Pelican Press

Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 Weapons Tier List: All Guns Ranked Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 Weapons Tier List: All Guns Ranked Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 has dropped, and with it comes a fresh arsenal of weapons to master. Epic Games has shaken things up, vaulting some fan favorites and introducing new tools of destruction that are already turning heads. New season, new meta. | Image Credit: Epic Games But let’s face it—not all weapons are created equal. While some will have you racking up Victory Royales like they’re going out of style, others might as well be fancy paperweights. And whether you’re a seasoned pro or a fresh-faced default, knowing which guns to prioritize can mean the difference between dominating the island and rage-quitting back to the lobby. So, grab your trusty pickaxe and join us as we break down the best of the best, the mediocre middle-ground, and the “why did I even pick this up?” weapon options in Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2: Lawless. S-Tier Weapons in Fortnite C6S2 The cream of the crop. | Image Credit: Epic Games Let’s kick things off with the absolute must-haves this latest Fortnite season. These weapons are the ones you’ll want to pry from your opponent’s cold, dead hands—or, you know, just find in a chest if you’re feeling less murderous: 1. Sentinel Pump The Sentinel Pump is the kind of shotgun that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with other weapons. It’s like Epic Games took all our fond memories of one-pumping opponents and cranked them up to eleven. Pair this bad boy with a solid spray weapon, and you’ve got a combo that’ll melt health bars faster than a default can build a 1×1. 2. Holo Twister Assault Rifle If you thought this gun was a beast in Chapter 6 Season 1, well, you’re absolutely right, and it’s back for an encore. The Holo Twister AR shreds through opponents like they’re made of wet paper. It’s so good, you might feel a twinge of guilt using it—but that feeling will pass as soon as you see your elimination count skyrocket. 3. Striker Burst Rifle Accuracy is the name of the game with the Striker Burst Rifle. It’s the weapon of choice for players who like their eliminations served with a side of precision. Choosing between this and the Holo Twister is like picking your favorite child—impossible, and probably frowned upon in polite society. 4. The Kneecapper Who says you can’t bring a baseball bat to a gunfight? The Kneecapper is not just a weapon; it’s a mobility tool that’ll have you zipping around the map like a caffeinated squirrel. Pair it with the new Unstoppable Medallion, and you’ll be living out your superhero fantasies in no time. Just try not to cackle maniacally as you knock enemies off a cliff—it’s unsportsmanlike. A-Tier Weapons in Fortnite C6S2 Reliable and dangerous, in the right hands. | Image Credit: Epic Games These weapons might not have the raw star power of the S-Tier, but they’re far from slouches. Think of them as the dependable sidekicks to your flashy superhero loadout: 1. Falcon Eye Sniper For those who prefer their eliminations served cold and from a distance, the Falcon Eye Sniper is your new best friend. It’s perfect for players who like to take their time, line up the perfect shot, and then completely whiff it because someone sneezed in the next room. But when you do land that headshot? Chef’s kiss. 2. Mammoth Pistol The Mammoth Pistol is proof that size does matter—at least when it comes to sidearms. This hand cannon packs a punch that’ll make your opponents question their life choices. Just remember, with great power comes great responsibility… and a lot of missed shots if your aim isn’t on point. 3. Collateral Damage Assault Rifle New to the scene, the Collateral Damage AR is a solid choice for spraying down enemies, especially when paired with the Sentinel Pump. Just don’t get too attached; you know how fickle the Fortnite meta can be. 4. Sticky Grenade Launcher The Sticky Grenade Launcher—because sometimes you just want to watch the world burn. Or explode. Or both. It’s the perfect tool for those who believe the best strategy is “make everything go *****.” Use it wisely, and you’ll be the bane of every builder’s existence. B-Tier Weapons in Fortnite C6S2 Solid choices with some drawbacks. | Image Credit: Epic Games These weapons might not be top-tier, but they’re far from useless. Think of them as the reliable workhorses of your arsenal—not flashy, but they get the job done: 1. Veiled Precision SMG The Veiled Precision SMG is like that friend who’s always dependable but never quite steals the spotlight. It’s lost some of its luster without Season 1’s Night Rose Medallion’s ammo regeneration, but it’s still a solid choice for close-quarters combat, but loses to the Collateral Damage AR in complementing the Sentinel Pump. 2. Plasma Burst Laser The Plasma Burst Laser is the weapon equivalent of a Swiss Army knife—versatile, but not necessarily the best at any one thing. It’s easy to use, doesn’t need reloading, and can even crack vaults. Just don’t expect it to melt opponents as quickly as some of the higher-tier options. 3. Sub Zero’s Kombat Kit This Mortal Kombat crossover weapon is cool, yes, but it’s not quite as lethal as you might hope. While the mobility options and fall damage negation are nice perks, the damage output is a bit frosty. Still, it’s worth picking up just for the style points alone. C-Tier Weapons in Fortnite C6S2 Last resorts. | Image Credit: Epic Games These weapons are the bottom of the barrel, but as the Baba Yaga will let you know, even a pencil can be deadly in the right hands. Or, you know, if it’s the only thing you can find after dropping: 1. Auto Shotgun The Auto Shotgun is like training wheels for shotguns. Sure, it’s more forgiving if you miss a shot, but it lacks the raw power of its pump-action cousins. You might grab one right after landing, but you’ll be itching to upgrade as soon as possible. 2. Suppressed Pistol The Suppressed Pistol is trying its best, bless its heart. It’s quiet, it’s… well, that’s about it. With so many better options for both close and mid-range combat, this little pea shooter is usually left gathering dust in favor of literally anything else. What’s your go-to loadout this season? Are you sticking with the tried-and-true, or are you branching out with the new additions? Let us know in the comments below—we won’t judge. Promise. Source link #Fortnite #Chapter #Season #Weapons #Tier #List #Guns #Ranked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This kung fu robot video makes it look like the uprising has already started This kung fu robot video makes it look like the uprising has already started Folks often joke about the so-called “robot uprising,” but a new video of Unitree’s advanced G1 robot pulling some kung fu moves could well wipe the smile off their faces. Shared on Tuesday, the 15-second clip shows a baton-wielding human retreating from a robot that then kicks the baton clean out of his hand. Let’s just say that again: a baton-wielding human retreating from a robot. If that’s not enough to cause your face to start twitching, the footage is not sped up in any way, with the robot moving effortlessly along like a kind of plastic-covered Bruce Lee. It was only a week ago that Unitree Robotics posted a video of G1 performing an array of kung fu moves, but this latest clip shows it actually taking on a human. And winning. At the end of its videos, Unitree is even adding the message: “We kindly request that all users refrain from making any dangerous modifications, or using the robot in a hazardous manner.” A hazardous manner? What, like programming them to head for military installations and communication hubs? Well, fingers crossed, eh. The robot’s impressively nimble movement has been made possible by a new algorithm created by Unitree. It also comes with 3D LiDAR and depth cameras for environmental perception and navigation. The ******** company showcased the latest version of its G1 humanoid robot at CES 2025 in January. The base model of the G1 is priced at $16,000, making it relatively affordable compared to other humanoid robots. The Figure 02 humanoid robot, for example, comes with a $59,000 price tag, while Tesla’s Optimus, also known as the Tesla Bot, could cost as much as $30,000. Unitree is forecasting a breakthrough in humanoid robotic capabilities some time next year, with more clear-cut commercial uses emerging in the next five years. While humanoid robots have come a long way in recent years, experts suggest that broad applications, which presumably include some form of robot takeover, are likely to be at least a few years away. Which is good to know. Source link #kung #robot #video #uprising #started Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Have RFK Jr.'s vaccine views gone mainstream? Have RFK Jr.'s vaccine views gone mainstream? Robert Kennedy now heads the US health ministry and doubts about vaccines are rising Source link #RFK #Jr.039s #vaccine #views #mainstream Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to join the PlayStation beta program How to join the PlayStation beta program Normally, we have to wait until the best PS5 games are released to get our hands on them. There are occasional demos and beta periods for games, but they can be rare and hard to get into. The PlayStation beta program is an initiative that lets gamers not only upcoming PS5 games before anyone else right on their console and PC, but also new potential console features. Besides just getting to experience all these things in the early stages, beta participants can give their feedback to influence games and features before the release. If that sounds like a great gig to you, here’s how to sign up. Sony How to sign up for the PlayStation beta program In order to be eligible for the PlayStation beta program you will need a valid PSN account that is in good standing. This means that your account has never been suspended or breached the terms of service. If you meet that low bar, you can register. Step 1: Visit the official PlayStation beta program website and hit the Join Now button at the top of the page. Step 2: Sign in to your PSN account. Step 3: Agree to the terms and answer the questionnaire about your preferences. Step 4: That’s it! Based on your answers, PlayStation will email you with any betas you are a fit for and will automatically enroll you in them. Emails will contain instructions on how to participate in each specific test. Keep in mind that you are not allowed to publicly discuss any content you are given access to as part of the PlayStation beta program and will sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Source link #join #PlayStation #beta #program Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

An AMD RX 9060 XT with 16GB would ruin Nvidia’s second-hand market An AMD RX 9060 XT with 16GB would ruin Nvidia’s second-hand market Table of Contents Table of Contents Hitting the VRAM wall Why affordable 16GB of VRAM matters How wide is your bus? I know, I know we’re all hopped up about the RX 9070 XT and 9070 launch — I know I am. But looking beyond the potential big win AMD is on for with its first RDNA4 graphics cards, I’m also particularly excited about the potential for the rumored 9060 XT. Not because it’ll be cheaper again — it will be — but because it might have up to 16GB of VRAM. That’s going to wreck Nvidia’s long-term second-hand card market, which could have a much greater impact on AMD’s market share over the long term. It’s all just rumors for now, and some of my colleagues are much less excited by this than I am, but I think there’s some real potential here for this little card to be a game changer. Hitting the VRAM wall Video memory, or VRAM, has been a front-and centre feature of graphics card spec sheets for generations, but it’s started to matter a lot more in recent years. While flagship graphics cards have exploded in their VRAM quantities, with the 5090 now offering 32GB, most mainstream cards have been getting by with less. It was only a couple of generations ago that the flagship RTX 3080 only had 10GB of VRAM, and outside of the top few models, you’ll still see 12GB, 10GB, or even 8GB. The RTX 3080 should still be a great option for gamers on a budget, but its lack of VRAM makes it largely redundant. DigitalTrends The problem is, this is really not enough any more. Not for the latest games, and not when you enable demanding settings like ray tracing. Alan Wake 2 has been clocked using over 15GB when running at full tilt, 4K, ray tracing, all the beans. Other games aren’t far behind. Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming DLSS can’t help with your card running out of VRAM when you enable 4K textures. Neural texture compression isn’t anywhere near ready to fix this, either. As other games start to raise their VRAM requirements for more modest settings, older high-end cards are going to be left behind. Why affordable 16GB of VRAM matters AMD has been putting more VRAM in its cards for the past couple of generations. The RX 6700 XT had 12GB of VRAM, where the RTX 3070 only had 8GB. The RX 7700 XT has 16GB of VRAM, while the 4070 only had 12GB. Even Nvidia’s new RTX 5070, which is reviewing very poorly, only has 12GB of VRAM. These cards with sub 16GB of VRAM are going to be incapable of playing some games at higher settings in a few years. At settings that they should still be able to match based on their raw performance, but simply won’t be able to enable because of the VRAM shortage. Jacob ****** / Digital Trends Enter the RX 9060 XT. This card is going to launch at some point in the next couple of months with a lower price than the $550 of the 9070. Probably much less. Let’s assume that over the long term it works out to around $300 — the high-end of RX 7600 XT pricing at the time of writing. That’s a $300 card that is going to be able to do things that some of Nvidia’s recent-generation high-end GPUs just cannot do. That means in a year or so when people are considering buying a new graphics card, and they look at the price of AMD’s entry-level models, and compare them to the higher-end models from Nvidia on the second-hand market, they’re going to choose the model that can play the games they want to play. How wide is your bus? The only caveat to all this, is bus-width. As my colleague Monica points out in her preview of the rumored RX 9060 XT cards, AMD could ruin these GPUs before they even get out the gate. In previous generations, the X600 series of graphics cards from AMD have had their performance wrecked by limited bus widths and PCIExpress bandwidth. If AMD does that again with the RX 9060 XT and 9060, my prediction may turn out to be short-sighted and overly rosy. Poor performance is poor performance, whether you have lots of VRAM or not. But if AMD doesn’t do that… if it manages to make these cards decently competitive with whatever RTX 5060 Nvidia’s been working on, with the bolstered ray tracing and new FSR features, with lots of VRAM? AMD could be on to a winner that could stand a chance of competing for the most popular graphics card in the Steam Hardware survey. The same one that AMD barely makes a blip on in early 2025. Source link #AMD #16GB #ruin #Nvidias #secondhand #market Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Calls to slash PBS co-payment with 1 in 4 women forced to skip prescribed medicines in cost crisis Calls to slash PBS co-payment with 1 in 4 women forced to skip prescribed medicines in cost crisis New data has revealed an alarming trend in women opting to forgo vital medications due to cost pressures, with calls for the PBS co-payment to be slashed. Source link #Calls #slash #PBS #copayment #women #forced #skip #prescribed #medicines #cost #crisis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sen. Elizabeth Warren Turns Donald Trump Speech Taunt Into A Power Move Sen. Elizabeth Warren Turns Donald Trump Speech Taunt Into A Power Move Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) clapped back — literally — against a taunt that President Donald Trump lobbed her way during his speech before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. Trump referred to Warren as “Pocahontas” as he ripped Democratic support for continuing to fund Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s ongoing invasion. “Do you want to keep it going for another five years?” Trump asked. “Yeah, you would say. Pocahontas says yes,” he added, using his derogatory nickname for Warren that mocks her debated claim of native heritage. Republicans laughed at the line. Democrats booed. Warren, though, just smiled and unapologetically applauded. Watch here: Warren later ripped the content of Trump’s address as “a fantasy” and said the president is “determined to throw in” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched the war on his neighboring country in 2022. Commenters on social media hailed Warren’s response as “dignified” and Trump’s comment as “disgusting.” Related… Source link #Sen #Elizabeth #Warren #Turns #Donald #Trump #Speech #Taunt #Power #Move Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

***** promises fewer new games but deeper investments in Sonic, Atlus, and Like a Dragon ***** promises fewer new games but deeper investments in Sonic, Atlus, and Like a Dragon ***** is planning to release fewer new games in the next year, but invest in its Persona, Sonic and Like a Dragon studios, it’s said. During its current business year, which ends on March 31, the Japanese publisher has released more than seven full titles, including Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Sonic X Shadow Generations, and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Asked about its plans for the next fiscal year, which runs from April 2025 until March 2026, ***** said it would release fewer full games overall. Currently, the company’s announced ‘full’ games (so those that aren’t free-to-play) include Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, and Project Century, plus its legacy IP revivals for Virtua Fighter, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage. “The plan is currently being formulated, but we expect the volume of new titles in Full Game to be lower than this fiscal year,” ***** said of its plans for the upcoming *******. “On the other hand, we expect continuous revenue contribution from repeat sales of new titles in Full Game this fiscal year and full-scale revenue contribution from new titles in F2P.” During its earnings Q&A, ***** was also asked if it was considering acquiring any external studios to bolster its development efforts. It replied that it would like to strengthen Persona studio Atlus, as well as Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, and Sonic Team, through hiring and M&A. “Atlus is an important studio for us to expand Japanese IPs overseas and we think it is necessary to strengthen it, and the studios involved in the Sonic and Like a Dragon IPs are also short of staff, and we are looking to reinforce personnel through additional hiring and M&A,” it said. During the first three quarters of its current fiscal year (the nine months ended on December 31, 2024), ***** said it sold nearly 20 million new games, which includes at least 2 million sales of Sonic X Shadow Generations, and 1 million sales of Metaphor: ReFantazio. It also sold nearly 12 million units of legacy titles. “In addition to Persona 5 Royal and Unicorn Overlord, past titles in the Sonic series have also contributed to repeat sales,” it said. *****’s president recently revealed that the company is looking into the possibility of launching a subscription service for video games. “We’re thinking something – and discussing something – we cannot disclose right now,” he said. Source link #***** #promises #games #deeper #investments #Sonic #Atlus #Dragon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Asus reveals Nvidia RTX 5070 launch pricing, and while one model is at MSRP – thankfully – the others make me want to give up my search for a next-gen GPU Asus reveals Nvidia RTX 5070 launch pricing, and while one model is at MSRP – thankfully – the others make me want to give up my search for a next-gen GPU Asus has given us the details of its RTX 5070 launch models Three versions of the RTX 5070 are being launched, and one is at MSRP However, the other two RTX 5070 variants look steeply priced, and there are hints that stock might be scarce (on top of rumors saying the same) Asus has revealed details of its RTX 5070 graphics cards for the launch day of this new Nvidia GPU – which is today, in case it escaped your attention – and it’s not good news. Unfortunately, it more or less confirms our fears around the potential scarcity of stock, and likelihood of inflated pricing. VideoCardz was keen-eyed enough to notice the post from Asus on Reddit outlining the RTX 5070 launch details, and there will be three models available to buy later today (in under a couple of hours, in theory). The positive news is that there is a model from Asus which debuts at the official MSRP set by Nvidia, which is $550 in the US. This is the entry-level Prime flavor of the RTX 5070 (and presumably it’ll be in line with Nvidia’s recommended pricing in other regions, too). If you want the Prime OC model, though – the overclocked version of this baseline graphics card – Asus has jacked up the asking price to $700. You’ll need a fatter wallet still to avail yourself of the Asus TUF Gaming edition of the RTX 5070, which tips the scales at $740 – which I should note is only just shy of the MSRP of $750 for the RTX 5070 Ti, a far superior graphics card. These are the prices you’ll find on the Asus online store in the US, and at other retailers which should follow these MSRPs. Furthermore, those are the only three models launching today, which as I’ll discuss next, is another ominous sign. (Image credit: Friends Stock / Shutterstock) Analysis: Prime mover, but Prime OC – not so much The fact that Asus is only kicking off with three RTX 5070 models is a pretty hefty hint that stock is going to be very light, as are the suggestions dropped elsewhere in that Reddit post. There is an Asus ROG Strix version of the RTX 5070, we’re told, but it isn’t going to be on ***** from the get-go. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Asus states that: “Unfortunately, the ROG Strix cards will not be available Day 1. There is currently no ETA for when these cards will be available.” That sounds pretty gloomy, then, and Asus doesn’t seem hopeful that the top-end model will be out anytime soon. When you consider this in the cold light of all the rumors about the RTX 5070 having poor levels of supply, once again it looks like this might be an Nvidia Blackwell launch of the paper-thin kind. A field day for scalpers and bots, if you will (again). The pricing from Asus is worrying here, too, pushing what should be a mid-range GPU into upper-mid-range territory. Okay, so this is to be expected with some top-tier custom graphics cards, but what about the difference between the Asus Prime and Prime OC here – which is $700 vs $550 for a bit of an overclock on the latter. A 27% price increase, in other words. Granted, we don’t know how much of an overclock it is – Asus still hasn’t listed the boost speeds for these cards, they are still ‘TBD’ on the official specs pages – but still, we can look at the same Prime and Prime OC variants of the RTX 5080 to get a good idea of what to expect. So, what should you expect? In the case of the RTX 5080, the overclocked Prime heaps on a whole 45MHz to the max clock speed (reaching 2685MHz versus 2640MHz). Okay, so you will be getting a better build quality with the board, no doubt, and maybe more overclocking headroom for enthusiasts – but a price hike of 27% with the RTX 5070’s overclocked version of the Prime feels… opportunistic at best, cynical at worst. Because Asus knows that these graphics cards are going to fly off the shelves, and so people will probably pay a sizeable premium to secure one (and avoid paying far more of a premium from a scalper, potentially). At least the entry-level Prime is at its MSRP, but there’s some doubt around that too, with VideoCardz being skeptical about whether a price hike might be applied in short order following today’s launch. Will this card hold at the MSRP level beyond this week? Well, maybe, to be fair, as the base Prime model of the RTX 5070 Ti is still holding at $750 (on the Asus online store, and at Newegg, for example). But that raises the question I already touched on: why buy the Asus TUF incarnation of the RTX 5070, which remember is pitched at $740, when you could get the Prime 5070 Ti variant instead, for just ten bucks more? (If it wasn’t out of stock, that is). The Ti spin is so much better, after all, and it absolutely wouldn’t make sense to get the TUF 5070. Unless, of course, it’s the only model actually available, and you’re desperate to get a slice of Nvidia’s Blackwell action. That said, stock of the RTX 5070 is pretty much assured to be shaky at this point, given all the rumors, and so this question will probably be entirely theoretical later today, when sales of the RTX 5070 are live for a few milliseconds – and then inventory runs dry. We shall see, but the way Asus has lined up pricing for these RTX 5070 models doesn’t make a lot of sense (aside from the perspective of pushing profits). You might also like… Source link #Asus #reveals #Nvidia #RTX #launch #pricing #model #MSRP #thankfully #give #search #nextgen #GPU Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Germany’s fiscal U-turn could be a ‘game changer’ for the country’s sluggish economy, analysts say Germany’s fiscal U-turn could be a ‘game changer’ for the country’s sluggish economy, analysts say Markus Söder (l-r), Chairman of the CSU and Minister President of Bavaria, Friedrich Merz, candidate for Chancellor of the CDU/CSU, Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group and Federal Chairman of the CDU, Lars Klingbeil, Chairman of the SPD parliamentary group and Federal Chairman of the SPD, and Saskia Esken, Party Chairwoman of the SPD, hold a press conference on the exploratory talks between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. Kay Nietfeld/dpa | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Germany’s prospective fiscal U-turn could prove transformational for the country’s struggling economy and for European defense — but Berlin lawmakers don’t have much time to make the historic shift happen. Fiscal and economic policies were seen as highly contentious during Germany’s previous ruling coalition and contributed to its eventual break-up at the end of last year. Amid ongoing negotiations for a new governing alliance, the Christian Democratic Union and its Christian Social Union affiliate — which led in the February polls — and the Social Democratic Party appear to have achieved something of a breakthrough. On Tuesday, likely-to-be chancellor Friedrich Merz and other political leaders announced plans to reform the long standing fiscal pillar known as Germany’s debt brake, specifically to allow for higher defense spending. They also revealed a new 500 billion euros ($535 billion) special fund for infrastructure. Materializing these plans will mean changes to the ******* constitution, which requires the support of a two-thirds majority in parliament. This would likely work at present — but would be very difficult to achieve once the newly elected parliament representatives come together for the first time later this month. A vote on the constitutional tweaks could therefore be pushed through within the week. ‘Big, bold, unexpected — a game changer’ “Big, bold, unexpected – a game changer for the outlook,” Bank of America Global Research economists and analysts said in a Wednesday note, adding that the package “meaningfully” changed the outlook for Germany’s economy. For a couple of years now, Germany’s economy has been sluggishly teetering on the edge of a technical recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of gross domestic product declines. The national GDP has been alternating between expansion and contraction in each quarter throughout 2023 and 2024. The country is facing a wide range of issues, including infrastructure problems, a struggling housebuilding sector and pressure on some of the industries that have historically strongly contributed to its growth, such as autos. There is now hope for change. The planned special investment vehicle could benefit the country’s economy, experts believe. Markets can expect an economic boost and Germany’s growth estimates could likely be increased, Florian Schuster-Johnson, senior economist at Dezernat Zukunft, told CNBC’s “Street Signs Europe” on Wednesday. “I think in the short term this will just boost domestic demand obviously because there will be a lot of demand for people building these new infrastructures and companies that [are] getting new government orders now,” he said. Higher defense spending could also have a long-term effect on the economy, leading to increased production capacities that could eventually also come into civil use, Schuster-Johnson added. It could push Germany above the current NATO target of spending 2% of GDP on defense, Deutsche Bank Research economists said Tuesday. “Tonight’s robust rhetoric implies that the open-ended borrowing room for defence will be used at a pace that could bring ******* defence spending to at least 3% perhaps as early as next year,” they said. Merz suggested that geopolitical developments showed that major measures need to be taken to strengthen Germany’s and Europe’s security and defense capabilities. “In light of the threats to our freedom and peace on our continent, ‘whatever it takes’ now also needs to apply to our defense,” he added, according to a CNBC translation. While the policy announcements would largely be beneficial, other fiscal and budget plans from the likely new coalition are still to come and could have their own impact on Germany’s economy, ING’s global head of macro Carsten Brzeski noted. “We wouldn’t rule out that the official coalition talks will still bring some expenditure cuts, which would lower the positive impact of the announced fiscal stimulus,” he said. Policy details Going over the details, the 500 billion euro special investment fund will not be part of the federal budget, but it will be financed through credit without contributing to new debt. The funds are set to be used over 10 years, focusing on transport, energy, education, civil protection and other infrastructure. Federal states will also be allocated some of the funds to support their finances. To avoid the cash being subject to the debt brake, the fund will be rooted in the constitution and exempted from the fiscal rule. As it stands, the debt brake limits how much debt the government can take on, and dictates that the size of the federal government’s structural budget deficit must not exceed 0.35% of the country’s annual GDP. One key change under the new plan is that defense spending that goes beyond 1% of Germany’s GDP will not be counted towards the debt brake cap, meaning that such expenses will no longer be limited. Germany’s states will also be allowed to take on more debt than previously, and long-term proposals to modernize the debt brake and strengthen investments will also be undertaken. The proposed debt brake overhaul also mark a major shift from the CDU-CSU’s election campaign, during which the parties repeatedly positioned themselves as wanting to stick with the Angela Merkel-era rule. Merz eventually suggested he may be open to some reform. Market reaction The plans have sparked a widespread market reaction, with the ******* DAX jumping 3.4% by 12:51 p.m. London time, as ******* companies led the pan-European Stoxx 600 higher. Construction and manufacturing firms notched significant gains, as did ******* lenders. ******* borrowing costs soared. The yield on ******* 10-year bonds, which are seen as the euro zone benchmark, were last up by over 25 basis points, and the 2-year yield spiked by more than 16 basis points. Dezernat Zukunft’s Schuster-Johnson told CNBC the market reaction suggested surprise at the pace and magnitude of the proposed changes. “The bottom line is Germany is back and Germany is funded,” he said. “This move we’ve seen last night is really remarkable. you know Germans sometimes move late and sometimes delayed when big steps are needed however this is a big step and when they take it they do it so very radically.” Source link #Germanys #fiscal #Uturn #game #changer #countrys #sluggish #economy #analysts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NetEase offers compensation after last-minute console delay for hero shooter FragPunk NetEase offers compensation after last-minute console delay for hero shooter FragPunk Marvels Rivals publisher NetEase has announced a last-minute console delay for its new hero shooter FragPunk. While the game will still be released for PC on March 6, the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions have been indefinitely delayed. Announced at the Xbox Games Showcase last summer, FragPunk is a colorful 5v5 shooter with powerup cards that change the rules of each round. It’s in development at NetEase owned Bad Guitar Studio. Announcing the delay on X, the FragPunk team said it had encountered “unexpected technical challenges in optimization and adaptation” during the console compliance testing process. “Rather than rushing the console release and providing a potentially poor user experience, we have made the difficult decision to delay the launch of the console versions to ensure that players receive a comparable experience to those on PC,” it explained. “We understand that delays are frustrating, and we sincerely apologize for the wait. As a gesture of appreciation, we have prepared compensation for both Xbox and PlayStation players, especially those who supported us through pre-orders.” PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players will receive all rewards earned through player engagement from the start of Season 1 until the console version launches, including in-game currencies, cosmetics and experience. Customers who pre-ordered the game on console will also receive in-game currency worth $10 when the game is released for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. However, before then, pre-orders on Xbox and PlayStation will be canceled, and the refund process will be automatically initiated by the platform holders. Bad Guitar Studio said pre-order bonuses will also be made available in a time-limited way once the console versions are available. “This delay was not an easy decision, but we are committed to delivering the best possible experience for our players, and this additional time will allow us to fully optimize and polish the console versions for launch,” it added. “We know this isn’t the news you were hoping for, and we deeply appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued excitement for the game. Our team is working closely with both the Xbox and PlayStation teams to get FragPunk into your hands as soon as possible, and we will keep you updated every step of the way.” Source link #NetEase #offers #compensation #lastminute #console #delay #hero #shooter #FragPunk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Got Philips Hue lights? A free app update delivers these 3 improvements Got Philips Hue lights? A free app update delivers these 3 improvements You can now start recording manually from Philips Hue security cameras It’s also easier to manage Philips Hue lighting setups with multiple Bridges Bluetooth users can change the icon of each light for easier identification The Philips Hue app has just received a significant upgrade that makes it easier to manage your lights, and gives you more control over video recording if your home setup includes any of the company’s security cameras. App version 5.37.1 is available to download now for iOS and Android devices. The biggest change to the app is the ability to start recording video clips manually. Signify (the company behind the Philips Hue brand) makes some of the best home security cameras around when it comes to value and convenience, but until now their recording functionality has been fairly limited. Previously, you could set your camera to send you a notification when it detects movement and record a 60-second video clip that’s stored in the cloud for you to review later. Once you’ve received the app update, you’ll also be able to trigger recording manually while watching live footage from a camera on your phone. As fan site Hueblog.com explains, you’ll notice a new icon in Live View, which you can tap to start and stop recording. Clips recorded manually will be saved to your phone rather than the cloud. Get organized The software update also makes it easier to organize your Philips Hue lights, whether you’re controlling them using a Philips Hue Bridge or Bluetooth on your phone. Each Philips Hue Bridge can control up to 50 lights, creating a mesh network that connects them to your home Wi-Fi network and to each other. That might be plenty, but if you have a large house, you may need a second Bridge to link them all. With app version 5.37.1, you can now organize the Home tab by Bridge, and show the names of your Bridges as headings. This should make it easier to see and control the lights linked to each one. To give it a try, tap the ellipsis icon (…) to open the menu, then tap Edit Home Tab and select the Bridge Names icon. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Finally, if you control your Hue lights using Bluetooth, you can now change the icon for each one to make them easier to identify at a glance. To do so, select the Light card, then tap the ellipsis icon and choose Light Settings. It’s a small change, but one that makes some of the best smart lights you can buy even better. You might also like Source link #Philips #Hue #lights #free #app #update #delivers #improvements Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Arctic a ‘vulnerable destination’ for foreign adversaries, CSIS warns – National Arctic a ‘vulnerable destination’ for foreign adversaries, CSIS warns – National Canada’s spy agency warns that colliding global developments make the Arctic an “attractive, strategic and vulnerable destination” for foreign adversaries seeking to establish a presence in Canada. A newly released ********* Security Intelligence Service assessment flags the environment, critical infrastructure, economic activity and geopolitics as converging factors making the region susceptible to threats from abroad. It sees resource extraction projects, increasing ship traffic, the building of ports and possible militarization of the Arctic as some of the avenues nefarious actors could use to gain a foothold in the region. Once established in the North, rivals could use these opportunities to “generate substantial influence and interference opportunities,” CSIS warns. 2:33 Arctic is Canada’s ‘softest underbelly,’ ex-Trump aide warns The ********* Press used the Access to Information Act to obtain the CSIS brief, “Issues & Vulnerabilities in Canada’s Arctic,” produced last April as an elaborate infographic. Story continues below advertisement It is perhaps the most extensive public account to date of the spy service’s concerns about espionage and malign foreign influence in the Arctic. Melting sea ice due to climate change likely will lead to more people in the Arctic, the opening of new shipping routes and fresh exploitation of mineral deposits, the brief says. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Natural resources, including oil and gas reserves, attract foreign investment, potentially threatening regional interests, CSIS warns. More on Canada More videos “Threat actors could leverage resource exploitation to gain persistent access to remote and strategically valuable territory.” The spy service’s brief also says: The difficulty and expense of fixing vulnerabilities in crucial telecommunication systems in the North can create serious cybersecurity risks; Places suitable for building deepwater ports in the Arctic are attractive to foreign actors who seek control of strategic shipping locations, and creating unofficial ports of entry to Canada could undermine border security; Adversaries might make substantial investments, ostensibly to remedy energy supply-chain disruptions in the North, but “with ulterior motives”; The presence of hostile-state armed forces could lead to militarization of the Arctic, driving geopolitical tensions that might lead to conflict. CSIS says any one of these points of vulnerability could be targeted by a foreign adversary or made worse by benign activities in the region. “Regardless of the intent behind the potentially harmful activity to the Arctic and Northern Canada, repercussions could be devastating for Canada’s northern and Arctic residents, ecosystem, assets and interests,” the brief says. Story continues below advertisement The economic and strategic importance of the Arctic has been steadily growing over the last 15 years, said CSIS spokesperson Lindsay Sloane. Threats to the Arctic stem not only from strategic competitors’ military capabilities and the effects of climate change, but also increasingly from espionage, foreign interference and illicit economic activities, all of which pose national security dangers, Sloane said. In addition to the historical military concern posed to the North by Russia, China has increased its focus on the region, Sloane pointed out. “CSIS continues to detect, deter and counter foreign interference activities by hostile states targeting the Arctic.” Trending Now Elon Musk welcomes 14th child, his 4th with ********* Shivon Zilis Read the transcript of Justin Trudeau’s response to Trump’s tariffs 5:14 ‘Reclaim our North’: Poilievre pitches permanent ********* military base in Nunavut In Canada’s foreign policy blueprint for the Arctic, published late last year, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Canada was at an inflection point in the region. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made co-operation with Moscow in the Arctic “exceedingly difficult for the foreseeable future,” Joly said. Story continues below advertisement At the same time, non-Arctic states, including China, are seeking greater influence in Arctic governance, meaning Canada must emphasize collaboration with allies in the region, she added. Defence Minister Bill Blair will be in Iqaluit on Thursday for an announcement on the ********* Armed Forces’ presence across the Arctic. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre recently proposed building a new military base in Iqaluit as part of his party’s Arctic security plan. Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok welcomed the political attention but said such decisions must involve significant input from northerners. Nunavut looks forward to working with Canada’s next prime minister on meaningful, nation-building investments that meet Arctic sovereignty and security goals, address NATO spending commitments and unlock economic potential, he said in a media statement last month. “Nunavut is committed to ensuring Canada’s safety and security, including that of northerners, and to safeguarding the ability of Canada to defend both the ********* Arctic and North America,” the premier said. Sloane said CSIS works in partnership with territorial, provincial, local and Indigenous governments to combat all threat activity in the Arctic. “This includes providing relevant information to help build resiliency against current and emerging threats.” &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #Arctic #vulnerable #destination #foreign #adversaries #CSIS #warns #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Paris St-Germain vs Liverpool: PSG’s post-Mbappe era, no ‘clans’ & foreign stars’ French buy-in Paris St-Germain vs Liverpool: PSG’s post-Mbappe era, no ‘clans’ & foreign stars’ French buy-in Rarely in the past decade and a half of Qatari ownership have Paris St-Germain entered the spring with this kind of confidence. On Saturday evening, the runaway Ligue 1 leaders wasted little time in dismantling a Lille side who also had a midweek Champions League tie to look forward to, scoring four goals in what manager Luis Enrique would later call the team’s “best half of the season”. Victory against Les Dogues, who could only muster a consolation goal through Jonathan David 10 minutes from time, was more than simply a dress rehearsal before Liverpool’s visit to the French capital on Wednesday for the first leg of their last-16 tie. Lille, who have notably beaten both Real and Atletico Madrid in Europe this season, were swept aside as PSG continued their seemingly inevitable march towards completing an unbeaten campaign on home soil. The all-conquering form of a rejuvenated PSG would have seemed unlikely at the start of the season. While the post-Kylian Mbappe era arguably started midway through last season, given that the France captain was mostly spared for high-profile matches at that point, replacing his output and leading role remained the major uncertainty on the eve of the new campaign. That task was made all the more pressing by the absence of a centre-forward in name during most of the autumn. Portuguese international Goncalo Ramos was sidelined for three months with an ankle injury, while Randal Kolo Muani was progressively phased out of the team, eventually culminating in his loan move to Juventus this winter. Initially, it was Bradley Barcola, from the left wing, who took up the mantle by scoring 10 times in the first 11 league games of the campaign. Having carried over his goalscoring form to international duty amid Mbappe’s absence from Les Bleus, the 22-year-old was looking increasingly at ease in carrying the now-Real Madrid man’s responsibilities for club and country. His form only faintly translated to Champions League fixtures, though, as was the case for the rest of the team. Successive false-nine experiments, notably involving Kang-in Lee and Ousmane Dembele, were proving mostly ineffective as the team registered just one win in the first five European matchdays. The team’s league stage campaign, branded by Enrique “unjust” given the tough draw they faced, was stunted by an inability to capitalise on their dominance in possession in most matches. A disastrous early exit in January was an increasingly credible prospect, until the pieces of the Spaniard’s plan finally began to fall into place. The Parisians’ free-scoring run since January has included 18 goals in four European encounters, a figure admittedly inflated by Brest’s unfortunate collapse in their play-off tie. Source link #Paris #StGermain #Liverpool #PSGs #postMbappe #era #clans #foreign #stars #French #buyin Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Avowed – Shroom For Improvement (Review) – The Jimquisition Avowed – Shroom For Improvement (Review) – The Jimquisition Jim Sterling – “Avowed ought to have been a more linear action game. Combat is good enough that a streamlined and direct experience could serve it well, but as an RPG there’s simply not enough of anything. It feels like vast chunks are missing, with an initial promise of adventure that rapidly shaves off expectations until you’re left with a toothless story and a frustrating dearth of material. It’s fun to create a snowstorm and jab lizard men with spears, but the shallow trudgery between fights is consistently disappointing. I don’t think it’s unfair to have expected far more from Obsidian. Thanks to Avowed, I know I can expect far less.” Source link #Avowed #Shroom #Improvement #Review #Jimquisition Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

JPMorgan upgrades this HVAC stock after a recent pullback, calls for 25% upside JPMorgan upgrades this HVAC stock after a recent pullback, calls for 25% upside Recent underperformance in Carrier shares could provide a buying opportunity, according to JPMorgan. The firm upgraded the stock to overweight from neutral and upped its price target to $78 from $77. That implies 25.7% upside, as of Tuesday’s close. On Tuesday, shares declined almost 2%, putting their year-to-date losses at around 9%. The move lower came after President Donald Trump’s 25% tariff on goods from Mexico — which analyst Stephen Tusa notes the company has exposure to, given the company’s “significant presence” in the country — went into effect. “The stock is trading below HVAC peers and sector and in our view is the most attractive of the top 3 premium HVAC players on a relative basis,” the analyst wrote in a note to clients dated Wednesday. “There is a high degree of uncertainty in HVAC and we do not view the guidance as conservative, but it should be doable, which means the revision cycle is over, and valuation here is now at its relative lows and stands out versus peers who face similar uncertainty, but are trading at a premium.” The stock is now more than 25% off its 52-week high and is “more attractively valued,” Tusa said. Its price-to-earnings ratio for the next 12 months currently sits at 20.16, according to FactSet. “In a sector that we view as not yet cheap enough to fully own, this one is cheap on a [sum of the parts] basis, reflective of a disconnect between the perception of fundamentals here versus peers, which should converge over time,” he also said. On the tariff front, Tusa noted that Carrier is confident it’ll be able to mitigate any impact through price increases and supply chain restructuring, if necessary. Most analysts covering Carrier are optimistic on the stock in the months ahead, based on LSEG data. Among the 26 covering it, 15 have a strong buy or buy rating. Its consensus 12-month target of nearly $81 also implies more than 30% upside from here. Shares were more than 2% higher after Tusa’s upgrade on Wednesday. Source link #JPMorgan #upgrades #HVAC #stock #pullback #calls #upside Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Oldbury ******: One person flown to Royal Perth Hospital after collision on King Road Oldbury ******: One person flown to Royal Perth Hospital after collision on King Road Emergency services rushed to the ****** on King Road in Olbury on Wednesday. Source link #Oldbury #****** #person #flown #Royal #Perth #Hospital #collision #King #Road Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 receives most nominations at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 receives most nominations at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards Ninja Theory’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is the most-nominated game at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards, with 11 nominations. However, the Cambridge-based studio’s action-adventure game has missed out on a Best Game nomination; instead the nominees are ****** Myth: Wukong, Helldivers 2, Thank Goodness You’re Here!, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Astro Bot, and Balatro. Source link #Senuas #Saga #Hellblade #receives #nominations #years #BAFTA #Games #Awards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How the S&P 500 is lining up with its 200-day moving average How the S&P 500 is lining up with its 200-day moving average The S&P 500 (^GSPC) closed Tuesday’s session 1.22% lower as the market sell-off continues, now fueled by President Trump’s latest tariff policies. What is the 200-day moving average indicating about the market index? Yahoo Finance host Julie Hyman examines how the S&P 500’s current break from momentum is lining up with its 200-day moving average. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend here. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan. Source link #lining #200day #moving #average Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Pre-Order Bonus & Deluxe Edition Contents Leaked Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Pre-Order Bonus & Deluxe Edition Contents Leaked LucasRuinedChildhood14d ago (Edited 14d ago ) That would be amazing. Seemed like this was cancelled. Would like to see them improve the map creator in this one to allow leaderboards and a timer. They only allowed free roam in Pro Skater 1+2 on the user created maps so it limited how much fun you can realistically have with it. Cross play would be good so the user created content is shared between all versions. Even the PS5 and PS4 versions were separate from each other. Source link #Tony #Hawks #Pro #Skater #PreOrder #Bonus #Deluxe #Edition #Contents #Leaked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Foot Locker results show the sneaker industry — and Nike — still have more pain ahead – CNBC Foot Locker results show the sneaker industry — and Nike — still have more pain ahead – CNBC Foot Locker results show the sneaker industry — and Nike — still have more pain ahead CNBCFoot Locker Outlook Weighed Down by Discounts, Weak Demand BloombergFoot Locker Says Its Lace Up Plan Is Working as It Closes Fiscal 2024 Above Its Revised Expectations Yahoo FinanceFoot Locker, CrowdStrike And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Wednesday Benzinga Source link #Foot #Locker #results #show #sneaker #industry #Nike #pain #ahead #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Canada foreign minister takes Trump 51st state line ‘very seriously’ Canada foreign minister takes Trump 51st state line ‘very seriously’ Getty Images Mélanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, stands beside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a news conference denouncing Trump’s new tariffs Canada’s Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has told the BBC she takes US President Donald Trump’s remarks on making Canada the 51st state of his country “very seriously”. “This is not a joke anymore,” Joly told Newsnight. “There’s a reason why Canadians, when they go out on a hockey game, are booing the American national anthem… We’re insulted. We’re mad. We’re angry.” Her comments come after Trump imposed 25% tariffs on products entering the US from Canada on Tuesday. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called that a “very dumb thing to do” and announced retaliatory tariffs. However, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Trump would “probably” announce a deal to reduce tariffs on Wednesday. In response, Joly told the BBC that “at the end of the day, the only one that really takes a decision is President Trump”. She said no Trump administration secretaries had contacted their ********* counterparts on Monday or Tuesday about tariffs. Trump’s Canada 51st state plan ‘is not a joke’, says foreign minister Trump announced 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on 4 February, but delayed implementation until 4 March. ********* energy imports face a 10% tariff. Ontario Premier Doug Ford implemented a 25% surcharge on electricity exports to three US states, and if tariffs escalated, said he would consider cutting Michigan, New York and Minnesota off from ********* power. Trump also imposed a 10% tariff on goods worth more than $800 (£645) from China in February, which doubled in March. China responded with its own tariffs. The White House said when it introduced the tariffs that it was “taking bold action to hold [the three countries] accountable to their promises of halting ******** immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country”. Fentanyl is linked to tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the US each year. Trudeau said his country was responsible for less than 1% of fentanyl entering the US. Canada had introduced new border security measures in December, in response to Trump’s tariff threats before he took office. “We didn’t want this trade war. We did everything that was required under the executive order to make sure our border was safe and secure,” Joly told the BBC, but said “this is a bogus excuse on the part of the Trump administration against us”. Watch: ‘It’s frustrating’ – How Trump’s tariffs are being received in Canada Joly said Canada was the “canary in the coal mine”, with the Europeans next, and the *** after that. Trump has threatened 25% tariffs on the European Union as well. She said Canada and the *** should work together: “That’s also why I went to London to make sure that if there are tariffs imposed, we should work on counter-tariffs well.” Joly said Canada’s public displays of displeasure against the US are not “against the American people. We’re the best friends of the American people”. She called the tariffs on the US’s biggest trading partner an “existential threat”. “We cannot let our guard down,” she said. “We need to make sure that we fight back.” Source link #Canada #foreign #minister #takes #Trump #51st #state #line Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Ex-paddleboard firm owner admits manslaughter Ex-paddleboard firm owner admits manslaughter Family photos Nicola Wheatley, 40, Morgan Rogers, 24, Paul O’Dwyer, 42, and Andrea Powell, 41, died in the incident in 2021 A former police officer and ex-paddleboard tour company owner has admitted to gross negligence manslaughter after the deaths of four people. Paul O’Dwyer, Andrea Powell, Morgan Rogers and Nicola Wheatley died following an incident in the River Cleddau, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in October 2021. Nerys Bethan Lloyd, 39, from Port Talbot, is the former owner of Salty Dog, the company operating the tour that the four, and four others who survived, were taking. The company has since been dissolved. At Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday, she also pleaded guilty to one offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Source link #Expaddleboard #firm #owner #admits #manslaughter Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Greenland is ours, PM says in defiance of Trump Greenland is ours, PM says in defiance of Trump Greenland’s prime minister has declared “Greenland is ours” and cannot be taken or bought, in defiance of US President Donald Trump. Mute Bourup Egede’s message follows Trump’s claims that his administration supported the Arctic island’s right of self-determination – but added the United States would acquire the territory “one way or another”. Egede said the island’s citizens were neither American nor Danish because they were Greenlandic. The United States needed to understand that, he wrote in a post in Greenlandic and Danish on Facebook. The future of Greenland would be decided by its people, Egede said. His post came hours after Trump made a direct appeal to Greenlanders in a speech to US Congress on Tuesday, a week before islanders head to the polls for parliamentary elections. “We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America,” Trump said. “We will keep you safe. We will make you rich. And together we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before,” he said. But Trump also said his administration was “working with everybody involved to try to get it”, referring to his wishes to acquire Greenland from Denmark – a long-standing US ally. “We need it really for international world security. And I think we’re going to get it. One way or the other, we’re going to get it,” Trump said. Many in Greenland, a vast and mineral-rich island that is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, are worried and offended by Trump’s threats to seize control of their homeland. Asked about Trump’s comments, Denmark’s foreign minister said he did not think Greenlanders wanted to separate from Denmark in order to instead become “an integrated part of America”. Lars Lokke Rasmussen sought to strike an optimistic tone, saying he believed that Trump’s reference to respecting Greenlanders’ right to self-determination was “the most important part of that speech”. “I’m very optimistic about what will be a Greenlandic decision about this. They want to loosen their ties to Denmark, we’re working on that, to have a more equal relationship,” the minister said during a trip to Finland. Lokke added that it was important that next week’s parliamentary elections are free and fair “without any kind of international intervention”. Greenlanders will head to the polls on Tuesday. Trump’s recent comments about taking over the island have ignited unprecedented interest in full independence from Denmark, which has become a key issue during campaign season. Source link #Greenland #defiance #Trump Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why scientists say this stunning ancient lake in Turkey might as well be on Mars Why scientists say this stunning ancient lake in Turkey might as well be on Mars Editor’s Note: This CNN Travel series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policy. With its vivid turquoise, green and blue waters, it’s no surprise Lake Salda is often promoted as the “Maldives of Turkey.” Extraordinary to look at, peaceful and surrounded by an abundance of wildlife, it’s little wonder if has become a significant, if lesser-known attraction, located deep in the country’s southwest. But there’s so much more to this gorgeous body of water and its white-sand beaches than just beauty to get tourists excited. According to scientists, Lake Salda is the only place on Earth that’s analogous to the Jezero Crater on Mars. It’s a fact that has piqued the interest in space scientists at a time when humankind is increasingly turning its attention to the Red Planet as a possible destination for a crewed mission. It’s also helped increase environmental awareness around this fragile treasure, which is facing existential threats from pollution and decreasing water levels. Briony Horgan, a professor at Purdue University’s Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Department, traveled to Turkey in 2019 with NASA’s Perseverance rover team to study the mysterious lake, and was struck by its resemblance to a distant planet. This photo of a Martian vista in Jezero Crater, made from smaller individual images, was taken by NASA’s Perseverance rover in 2021. – NASA/JPL-Caltech “It’s really just an incredibly unique place,” she tells CNN Travel. “And in many ways, it actually felt like standing on the shores of ancient Lake Jezero on Mars.” In space exploration, a planetary analog is a place on Earth that’s considered similar or comparable to the conditions found on another planet or moon. Horgan says finding a Mars analog here is particularly challenging because of the high levels of iron and magnesium that make up the composition of the Red Planet, and “they’re very primitive.” However, she says Lake Salda’s basin is “of that composition that was created at the bottom of an ocean when the oceanic crust ripped apart and made new crust straight out of the interior of the Earth.” This process, says Horgan, is to credit for Lake Salda’s Mars-like environment. Nurgül Balcı, a professor in Istanbul Technical University’s Geological Engineering Department, also took part in NASA’s Lake Salda studies. In addition to helping scientists better understand Martian geology, she says the lake also offers insights into our own planet’s history. For instance, the microorganisms in the water have built microbial structures that are at least 2 million years old, some of which have been exposed due to decreasing water levels on the lake. These carbonate forms, resembling cauliflowers, hold crucial clues to our own origins. “Salda contains a lot of information that can help us understand life that started and evolved 3.5 billion years ago,” says Balcı. Greater protections needed, say experts A general view of an exposed island of old microbialites in Lake Salda. – Umit Bektas/Reuters Last year, the International Commission on Geoheritage (IUGS) announced the inclusion of Lake Salda on its list of the world’s Top 100 geological sites. Balcı was among the major contributors who presented evidence to support its addition to the list. “We prepared a file (showing) that Salda contains important information about Mars and the early Earth and that if they are lost, we will have difficulty finding and understanding such information,” she explains. In recent years, environmentalists and lawyers have been vocal about the need to increase protections and awareness about the value of the lake beyond its physical beauty. While some experts are optimistic that being on the IUGS list will have a positive effect on these efforts, others are still skeptical, like retired lecturer Erol Kesici of Süleyman Demirel University’s Eğirdir Water Resources Faculty. Founder of the Turkish Water Institute, Kesici is also a scientific advisor to two environmental associations, the Association for the Protection Of Turkey’s Nature and the Nature and Sustainability Association. “Despite Lake Salda having numerous sensitive and protected areas, such as natural conservation areas and other conservation statuses, there are serious issues in practice,” he says. “The excessive pollution and contamination caused by the construction of ponds and dams are causing the lake’s ecosystem, turquoise water, and (endemic) species to disappear gradually.” Professor Horgan expressed similar sentiments, noting that Lake Salda is “a wonderful location that I hope many people get to see. But it’s the kind of place we should make sure we appreciate responsibly.” A treasure trove for nature lovers all year long Hikers explore the trails around Lake Salda. – Selcuk Oner/iStock Editorial/Getty Images Lake Salda is home to 301 plant species, two of which are endemic and grow in the lake basin, as well three endemic fish species, and over 30 water bird species, among more common animals like wild boars and foxes. These make Lake Salda among the best places in Turkey for nature photography and hiking. “The best season to visit Salda is spring and early summer,” notes Hasan Gülday, a tour guide based in western Turkey. “The harmony of the green trees around, the white shores of the lake, and the turquoise color emerges best in this *******.” However, you can visit Lake Salda at any time of the year, including the winter. In fact, the road to the nearby Salda Ski Center offers the best panoramic view of Lake Salda and its surroundings, so stunning many assume images taken there were photoshopped. If you plan your journey around July and early August, you can admire the purple lavender fields southwest of the lake, where locals make lavender-scented soap and fragrances, some of the best souvenirs to bring back home. People are permitted to swim in the lake, and many do, but opinions on how to best protect the body of water from these visitors are mixed. “I want time restrictions and capacity limits to be set for activities like swimming,” says guide Gülday. Scientific advisor Kesici, meanwhile, is entirely against people getting into the water because “it’s a closed lake, all waste remains within (it).” Also, he says some people take mud baths, believing it can help heal some skin conditions, but this can damage the lake’s delicate ecosystem as well. Exploring the area Lake Salda is located in Burdur, close to the city borders of Denizli, which hosts another gem of Turkey, Pamukkale — only about a 1.5-hour drive northeast. The region is referred to as the Turkish Lake District or Turkish Lakeland. Gülday also recommends visiting the ancient cities of Kibyra and Sagalassos, both of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. Kibyra is a settlement that dates back to the early Iron Age, about a 1.5-hour drive south of Salda. The city has been at the crossroads of important trade routes for centuries, and Hellenistic, Roman, Lydian, and Pisidian cultures influenced the settlement. Sagalassos’s history dates back some 12,000 years, and it was left to its fate after the 6th century due to epidemics, raids and natural disasters, such as earthquakes. It’s one of the best-preserved archeological sites in Turkey because its remote location prevented it from looting, and the settlement was quickly covered by vegetation and soil due to erosion. Getting there: Many travelers opt to rent a car to better explore the area’s scenic drives. The trip from Antalya to Lake Salda takes about 2.5 hours. Tour companies also offer tours of the area, including the lake. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Source link #scientists #stunning #ancient #lake #Turkey #Mars Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]