Will He Fight for Super Earth or Automatons?
Will He Fight for Super Earth or Automatons?
Arrowhead Game Studios has worked with Guerrilla Games in the past to give Helldivers 2 players a Killzone 2 crossover. Since this crossover, players have been wondering when they will get another crossover; in fact, they are so tired of waiting that they have suggested various franchises that could work well if introduced within the Helldivers 2 universe.
When talking about sci-fi movie franchises, it’s hard to forget the RoboCop series, with 1987’s RoboCop being one of the first films to normalize the concept of cyborgs. Players believe that Alex Murphy would be the perfect addition to the game, but what side will he be on? Super Earth or Automatons?
Helldivers 2 players want to see a RoboCop x Helldivers 2 collaboration
Helldivers 2 players on the r/helldivers2 subreddit have suggested that Helldivers 2 should have a RoboCop collaboration. Being such a popular franchise with a cyborg law enforcer, it makes sense to have RoboCop on Super Earth’s side during the Second Galactic War.
Unlike the Killzone collaboration, a RoboCop collaboration should involve more than cosmetics and weapons. Yes, it was certainly exciting to see unique armors and capes, but we need something much ******* than that. Imagine RoboCop joining the battlefield as an NPC, creating a major live event similar to what players experience in Fortnite.
On top of this, Arrowhead has the opportunity to create some iconic RoboCop-themed armors, weapons, banners, titles, and Stratagems. This crossover has a lot of potential, along with other Transformer-themed crossovers that players have suggested in the past. A RoboCop crossover also makes sense as Teyon’s 2023 video game, RoboCop: Rogue City, has been gaining traction for its exciting gameplay.
Killzone crossover was well-received by the fans
The Helldivers 2 x Killzone 2 collaboration was praised for its contents, but was criticized because of its pricing (Image via Arrowhead Game Studios)
A few months ago, Arrowhead rolled out the Killzone 2 x Helldivers 2 bundle. However, players were not happy with the pricing. To make things right, the studio decided to give away the items in the second phase of this collaboration for free to all the players. It’s hard to remember the last time a major developer did this to satisfy the fans, as most companies prioritise revenue over player experience nowadays.
Apart from RoboCop, players revealed that they would love to dive into the battlefield with Terminator, Dredd, and Marvel Universe’s War Machine. Arrowhead has a lot of options to choose from, but they need to give players the next crossover as soon as possible because players just can’t contain their excitement.
Arrowhead is known for listening to Helldivers 2 players; in fact, the studio even has a dedicated team that reviews players’ feedback on social media, which helps them understand what can be improved. So, it’s safe to say that the studio won’t let players down with the next crossover.
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Shein, Temu Prices Surge as High as 377% Amid Tariffs. Temu Has a Plan to Address That
Shein, Temu Prices Surge as High as 377% Amid Tariffs. Temu Has a Plan to Address That
Temu and Shein shoppers, better start saving up.
If you shop for bargain items on Temu or Shein, brace yourself — US tariff changes have sent prices soaring. In late April, the ******** e-commerce giants, known for bargain products, announced significant price hikes, with some items increasing by up to 377%, according to data aggregated by Bloomberg News.
The price surge followed the Trump administration’s revocation of the “de minimis” exemption, which previously allowed goods under $800 to enter the US from mainland China and Hong Kong duty-free.
Now Temu is taking a different tack. The company says it will no longer ship products from China to US customers. Instead, all sales to buyers in the US will be managed by “locally based sellers,” with orders fulfilled domestically to keep prices in check.
“Temu’s pricing for US consumers remains unchanged as the platform transitions to a local fulfillment model,” a Temu representative said in a statement to CNET on Friday. “Temu has been actively recruiting US sellers to join the platform.”
Be sure to explore our tariff pricing tracker to keep track of how the tariffs are affecting 11 popular products.
Representatives from Shein did not respond to requests for comment.
Shein’s price adjustments are notable in various categories. Beauty and health products have seen an average increase of 51%, home and kitchen goods an increase of 30%, and women’s clothing an increase of 8%. According to The Daily Beast, a kitchen towel’s price jumped from $1.28 to $6.10 (377% increase) and a meat shredder rose from $2.91 to $9.02 (219% increase). Temu, owned by ******** e-commerce company PDD Holdings, also raised prices, citing higher operating costs due to the new tariffs.
These changes are part of a broader trend where US shoppers are facing rising costs on imported goods. The elimination of the “de minimis” rule along with the imposition of higher tariffs has disrupted the business models of these fast-fashion retailers, leading to increased prices for consumers.
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Trump administration reaches settlement with family of Ashli Babbitt, rioter killed on Jan. 6, 2021
Trump administration reaches settlement with family of Ashli Babbitt, rioter killed on Jan. 6, 2021
The Trump administration has reached a settlement with the family Ashli Babbitt, the Trump supporter who was shot and killed while in the mob breaching the House Speaker’s Lobby on Jan. 6, 2021.
Multiple sources told CBS News the settlement has been reached in principle but is not yet signed. In a court proceeding Friday, a plaintiff’s attorney confirmed the settlement in principle was reached. It would avert a trial and further proceedings in a $30 million civil suit filed on behalf of Babbitt’s estate, including her late husband, by the conservative activist group Judicial Watch.
Babbitt’s death was a rallying point for Trump loyalists and Capitol rioters who alleged police used unnecessary force in stopping the mob on Jan. 6. In the civil lawsuit, Babbitt’s estate alleged U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd was negligent in the issue of force and his firearm. The suit also argued Byrd was not in uniform and was wearing a COVID mask when he opened fire against Babbitt. The suit accused Byrd of failing to “de-escalate.”
“Ashli was unarmed,” the lawsuit said. “Her hands were up in the air, empty, and in plain view of Lt. Byrd and other officers in the lobby. Ashli posed no threat to the safety of anyone.”
The case, which was initially filed in California, was transferred to the Washington, D.C., federal court in 2024 and was defended by the Justice Department under the Biden administration.
In a 2024 court filing, the department argued, “Ms. Babbitt unlawfully entered the Capitol. She made her way to the east doors of the Speaker’s Lobby situated immediately behind the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives, the site of Joint Sessions of Congress. Although officers had barricaded the Speaker’s Lobby doors with heavy furniture, demonstrators broke through the glass panels of the lobby doors and matching windows (called “sidelights”) on either side of the doors.”
It went on to say, “Michael Byrd, a U.S. Capitol Police lieutenant, was positioned on the other side of the lobby doors. When Ms. Babbitt, wearing a backpack, tried to climb through a sidelight into the Speaker’s Lobby, Lt. Byrd fatally shot her.”
In an August 2021 internal review, the U.S. Capitol Police said Byrd saved lives and did not engage in misconduct. The review said, ‘This officer and the officer’s family have been the subject of numerous credible and specific threats for actions that were taken as part of the job of all our officers: defending the Congress, Members, staff and the democratic process. The actions of the officer in this case potentially saved Members and staff from serious injury and possible death from a large crowd of rioters who forced their way into the U.S. Capitol and to the House Chamber where Members and staff were steps away.”
Footage from Jan. 6 shows Babbitt trying to climb through a smashed window as the mob sought to breach the House Speaker’s Lobby, where the counting of the electoral votes had been interrupted. Members of Congress were evacuating the area during the riot.
Babbitt’s mother, Micki Wittehoff helped lead a nightly protest outside the Washington, D.C., jail for more than two years, in defense of U.S. Capitol riot defendants and convicted felons. Wittehoff’s advocacy helped secure meetings with then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, references to Babbitt by President Trump and a selfie photo with Kash Patel, who later was confirmed as the director of the FBI.
The president issued a blanket pardon for more than 1,500 Capitol riot defendants in the hours after his inauguration. The Justice Department has fired prosecutors who handled the Jan. 6 cases.
Last month, Brendan Ballou, one of the Jan. 6 prosecutors who resigned after Trump took office told CBS News the pardons and firings were an effort to whitewash history.
“The goal here is to rewrite the history of Jan. 6,” Ballou said. “There are enormous number of politicians whose whole careers now depend on that day being forgotten because if it’s remembered, people will realize they are supporting a president that tried to incite an insurrection and overthrow the peaceful democratic transfer of power. And so there’s a concerted effort by these folks to make sure that that history is forgotten, and firing those prosecutors is part of that effort.”
Assault On The U.S. Capitol
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Michael Kaplan
Michael Kaplan is an award-winning reporter and producer for the CBS News investigative unit. He specializes in securing scoops and crafting long-form television investigations. His work has appeared on “60 Minutes,” CNN and in The New York Times.
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Temu halts shipments direct from China as de minimis tariff rule ends
Temu halts shipments direct from China as de minimis tariff rule ends
A package from Temu is seen in front of a screen with the Temu logo. (Photo by Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
Bargain ******** retailer Temu changed its business model in the U.S. as the Trump administration’s new rules on low-value shipments took effect on Friday.
In recent days, Temu has abruptly shifted its website and app to only display listings for products shipped from U.S.-based warehouses. Items shipped directly from China, which previously blanketed the site, are now labeled as out of stock.
Temu made a name for itself in the U.S. as a destination for ultra-discounted items shipped direct from China, such as $5 sneakers and $1.50 garlic presses. It’s been able to keep prices low because of the so-called de minimis rule, which has allowed items worth $800 or less to enter the country duty-free since 2016.
The loophole expired Friday at 12:01 a.m. EDT as a result of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in April. Trump briefly suspended the de minimis rule in February before reinstating the provision days later as customs officials struggled to process and collect tariffs on a mountain of low-value packages.
The end of de minimis, as well as Trump’s new 145% tariffs on China, has forced Temu to raise prices, suspend its aggressive online advertising push and now alter the selection of goods available to American shoppers to circumvent higher levies.
A Temu spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that all sales in the U.S. are now handled by local sellers and fulfilled “from within the country” as part of the company’s efforts to improve service levels.
“Temu has been actively recruiting U.S. sellers to join the platform,” the spokesperson said. “The move is designed to help local merchants reach more customers and grow their businesses.”
Before the change, shoppers that attempted to purchase Temu products shipped from China were confronted with “import charges” between 130% and 150%. The fees often cost more than the individual item and more than doubled the price of many orders.
Temu advertises that local products have “no import charges” and “no extra charges upon delivery.”
The company, which is owned by ******** e-commerce giant PDD Holdings, has gradually built up its inventory in the U.S. over the past year in anticipation of escalating trade tensions and the removal of de minimis.
Shein, which has also benefited from the loophole, moved to raise prices last week. The fast-fashion retailer added a banner at checkout that states, “Tariffs are included in the price you pay. You’ll never have to pay extra at delivery.”
Many third-party sellers on Amazon rely on ******** manufacturers to source or assemble their products. The company’s Temu competitor, called Amazon Haul, has relied on de minimis to ship products priced at $20 or less directly from China to the U.S.
Amazon said this week following a dustup with the White House that it considered showing tariff-related costs on Haul products ahead of the de minimis cutoff. It’s since scrapped those plans.
Prior to Trump’s second term in office, the Biden administration had also looked to curtail the provision. Critics of the de minimis provision argue that it harms American businesses and facilitates shipments of fentanyl and other illicit substances on the claims that the packages are less likely to be inspected by customs agents.
— CNBC’s Gabrielle Fonrouge contributed to this report.
WATCH: Trump tariffs mean higher prices, big losses for Amazon sellers
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Chevron (CVX) earnings Q1 2025
Chevron (CVX) earnings Q1 2025
Chevron will slow the pace of its share buybacks, as falling crude prices hit the oil major’s first-quarter profit.
U.S. crude oil prices have dropped about 18% this year as President Donald Trump’s tariffs are expected to weigh on demand at the same time OPEC+ plans to pump more supply into the market.
The oil major said it plans to repurchase $2.5 billion to $3 billion of its own stock in the second quarter, which is lower than the $3.9 billion it bought back in the first quarter. Chevron, however, is maintaining its overall guidance of $10 billion to $20 billion of repurchases this year.
Chevron shares were basically flat in morning trading.
Here is what Chevron reported for the first quarter compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:
Earnings per share: $2.18 adjusted vs. $2.18 expectedRevenue: $47.61 billion vs. $48.09 billion expected
Chevron clearly has room to continue its shareholder returns, Biraj Borkhataria, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, told clients in a Friday note.
“The reaction from the company today seems to reflect a ‘skate to where the puck is going’ situation, with a recognition that the macro has deteriorated, and could continue to deteriorate further from here,” the analyst said.
Chevron’s net income declined more than 30% to $3.5 billion, or $2 per share, from $5.5 billion or $2.97 per share, in the year-ago *******. Excluding one-time items, Chevron earned $2.18 per share, which was in line with Wall Street estimates.
Upstream hit by low oil prices
Chevron’s U.S. production business posted a profit of $1.86 billion, a decline of more than 10% from $2.08 billion in the year-ago *******, as it experienced higher operating expenses and lower commodity prices.
On the international front, Chevron’s production segment earned $1.9 billion in the quarter, down nearly 40% from $3.16 billion last year. International profits took a hit due primarily to lower earnings at the company’s TCO project in Kazakhstan.
Chevron produced 3.35 million barrels per day in the quarter, largely flat compared with the 3.34 million bpd in the year-ago *******. Capital expenditures declined about 5% to $3.9 billion, down from $4.1 billion one year ago.
Chevron is still trying to close its planned acquisition of Hess. The deal has been stymied as Exxon Mobil challenges Chevron’s move to buy Hess assets in Guyana before an international arbitration court. Chevron acquired $2.2 billion of Hess shares in the quarter.
U.S. refining swings to a profit
The oil major’s U.S. refining business shifted to a profit of $103 million after posting a loss of $348 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. The segment’s earnings, however, declined 77% from $453 million in the year-ago ******* due to lower margins on refined product sales.
Chevron’s international refining business posted a profit of $222 million, a decline of about 33% from $330 million in the same quarter last year also due to lower margins on product sales.
Read the full earnings release here.
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Everything in the Ghost of Yotei Collector’s Edition
Everything in the Ghost of Yotei Collector’s Edition
Along with the release of any major AAA title comes a feast for every collector hungry for the next brilliantly designed piece of gaming history, called Collector’s Editions. Ghost of Yotei is up next in these matters, and here is all you need to know about Sucker Punch’s next masterfully curated collector’s package, which is full of surprises and digital downloads.
Spoiler alert: If you were looking forward to a steelbook exclusively designed with Ghost of Yotei in mind, then you are unfortunately out of luck. But hey, at least you get a really awesome replica of Atsu’s Ghost Mask to make up for it.
Hand-crafted Oni Mask replica – Centerpiece of the collection
The Ghost of Yotei Collector’s Edition comes with a replica of Yatsu’s Mask | PlayStation
You heard that right; in the upcoming collector’s edition packet for Ghost of Yotei, you’ll get a replica display edition of Atsu’s Ghost mask. This is a clear follow-up to the game’s prequel, Ghost of Tsushima’s collector’s edition package, which featured a built-to-scale mask of the title’s protagonist as well.
Before you get too excited, keep in mind the collector’s edition costs a whopping $249.99. Still excited? Perfect, the pre-orders start today, i.e., May 2nd, with the whole game now set to launch on October 2nd later this year.
Apart from the mask, perhaps the most iconic item in the whole package would be the replica of the Tsuba from her katana, along with a display stand to hold it. The official PlayStation blog reveals how, according to lore, the katana was forged by her father in the image of two twin wolves.
In-Game Items: Exclusive Armor Set, and Katana Skin
The game’s Digital Deluxe edition comes with exclusive in-game items | PlayStation
We are living in the cursed, yet gracefully accepted, era of everything digital, which means that there will be, of course, a few in-game collectibles that buyers will receive along with their purchase of Ghost of Yotei’s collector’s edition pack.
The list begins with The Snake’s armor set, along with a dye you can make use of on your starting armor. Additionally, the buyers also get a horse color, saddle dye, an in-game charm, and a gold sword kit.
However, perhaps the best digital item you will receive among other collectibles is an early unlock of Traveler’s Maps, allowing the player to find statues throughout the vast world. The good news is, if you are not much of a fan of tangible items, then there’s a separate Digital Deluxe edition available just for $79.99, and it includes the game key as well.
Collector’s Edition Packaging and Scroll Art Display
Ghost of Yotei’s keyart will be featured all over Collector’s Edition’s packaging | Sucker Punch
The collector’s edition also features a replica of Atsu’s sash, which features the names of everybody included in the Yōtei Six, i.e., the ones who killed Atsu’s family. The protagonist is out on a journey to exact vengeance on all six of them, and with the collector’s edition, you get the opportunity to cross off their names in real life as you get rid of them in-game.
Through the promotional poster, one can speculate that everything mentioned above will come packaged nicely in a wooden box, further covered by Ghost of Yotei’s key art all around, making it one of the best collector’s editions produced in recent times.
If you think this is all the $249.99 is going to bring you, then you’d be wrong. What I haven’t gone over yet is how the package also features art cards, which feature the game’s most iconic posters and items. Along comes a Papercraft Ginkgo Tree, and lastly, a pouch of coins and instructions on how to play Zeni Hajiki, one of the featured mini-games in Ghost of Yotei.
Just one last bit of info: with the pre-order of any edition of Ghost of Yotei by Sucker Punch studios, players will get an exclusive in-game mask. Along with a set of seven PSN avatars
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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang scores his first base salary increase since 2015
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang scores his first base salary increase since 2015
Jensen Huang, chief executive and co-founder of Nvidia, recently received his first base salary increase in a decade, even though his company’s market capitalization increased by a whopping 281 times since 2015, as noticed by CNBC.
Nvidia’s market capitalization increased from $10.47 billion in late January 2015 to $2.94 trillion in early February 2024. The company was the world’s most expensive enterprise briefly in mid-2024 and is not the world’s third most expensive publicly traded firm, according to CompaniesMarketCap.com. Yet, Jensen Huang continued to receive a fixed salary of $1 million (set in 2015) until this May.
This year, Huang’s fixed salary rose by 49% to $1.5 million, while his performance-related cash compensation climbed to $1 million, marking a 50% gain from the prior year. The equity portion of his package reached $38.8 million, bringing his total annual compensation to $49.9 million. The company’s board stated that this was his first adjustment in a decade and cited parity with other senior executives as the reason to increase his salary.
“The compensation committee believed this was appropriate in consideration of internal pay equity with the base salaries of other NEOs and as it represented Mr. Huang’s first base salary increase in 10 years,” a statement by the board of directors with the SEC reads. “His target variable cash opportunity remained at 200% of base salary, increasing to $3 million, which aligned with the median of peers. Mr. Huang’s target equity opportunity increased by 25%, to $27.5 million, which aligned slightly above the median of peers.”
Huang continues to hold a 3.5% ownership stake in Nvidia, which, due to the firm’s soaring valuation, is now worth around $94 billion. The company’s market capitalization surged by 281 times since 2015 and more than 9 times since the end of 2022, highlighting investor confidence in its leadership and product dominance, specifically in the AI sector.
These additional costs are part of a broader trend among tech executives receiving non-cash compensation for security and logistical needs. For example, Alphabet disclosed that it spent $8.27 million on personal security and travel for CEO Sundar Pichai in the same timeframe, marking a 22% increase over the prior year, reports Quartz.
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Here are the HSA contribution limits for 2026
Here are the HSA contribution limits for 2026
Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images
The IRS on Thursday unveiled 2026 contribution limits for health savings accounts, or HSAs, which offer triple-tax benefits for medical expenses.
Starting in 2026, the new HSA contribution limit will be $4,400 for self-only health coverage, the IRS announced Thursday. That’s up from $4,300 in 2025, based on inflation adjustments.
Meanwhile, the new limit for savers with family coverage will jump to $8,750, up from $8,550 in 2025, according to the update.
More from Personal Finance: There’s a new ‘super funding’ limit for some 401(k) savers in 2025 This 401(k) feature can kick-start tax-free retirement savings Gold ETF investors may be surprised by their tax bill on profits
To make HSA contributions in 2026, you must have an eligible high-deductible health insurance plan.
For 2026, the IRS defines a high deductible as at least $1,700 for self-only coverage or $3,400 for family plans. Plus, the plan’s cap on yearly out-of-pocket expenses — deductibles, co-payments and other amounts — can’t exceed $8,500 for individual plans or $17,000 for family coverage.
Investors have until the tax deadline to make HSA contributions for the previous year. That means the last chance for 2026 deposits is April 2027.
HSAs have triple-tax benefits
If you’re eligible to make HSA contributions, financial advisors recommend investing the balance for the long-term rather than spending the funds on current-year medical expenses, cash flow permitting.
The reason: “Your health savings account has three tax benefits,” said certified financial planner Dan Galli, owner of Daniel J. Galli & Associates in Norwell, Massachusetts.
There’s typically an upfront deduction for contributions, your balance grows tax-free and you can withdraw the money any time tax-free for qualified medical expenses.
Unlike flexible spending accounts, or FSAs, investors can roll HSA balances over from year to year. The account is also portable between jobs, meaning you can keep the money when leaving an employer.
That makes your HSA “very powerful” for future retirement savings, Galli said.
Healthcare expenses in retirement can be significant. A single 65-year-old retiring in 2024 could expect to spend an average of $165,000 on medical expenses through their golden years, according to Fidelity data. This doesn’t include the cost of long-term care.
Most HSAs used for current expenses
In 2024, two-thirds of companies offered investment options for HSA contributions, according to a survey released in November by the Plan Sponsor Council of America, which polled more than 500 employers in the summer of 2024.
But only 18% of participants were investing their HSA balance, down slightly from the previous year, the survey found.
“Ultimately, most participants still are using that HSA for current health-care expenses,” Hattie Greenan, director of research and communications for the Plan Sponsor Council of America, previously told CNBC.
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The world's oldest person, a 116-year-old Brazilian nun, has died – NPR
The world's oldest person, a 116-year-old Brazilian nun, has died – NPR
The world’s oldest person, a 116-year-old Brazilian nun, has died NPR115-year-old British woman, now the world’s oldest, gives her recipe to long life AP NewsWorld’s oldest person, Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, dead at 116 CNNBrazilian nun who was the world’s oldest person has died at 116 ABC News‘I do what I like’: British woman, 115, claims world’s oldest living person title The Guardian
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Netflix stock trading at all-time highs in unprecedented win streak
Netflix stock trading at all-time highs in unprecedented win streak
Netflix is on a winning streak.
The streaming giant’s stock has traded for 11 straight days without a decline, the company’s longest positive run ever.
Stock Chart IconStock chart icon
Netflix stock since April 17.
Its previous record was a nine-day stretch in late 2018 and early 2019 when the stock traded up for four days, was unchanged for a day and then traded positively for another four days.
The stock is also trading at all-time-high levels since it went public in May 2002.
This new streak comes on the heels of Netflix’s most recent earnings report on April 17, in which it revealed that revenue grew 13% during the first quarter of 2025 on higher-than-forecast subscription and advertising dollars.
Netflix has been one of the top-performing stocks during the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term, with shares up more than 30% since mid-January. The company has been largely unaffected by Trump’s tariffs and trade war with China and is a service that consumers are unlikely to cut during a recession.
Meanwhile, traditional media stocks have been slammed by a tumultuous market prompted by Trump’s trade policy. Warner Bros. Discovery has lost nearly 10% since Trump took office, while Disney is down 13% during that same *******.
Netflix continues to forecast full-year revenue of between $43.5 billion and $44.5 billion.
“There’s been no material change to our overall business outlook,” the company said in a statement last month.
As investors worry about the potential effect of tariffs on consumer spending and confidence, Netflix’s co-CEO Greg Peters said on the company’s earnings call, “Based on what we are seeing by actually operating the business right now, there’s nothing really significant to note.”
“We also take some comfort that entertainment historically has been pretty resilient in tougher economic times,” Peters said. “Netflix, specifically, also, has been generally quite resilient. We haven’t seen any major impacts during those tougher times, albeit over a much shorter history.”
JPMorgan said Thursday that it sees more upside for shares.
“NFLX has established itself as the clear leader in global streaming & is on the pathway to becoming global TV … Advertising Upfronts in May should serve as a positive catalyst to shares,” analysts wrote.
While Netflix has hiked its subscription prices — its standard plan now costs $17.99, its ad-supported plan is $7.99 and premium is $24.99 — it appears to have retained its value proposition for customers. But it is unclear if the subscriber base is growing or shrinking because the company recently stopped sharing details on its membership numbers, instead focusing on revenue growth.
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NotebookLM, the acceptable face of Google AI, is getting an app in May
NotebookLM, the acceptable face of Google AI, is getting an app in May
NotebookLM, the Google research tool that gained notoriety for its uncanny AI-generated podcasts, is getting an official app on May 20, 2025. You can pre-register for the Android or iOS version of the app right now and have it automatically downloaded to your device on May 20, the first day of Google I/O 2025.
Based on the listings in the Play Store and App Store, Google seems intent on keeping all of the core functionality of the web version of NotebookLM intact for its mobile debut. You can upload a variety of different sources (PDFs, website URLs, YouTube videos and copied text) and have NotebookLM, powered by Gemini, do stuff with them. That could be answering specific questions, generating study guides or creating an Audio Overview, the previously-mentioned “podcasts.”
Google
NotebookLM started life as Project Tailwind back at I/O 2023 and has gradually transitioned from research project to real product over time. The service officially launched as NotebookLM in December 2023 and gained Audio Overviews in September 2024. As of April 2025, NotebookLM is now offered in more than 50 languages. Getting an actual app release is the best sign yet the service is here to stay.
Critical to its sucess, NotebookLM makes more sense as a tool you can trust than basically any other Gemini product. The service’s output is grounded in documents and sources you choose. That means Google’s AI is less likely to hallucinate because it’s quoting a research study directly, and it’s easier to double check its answers because you can view the source directly in NotebookLM.
Google has already signaled that I/O 2025 will be Gemini-focused by breaking out Android announcements into their own stream, so there’s a good chance NotebookLM won’t be the only AI product getting some love on May 20. It remains to be seen whether Google has any ideas as cogent as “an AI that helps you digest long PDFs,” though.
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United Airlines blames FAA for hundreds of Newark flight disruptions
United Airlines blames FAA for hundreds of Newark flight disruptions
United Airlines airplanes proceed to a runway at Newark Liberty International Airport on Feb. 20, 2025, in Newark, New Jersey.
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United Airlines passengers faced hourslong delays again Friday as air traffic controller staffing issues disrupted more flights at the carrier’s hub at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
More than 200 flights in and out of Newark were delayed as of midday Friday, adding to more than 1,300 other delays and cancellations earlier this week, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. United said Thursday that FAA technology outages, runway construction and high winds let to the disruptions, forcing it to divert at least 21 flights.
Read more CNBC airline news
An FAA advisory said staffing was the problem on Friday. The agency didn’t immediately comment.
Newark is one of the most congested airports in the country, and United CEO Scott Kirby has repeatedly complained about shortfalls of air traffic controllers.
The Transportation Department on Thursday offered a new slate of incentives to help alleviate staffing shortages of air traffic controllers, a problem that has persisted for years and worsened during training pauses during Covid.
United said it would waive change fees or fare differences for customers affected by the Newark disruptions.
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Live updates – Canada's Carney to meet Trump – BBC
Live updates – Canada's Carney to meet Trump – BBC
Live updates – Canada’s Carney to meet Trump BBCTrump disliked Trudeau – why Carney may fare better BBC“Do not expect white smoke”: Carney lowers expectations for first Trump sit-down PoliticoCanadian PM Carney heading to DC for Trump huddle amid annexation talk and tariffs USA TodayTrump Won’t Add Canada, Greenland or Panama to US Territory, Carney Says Bloomberg.com
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Accused MS-13 leader opposes Trump administration dropping his charges, warning he’ll be deported
Accused MS-13 leader opposes Trump administration dropping his charges, warning he’ll be deported
Attorneys for a Virginia man labeled by the Trump administration as a top MS-13 gang leader are pressing a judge to hold off on dismissing his criminal case, arguing he could be deported without ever hearing — or defending himself against — the specific allegations against him.
Henrry Villatoro Santos’ arrest was announced last month in a nationally televised news conference featuring the attorney general, who accused Villatoro Santos of being the “East Coast leader” of the infamous MS-13 transnational gang. He was accused of responsibility for violent crimes and helping lead the gang’s criminal attacks throughout the U.S.
Villatoro Santos’ criminal case has morphed into a unique paradox: Justice Department prosecutors want his case dismissed. And it’s Villatoro Santos fighting to keep his case alive.
Villatoro Santos remains in pretrial jail and faces a federal felony gun possession charge in Virginia. But the Justice Department has yet to provide any of the details of his alleged MS-13 crimes. Instead the government is pressing a magistrate judge to dismiss Villatoro Santos’ case so that administration officials can instead deport him out of the United States.
The defendant has filed a motion asking a judge to block the dismissal of the case. Though the judge denied Villatoro Santos’ request, he has agreed to pause his ruling to allow for an appeal. Villatoro Santos will remain in U.S. Marshals’ custody pending his appeal. He has been held in an Alexandria, Virginia, jail.
Villatoro Santos’ defense attorney argues the Trump administration appears to be preparing to deport Villatoro Santos without due process.
Henrry Villatoro Santos
Alexandria (Virginia) Sheriff’s Office
In a Wednesday court filing, defense attorney Muhammad Elsayed wrote he is concerned the administration will “immediately and summarily deport Mr. Villatoro Santos to El Salvador in violation of the law, in violation of the Constitution, and in violation of the Supreme Court’s most recent decisions reaffirming the right of immigrants to notice and an opportunity to be heard prior to removal.”
He also argues, “This risk is not an imaginary or speculative one: multiple statements by high level government officials about Mr. Villatoro Santos strongly indicate the Government may intend to immediately deport him upon dismissal of his case, without notice and a hearing in immigration court.”
His attorney also argues that there appears to be no due process hearings planned. His filing said, “To date, the Department of Homeland Security has not issued a Notice to Appear to Mr. Villatoro Santos, which is the first step in legal removal proceedings.”
Villatoro Santos’ lawyers argued in a filing that if he’s deported, “there is no doubt” he’ll be sent to a notorious maximum-security prison in El Salvador where the Trump administration has sent hundreds of Salvadoran and Venezuelan migrants accused of being gang members.
Multiple legal battles over deportations
In a separate case, attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union have alleged that a group of would-be deportees have been relocated to a detention facility in Texas for a potentially imminent deportation under the rarely-used Alien Enemies Act emergency power, used in the March 15 deportation flights of Venezuelan nationals.
In his court filing this week, his defense attorney noted the high-profile publicity of Villatoro Santos’ case. The filing said, “Beginning on March 27, multiple top government officials have publicly accused Mr. Villatoro Santos of being ‘one of the top leaders of MS-13’ and ‘one of the leaders for the East Coast, one of the top three in the entire country,’ claims made by Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a high-profile press conference on March 27, 2025. They called him a “terrorist” and “horrible, violent, worst of the worst criminals.”
Bondi did not directly answer when asked, at a Wednesday news conference, why the Justice Department has not publicly released evidence in the case against Villatoro Santos. The Justice Department also did not respond to requests from CBS News for details about Villatoro Santos’ alleged MS-13-related crimes.
The March 27 news conference in which Villatoro Santos’ case was announced featured statements by Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Younkin. It was held at a federal law enforcement facility in Manassas, Virginia, and was championed as an announcement of a takedown of a leading MS-13 figure. The arrest of Villatoro Santos was filmed and access to information about the arrest was given in advance to FOX News, a cable network for which Bondi was previously a frequent analyst and guest.
Bondi, Patel and Younkin did not release Villatoro Santos’ name publicly during the news conference, nor did they offer any specifics, when asked by reporters about the nature or details of Villatoro Santos’ alleged MS-13 leadership role or crimes.
Charging documents in his criminal case make only one fleeting reference to MS-13. An immigration officer’s affidavit said, “FBI agents and TFOs also observed indicia of MS-13 association in the garage bedroom” of Villatoro-Santos’s home.
He is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. The magistrate judge who initially agreed to the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the case has “stayed” his ruling as Villatoro Santos appeals to a higher-level judge in Alexandria, Virginia, seeking to reject the dismissal. More court hearings are expected in the coming days.
More from CBS News
Scott MacFarlane
Scott MacFarlane is CBS News’ Justice correspondent. He has covered Washington for two decades, earning 20 Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards. His reporting has resulted directly in the passage of five new laws.
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United Airlines blames FAA for hundreds of Newark flight disruptions
United Airlines blames FAA for hundreds of Newark flight disruptions
United Airlines airplanes proceed to a runway at Newark Liberty International Airport on Feb. 20, 2025, in Newark, New Jersey.
Gary Hershorn | Corbis News | Getty Images
United Airlines passengers faced hourslong delays again Friday as air traffic controller staffing issues disrupted more flights at the carrier’s hub at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
More than 200 flights in and out of Newark were delayed as of midday Friday, adding to more than 1,300 other delays and cancellations earlier this week, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. United said Thursday that FAA technology outages, runway construction and high winds let to the disruptions, forcing it to divert at least 21 flights.
Read more CNBC airline news
An FAA advisory said staffing was the problem on Friday. The agency didn’t immediately comment.
Newark is one of the most congested airports in the country, and United CEO Scott Kirby has repeatedly complained about shortfalls of air traffic controllers.
The Transportation Department on Thursday offered a new slate of incentives to help alleviate staffing shortages of air traffic controllers, a problem that has persisted for years and worsened during training pauses during Covid.
United said it would waive change fees or fare differences for customers affected by the Newark disruptions.
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#United #Airlines #blames #FAA #hundreds #Newark #flight #disruptions
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Mike Waltz offered other roles before accepting U.N. ambassador post, sources say
Mike Waltz offered other roles before accepting U.N. ambassador post, sources say
The White House on Thursday gave Mike Waltz a choice in his next job, as President Trump strategized to move him out as national security adviser just over 100 days into his administration, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.
In conversations with chief of staff Susie Wiles, Waltz was offered several ambassadorships, including that of ambassador to Saudi Arabia. After some consideration, Waltz chose the job of U.N. ambassador. Mr. Trump announced the change in a social media post several hours after news broke Thursday morning that Waltz would be departing his job.
Friday was scheduled to be Waltz’s final day at the White House, sources said, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio transitions into dual roles as interim national security adviser and America’s top diplomat. Rubio and Waltz met Thursday to start the hand-off.
Spokespeople for the National Security Council declined to comment.
A deputy to Waltz, Alex Wong, remains at the National Security Council. There were discussions Thursday in the West Wing about his departure, but Wong is aiding the transition, sources said.
Trump considers the Saudi Arabia post to be a consequential one, and has been selective about it, sources said. He has asked several people, including former White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, about possible names.
It was unclear whether Mr. Trump would announce his choice for ambassador to the kingdom before he travels to the Middle East. He is also scheduled to stop in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE May 13-16.
In 2017, Mr. Trump chose Saudi Arabia to be his first foreign destination as president. The oil-rich kingdom is not only one of the top producers within OPEC — and therefore key to global economic dynamics — it is also the world’s biggest customer for U.S.-made weapons.
The president has set his sights on including Saudi Arabia in the Abraham Accords, which was his first-term signature series of bilateral diplomatic accords. The agreement normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states. As president, Joe Biden also attempted to bring the Saudis into the fold in exchange for U.S. security guarantees and a civil nuclear program, but the Israel-****** war in Gaza complicated those efforts.
During Mr. Trump’s first term, retired Army General and CENTCOM commander John Abizaid served as ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has publicly called for a pathway to a future ************ state as part of any agreement. Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and site of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Inclusion of Saudi Arabia would bring strategic and symbolic heft to Trump’s attempts to transform the Middle East.
Margaret Brennan
contributed to this report.
Jennifer Jacobs
Jennifer Jacobs is a senior White House reporter at CBS News.
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Seven things we have learnt so far from the election results
Seven things we have learnt so far from the election results
Henry Zeffman
BBC chief political correspondent
Reuters
The election results are still being counted but this patchwork of different contests across England has been truly fascinating, throwing up all sorts of lessons.
Here are seven things we have learnt so far:
These are really bad results for the Labour Party
Sometimes in politics what is most obvious is most important. These are a bad set of results for the Labour Party at their first electoral test since being swept to office ten months ago in a landslide of epic proportions.
“We did it!” the prime minister told his jubilant supporters back then as seat after seat fell to Labour, adding: “It feels good, I have to be honest.”
That’s not so much the vibe these days.
Leaving the eight-hour count in Runcorn and Helsby this morning, Labour campaigners were utterly dejected, not least at having lost by only six votes, the closest result in any by-election ever.
Yet even if they had won by six votes, the trend would have been the same – a governing party which has burnt through goodwill at an unimaginable pace.
It’s possible to overstate how dramatic the contrast with the 2024 general election is, though.
Sir Keir Starmer’s victory was broad but shallow, his 411 seats procured on just over a third of the vote. Perhaps it’s not surprising that the so-called loveless landslide has been followed by a rude awakening.
Labour’s debate on what to do next is just beginning
“On every door it was the same story – winter fuel and Pip.”
That’s what a Labour campaigner in Runcorn told me first thing this morning, referring to the early decision this government made to means-test the winter fuel allowance and the more recent announcement that eligibility for the Personal Independence Payment will be tightened.
Speaking to Labour MPs from different wings of the party over the course of the day, it’s been surprising how many have pretty much stuck to that same theme. For almost all of them, the original sin of this government was the decision on winter fuel.
There are nuances within that position. Some believe the cut could have been communicated better, making the case that some pensioners were receiving the benefit who simply didn’t need it. Others think it was never worth the political risk for the amount of money it would raise.
To stress, it is not just the left of the Labour Party, comprised of a handful of MPs willing to criticise Starmer publicly, who are saying this. I had a conversation with an MP on the right of the party this afternoon who believes the situation is so dire, the damage so fundamental, that Rachel Reeves should simply reverse the cut.
That is extremely unlikely. But it is where the debate may be headed when MPs return to the Commons and compare notes next week.
And of course a crucial part of that debate is the parlous economic situation inherited by the government which, those around the prime minister insist, necessitated unpleasant decisions which were always bound to be unpopular. If it had not been winter fuel, it would have been something else – the argument goes.
The consolation of sorts for Labour is that fixing their political predicament is in their hands. They are the government and the levers of power are at their command. The next general election is up to four years away. All in Labour agree that people need to be made to feel better off – and they hope that if that can be achieved, the political challenges melt away.
For the Conservatives, things are somehow getting worse
Turns out the only way wasn’t up. The Conservatives were reduced to their fewest MPs ever last July. That annihilation is now being visited on their local politicians.
Kemi Badenoch took charge of a crushed Conservative Party and has only had six months to begin trying to turn things round. Still, I am yet to meet a Conservative who will sincerely argue that she has made a good start.
I have, though, lost count of Conservative MPs and advisers who say to me that, in a funny way, they need Labour to be doing better. The Conservatives are still tarnished in many voters’ eyes by their governing record, meaning that the receptacle for voters’ immediate frustration with Labour, in Runcorn and elsewhere, is Reform ***.
But it’s more than just a story about the government’s woes, as longstanding Conservative strongholds such as Staffordshire and Lincolnshire falling to Reform show. Some of the results simply need to be stated to see how startling they are. Conservatives had run Staffordshire County Council since 2009. They had 56 of the 62 councillors on Thursday morning. Now they have only 10.
Later, the Liberal Democrats expect to sweep the Tory ‘shires’ as they did at the general election. It will be a tall order requiring extraordinary political finesse to regain support on both flanks.
There does not seem to be any appetite at all in the Conservative Party to even begin a conversation about changing leader yet again. Robert Jenrick throwing his support behind the woman who beat him to the leadership on the BBC this afternoon was a significant moment.
Whoever is leader, a Conservative Party projected to finish fourth in these elections is a Conservative Party in an existential crisis.
For Reform, with victory comes responsibility
It’s hard to come up with the right superlatives for Nigel Farage’s political achievement. Suffice to say the Reform surge evident in opinion polling has turned out to be real.
Yes, under Farage’s leadership Ukip won the European elections in 2014 and the Brexit Party did the same in 2019.
Their success in five constituencies at the general election – including Farage himself finally making it into parliament at the eighth attempt – suggested Reform *** was something different to his previous incarnations. That is surely now proven beyond all reasonable doubt.
But with victory comes responsibility. At the time of writing it looks like the party will control at least five councils. When Ukip ran up victories in the European elections its mandate was to scrutinise the Brussels institutions its voters loathed.
Now its mandate is to make its own voters’ lives better. That is a different task. The traditional main parties will be hoping that following responsibility comes accountability, and that if Reform councils and mayors fail, the party’s brand will suffer.
It’s not just Reform benefitting from the main parties’ unpopularity
The Liberal Democrats are making solid gains across what was once traditional Tory territory, which is essentially local politics catching up with what happened at the general election last July.
In Devon they gained 18 council seats, mostly at the Conservatives’ expense, to become the largest party, and are hoping to do well later in Oxfordshire and Shropshire.
They are ecstatic to have leapfrogged the Conservatives into third in the Projected National Share.
The Greens are making gains too, although their failure to win or even come second in the West of England mayoral contest will sting. The battle between the Greens and Labour for younger, urban progressives is likely to come to the ***** in future local elections.
Whoever is the change candidate wins
Labour’s general election slogan was just one word: change. No wonder that it appeared at the start of new MP Sarah Pochin’s victory speech in Runcorn too.
If there’s one thing every politician and strategist from every party seems to agree on, it is that people are crying out for things to be better. In other words, for change.
It was the mantle Keir Starmer managed to seize in opposition. His challenge is to reclaim it while being in government.
The task facing each opposition party in their different ways is to stop him doing so and convince voters that they have the best shot of improving their lives.
The era of fragmentation is here…at least for now
The two-party double act which has governed Britain for a century appears to be under massive strain. It may be time to get used to elections in this country – parliamentary, mayoral, council – being won on low shares of the vote by very fine margins. Under our First Past The Post system (where the winner is simply the person with the most votes), if you have lots of parties with relatively even support, things can get really unpredictable.
Yet if there’s another lesson of British politics in recent years it’s that politics is volatile. The death of the two-party system has been pronounced before. At the 2010 general election, Labour and the Conservatives only got 65% of the vote combined. By 2017 that figure was back up to 82%. In 2024 it was back to 57%. Things can change fast in politics – they have done, again and again.
As politics begins to move at social media speed, who’s to say Reform cannot fall away as fast as they rose?
It’s a counter-argument worth bearing in mind. On the other hand, it is no longer preposterous to say that Nigel Farage could be the next prime minister.
The range of possible political futures which could unfold in the *** over the next few years is simply vast. Anyone who tells you what is going to happen next needs a whopping great dose of humility.
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Zelle is down – live updates on the ongoing outage hitting the platform to send money between friends
Zelle is down – live updates on the ongoing outage hitting the platform to send money between friends
If you’re having issues sending money to your friends and family through your financial institution – maybe Chase, Bank of America, or TD Bank – you’re not alone. Zelle, which is the company and tech that powers these instant transfers between banks, is in the midst of an outage.
Much of Zelle’s appeal versus Venmo or PayPal is that it’s instant, and no extra fees are associated with the speed. However, users have taken to Down Detector – a site that tracks outages – and social media platforms to voice issues with the platform.
Reported outages spiked to over 1,000 at 1PM ET, and right now, as of this live blog starting, are circulating around 720 reports. Stick with us as we track this outage as it rolls on.
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Joel Creasey tours latest show Thanks For Being Here to The Regal Theatre for Perth Comedy Festival 2025
Joel Creasey tours latest show Thanks For Being Here to The Regal Theatre for Perth Comedy Festival 2025
Sassy Perth-raised comedian Joel Creasey has spent the greater part of his 34 years carving out a niche for himself in the *********** stand-up community.
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Classic Far Cry Game Gets Showered With Praise After 4K Support
Classic Far Cry Game Gets Showered With Praise After 4K Support
In today’s gaming world, it’s not often that Ubisoft gets a unanimous “W” from players. But 2025 seems to be turning a corner. Hot off the buzz from Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, the studio has quietly delivered yet another pleasant surprise for the fans: a performance upgrade for Far Cry 4.
In a move that no one saw coming, the studio pushed out a free update that dramatically boosts the game’s performance on modern consoles. The result? A much smoother, sharper, and responsive game that’s now fully optimized for current-gen hardware, with support for 60FPS and 4K resolution.
A simple win for fans, and a strategic one for Ubisoft
The new update removes the long-standing 30FPS cap that held Far Cry 4 back on newer hardware, completely transforming the gameplay experience into something far more fluid and responsive.
PS5 users, who were previously stuck with the original performance limitations, now have access to native 60FPS gameplay and enhanced resolution support, bringing them in line with Xbox Series X players, who gained 60FPS support back in 2021 through Microsoft’s FPS Boost feature.
Unlike FPS Boost, this update brings a native enhancement implemented directly by Ubisoft that comes with 4K resolution support, making the game’s already vibrant Himalayan landscapes and chaotic firefights more fluid and visually stunning.
As expected, the community response has been overwhelmingly positive. Fans across Reddit and social media have been vocal in their praise.
Comment byu/nyanbatman from discussion inXboxGamePass
Comment byu/nyanbatman from discussion inXboxGamePass
Comment byu/nyanbatman from discussion inXboxGamePass
For longtime players revisiting the chaos of Kyrat or newcomers diving in for the first time, this update is a meaningful improvement and a strong sign that the studio is finally listening to the players’ needs.
A promising step in the right direction
The game just got a next-gen glow-up, and it’s completely free. | Image Credit: Ubisoft
With Far Cry 4 now revitalized for the modern era, the question on every fan’s mind is: what about other titles? Will Ubisoft bat an eye towards them as well, or is this the rare exception?
The most obvious title in most players’ minds is Far Cry 3. It introduced players to the legendary villain Vaas and defined the series’ chaotic open-world formula. A 60FPS, 4K update for it could easily spark a massive resurgence in interest.
While nothing is confirmed or denied yet, the publisher has been steadily enhancing its older games over the past few years, particularly through performance patches.
Just last year, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate received a long-awaited 60FPS patch for both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. That followed similar treatment for Assassin’s Creed Origins in 2022 and Odyssey before that.
If the studio applies the same care to its earlier Far Cry titles as it has to its Assassin’s Creed lineup, fans could soon be revisiting the Rook Islands in crisp 4K and buttery-smooth 60FPS.
Is this the start of a wider Far Cry renaissance? No idea, but players certainly think so.
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Amazon vs Microsoft: Who’s Winning the AI Cloud War in 2025?
Amazon vs Microsoft: Who’s Winning the AI Cloud War in 2025?
Although AI models are yet to mature into consistent reliability, the trend is already clear. By inferring patterns from data, they can generate outputs at level and scale not seen in recorded history.
This capacity spans content generation in all forms, as well as coding, image and language processing for the purpose of predictions and recommendations. In turn, AI’s capacity relies on cloud infrastructure via data centers.
This translates to hyperscalers being the key intermediaries between AI models and humans. On Monday, we explored what this means for Alphabet (NASDAQ:) as the company pours $75 billion into AI infrastructure this year alone. But where do Amazon.com (NASDAQ:) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:) fit into this emerging AI landscape with their respective AWS and Azure cloud offerings?
Indicative AMZN Stock Dip
On Thursday, the e-commerce and logistics giant Amazon.com suffered a 5% stock sell-off following the Q1 2025 earnings report. This was short-lived, however, as many investors saw this as a buy-the-dip opportunity. Nonetheless, over the week, AMZN stock returned flatlined gains at 0.9% vs much more performant MSFT at 9.6% gains.
The culprit was misaligned expectations. Namely, Amazon’s cloud division Amazon Web Services (AWS) reported 16.9% quarterly growth at $29.27 billion, under the expected analyst consensus of 17.4% at $30.9 billion revenue.
Although a double-digit growth for such a wide moat company is still impressive, the performance matters in relative terms. A day earlier on Wednesday, Microsoft reported its Intelligent Cloud division grew quarterly by 20.8% at $26.75 billion, with Azure specifically gaining 33% growth.
Microsoft’s Azure performance beat the Visible Alpha estimate of 29.7% at $26.13 billion. According to Microsoft’s CFO, Azure actually outperformed due to non-AI related services, while the AI boost, contributing 12 – 16%, was in line with expectations.
Moreover, Microsoft boosted investor confidence with a stronger than expected outlook for its cloud services at 34% – 35% growth for fiscal Q4, which is calendar Q2.
Investors Rightfully Shift Focus to AI
Overall, Amazon beat earnings per share (EPS) estimate of $1.35 at $1.59, giving AMZN shareholders a 17.78% positive surprise for Q1. Microsoft’s EPS beatdown was more muted, beating estimated $3.2 at $3.46, giving MSFT shareholders a positive 8.13% surprise.
Given that weekly AMZN vs MSFT stock performance is clearly on Microsoft’s side, at +0.9% vs +9.6% respectively, it is clear that investors approach Big Tech with a higher expectation bar. This is reflected in their forward price to earnings (P/E) ratios, with Microsoft at 28.41 and Amazon at 28.74, both of which are above the average P/E for the IT sector at 22.7.
AI cloud support is now the focal point for these higher expectations. After all, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told shareholders in February’s earnings call that AI is “a once-in-a-lifetime type of business opportunity”.
So far, Amazon’s allotted capex into AWS for AI is worth $100 billion, above its peers Alphabet ($75B), Meta (NASDAQ:) ($65B) and Microsoft ($80B) for fiscal 2025. A large part of that high investment comes from Amazon’s need to maintain its global cloud market share, at 30% vs Azure’s 21%.
However, each company has its own strategic ecosystem integration approach that may benefit Microsoft in the long run.
Competitive Advantage: Amazon vs Microsoft?
Both Amazon and Microsoft employ usage-based billing for their cloud services. This spans across AWS’ SageMaker and Azure Machine Learning for training and inference workloads. Likewise, both companies bundle enterprise agreements for volume discounts alongside pre-pay reserved instances for compute capacity.
All of this is bundled with ample storage, typically costing fractions of a cent per stored gigabyte. Yet, Microsoft has greater footing owing to its existing software ecosystem and tight relationship with OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT.
So far, Amazon-backed Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet is lagging severely behind, dominated by OpenAI’s o4-mini, Alphabet’s Gemini 2.5 Pro, and again OpenAI’s o3 model. Even China’s DeepSeek outperforms Claude at this point in time.
And although Amazon’s Bedrock offers a multi-model approach with Anthropic (Claude), Stability AI, Meta (Llama) and its own Titan models, Azure’s AI Foundry (formerly Azure AI Studio) offers seamless, user-friendly and deep integration with Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365.
In other words, at this stage of AI development, AWS for AI is more suited for developers who switch between different foundation models to test AI waters. But as experimenting has its own associated costs, it is likely that enterprises will seek Azure’s road of least resistance.
Lastly, branding will also play a role in cloud adoption. Microsoft is known worldwide as a legacy software specialist, while Amazon is known as a hybrid company serving many roles.
Amazon vs Microsoft: Stock Price Forecasts
Year-to-date, MSFT stock is up 4.4% while AMZN stock is down 14%. According to Wall Street Journal’s forecasting data, the average MSFT price target is $501.48 against its current price of $434.26 per share. This gives Microsoft shareholders a potential 15% upside.
Amazon’s average stock price target is $244.84 against the current price of $190.20 per share. This gives Amazon shareholders a potential 28% upside, nearly double the gains from MSFT.
In the end, both companies’ advantages are not going anywhere, so it is worth investing in both whenever stock markets experience major dips. With that said, at a market cap of $3.25 trillion, it will become increasingly more difficult to move Microsoft’s weight, which makes Amazon’s $2 trillion market cap more attractive.
And although Microsoft’s bet on OpenAI appears to be the winning one, nobody knows for certain if that will be the case in a year’s time.
***
Neither the author, Tim Fries, nor this website, The Tokenist, provide financial advice. Please consult our website policy prior to making financial decisions.
This article was originally published on The Tokenist. Check out The Tokenist’s free newsletter, Five Minute Finance, for weekly analysis of the biggest trends in finance and technology.
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Lyon says Saints won't be carried away by big AFL win
Lyon says Saints won't be carried away by big AFL win
St Kilda face another big Friday night test next week against Carlton after taking Fremantle apart at Marvel Stadium.
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Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 source code isn't actually lost, reveals former Interplay founder
Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 source code isn't actually lost, reveals former Interplay founder
Video Gamer: “Earlier this week, we released a story that the source code and in-development assets for both Fallout and Fallout 2 were lost. According to series creator Tim Cain, and as far as he knew, the source codes for both of the original games were destroyed. However, thats not the case.”
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Nvidia CEO gets first base salary pay bump in 10 years
Nvidia CEO gets first base salary pay bump in 10 years
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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is getting his first base salary pay bump in a decade. Huang’s base salary as the president and CEO of Nvidia for fiscal 2025 is 1 and a half million dollars. That’s up 50% from fiscal 2024. The compensation committee calling the increase quote “appropriate” in an SEC filing, quote, in consideration of internal pay equity with the base salaries of other top executives. His variable cash opportunity or compensation based on certain performance metrics also increased 50% from last year to $3 million. And Huang’s target equity opportunity or compensation through stock options or other equity awards, that rose by 25% to 27 and a half million dollars, slightly above the median of his peers. As of May 1st, Jensen Huang is the 17th richest person alive, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Huang has a net worth of nearly $98 billion, the majority of which is in his ownership of Nvidia stock. He owns about 860 million shares, according to a filing from early March. Nvidia shares are down around 15% year to date in 2025. As a result, Huang’s net worth has declined by nearly 16 and a half billion dollars over the course of the year.
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