the 2025-26 financial year, remuneration levels will again be determined via council resolution as part of the budget process,” she said.
“For the 2024-25 financial year, council resolved to pay meeting fees at the 75th percentile of the applicable band, and the shire president allowance at 100 per cent.”
With the move to a full-time, independently elected presidency, at last report, the role attracted a nearly $100,000 total pay packet as well as support from a full-time executive assistant.
In 2023-24, the deputy president position had an allowance of $16,500 in addition to the $21,995 plus communications budget of up to $3500 awarded to all councillors.
The Times last year reported new chief executive Andrea Selvey would be paid about $339,000 a year in total as part of her five-year contract.
Ms Stevens said the recruitment process had set Ms Selvey’s remuneration at 95 per cent of what was allowed under band 2.
“Any increase to the CEO’s total reward package amount will be determined as part of the annual CEO performance review process, which is anticipated to be undertaken in June 2025,” she said.
Councillors last week backed a submission to the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries opposing aspects of a State Government review that would make chief executive performance indicators and their reviews available to the public.
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Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov says he wants to quit his job but needs Putin’s permission
Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov says he wants to quit his job but needs Putin’s permission
Ramzan Kadyrov said he’s asked Putin to be allowed to step aside as Chechen leader.
Kadyrov has previously hinted at the move, citing his long rule.
Possible successors include ******* Khuchiev and Apti Alaudinov, a general active in Ukraine.
Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov said he has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to be allowed to step down from his position as leader of the Chechen Republic.
“I am asking to be dismissed from my post,” Kadyrov told state-controlled Chechnya Today on Monday, per The Kyiv Independent’s translation.
“I hope that my request will be supported,” he added.
Kadyrov followed up his remarks on Tuesday with a post on Telegram saying that the decision on whether he would step down is Putin’s, not his, and framing himself as a loyalist who responds only to the president’s command.
Kadyrov has nurtured a reputation as a strongman since taking power in 2007, heading up a militia known as the Kadyrovites, who have been deployed to Ukraine and in the defence of the Russian region of Kursk.
He secured a fourth term as Chechnya’s president in 2021, taking 99.73% of the vote in a bid that was all but guaranteed by Putin’s endorsement, Human Rights Watch said at the time.
Kadyrov took over the presidency from his father, who was assassinated in 2004, and last month named his 17-year-old son Adam as state head of internal affairs, overseeing the republic’s police and internal security.
Kadyrov said the decision on whether he steps down rests with Putin.Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel/Pool via Reuters
Kadyrov has floated the idea of stepping down in the past. In 2022, he posted on Telegram saying he had been in office too long and deserved a vacation. He made similar remarks as his second term approached its end in 2016, Russian media reported.
The latest move comes amid reports of ongoing ill-health that Kadyrov has denied several times, and that stand in contrast to his image as a strongman and fighter.
According to independent investigative outlet Novaya Gazeta Europa, Kadyrov was diagnosed with pancreatic necrosis in 2019, which was then complicated by a bout of COVID-19.
Should Putin give Kadyrov the nod to step down, possible successors include ******* Khuchiev, the republic’s former prime minister, and high-ranking general Apti Alaudinov, who has been on active duty in Ukraine.
Kadyrov maintains an iron grip on power in Chechnya in an arrangement widely understood to have been secured by promising Putin to keep it within the Russian Federation and to suppress a separatist movement.
The Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read the original article on Business Insider
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Second US fighter jet falls into Red Sea from Truman aircraft carrier – BBC
Second US fighter jet falls into Red Sea from Truman aircraft carrier – BBC
Second US fighter jet falls into Red Sea from Truman aircraft carrier BBCSecond US Navy jet is lost at sea from Truman aircraft carrier CNNSecond Plane Falls Off US Aircraft Carrier In 10 Days Barron’sSecond fighter jet crashes into the sea after landing failure on USS Harry S. Truman NBC NewsSecond Navy fighter jet goes overboard from Truman aircraft carrier, pilots ejected Fox News
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Windows 11’s big Start menu revamp is real – Microsoft has shared a first look at the redesign, and I’m very glad to see it
Windows 11’s big Start menu revamp is real – Microsoft has shared a first look at the redesign, and I’m very glad to see it
Microsoft has revealed fresh changes for normal Windows 11 devices, alongside all the revelations just made about Copilot+ PCs
This includes a big move with redesigning the Start menu which was previously leaked in testing
Hopefully the choice to drop the recommendations section from the Start menu, as seen in that leak, will be kept in
Microsoft has confirmed that a major redesign of the Windows 11 Start menu is coming, along with some other useful-sounding tweaks,.
In case you missed it, there’s just been a major reveal about all the goodies inbound for Copilot+ PCs – including an AI agent embedded in the Settings app, to sort out changes for you – but there were also revelations regarding normal Windows 11 PCs (you know, the kind that almost everyone still uses).
The revamped Start menu is not a surprise, as a leaker previously uncovered the work hidden in test builds. However, with Microsoft now officially revealing it, we know it’ll be live and being tested in Windows 11 preview builds soon.
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The idea is to take the Start menu and turn it into a single scrollable panel, with pinned apps at the top, recommendations underneath, and the full exhaustive list of apps installed on your PC under that at the bottom. The current layout has that full list of apps split off into a separate panel (which you switch to with a button click).
Consolidating all this into one section makes sense to me, and the menu will wider to help accommodate the extra content.
On top of this, Microsoft has been doing some tinkering with the layout choices for the full list of apps to enable them to fit the available space better. That’s already underway in testing, allowing you to organize the app list in a more compact manner using categories as one option.
Microsoft notes that: “The new all apps category view automatically sorts based on the apps and categories you use most, so you can quickly access all your favorites.”
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Aside from the work on the Start menu, Microsoft is also introducing AI actions in File Explorer. This means that when you’re working with File Explorer – the folders on your desktop – you’ll get AI-related actions on the right-click menu. So, for example, an image file might have an AI ability pertaining to the Photos app as a shortcut.
This is essentially a vanilla take on ‘Click to Do’, which is the more in-depth context-sensitive system of AI functionality incorporated with Copilot+ PCs (which have a fair few extra AI capabilities, of course, and that number is slowly increasing as we’ve seen).
Windows 11’s Notepad app is also getting beefed up, with AI features that allow for generating text or summarizing an article. Some more formatting options are arriving, too, in the form of headings and support for lists, plus bolding and italics.
These appear to have been drafted across thanks to the demise of WordPad, with Notepad slowly getting more features added to offer a workable alternative in Windows 11. (Although some folks don’t want Notepad to be bloated with this stuff, it must be remembered).
All the above is inbound for Windows 11 testers soon, and Microsoft says these features should arrive at some point this month. It may still be a good while before they filter through to release versions of the OS, mind you – especially that Start menu overhaul, which is obviously a sizeable undertaking. That could be destined for Windows 11 25H2, which Microsoft is rumored to be working on now.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Analysis: a good Start – but I hope Microsoft retains a key option leaked in testing
It’s good to see that this new layout for the Start menu is coming into play, because, as I remarked when it was first sighted hidden in test builds, I think it’s a laudable transformation for this crucial part of the Windows 11 interface (ignoring that awful green color scheme visited upon the desktop in Microsoft’s teaser, I should add).
Some of my praise, mind you, was based on the fact that the leak also highlighted a new option to get rid of the recommendations panel entirely in the Start menu. Now, Microsoft certainly doesn’t mention that here, but the company wouldn’t go into any nitty-gritty details in a brief first reveal like this.
So I’m hoping that this option will still be available when this new layout officially comes to Windows 11 test builds – and it makes sense that it would be, because, as noted, space is at a premium here, and dumping that section of the panel would be handy in that respect. The choice to ditch recommendations is also an ability that many Windows 11 users have been keen to see implemented (and that’s an understatement).
For those worried about the overall size of the Start menu with the offshoot Phone Link side panel also being present – on the right-hand side, as you can see in Microsoft’s above screenshot of the new UI – it doesn’t hog the whole desktop anymore. (As it seemed to do when a leaker fudged it to appear in a Windows 11 test build recently).
All in all, the redesigned Start menu is shaping up well enough. Let’s just keep our fingers crossed that the choice of jettisoning the recommendations section isn’t something that Microsoft has had a rethink about.
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What is the infected blood scandal and how much compensation will victims get?
What is the infected blood scandal and how much compensation will victims get?
About two-thirds later died of Aids-related illnesses. Some unintentionally gave **** to their partners.
Another 2,400 to 5,000 people developed hepatitis C on its own, which can cause cirrhosis and liver *******.
It is difficult to know the exact number of people infected with hepatitis C, partly because it can take decades for symptoms to appear.
A second group of patients were given contaminated blood transfusions after childbirth, surgery or other medical treatment between 1970 and 1991.
The inquiry estimates that between 80 and 100 of these people were infected with ****, and about 27,000 with hepatitis C.
In total, it is thought about 2,900 people have died.
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LGSHA 2025: Reigning premiers on the board early in men’s title defence, draw in first women’s A-grade game
LGSHA 2025: Reigning premiers on the board early in men’s title defence, draw in first women’s A-grade game
Spencer Park made a commanding start to their title defence in round one of the Lower Great Southern Hockey Association men’s A-grade competition on Saturday, defeating Mt Barker 3-1.
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Novo Nordisk CVS Wegovy deal won’t derail Eli Lilly
Novo Nordisk CVS Wegovy deal won’t derail Eli Lilly
A combination image shows an injection pen of Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug, and boxes of Wegovy, made by Novo Nordisk.
Hollie Adams | Reuters
A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Healthy Returns newsletter, which brings the latest health-care news straight to your inbox. Subscribe here to receive future editions.
Despite last week’s investor jitters, Eli Lilly is far from losing its strong grip on the booming weight loss market.
Here’s a recap of what sparked the panic on Thursday if you missed it: CVS Health‘s pharmacy benefit manager Caremark said it will prioritize Novo Nordisk‘s Wegovy on its standard formularies on July 1, making that weekly injection the preferred GLP-1 drug for obesity.
As part of the move, Caremark will also drop Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug Zepbound from those formularies, which represent tens of millions of patients. Caremark negotiated an undisclosed lower net price for Wegovy over Zepbound on its standard formularies, offering savings on Novo Nordisk’s drug to clients that opt into those plans.
But employers and unions will ultimately determine how much of those savings on Wegovy get shared with members, CVS said.
Wegovy’s list price before insurance is $1,349 for a month’s supply, while Zepbound’s is $1,086.
That decision by one of the nation’s largest PBMs triggered fears of a price war in the weight loss drug market and concerns that Zepbound’s sales momentum could stall. Shares of Eli Lilly plunged 11% on Thursday.
But several Wall Street analysts said the selloff was overblown.
“In our view, the Novo/CVS deal does not represent the beginning of an obesity pricing war between Lilly & Novo,” BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said in a note on Thursday. He added that in discussions with the companies, both Lilly and Novo emphasized they want to expand patient access – not undercut each other on price.
That may be reassuring to investors worried that a price war could hurt profit margins. But the high list price of those weight loss drugs may remain a major barrier for many patients, particularly those whose health plans don’t cover the medications.
Eli Lilly told the firm it is not interested in exclusive “one-of-one” deals with PBMs, while Novo Nordisk said CVS approached the drugmaker about the Wegovy agreement, according to Seigerman.
On an earnings call on Thursday, Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks said the company has been trying to move away from setting high list prices and paying ******* rebates to PBMs for preferential coverage. Instead, Eli Lilly is trying to set list prices closer to what it expects the plans to pay for its drugs.
“We have been very vocal about trying to move away from that,” Ricks said, referring to deep PBM rebates.
He added that Zepbound is still growing market share.
Seigerman agreed, saying that Eli Lilly is “continuing to perform where it matters.” Zepbound and the company’s diabetes drug Mounjaro now make up over half of U.S. GLP-1 prescriptions, outpacing the combined 46% share of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and its diabetes treatment Ozempic, according to Seigerman.
That “market-share traction clearly demonstrates that physicians and patients prefer Zepbound” over Wegovy, Bernstein analyst Courtney Breen wrote in a separate note on Thursday.
It’s unclear how much the CVS formulary change will appeal to employers, especially given that Zepbound is known to be more effective at promoting weight loss than Wegovy. Some patients on the standard formularies may also try to stay on their current Zepbound prescriptions by requesting exemptions, JPMorgan analyst Chris Schott said in a Thursday note.
Eli Lilly’s Ricks also said CVS’ move mainly affects smaller employers, who are more likely to stick with Caremark’s standard formularies. Larger companies covering more patients often use customized formularies, meaning they can still decide to include Zepbound.
Regardless, the CVS-Wegovy deal overshadowed an overall strong quarter for Eli Lilly.
The company’s first-quarter revenue and earnings topped estimates on skyrocketing demand for Zepbound and Mounjaro, both of which raked in billions of dollars in sales for the *******.
We’ll continue to track Eli Lilly’s performance in the weight loss drug market, so stay tuned!
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Latest in health-care tech: Zocdoc releases AI-powered scheduling assistant called Zo
Health-care marketplace Zocdoc has launched an artificial intelligence phone assistant that can help patients schedule appointments using conversational language.
ZocDoc, founded in 2007, helps connect patients to in-network doctors and book appointments for both in person and virtual care. The company’s new AI assistant, called Zo, can handle “unlimited” inbound calls at any hour of the day, eliminating hold times, ZocDoc said in a release.
The company said Zo can save staffers time and improve patients’ experiences, which can ultimately encourage them to seek out the care they need. The assistant also serves as a major step toward what the company called its goal of aiding scheduling “everywhere patients are seeking care.”
“What’s most exciting about Zo is that it is powered by nearly two decades of Zocdoc’s expertise in facilitating patient-provider interactions, understanding complex healthcare scheduling logic, and integrating with a broad base of [electronic health records],” Zocdoc CEO Oliver Kharraz said in a statement.
Patients can ask Zo questions like, “Do you take my insurance?,” or “Do you have any offices near the West Village?,” according to a pre-recorded demo.
Health-care organizations can implement Zo without any upfront fees, long-term costs or commitments, and they don’t have to be Zocdoc Marketplace customers, the company said. Providers can try out the assistant for $2 per booked appointment, but organizations that want to roll it out on a larger scale can access discounted pricing.
Zocdoc said early adopters of Zo have been able to resolve up to 70% of all scheduling calls without staff intervention. The average call lasts around two minutes and 30 seconds.
While appointment management is Zo’s first use case, Zocdoc said it’s exploring other applications for the assistant, including prescription refills, messaging and outbound calls like appointment reminders or last-minute openings.
Read the full announcement here.
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Husband of British woman killed in France speaks out over wife’s death
Husband of British woman killed in France speaks out over wife’s death
The husband of a British-South African expatriate killed in the Dordogne has spoken out over his wife’s death after visiting the scene for the first time.
Karen Carter, a 65-year-old mother-of-four, was stabbed to death near the front porch of the gîte she rented to holidaymakers on the outskirts of Trémolat, a small village east of Bordeaux.
French prosecutors believe that the killer may have harboured a grudge against either Mrs Carter or the French lover with whom she was rumoured to have been having an affair with at the time of her death.
Jean-François Guerrier was rumoured to have been having an affair with Karen Carter at the time of her death – Paul Grover
Her husband, Alan Carter, 65, spoke with the Telegraph the day after he landed in Trémolat from South Africa and visited the site of the attack.
In a brief three-minute long conversation on Wednesday morning, he said: “We are just trying to come to terms with what happened. We have all of the grief. We have spent the last few hours in Trémolat. It has been very difficult coming back to the village.
“We are still struggling with everything,” he added.
Mr Carter visited the gîte, which remains cordoned off by the gendarmerie, on Tuesday evening
Accompanied by a family friend, who had travelled with him from East London, Mr Carter looked over the police tape, paused for reflection for five minutes and surveyed the scene of the attack before walking back to his car and driving away.
0705 Dordogne *******
A large pool of dried blood remains visible on the white gravel driveway.
On the ground, just outside the police tape, a pale green vase filled with roses and white trumpet lilies has been left in tribute.
Mr Carter’s companion, who did not wish to be identified, told the Telegraph: “They are a large family stretched across continents, and all of us adults and children, are still in shock at what has happened.
“We just want to respect the investigation.”
Mrs Carter was found stabbed outside her guest house in the French village of Trémolat, east of Bordeaux – Paul Grover
Jean-François Guerrier, a 74-year-old retired Fujitsu executive, is understood to have been in a relationship with Mrs Carter for a number of weeks before the attack.
Mr Carter has said he was unaware of their relationship until it was publicly announced by the French prosecutor leading the investigation and has described a “feeling of betrayal”.
Mrs Carter and Mr Guerrier had both run the Café Village together, a community hub and watering hole in the centre of the village.
Mr Guerrier was the first to discover Mrs Carter and call the police as she lay dying next to her car with eight stab wounds to her “chest, groin, arm and leg”.
He was later questioned and released without charge.
‘Wrongly accused’
Mr Guerrier has declined to comment on the case or the nature of their relationship but said Mrs Carter was a “lovely lady” when approached by journalists at his farmhouse.
Police arrested Marie Laure Autefort, a local 69-year-old retired carer and amateur genealogist but released her shortly afterwards without charge.
Her brother told The Telegraph that she was detained because she had become infatuated with Mr Guerrier following her divorce and was viewed as a potential love rival.
Philippe Monribot said: “She was wrongly accused. And I want to say that loud and clear. All I know is that she’s in a very, very bad way and won’t get over this accusation.”
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Demand for 5 New Bethesda Remakes Catches Steam After Oblivion Remaster Success
Demand for 5 New Bethesda Remakes Catches Steam After Oblivion Remaster Success
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remaster has been a complete success for Bethesda, as it brings back nostalgia with spicy modern visuals. Fans are more than blown away by the hard work that has gone into the title, and wish the same for other Bethesda hits.
Many game development companies have taken on this assignment, with some hits and misses. But from the looks of it, it is safe to Bethesda probably got the formula written down, which might help in the long run. For how long? It’s unknown. But fans are asking for more, and that can be said for sure.
Fans want more Bethesda remakes of their classic hits
Fans wish to get remakes of their favorite titles. | Image Credit: Bethesda
Bethesda has many successful releases over the years, including the Fallout and The Elder Scrolls franchises. The reputation that these RPG titles hold led to the success of many projects from their respective franchises. Look at how the Fallout web series turned into a huge success over the weeks! Want a recent example? The success of Oblivion Remaster.
There are alleged reports that Fallout 3 Remaster is also in the works from Bethesda. Whis leak came around the time when Oblivion Remaster was said to be under development, it is more likely to be true. The latter was actually shadow-dropped without much prior information. As for other Bethesda-made games, there is no news. Thus, fans are requesting the revival of those projects.
Well, fans are rightfully being a bit greedy, hence the demand is there. Everyone wants to enjoy remakes of all Fallout titles, including New Vegas. As for The Elder Scrolls, fans would be happy to get their hands on Daggerfall and Morrowind.
A bit too much to ask, eh? Well, it’s understandable if Bethesda thinks that way, as it takes a long time to create each game. Moreover, the company is mainly busy with the creation of The Elder Scrolls 6. It’s likely that Bethesda won’t be touching remasters anytime soon after the release of Fallout 3 Remaster.
Comment byu/Mercernary_1 from discussion inoblivion
Though it wasn’t Bethesda that completely made the development of Oblivion Remaster possible. It was a joint project of both Bethesda Game Studios and Virtuos. By teaming up with third-party studios, it might be possible to make other remakes quickly.
Do so many remakes make sense in the long run?
While fans surely have their demands, it is not really viable, at least for now. If Bethesda starts making remakes after remakes with nothing to show for The Elder Scrolls 6, most of the fandom would be really unhappy. Many will even tag the development studio as a remake-making studio.
A similar story is going on with Capcom as well, as they are not releasing many original projects. Rather, they’re making remakes of their older titles. Fans still await news on ****** May Cry 6, Resident Evil 9, or maybe a new IP that hasn’t been seen before.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 wasn’t really the breakout hit they expected it to be, and MH Wilds, although heavily successful, is still plagued with performance issues.
Comment byu/Mercernary_1 from discussion inoblivion
Doing something similar will just hamper Bethesda’s reputation. It isn’t like they have the greatest of reputations already, so it’s just not worth the risk. But at the same time, the success of Oblivion Remaster tells a different story. If the developers keep the same amount of work for a couple of other remakes, it might be possible to get good revenue.
However, game prices will see an increase soon, so they’d have to increase the prices of the remakes as well; this $50 luxury won’t be permanent. Will players still buy the games? That is something that cannot be said for sure. So even though there is demand, a lot of other parameters have to be considered before making decisions.
What do you think? Should Bethesda listen to its fans this time and make remakes of its older games? Which game would you like to have remade first? Let us know in the comments below.
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