Pelican Press

Former captain with Air Cadets found guilty of ******* offences involving children Former captain with Air Cadets found guilty of ******* offences involving children WARNING: This story contains details some readers may find distressing. A former captain working with Air Cadets has been found guilty of all eight charges brought against him, including five involving ******* ****** against children and another three involving child ************. During his weeks-long trial earlier this year, Adrian Schmid pleaded not guilty to the charges. At the heart of the trial was the testimonies of two young boys who claimed he touched them ********* — as well as photos police found of a third boy, who didn’t provide testimony. The identities of the witnesses and youths involved are protected under a publication ban. The Superior Court of Justice also heard from one police officer who testified that more than 11,000 images and 140 videos of child ************ were recovered from a USB drive taken from Schmid’s house. The files — which showed youths engaging in a wide range of graphic ******* acts — had been deleted, but police were able to recover them after their seizure. Altogether, four devices taken from Schmid’s house included files later classified as child ************. In September, Schmid testified that he’d found the USB drive on the ground outside roughly 15 years ago. He said he later used it for his own documents, believing it had been wiped. Schmid had no account for other child ************ found by police, but suggested the boys could have been at fault. He also denied any ******* touching. Justice found Schmid not to be credible But in the courtroom Monday, Justice Pierre Roger said he rejected the idea put forward by the defence during closing submissions in October that the accused’s evidence should leave the court with a reasonable doubt, despite suspicious circumstances. “The allegations are many and serious,” Roger said as he read aloud his decision. In the end, the justice found that text messages between Schmid and one of the boys was strong evidence of grooming and an inappropriate relationship. “Many of his explanations defy logic and common sense,” the justice said, referring to Schmid. “Some gave the impression that they were concocted by the accused as he testified in an unconvincing attempt to explain the evidence.” Roger said he found Schmid not to be a credible witness. In contrast, he found the boys’ testimony credible and reliable. He found that while the two boys’ testimonies didn’t always match up, those gaps could be explained by their young age and that they were trying to force themselves to forget what had transpired. Roger added that the evidence given also supports a finding that more ******* occurrences took place than just what was described during the testimony from the younger of the two boys. “It was apparent from his testimony that he was still very much a child with a more limited understanding of what was occurring,” Roger said. Outside the courthouse, the family of the boys said they felt justice had been served and that a great weight had been lifted. The father, speaking on behalf of his family, expressed hope that the older of his boys would be able to move forward following the decision. “Relief,” the father said. “For the past four years it was very hectic and now it’s a relief. We can move on and start over.” No sentencing date was set, with the lawyers returning in early December to discuss a potential date. Following the proceedings, Engel told CBC News he was not ready to make a statement regarding whether the decision would be appealed. The ********* Armed Forces told CBC News that Schmid — who had been serving as a Cadet Instructor Cadre Officer — was released from its reserve force in January 2023. Source link #captain #Air #Cadets #guilty #******* #offences #involving #children Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Ninja Creami ice cream maker is $50 off for ****** Friday The Ninja Creami ice cream maker is $50 off for ****** Friday Sure, ****** Friday deals offer a great opportunity to snag some essentials and upgrades for a lower price than usual, but if you have the leeway for a fun treat for yourself or a loved one, you’ll find plenty of discounts in that realm too. For instance, you can snag the Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $50 off the list price. At $180, that’s not too far away from its record low price, making it a solid deal. While it isn’t quite the season for ice cream in North America, there’s never truly a bad time to enjoy it. This is a more compact ice cream machine than many other household models. The Ninja Creami is very easy to use as well, since it operates in a similar way to a food processor. You’ll need to make a liquid ice cream base and then freeze it, ideally for 24 hours. You can then use the machine to blend in flavors. Cleaning up is a cinch if you have a dishwasher, since everything aside from the machine component is safe to place alongside your dishes on the racks. Ninja Our favorite ice cream maker is back on ***** for ****** Friday. The Ninia Creami is as easy to use as a food processor, and it can be yours for $180. $198 at Amazon On the downside, it is a rather noisy machine. We estimate that the volume is somewhere between that of a food processor and a countertop blender running at full speed. It’s fairly tall too at 16 inches, so you’ll want to make sure you have enough space for the Ninja Creami before buying it. Otherwise, we have no major complaints, other than the design not being overly attractive. As such, we gave it a score of 90 in our review. The Ninja Creami has seven one-touch programs, but if you’d prefer an 11-in-1 deluxe model, you’re in luck: that’s on ***** too. At $220, it’s $30 off. It supports 24 oz tubs that hold 50 percent more ice cream than those in the original Ninja Creami. The Deluxe model also has a dual processing feature. This allows you to add two different mix-in flavors to the same base. So you can, for instance, add sprinkles to the top part and cookies to the bottom. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #Ninja #Creami #ice #cream #maker #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tesla makes up for Nvidia’s dip Tesla makes up for Nvidia’s dip A Tesla Cybertruck is parked outside of a dealership on November 14, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images This report is from today’s CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here. What you need to know today Individual stocks sway indexesOn Monday, the S&P 500 rose 0.4% and the Nadaq Composite added 0.6%, mostly spurred higher by Tesla. Shares of Goldman Sachs and Salesforce fell, causing the Dow Jones Industrial Average to drop 0.1%, Europe’s regional Stoxx 600 ended flat after recouping losses. Autonomous vehicles on the agendaTesla shares jumped 5.6% after it was reported that President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration plans to draw up a federal framework that will regulate self-driving vehicles. The regulatory framework would make adoption of self-driving cars much easier. CNBC could not independently verify the report. Super Micro aims at Nasdaq complianceSuper Micro Computer has hired BDO as a new auditor and submitted a plan to Nasdaq to ensure compliance with the exchange, the company said in a statement. Shares closed 16% higher and were up over 38% in after-hours trading. Super Micro’s market capitalization has tumbled from around $70 billion at its peak to $12.6 billion as of Monday after investors learned of the company’s compliance troubles. ‘Europe-first’ approachEuropean countries should adopt a “Europe-first” approach to technology, especially in response to Trump’s protectionist inclinations, tech CEOs told CNBC. U.S. and ******** companies “have been playing extremely unfairly for the last 20 years,” said Andy Yen, CEO of VPN developer Proton, while Europe has a mindset that it needs to be “fair to everybody.” [PRO] S&P offers sharp upside Wall Street bank Morgan Stanley sees the S&P 500 hitting 6,500 next year on the back of more rate cuts and positive corporate sentiment galvanized by the election results. That’s about a 10% upside from Monday’s close. But investors should still be wary of certain headwinds, warned the bank’s Chief U.S. Equity Strategist Mike Wilson. The bottom line Investors are waiting with bated breath for Nvidia’s earnings report on Wednesday. “The star this week is our friend Nvidia,” said Kim Forrest, chief investment officer at Bokeh Capital Partners, highlighting its importance to all the key indexes with its recent inclusion in the Dow. “Unless some information comes out before then, the market is going to wait and see what’s going on with Nvidia.” Shares of Nvidia fell 1.3% on a report from The Information that the company’s new Blackwell chips tend to overheat when connected to custom servers. Nvidia’s drop had the largest negative effect on the S&P and Nasdaq, dragging down the former by 0.52 points and the latter by 23 points. However, Tesla — which has mostly seen large gains since Trump won the elections — managed to more than make up for Nvidia’s loss. Tesla shares jumped 5.6%, contributing to a 0.62-point increase in the S&P and 47-point rise in the Nasdaq. That helped the S&P achieve its first winning day in three, and the Nasdaq break its four-day losing streak. “The market is set up well for equities, and investors are not going to see the pullback they want,” said Andrew Slimmon, Morgan Stanley Investment Management’s head of the applied equity advisors team. For now, despite the market’s losses last week, “a strong economy, the Fed continually cutting rates, and strong Q3 earnings” will provide support for stocks, said Slimmon. — CNBC’s Samantha Subin and Pia Singh contributed to this report. Source link #Tesla #Nvidias #dip Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

For The First Time In A Decade, Xbox Is Call Of Duty’s Most Popular Platform For The First Time In A Decade, Xbox Is Call Of Duty’s Most Popular Platform For the first time in a decade, Call of Duty is more popular on Xbox than it is on any other platform, due in no small part to Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6, launching on Game Pass. “It’s about being accessible in more places, and there’s no real platform out there today, other than what we’re doing with Xbox [Game Pass] that isn’t really per-device,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a recent interview with Game File. “Most of the gaming platforms are, ‘This device runs this [game],’ and trying to think about a platform that looks more horizontally and connects creators and players in that way, that’s what we’re trying to do, and that’s the feedback we’re getting.” You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. 15 Tips For Playing COD: ****** Ops 6 As An Older Gamer Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter The last time Xbox was the most-used platform for a Call of Duty title was in 2014, shortly after the launch of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, according to CharlieIntel. So what’s the reason behind Xbox’s sudden reclamation of the Call of Duty crown? According to Spencer, the answer is Game Pass. Spencer says Microsoft and Activision’s marketing teams worked well together and ultimately did an excellent job of getting the word out that ****** Ops 6 would be available on Game Pass. “I’m really proud of ****** Ops 6,” Spencer said. “I really saw the [Microsoft and Activision] teams gel together as they both built [the Game Pass marketing] promotion,” he said. Microsoft’s promotional efforts didn’t end after the game’s release, of course. The launch of ****** Ops 6 Season 1 saw the introduction of a creepy new Easter egg for the game’s iconic Nuketown map, which is set in a Fallout-esque nuclear test site complete with model homes inhabited by mannequins. Prior to Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision in 2022, Call of Duty maintained popularity on Xbox partially due to Microsoft paying Activision for exclusive rights to some of the franchise’s DLC and marketing campaigns. Source link #Time #Decade #Xbox #Call #Dutys #Popular #Platform Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How is the world doing on tackling climate change? How is the world doing on tackling climate change? EPA The recent floods in Valence, Spain, were made worse by climate change Scientists, politicians and world leaders are meeting at the annual UN climate summit, COP29, in Azerbaijan during what is set to be the hottest year on record. What progress have countries already made to tackle change? Fossil fuels: Still increasing despite pledges Fossil fuel use is still rising despite positive steps by some countries including the *** and by the EU to wean themselves off the energy sources that do most to heat up our planet. At last year’s COP28 meeting in the ******* ***** Emirates, countries agreed to “transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems”. Perhaps surprisingly, this was the first time that the world had taken direct aim at coal, oil and gas. These are the main drivers of climate change because they release planet-warming carbon dioxide (CO2) when burned for energy. But in fact, CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are projected to reach a new high in 2024 at 37.4bn tonnes, up 0.8% from 2023, according to research by the international Global Carbon Project team. “The impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly dramatic, yet we still see no sign that burning of fossil fuels has peaked,” said lead author Prof Pierre Friedlingstein of the University of Exeter. There have been some signs of progress. The *** closed its last remaining coal power station in September, proving that electricity in major economies can still flow without the dirtiest fossil fuel. In the EU, the share of electricity coming from coal, oil and gas reached a new low earlier this year. But new fossil fuel projects are still being approved in many countries. Of the world’s biggest economies, China is a major culprit, but far from the only one. This is despite warnings from the UN that, if all the coal, oil and gas from existing and under-construction projects were burned, the world would likely warm far beyond the globally agreed target of 1.5C. Renewables: Rapid growth is encouragingGetty Images Wind and solar power have increased massively and are getting cheaper Renewable sources of energy like wind and solar are growing very quickly and prices have fallen considerably over the past decade. Last year, countries promised to triple the capacity of so-called ‘renewables’ by 2030. The idea is that these clean sources should start to displace ****** fossil fuels in the electric power grid, therefore reducing CO2 emissions even as electricity demand grows. Currently, the International Energy Agency (IEA) expects global renewable capacity to grow 2.7 times by 2030 compared with its 2022 level – so not quite on track for a trebling, but close. The hope is that economics, as much as climate policy, can help renewables to grow even faster. “In many cases and for many countries, renewable energy is already the cheapest and the economically sane option for producing energy,” said Prof Joeri Rogelj of Imperial College London. China alone is expected to account for more than half of the growth in global renewable capacity to 2030, according to the IEA. But renewables are also set to rise quickly in the EU, US and India, as well as the ***. Batteries and other forms of energy storage are key to the expansion of renewables: while a fossil fuel-driven power station can be fired up at any time of the day, the wind doesn’t always ***** and the Sun doesn’t always shine. Electric vehicles: Numbers rising but it’s a mixed picture The number of electric vehicles (EVs) is growing quickly, led by China, but rates of uptake vary considerably between countries. They are the main way to reduce planet-warming emissions from road transport, according to the UN. That is because they can be powered by clean electricity, rather than directly from fossil fuels. The cost of EVs differs widely between nations. In China, the IEA estimates that more than 60% of electric cars sold in 2023 were already cheaper than their petrol or diesel equivalent, partly thanks to government subsidies to the industry, encouraging more people to make the switch. In other regions, electric cars have typically been more expensive, but are generally getting cheaper. In the ***, for example, the recent growth in EV sales is partly thanks to obligatory government targets, explained Colin Walker, head of transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. “As prices are driven down, more families are able to access the savings that come from electric driving,” he said. Deforestation: Mixed progressgetty The Amazon sucks up carbon dioxide, so protecting it is vital Deforestation fell significantly in Brazil’s Amazon in 2023 but the world ******** far off track to meeting its target of halting it by 2030, according to the World Resources Institute. There have been some encouraging signs. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva came back to power in 2023, recommitting to that goal and promising to tackle tree loss. His predecessor Jair Bolsonaro had significantly weakened legal protections for the forest. This is a region that has historically helped to buffer the world from further warming, by absorbing some of the carbon dioxide produced from human activities. But there are concerns that this is changing as a result of tree losses and the effects of drought worsened by climate change. Deforestation increased in other parts of the Amazon, including the part in Bolivia. “We must learn from the countries that are successfully slowing deforestation,” said Mikaela Weisse, Global Forest Watch Director at the World Resources Institute. Claudio Angelo from Brazil’s Climate Observatory said that in the case of his country, while measures like punishing people for felling trees had been successful it was also important to focus on promoting things like sustainable agriculture. “Brazil has been very good at the stick so far, but with the carrot we haven’t been that good,” he said. So what’s the big picture? While a lot of positive steps have been taken, the headline figures on emissions have sadly not changed much. A recent UN report warned that current policies put the world on track for around 3C warming by the end of the century. Other organisations have come up with similar figures. This is clearly far above the target to try to limit long-term warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, which was agreed by nearly 200 countries in Paris in 2015. The UN says that the 1.5C target is still “technically possible”, but only with huge cuts to emissions over the next decade. The recent US election has also posed challenges for uniting the world around new climate targets. Incoming president Donald Trump has pledged to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement and “drill, baby, drill” for more oil and gas. This is “a major ***** to global climate action,” according to Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief. “But it cannot and will not halt the changes under way to decarbonise the economy and meet the goals of the Paris agreement.” Source link #world #tackling #climate #change Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

U.S. Senator Urges Valve to Tackle “Extremist and Hateful” Content on Steam U.S. Senator Urges Valve to Tackle “Extremist and Hateful” Content on Steam Vits2d ago I actually think it’s the opposite. For an Xbox handheld—or a PlayStation handheld, for that matter—to stand a chance, it needs to share the same library and infrastructure as the home console. Otherwise, we’re just doomed to repeat the mistakes that ******* off so many handhelds before. Here’s the kicker: it also has to deliver everything we expect from portable gaming. That means being reasonably sized, reasonably powerful, and reasonably efficient. But today’s tech can’t pull off all that magic in one package. Microsoft isn’t just making a Handheld-PC here; they’re making a handheld console. The bar’s set higher—this thing has to work perfectly out of the box and hold its own for an entire generation. This isn’t some trendy experiment like the Asus Ally. To nail it on the first try, they’re going to need a custom solution from AMD, something that aligns with the tech in their consoles. Honestly, that’s probably better suited for the next-gen Xbox. Either that, or they’ll need a ******* ARM solution from Nvidia or Qualcomm plus an insane translation layer. And, surprise—it all takes time. By the time an Xbox handheld finally drops, it’ll be up against the Steam Deck 2, Switch 2, and a new lineup of Windows handhelds. So, yeah, they’d better get it right the first time. It’ll need to be priced like the Steam Deck 2 and Switch 2 but perform close to those Windows handhelds. And the same goes for Sony if they’re thinking of jumping back into the handheld arena. People look at the booming handheld PC market and think it’s a breeze. But here’s the thing they’re conveniently overlooking: the expectations for a console are a whole different ballgame. The manufacturer isn’t just tossing together a decent hardware setup—they have to supply everything: hardware, software, infrastructure, media, and all that jazz. And it’s all expected to last an entire generation. It’s not just about throwing some specs together and calling it a ‘console.’ It’s about creating an entire ecosystem that actually works. And, to make things even more fun, that ecosystem has to be identical or close enough to share resources with to the home console’s. Yeah, that’s a whole lot ******* than a handheld PC or even a dedicated solo handheld like the Switch. Source link #U.S #Senator #Urges #Valve #Tackle #Extremist #Hateful #Content #Steam Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

'Tragedy': Teens critical after Laos methanol poising 'Tragedy': Teens critical after Laos methanol poising An apparent methanol poisoning incident in Laos has left two people ***** and two *********** women fighting for life in Thailand. Source link #039Tragedy039 #Teens #critical #Laos #methanol #poising Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This Apple ****** Friday deal gets you $50 off the Apple Watch Series 10 on Amazon This Apple ****** Friday deal gets you $50 off the Apple Watch Series 10 on Amazon Apple devices are some of the most sought after this time of year and, believe it or not, you can find some decent ****** Friday deals on them if you know where to look. At the moment, one such deal is on the Apple Watch Series 10: Apple’s newest wearable is on ***** for $350, which is $50 off and a record low. That price is for the smaller 42mm model without LTE functionality, and the 46mm size is also $50 off and down to $379. The Apple Watch Series 10 is our pick for the best smartwatch overall, but it’s probably best to look at other options if you’re an Android user. After all, you’ll need a compatible iPhone to set up the wearable and get the most out of it. We gave the Apple Watch Series 10 a score of 90 in our review. Apple redesigned the smartwatch to offer a larger screen and thinner frame, both of which were plus points in our book. The wide-angle OLED panel offers better viewing angles. The wearable has in-depth fitness and health tracking too, with new functions including sleep apnea detection. Apple The Apple Watch Series 10 has dropped to its lowest price to date. Both sizes are $50 off ahead of ****** Friday. $349 at Amazon We found that there was a slight increase in battery life thanks to efficiency improvements, but some alternative smartwatches run for much longer on a single charge. Overall, this is a somewhat iterative update compared with the Series 9 and 8, but if you’re upgrading from an older Apple Watch (or buying one for the first time), you may find the features, performance and charging speed to be impressive. Meanwhile, a four-pack of Apple AirTags has also dropped to a record low price of $70. Apple will soon enable a new AirTag feature that allows you to more easily share the location of the tracker with airlines and other people. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #Apple #****** #Friday #deal #Apple #Watch #Series #Amazon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYC priest who allowed Sabrina Carpenter to ****** a music video in ******* further stripped of duties NYC priest who allowed Sabrina Carpenter to ****** a music video in ******* further stripped of duties NEW YORK (AP) — The leader of a New York City ******* where pop star Sabrina Carpenter filmed provocative scenes for a music video was stripped of his duties Monday after ******* officials said an investigation revealed other instances of mismanagement. Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello was relieved of “any pastoral oversight or governance role” at his ******* located in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, Bishop Robert Brennan said in a statement issued by the Roman ********* Diocese of Brooklyn. An investigation launched after the video revealed that Gigantiello made unauthorized financial transfers to a former top aide in New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, which is being investigated on charges of ***********, Brennan said. “I am saddened to share that investigations conducted by Alvarez & Marsal and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP have uncovered evidence of serious violations of Diocesan policies and protocols at Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Annunciation Parish,” the bishop said. “In order to safeguard the public trust, and to protect ******* funds, I have appointed Bishop Witold Mroziewski as administrator of the Parish.” Gigantiello’s administrative powers were taken away after Carpenter’s video for her hit song “Feather” sparked criticism last November. The priest has now also been cut from his pastoral duties, giving Mroziewski “complete authority over the parish,” including on liturgical matters, though Gigantiello will still be able to say Mass with Mroziewski’s approval, said diocese spokesperson Adriana Rodriguez. Brennan, who oversees ********* churches in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, said he also relieved a deacon who had been appointed as a temporary administrator during the investigation. He said the deacon had used ******* and other offensive language during private conversations in the parish office that had been secretly recorded at Gigantiello’s direction. Gigantiello didn’t respond to email and Facebook messages seeking comment Monday. Released on Oct. 31, 2023, the “Feather” music video revolves around men behaving badly toward Carpenter before meeting grisly deaths. At points in the video, the former Disney Channel star is seen pulling up to the distinctive brick ******* in a pink hearse and then dancing in front of the *******’s ornate altar wearing a short ****** dress and a ****** veil alongside a colorful array of faux coffins. The diocese at the time said it was “appalled” and that proper procedures for filming had not been followed. Besides relieving Gigantiello of administrative duties, Brennan also dropped him from fundraising duties as vicar of development for the diocese and conducted a spiritual rite to restore the sanctity of the *******. In a letter to parishioners last November, Gigantiello said approving the filming was a “lapse in judgment” and maintained he wasn’t present at the time and didn’t realize how provocative the ****** would be. On Monday, Brennan said a broader review uncovered other instances of administrative impropriety. Among them is an ongoing investigation into Gigantiello’s use of a ******* credit card for “substantial” personal expenses, he said. From 2019 to 2021, the monsignor also transferred $1.9 million in parish funds to bank accounts affiliated with Frank Carone, Adams’ former chief of staff, Brennan said. The bishop said Gigantiello ******* to seek prior approval for the transactions and didn’t properly document them, in violation of the diocese’s investment policies and protocols. Carone’s law firm repaid $1 million of the funds, along with about 9% interest, according to Brennan. Gigantiello also requested early repayment for the remainder, but without the substantial interest called for under the loan notes, the bishop said. Federal investigators have subpoenaed the Brooklyn ******* seeking information about Carone and Gigantiello’s financial dealings, though neither has been accused of any wrongdoing. Brennan stressed the diocese is “fully committed” to cooperating with law enforcement in its investigations. Carone didn’t respond to an email seeking comment, but Gigantiello has defended his stewardship, telling The City, a local news outlet, that the investments were legal and yielded a significant return for the *******. Meanwhile, the commotion set off by her music video hasn’t been lost on Carpenter. She made light of it during a concert at Madison Square Garden in late September, just days after Adams became the first New York City mayor indicted while in office. “*****, what now?” she said cheekily to the Manhattan crowd. “Should we talk about how I got the mayor indicted?” ___ This story has been updated to correct the name of Carpenter’s song to “Feather,” not “Feathers.” ___ Follow Philip Marcelo at twitter.com/philmarcelo. Source link #NYC #priest #allowed #Sabrina #Carpenter #****** #music #video #******* #stripped #duties Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This $110 Donkey Kong Lego Set Is Only $58 At Walmart This $110 Donkey Kong Lego Set Is Only $58 At Walmart Donkey Kong fans can get Diddy Kong’s Mine Cart Ride Lego Set for only $58 at Walmart while supplies last–and supplies won’t last long. The 1,157-piece playset is the largest Donkey Kong expansion in the Lego Super Mario lineup. This Lego set originally retailed for $110, so you’re saving almost 50% right now. It also might be your last opportunity to buy it from a major retailer. The set is currently marked as “retiring soon” on the Lego Store, so once major retailers are out of stock, Diddy Kong’s Mine Cart ride is gone for good. Amazon was matching this deal but already sold out, so Donkey Kong fans should grab this deal fast. Lego Diddy Kong’s Mine Cart Ride This kit has allows you to recreate mine cart-riding, airplane-flying, and rock-exploding challenges. It comes with four Lego minifigures from the world of Donkey Kong–Funky Kong, Diddy kong, Snaggles, and a Mole Miner–and Lego Mario, Peach, and Luigi figures can interact with the set as well if you have them. If you’re looking to create your very own Donkey Kong world, you can add to this set with a few more kits that are now available and also on *****. You can join the DK crew at Donkey Kong’s Tree House or you can set the stage for musical fun with Dixie Kong’s Jungle Jam expansion set. Lego Donkey Kong’s Treehouse and Dixie Kong’s Jungle Jam Source link #Donkey #Kong #Lego #Set #Walmart Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Strategist picks his top stock to buy in India right now Strategist picks his top stock to buy in India right now Indian markets have been under pressure in recent weeks, but strategist Matt Orton ******** bullish on the country, revealing “one of his favorite” stocks right now. “India has been my most overweight country and that still ******** the fact outside of the U.S.,” the chief market strategist at asset management firm Raymond James Investment Management told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia” on Nov. 18. Orton’s comments come after a tricky time for India’s stocks, with the benchmark Nifty 50 index and the BSE Sensex index — which represents 30 of the country’s largest and most traded firms on the Bombay Stock Exchange — both down around 5% over the last month. Despite these falls, however, Orton says he is “still optimistic on the Indian growth story going forward.” ICIC Bank One stock that stands out to Orton is private bank and financial services player ICICI Bank . “ICICI Bank is one of my favorite picks because it’s just a top-quality asset. I call it a premium asset in the market,” he said. Shares in the bank trade on India’s National and Bombay Stock Exchanges, as well as an ********* Depositary Receipt in the U.S. under the ticker IBN . Its shares have been on the decline since the end of last month, but remain up over 25% year-to-date and are currently trading at around 19 times forward earnings. ICICIBANK-IN YTD mountain Year-to-date shares in ICICI Bank ICICI is among the three “domestic systemically important banks,” or those considered ” too big to fail ” banks by the Reserve Bank of India. Orton also likes its private wealth segment “which benefits from the overall equity markets” “To me, [it] is just a prime investment candidate that I think on weakness makes a lot of sense to continue to accumulate because I think it is a best-in-class financial and among all of the private banks in India,” he added. The Mumbai-based lending giant reported a 14.5% jump in net profit for its September quarter on the back of higher net interest income and loan growth. And Orton is not alone in his bullish stance on ICICI The bank is “in a league of its own,” Jefferies’ analysts said in an Oct. 27 note, also naming it as one of their top picks. According to FactSet data, of 44 analysts covering the stock, 41 give it a buy or overweight rating, while the remaining three have a hold call. Their average price target is 1,479 Indian rupees ($14.87), giving it around 18% potential upside. Source link #Strategist #picks #top #stock #buy #India Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

CRKD NEO S Frost Edition will excite Apple gaming enthusiasts CRKD NEO S Frost Edition will excite Apple gaming enthusiasts The Neo S Frost is CRKD’s latest gaming controller with a sleek and modern design having a translucent frosted finish. Source link #CRKD #NEO #Frost #Edition #excite #Apple #gaming #enthusiasts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China’s top financial officials set to speak at Hong Kong summit China’s top financial officials set to speak at Hong Kong summit GUANGZHOU, CHINA – APRIL 6: ******** Vice Premier He Lifeng prepares for a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on April 6, 2024 in Guangzhou, China. Ken Ishii | Getty Images News | Getty Images ******** Vice Premier He Lifeng and several other top financial policymakers are scheduled to speak Tuesday at a global financiers summit in Hong Kong. Hosted annually by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the third Global Financial Leaders Investment Summit will hold its main events throughout the day, after hosting guests at a welcome dinner on Monday evening. He, who oversees a top-level economic and financial policy-making body, would be delivering an opening keynote speech at the summit, according to South China Morning Post. Li Yunze, minister of China’s National Financial Regulatory Administration, along with with Wu Qing, Chairman of China Securities Regulatory Commission and Zhu Hexin, deputy governor of People’s Bank of China, are scheduled to discuss mainland China’s financial developments in a panel, according to HKMA’s agenda of the summit. Some of the world’s largest banks have moved to scale back operations and cut jobs in Hong Kong and mainland China amid a prolonged dearth in listing and deal-making activities. The exodus of capital made the city’s Hang Seng the worst-performing major index last year, according to LSEG data. Operators of Hong Kong’s stock exchange have pointed to signs of pickup in the third quarter as Beijing unveiled a raft of stimulus measures to bolster its flagging economy. Speakers at the three-day conference include high-profile global bankers such as JPMorgan Chase President Daniel Pinto, Morgan Stanley chief executive officer Ted Pick, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon. This is a developing story. Please check back later for more updates. Source link #Chinas #top #financial #officials #set #speak #Hong #Kong #summit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Friday deals include the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for 36 percent off ****** Friday deals include the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for 36 percent off If you’re looking for a gift for the aspiring vlogger in your life, or you want to try your hand at making more content for social media, this ****** Friday deal may have just what you’re looking for. The DJI Osmo Mobile 6 smartphone gimbal has dropped to only $89; that’s a 36 percent discount and an all-time-low price on the camera-stabilizing device. For the uninitiated, this product keeps a steady lock on smartphones so as to provide smooth camera and video footage. The Osmo Mobile 6 is a step up from its predecessors in nearly every way. It features a newly-designed handle that’s more comfortable to hold and a larger clamp to accommodate all of those modern giant phones. The clamp can also wrap itself around smaller phones in bulky cases. DJI This model boasts a built-in extension rod, so it doubles as a selfie stick. It also features the company’s ActiveTrack software. This allows for increased stability over longer distances and will actually track subjects as they turn, spin or move. Another new feature is Quick Launch for iPhone models. This automatically forces the phone into the camera view when the gimbal is unfolded. There’s a built-in status panel to check battery levels, a timelapse feature, gestural controls and a whole lot more. It’s a nifty little gadget. On the downside, this is a lot of money for a smartphone clamp, even at $89. This is for people who prioritize top-tier footage. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #****** #Friday #deals #include #DJI #Osmo #Mobile #gimbal #percent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Two women told House panel Matt Gaetz paid them “for ****” via Venmo, their attorney says Two women told House panel Matt Gaetz paid them “for ****” via Venmo, their attorney says Two women told House panel Matt Gaetz paid them “for ****” via Venmo, their attorney says – CBS News Watch CBS News Two women told a House ethics panel about former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz’s alleged misconduct between 2017 and 2019, claiming that he paid them both for ****, their attorney Joel Leppard told CBS News’ Major Garrett. Gaetz called the panel’s investigation a “smear” and denied the allegations. Attorneys for Gaetz did not respond to requests for comment on Monday. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #women #told #House #panel #Matt #Gaetz #paid #**** #Venmo #attorney Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump picks former congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy for transportation secretary Trump picks former congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy for transportation secretary Sean Duffy hosts “The Bottom Line with Dagen and Duffy” at Fox Business Network Studios on October 31, 2024 in New York City. Steven Ferdman | Getty Images President-elect Donald Trump on Monday named former congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy as his pick for transportation secretary in the next administration. In a statement announcing Duffy, Trump described the Wisconsin *********** as a “a tremendous and well-liked public ********.” “During his time in Congress, Sean was a respected voice and communicator in the *********** Conference, advocating for Fiscal Responsibility, Economic Growth, and Rural Development,” Trump said. The transportation post requires Senate confirmation. Duffy, 53, served in the House from 2011 to 2019. He stepped down in September 2019 after he saying he learned that his child would be born with a heart condition. Duffy first gained attention after appearing on “The Real World: Boston,” a reality TV series on MTV, in 1997. Source link #Trump #picks #congressman #Fox #Business #host #Sean #Duffy #transportation #secretary Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lego Batmobile Tumbler Is Over $80 Off At Amazon, But You Should Hurry Lego Batmobile Tumbler Is Over $80 Off At Amazon, But You Should Hurry The Lego Batmobile Tumbler is on ***** for its lowest price yet at Amazon. Batman fans can snag the 2,049-piece Batmobile from the Dark Knight Trilogy for $189, which is an $81 price cut from its original $270 MSRP. This 30% discount isn’t likely to stick around for long; the Batmobile Tumbler was on ***** for $210-$230 a few times before and during Amazon’s October Prime Day, and those deals sold out fast. Lego Batmobile Tumbler from The Dark Knight Trilogy Lego Batmobile Tumbler The Batmobile Tumbler comes with minifigures of Batman and The Joker. Because the Tumbler has a very angular design, this has translated well into a Lego model while retaining the signature style of those blocks. You have several panels, authentic details, and intimidating wheels on this beastly machine, and when you’re done building it, you can display it on a sturdy base with a nameplate that includes details of the model. It’s pretty big as well, measuring 17 inches in length and nine inches in width. If you want to go a step further, you can even grab LEDs that fit into the model from third-party sellers. Several smaller Batmobile Lego sets have released over the years, including the recently released Batmobile based on Batman: The Animated Series that’s on ***** for $48 (was $60). This kit comes with 435 pieces and three minifigures: Batman, Mr. Freeze, and Harley Quinn. There’s also a 438-piece Lego Batmobile based on the 1989 live-action film starring Michael Keaton and directed by Tim Burton. The 1989 Batmobile comes with Batman and Joker minifigures. You can buy the 1989 Batmobile on its own for $36 at Amazon (was $48), or you can get it with Walmart’s Lego Batman vs. The Joker 3-in-1 Gift Set, which you can check out below: $50 Includes 835 pieces, two vehicles, and five minifigures across three builds valued at $91 total: On October 1, Lego released the Classic Batmobile, an 1,822-piece set based on the 1966 TV series. It sold out at major retailers at launch, and it’s still backorder at the Lego Store and sold out once again at Amazon. If you’re interested in picking up this nostalgic version of the Batmobile, Walmart and Target have it in stock at the moment. Source link #Lego #Batmobile #Tumbler #Amazon #Hurry Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump plans to utilize military for mass deportations Trump plans to utilize military for mass deportations Trump plans to utilize military for mass deportations – CBS News Watch CBS News President-elect Trump says he will declare a national emergency and use U.S. military assets to carry out a mass deportation of undocumented immigrants when he returns to office. The plan could potentially test the limits of Trump’s powers to use the military on U.S. soil to achieve his immigration crackdown. Caitlin Huey-Burns has more. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Trump #plans #utilize #military #mass #deportations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Chocolate makers stoke ***** for Indian cocoa beans Chocolate makers stoke ***** for Indian cocoa beans George Matthew George Matthew moved into cocoa production to keep his farm going If it hadn’t been for the squirrels, George Matthew’s attempt to become a cocoa bean producer might have *******. His farming career began in the 1970s when he inherited a rubber plantation in the the southern Indian state of Kerala , which he managed alongside his career as a doctor. It was a bad time to inherit a rubber plantation, falling rubber prices meant it kept losing money. So, 10 years ago Dr Matthew decided to experiment with cocoa trees, hoping they would generate some funds to support the rest of the farm. He bought some saplings and planted them. It didn’t go well. “It was not that successful – most of the saplings *****,” he says. Squirrels appeared to be making the situation worse by grabbing cocoa bean pods and eating them. But those raids had an unexpected benefit – cocoa seeds were spread all over the farm. “All the scattered seeds soon grew in to plants and they were much healthier and stronger than the saplings I had planted,” says Dr Matthew. “The trick was in sowing the seeds,” he realised. Today Mr Matthews has 6,000 cocoa trees on his 50 acres of land. “I think it was the best decision I have made,” he says. Getty Images Cocoa beans have to be removed from their pods and processsed Despite having several regions with weather conditions suitable for cocoa trees, India only accounts for 1% of the world’s cocoa bean production. Global production is currently dominated by West *******, where Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana between them produce more than half of the world’s annual output. Indian growers can only supply a quarter of the beans needed by Indian makers of chocolate and other confectionary. “The challenge is that it is grown in very fragmented small holdings, so it does not get the kind of attention cocoa should get,” says Renny Jacob, chairman of India Cocoa, a private company that has been growing and processing cocoa beans for more than 30 years. In particular he says that Indian farmers are poor at handling beans after they have been harvested. Once removed from their pods, beans go through a fermentation process at the farm, which can make a huge difference to their flavour. “Cocoa fermentation is a critical process in the production of chocolate, transforming raw cocoa beans into a form suitable for chocolate making,” says Sarin Partrick, chief executive of India Cocoa. “This complex process involves several stages and the activity of various micro-organisms, which help develop the beans’ flavour, aroma, and colour,” he says. Cocoa India Fermenting cocoa beans develops their flavour, aroma and colour To raise the quantity and quality of cocoa bean production, the government has introduced several initiatives. It is investing in schemes to develop hybrid cocoa plants, that are more productive than existing varieties. In addition there are schemes to train farmers on the latest techniques for growing and processing beans. “There is a vast opportunity for Indian farmers to enter into cocoa cultivation and avail the benefits,” says Dr Femina, who works in the government department tasked with developing cocoa production. Business is also investing in new cocoa tree vareities. Dr Minimol J.S., is the head of cocoa research at Kerala Agriculture University and is working with Cadbury to develop hybrid cocoa trees. In the project’s orchard existing high-performing varieties are cross-bred with exotic species. So far the programme has come up with 15 new varieties. “These are India’s first hybrid, ********-resistant seeds,” she says. “The seeds are drought tolerant varieties, and have withstood temperatures of even 40C, which is usually not possible,” she adds. The hybrids are also much more productive than traditional varieties. “The global average production is 0.25 kilogram per year per tree. “In Kerala, we get 2.5 kilograms per year per tree. In Andhra and Telangana, we are even getting a yield of four or five kilograms per tree per year,” she says. Kocoatrait Nitin Chordia runs a school for cocoa farmers India’s production of cocoa beans has risen significantly. This year it hit 110,000 tonnes, up 40% from 2015. But it’s still not enough to meet demand from local chocolate and confectionary makers. India’s Cocoa Board estimates the demand from industry is rising at 15% per year. Founded in 2019, Kocoatrait is one of a new generation of Indian chocolate makers. Based in the east coast city of Chennai, the company only uses Indian cocoa beans. One reason for that is that locally sourced beans have a much smaller carbon footprint than beans that have been shipped from another continent. In addition, says Kocoatrait founder Nitin Chordia, Indian beans are cheaper than imports and have a distinctive flavour. Mr Chordia also runs an agricultural school, where farmers are shown the latest innovations in fermenting and drying beans. “We are constantly focussing on improving the post-harvest practices for cocoa farmers in India,” he says. He adds that Indian farmers need to be producing higher quality beans. “We are not able to compete with international players in the bulk cocoa bean segment,” he says. While there has been improvement, Indian producers have some way to go. “Over the last decade, in the fine-flavour cocoa bean segment, India has started to get noticed… but it will be several years before all Indian fine flavour cocoa beans reach a stage of large-scale international recognition.” Back in Kerala, Dr Matthew reflects on his decade as a cocoa farmer. “It’s a tricky plant,” he says. “Last year I had no yield. So no farmer can depend solely on cocoa – one has to plant other trees along with it.” Despite the challenges, he’s optimistic. “The future is bright, with huge demand.” “I have been approached by a multi-national company to sell my production to them, so I will be making a good profit.” More Technology of Business Source link #Chocolate #makers #stoke #***** #Indian #cocoa #beans Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mario & Luigi: Brothership Review [Capsule Computers] Mario & Luigi: Brothership Review [Capsule Computers] Travis of Capsule Computers writes: “There have been many different spin-offs featuring Mario and his various allies throughout the years but one that has always remained fairly consistent are the Mario & Luigi RPGs. Or at least they were, until the series vanished for nearly nine years and its original developer, AlphaDream, was shuttered. Now Nintendo has teamed up with a new development team to bring the brothers back together for their first RPG on an actual home console. Well, console/handheld hybrid, with Mario & Luigi: Brothership arriving for the Switch. With a new team behind the wheel and plenty of time between releases, will this latest Mario & Luigi game live up to expectations?” Source link #Mario #Luigi #Brothership #Review #Capsule #Computers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia condemns Biden’s decision to let Ukraine ***** missiles deep into Russia Russia condemns Biden’s decision to let Ukraine ***** missiles deep into Russia Russia condemns Biden’s decision to let Ukraine ***** missiles deep into Russia – CBS News Watch CBS News The Kremlin warned that President Biden is adding “fuel to the *****” by allowing Ukraine to use long-range U.S. missiles that can strike targets inside Russia. Holly Williams reports. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Russia #condemns #Bidens #decision #Ukraine #***** #missiles #deep #Russia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Warning retail job cuts ‘inevitable’ after NI tax rise in Budget Warning retail job cuts ‘inevitable’ after NI tax rise in Budget High Street job losses are “inevitable”, prices will rise, and shops will close as the result of the tax increases in the Budget and other rising costs, a group of the biggest retailers in the *** is warning. Tesco, Amazon, Greggs, Next, and dozens of other chains are urging the Treasury to reconsider some of the measures. In a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, they said the “cumulative burden” of the Budget changes, and other policies already in the pipeline, would amount to an additional £7bn in costs next year. A Treasury spokesperson said the government had had to “make difficult choices to fix the foundations of the country”. Measures in the Budget, in particular a rise in the tax that firms pay on their staff’s wages, have been met with a tide of criticism from business, who argue it will hold back growth. But concerns have been loudest among retailers and hospitality businesses, where many young people find their first jobs. Firms in those sectors are also facing higher costs from next year’s rise in the minimum wage. The government has defended its tax rises as necessary to avoid cuts to public services, and the rise in the minimum wage, with a ******* boost for younger workers and apprentices, has been welcomed by trades unions. But the letter from the group of businesses belonging to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said: “The sheer scale of new costs and the speed with which they occur create a cumulative burden that will make job losses inevitable, and higher prices a certainty.” It added that with profit margins typically between 3% and 5% in the sector it would “not be possible to absorb such significant cost increases over such a short timescale”. “The effect will be to increase inflation, slow pay growth, cause shop closures, and reduce jobs, especially at the entry level.” The 79 signatories of the letter range from big British retailers – such as Aldi, Asda, Boots, Currys, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, Primark, and Sainsbury’s – to charity shop group the British Heart Foundation and trade group Associated Independent Stores. From next April, all large businesses will have to pay higher National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for every member of staff they employ. Employer NICs will start at a lower threshold than now- at £5,000 instead of £9,100. And the rate will rise from 13.8% to 15%. The BRC calculates this will cost British retailers £2.33bn a year. The rise in the minimum wage from April is set to cost the sector a further £2.73bn, the BRC letter said. In addition, from October 2025 a new packaging levy comes into force. Introduced by the previous government, the extended producer responsibility (ERC) scheme shifts the cost of recycling from local councils onto the companies that use the packaging. Smaller firms are exempt, but the new levy will cost the retail sector overall another £2bn, the BRC estimates. The letter calls for the government to phase in the introduction of the NI changes and delay the start of the ERC. It also urges the government to reduce business rates, a property-related tax which the BRC says will cost retailers an additional £140m a year after next April. A Treasury spokesperson told the BBC that, thanks to exemptions for smaller businesses, “more than half of employers will either see a cut or no change in their national insurance bills [and] there will be £22.6bn more for the NHS”. A business update from Begbies Traynor on Monday gave some weight to the BRC’s warnings, as the consultancy predicted a rise in “support from our insolvency and business recovery professionals” due to both the NI change and higher interest rates. Source link #Warning #retail #job #cuts #inevitable #tax #rise #Budget Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Save on sets from Samsung, Sony, Hisense and more Save on sets from Samsung, Sony, Hisense and more ****** Friday is still a little over a week away, but many of the TV deals we expect to see are already up for grabs. If you’re hoping to make a living room upgrade but aren’t sure which set to get, allow us to help. Though we don’t formally review TVs here at Engadget, we’ve dug into trusted reviews, checked price histories and researched the market to figure out which ****** Friday TV deals are actually worth your time. You can find our current favorites below, which include OLED and QLED panels from Samsung, LG, Hisense, Sony and TCL. If you’re already happy with your TV, we’ve also included a few deals on streaming devices. Some of the discounts below have actually been available for a couple of weeks, but most represent the lowest prices to date for each respective device. We’ll update this post as more ****** Friday sales go live, so check back if there’s particular set you want that isn’t significantly cheaper just yet. Hisense U6N QLED TV (55”) for $348 at Amazon ($200 off MSRP): Reviews around the web have praised the U6N as one of the year’s best budget-level TVs. It’s one of the few options in its price range with mini-LED backlighting, quantum dots and full-array local dimming, all of which help it deliver better contrast and richer colors than most of its direct rivals. Its picture will wash out if you don’t view it straight-on, and its 60Hz refresh rate isn’t the best for gaming, but it’s a good bargain all the same. While this deal has been live for most of November, it’s still an all-time low. Also at Best Buy. Other sizes are similarly discounted. Hisense U7N QLED TV (65”) for $700 at Best Buy ($300 off): The U7N is a standout LED TV for those who don’t want to pay for a high-end set but can still go above the budget tier. It delivers higher brightness levels and better contrast than the cheaper Hisense U6N, plus it can play at 144Hz in 4K, so it can get more out of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Its viewing angles still aren’t ideal, though, and it’s limited to two gaming-friendly HDMI 2.1 ports. This is another deal we’ve seen for the last few weeks, but it’s the lowest price to date for the 65-inch version. Hisense U8N QLED TV (65”) for $898 at Amazon ($602 off): The U8N is another well-reviewed 2024 TV from Hisense. Like the lower-cost Hisense U7N, it offers mini-LED backlighting, quantum-dot ****** and 4K/144Hz support, plus it runs on the handy Google TV platform. The extra cash nets you a punchier image, with superb contrast for a non-OLED TV and higher brightness across the board. This deal ties an all-time low. Also at Best Buy. Other sizes are discounted as well, but note that the 55-inch version isn’t as bright as the larger variants, while the 75-inch set has slightly worse contrast. Viewing angles aren’t super wide either way. LG B4 OLED TV (55”) for $997 at Amazon ($200 off): The B4 is LG’s entry-level OLED TV for 2024. It gets you the essential perks of any good OLED set — excellent contrast with deep ****** tones, wide viewing angles, fast motion, etc. — but it’s not as bright as higher-tier models, so it’s best kept in a darker room. We’ve seen this discount in the past, but it still marks an all-time low. Also at Best Buy. The Samsung Frame TV. (Amy Skorheim) Samsung S90D QD-OLED TV (65”) for $1,398 at Amazon ($800 off): The Samsung S90D is a premium set that’s notable for its QD-OLED panel, which mixes the benefits of a good OLED display with a layer of quantum dots. This helps it put out a wider gamut of more vibrant colors, so images tend to “pop” more than they would on more traditional OLED TVs like the LG B4 or C4. It also has four HDMI 2.1 ports. Like all Samsung TVs, though, it doesn’t support the popular Dolby Vision HDR format. This discount matches the best price we’ve seen for the 65-inch model outside of special in-store and one-off coupon deals. The set has typically cost $200 more over the past month. Other sizes are similarly discounted, but be aware that only the 55-, 65- and 75-inch versions use the superior QD-OLED tech. Also at Samsung, B&H and Best Buy. Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV (55”) for $1,898 at Amazon ($500 off): The S95D is Samsung’s flagship set for 2024. Its QD-OLED panel is excellent but mainly stands out for having a matte finish, which makes it noticeably more effective at fending off glare than most OLED TVs. That said, there’s no Dolby Vision, and the matte coating can make ****** tones look closer to gray under direct light. In general, it’s more TV than most people need. But if you’ve got cash to *****, this deal is another all-time low. Also at Samsung and Best Buy, with other sizes on *****. Samsung QN90D QLED TV (43”) for $898 at Amazon ($400 off): The Samsung QN90D is another high-end LED TV for those willing to trade the deep contrast and wide viewing angles of a good OLED set for higher brightness. There’s still no Dolby Vision, and most reviewers we trust suggest that the Hisense U8N is a better value. This set comes with two more HDMI 2.1 ports, though, plus it comes in a wider range of sizes, all of which offer similar performance. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the 43-inch model, though again, the deal has been available for a few weeks. Other sizes are also discounted. Also at Samsung, B&H and others. Samsung The Frame TV (2024) QLED TV (55”) for $898 at Amazon ($600 off): The Frame TV lags behind other sets in its price range in terms of picture quality, as it lacks local dimming to boost contrast. Instead, you’d buy it for its style, since it’s built to resemble a framed piece of wall art and you can use it to display actual artwork on-screen. Beyond that, this is one of the few TVs with a matte finish, which helps it ward off glare in bright rooms. This deal marks an all-time low. Other sizes are on *****, but note that the 43- and 50-inch models have a lower 60Hz refresh rate (instead of 120Hz) and lack variable refresh rate tech. Also at Best Buy and B&H. The Sony Bravia 7. (Sony) TCL Q550F QLED TV (55”) for $250 at Best Buy ($200 off): The TCL Q5 is a relatively basic LED TV with no local dimming or HDMI 2.1 ports and a 60Hz refresh rate. This model also uses Amazon’s ***** OS software, which isn’t quite as clean as other platforms. Most people should get the better-looking Hisense U6N instead. But if you really want to save an extra $100 or just need a cheap TV for a back room, it should do the job. This discount for the 55-inch model is the best we’ve tracked. TCL Q68 QLED TV (55”) for $300 at Woot ($200 off): The Q68 is another cheapo LED TV that broadly falls short of the Hisense U6N’s picture quality, though it should offer better contrast than the TCL Q5 thanks to its local dimming feature. Like the Q5 and U6N, it can also play at a 120Hz refresh rate if you drop the resolution to 1080p or 1440p, which is nice for gaming. If you don’t want to spend any more than $300 for a 55-inch set, this is the lowest price we’ve found for this particular model. TCL QM8 QLED TV (65”) for $1,000 at Amazon ($500 off): If the Hisense U8N becomes unavailable, the TCL QM8 looks to be a decent alternative. It can get even brighter, according to reviewers we trust, but it has slightly worse contrast. We’ve seen this discount a few times in recent months, but it ties the all-time low for the 65-inch variant. Also at Best Buy. Sony Bravia 7 QLED TV (55”) for $1,298 at Amazon ($402 off): The Bravia 7 is a relatively premium set with mini-LED backlighting to improve contrast and quantum dots to boost colors. Reviews suggest that it provides accurate colors out of the box and does well to preserve details in lower-resolution content, so it’s worth considering over the Hisense U8N if those are chief concerns. It only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, however, and it’s another LED TV with mediocre viewing angles. Most people will be happier with an OLED TV at this price, though this deal is an all-time low. Also at Walmart and B&H, with other sizes similarly discounted. The Amazon ***** TV Stick 4K Max is on ***** for ****** Friday. (Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget) Amazon ***** TV Stick 4K Max for $33 at Amazon ($27 off): This is a new low for Amazon’s top-end streaming stick, which runs fast and supports all the major streaming apps and HDR formats. We’ve found it to be surprisingly flexible as a gaming device, too, though you’ll have to put up with an ad-heavy interface that promotes Prime Video and other Amazon services above everything else. Also at Target, Best Buy and others. Amazon ***** TV Stick 4K for $22 at Amazon ($28 off): The standard ***** TV Stick 4K offers the same core experience as the pricier 4K Max — for better or worse — but comes with a slightly slower processor, half as much storage (8GB) and Wi-Fi 6 instead of the technically-faster Wi-Fi 6E. Still, this is a decent value if you just want a competent 4K streamer for as little as possible. This deal is another all-time low. Also at Target, Best Buy and others. Roku Ultra (2024) for $80 at Amazon ($20 off): The Roku Ultra is overkill for most people, but it might be worthwhile if you like Roku’s simpler UI and need a full-on set-top box with built-in Ethernet and USB ports. Unlike the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, it comes bundled with a rechargeable remote that supports voice controls, a lost remote finder tool and backlit buttons. (You can buy that separately, though.) This latest model also has a faster processor and Wi-Fi 6 support. This discount ties the lowest price we’ve tracked. Also at Roku, B&H and others. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #Save #sets #Samsung #Sony #Hisense Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Indian tribes seeks to bring home ancestral ******** from *** museums Indian tribes seeks to bring home ancestral ******** from *** museums Alok Kumar Kanungo Naga human ********, including skulls, were taken out of India by ********* colonial administrators Last month, Ellen Konyak was shocked to discover that a 19th-Century skull from the north-eastern Indian state of Nagaland was up for auction in the ***. The horned skull of a Naga tribesman was among thousands of items that ********* colonial administrators had collected from the state. Konyak, a member of the Naga Forum for Reconciliation (NFR) which is making efforts to bring these human ******** back home, says the news of the auction ********** her. “To see that people are still auctioning our ancestral human ******** in the 21st Century was shocking,” she said. “It was very insensitive and deeply hurtful.” The Swan at Tetsworth, the ***-based antique centre that put the skull on auction, advertised it as part of their “Curious Collector *****”, valued between £3,500 ($4,490) and £4,000 ($5,132). Alongside the skull – which is from a Belgian collection – the ***** listed shrunken heads from the Jivaro people of South America and skulls from the Ekoi people of West *******. Naga scholars and experts protested against the *****. The chief minister of Nagaland, Konyak’s home state, wrote a letter to the Indian foreign ministry describing the act as “dehumanising” and “continued colonial ********* upon our people”. The auction house withdrew the ***** following the outcry, but for the Naga people the episode revived memories of their violent past, prompting them to renew calls for the repatriation of their ancestral ******** stored or displayed far from their homeland. Scholars suggest that some of these human ******** were bartered items or gifts, but others may have been taken away without the consent of their owners. Alok Kumar Kanungo Naga human ******** were on display at the ***’s Pitt Rivers Museum before they were taken down in 2020 Alok Kumar Kanungo, a scholar of Naga culture, estimates that the ***’s public museums and private collections alone hold around 50,000 Naga objects. Oxford University’s Pitt Rivers Museum (PRM), which has the largest Naga collection, features approximately 6,550 items taken from the state, including 41 human ********. The museum also has human ******** from several other states of British India. But in recent years, experts say, with growing ethical concerns about collection, ***** and display of human ********, many collectors are reconsidering their approach. Kanungo says human ******** have become “white elephants” for museums. “They are no longer an object that can be disposed of or possessed by its owners; no longer a source of tourists’ money; can no longer be used to present Naga peoples as ‘uncivilised’; and of late have become an emotionally and politically charged issue.” So, museums have started returning human ******** from communities such as the Maori tribes of New Zealand, the Mudan warriors of Taiwan, the Aboriginal people of Australia and the Native Hawaiians. In 2019, PRM told the BBC that it had returned 22 such objects. A museum spoksperson told the BBC that the figure has now gone up to 35. “So far these [objects] have all been returned to Australia, New Zealand, US and Canada.” Arkotong Longkumer & Meren Imchen A graphic novel discusses Naga people’s ancestral ******** on display in far away museums As part of an ethical review, the museum removed Naga skulls from public display in 2020 and placed them in storage. This is when FNR demanded their repatriation for the first time. The museum said it was yet to receive a formal claim from Naga descendants and the processes to return human ******** “can take between 18 months and several years, depending on the complexity of the case”. Repatriating human ******** is more complicated than returning artefacts. It requires extensive research to determine whether the items were collected ethically, to identify descendants and to navigate complex international regulations on movement of human ********. The Naga forum has formed a group called Recover, Restore and Decolonise under anthropologists Dolly Kikon and Arkotong Longkumer to facilitate returns. “It is a bit like detective work,” Longkumer said. “We have to sift through different layers of information and try to read between the lines to actually find out about the exact nature of the collections and where they are from.” But for the Naga people, this process is not merely logistical. “We are dealing with human ********,” said Konyak. “It’s an international and legal process, but it’s also a spiritual one for us.” The group has been travelling to villages, meeting Naga elders, organising lectures and distributing educational materials such as comic books and videos to spread awareness. They are also trying to build consensus around subjects such as the last rites of repatriated ********. Most Nagas now follow Christianity, but their ancestors were animists who followed different birth and ****** rituals. Pitt Rivers Museum Pitt Rivers Museum has thousands of items that once belonged to Naga tribespeople The group found that even Naga elders were unaware that their ancestral ******** were in foreign land. Anthropologist and archaeologist Tiatoshi Jamir said one elder told him that this could make “the soul of their ancestors restless”. Jamir said even he was not aware about the skulls on display in foreign museums until he read about them in a local paper in the early 2000s. The British took over the Naga areas in 1832 and, in 1873, introduced a special permission for travellers – called the Inner Line Permit – to strictly control access to the region. Historians say the colonial administrators put down any rebellions and often burnt Naga villages to subdue them, in the process erasing much of their important cultural markers such as paintings, engravings and artefacts. Konyak says she has discovered that one of the human ******** in PRM’s list is of a person from her village and tribe. “I am like, ‘Oh my goodness! It belongs to one of my ancestors’,” she told the BBC. She is still undecided about how the last rites would be performed once the ******** are returned. “But we want them back as a mark of respect to our elders,” she said. “To reclaim our history. To claim our narrative.” Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook Source link #Indian #tribes #seeks #bring #home #ancestral #******** #museums Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Friday Steam Deck And Switch MicroSD Deals – SanDisk 1.5TB For $95 And More ****** Friday Steam Deck And Switch MicroSD Deals – SanDisk 1.5TB For $95 And More ****** Friday storage device deals have already started popping up, including steep discounts on high-capacity SanDisk microSD cards. Most notably, you can get the SanDisk Ultra 1.5TB microSD card for $95 (was $150) at Amazon and Best Buy. This is a great option for those looking to expand the storage capacity of their Steam Deck. Nintendo Switch owners who love Pokemon enough to pay a slight premium for a microSD card with Snorlax’s face on it can get a big early ****** Friday discount on an officially licensed 1TB SanDisk microSD card. You can also get limited-time discounts on microSDs made by SanDisk’s biggest competitor, Samsung. The high-end Samsung Pro Plus 1TB microSD is on ***** for $90, and the 512GB model is only $40. $95 (was $150) The SanDisk Ultra works without a hitch on Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch, and it’s also one of the most reliable and popular microSD cards around. Up until very recently, the 1.5TB card was the largest SanDisk offered, but now there’s a 2TB SanDisk Extreme. The 2TB card is still selling for its full $210 list price–yeah, that’s an extreme investment. The 1TB SanDisk Extreme costs $90. The Extreme model offers up to 190MB/s transfer speed, while the Ultra is graded for 150MB/s–plenty fast enough for Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. $93 (was $150) SanDisk has a range of officially licensed microSD cards imprinted with characters and emblems from popular Nintendo franchises. One of the newest additions to that lineup is this 1TB Pokemon-themed card, which appropriately features Snorlax. All of the Nintendo-themed cards carry higher prices than the regular SanDisk cards. You’re saving over $50 off this card’s launch price, but you’re essentially paying the same price for 1TB as you would for 1.5TB. This card has a read speed of up to 100MB/s, so it’s not as fast as the Ultra either. On Nintendo Switch this won’t make a difference, but if for some reason you want a Pokemon-themed microSD for your Steam Deck, the drop in speed is worth keeping in mind. Amazon is also offering a big discount on the 1TB SanDisk card featuring the Royal Crest from The Legend of Zelda. It’s the same card as the Snorlax model, but it’s on ***** for only $88. Early ****** Friday microSD Card Deals for Steam Deck & Nintendo Switch We rounded up all of the best early ****** Friday microSD card deals below. Smaller capacity SanDisk cards are available for discounts as well, including the 512GB Ultra for $33. You can also save on Samsung’s highly rated Pro Plus microSD cards, which offer read speeds of to 180MB/s. The 1TB Samsung Pro Plus is on ***** for $90, while the 512GB is up for grabs for only $40. SanDisk Deals: Samsung Deals: More microSD Deals: Source link #****** #Friday #Steam #Deck #Switch #MicroSD #Deals #SanDisk #1.5TB Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]