Pelican Press

‘This is not the aggressive bitcoin reserve some were pressing for’ ‘This is not the aggressive bitcoin reserve some were pressing for’ President Donald Trump on Thursday night officially established the widely anticipated U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve , fulfilling a major re-election campaign promise to the crypto industry. The market didn’t seem to care much, however. Cryptocurrencies have recovered most of their initial losses after a quick drop following the news. Bitcoin was hovering at $88,000, the same level at traded at before Trump signed the executive order. Ether and the Solana token inched slightly higher, while XRP and the coin tied to Cardano were lower. While many praised the executive order as being a good and reasonable approach, especially given how disconcerted so many in the crypto community were by his mention of smaller and riskier coins beyond bitcoin in his pre-announcement last weekend, it left the crypto community wanting more. “President Trump on Thursday night unveiled a bitcoin reserve and a crypto stockpile. Both will be funded by crypto the government seizes. This is not the aggressive bitcoin reserve some were pressing for,” TD Cowen’s Jaret Seiberg said in a note Friday. “We view this as a compromise,” he added. The government is not spending taxpayer dollars to acquire new digital assets. It is simply not selling the ones that it seizes … We are dubious that government will be acquiring additional bitcoin for the reserve despite the President’s instructions as we believe it will be politically tough to show how purchases are budget neutral and do not impose incremental costs of taxpayers.” BTC.CM= 5D mountain Bitcoin (BTC) this week Still, Seiberg acknowledged that the directive is “positive for crypto as it shows White House support for digital assets.” For many crypto investors, it also assuages fear of the government selling or banning bitcoin; increases the likelihood that other countries will buy bitcoin and raises its legitimacy among financial institutions; wealth managers and pensions who have been on the fence or altogether discouraged from participating in this market. But analysts at Compass Point said the order was “almost nothing.” They emphasized that it doesn’t exactly permit the Treasury Department or other government agencies to acquire crypto assets. On top of that, it can easily be undone with another executive order in the future. “An executive order is not legislation, it is an exercise of executive authority, and it is not durable,” analyst Edwin Groshans said in a note. “Without legislation passed by Congress, there is no statutory text that can only be unwound by Congress.” “To be frank, we view its issuance to be a dud that will not provide support to the value of BTC or any other digital asset, primarily because there is no authorization to purchase BTC and the purchase of digital assets are expressly prohibited,” he added. “We will reassess the relevance of the SBR when Treasury and Commerce publish the strategies to acquire BTC.” Plus, traditional macro investors aren’t that interested in it yet, according to Noelle Acheson, economist and author of the “Crypto is Macro Now” newsletter. For now, she added, the macro mood continues to weigh heavy on crypto markets. “There is nothing on the immediate horizon to suggest relief for the building concern about a slowdown,” Acheson said. “The Trump tariff shift yesterday, granting a one-month reprieve to some goods, lifted stocks briefly before investors decided that this flip-flopping is more part of the problem than it is a cure.” Source link #aggressive #bitcoin #reserve #pressing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Broadcom shares rise as AI growth powers strong guidance Broadcom shares rise as AI growth powers strong guidance Hock Tan, CEO of Broadcom. Martin H. Simon | Bloomberg | Getty Images Broadcom shares rose about 3% after the company posted strong first-quarter earnings and guidance that signaled ongoing artificial intelligence demand. The chipmaker posted adjusted earnings of $1.60 per share on $14.92 billion in revenue. That surpassed the adjusted earnings of $1.49 per share and $14.61 billion in revenue expected by analysts polled by LSEG. Revenues rose 25% from $11.96 billion a year ago. Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya called the results from Broadcom a “reassuring update from an AI leader” and a “positive read-across for AI sentiment.” Broadcom has benefitted from the artificial intelligence ***** that’s swept Wall Street since the launch of ChatGPT, with shares more than doubling in 2024. The stock has pulled back about 19% since the start of 2025 as chipmakers reliant on parts outside the U.S. face tariff fears under President Donald Trump’s administration. The results offered a reprieve for an industry that’s faced a tough bar to clear this earnings season. Popular names have slumped post results even after topping estimates. Marvell Technology was the latest example, falling 20% Thursday for its steepest drop since 2001 after missing some elevated buyside estimates. Along with the first-quarter beat, Broadcom offered upbeat guidance for the current *******, calling for revenues of $14.9 billion. That topped a $14.76 billion forecast from Wall Street. Net income during the first quarter rose to $5.5 billion, or $1.14 per share, up from $1.33 billion, or 28 cents per share, a year ago. “The [quarter] should provide some relief after the MRVL disappointment, and the optimism around the [serviceable addressable market], and the potential for customers 6 and 7 … will give confidence in the longer term growth profile,” wrote Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore in a note. Broadcom is well known for creating infrastructure and connectivity solutions for data centers underpinning large language models and advanced AI tools. The company said in December that it was developing custom AI chips for three large cloud customers. CEO Hock Tan also said Thursday that Broadcom has “deeply engaged” with two other hyperscalers, and is working to create custom chips with four other possible customers. The company’s AI revenues for the ******* grew 77% from a year ago to $4.1 billion. Tan said that Broadcom expects AI semiconductor revenue to reach $4.4 billion this quarter. AI sales stem from the company’s semiconductor solutions business, which grew 11% from a year ago to $8.21 billion. — CNBC’s Kif Leswing contributed reporting Source link #Broadcom #shares #rise #growth #powers #strong #guidance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fossil Fuels Are the Future, Chris Wright Tells African Leaders Fossil Fuels Are the Future, Chris Wright Tells African Leaders For the past two days, under the soft lights of chandeliers in a Marriott basement a block from the White House, energy ministers and tech founders from across Africa gathered to discuss how best to bring electricity to more than 600 million people on the continent who have none. Much of their hope, and fear, came from the whirlwind of change President Trump has brought to U.S. foreign policy, including the termination of Power Africa, a major initiative that had supported them for a decade. Was Mr. Trump abandoning them? Or might his promises of “global energy dominance” be a boon? Attendees got at least a part of their answer on Friday morning. Chris Wright, the new administration’s energy secretary, took the stage and gave an impassioned speech on how concerns over climate change should not prevent Africa from charging ahead with fossil fuel development. “This government has no desire to tell you what you should do with your energy system,” he said. “It’s a paternalistic post-colonial attitude that I just can’t stand.” His remarks came just weeks after the administration shuttered Power Africa, which had financed tens of millions of electricity connections since its start under President Barack Obama in 2013. Africa, like the rest of the world, faces an immensely consequential choice: exploit fossil fuels that contribute to global warming, or forge a new path with renewable energy. Mr. Wright said Africa simply needed more energy of all kinds, including and even especially coal, one of the most polluting fossil fuels. “We’ve had years of Western countries shamelessly saying don’t develop coal, coal is bad,” Mr. Wright said. “That’s just nonsense, 100 percent nonsense. Coal transformed our world and made it better.” And while Mr. Wright said climate change was a “real, physical phenomenon,” he said it wouldn’t make a list of his top 10 problems facing the world. Mr. Wright’s appearance on Friday was met with roaring approval. His remarks were in line with what many African energy developers have been urging for years. They say the persistence of energy poverty is a blight on the continent’s development, and Western skittishness to invest in energy projects, whether because of concerns over governance or greenhouse gas emissions, is akin to keeping Africa down. Africa’s population is growing faster than current electrification rates. Officials often buck at the suggestion they should opt for clean-energy technologies to help fight climate change, instead of using their own abundant supplies of fossil fuels, given that their countries have contributed nearly nothing historically to the emissions that cause global warming. Other countries used fossil fuels for generations to build prosperity, the argument goes, so why shouldn’t they? Other U.S. officials speaking at the summit said that, with Mr. Trump in office, the days of shying away from fossil fuel investment in favor of renewables were over. “When we say ‘all of the above,’ you might ask, is that code for carbon? And yes, it is code for carbon,” said Troy Fitrell, a senior State Department official and former ambassador to Guinea. “There are no restrictions anymore on what kind of energy we can promote.” African executives in their own speeches said that they hoped they would get more investment and fewer regulatory hurdles. “We can’t wait for three years, or even half that time,” to do environmental or social impact assessments on a project, said Akinwole Omoboriowo II, who leads Genesis Energy, a company focused on renewable energy. “People are dying without the chance to watch TV,” he said, to a murmur of chuckles. “I just think we should think about that.” Mr. Wright’s remarks left major questions unanswered and did not detail how much or where the U.S. government would invest in African energy access. Would he seek to revive Power Africa but change its mandate? Might he bring its responsibilities under his own department? (Previously, Power Africa’s budget fell under the U.S. Agency for International Development, which the Trump administration has all but eliminated.) What he did offer was a pro-Africa message at a time when his boss has unnerved Africans. Mr. Trump froze aid to South Africa last month and accused its government of using a new land law to discriminate against white citizens. Many African officials fear his administration will end the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a decades-old trade agreement that allows 32 African countries to send billions of dollars of goods to the United States duty-free. And in his speech to Congress on Tuesday, Mr. Trump made a dismissive mention of Lesotho, saying “nobody has ever heard of” the country. Conspicuously missing from the gathering were representatives of the American agencies that had taken a lead on energy initiatives in Africa: U.S.A.I.D. and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, which Mr. Trump created in his first term but whose billions of dollars of investments are currently frozen. The meeting rooms were full of former Power Africa officials, however, and they questioned whether the Trump administration would muster much follow-through. “The biggest question is whether the U.S. can be a credible partner when we’ve just dismantled our main mechanism for investing in African energy,” said Katie Auth, the former deputy director of Power Africa. She and others acknowledged that an increasing focus on low-carbon energy made the program a target for an administration that is hostile to what its officials often call the “climate change alarm industry.” But Ms. Auth also noted that not only did Power Africa invest in gas, but that the plummeting cost of renewable energy technology has made those forms of power the fastest and cheapest to deploy in many African countries. “I think they don’t realize that Power Africa was never a climate initiative,” Ms. Auth said. “It was driven by economic viability and driven by U.S. firms.” She added, “If anything, this is the encapsulation of the kind of assistance this administration should want to do.” Planet-warming emissions aside, gas investment also collides with an additional hurdle: weak power grids. Building more gas-burning power plants would require building far more electrical transmission lines. That’s a key difference with solar, which can be built on a much smaller scale locally, so it doesn’t necessarily require huge, sprawling networks of power lines. Rosemary Oduor, a top official at Kenya Power and Lighting Company, the country’s state-owned utility, described African grids as “old trees growing heavy with fruit.” Without huge investment in their modernization, and without major subsidies, she said, bringing new power sources online might only make them more likely to fail. Source link #Fossil #Fuels #Future #Chris #Wright #Tells #African #Leaders Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Premier League: Who is making the most of their substitutions in 2024-25? Premier League: Who is making the most of their substitutions in 2024-25? Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler uses the most substitutions, with 130 out of a possible 135 at an average of 4.8 per game. This is remarkably similar to his predecessor Roberto de Zerbi, who made 4.6 per match. Last season, Brighton were seeking to avoid injuries while balancing a maiden season in the Europa League. However, as Europe’s second biggest spenders last summer, Albion now have a plethora of wingers to turn to off the bench and are not afraid to use them, making all five changes in 80% of their games. The majority tend to come late in matches, as Hurzeler shuffles his attacking wingers to have another go at a full-back if his first choice has not been successful or is tiring. It is interesting that two clubs in the relegation zone – Southampton and Ipswich Town – are in the top five for most substitutions made, with the majority coming early in games, either at half-time or shortly after the break. This is because both teams have regularly gone behind in matches and found themselves in need of a quick change to try to find a solution. At the other end of the scale, just like last season, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola barely makes substitutions. In 2023-24 when City won the league, Guardiola averaged three subs per game. That was justified with City rarely needing to alter a winning machine – but, despite more obvious problems this season, he still only makes an average of 3.3 substitutions per match. Source link #Premier #League #making #substitutions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Art Of Rust Releases This September, Preorders Now Open The Art Of Rust Releases This September, Preorders Now Open Popular survival game Rust has been around for several years now, and if you’re a fan of the game who wants to explore its concept art origins, then GameSpot can exclusively reveal that a new book dedicated to the survival-shooter’s illustrative bedrock is on the way. The Art of Rust is a 184-page hardcover book priced at $55, and it’ll be launching on September 9. The Art of Rust Inside the book, you’ll find the concept art behind Rust and its hostile world, where everything inside of it is dedicated to your demise. The dangerous wildlife and inhabitants are fleshed out with a series of illustrations and insight into their creation. There’s also a rich review of costume design, character sketches, and more, so if you’re a fan of this tough-as-nails game, this makes for a fascinating peek behind the curtain. If you’re looking to add a few more gaming art books to your collection, Dark Horse has quite a few hardcovers to check out. These range from EA franchises like Mass Effect and Dragon Age to Sony heavyweights like The Last of Us and God of War, and several of them are on ***** currently. Dark Horse Art Books Alternatively, you can always class up your place with some very cool gaming paraphernalia. Dark Horse recently revealed the Halo Legendary Icon wall mount, a $350 replica of a Halo 2 icon that was awarded to players for completing the game on its Legendary dificulty mode. While the full-sized wall mount is sold out, you can grab a “grunt-sized” edition for just $70. Source link #Art #Rust #Releases #September #Preorders #Open Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Wall Street rises amid focus on jobs data, Powell Wall Street rises amid focus on jobs data, Powell US stocks have opened higher as investors digest employment data and await comments from the head of the country’s central bank. Source link #Wall #Street #rises #focus #jobs #data #Powell Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Death Stranding 2 Will Have Multiple Physical Editions, It’s Claimed Death Stranding 2 Will Have Multiple Physical Editions, It’s Claimed · · March 7, 2025 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’s release date announcement could be around the corner, as details about several physical editions and pre-orders have surfaced online. Coming from reliable leaker billbil-kun (Dealabs), Kojima Productions seemingly has multiple physical editions for Death Stranding 2 in the works. Pre-orders for the game could also be opening soon. The Standard Edition of DS2 will have a physical copy, and the game is said to receive a Collector’s Edition in Europe and North America, too. The report also tells us that Death Stranding 2: On the Beach—Collector’s Edition will cost USD 229.99. However, the contents of the collector’s edition are unknown. Death Stranding 2 pre-orders are expected to begin by March 2025. Last month, we heard that Hideo Kojima would attend SXSW 2025 in Austin, Texas, and it was confirmed that he would “discuss and share new details” about DS2. The festival will be hosted this Sunday, March 9, and there’s a chance Kojima could reveal details about Death Stranding 2’s physical editions and pre-orders at the event. We have yet to hear anything concrete about Death Stranding 2 from Kojima since the official gameplay trailer from last year. Kojima has provided subtle teases on his social media platforms since then, but that’s about it. In other news, Death Stranding 2 is still planned for 2025. What are your thoughts on Death Stranding 2 receiving multiple physical editions? Let us know in the comments or on our community forum! For more information from Insider Gaming, read about Killing Floor being delayed to later this year. Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Death #Stranding #Multiple #Physical #Editions #Claimed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

*** altnets call for full-fibre broadband to be prioritised in industrial strategy *** altnets call for full-fibre broadband to be prioritised in industrial strategy The pace of full-fibre broadband infrastructure roll-outs across the ***, not just metropolitan conurbations, has been one of the country’s undoubted success stories over the past five years, but the Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA), which represents independent gigabit-capable broadband providers (altnets), is urging the government to prioritise digital infrastructure in its industrial strategy to ensure long-term economic resilience and competitiveness. In October 2024, the *** government set out its proposals for a modern, 10-year industrial strategy, with a goal of capturing a greater share of global investment in strategic sectors of the economy and encouraging domestic businesses to scale up. Gathering evidence from key stakeholders, such as broadband providers, a parliamentary business and trade committee inquiry is looking at whether ministers have got the strategy right, whether there’s a bold enough plan to reinvent government’s partnership with business, and, crucially, whether the investment is there to truly deliver on stated ambitions. INCA’s proposals formed part of the evidence to the industrial strategy inquiry, and set out to highlight the vital role of full-fibre broadband in supporting productivity, innovation and investment across key industries, but stressed the need for government to not take connectivity for granted. Infrastructure competition was also central to INCA’s recommendations. The ***’s rapid progress in full-fibre roll-out has been driven by competitive market dynamics, particularly through the contributions of altnets. While the association recognised that significant progress has been made in expanding full-fibre network coverage in the ***, it said bluntly that adoption rates remain too low. To address this, INCA said it was advocating for a national campaign to promote full-fibre adoption, including financial incentives for businesses transitioning from outdated copper networks. In addition, to sustain the progress gained by altnets, INCA urged the government to reaffirm its commitment to infrastructure competition and ensure communications regulator Ofcom actively promotes it. As part of its submission, the association also stressed the importance of a new digital inclusion strategy to address disparities in broadband access and skills training. In addition, INCA called for the establishment of a cross-departmental digital infrastructure working group to streamline government policies and reduce roll-out barriers. Based on the fact that access to broadband affects many essential services, the association has recommended the working group comprises the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) as the lead agency, along with the Department for Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, His Majesty’s Treasury, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education and the Home Office. Commenting on the submission to Parliament and how to address the market issues, INCA CEO Paddy Paddison said: “Full-fibre broadband is not just a technological upgrade, it is an economic necessity. The government, which has been extremely vocal about kickstarting the economy, must now deliver on it and take decisive action to prioritise digital infrastructure and support widespread adoption will represent a major step forward in this regard.” Source link #altnets #call #fullfibre #broadband #prioritised #industrial #strategy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tears, ruined plans as WWII bomb halts Paris-London trains Tears, ruined plans as WWII bomb halts Paris-London trains From missed funerals to scrambled birthday plans, the travellers caught in the cancellation Friday of Paris-London trains were left bewildered and, in some cases, in tears. In Paris’s Gare du Nord and London’s St Pancras station the same announcement echoed all day: Eurostar trains between the cities were cancelled after a World War II bomb was unearthed near tracks in the French capital. And while the bomb had been defused by Friday afternoon, traffic would only gradually resume from 1700 GMT, with a full service not expected until Saturday. Hundreds of passengers joined a snaking ****** at St Pancras station to change their tickets or slumped in the station concourse by their bags, searching for alternative travel routes on their phones. Among them was Londoner Michelle Abeyie, who was having a bad start to her 40th birthday, which she had planned to celebrate with friends on her first-ever trip to Paris. “We were supposed to get on the 11:30 (GMT train) to Paris, we would’ve gone to the Louvre and the Moulin Rouge (cabaret) tonight,” Abeyie told AFP. “We had all the tickets booked,” she said, wiping away a few tears. “I’m really upset, disappointed, frustrated, stressed.” However, her friends said they were determined to follow through with the day’s plans. They looked for alternative trains to the southeast coastal town of Dover, from where they planned to catch a ferry to Calais in France. – Planes ‘too expensive’ – Friday is one of the busiest days of the week for the train route between the two capitals, a Eurostar employee at St Pancras told AFP. Harrison Baker, a 28-year-old tourist from Australia was “shocked” when the loudspeakers at the central London station announced that the reason for cancellation was an unexploded shell. Browsing for Airbnb rentals to stay an extra night in London, he admitted “it’s going to be expensive”, but was not disappointed. “I’m happy because I get to stay here another day,” grinned Baker. In another corner, actress and Londoner Marie was sobbing as she scrolled on her phone to look for alternative routes to Paris. “I have a ******** to attend tomorrow,” said Marie, who did not wish to share her surname. “They’re doing everything they can, but it’s unfortunate. “I can’t go at all (to Paris). The planes are too expensive,” Maria said, adding she would likely have to miss the ********. Across the channel in Gare du Nord, station staff tried their best to reassure bewildered passengers, many of them British tourists stranded in Paris. Nadine, a 57-year-old British woman said she came to the station despite being warned that morning by her daughter. “I absolutely have to get home for work,” she said. However, the experience was proving frustrating, as the Eurostar ticketing system had “crashed” for her. “I keep trying again and again… but nothing works. I don’t know what to do.” – ‘Lucky it’s unexploded’ – Many of the travellers, stuck in France for at least one more night, will have to find a hotel — like Steve Reilly, a 68-year-old Englishman from York who hoped to return “tomorrow, before noon!” With the bomb finally defused on Friday afternoon, the trains were due to gradually resume from 1700 GMT, said French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot. Rail traffic between the two capitals were expected to be running normally again by Saturday, Eurostar announced. On Friday, the service was urging passengers to change their journey “for a different date” and offering exchanges and refunds on their train tickets. Back in London, writer Henrietta Bredin had been set to take the 1230 GMT Eurostar to Paris and spend the next month there before her train was cancelled. “It’s been difficult for everybody,” said Bredin. Her co-traveller Mark Ormerod, 67, said the “information from the Eurostar has not been very good”, citing the little information available on the website. When she heard the reason for the cancellation, Bredin said she “laughed”. “I couldn’t believe it… That doesn’t sound real, does it?” “We’re very lucky that it’s unexploded,” Bredin joked. “It’s a wonderful service,” added Ormerod. “We’d just like to get on it.” Other Eurostar routes between London and Brussels or Amsterdam were running as normal. aks/jkb/jj Source link #Tears #ruined #plans #WWII #bomb #halts #ParisLondon #trains Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

RTX 5090 GPUs aren’t being recalled for being a fire hazard after all — Nvidia and MSI refute accusations RTX 5090 GPUs aren’t being recalled for being a fire hazard after all — Nvidia and MSI refute accusations Yesterday, a Dutch retailer falsely reported a recall of MSI’s RTX 5090 GPUs, particularly the MSI RTX 5090 Suprim. MSI and Nvidia have categorically refuted these accusations, reassuring customers their products pose no such risks. The cause of this fumble was a reported communication error. While the retailer eventually retracted their statement, MSI may pursue legal action. You can read MSI’s press release below: “We had the unpleasant surprise of learning on 03/06/2025, through an article on Kitguru website Link, that a Dutch retailer—UW GAME SPECIALIST—allegedly informed a customer that they were unable to fulfill their order because 5 GeForce RTX 5090 32G Suprim SOC from our brand had supposedly been recalled due to a fire hazard. With this statement, we would like to make it clear that these allegations are absolutely false, that no recall program is in progress, and that our products present no such risk. Furthermore, we would like to specify that this retailer is not one of MSI’s partners, and we do not work with them. We reserve the right to initiate legal proceedings against those responsible for these highly defamatory allegations, which harm our brand’s reputation, as well as against anyone contributing to their dissemination.” We contacted Nvidia for a comment on the situation, and a representative said, “No recall and this was a very odd interaction, these articles [from KitGuru] are now updated with info from the retailer.” The story stems from a slight misunderstanding between the retailer, “Your Game Specialist,” and one of their customers, Ben, who spent nearly $3,700 on an RTX 5090 GPU from MSI, per KitGuru. Long story short, a store representative told Ben the order couldn’t be fulfilled, claiming that Nvidia has recalled certain RTX 5090 graphics cards due to a “potential fire hazard”. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. That’s a weighty accusation because a recall admits to product defects, a situation no company desires. Even Intel didn’t recall its troublesome Raptor Lake CPUs since that’d put a serious dent in its bottom line. The impact of this false report might extend to defamation claims, which could open the door for potential lawsuits from MSI or Nvidia. MSI has distanced itself from the store, directing customers to one of its authorized resellers. With the bad rep Nvidia’s Blackwell GPUs have been getting, it’s easy to get carried away with rumors. Nonetheless, user reports have shown uneven current distribution in RTX 5090 GPUs, leading to cable temperatures near 150 degrees Celsius. This will surely melt a connector or two if used for prolonged sessions. Then we have the apparent assumptions that the design limitations with Blackwell GPUs render them unable to balance load across each power connector pin. The RTX 50-series launch might be one of the most burdensome in Nvidia’s history. Even after two months, you must sell an arm and a leg to get an RTX 5090. Assuming you manage to secure one, there’s still the risk of missing ROPs, which is the cause of a production defect that is shown to cut performance by up to 11%. Blackwell also drops support for 32-bit CUDA, impacting legacy OpenCL code and games that use older PhysX implementations. AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 series GPUs are in full swing, though stock has been limited at launch. There aren’t as many MSRP models as we expected, but inventory should catch up with demand sooner or later. Source link #RTX #GPUs #arent #recalled #fire #hazard #Nvidia #MSI #refute #accusations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Heroes Review – Gamer Social Club ****** Heroes Review – Gamer Social Club A game where the slimes are finally the heroes. Play together with your friends as adorable slimes – the only thing that can save the world from the evil oozy creatures and formidable bosses. Discover different weapons and create your own unique magic abilities to express the way you want to adventure. Source link #****** #Heroes #Review #Gamer #Social #Club Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What every major analyst is saying What every major analyst is saying Broadcom ‘s blowout first-quarter earnings seem to have assuaged analysts’ recent fears toward the battered AI trade. Rising market uncertainty and trade tensions have weighed down the semiconductor stocks as of late. AI poster child Nvidia is on pace to end the week 10% lower, and on Tuesday the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite entered correction territory . These fears were stoked further on Thursday after chipmaker Marvell Technology issued revenue guidance that fell short of some elevated buyside expectations. But on Friday, Broadcom’s blockbuster earnings report seemed to have righted the ship. The semiconductor manufacturer popped 6% after posting first-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.60 per share on revenue of $14.92 billion, exceeding consensus estimates for a profit of $1.49 per share and revenue of $14.61 billion from LSEG. Nvidia added 1% in sympathy, while the Nasdaq Composite was last trading 0.4% higher. Broadcom also guided for second-quarter revenue of $14.9 billion, which is higher than the $14.76 billion consensus forecast. In a statement, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan said that the company expects “continued strength in AI semiconductor revenue.” Analysts at some of the biggest shops on Wall Street voiced their optimism after Broadcom’s report. Here’s what they had to say. Citi reiterates buy rating and price target of $220 per share Analyst Christopher Danely’s price target is about 23% above Broadcom’s Thursday closing price of $179.45. “Broadcom reported solid results and guided above Consensus driven by continued AI strength (27% of F25 sales) with two new AI engagements. Gross margins were above Consensus due to mix and we continue to believe strength from the AI semi business will offset any downside from sanctions on Bytedance and RF share loss at Apple.” Deutsche Bank maintains buy rating and $240 per share price target Deutsche Bank’s forecast corresponds to upside of around 34%. “Overall, despite AVGO being unlikely to completely avoid market-wide AI volatility, we believe the co’s broadening customer exposure, and significant non-AI/Software businesses can continue to mute volatility through cyclical/secular growth,” wrote analyst Ross Seymore. JPMorgan keeps buy rating, $250 per share price target JPMorgan’s price target calls for 39% upside going forward. Analyst Harlan Sur said the stock “remains our top pick in semiconductors.” “In the infrastructure software business, Broadcom continues to successfully convert and upsell to its VCF full stack solution. Overall, the team continues to drive a stable revenue growth profile even in a ******* of macro volatility given its portfolio breadth/ diversification/product cycles.” Bank of America retains overweight rating, raises price target to $260 from $250 Analyst Vivek Arya’s new target equates to 45% upside. The analyst said that Broadcom’s recent report was a “reassuring update from AI leader.” “We rate Broadcom Buy due to its high-quality diversified exposure to secular product cycles in the smartphone, cloud data center, telecom and enterprise storage markets. Additionally, with 45%+ EBITDA/FCF margins, Broadcom is among the most profitable semiconductor companies, which is likely to continue to drive strong cash returns.” Barclays stands by overweight rating, $260 price target “Outside of a clean beat, GMs will tick down in the next few quarters as AI programs become a larger part of the portfolio, and R & D expense will tick up as management plans to invest heavily in the AI opportunity. In our view, AVGO is still one of the best positioned names in AI DC and we continue to see the ASIC business accelerating on a multi-year basis,” wrote analyst Tom O’Malley. Morgan Stanley reiterates overweight rating, raises price target to $260 per share from $246 “The qtr should provide some relief after the MRVL disappointment,” wrote analyst Joseph Moore. “Broadcom has one of the most compelling bull cases, and while there is significant optionality in their long-term outlook, their ambitious SAM is materially possible. We stay OW, and this remains our 2nd best AI play behind NVDA.” UBS maintains buy rating and $270 per share price target Analyst Timothy Arcuri’s target corresponds to a potential upside of 50%. “Amid expectations that were not quite as high as some peers, AVGO delivered solid results and guidance that should continue to bolster this investment thesis. Most importantly, the AI segment of the business continues to provide upside even as the custom ASIC business was a bit soft in FQ1 (Jan) around well telegraphed TPU transitions at Google.” — CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report. Source link #major #analyst Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Pair Of Pricey Microsoft Productivity Apps Are $10 Each Until March 12 A Pair Of Pricey Microsoft Productivity Apps Are $10 Each Until March 12 A pair of expensive Microsoft productivity apps are on ***** for $10 each for a limited time. Over at StackSocial, Microsoft Visio Professional 2021 and Project Professional 2021 can be purchased for $10 each with GameSpot’s exclusive promo code: WINDOWS. The offer lasts until March 12. If you buy both apps, just know that the redemption windows are different. Project can be activated within 30 days, but Visio licenses must be redeemed within seven days. The 2024 editions of these productivity apps are pricey. Visio Professional 2024 goes for $580, and Project Professional 2024 is $1,130. A version of Visio is included with Microsoft 365; Project is not part of Microsoft’s subscription productivity suite. $10 with promo code WINDOWS Microsoft Project is a project management app similar to tools like Asana or Trello. It includes pre-built sample projects, tools for visualizing schedule timelines, and even a built-in timesheet submission form, among many other features. $10 with promo code WINDOWS Microsoft Visio is a brainstorming and diagramming software used to create charts, graphs, and other data visualizations like architectural layouts. It comes with dozens of templates for flowcharts, org charts, floor plans, and more, and it can import data from other Microsoft programs like Excel, Exchange, and Entra ID to automatically create charts and diagrams. More Microsoft License Deals GameSpot’s exclusive promo code also works with Windows 11 Pro. Readers can get Microsoft’s operating system for $10 when entering promo code WINDOWS at checkout. Like the Visio and Project deals, this offer expires March 12. For more on what’s included with Windows 11 Pro, check out our dedicated story about the StackSocial deal. StackSocial also has discounts on Microsoft Office lifetime licenses for PC and Mac, but the promo code won’t work on any of the licenses beyond Visio, Project, and Windows 11 Pro. We’ve included a list of Microsoft license deals below. Next to the deal price you’ll find the activation window for that particular product. Unused codes can be returned before the expiration date for StackSocial store credit. Source link #Pair #Pricey #Microsoft #Productivity #Apps #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Budget gamers rejoice as Nvidia RTX 5050 and RTX 5060 are rumored to launch in April Budget gamers rejoice as Nvidia RTX 5050 and RTX 5060 are rumored to launch in April The RTX 5050 and RTX 5060 are rumored to launch in April 2025 It’s believed the MSRP of the former could be $299, matching the RTX 3050 Claims are circulating that there will be three variants of RTX 5060 available The Nvidia RTX 5050 and RTX 5060 are rumored to launch next month, based on the latest rumors circulating online. According to WCCF Tech, the two mainstream Blackwell RTX 50 series graphics cards will be released soon, following the midrange RTX 5070, which launched earlier this week. It’s believed that the RTX 5050 will use the PG162 PCB with 8GB GDDR7 VRAM and a 145W TDP. Its pricing is expected to fall within the range of $199 to $249, depending on the manufacturer. This would position it alongside other entry-level graphics cards on the market, such as the Intel Arc B580 from December 2024, which we praised with a five-star score in our review. April could also see the launches of both the RTX 5060 and the RTX 5060 Ti, with the former launching at the end of the month and the latter claimed to be coming earlier. It is rumored that both GPUs will utilize 8GB GDDR7 VRAM (with the Ti supposedly having a 16GB option), with the RTX 5060 expected to retail from $299, but this is unconfirmed at this time, and so far few concrete details are known about the hardware inside the two budget offerings. Additionally, alleged industry insider MEGAsizeGPU has claimed that the RTX 5060 family could be announced 10 days from now to hit the shelves “a month later”. This backs up WCCFTech’s information about a launch coming sooner rather than later, and it’s certainly believable considering the trajectory we’ve typically seen in Nvidia’s graphics card launches. Historically, the 90 and 80-class cards come first, with 70-class and mainstream offerings following closely behind. While unconfirmed, TechPowerUp claims that the RTX 5060 will be built on the GB206 graphics processor with 4,608 cores, 144 Texture Mapping Units, and a 128-bit memory bus combined with its 8GB GDDR7 VRAM. In contrast, this source claims the RTX 5060 Ti’s 16GB variant will be otherwise identical, save for double the VRAM. It’s likely a placeholder until an official reveal and tech specs are announced, however, it gives us a rough idea of how they could stack up to the company’s best graphics cards on the market. A return for Nvidia’s 50-class dedicated graphics cards Should these rumors be true, then we will be seeing the return of the 50-class graphics cards for the first time since January 2022 with the desktop RTX 3050. While far from gaming powerhouses, these affordable cards have (traditionally) given wallet-conscious gamers a way to keep up with today’s demanding games in 1080p, even featuring some light ray tracing functionality. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. While there technically was an RTX 4050 GPU, it was solely used as a graphics solution inside cheap gaming laptops and never saw a release as a dedicated graphics card. The RTX 4060 was the mainstream leader of Nvidia’s previous gen, starting at $299. Depending on the MSRPs of the RTX 5050 and RTX 5060, we could see a disparity in price similar to the difference between AMD’s RX 9070 ($549) and 9070 XT ($599). At a time when it looks as though Nvidia is solely focused on pushing the goal posts in terms of both price and performance, the addition of a 50-class and three 60-class versions of Blackwell could make DLSS 4 (and Multi Frame Generation) far easier to access for those who don’t want to pay out $600 or more at the minimum. Performance of these cards are unlikely to be groundbreaking, but if upscaling from 720p to 1080p for the RTX 5050 and 1080p to 1440p with MFG, we could see the perennially popular RTX 3060 12GB and RTX 4060 finally dethroned from their top spots in the Steam Hardware Survey. You may also like… Source link #Budget #gamers #rejoice #Nvidia #RTX #RTX #rumored #launch #April Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

What every major analyst is saying What every major analyst is saying Broadcom ‘s blowout first-quarter earnings seem to have assuaged analysts’ recent fears toward the battered AI trade. Rising market uncertainty and trade tensions have weighed down the semiconductor stocks as of late. AI poster child Nvidia is on pace to end the week 10% lower, and on Tuesday the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite entered correction territory . These fears were stoked further on Thursday after chipmaker Marvell Technology issued revenue guidance that fell short of some elevated buyside expectations. But on Friday, Broadcom’s blockbuster earnings report seemed to have righted the ship. The semiconductor manufacturer popped 6% after posting first-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.60 per share on revenue of $14.92 billion, exceeding consensus estimates for a profit of $1.49 per share and revenue of $14.61 billion from LSEG. Nvidia added 1% in sympathy, while the Nasdaq Composite was last trading 0.4% higher. Broadcom also guided for second-quarter revenue of $14.9 billion, which is higher than the $14.76 billion consensus forecast. In a statement, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan said that the company expects “continued strength in AI semiconductor revenue.” Analysts at some of the biggest shops on Wall Street voiced their optimism after Broadcom’s report. Here’s what they had to say. Citi reiterates buy rating and price target of $220 per share Analyst Christopher Danely’s price target is about 23% above Broadcom’s Thursday closing price of $179.45. “Broadcom reported solid results and guided above Consensus driven by continued AI strength (27% of F25 sales) with two new AI engagements. Gross margins were above Consensus due to mix and we continue to believe strength from the AI semi business will offset any downside from sanctions on Bytedance and RF share loss at Apple.” Deutsche Bank maintains buy rating and $240 per share price target Deutsche Bank’s forecast corresponds to upside of around 34%. “Overall, despite AVGO being unlikely to completely avoid market-wide AI volatility, we believe the co’s broadening customer exposure, and significant non-AI/Software businesses can continue to mute volatility through cyclical/secular growth,” wrote analyst Ross Seymore. JPMorgan keeps buy rating, $250 per share price target JPMorgan’s price target calls for 39% upside going forward. Analyst Harlan Sur said the stock “remains our top pick in semiconductors.” “In the infrastructure software business, Broadcom continues to successfully convert and upsell to its VCF full stack solution. Overall, the team continues to drive a stable revenue growth profile even in a ******* of macro volatility given its portfolio breadth/ diversification/product cycles.” Bank of America retains overweight rating, raises price target to $260 from $250 Analyst Vivek Arya’s new target equates to 45% upside. The analyst said that Broadcom’s recent report was a “reassuring update from AI leader.” “We rate Broadcom Buy due to its high-quality diversified exposure to secular product cycles in the smartphone, cloud data center, telecom and enterprise storage markets. Additionally, with 45%+ EBITDA/FCF margins, Broadcom is among the most profitable semiconductor companies, which is likely to continue to drive strong cash returns.” Barclays stands by overweight rating, $260 price target “Outside of a clean beat, GMs will tick down in the next few quarters as AI programs become a larger part of the portfolio, and R & D expense will tick up as management plans to invest heavily in the AI opportunity. In our view, AVGO is still one of the best positioned names in AI DC and we continue to see the ASIC business accelerating on a multi-year basis,” wrote analyst Tom O’Malley. Morgan Stanley reiterates overweight rating, raises price target to $260 per share from $246 “The qtr should provide some relief after the MRVL disappointment,” wrote analyst Joseph Moore. “Broadcom has one of the most compelling bull cases, and while there is significant optionality in their long-term outlook, their ambitious SAM is materially possible. We stay OW, and this remains our 2nd best AI play behind NVDA.” UBS maintains buy rating and $270 per share price target Analyst Timothy Arcuri’s target corresponds to a potential upside of 50%. “Amid expectations that were not quite as high as some peers, AVGO delivered solid results and guidance that should continue to bolster this investment thesis. Most importantly, the AI segment of the business continues to provide upside even as the custom ASIC business was a bit soft in FQ1 (Jan) around well telegraphed TPU transitions at Google.” — CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report. Source link #major #analyst Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Blazing Away’s date with destiny at Bunbury, bidding to become first ever three-time Cup champion Blazing Away’s date with destiny at Bunbury, bidding to become first ever three-time Cup champion Honest gelding Blazing Away will have his date with destiny in the $150,000 Swan Draught Bunbury Cup (2019m), aiming to become the first horse in the event’s 130-year history to claim the crown three times. Source link #Blazing #Aways #date #destiny #Bunbury #bidding #threetime #Cup #champion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

It’s all about creating a good experience for our players “It’s all about creating a good experience for our players” Marvel Rivals has been on a roll lately, surpassing player counts and expectations. The free-to-play hero shooter from NetEase Games does a lot of things right, but a few issues seem to creep up from time to time. In particular, Rivals’ hero balancing is a major sore point for its player base, and any seasoned veteran will likely inform you of how certain heroes fare better when compared to others. Game director Guangyun Chen seems to agree on the same, and has recently detailed his plans regarding hero buffs and nerfs in an interview. Marvel Rivals to make careful considerations toward hero buffs and nerfs in the future Marvel Rivals does not balance its heroes fairly | Image Credit: NetEase Games It’s no secret that Marvel Rivals has stirred a bit of controversy regarding its refusal to balance its heroes. Players have always been vocal about the overpowered nature of certain heroes, and NetEase Games has usually turned a blind eye to the same. It’s all about creating a good experience for our players. However, as per a recent interview with Metro ***, things might be set to change very soon. Speaking to Metro, game director Guangyun Chen remarked on the game’s success, which is apparent especially in a market teeming with live-service failures such as Concord and MultiVersus. Our whole team has felt the passion of the community and everyone. Guangyun has acknowledged the ‘passion’ of the community, and went on to further discuss much requested features such as a role-lock, in order to force an even spread of all 3 classes in the game during matches. So, what we want to offer is more line-up or more team comp possibilities through our hero design and our team-up mechanic. The team-up mechanic is after all, one of the more unique things that Rivals brings to the table in an otherwise saturated market of hero shooters. However, Rivals‘ solution involves more heroes which fit into particular niches together, in a bid to encourage players to pair characters together, instead of a traditional role lock system which still remains a much requested feature. We believe no role ****** will lead to a richer gaming experience for everyone. Elaborating further on the supposed gameplay adjustments, Guangyun remarked that they want each player to enjoy the game, regardless of their playstyles – thereby allowing for no artificial restrictions. A ban system for high ranked matches has been added | Image Credit: NetEase Games Rivals has also introduced a ban/pick system for high tier ranked matches, which should allow for the more competitive player to be picky about their choices – which is a shame, since these features could have been added to regular matches. It hasn’t been that long since our launch. NetEase will continue to keep a close eye on everything going on in Rivals, and implement changes accordingly. It might be too early for any drastic changes though, given that Marvel Rivals is barely over 2 months old and needs time to grow its meta. While some aspects of it are disappointing, it’s a welcome move for sure NetEase Games refuses to give a solid answer | Image Credit: NetEase Games In particular, NetEase Games’ non-answer to the whole hero balancing dilemma is quite frustrating, as the game really needs to improve upon multiple fronts – including its hero balancing as well as its role ******. Player voices did push NetEase Games toward implementing a few changes, and they should eventually add in quality of life features to appease the audience – it’s only a matter of time. Regardless, NetEase Games’s commitment toward the long term success of Marvel Rivals is refreshing, as is their willingness to communicate and acknowledge player feedback. Source link #creating #good #experience #players Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Unexploded WWII bomb discovered in Paris, causing major train disruptions Unexploded WWII bomb discovered in Paris, causing major train disruptions There were major disruptions to trains heading northward from Paris’ busy Gare du Nord station Friday after an unexploded bomb from World War II was discovered near tracks just outside central Paris. Eurostar services have also been affected, with trains between London and Paris now canceled for the day. Source link #Unexploded #WWII #bomb #discovered #Paris #causing #major #train #disruptions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kingdom Come 2 Goes DRM-Free Soon, Massive 1.2 Patch Release Date Confirmed Kingdom Come 2 Goes DRM-Free Soon, Massive 1.2 Patch Release Date Confirmed After selling more than 2 million copies, Warhorse’s popular RPG Kingdom Come 2: Deliverance is joining the GOG catalog soon, and that means the game will be able to buy without DRM. Kingdom Come 2 hits GOG on March 28, the storefront recently announced. Additionally, the store is holding a ***** on the first game, marking it down to just $7.50 right now. You do not need to play the first game to play the sequel, but you might get more out of it if you do. Currently, Kingdom Come 2 is only available on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. On GOG, the game will not use any form of DRM, meaning there is no activation process or online check-in. You can wishlist Kingdom Come 2 on GOG right now. In other news, Warhorse has teased that the upcoming 1.2 patch for Kingdom Come 2 is a juggernaut. The game’s PR manager said on social media that the forthcoming patch will span 34 pages of patch notes, suggesting it is a beefy update. The full extent of what’s in the update is unknown, but it will add Barber Mode, which allows players to change their hair and beard styles. Update 1.2 arrives on March 13. In addition to Barber Mode, the update introduces modding and a “trove of updates.” Check back with GameSpot soon for more. In addition to free updates, Warhorse will release new story expansions for Kingdom Come 2: Deliverance through the game’s paid expansion pass. These story expansions include Brushes with Death in Summer 2025 and Legacy of the Forge in Fall 2025. A third expansion, Mysteria Ecclesia, is set for release in Winter 2025. Source link #Kingdom #DRMFree #Massive #Patch #Release #Date #Confirmed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump questions NATO allies’ will for collective defense while casting doubt on U.S.’ own treaty commitment Trump questions NATO allies’ will for collective defense while casting doubt on U.S.’ own treaty commitment President Trump suggested Thursday that members of the U.S.-led NATO transatlantic military alliance would not come to the aid of the U.S., should America come under attack. NATO members are bound to back each other militarily in the face of any aggression under the collective defense clause in the alliance’s founding treaty. “Do you think they’re going to come and protect us? Hmm. They’re supposed to. I’m not so sure,” Mr. Trump said as he addressed reporters at the Oval Office. He said in the same conversation that he would breach that treaty and only send the U.S. military to defend NATO allies that contribute what he deems to be a fair share of their national GDPs to their defense budgets. A core foundation upon which the nearly 80-year-old alliance is built is Article 5 of the NATO founding treaty. Under that article, should any NATO nation become the victim of an armed attack, the other members will consider it as an attack against all members and will “take the actions it deems necessary” to assist. NATO holds military drills as leaders express concerns over Trump’s shifting foreign policy 02:19 Article 5 has only been invoked once in NATO’s history, and that was on Sept. 12, 2001, one day after Al-Qaeda killed almost 3,000 people in its unprecedented terrorist attack on Washington and New York. In the U.S.-led invasions that followed in Iraq and Afghanistan, America’s NATO allies cumulatively lost well over 1,000 troops in combat over a 20 year *******. Britain alone lost 642 members of its armed forces. More than 7,000 members of the U.S. armed forces were killed during that same *******, according to the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. President Trump was speaking in response to a question about whether the U.S. would defend NATO partners if they were not paying what he deems to be their fair share toward their own defense. The president has long argued that the U.S. carries an undue burden, spending more to help ensure Europe’s defense than the NATO members on the continent, and he’s pushing now for those members to boost their domestic defense spending to at least 5% of their respective GDPs. “I said if you’re not going to pay, we’re not going to defend… if you’re not going to pay your bills, we’re not going to defend you,” Mr. Trump said. How European nations are appealing to Trump, boosting defense spending 03:47 The 5% defense spending Mr. Trump has demanded of America’s NATO allies is a significantly higher proportion than what the U.S. pays. The U.S. currently allocates about 3% of its GDP to defense annually, one of the higher amounts relative to other NATO nations, but not the highest. According to data compiled by the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington, the highest spender, relative to its GDP, is Poland, which shares a long border with Ukraine. Then, after the U.S., come Greece and a number of NATO nations right on the eastern edge of democratic Europe, closest to Ukraine and, beyond it, Russia, along with the Nordic states. Over the past decade, European NATO members and Canada have steadily increased their collective spending on defense from 1.43% of their combined GDP in 2014, to 2.02% in 2024, according to figures posted on NATO’s website — but many individual member states are still falling well short of the 5% mark that Mr. Trump has called for. Some have yet to even meet the 2% of GDP spending threshold currently set as a target by the alliance. Poland’s President Andrzej Duda on Thursday said he had proposed a spending minimum of 3% of GDP for all NATO members in a post on social media. Friedrich Merz, the likely next leader of Germany, also announced a plan this week to raise hundreds of billions of dollars in extra spending on defense and infrastructure should he take office. Mr. Trump’s remarks came at the end of a week in which his administration ruffled European feathers by appearing to question the contributions of America’s NATO allies. In pointed comments on Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron said France and the U.S. were “loyal and faithful allies,” and that France had “respect and friendship” for the United States. “I think we’re entitled to expect the same,” Macron said Vance irks U.K. and France with remark he claims wasn’t aimed at them In an interview with Fox News on Monday, Vice President JD Vance appeared to diminish the value of military contributions by key U.S. allies — both past and future — while discussing the proposed minerals deal between Ukraine and the U.S. Vance said the potential economic deal, which the White House has pushed Kyiv hard to sign, “is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.” Those comments sparked outrage from politicians in France and the U.K. — the only two countries that have thus far said they might send troops to help maintain peace under a ceasefire in Ukraine. European leaders hold emergency summit after U.S. pauses military aid to Ukraine 02:43 While Vance later appeared to walk his remarks back on social media, saying that both countries had, “fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years” and that he did not “even mention the *** or France” in the interview, the diplomatic damage was done. France’s far right leader Marine Le Pen condemned Vance’s comments, defending the “noble memory” of French troops and saying that “no patriot will therefore allow it to be said that our country is ordinary.” U.K. Member of Parliament Ben Obese-Jecty, a former British Army officer who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, told CBS News’ partner network BBC News on Tuesday, “the disrespect shown by the new US vice-president to the sacrifices of our service personnel is unacceptable.” “It’s difficult to see who he was talking about, if he wasn’t talking about Britain and France,” Obese-Jecty said. More Emmet Lyons Emmet Lyons is a news desk editor at the CBS News London bureau, coordinating and producing stories for all CBS News platforms. Prior to joining CBS News, Emmet worked as a producer at CNN for four years. Source link #Trump #questions #NATO #allies #collective #defense #casting #doubt #U.S #treaty #commitment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Tariff uncertainty has created a buying opportunity. How to use options to capitalize Tariff uncertainty has created a buying opportunity. How to use options to capitalize Investor sentiment has drastically changed in recent weeks as tariffs — or the threat of tariffs — have been introduced to the markets. Last month’s discussion of awakening animal spirits and multiple analysts racing to readjust their 2025 S & P 500 targets served as a warning, as the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) crashed under 15. The Invesco QQQ Trust , which tracks the Nasdaq-100, and the S & P 500 have been dropping precipitously — even dipping under their 200 day moving averages for the first time in roughly 400 trading days. I believe now is the time to add U.S. equity exposure. I want to use options to potentially establish a long position and capture a snap back in the SPDR S & P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) in this newly elevated volatility landscape. Per friends at Bespoke Investment Group: The average U.S. stock is now 30% below its 52-week high, which on average was made on Sept. 21. I do not believe market fundamentals have changed despite the uncertainty of tariffs dominating the daily headlines. One interesting component of the market that should serve as a shock absorber once tariffs are hashed out is the move lower in interest rates. The 10-year note dropped from its recent high of 4.8% down to 4.12% earlier this week. This coupled with a weakening dollar should fuel equities higher once investors digest the ultimate status of tariffs. The last bit of optimism is crude oil prices have tucked down into the 60’s, this should help lower inflation. An old adage I learned in my years of pit trading in Chicago is to “be greedy when others are fearful” and conversely “be fearful when others are greedy.” I believe the recent injection of market uncertainty, which has produced some significant investor fear, presents opportunity. An investor has to be on board with owning the market in this options trade, as there is risk of being put to a long position in SPY. However, by using a risk reversal an investor has the ability to finance the upside call which will become profitable in the event the March Madness subsides, and equities resume their trajectory inside of this bull market. The trade Sold the 3/28/2025 $560 put for $8.00 Bought the 3/28/2025 $580 call for $7.80 This risk reversal will allow an investor to collect $0.20 or $20 per one spread This was filled when SPY was roughly trading $571.50 An investor will sell a cash-covered put at $560 and will own SPY at $559.80 in the event SPY is below that price upon expiration. An investor potentially is long SPY above $579.80 looking to capture unlimited upside profitability. DISCLOSURES: Kilburg owns the spread and is short $570 SPY puts as well. He is also long SPY. All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer. Source link #Tariff #uncertainty #created #buying #opportunity #options #capitalize Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Killing Floor 3 Delayed To Later This Year Killing Floor 3 Delayed To Later This Year Developer Tripwire Interactive has announced that Killing Floor 3 has been delayed until later this year. The delay comes just weeks before the game’s planned March 25 release date. In a length post on social media, the studio says that the game is being “postponed to an undecided date later in 2025”. They say it comes after “taking the time to gather and discuss feedback” from the recent beta. “[We’ve] realized that we missed the mark,” the developers said. “Our goal isn’t just to make Killing Floor 3 an ambitious step forward for the franchise, but also to maintain the core experience that you’ve come to know and love.” PODCAST: The Future Of Call of Duty—Insider Gaming Weekly They continued: “With the full support of our parent company Embracer Group, we’re working together on a timeline to address many of the common issues players had during the beta, including performance/stability, UI/UX, lighting, and weapon feel. While it’s too early to say which fixes will be implemented by launch, we can confirm that an update allowing you to independently select your perk class and character is planned for post-release.” The studio closed its statement thanking its community for patience and understanding while saying it looks forward to “another opportunity to show you a more polished version of Killing Floor 3.” No information on when a new release date announcement will come was given. When it does launch, Killing Floor 3 will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. What do you think of Killing Floor 3 being delayed to later in 2025? Let us know down below, and join more discussions in the official Insider Gaming forums. For more Insider Gaming, read about Respawn Entertainment cancelling its unannounced FPS. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Killing #Floor #Delayed #Year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sex may have evolved as a way to pool resources during tough times Sex may have evolved as a way to pool resources during tough times A whole lot of mating garter snakes seeer/Imazins/Getty Images Birds do it, a few bees get to do it – but how did ******* reproduction evolve in the first place? An evolutionary model suggests that it could have started as a way for two cells to pool their resources when favourable environments turn harsh. “The idea is when times get hard, you fuse with another cell,” says George Constable at the University of York, ***. “Then you’ve got this big cell which has more chance of surviving.” Source link #Sex #evolved #pool #resources #tough #times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Liam Roberts: Millwall keeper given six-game ban for Mateta challenge Liam Roberts: Millwall keeper given six-game ban for Mateta challenge Roberts faced criticism after the incident with Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parrish telling BBC Sport it was the “most reckless challenge I’ve ever seen” while Eagles boss Oliver Glasner described it as a “terrible foul”. Millwall head coach Alex Neill defended his player after the game saying his challenge was not deliberate. The goalkeeper suffered what Millwall described as ‘”disgusting” online abuse after the incident, and in a statement Roberts said he was “devastated by what happened”. “As soon as I could, I reached out to Jean-Philippe personally to apologise, and I was thankful to hear back from him that evening that he was OK and reassured me not to worry,” Roberts said. “I am devastated by what happened. I unequivocally accept the red card as awarded and accept my punishment. “Furthermore, it has been extremely unpleasant to observe suggestions that I intended to harm a fellow professional. I have categorically never stepped onto a football pitch with the intention of hurting anyone. “Misleading articles and comments have resulted in an unthinkable amount of abusive messages and threats towards my family and I. “To the footballing community who know me and reached out with support through this tough time, thank you, I appreciate every single message.” Source link #Liam #Roberts #Millwall #keeper #sixgame #ban #Mateta #challenge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

De’Aaron Fox returns to Sacramento: How Kings, young star grew apart De’Aaron Fox returns to Sacramento: How Kings, young star grew apart SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On the morning that De’Aaron Fox’s eight-year run with the Sacramento Kings came to an unofficial end, their interim coach, Doug Christie, had a big-picture phone conversation with Rich Paul, Fox’s agent and the founder of the same firm that represents Christie, Klutch Sports. Fox had turned down several max extension offers from the Kings in the preceding months, making it clear behind the scenes that he wouldn’t be comfortable signing another long-term deal until he was convinced their organization was stable, functional and capable of true contention. But the team had gone 11-4 in the early days with Christie at the helm, and he surely wondered whether that uptick might be enough to change Fox’s stance. Christie was searching for the truth on Fox, it seemed, and clearly hoping his business relationship with Paul might compel some candor. It did just that, but not in the way he hoped. The temporary bump up the standings hadn’t masked Fox’s unflattering view of the organization’s culture under owner Vivek Ranadivé. And Christie’s elevation above the hastily fired Mike Brown, Fox’s preferred head coach, was merely the latest and loudest reminder of that reality. So Paul, according to league sources, informed Christie that the path ahead remained unchanged. If anything, Fox was only firmer in the belief that his prime seasons were better spent elsewhere. This wasn’t a trade request, but a transparent assessment of the state of the franchise and a confirmation that the time had come for both sides to plot an exit. That conversation, league sources said, set in motion the official end of Fox’s tenure, as Christie ran the messaging up the ladder. Later that day, the Kings front office, Monte McNair and Wes Wilcox, called Paul to inform him they’d be entertaining Fox trade offers. It didn’t take long for the news to leak. Within a week, Fox was sent to San Antonio, his preferred destination. In a flash, one of the best players in franchise history was gone just weeks after his 27th birthday. On Friday, Fox returns to Sacramento as an opponent for the first time. Here’s the backstory about how things fell apart. Two days after the Fox deal went down, the noise out of Sacramento bothered Fox enough to reach out to a handful of local sports radio personalities to better inform the public of his side of the story. His desire to depart, he had explained, wasn’t about the fans or the market size or a city he’d come to embrace. It was about the lack of trust in those tasked with running the organization. “Everybody has the same story about the dysfunction,” Fox tweeted, then later deleted. “But yeah it’s my fault.” Rewind back to this past summer. The Kings had gone from 48 wins and the third seed — in Brown’s first season and Fox’s lone All-Star season — to 46 wins and the ninth seed, a subtle dip with a significant consequence. They missed the playoffs, breeding organizational disappointment. But on the season’s final night in New Orleans, Fox was clear with his messaging. “There is a lot more stability than there was in the past,” Fox said. De’Aaron Fox was traded to the Spurs not long after his 27th birthday. (Brad Penner / Imagn Images) Not long after, Brown and the Kings entered negotiation talks on a contract extension. There was a level of hesitancy from the ownership side, in part, team and league sources said, because of the opinion of Anjali Ranadivé, Vivek’s 32-year-old daughter, whose increased presence and perceived influence has been a major talking point in Kings circles for quite some time. Ever since Vivek Ranadivé bought the Kings in 2013, he has sought counsel beyond his own front office when it came to significant team decisions. There have been formal voices on that front, NBA legends like Chris Mullin, Vlade Divac (before he became the team’s GM) and Joe Dumars, who were hired as Kings advisers and relied upon as older, wiser sounding boards. Former Kings coach Alvin Gentry, who brings nearly 40 years of experience and has been a head coach six times, is currently in a similar position. There have been many others who were informal, too, with John Calipari and the late Jerry West known to be among them. In the early years under Ranadive, his son, Aneel, was heavily involved in the operation. The team’s longtime chief operating officer, Matina Kolokotronis, has maintained significant influence for decades as well. Ditto for the team’s longtime president of business operations, John Rhinehart. While this sort of approach isn’t inherently problematic, Ranadivé’s version of it has often inspired confusion internally about the power dynamics and, more specifically, questions about whether the front office was truly being trusted to run the team. As it relates to Anjali, who can often be seen sitting front-and-center with her father at games, there is the added curiosity, and concern in some circles, about whether she might be on track to become the heir apparent at the ownership level. Fox was well aware of these dynamics. And when the time came for a final decision to be made on Brown, league sources said the truth that bothered Fox most was that his voice had not been heard, nor his warning heeded. During Brown’s extension talks, the organization’s waffling on the coach’s future had reached Fox. Per league and team sources, the front office asked for his opinion. Fox, who had four coaches in his first seven seasons, was clear: He was a strong supporter of Brown’s and had no interest in another coaching change. Fox had been asking for a structured environment with a level of accountability for years. It felt, to him, like they were building it. After Brown was extended, Fox reiterated the stance publicly: “Just having that stability helps in the long run, I feel like,” he said. A late-game Fox error against the Detroit Pistons punctuated a fateful 0-5 homestand in late December. A day later, after conducting practice, Brown was fired on his way to the airport for a road trip. Fox said he was at UPS dropping off a package when he received the news. GO DEEPER Mike Brown’s final days with Kings: Disastrous play, tension with star and an awkward firing In terms of the timing and execution of the firing, this was a 101 course on how to alienate a superstar. Vivek green-lit the decision while on vacation in *****. He was there with Anjali and Jeremy Lamb, the 10-year retired NBA pro who initially joined the Kings organization as part of the Domantas Sabonis trade in February 2022 and whose relationship with the owner’s daughter became public knowledge last October. Anjali, who was once an aspiring pop star who would sometimes perform at Kings games, was hired as assistant general manager of Sacramento’s G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings, in May 2022. In May 2023, she was elevated to the team’s GM position. Lamb was a player on the team during that time. But her six-month tenure in that role was marked by a tragic incident, as one of Stockton’s players, Chance Comanche, was arrested and later charged with the ******* of a 23-year-old woman that allegedly took place during a team road trip to Las Vegas (the trial date is set for this month). Anjali stepped down as GM less than a month later, on Jan. 19, 2024, “to pursue a Ph.D. and focus her attention on her nonprofit Jaws and Paws,” a team statement read. But Anjali still appeared to have influence throughout Sacramento’s organization, as she and Lamb became a more visible part of the Kings’ decision-making tree early this season. They were often spotted courtside next to Vivek in the proverbial power seats at games and were believed by many within the organization to be gaining a growing influence in the *******-picture path forward. “We’re all going to be working for Jeremy Lamb soon enough,” one Kings employee joked to The Athletic at the time. Lamb no longer appears to be in the loop. But he was during those final weeks of the Brown era, and league sources said Fox was one of many aware of the complicated and constantly shifting dynamics up top. All the while, he was contemplating his long-term future with the franchise. Vivek still hasn’t commented on the Brown decision publicly. McNair, who league and team sources said was against the decision to fire Brown, wouldn’t hold a news conference until 40 days after the announcement. Without anyone to explain the controversial decision, the microphones turned toward the players and, in particular, Fox. Brown had publicly criticized him for the late-game mistake the night before and his long-term future already loomed in the background. Many speculated Fox either called for it or was consulted, especially after video surfaced of the two of them engaging in an extended one-on-one conversation after practice not long before Brown was fired. “There was never any push back about anything,” Fox tweeted. “This narrative of us butting heads or me going to management saying anything is bulls—.” Finally, in his third media scrum about the coaching change that continued to reverberate around the league, Fox grew clearly exasperated. “I’m done talking about that,” Fox said on Dec. 31. “If people think that was me, then it was me. F— it.” For most of Fox’s eight seasons in Sacramento, he was one of the most entertaining, productive and clutch players in the league. He’s fourth all-time in franchise history in points (11,064), fourth in assists (3,146) and second in steals (731) — all despite not being top 10 in games played. Along with Sabonis, Fox was a leading man on the “Beam Team” that broke the organization’s league-record playoff drought of 16 seasons two years ago. There were good times, to be sure. But the same themes that were near-constant during his time there — mediocrity and instability — were the ones that would play a part in driving him away. More specifically, league sources said Fox was convinced he would never get his just due individually if he wasn’t playing on a team that was truly capable of contending. “I want to make sure that we’re in that position to be competing and competing at a high level for a long time, not just fighting for a playoff spot,” he told The Athletic at the start of the season. There were strong indicators the end was near in late December, when Fox’s agent met with the Kings front office to discuss the uncertain road ahead. In early January — less than a month before Fox would be dealt and two weeks after Brown’s firing — the franchise player and his former coach had dinner in a Sacramento suburb that was revealed by the restaurant on social media and sent a clear message about their relationship. Not long after, with no Kings named as All-Stars and the prospect of a deep playoff run looking highly unlikely, the writing was officially on the wall. Fox, league sources said, feared the prospect of wasting his best years on a team that was mired in mediocrity. As Kings officials are quick to point out, Fox got exactly what he wanted. Not only did he land the coveted job as co-star to the possible future face of the league, Victor Wembanyama, but the San Antonio Spurs didn’t lose any of their young talent in the process. Wembanyama is out for the season because of a blood clot, but the hopes for a higher ceiling, as well as a renowned culture, are there for Fox in the Alamo City. GO DEEPER De’Aaron Fox is navigating unfamiliar road with Spurs — in more ways than one Back in Sacramento, Fox’s frustration and concerns about the future are now a thing of the past. But the problem for the Kings moving forward is that he’s not alone in those feelings. League sources said Sabonis, who has three more seasons and a combined $140.3 million left on his current deal, is expected to seek clarity about the organization’s plan in the offseason. Just as Fox wanted to know whose voice mattered most on key decisions, and who the team’s owner might be trusting the most as counsel, Sabonis is known to have similar questions. Even with the recent success, league sources said several members of the team’s core are watching and wondering where this is all headed. “What is the vision here?” one league source close to a core Kings player said. “It feels like it could be headed toward chaos.” For starters, it’s unclear if Christie, the beloved former King who was elevated from his assistant role, will be retained after this season. The Kings, who were 13-18 when Brown was fired, have gone 19-11 since Christie took over. They’re now 32-29, ninth in the Western Conference and in position to make a feasible run at a playoff spot. With Zach LaVine joining from Chicago in the Fox trade, and veteran big man Jonas Valančiūnas joining him from Washington a day later in a trade that has been crucial in light of a recent hamstring injury for Sabonis, the Kings have the league’s 11th-best net rating under Christie (they were 13th prior). While no final decision has been made on Christie’s future, team sources said a continuation of this current trend would give him a strong chance at landing a new deal in the summer. If the Kings decide to open up another coaching search in the offseason, however, they would be hiring their 14th coach since the Rick Adelman era ended in 2006. The future of the front office, which has been in place since the fall of 2020, could also be in question. McNair, who insisted during his tense news conference on Feb. 5 that the Brown decision was his, has been far less visible since then. Wilcox, the assistant general manager who has handled the majority of communication with agents and executives around the league for years now, has remained visible and influential throughout. The arrival of Brown and the ascension of Fox into his early prime represent the most successful subsection of Kings basketball in Ranadivé’s tenure as owner. They are currently over .500 for a third consecutive season after 16 straight seasons below .500. But Brown’s abrupt firing six months after signing a contract extension followed by a trade of their franchise guard during his age-27 season have many around the league predicting a reversion back to the NBA wasteland lies ahead due to many of the same problems that plagued them in the decade prior. Time will tell. But Fox’s return on Friday will represent a goodbye to their recent past. The Kings plan to give him a tribute video, team sources said. But he will step in front of a conflicted fan base and presumably hear a mix of appreciative cheers and resentful boos. “Does that matter to me?” Fox said of the awaiting reception when asked after a recent Spurs game. “I mean, for the people who still love me, obviously I really appreciate that. Obviously I was there for so long. But for the people who don’t, we’re never worried about bitter people.” (Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Jacob Kupferman, Rocky Widner / NBAE / Getty Images) Source link #DeAaron #Fox #returns #Sacramento #Kings #young #star #grew Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]