Pelican Press

Helldivers 2 New Major Order Is Basically Asking You to Go Batsh*t Crazy With Maximum Bloodshed Helldivers 2 New Major Order Is Basically Asking You to Go Batsh*t Crazy With Maximum Bloodshed All Helldivers 2 players who love chaos will love this week’s Major Order as Super Earth is expecting players to annihilate many Automaton and Terminid units. As per the game’s lore, killing all these units will support the construction of a blockade around the Meridian Singularity. The probability of the community completing this Major Order is quite high as most Helldivers love killing enemies. The new Major Order in Helldivers 2 has asked players to kill as many Terminid and Automatons units as they can (Image via Arrowhead Game Studios) Helldivers 2 has made a strong comeback, especially after the release of the Omens of Tyranny update. Thanks to constant updates, the game is once again one of the most popular co-op games in the world. Arrowhead Game Studios has a lot of new content lined up, which might be enough for the game to wipe out its competition. The new Helldivers 2 Major Order has unleashed chaos It has been revealed that the Illuminate faction is sending accumulated Dark Energy directly into the Meridian Singularity. To tackle this problem, the Super Earth has decided to establish a conventional military blockade around the Meridian Singularity. This week’s Major Order will allow players to contribute directly to the construction of this blockade. Comment byu/dnemonicterrier from discussion inhelldivers2 Comment byu/dnemonicterrier from discussion inhelldivers2 Comment byu/dnemonicterrier from discussion inhelldivers2 Comment byu/dnemonicterrier from discussion inhelldivers2 Comment byu/dnemonicterrier from discussion inhelldivers2 Comment byu/dnemonicterrier from discussion inhelldivers2 The in-game message has made it clear that killing these Automaton and Terminid units will allow Super Earth to extract E-170 and scrap metal to construct the blockade, which also fuels another theory that Super Earth might be exploiting these factions for their resources. The target is simple: Kill 1 billion Automatons, 6 million Shredder Tanks, 1.5 billion Terminids, and 8 million Bile Titans. To sum things up, players have to land on Terminid and Automaton infested planets and shoot everything down. Recently, the game director of Helldivers 2 revealed that most players love to fight bugs, so this Major Order is perfect for them. More stronger units will soon join Helldivers 2 More Illumiante enemies are on their way (Image via Arrowhead Game Studios) For now, the Major Order doesn’t target the Illuminate faction, but that doesn’t mean that the faction is weak. In December, it was confirmed that the initial invasion involved the Illuminate Vanguard Fleet, which is just a small section of the entire Illuminate faction. More stronger enemies are on the way, so players shouldn’t underestimate this faction. Recently, game director Mikael Eriksson explained that Arrowhead has plans to expand the existing factions in the game. Players should expect to see some more new enemies like the Jet Brigade or Predator Strain, as the studio will constantly make the game exciting by introducing more enemies. It’s safe to say that Helldivers 2 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting games of 2025. Source link #Helldivers #Major #Order #Basically #Batsht #Crazy #Maximum #Bloodshed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

$10M reward offered for arrest of former Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug lord – ABC News $10M reward offered for arrest of former Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug lord – ABC News $10M reward offered for arrest of former Olympic snowboarder turned alleged drug lord ABC NewsFormer Olympian Wanted for Running Transnational Drug Enterprise and Ordering Several Murders Added to FBI’s List of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives | Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of InvestigationFBI offers $10M reward for ********* ex-Olympian accused of running drug empire, ordering murders YahooFormer Olympian Ryan Wedding placed on FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted List, officials offer $10 million reward CBS NewsRyan James Wedding Department of State Source link #10M #reward #offered #arrest #Olympic #snowboarder #turned #alleged #drug #lord #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Syrian government still faces insurgent threat from Assad loyalists Syrian government still faces insurgent threat from Assad loyalists Hugh BachegaBBC Middle East correspondent•BeirutGetty Images In January, days after the first-month anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime in a lightning Islamist-led rebel offensive in Syria, a group of young men – some of them armed – were gathered, checking their phones in the nearly empty interior ministry headquarters in Damascus. With Bashar al-Assad gone, they had arrived from Idlib, a region in the country’s north-west that for years was the only opposition-controlled province in the country. Virtually overnight, they had been catapulted to positions once controlled by hand-picked Assad supporters and, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, were in charge of a fractured country devastated by 13 years of civil war. One of them, around 30 years old, had recently been appointed as a high-profile security official, and welcomed me to a room where any sign of the old regime had been removed. Tall and shy, the official made notes on his iPad while acknowledging that the new rulers faced enormous security challenges, including the threat coming from Assad loyalists. The dismantling of the decades-old apparatus behind the oppressive machine of the Assads, such as the country’s army and the ruling Baath party, meant the sacking of hundreds of thousands of people. “There are Assad-affiliated people who haven’t engaged with the reconciliation process,” said the official, who requested anonymity to be able to discuss sensitive issues, citing the new authorities’ call for former members of the security forces to surrender their weapons and ties to the old government. “Our eyes are on everyone, but we don’t want to give the impression that we’re after them. That’s why there haven’t been massive raids.” Since then the violence has escalated, particularly in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartous, a stronghold of the Assad family, but clashes were relatively contained. Until Thursday. As forces linked to the government carried out an operation in the countryside of Latakia province, targeting a former Assad official, they were ambushed by gunmen. At least 13 members of the security forces were killed, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a ***-based monitoring group, in what a regional official described as a well-planned attack carried out by “remnants of the Assad militias”. Initially limited to the Jableh area, the unrest spread more widely. Videos posted online showed heavy gunfire in different areas. The authorities sent reinforcements and, on Friday, further clashes killed more than 120 people, the Syrian Observatory said. It marked the most violent day since Assad’s fall and the biggest challenge yet to interim President Sharaa’s transitional government and his efforts to consolidate authority. According to the Institute for the Study of War, a research group, former Assad regime members are likely to form the most effective insurgent cells against Syria’s new rulers with the ability to coordinate attacks. “[They] already have pre-existing networks that they can leverage to rapidly organize insurgent cells. These networks are military, intelligence, and political networks and criminal syndicates who were regime supporters and lost significant economic and political influence in the aftermath of Assad’s fall,” they said in a report. Syria’s coastal areas are also the heartland of Assad’s Alawite *********, an offshoot of Shia Islam. Its members held prominent roles in the Assad government but, with the arrival of Sunni *******-led rebels, lost the power and privilege they once had. They now say they are under attack and discrimination, despite Sharaa’s pledges to respect different religious sects. On Friday, activists said gunmen had killed dozens of male residents in Alawite areas, which will further exacerbate tensions – and possibly drive support for insurgents in their anti-government push. The Syrian Observatory said the gunmen were from the government’s security forces, although this has not been verified. The authorities also faced resistance from the Druze forces in the south, although a deal was reached earlier this week The government in Damascus does not control the whole of Syria, where different factions – supported by different countries – exercise power over different regions. But for Sharaa, the challenge goes beyond the task of trying to keep the country safe. As Western suspicions over his intentions continue, his authorities are also struggling to get crippling sanctions imposed on Syria under the former regime lifted, a vital move to revive the economy of a country where nine in every 10 people are in poverty. Source link #Syrian #government #faces #insurgent #threat #Assad #loyalists Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Wine: Good cab sauvs show why classics never go out of fashion Wine: Good cab sauvs show why classics never go out of fashion Outside of the “super-premium” collector wines, cabernet sauvignon has lost favour to more fashionable varieties for everyday drinking. But, the “anything but what Dad drinks” market may have to think again as affordable cab sauv and cab merlot often prove more enjoyable than a slew of cheap pinots and experimental batch new varieties. Is it time for a revisit? Hayshed Hill, Pitchfork 2023 Cabernet Merlot, Margaret River, WA $17 Remarkably, for a wine at this price, this soft quaffer has spent 10 months in oak barrels before bottling. It’s plush up front, tapering to a fine, gentle finish. Lavishly fruity with sweet mulberry, ****** cherry and bitter cranberry. There’s a crunch and a bite to this ripe, but easy drinking red, and hints of coffee grounds and pencil shavings (from time in oak) to add richness. Winemaker Michael Kerrigan knows how to deliver good value. 89/100 Hayshed Hill 2023 Cabernet Merlot, Margaret River, WA $22 (available April) Purple-tinged and viscous. Plummy, rounded and warming. A generous glass of wine. ****** plums, blackcurrants, cedar, dried autumn leaves and milk chocolate. Mouthcoating tannins are supple not puckering and the finish is dry and complete. It’s impossible to deny the quality of this competitively priced (often sub $20) red, even if it is a little showy. 88/100 Hayshed Hill 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, WA $30 Pretty and fragrant aromatics of violets, cherry blossom and cinnamon, with a deeper, brooding, blackcurrant fruit backdrop. The mouthfeel is pure, with a fine weft, and fresh, with precise, savoury-dry tannins which appear to expand and extend the flavours. Blueberry, ****** cherry, cocoa powder, vanilla, cinnamon. All components integrate and entwine and give a sense of balance to the wine. Drink now or cellar for the medium term. 93/100 Source link #Wine #Good #cab #sauvs #show #classics #fashion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

My partner works at JP Morgan and is being forced back into the office. I’m terrified of what this means for our relationship. My partner works at JP Morgan and is being forced back into the office. I’m terrified of what this means for our relationship. My partner, who works at JP Morgan, and I have worked from home together for a year. She’s now being forced back into the office because JP Morgan issued an RTO mandate. I’m worried this will take away the quality time we spend together, and it has ruined our goals. My partner works at JP Morgan, and she recently received the company’s full-time RTO mandate. She and I have worked side-by-side in our home for the past year. Since she joined JP Morgan in 2022, she has worked from home two days a week. Meanwhile, I’ve been working remotely as a freelancer in sports marketing. Starting in March, my partner will have to go into the office four days a week — and that’s only due to the lack of desk space on-site. Once that’s resolved? The assumption is that she’ll be in the office full-time. My partner and I have spent much of our relationship benefiting from the ability to work remotely. Having been told that her employer, JP Morgan, is now demanding full-time office hours, I’m concerned about how our relationship will be affected — not only in the immediate future but our long-term goals, too. Working from home brought us closer together My partner and I both live hectic social lives. Time spent at home and in each other’s company is precious. Two days a week working side-by-side might not sound like quality time, but it encompasses a lot. We typically walk and talk on our lunch breaks while catching some fresh air. We sometimes cook lunch together and escape whatever work woes occupy our brains. We often catch up on chores during the workday, facilitating further time spent together in the evenings that would otherwise be occupied with the mundane. Thanks to working from home, she also forgoes the hourlong commute at both ends of her workday, giving us even more time together. That precious quality time is something I’m terrified we’ll miss. We had long-term goals that were tied to our work-from-home jobs Since my partner and I worked from home, we were able to plan for our futures outside work. Our main goal was to travel. I had hoped our jobs would head toward full-time remote work, allowing us to travel whenever we wanted. We planned to visit cities that interested us for short stays. I imagined us finishing our work days in an Airbnb and then stepping outside in the evening to explore a new part of the world. Traveling and keeping our full-time, remote jobs was our long-term dream. I thought the consistent evidence that we were fully committed to our roles and fulfilling our job duties would get us to this dream. But I was wrong. We worked hard to be forced back into the office. I’m scared of what comes next My partner is about to start working four days a week in the office. She thinks it’s only a matter of time before she must be there five days a week. Gone will be those shared lunch breaks and the connection they offered. Gone will be those extra hours of personal life that no commute or lunch at home permits. But that’s just the small stuff. The big impact? We can no longer look toward the future for travel plans. I’m still learning to deal with the loss of our dream. When we met, our ambitions aligned. It felt like we’d be able to experience the world as a couple — without sacrificing money, career progression, or love. All of a sudden, it feels as if our hot air balloon has burst. Thanks to the weight of realities we previously thought were untethered to our ride, we’re drifting back down to Earth. While I’m sure we’ll survive this change to our dynamic, the world suddenly feels a little smaller. My hopes, our hopes, feel a lot more distant. It’s been a sucker punch to a dream that would have felt unreal to experience. Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #partner #works #Morgan #forced #office #terrified #means #relationship Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

AMD is releasing its latest Ryzen X3D processors on March 12 AMD is releasing its latest Ryzen X3D processors on March 12 AMD has announced that it’s releasing its newest Ryzen X3D processors on March 12. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Ryzen 9 9900X3D were both introduced back at CES 2025, and are currently the most powerful gaming-focused processors the company sells. The 9950X3D has 16 Zen 5 CPU cores, a max boost speed of 5.7GHz and second-generation 3D V-Cache tech for more efficient performance. In contrast, the 9900X3D comes with a more modest 12 CPU cores and a max boost speed of 5.5GHz. AMD’s 3D V-Cache tech is still the standout feature on these chips. The company introduced 3D V-Cache as a method of packaging cache modules on top of each other to provided less RAM-intensive performance. The tech was added to desktop processors first, before coming to laptop processors in 2023. The 9950X3D’s 3D V-Cache packaging allows it to be 20 percent faster than Intel’s Core i9 285K across 40 different games, according to stats AMD shared when it announced the chip. It’s also supposed to be at least 10 percent faster across certain content creation apps, too. When you take into account AMD’s recently released Radeon 9070 GPUs, the company has the pieces you need to make a pretty compelling gaming PC. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Ryzen 9 900X3D will be available to order on March 12. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D will start at $699 and the Ryzen 9 9900X3D starts at $599. Source link #AMD #releasing #latest #Ryzen #X3D #processors #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Scores killed as Syrian forces seek to crush Alawite insurgency – Reuters Scores killed as Syrian forces seek to crush Alawite insurgency – Reuters Scores killed as Syrian forces seek to crush Alawite insurgency ReutersMore Than 140 Killed in Clashes Between Syrian Forces and Assad Loyalists The New York TimesSyrian forces in deadly clashes with Assad-linked fighters in Latakia Al Jazeera English Source link #Scores #killed #Syrian #forces #seek #crush #Alawite #insurgency #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to Expand Your House in Sugardew Island How to Expand Your House in Sugardew Island Since most can’t afford to buy a house in real life, living vicariously through virtual video game characters, while less than ideal, provides some level of ownership…I guess. In a game like Sugardew Island, your house doesn’t matter much. It’s mostly there for you to rest and relax, someplace to return home after a long day tending the fields and animals. At its largest upgrade size, you can house multiple pets, which is pretty cool if you’re feeling lonely. Here’s how to expand your house in Sugardew Island! How to Upgrade Your House in Sugardew Island Alongside various materials, namely wood and stone, and plenty of money from your farm store, you must achieve Level 2 and Level 4 on the Bunny Island for the Large House and Huge House, respectively. To achieve Level 2 and Level 4, you need to earn a specific amount of Harmony by selling items in your shop to the residents. The more you sell, the more you earn. You can also earn additional Harmony by advising or discounting items for customers. In any case, you’ll receive your quests and move on to the next tier of each island by interacting with the bratty dog/deer creature up north, the one living in the tree. Related: How to Increase Your Inventory Space in Sugardew Island Sugardew Island House Upgrades By Tier First and foremost, let’s get this out of the way. You’ll need a ton of money, in this case, Sugardew, to purchase the upgrades to your home. It’s expensive, especially when you start eyeing the second-tier upgrade to a Huge House. Large House Bunny Island Level 2 Cost: 25 Stone, 50 Wood, 7,500 Sugardew Repairs the House Huge House Bunny Island Level 4 Cost: 75 Stone, 100 Wood, 30,000 Sugardew Space for 2 Pets For the most part, these upgrades prove purely cosmetic, as you don’t really require a **** or a ******* house to thrive, but you do want to upgrade your shop! What’s your favorite player housing system in gaming? Let us know in the comments, or start a thread on the Insider Gaming community forum! As you start earning more Sugardew and expanding your farm, don’t forget the basics, like how to save the game in Sugardew Island! SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Expand #House #Sugardew #Island Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Homeland Security ends collective bargaining agreement with TSA employees Homeland Security ends collective bargaining agreement with TSA employees Travel editor Peter Greenberg on TSA gun seizures Travel editor Peter Greenberg on TSA gun seizures 04:25 The Department of Homeland Security said Friday it is ending the collective bargaining agreement with the union representing thousands of frontline workers with the Transportation Security Administration, a decision the TSA union called an “unprovoked attack.” In announcing the decision, DHS criticized the union — which represents worker responsible for screening airline passengers — claiming TSA employs more people working full-time on union issues than those “performing screening functions at 86% of our airports.” “This action will ensure Americans will have more effective and modernized workforces across the nation’s transportation networks,” Homeland Security said in a statement. “TSA is renewing its commitment to providing a quick and secure travel process for Americans.” The decision to end collective bargaining was criticized by the Association of Flight Attendants, a union representing flight attendants, and Democratic lawmakers, with both claiming that the action will make flying less safe. DHS’s decision comes after the agency last year pushed to boost TSA workers’ pay, which has historically lagged that of other government employees. In May 2024, the TSA administrator at the time, David Pekoske, signed the collective bargaining agreement and credited pay increases that went into effect in 2023 for helping to improve employee retention and morale, areas where TSA has had challenges. “Attempting to negate [TSA workers’] legally binding collective bargaining agreement now makes zero sense – it will only reduce morale and hamper the workforce,” said Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi and ranking member of the Committee on Homeland Security, in a statement on Friday. In the announcement, DHS said poor performers were being allowed to stay on the job and that the agreement was hindering the ability of the organization “to safeguard our transportation systems and keep Americans safe” — an assessment that faced immediate pushback from Thompson and the union. The decision is “terrible for aviation security and everyone who depends on safe travel,” the Association of Flight Attendants said. The group added, “This will take us back to the days of security at the lowest price with the highest costs for our country.” Impact on 47,000 TSA workers The American Federation of Government Employees, the union representing the TSA workers, said in a statement that the order would strip collective bargaining rights from roughly 47,000 transportation security officers, or TSOs. Those are people responsible for staffing airports around the country and checking to make sure that hundreds of thousands of passengers a day do not carry any weapons or explosives into the secure areas of airports. The union said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Donald Trump’s administration were violating the right of staffers to join a union. It also said that the reasons the Republican administration had given for the decision — specifically the criticisms of union activity — were “completely fabricated.” Instead, the union said, the decision was retaliation for its wider efforts challenging a range of decisions taken by the Trump administration that have affected federal workers. AFGE represents roughly 800,000 federal government workers in Washington, D.C., and across the country, and it has been pushing back on many of the administration’s actions such as firing probationary employees and cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID. “Our union has been out in front challenging this administration’s unlawful actions targeting federal workers, both in the legal courts and in the court of public opinion,” the union said. “Now our TSA officers are paying the price with this clearly retaliatory action.” The decision to end the collective bargaining agreement comes after Trump’s administration pushed out Pekoske the day Trump was sworn into office. The TSA does not currently have an administrator or a deputy administrator. In a note to staff, acting TSA Administrator Adam Stahl said Noem made the decision to rescind officers’ collective bargaining rights to align with the Trump administration’s “vision of maximizing government productivity and efficiency and ensuring that our workforce can respond swiftly and effectively to evolving threats.” “By removing the constraints of collective bargaining, TSOs will be able to operate with greater flexibility and responsiveness, ensuring the highest level of security and efficiency in protecting the American public,” Stahl wrote. “This determination is made with the TSO in mind, ensuring employee inclusivity and restoring meritocracy to the workforce.” Stahl said the agency “will establish alternative procedures” to address employee concerns and grievances “in a fair and transparent manner.” “Anti-union talking points” Rep. Thompson criticized the Homeland Security press release, saying the department was using “flat out wrong anti-union talking points.” He said the real aim was “diminishing” the workforce so “they can transform it in the mold of Project 2025.” “Attempting to negate their legally binding collective bargaining agreement now makes zero sense — it will only reduce morale and hamper the workforce,” Thompson said. “Since the Biden Administration provided pay increases and a new collective bargaining contract to the workforce, TSA’s attrition rates have plummeted.” Project 2025 was the conservative governing blueprint that Trump insisted during the 2024 campaign was not part of his agenda. Project 2025 calls for immediately ending the TSA union and eventually privatizing the entire agency. The TSA was created after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when hijackers smuggled knives and box cutters through security to use as weapons as they commandeered four airplanes and slammed them into the Pentagon, the World Trade Center towers and a Pennsylvania field. The TSA’s mandate when it was created in November 2001 was to prevent a similar attack in the future. Air travel since then has undergone a massive overhaul, with passengers and their luggage going through extensive screening at the airport and passenger information generally uploaded to TSA in advance of travel to facilitate screening. Increasingly, the agency has also been using facial recognition technology to scan passengers at checkpoints, leading to criticism by some members of Congress. Source link #Homeland #Security #ends #collective #bargaining #agreement #TSA #employees Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump Admin Cancels $400M in Federal Funding for Columbia University, Citing Antisemitism Trump Admin Cancels $400M in Federal Funding for Columbia University, Citing Antisemitism The Trump administration has announced the cancellation of $400 million in federal funding for Columbia University, citing the school’s insufficient efforts to address antisemitism on campus. Multiple federal agencies made the announcement on Friday, stating that grants and contracts would be revoked due to the university’s handling of the issue. Five days ago, federal agencies revealed they were considering halting $51 million in contracts with the New York City institution and reassessing its eligibility for more than $5 billion in future federal funding. The decision follows Columbia’s recent steps to establish a new disciplinary committee and increase investigations into students who have been critical of Israel. Despite these actions, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated that the university has “abandoned” its responsibility to protect Jewish students. “Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus,” McMahon said in a statement on Friday. Columbia is pledging to cooperate with the government in an effort to restore the lost funding. “We take Columbia’s legal obligations seriously and understand how serious this announcement is and are committed to combatting antisemitism and ensuring the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff,” the university said in a statement. It’s unclear which specific research projects or programs at Columbia will be impacted by the funding cuts. The university, which operates a medical center and numerous other academic initiatives, said it is reviewing the decision. The Education Department, along with the Health and Justice Departments and the General Services Administration, issued the announcement, but further details have not been provided. Columbia is the first university targeted in President Trump’s broader initiative to crack down on colleges accused of allowing antisemitism to take root in the wake of the gruesome ****** massacre and kidnappings of Israelis on October 7, 2023. As CBN News reported last spring, protests at Columbia became a prominent example of the blatant antisemitic rage that took place on numerous campuses. In April, pro-************ demonstrators set up an encampment on campus, inspiring similar actions at universities across the country. Later, protesters occupied a campus building, leading to a police intervention and multiple arrests. More recently, a smaller group of demonstrators staged sit-ins at Columbia-affiliated Barnard College to oppose the expulsion of two students accused of disrupting an Israeli history class. Several students were arrested after occupying a building for several hours on Wednesday. Columbia has acknowledged concerns about antisemitism on campus. A university task force admitted last summer that Jewish and Israeli students had been excluded from student organizations, mistreated in classrooms, and subjected to verbal harassment during the spring protests. Columbia is one of five universities currently facing new federal investigations into antisemitism and among 10 institutions being visited by a task force assessing allegations that colleges have failed to protect Jewish students. Other schools under investigation include the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Minnesota; Northwestern University; and Portland State University. ***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you receive the latest news from a Christian perspective.*** Source link #Trump #Admin #Cancels #400M #Federal #Funding #Columbia #University #Citing #Antisemitism Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Split Fiction Has Its Eyes Set for Game of the Year Award But GTA 6 Could Ruin the Parade Split Fiction Has Its Eyes Set for Game of the Year Award But GTA 6 Could Ruin the Parade If there’s one thing we all love, it’s an underdog story, unless, of course, that underdog is standing in the way of the gaming juggernaut known as Grand Theft Auto. In one corner, we have Split Fiction, the latest cinematic, story-driven masterpiece from the ever-charismatic Josef Fares. In the other corner? The gaming titan, the unstoppable force, the skyscraper-sized elephant in the room, GTA 6. It’s a battle of passion versus legacy, of creative storytelling versus open-world chaos. Split Fiction is already making waves with its engaging co-op mechanics and emotionally charged narrative, while GTA 6 is poised to do what it always does, break the internet and set new industry records. A still from Split Fiction | Credits: Hazelight Studios Fans are hyped, critics are sharpening their pens, and the gaming world is bracing itself for a clash of the titans. But before the GTA tsunami hits, let’s talk about why Split Fiction is still a serious contender for the biggest award in gaming, and why GTA 6 could very well be the ultimate party crasher. Split Fiction is a masterpiece worthy of Game of the Year A still from Split Fiction | Credits: Hazelight Studios Josef Fares is no stranger to shaking up the gaming industry. The man behind A Way Out and It Takes Two has developed a reputation for crafting deeply emotional, cooperative-driven narratives that somehow balance humor, action, and gut-wrenching moments in perfect harmony. With Split Fiction, Fares has reportedly outdone himself, blending fast-paced gameplay with a gripping, unconventional story that keeps players guessing. Early impressions suggest that Split Fiction is everything we love about Fares’ games dialed up to eleven. The split-screen mechanics, a signature of his previous works, are back and more innovative than ever. The narrative reportedly pulls players into a whirlwind of high-stakes drama, unexpected twists, and laugh-out-loud moments, all wrapped up in a visually stunning world. Fans are convinced this is the one. It Takes Two already snatched the Game of the Year award in 2021, proving that Fares knows how to craft a winner. And with Split Fiction, he may have once again struck gold. When a fan confidently declared that Split Fiction would take home the Game of the Year award, Fares, in his signature energetic style, gave a response that was both humble and hilariously self-aware. In a YouTube video from Fall Damage, responding to fan comments, he said, I would really appreciate if we won Game of the Year again. But, on the other hand you know I’m a huge fan of GTA. I think if that comes out it’s going to be really tough and I want it to come out cause I’m a huge fan. That’s right, he’s out here openly cheering for the very game that could steamroll his own masterpiece. You have to respect the honesty. But then, just when things are looking bright for Fares and his team, a shadow looms over the horizon. A very, very big shadow. The party crasher no one can ignore, GTA 6 A still from GTA 5 | Credits: Rockstar Games Let’s be honest, when GTA 6 enters the room, every other game suddenly starts sweating. This isn’t just another sequel, this is the sequel. The long-awaited, heavily speculated, absolutely massive follow-up to GTA V, a game that refuses to die even after a decade of dominance. The hype surrounding GTA 6 is unmatched. Rockstar Games operates on a completely different plane of existence, where every release redefines gaming as we know it. When a GTA title drops, it’s not just a game, it’s a cultural event. Cities will be deserted. Work productivity will plummet. Relationships will be tested. And most importantly, the Game of the Year conversation will shift dramatically. Even Josef Fares himself admits it, “The only game I kind of replay, GTA V, the story. I really love that.” That’s right, Fares, the man whose game is directly in GTA 6’s crosshairs, is an open and unapologetic fanboy. And honestly? Who can blame him? If GTA 6 releases this year, it won’t just compete for the award, it will dominate every conversation about gaming for months, if not years. That’s the kind of pressure Split Fiction is up against. Can Fares’ masterpiece hold its ground against the biggest name in the industry? Only time will tell. Source link #Split #Fiction #Eyes #Set #Game #Year #Award #GTA #Ruin #Parade Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Does education help build a cognitive reserve to ward off dementia? Does education help build a cognitive reserve to ward off dementia? Just one extra year of schooling could make all the difference to your cognitive health SolStock/Getty Images In 1972, the *** government raised the minimum school-leaver’s age from 15 to 16, with the goal of giving more students intellectual skills for modern occupations. Now, as these teens pass though their sixties, another benefit may be emerging: a lower risk of dementia. But with research from other groups muddying the waters, this relationship is far from clear-cut. The idea that education protects against dementia isn’t new. Yaakov Stern at Columbia University in New York proposed it in… Source link #education #build #cognitive #reserve #ward #dementia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump threatens sanctions on Russia over Ukraine attacks: ‘Can’t do that’ – National Trump threatens sanctions on Russia over Ukraine attacks: ‘Can’t do that’ – National U.S. President Donald Trump raised the prospect of imposing large-scale U.S. sanctions on Russia on Friday, days after pausing military aid and intelligence support to Ukraine, and he called on both countries to get on with negotiating a peace deal. Trump’s threat of banking curbs and tariffs followed a Reuters report on Monday that the White House was preparing to give Russia possible sanctions relief as part of the push to end the war and improve diplomatic and economic ties with Moscow. “Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large-scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED,” Trump said on his social media platform. “To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!” Russian forces have almost surrounded thousands of Ukrainian troops who stormed into Russia’s Kursk region last summer in a shock incursion which Kyiv had hoped to use as leverage over Moscow in any peace talks. Story continues below advertisement 2:25 Russia issues warning if NATO troops enter Ukraine Ukraine’s position in Kursk has deteriorated sharply in the last three days, open source maps show. The Russian counteroffensive has nearly cut the Ukrainian force in two and separated the main group from its principal supply lines. “The situation (for Ukraine in Kursk) is very bad,” Pasi Paroinen, a military analyst with the Finland-based ****** Bird Group, told Reuters. There was no official confirmation of the Russian thrust from either Russia or Ukraine, which both tend to report battlefield developments with a delay. Russian forces also damaged energy and gas infrastructure inside Ukraine overnight in their first major missile attack since the U.S. paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Ten people, including a child, were injured, Ukrainian officials said. When asked by a reporter during an Oval Office exchange if Russian President Vladimir Putin was taking advantage of the U.S. pause on intelligence-sharing to attack Ukraine, Trump responded: “I think he’s doing what anybody else would do.” Story continues below advertisement “They’re bombing the hell out of them … you can’t do that,” he added, appearing to continue his criticism of Moscow’s increasing attacks, but then openly questioned whether Ukraine wants peace. “(Putin) wants to get it ended,” he said. “I think Ukraine wants to get it ended, but I don’t see it. It’s crazy. They’re taking tremendous punishment, I don’t quite get it.” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, seeking to shore up Western support for Ukraine after the apparent U.S. diplomatic pivot towards Moscow, responded to the attack by calling for a truce covering air and sea. “The first steps to establishing real peace should be forcing the sole source of this war, Russia, to stop such attacks,” Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app. 2:26 Zelenskyy meets with European leaders to discuss Ukraine defence without US aid Trending Now Trump says U.S. will target new tariffs on ********* dairy, lumber in days Gene Hackman death: Gas leak, dog identification details revealed Moscow has rejected the idea of a temporary truce, which has also been proposed by Britain and France, and said it would never let peacekeepers from NATO countries into Ukraine, after the two countries suggested a European force could police any permanent settlement. Story continues below advertisement Russia, one of the world’s biggest oil producers, is already subject to wide-ranging sanctions imposed by the United States and partners after Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022. U.S. sanctions on Russia include measures aimed at limiting its oil and gas revenues, including a cap of $60 per barrel on Russia’s oil exports. Trump did not go into detail on the possible sanctions against Russia and said later in the Oval Office that he was finding it more difficult to deal with Ukraine. Despite tension with Trump, Zelenskiy said late on Thursday he would travel to Saudi Arabia next Monday for a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before talks there later in the week between U.S. and Ukrainian officials. 2:37 Zelenskyy ‘can come back to the table’ when ready for peace talks with Russia: U.S. State Dept. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has already held extensive talks with Russian officials. He said he was in discussions with Ukraine for a peace agreement framework to end the three-year-old war and confirmed that a meeting was planned next week with the Ukrainians in Saudi Arabia. Story continues below advertisement Russia holds around a fifth of Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea which it annexed in 2014, and its forces are steadily advancing in the eastern Donetsk region. Kyiv has been pressing for robust security guarantees for any peace deal but the U.S. has declined to commit, pointing to a potential critical minerals agreement that Trump says would be enough. Zelenskiy has yet to sign the minerals agreement and clashed with Trump publicly a week ago. White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be at the talks with the Ukrainians in Saudi Arabia, and that he thought they would get things back on track. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said he had a “constructive call” with Rubio on Friday. —With additional files from the Associated Press and Global News More on World More videos Source link #Trump #threatens #sanctions #Russia #Ukraine #attacks #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Kharkiv Bombarded By Russian Strikes Overnight Kharkiv Bombarded By Russian Strikes Overnight The strikes were aimed at critical Ukrainian infrastructure and increased worries that the Trump administration’s decision to withhold intelligence assistance could leave Ukraine more vulnerable. Source link #Kharkiv #Bombarded #Russian #Strikes #Overnight Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US employers add a solid 151,000 jobs last month though unemployment up to 4.1% – The Associated Press US employers add a solid 151,000 jobs last month though unemployment up to 4.1% – The Associated Press US employers add a solid 151,000 jobs last month though unemployment up to 4.1% The Associated PressFebruary jobs report: US labor market adds 151,000 jobs, unemployment rate ticks up to 4.1% Yahoo FinanceUS hiring falls short of expectations in 1st full month of Trump term ABC NewsThe job market may be tougher than it looks on paper Marketplace Source link #employers #add #solid #jobs #month #unemployment #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple delays Siri AI improvements to 2026 Apple delays Siri AI improvements to 2026 Apple CEO Tim Cook inspects the new iPhone 16 during an Apple special event at Apple headquarters on September 09, 2024 in Cupertino, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images When unveiling Apple Intelligence last summer, one of Apple’s flashiest demos showed the Siri voice assistant juggling several apps to help a user plan a lunch after landing from a flight. Those capabilities won’t be coming anytime soon. Apple on Friday announced that it is delaying the features that would supercharge Siri with the ability to take action other apps until next year. That feature was expected to be released this spring. Another Siri improvement that is also being delayed would have allowed it to take advantage of what Apple calls “personal context.” For example, Siri would be able to fill out forms on users’ behalf with their personal information based on their driver’s license numbers taken from a photo. “We’ve also been working on a more personalized Siri, giving it more awareness of your personal context, as well as the ability to take action for you within and across your apps,” an Apple representative said in a statement. “It’s going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year.” The delay highlights some of the challenges Apple faces developing a next-generation voice assistant that uses cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology to be more useful and conversational. The pressure has heightened since the arrival of OpenAI’s ChatGPT that launched in late 2022 and ushered in the era of generative AI. Besides OpenAI, Apple risks falling behind rivals including Amazon, which announced an upgraded Alexa voice assistant last month but hasn’t released it, and Google, which is developing similar capabilities with its Gemini assistant. But all consumer voice assistants have had issues with incorrect answers and task automation. Many Apple devices have already received some Siri upgrades if they support Apple Intelligence, including more conversational capabilities, a new look that makes the entire phone screen glow and integration with ChatGPT. Apple Intelligence also includes features that can generate text or images, edit photographs and summarize notifications. Those features are currently available on newer iPhones. The delay to Siri’s supercharged features aren’t Apple’s first run-in with issues adapting to new-age AI. Earlier this year, the company disabled Apple Intelligence summaries for news apps like The New York Times and BBC after users discovered that the AI system had twisted headlines to display inaccurate facts. Apple is also counting on its army of app developers will lay the groundwork for its next-generation Siri assistant by developing chunks of code Apple calls “app intents.” That code is intended to allow the AI-enhanced Siri to use functions within their apps. While developers can currently build and test app intents, they won’t be able to see how they work in Siri until Apple releases a beta version of the upgraded assistant. Apple typically announces major new software features in June, at its WWDC conference. WATCH: If you don’t like gen AI, Apple is a good place to hide, says Needham’s Laura Martin on Big Tech Source link #Apple #delays #Siri #improvements Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Four big things Trump and his team took on this week Four big things Trump and his team took on this week EPA Trump signs an executive order to pause some tariffs on Mexico and Canada US President Donald Trump continued to shock allies this week after his fiery exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office. His seventh week in office saw military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine paused, while Zelensky sought to repair relations and a possible peace deal by saying he was “ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership”. At the start of the week, Trump imposed tariffs on close US allies Canada and Mexico and increased them on key trade partner China. Later, the president signed exempted a number of ********* and ******** goods from cost hikes. At home, the US president delivered the longest presidential speech to Congress on record. If you are in need of a catch up, here are four big items Trump and his team took on this week. 1. Tense relations with Ukraine continue after Oval Office exchange The dramatic shift in the US’s relationship with Ukraine continued this week. Trump administration officials made two separate announcements: First, that America would pause its practice of providing Kyiv with military aid – and then that they had paused intelligence sharing as well. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz told reporters that the Trump administration was pausing and reviewing “all aspects of this relationship”, but did suggest that it could be lifted at a later date. In the meantime, officials said that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered the military to pause its offensive cyber operations against Russia as a diplomatic push continues to end the war in Ukraine. These pauses could have a significant effect on Ukraine’s ability to the fight the war, though it could be weeks until the cut of aid is felt while existing stocks are used up. A lack of US intelligence may also hinder Ukraine in planning offensive operations, and giving Kyiv advance warning of incoming Russian attacks. The cut also hit closer to home in the US in Scranton, Pennsylvania – where there is a plant producing key munition that has been sent to Ukraine, and a community with a “very proud history” of supporting Kyiv. Since the Oval Office meeting, the Ukrainians have worked to get the relationship back on the right footing. He sent Trump a letter agreeing to “come to the negotiating table”for the rare earth minerals deal and a larger peace agreement. Meanwhile, European leaders continued to hold discussions about increasing support to Ukraine and bolster their own defence spending, in light of developments in the US. 2. Confirmed the US would implement tariffs on some ******** and ********* goods US stock markets sunk at the start of the week after Trump confirmed he was moving forward with 25% tariffs on goods imported from Mexico and Canada. In the days that followed, the Trump administration announced that it would be temporarily sparing carmakers from the import levies. The next day, the president signed an executive order that placed a number of other exemptions on various goods – which helped to boost US shares. There was a notable difference in tone between Trump’s dealings with the US’s neighbours in the north and south. He said the postponement of some tariffs on Mexico was “as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum”, and described their relationship as “a very good one”. Though a war of words was evident in dealings with Canada. ********* Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the US tariffs “dumb”, but the country’s finance minister said it would hold off on its threatened second round of retaliatory tariffs on US products. Later in the week, Trudeau said he had had a “colourful” conversation with Trump about the fees and warned that a trade war between the two allies would probably continue. 3. Direct talks with ****** over Gaza hostages The White House confirmed it had held direct talks with ****** over the release of remaining hostages held in Gaza. Washington had until then avoided direct engagement with the group, and there was a longstanding American policy against contacting entities it had listed a terrorist organisation. It also meant bypassing a close US ally – Israel. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office responded with a terse statement, saying only that it had “expressed its position” on the talks. But this was not necessarily a softening of tone toward ******. Trump also issued what he called a “last warning” to the group, demanding that they release the remaining Israeli hostages. “I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single ****** member will be safe if you don’t do as I say,” he added in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform. He did not specify the nature of that support. ****** accused the US president of encouraging Israel to break the ceasefire deal currently in effect between the two sides. It is not the first time Trump has threatened ******. In December, he said there would be “all hell to pay” if hostages were not released by the time he took office. 4. Delivered his first address to a joint session of Congress Watch: Democrat Al Green sings in protest as he is censured over Trump speech disruption Trump addressed a joint session of Congress in Washington for the first time this week since he returned to power. In the longest presidential speech to lawmakers on record, he outlined his vision for his second term, as Republicans applauded the president’s first six weeks that has reshaped domestic and foreign policy. Trump was heckled by Democrats and he goaded them in turn during the rowdy ********** address, claiming that his administration was “just getting started”. Early in the speech, Texas Democrat Al Green was ejected from the House chamber for disrupting Trump’s address, and Congress later voted to censure him. Trump spoke of relations with Ukraine, and repeated his desire for the US to acquire Greenland. Domestically, his speech predicted some economic turbulence because of the tariffs he had imposed. He also stood by billionaire adviser Elon Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has moved to fire tens of thousands of federal workers, cut billions of dollars in foreign aid and slash federal programmes. Trump has since suggested on social media that he may allow his cabinet to have greater power in an effort to be “very precise as to who will remain, and who will go.” “We say the ‘scalpel’ rather than the ‘hatchet,'” he added, promising agency leaders and Musk would work together effectively. Source link #big #Trump #team #week Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The Nintendo Switch 2 will feature WiFi 6 and offer NFC support, per the FCC The Nintendo Switch 2 will feature WiFi 6 and offer NFC support, per the FCC The Nintendo Switch 2 is officially on the way, and more details are starting to trickle out. FCC filings have revealed that the console will support WiFi 6 and NFC, according to reporting by The Verge. This means that the WiFi in the Switch 2 should be much speedier when compared to the OG model, as that console only supported WiFi 5. The filings do indicate that the Switch 2 won’t offer support for WiFi 6E. Additionally, the FCC only mentioned tests for 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, and not the faster 6GHz band. WiFi 6 isn’t the latest wireless standard. That’d be WiFi 7. Nintendo very rarely adopts the newest technologies in its products. However, this matches the standard PS5, though the PS5 Pro supports WiFi 7. The Xbox Series X/S consoles only support WiFi 5. To view this content, you’ll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the “Content and social-media partners” setting to do so. More FCC data for the Nintendo Switch 2. Given that BEE-014 is the Right Joy-****, it looks like it has NFC (Amiibo) support. pic.twitter.com/nnkoSIoPFF — BrainwaBrain (@brainwabrain) March 6, 2025 NFC support likely means one thing and one thing only. Nintendo’s upcoming console will probably continue integration with those cute lil Amiibo figurines. The filings even specify that the RFID feature will be located in the right Joy-****, just like the first Switch. That’s great news for people with plenty of shelf space. For the uninitiated, these figures wirelessly unlock content in games. The FCC filings indicate one final juicy nugget. It looks like players will be able to charge the Switch 2 via either the bottom USB-C port or the brand-new top USB-C port. This is the first real confirmation that charging would be available on both ports. To view this content, you’ll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the “Content and social-media partners” setting to do so. We don’t know when the Switch 2 will be released, other than sometime this year, or what the launch lineup will look like. The reveal trailer showed off something that could be a new Mario Kart game, but we’ll have to wait until April’s Nintendo Direct to learn more. Source link #Nintendo #Switch #feature #WiFi #offer #NFC #support #FCC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

UN evacuation attempt disrupted by deadly shooting UN evacuation attempt disrupted by deadly shooting Several people have died in South Sudan after an attempt by the UN to evacuate members of the national army came under fire, the UN has said. One crew member died when a UN helicopter was shot at, a statement from its mission in South Sudan, Unmiss, said. It added that an injured South Sudanese general and several other troops were also killed during the evacuation attempt in Upper Nile state. The UN said the attack on its helicopter “may constitute a war crime”. South Sudan President Salva Kiir later said a second helicopter managed to take off after the attack, only to ****** land, killing all on board. But Unmiss has said that both its aircraft landed safely in Malakal. Twenty-seven South Sudanese soldiers were killed in total, Information Minister Michael Makuei is quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying. Weeks of fighting in Upper Nile has threatened an already fragile peace deal between President Kiir and Vice-President Riek Machar. In 2013, a rift between the pair sparked a five-year civil war, during which 400,000 people were killed and 2.5 million forced from their homes. A peace agreement was signed in 2018 but the situation has been fraught ever since. The ongoing fighting in Upper Nile is between the armed forces and the White Army, an ethnic militia that was allied with Machar during the war. In agreement with the White Army and South Sudan’s army, Unmiss has been evacuating wounded troops from the conflict zone. Unmiss head Nicholas Haysom said in a statement that the attack on his mission’s personnel was “utterly abhorrent and may constitute a war crime under international law. We deeply regret the tragic loss of our colleague and express our sincere condolences to his loved ones. “We also regret the killing of those that we were attempting to extract, particularly when assurances of safe passage had been received.” President Kiir said the army general who died in the attack was Gen Majur Dak, who led the forces stationed in Nasir, a region in Upper Nile. Alongside the fighting, a slew of arrests has sparked concerns that South Sudan may see a return to war. A number of Machar’s allies, including the oil minister and a high-ranking army general, were detained earlier this week. After Friday’s attack, Kirr urged the nation to “remain calm”. “I have said time and again, that our country would not go back to war. Let no-one take the law into their own hands. The government, which I lead, will handle this crisis,” he said. South Sudan is the world’s newest nation, after seceding from Sudan in 2011. Source link #evacuation #attempt #disrupted #deadly #shooting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Mother ‘gutted’ after Make-A-Wish trip cancelled Mother ‘gutted’ after Make-A-Wish trip cancelled A mother has been left “gutted” after a Make-A-Wish trip to Disneyland Paris for her terminally ill daughter Daisy, five, was cancelled due to disruption to Eurostar services following the discovery of an unexploded bomb. Toni Mannion, 38, said she had been “looking forward to making some special memories”, but was unable to take alternative transport to France with her daughter who has complex needs. The World War Two explosive, found near Gare du Nord station in Paris, was defused on Friday afternoon – with commuters being told to expect normal services on Saturday. Eurostar’s chief safety and stations officer Simon Lejeune said he was “incredibly sorry” for the travel disruption. Five-year old Daisy has a rare metabolic disorder called Nonketotic hyperglycinemia (NKH). She uses a wheelchair, is non-verbal and has severe epilepsy. Ms Mannion travelled from Birmingham to London on Thursday with Dasiy, her one-year-old daughter Lara, her mother and a friend. “We’ve been planning this for such a long time. Make-A-Wish charity paid for everything from start to finish. “We were really looking forward to making some special memories with the girls. I know Make-A-Wish will look to reorganise. But it’s still a bit gutting really. “I cried, we all cried. We’ve been really looking forward to it. Her [Daisy’s] life is limited, we just never know how long we’ve got left with her. “We wanted to make some really nice memories.” Many Britons found themselves stuck on the other side of the Channel on Friday, with no easy way of making it back to ***. But some, like Vicky and her mother Jo, decided to “make the most of it” and spend a few more days in Paris. “We were starting to get a bit worried about being able to get home eventually,” said Vicky. Vicky and her mother were only planning on staying one night, but have since decided to book a train back on Sunday. “We’re going to make the most of it. We just walked up to the Eiffel tower and are going to have a walk around the city, take our time and enjoy Paris,” she said. Many travellers complained about being unable to get on to the Eurostar app, including Bob and Mavis from Nottingham who had been hoping to travel to Paris from London St Pancras International on Friday. “It’s taken us hours to get through on the Eurostar app, because it keeps crashing”, said Mavis. The couple, who had finally managed to book a train to get them into Paris on Saturday, said they were having to spend money for a hotel in London overnight. Source link #Mother #gutted #MakeAWish #trip #cancelled Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Hidetaka Miyazaki Created a Souls Game So Tough Even the Testers Surrendered To 1 Boss Fight Hidetaka Miyazaki Created a Souls Game So Tough Even the Testers Surrendered To 1 Boss Fight There is nothing that has ever stopped Hidetaka Miyazaki from making the player suffer in his games. Whether it be Dark Souls or Sekiro, masterpiece after masterpiece, the renowned director has made sure to include such a punishing level design in his games that thousands of controllers have gone flying against the wall over the last couple of decades. Hidetaka Miyazaki crafted many punishing games over time | Image via GameInformer What’s even worse is the perspective of the very first few players who get to play the games in order to test them out for bugs and other areas that could be improved upon before the game is released to the masses. Unfortunately, these testers face such a hard time occasionally because of the lack of guides and other help a common player finds on the internet after the game is finally out. Hidetaka Miyazaki and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice: The director’s magnum opus in crafting player rage Sekiro’s demo went undefeated by many | FromSoftware There is no doubt about the fact that Sekiro is possibly the hardest game Hidetaka Miyazaki has ever crafted, even beating the likes of Dark Souls 3 and everybody’s favorite PlayStation exclusive, Bloodborne. The punishing level design is so insane that even game testers had a hard time demoing the 2019 title. Showcasing one of the game’s early builds in 2018’s Gamescom held in Germany, FromSoftware decided to put forward one of the game’s toughest bosses for players to play against for a demo. Unfortunately, as noted by Hollywood Reporter, the boss, who was allegedly the true monk, went undefeated by everyone ‘who has demoed this game.’ This demo set a standard for what to expect when the game would finally release in the coming year, and it was then that everybody’s worst fear came true and Hidetaka Miyazaki successfully got away with an insanely difficult game that triggered the rage in millions of players. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and why is it a symbol of Hidetaka Miyazaki’s unique art director? Sekiro is possibly Hidetaka Miyazaki’s hardest game ever | FromSoftware Mr. Miyazaki has always been a masochist, and creating punishing games like Sekiro has always helped him bring his vision to life. The only difference is that his visions over the years have proven to be a sour nightmare for fans of the Souls genre. There is no doubt about the fact that most players have a love-hate relationship with any franchise developed by FromSoftware. However, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice truly takes it a level further by making sure to trigger the player in all the right points and making its director proud. As one would have guessed, it was also not easy to create a punishing yet enjoyable game like Sekiro. Revealing in another interview, Hidetaka Miyazaki revealed how he wanted the perfect blend of multi-layered levels and a battle system filled with ‘tension and strategy’ to make sure the combat of the game feels amazing to the player. Source link #Hidetaka #Miyazaki #Created #Souls #Game #Tough #Testers #Surrendered #Boss #Fight Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dozens killed as Syria forces target Alawite insurgency Dozens killed as Syria forces target Alawite insurgency Syrian security forces have battled for a second day to crush a nascent insurgency by fighters from Bashar al-Assad’s Alawite sect, with scores reported killed as the Islamist-led government faces the biggest challenge yet to its authority. The ***-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that more than 130 people had been killed in two days of violence in the coastal region of western Syria, which is heavily populated by the members of the Alawite *********. They included at least two dozen male residents of the Alawite town of al-Mukhtareyah killed by gunmen on Friday, the Observatory and two Alawite activists said, citing contacts in the region and video footage from the scene. Syrian authorities said the violence began when remnants loyal to ousted leader Assad launched a deadly and well-planned attack on their forces on Thursday. The violence has shaken interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s efforts to consolidate control as his administration struggles to get US sanctions lifted and grapples with wider security challenges, notably in the southwest, where Israel has said it will prevent Syria from deploying forces. Syrians took to the streets to rally in support of the government in Damascus and other cities while Saudi Arabia and Turkey, both allies of the government, also signalled their backing. Russia, which was a major backer of Assad but has sought to build ties with the new government, said it was alarmed by a deterioration in the security situation and called on all “respected” leaders of the country to stop the bloodshed. Images from al-Mukhtareyah showed at least 20 men lying in close proximity – some bloodied – by the side of a road in the town centre. Reuters was able to verify the location in the video but not when it was filmed or by whom. Alawite activists, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the killings were on Friday and blamed them on gunmen affiliated with the Islamist ruling authorities. A government spokesperson and two officials linked to the ruling authority did not respond to requests for comment. A prominent Alawite cleric, Sheikh Shabaan Mansour, 86, was killed on Friday with his son in the village of Sahlab in western Syria. Residents accused fighters aligned with the new government in Damascus of killing him, according to two Alawites. Reuters could not verify the claims. Syrian state news agency SANA, citing a security source, said “individual violations” had been perpetrated after unorganised crowds had headed to the coastal region following the attacks on government security personnel. “We are working to stop these violations,” the source said. The violence spiralled on Thursday when the authorities said groups of Assad-aligned militias targeted security patrols and checkpoints in the Jableh area and surrounding countryside, before spreading more widely. Curfews were declared on Friday in the coastal cities of Tartous and Latakia, SANA said. Security forces mounted combing operations in both cities and nearby mountains. Alawite activists say their community has been subjected to violence and attacks, particularly in rural Homs and Latakia, since Assad was overthrown in December after decades of repressive family rule and civil war. While Sharaa has pledged to run Syria in an inclusive way, no meetings have been declared between him and senior Alawite figures – in contrast to members of other ********* groups. The Assad-led government recruited heavily from the Alawite community for the security apparatus and bureaucracy of the Syrian state. While Sharaa has brought much of Sunni ******* majority Syria under the sway of his forces, important areas remain outside its grasp including the northeast and east which are controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. “The chaos and paroxysm of killings will undermine the confidence of both foreign states and Syrians in his government and its ability to steer Syria out of this difficult phase,” said Joshua Landis, head of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. A group Of Alawite clerics, the Alawite Islamic Council, blamed the violence on the government, saying fighters had been sent to the coast “with the pretext of (combating) ‘regime remnants’, to terrorise and kill Syrians”. It called for the region to be put under United Nations protection. Saudi Arabia condemned “crimes being undertaken by outlaw groups” in Syria and their targeting of security forces. Source link #Dozens #killed #Syria #forces #target #Alawite #insurgency Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump administration throws hundreds of affordable housing projects into limbo after contract cuts Trump administration throws hundreds of affordable housing projects into limbo after contract cuts The Trump administration has stalled at least $60 million in funding intended largely for affordable housing developments nationwide, throwing hundreds of projects into a precarious limbo, according to information and documents obtained by The Associated Press The move is part of a flurry of funding freezes, staffing cuts and contract cancellations by the Trump administration at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, changes that have instilled widespread uncertainty in the affordable housing industry. The some $60 million is intended to go to small community development nonprofits in small grants. The money is often used as seed funding for affordable housing projects, turning a concept into a viable development and consequently drawing in more public and private investment. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. Congress chose three nonprofits to distribute the grants, but HUD said in letters that it was cancelling contracts with two of the organizations which together were to distribute the $60 million. That’s pushed millions in funding already promised to small nonprofits, or yet to be awarded, into the twilight zone. “Many of those organizations have already committed funds to pay workers, such as HVAC technicians, local contractors, homeownership counselors,” said Shaun Donovan, CEO of Enterprise Community Partners, one of the two groups whose contract was cancelled. “They will have to stop that work immediately. That will cost local jobs, hobble the creation of affordable homes, and stall opportunity in hundreds of communities.” A spokesperson for HUD said the program, called Section 4, will continue and is not being cut, but that “the department is consolidating some grants, while others remain.” It remains unclear how or when the funding will arrive to the small nonprofits, which has thrown their work into disarray. “Not knowing for me means we assume that the money is not coming, and that means that I have to pivot,” said Jonathan Green, executive director of a nonprofit in Mississippi that’s building a 36-unit affordable housing development in Biloxi. Green said about $20,000 in grant dollars are now in limbo, money that was meant to pay for an environmental review that could cost upwards of $10,000, and licenses and permits. That threatens discussions Green is having with potential partners and investors who want to see all the up-front work done first. “My fear is that, if the project stops altogether, we may never get it started again,” he said. The development is supposed to be in East Biloxi, where lots still remain empty after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Before an ounce of dirt has been moved on the project, Green’s organization has received enough calls from people eager to become tenants that they’ve started a waiting list. That’s the position hundreds of other small nonprofits have found themselves in, with not just their grant funds in question but investments on the line. For every dollar in grants disbursed by Enterprise Community Partners, the local nonprofits leverage another $95 in other capital, CEO Donovan said. Congress gave the national nonprofits the job of administering the grants, fielding and assessing hundreds of applications, so that the government doesn’t have to, Donovan said. In one of the contract termination letters obtained by the AP, HUD said the contracts were cancelled at the direction of the Department of Government Efficiency. It said the group’s operations “were not in compliance” with Trump’s executive order targeting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The letter also allows the organizations to appeal the termination. The Local Initiatives Support Corporation is the other group whose contract was cancelled. “Without access to this seed capital, housing projects for hardworking, families will stall, worsening shortages and pushing distressed neighbors into overcrowded conditions or homelessness,” it said in a statement. Habitat for Humanity International is the third nonprofit disbursing the grants, but the organization has not responded to repeated requests for comment or said if their contract was cancelled. ___ Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Source link #Trump #administration #throws #hundreds #affordable #housing #projects #limbo #contract #cuts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Some migrants hoping to cross U.S. border consider turning back due to Trump crackdown Some migrants hoping to cross U.S. border consider turning back due to Trump crackdown Sunland Park, New Mexico — On a recent afternoon, CBS News accompanied U.S. Border Patrol agent Claudio Herrera along this rugged stretch of the U.S. southern border. Herrera said the area, located within Border Patrol’s sprawling El Paso sector, has long been a hotspot for the illicit movement of people and drugs. But the situation there has changed markedly in recent weeks. “The activity is very slow,” Herrera said along the New Mexico border, which is patrolled by El Paso sector agents. “There’s multiple factors attached to why we have seen a significant drop in apprehensions recently.” He continued: “One of them, of course, is consequences,” referring to deportations of those entering the U.S. unlawfully. President Trump has moved aggressively to carry out the large-scale crackdown on ******** immigration he promised on the campaign trail. Since his inauguration, ******** border crossings, which were on the decline during the last year of the Biden administration, have plunged even further. In February, Border Patrol recorded roughly 8,500 apprehensions of migrants who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, the lowest level in at least 25 years, according to government figures obtained by CBS News. A Customs and Border Protection vehicle along the U.S.-Mexico border in New Mexico. CBS News Asked if the dramatic change stems from new policies out of Washington, D.C., Herrera said, “It has a lot to do with that.” Citing muscular presidential powers, Mr. Trump has effectively shut down the American asylum system, allowing U.S. border agents to swiftly expel migrants under the legal premise that the country is facing an “invasion.” He has also deployed thousands of additional troops to the U.S. southern border and tasked the military with carrying out deportations. During that recent ride-along with Border Patrol in the El Paso sector, CBS News cameras captured a heavily fortified U.S. border, spotting Border Patrol agents, soldiers, vehicles and barriers. But there were no migrants in sight. Mr. Trump’s crackdown was also on full display when CBS News traveled to the other side of the border. At a shelter in the ******** border city of Ciudad Juárez, Eduardo Medina and his wife Joanna Cortes described how they had brought their three children to northern Mexico last year after fleeing the high levels of crime and violence in the southern state of Michoacán. The room where Eduardo Medina, his wife Joanna Cortes and their three children have been staying in Ciudad Juárez. CBS News The young family said they had been staying in a small room for six months, hoping to get an appointment to enter the U.S. with the government’s permission. But the app the Biden administration set up to distribute entry appointments to migrants in Mexico, known as CBP One, was quickly terminated after Mr. Trump returned to the White House. While her dream involved opening a restaurant in the U.S. and enrolling her children in American schools, Cortes said her family is thinking of “returning to the land where we were born” due to the suspension of the CBP One system. “What else are we going to do?” she said in Spanish, adding later that she did not want her family to cross into the U.S. illegally. Still, returning to Michoacán is a devastating prospect for Cortes. Breaking down in tears, Cortes said she and her husband “sold everything” to ensure their children could have a “different life” away from the “hell” in Michoacán. But that dream, she said, has “ended.” Asked what he would tell families like the ones interviewed by CBS News in Mexico, Walter Slosar, the top Border Patrol official in the El Paso sector, said U.S. immigration laws must be enforced. “We’re going to make sure that we’re securing the border, and we’re going to do so unapologetically,” Slosar said. “I understand that people ended up in these areas, but we did not bring those individuals to this specific area.” More Camilo Montoya-Galvez Camilo Montoya-Galvez is the immigration reporter at CBS News. Based in Washington, he covers immigration policy and politics. Source link #migrants #hoping #cross #U.S #border #turning #due #Trump #crackdown Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump threatens Iran with military action if nuclear deal can’t be reached: Live updates – The Independent Trump threatens Iran with military action if nuclear deal can’t be reached: Live updates – The Independent Trump threatens Iran with military action if nuclear deal can’t be reached: Live updates The IndependentTrump signs order to establish strategic bitcoin reserve ReutersBitcoin falls slightly even after Trump officially establishes U.S. bitcoin reserve CNBCTrump creates bitcoin reserve ahead of White House ‘crypto summit’ Yahoo Finance Source link #Trump #threatens #Iran #military #action #nuclear #deal #reached #Live #updates #Independent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]