Pelican Press

Veterans Affairs Department plans to cut thousands more jobs as part of Trump’s cost-cutting efforts Veterans Affairs Department plans to cut thousands more jobs as part of Trump’s cost-cutting efforts Washington — The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to slash thousands of employees in the coming months as part of President Trump’s initiative to scale back the size of the federal government, according to a memo from the agency’s chief of staff. The memo, sent Tuesday to top Veterans Affairs officials and obtained by CBS News, describes the agency’s plans for a reduction-in-force, which is expected to take place in August. The department’s goal is to return its workforce to 2019-levels of just under 400,000 employees, a cut of more than 70,000 workers. Led by Secretary Doug Collins, a former congressman and Iraq War veteran, the VA employed more than 471,000 people as of December, according to the agency’s workforce dashboard, 27% of whom are veterans. The memo states that the Department of Veterans Affairs, “in partnership with DOGE leaders, will move out aggressively, while taking a pragmatic and disciplined approach to identify and eliminate waste, reduce management and bureaucracy, reduce footprint and increase workforce efficiency.” Mr. Trump created the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency, which he said is headed by Elon Musk, to oversee his plan to shrink the size of the federal government and cut spending. The VA’s memo estimates that a portion of the savings stemming from its cuts “will be reinvested in the veterans we serve and the systems required to support our workforce and executive our mission.” The memo is part of the VA’s efforts to initiate a department-wide review of its organization and structure in response to an executive order Mr. Trump signed last month that directed agency heads to “promptly” make plans to initiate “large-scale” reductions in its workforce. “This effort will require the entirety of VA staff and organizations to work together in a collaborative fashion, as well as to coordinate actions with DOGE and the administration as a whole, to achieve the desired results,” the directive states. It lays out a timeline for implementing this reduction-in-force and reorganization plan, which begins this month and culminates in the terminations before the end of the fiscal year, which is Sept. 30. As part of his government-cutting initiative, Mr. Trump offered the entire federal workforce, which consists of more than 2 million people, a deferred resignation program, under which they could resign from their jobs but retain full pay and benefits until Sept. 30. The White House said roughly 75,000 employees accepted the offer, far fewer than the 200,000 it expected to take the so-called buyout. Thousands of probationary employees, generally considered those who have been in their positions for less than a year, have also been terminated. The Office of Personnel Management instructed agency heads in a Jan. 20 memo to identify all employees in their probationary periods and determine whether they should be kept on. But after a federal judge ruled last week that the mass firings were likely illegal, OPM revised the memo to clarify that it is “not directing agencies to take any specific performance-based actions regarding probationary employees. Agencies have ultimate decision-making authority over, and responsibility for, such personnel actions.” The VA dismissed more than 2,400 employees last month and said there were more than 40,000 probationary workers across the department. But Democrats have warned that firing thousands of VA employees will have devastating impacts on the nation’s veterans, forcing them to wait longer for medical care, to have disability claims adjudicated and to travel support portal at the Veterans Crisis Line. “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are escalating their full-scale, no-holds-barred assault on veterans–and putting the health care and benefits they have earned in grave danger,” Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington said in a statement. “It’s infuriating that two billionaires think they can fire tens of thousands of people responsible for administering the services and care that over nine million veterans across the country count on. It’s flat-out immoral and a breach of the sacred commitment we make to our veterans to take care of them when they return home.” Murray is the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. The work by DOGE and the Trump administration to scale back the size of the federal government has sparked numerous legal challenges and concerns from Democrats and labor unions, some of which have filed lawsuits challenging Mr. Trump’s actions. Scott MacFarlane contributed to this report. Melissa Quinn Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Source link #Veterans #Affairs #Department #plans #cut #thousands #jobs #part #Trumps #costcutting #efforts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ancient humans used bone tools a million years earlier than we thought Ancient humans used bone tools a million years earlier than we thought Bones that appear to have been fashioned into tools date back 1.5 million years CSIC Ancient humans were regularly making tools out of animal bones 1.5 million years ago – more than a million years earlier than previously thought. This indicates that they could adapt the techniques they used to make stone tools to repurpose bone, a very different material. It also raises the question of why there is no record of people consistently making bone tools for another million years. Have examples in that gap not been preserved or discovered, or did people abandon them in favour of something better?… Source link #Ancient #humans #bone #tools #million #years #earlier #thought Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Where can the government cut billions from the ******** budget? Where can the government cut billions from the ******** budget? PA Chancellor Rachel Reeves has earmarked “several billion pounds” in draft spending cuts to ******** ahead of her Spring Statement, according to the BBC. When asked about the ******** budget, the Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood said: “Our current situation is unsustainable… we’ve seen a huge rise in that ******** budget.” BBC Verify has examined this budget and where the cuts might fall. How big is the ******** budget? Before looking at where the ******** budget might be cut, it is necessary to understand the size of the budget and how it has grown. At the time of the October 2024 Budget, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast that total spending on health and disability benefits would rise from £64.7bn in 2023-24 to £100.7bn in 2029-30. And the OBR projected that the biggest contributor to this increase would be from ******** spending on working-age adults, defined as those aged between 16 and 64. The OBR projected spending on this sector would rise from £48.5bn in 2023-24 to £75.7bn in 2029-30. Why is the ******** bill growing? The OBR cited rising numbers of people coming on to incapacity and disability benefits as driving its latest forecasts. The forecaster is essentially assuming the trend of rising benefits claims in recent years will continue. In the five years after 2009-2010, more people were coming off incapacity benefits than on. But in recent years – and especially since the 2020-21 Covid pandemic – more people have been coming on to benefits than off them. And the OBR forecast the share of the working-age population in receipt of an incapacity benefit would rise from 7% in 2024 to a record high of 7.9% in 2029. The reasons for this are not totally clear. Some experts point to the damaging and lasting impact of the pandemic on physical health. Others reference the rise in mental ill health, especially among younger people. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reported that the number of people aged 18 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training (Neet) rose to 907,000 at the end of last year, a 30% increase on the level before the pandemic in 2020 (although the ONS also cautioned the survey used to collect the data was potentially unreliable). Other experts place the emphasis on financial incentives in the ******** system – where people can get higher payments for being on sickness benefits than from being unemployed or in low-paid, part-time work. The standard allowance for a single person on Universal Credit is £311.68 per month. If someone is deemed to have “limited capacity for work-related activity”, the criteria to receive incapacity benefits, they are eligible for an extra £416.19 per month on top. But there is no consensus on what’s causing the trend. “It is not yet known what factors are driving this increase,” says Eduin Latimer of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. “Figuring out what is behind the recent rise must surely be a top priority for the government if it is going to be able to respond appropriately.” Which elements of the ******** bill might be cut? Ministers have not said where they will seek cuts, but the largest element of the working-age ******** bill is incapacity or long-term sickness benefits – paid via Universal Credit or the legacy system of Employment and Support Allowance. If the government wants to make significant savings from the working-age ******** bill it will probably need to find some savings here. But the second largest single element of the working-age ******** bill is Personal Independence Payments (PIP) – a benefit for people under state pension age who need help with daily activities because of a long-term illness or disability. PIP claimants can be in work. In 2023-24, PIP totalled £18bn and that’s projected to almost double to £34bn by 2029-30. That would mean the number of claimants rising from 2.7 million to 4.2 million. As with the rise in the overall ******** bill, there’s no consensus among experts on what’s driving rising PIP claims, but this is also somewhere the government might well look to make some savings. The previous Conservative government had explored making it harder for younger people with mental health conditions to claim PIP. Can significant savings be made? Many experts, such as the Resolution Foundation think tank and the Institute for Employment Studies, agree that more working-age people should be helped and encouraged into work, and that there is a case for reform of the working-age ******** system. But some argue that making sustainable, long-term savings requires upfront government investment in employment support programmes – schemes which aim to help people overcome barriers to getting into work. Analysts also warn that reducing spending on the ******** bill has been historically difficult. At the 2015 general election, the Conservative manifesto promised to cut £12bn from the annual ******** budget. While some significant savings were initially found, ministers were forced to change policy after a political backlash over some of the cuts. The OBR later concluded £4bn of the £12bn a year promised cuts had not been achieved. Source link #government #cut #billions #******** #budget Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Light has been transformed into a ‘supersolid’ for the first time Light has been transformed into a ‘supersolid’ for the first time Light has been made into a strange material called a supersolid Baac3nes/Getty Images An odd solid that can flow like a fluid has been created from light for the first time. Studying it will help researchers better understand exotic quantum states of matter. “We actually made light into a solid. That’s pretty awesome,” says Dimitris Trypogeorgos at the National Research Council (CNR) in Italy. He notes Daniele Sanvitto, also at CNR, showed how light could become a fluid more than a decade ago. Now Trypogeorgos, Sanvitto and their colleagues have used light to make not just any solid, but a quantum “supersolid”. Supersolids simultaneously have zero viscosity and a crystal-like structure akin to the arrangement of atoms in salt crystals. These strange materials have no counterpart outside of the quantum realm. Because of this, they have previously only been created in experiments with atoms cooled to extremely low temperatures, where otherwise negligible quantum effects become dominant. But in this experiment, the researchers replaced ultracold atoms with the semiconductor aluminium gallium arsenide and a laser. They shone the laser onto a small piece of the semiconductor that had a pattern of narrow ridges. Complex interactions between the light and the material eventually formed a type of hybrid particle called a polariton. The ridge pattern constrained how these “quasiparticles” could move and what energies they could have in such a way that the polaritons formed a supersolid. Sanvitto says the team had to very precisely measure enough properties of this trapped and transformed light to prove it was both a solid and a fluid with no viscosity. This was a challenge because scientists had never created and experimentally evaluated a supersolid made from light before, he says. The new experiment contributes to physicists’ general understanding of how quantum matter can change its state by going through a phase transition, says Alberto Bramati at Sorbonne University in France. The team clearly demonstrated they made a supersolid, but many more measurements need to be done to understand its properties, he says. Trypogeorgos says light-based supersolids may be easier to manipulate than those previously created with atoms, which could make his team’s experiment a first step towards understanding a slew of novel and surprising types of matter. “We are really at the beginning of something new,” he says. Topics: Source link #Light #transformed #supersolid #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nine South West businesses named as finalists in 2025 WA Regional Business Excellence Awards Nine South West businesses named as finalists in 2025 WA Regional Business Excellence Awards Nine South West businesses have been named as finalists in the 2025 WA Regional Business Excellence Awards, with three from Bunbury, three from Busselton, two from Collie and one from Harvey. Source link #South #West #businesses #named #finalists #Regional #Business #Excellence #Awards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Marvel Rivals Ranked Is Absolute Dog Water Once You Hit Plat 3, There’s Only One Overwatch-Inspired Solution Marvel Rivals Ranked Is Absolute Dog Water Once You Hit Plat 3, There’s Only One Overwatch-Inspired Solution Marvel Rivals has established itself as one of the best games to hit the shelves in recent years. It managed to pull more than 10 million players within just three days of launch and hits new peaks every month. Seriously, there’s not a single player who doesn’t enjoy this hero-shooter experience. Marvel Rivals is dominating the hero-shooter genre. (Image via NetEase Games) That’s unless you’re someone who’s into the competitive play of Marvel Rivals. Right from the release of the mode, gamers have called it an unbalanced mess. Once you hit Plat 3, the entire competitive matchmaking system crumbles. However, NetEase Games can fix all of this by simply copying a beloved system from Overwatch. A simple fix for the ranked mode nightmare in Marvel Rivals Let’s be honest here, most of the PvP games out there in a competitive mode will have rank imbalances at launch. As everyone shares a starting point, gamers who have the skills can easily blaze through the ladder. However, this gives rise to the issue of unbalanced matches. Sure, Marvel Rivals couldn’t avoid this problem in Season 0, as it had to allow gamers to settle their ranks. However, with Season 1 and increasing player counts, the issue is becoming even worse. Playing in lower ranks is a complete horror show as you’ll either get stomp the competition or get obliterated into oblivion. How can NetEase Games fix the competitive system in Marvel Rivals? Well, all it would take is the implementation of a role ****** system. It’s present in the hero shooter’s biggest competitor, Overwatch 2. If you’re unfamiliar with this system, it basically requires players to choose from three roles – damage, support, or tank. All of them have a separate rank in the competitive mode. While it’s implementation in Overwatch was quite controversial at the start, it allowed the game to have balanced team compositions which gave us fair matches. If NetEase Games decides to implement the role-queues in Marvel Rivals, not only would it give everyone an equal playing field, but also fix the core flaws of the competitive system. As of now, everyone in Marvel Rivals has started their competitive journey in Bronze III. This means that good players, smurfs, and newbies are all in the same matches. With the help of role ******, Marvel Rivals will be able to give every player a certain role, crafting an equal playfield. There won’t be overpowered compositions that stomp the competition. Even if smurfs continue to run rampant, role queues will be able to lock them in certain roles and prevent them from ruining matches. They won’t be able to carry the entire match as they’ll be forced to play other roles or heroes. Role ****** can help push the idea of teamwork in the hero-shooter rather than the best player picking the top damage dealer and wiping out the competition. NetEase has no plans of bringing role ****** in Marvel Rivals The developer doesn’t believe Marvel Rivals needs a role ****** system. (Image via NetEase Games) Role ****** seems like the obvious fix for Marvel Rivals‘ competitive system but NetEase has no plans of bringing to the game anytime soon. While chatting with Dot Esports, creative director Guangyun “Guangguang” Chen responded to the demands of a role ****** in Marvel Rivals. According to the developer, NetEase wants to allow players to enjoy a number of team compositions with team-up abilities. NetEase doesn’t want players to be restricted to certain roles. Chen also revealed that all the player data collected so far reveals that there are tons of unique team compositions in Marvel Rivals‘ competitive side. Currently, NetEase is happy with the state of the mode and wants to maintain the experience players have as they’re free to choose their own path. While NetEase doesn’t have any plans to add the system to the game as of now, it will continue to monitor team compositions and how they continue to evolve over time. With that said, do you think NetEase needs to implement a role ****** system in Marvel Rivals? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Marvel #Rivals #Ranked #Absolute #Dog #Water #Hit #Plat #OverwatchInspired #Solution Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump exempts carmakers from tariffs temporarily Trump exempts carmakers from tariffs temporarily US President Donald Trump said he will temporarily spare carmakers from a new 25% import tax imposed on Canada and Mexico. Trump also accused Canada of not doing enough to stop drugs from entering the US, after a phone call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the disruption caused by new trade tariffs. “Nothing has convinced me that it has stopped,” Trump wrote on social media after the call. Word of the relief helped to boost US shares, after two days of declines that wiped out gains the S&P 500 had seen since the US election in November. The tariff exemption is for cars made in North America. Canada and Mexico responded with their own retaliatory import levies on US goods after Washington’s 25% tariffs on its two neighbours came into effect on Tuesday. Goods worth billions cross the borders of the US, Canada and Mexico each day and their economies are deeply integrated. The White House said it would grant a one-month exemption to the tariffs for the car industry after pleas from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, which have supply chains that stretch across the continent. Trump says he wants to protect American industry and boost manufacturing, while casting his actions against America’s two neighbours as intended to stop the flow of migrants and drugs across the border. Writing on social media, Trump said he had told Trudeau that the situation was not improving. “He said that it’s gotten better, but I said, “That’s not good enough,” he said. Trudeau has called Trump’s claims about drugs a “completely bogus” justification for tariffs. The US seized less than 50 pounds of fentanyl at its northern border last year. Economists have warned such tariffs are likely to lead to prices rising for consumers in the US, as well as potentially painful economic downturns in Mexico and Canada. In interviews earlier on Wednesday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said tariffs would go forward but that some goods could be “left out”. “There are going to be tariffs – let’s be clear – but what he’s thinking about is which sections of the market that maybe he’ll consider giving them relief until we get to, of course, April 2,” Lutnick told Bloomberg on Wednesday. “It will be 25% but there will be some categories left out – it could well be autos. It could be others as well,” he added. A day earlier on Fox News, Lutnick had raised the possibility of a compromise and reduction of tariffs for Mexico and Canada, saying Trump was weighing offers to meet his allies “in the middle”. The White House has said Trump still intends to move ahead on 2 April with plans for reciprocal tariffs on other countries around the world that he sees as treating the US unfairly. Source link #Trump #exempts #carmakers #tariffs #temporarily Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Home Nations intent on joint bid to host 2035 Women's World Cup Home Nations intent on joint bid to host 2035 Women's World Cup The Football Associations of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales express their intention to submit a joint bid to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup. Source link #Home #Nations #intent #joint #bid #host #Women039s #World #Cup Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Variety WA’s iconic car cruise fundraiser is gearing up for 2025 Variety WA’s iconic car cruise fundraiser is gearing up for 2025 Variety WA’s iconic car cruise fundraiser which aims to raise money for sick and disadvantaged children is gearing up for 2025 Source link #Variety #iconic #car #cruise #fundraiser #gearing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What’s driving the drop in crude oil prices? What’s driving the drop in crude oil prices? The recent drop in crude oil (CL=F, BZ=F) prices raises concerns about its impact on global markets. Factors such as President Trump’s tariff announcements and expected OPEC supply increases have contributed to the decline. Hedgeye Risk Management energy analyst Fernando Valle joins Catalysts to discuss oil prices against the backdrop of policies from the Trump administration and market volatility. Valle says that “without a question,” the “OPEC+ increase in supply” is primarily driving the drop in crude prices and oil across the board. Valle also highlights the impact of the supply boost. “We’re still not in a super tight oil market, so bringing in as much as 2.2 million barrels a day, which is just over 2% of global supply, back into a market that’s not very tight is almost certain to bring prices down,” he explains. Valle also points out how US energy policies are shaping oil price expectations. “I know from our sources in the administration that they want oil to go as far down as $50, whether that be Brent or WTI, to help with inflation significantly,” Valle adds. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Catalysts here. This post was written by Josh ****** Source link #Whats #driving #drop #crude #oil #prices Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump offers one-month tariff exemption to U.S. automakers Trump offers one-month tariff exemption to U.S. automakers Trump outlines his economic plans to Congress Trump outlines his economic plans to Congress 28:13 President Trump is giving a one-month exemption to U.S. automakers from the round of tariffs that took effect on March 4, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday. Mr. Trump’s imposition of 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, as well as an additional tariff of 10% on ******** imports, were expected to hit the auto industry hard because many vehicle parts and components are imported from those countries to manufacture cars in the U.S. Price of groceries, cars could increase due to Trump’s tariffs, experts say 05:31 The goal is to give U.S. automakers time to shift their supply chains to within the U.S., Leavitt said. Mr. Trump “told them they should get on it, start investing, start moving, shift production here to the U.S. of America, where they will pay no tariffs. That’s the ultimate goal,” she said. —This is breaking news and will be updated. Aimee Picchi Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports. Source link #Trump #offers #onemonth #tariff #exemption #U.S #automakers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Charts show that a recent Amazon sell-off is a big buying opportunity, says Carter Worth Charts show that a recent Amazon sell-off is a big buying opportunity, says Carter Worth (Check out Carter’s worthcharting.com for actionable recommendations and live nightly videos.) Amazon’s 19% sell-off from its 52-week high one month ago is seen as a buying opportunity. The stock is in a well-defined uptrend, and uptrends are characterized by countertrends (sell-offs). This pullback, as seen in the charts below, is very similar in terms of magnitude and duration to other countertrend moves in the context of Amazon’s ongoing uptrend. Here are two Amazon charts below for your consideration. DISCLOSURES: None. All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer. Source link #Charts #show #Amazon #selloff #big #buying #opportunity #Carter #Worth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tariffs on cars from Mexico and Canada delayed by one month – CNN Tariffs on cars from Mexico and Canada delayed by one month – CNN Tariffs on cars from Mexico and Canada delayed by one month CNNTrump grants automakers one-month exemption from tariffs CNBCMarkets steady as Trump official suggests tariffs will be eased The Washington Post Source link #Tariffs #cars #Mexico #Canada #delayed #month #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US confirms direct talks with ****** over Gaza hostages US confirms direct talks with ****** over Gaza hostages The US is holding talks with ****** over the hostages held in Gaza, the White House has confirmed. Washington has until now avoided direct engagement with ******, and there is a longstanding US policy against having direct contact with groups it lists as terrorist organisations. The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a briefing that Israel had been consulted prior to the talks. News of the talks were first reported by Axios, which said the two sides were discussing the release of US hostages as well as a wider deal to end the war. Source link #confirms #direct #talks #****** #Gaza #hostages Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Two drivers involved in a Collie car and motorcycle ****** with serious injuries sustained Two drivers involved in a Collie car and motorcycle ****** with serious injuries sustained Two drivers sustained serious injuries in a car and motorcycle ****** in the South West on Thursday. The collision occurred at 8.50am on February 27 in Collie. It is alleged the 38-year-old female driver of a Mitsubishi Triton collided with the 71-year-old male rider of the ****** Triumph motorcycle. The man sustained serious injuries in the ****** and was flown to Royal Perth Hospital. A spokesperson from East Metropolitan Health Service Communications said the man had remained in a critical condition in the intensive care unit since the collision. A Main Roads WA spokesperson said Coalfields Highway between Patstone Road and Wellington Boulevard was closed from 10.12am until 2.49pm to clear the scene. WA Police have charged the 38-year-old Australind woman with dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm. She was due to appear in Collie Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Source link #drivers #involved #Collie #car #motorcycle #****** #injuries #sustained Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MS homes destroyed by possible tornado, 3 dead in storm aftermath: 'It was out of nowhere' MS homes destroyed by possible tornado, 3 dead in storm aftermath: 'It was out of nowhere' MS homes destroyed by possible tornado, 3 dead in storm aftermath: ‘It was out of nowhere’ Source link #homes #destroyed #tornado #dead #storm #aftermath #039It #nowhere039 Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Charts show that a recent Amazon sell-off is a big buying opportunity, says Carter Worth Charts show that a recent Amazon sell-off is a big buying opportunity, says Carter Worth (Check out Carter’s worthcharting.com for actionable recommendations and live nightly videos.) Amazon’s 19% sell-off from its 52-week high one month ago is seen as a buying opportunity. The stock is in a well-defined uptrend, and uptrends are characterized by countertrends (sell-offs). This pullback, as seen in the charts below, is very similar in terms of magnitude and duration to other countertrend moves in the context of Amazon’s ongoing uptrend. Here are two Amazon charts below for your consideration. DISCLOSURES: None. All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer. Source link #Charts #show #Amazon #selloff #big #buying #opportunity #Carter #Worth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meta product chief says Llama 4 will power AI agents Meta product chief says Llama 4 will power AI agents Chris Cox, Chief Product Officer at Meta Platforms, speaks during The Wall Street Journal’s WSJ Tech Live Conference in Laguna Beach, California on October 17, 2023. Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images Meta chief product officer Chris Cox said Wednesday that the social networking giant’s upcoming Llama 4 artificial intelligence software will help power AI agents, the latest trend in generative AI. Cox discussed the next version of Meta’s open-source AI software for developers during a public interview at Morgan Stanley’s technology, media and telecom conference in San Francisco. AI agents are typically defined by their ability to conduct multi-step tasks instead of generating responses to written prompts, and Cox said in the interview that Llama 4 will have reasoning capabilities and create AI agents capable of using a web browser and other tools. His comments follow similar statements made by Clara Shih, Meta’s head of business AI, who told CNBC’s Julia Boorstin Wednesday that the company believes more businesses will use AI agents to automate complex tasks. “We already have these trusted relationships with 200 million small businesses around the world,” Shih said. “Very soon, each of those businesses are going to have these AIs that represent them and help automate redundant tasks, help speak in their voice, help them find more customers and provide almost like a concierge service to every single one of their customers, 24/7.” Meta will host its first LlamaCon AI conference on April 29. Last week, CNBC reported that the social networking company will debut a standalone Meta AI app during the second quarter. Watch: Meta plans to release AI app Source link #Meta #product #chief #Llama #power #agents Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Todd Howard Is in Trouble if Latest Fallout 5 Rumor Is True Todd Howard Is in Trouble if Latest Fallout 5 Rumor Is True We all know that the Fallout franchise is one of Bethesda’s crown jewels. Despite that, it’s been almost a decade since we last saw a mainline Fallout title. If this was any other franchise, it would’ve been bombarded with multiple entries. Fallout 5 is one of the most anticipated titles. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) However, Bethesda fans are used to waiting for years between games. Certainly, Fallout 5 is still years away from hitting the shelves. However, Microsoft isn’t keen on that kind of development cycle, as it doesn’t want the Fallout hype to die and the next game being dead on arrival. Rumors suggest Microsoft is pushing for Fallout 5 Bethesda needs time to work on the next Fallout game. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) Bethesda has been quite open about the fact that Fallout 5 is technically in the development stages but it has also stated how long it will take to develop. Currently, Todd Howard and his team are working on the Elder Scrolls 6, which entered full-scale production all the way back in 2023. Bethesda won’t start developing Fallout 5 well until it’s done with Elder Scrolls 6, so it means that the next post-apocalyptic title won’t be out before 2030 at the earliest. It’s quite a long wait for the next Fallout game, but according to YouTuber NovemberHotel, “Microsoft has realized this fact” and wants to push a new title as soon as possible. Microsoft pushing for a brand-new Fallout game isn’t really surprising, considering all the hype generated by Prime Video’s show. Bringing Fallout 5 alongside the next season of the Fallout show would push the sales and bring even more players to watch the show. It’s a strategy that’s been successful for a number of video games such as The Witcher, Cyberpunk, and Arcane. However, Microsoft’s push to capitalize on the current Fallout hype has the chance of backfiring. We can bash Bethesda all we want, but it doesn’t change the fact that the developers’ RPGs are incredibly detailed open-world experiences that take years of effort to realize. Forcing Bethesda to speed up Fallout 5 might lead to another buggy mess, as we had seen in Fallout 76 and Starfield. The developer is already working on the Elder Scrolls 6, and there’s a rumored Oblivion remake on the cards as well. If Bethesda decides to divide resources between Fallout 5 and its other active projects right now, it would massively impact the quality of all games. Gaming developers simply can’t and shouldn’t handle multiple projects at the same time. Whenever we’ve seen that happening in the industry, it leads to failures, and another underwhelming RPG is something Bethesda can’t afford anymore. Fallout 5 must learn from the success of Fallout 76 Fallout 76 excels when it comes to character customization. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) It’s clear that Bethesda is going to take its time with Fallout 5. However, the studio should keep an eye out for all the community feedback it has gained over the years and bring some crucial features to the next post-apocalyptic game. While Fallout 76 is generally considered to be a failure, one thing it managed to nail was character customization. The game allowed players to make a number of adjustments and set themselves apart from the rest. One of the latest updates even allows players to become Ghouls. Fallout 5 needs to bring this feature and even elevate it to improve the overall player immersion and roleplaying aspect. We could even see this linking to the game’s storyline, where there are a number of different character appearances that result in unique interactions with NPCS. With that said, do you think Bethesda needs to divert its attention immediately to Fallout 5? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Todd #Howard #Trouble #Latest #Fallout #Rumor #True Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Here’s where you can preorder the new entry-level iPad and M3 iPad Air – The Verge Here’s where you can preorder the new entry-level iPad and M3 iPad Air – The Verge Here’s where you can preorder the new entry-level iPad and M3 iPad Air The VergeThe New iPad Air and 11th-Gen iPad Are Now Available to Preorder at Amazon IGNApple’s New iPad And iPad Air: Upgraded Processors, Same Design ForbesApple Announces a New iPad Model Investopedia Source link #Heres #preorder #entrylevel #iPad #iPad #Air #Verge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Monster Hunter Wilds Sets a New Standard for In-Game Events and Fortnite & Call of Duty Should Take Notes Monster Hunter Wilds Sets a New Standard for In-Game Events and Fortnite & Call of Duty Should Take Notes Monster Hunter Wilds hasn’t even been out for a full week, and Capcom is already setting a new gold standard for in-game events. Not only did we get a roadmap for future updates at launch, the first wave of in-game event quests are already out too. If only we got this type of speed and transparency in big name existing games like Fortnite and Call of Duty. These big life service giants need to do this too. | Image Credit: Capcom As such, Wilds has been the fastest-selling Capcom game in just three days, and the studio has reported more than 8 million sales already. And we already have information on content coming down the road. It’s nothing we haven’t seen before, but if Epic Games and Activision are paying attention, they might want to rethink their approach to in-game events. Monster Hunter Wilds already has post-launch content in less than a week Players are blazing through the game. | Image Credit: Capcom In less than a week since launch, Monster Hunter Wilds is already giving us the first set of in-game events. This first batch of event quests will run until March 18. Currently, we can take on the Kut-Ku Gone Cuckoo quest to earn materials for the exclusive Mimiphyta α headgear or the Stalking Supper quest for a rare Kunafa Cheese ingredient. Maybe we’ll make some more of the viral cheese naan with it. Event Quests have arrived in #MHWilds for all platforms! Starting from now, we’ll be releasing free, limited-time quests with special rewards on a regular basis! Find out what quests are coming over the next three weeks here: pic.twitter.com/jrvqysSxf2 — Monster Hunter (@monsterhunter) March 5, 2025 One of the biggest complaints about live-service games like Call of Duty and Fortnite is the unpredictable nature of the updates that we get. Capcom has laid out a clear roadmap for the recently released title. The event schedule stretches throughout March and we’ll be getting other event quests throughout the month. Check them out here. The studio’s transparency with the game’s post-launch content is another area where it outshines many competitors. We’ve become very familiar with how games like Call of Duty drip-feed content through expensive season passes. Others like Fortnite rely heavily on paid skins and collaborations. It’s a bright future ahead for the game We already have plans for big updates this year. | Image Credit: Capcom Monster Hunter Wilds will get two free major updates in the coming months. The Spring update will reintroduce the fan-favorite Mizutsune, while the Summer update teases another mystery monster. There’s no news about when Master Rank is coming though, so if you were waiting for it at launch, then you’ll be disappointed. Hunters, thank you so much for 8 million copies sold for Monster Hunter Wilds in just three days since launch. This is just the start for the next generation of Monster Hunter, and we look forward to taking the next steps with you, including Event Quests, Title Update 1 in early… pic.twitter.com/UgfVZ9evVA — Monster Hunter (@monsterhunter) March 4, 2025 The massive success of Wilds already proves that Capcom is on the right path. Despite the horrible optimization and graphics on PC, the latest entry to the fan favorite franchise is an undeniable success. The game has sold 8 million copies in just three days, making it Capcom’s fastest-selling game ever. It may not be a fully fledged live service game, but Wilds is a great example for the fact that games don’t need to rely on battle passes or cosmetics. Given how long Monster Hunter World managed to stay relevant, we can be hopeful that Wilds will be just as relevant, if not more. Have you been playing Monster Hunter Wilds? Let us know in the comments! Source link #Monster #Hunter #Wilds #Sets #Standard #InGame #Events #Fortnite #Call #Duty #Notes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US tariffs could hit *** consumers, Bailey says US tariffs could hit *** consumers, Bailey says US president Donald Trump’s tariffs could mean less money in *** consumers’ pockets, Bank of England experts have warned. Tariffs could hit growth and pose “substantial” risks to the *** and world economies, the Bank’s governor Andrew Bailey has said. His colleagues added trade frictions could hurt companies in the *** and elsewhere. Bailey urged for trade disputes to be settled globally, and stressed the importance of trade. The US has been ratcheting up trade tensions, and this week imposed new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, and doubled the levy recently put on ******** goods. Speaking to MPs about the effects of Trump tariffs, Bailey said: “The risks to the *** economy, and indeed the world economy, are substantial.” When asked whether Trump tariffs could mean less money in *** consumers’ pockets, Bailey said “Yes. We serve the people, and we have to take it very seriously”. Megan Greene, a member of the Bank’s monetary policy committee, said there is a lack of certainty about how far the US will go in implementing tariffs, and about how countries will respond. But tariffs could affect the *** economy in a number of ways, she said. If there are tariffs imposed on *** goods going into the US, this would “put downward pressure” on the *** economy, because firms would find it harder to sell to US consumers. But that could also lower inflation, the pace at which prices rise. If supply chains fragmented and had to be reordered this would hit *** growth and push up inflation. “Ultimately, tariffs would push down on growth”, Greene said, adding that there was a “tonne of uncertainty” about how Trump’s tariffs would play out, but there would probably be more negatives for *** the economic activity than positives. Professor Alan Taylor, who is also a monetary policy committee member, agreed the risks to the economy outweigh the upsides, and that “is true for people around the country and around the world”. He added: “If you put sand in those wheels [of trade] we’re going to be worse off on some margin.” Bailey said he agreed “very strongly” with the assessment of the committee members. “Trade supports growth. Openness supports the spread of innovation and ideas,” he said. Bailey called for trade disputes to be settled via the World Trade Organization, rather than thrashed out between the US and other countries. Mr Trump and his administration have said higher tariffs on goods imported into the US will help it get better deals with allies and rivals around the world. But experts have warned that trade barriers could hurt the US, triggering higher prices and more inflation, as well as hitting economies around the world. Separately, Bailey also warned of risks should the US leave institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, which lend to countries to try to avert financial crises. Some of Trump’s allies, including key White House staff, have previously recommended withdrawing. Bailey said the move would be a “very damaging thing for the world”. But he said he “strongly” welcomed news that the new US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, “believes in multi-lateralism”, or collectively coordinated action. Source link #tariffs #hit #consumers #Bailey Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

With the Illuminate Singularity Closing In, a Strike on Helldivers 2 Facilities Could Ignite Catastrophe With the Illuminate Singularity Closing In, a Strike on Helldivers 2 Facilities Could Ignite Catastrophe Helldivers 2 has seen quite a few interesting developments lately. The third person sci-fi shooter from PlayStation and Arrowhead Game Studios takes place in the far future, where humanity is locked in a second intergalactic war against ‘hostile’ forces. Super Earth were slowly but surely heading towards victory against the Illuminate, closely following on the heels of their success in the first war. The Illuminate, however, are seen to launch a dastardly plan that involves colliding Super Earth into a ****** hole. To add fuel to the fire of speculation, having this take place directly on certain facilities could spell doom for Super Earth and change the course of things entirely. The Illuminate are launching a wormhole onto Super Earth in Helldivers 2 Super Earth is in super huge trouble | Image Credit: Arrowhead Game Studios Those paying somewhat close attention to the events taking place in the background of Helldivers 2 would notice that a massive ****** hole is heading towards Earth. This ****** hole was torn open as a result of the mishaps of Super Earth way back in June 2024. Now, it would appear that the hostile Illuminate are pushing it closer and closer towards Super Earth, by some method or the other. In short, the Illuminate plan to engulf Earth within the ****** hole, obliterating humanity for good this time. One of Super Earth’s colonies, Angel’s Venture was hit by this horrific mishap, eliminating the planet off the face of the galaxy in the process. After all, the Illuminate had already gained control of the ****** hole months prior, charting it toward Super Earth. This was a major ****** up on Super Earth’s part, and could very well shift the tides of war far from their favor in the process. This could also extend into a large scale invasion by the Illuminate on Super Earth – such as on Helldiver pods, destroying legions of armed forces in the process and ultimately making us lose the war. Assuming this does go through, it could have some curious implications, and a loss for Super Earth could make for some additional gameplay/plot changes. An interesting post from Arrowhead lays insights into the many casualties faced by Super Earth There have been a lot of casualties | Image Credit: Arrowhead game studios An official post by the Helldivers 2 Instagram account (helldivers2game) laid out some rather interesting statistics regarding the total casualties (on either side) during the course of the second galactic war. For starters, Super Earth has managed to amass over 280 billion kills using its rather successful Helldiver troops, which coincidentally also includes 38.5 million deaths by friendly fire. It’s not the whole picture though – Helldivers have faced a rather massive number of casualties in the process of ‘defending’ their home. Approximately 2,783,000,000 Helldivers laid down their lives in the service of democracy. These numbers keep adding up, and reflects a dire situation for Super Earth, as they quite literally are running out of manpower and resources in this quite pointless war of their own making. Free hugs for everyone! | Image Credit: Arrowhead Game Studios Interestingly, the infographic also takes into account a total of 275 million hugs, which is quite amusing. It’s the little things which make Helldivers 2 such a blast to play through, and engaging with the community is definitely one of them. Source link #Illuminate #Singularity #Closing #Strike #Helldivers #Facilities #Ignite #Catastrophe Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Scientists crack how painkiller might stop cancers from spreading Scientists crack how painkiller might stop cancers from spreading Getty Images Scientists believe they have discovered how the cheap painkiller aspirin can stop cancers spreading. In animal experiments they showed the drug enhanced the ability of the immune system to fight back. The team at the University of Cambridge said it was an exciting and surprise discovery that could eventually lead to ******* patients being prescribed the drug – but not yet and people are advised against just taking the pills themselves. Regular aspirin comes with risks and trials are still trying to figure out which patients are most likely to benefit. Tantalising data from more than a decade ago showed people who were already taking a daily aspirin were more likely to survive if they were diagnosed with *******. But how? It appears to centre on a moment of vulnerability for a ******* – when a lone cell breaks off from the original tumour and tries, like a seed on the wind, to spread elsewhere in the body. This process is called metastasis and is the cause of the majority of deaths from *******. Part of our immune defences – a white blood cell called a T-cell – can swoop in and destroy the spreading ******* as it tries to take root. But the study showed that another part of our blood – the platelets that normally stop bleeding – were suppressing the T-cells and making it harder for them to take out the *******. Aspirin disrupts the platelets and removes their influence over the T-cells so they can hunt out the *******. Prof Rahul Roychoudhuri, from the University of Cambridge, told me: “What we’ve discovered is that aspirin might work, surprisingly, by unleashing the power of the immune system to recognize and kill metastasizing ******* cells.” He thinks the drug would work best in cancers that have been caught early and could be used after treatment such as surgery to help the immune system find any ******* that might already have spread. Should I take aspirin for *******? The most natural question for anybody with ******* to ask is should they be taking aspirin. “If you are a ******* patient, don’t rush to your local pharmacy to buy aspirin just yet, but actively consider participation in ongoing or upcoming trials of aspirin,” says Prof Mangesh Thorat, a surgeon and ******* researcher at Queen Mary University of London. He says the study provided “the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle” in understanding how aspirin works, but there were still questions to answer. Aspirin can cause dangerous internal bleeding including strokes so the risks have to be balanced. It is also not clear whether the effect works for all ******* or just specific ones. And this is still animal research so while the scientists think this would apply in people that will still need to be confirmed. Some patients – with ****** syndrome, which increases the risk of cancers – are already recommended aspirin. But it will still take proper clinical trials to understand whether more patients would benefit too. These are already under way. Prof Ruth Langley, from the MRC Clinical Trials Unit at University College London, is leading the Add-Aspirin trial to see if aspirin can stop early stage cancers from coming back. She said the study’s results were “an important discovery” as they would help to work out “who is most likely to benefit from aspirin after a ******* diagnosis”. However, she again warned of the risks of taking aspirin and to “always talk to your doctor before starting”. In the long-run, Prof Roychoudhuri suspects new drugs would be developed that take the benefits of aspirin, but with fewer of the risky side-effects. ‘Eureka moment’ The discovery, published in the journal Nature, happened by accident as the scientists were not researching aspirin. The team in Cambridge were investigating how the immune system responded to cancers when they spread. They were using genetically engineered mice and found those lacking a specific set of genetic instructions were less likely to get metastatic ******* that had spread. Further investigation revealed how those T-cells were being suppressed and this started to overlap with how aspirin was known to work in the body. Dr Jie Yang, who carried out the research, said: “It was a Eureka moment. “It was an entirely unexpected finding which sent us down quite a different path of inquiry than we had anticipated.” Source link #Scientists #crack #painkiller #stop #cancers #spreading Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Prime Video is beginning an AI dubbing pilot program for select movies and series Prime Video is beginning an AI dubbing pilot program for select movies and series In an effort to make movies and TV shows more accessible on Prime Video, Amazon announced that it’s testing an AI dubbing system that will translate select content on the company’s streaming service into other languages. Amazon says that “AI-aided dubbing” will be available in English and Latin American Spanish on 12 licensed movies and series available through Prime Video, including “El Cid: La Leyenda, Mi Mamá Lora and Long Lost.” That the company describes it as “AI-aided dubbing” rather than just AI dubbing appears to be key here. Amazon says it’s taking a hybrid approach where “localization professionals collaborate with AI.” A safe guess would be that Amazon’s AI system takes a first pass at generating dubs and then professionals edit them for accuracy and fit. Creating captions, subtitles and dubs is a fairly big business, especially now that streaming has increased the number of films and series that are made every year and licensed to be viewed around the world. It makes sense that streamlining the process of making content more accessible would be of interest to Amazon. The possible problem is, at least for film and television, dubbing is done by professional actors. AI-generated voices have gotten more lifelike over the years, but it remains to be seen whether the average person will be okay with a large portion of their media diet being delivered by something human-adjacent rather than the real deal. Of course, maybe we’ll be trained to accept it because it will be all over social media first. Amazon isn’t alone in leveraging AI to squeeze more out of the videos on its platform. YouTube released a tool in 2024 that lets creators automatically dub their videos in other languages when they upload them, and more recently, Meta announced plans to automatically dub and lip-sync Reels on Instagram into other languages. Source link #Prime #Video #beginning #dubbing #pilot #program #select #movies #series Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]