Pelican Press

Education Secretary Linda McMahon announces plans for department's 'final' mission – ABC News Education Secretary Linda McMahon announces plans for department's 'final' mission – ABC News Education Secretary Linda McMahon announces plans for department’s ‘final’ mission ABC NewsWWE legend to lead Education Department after clinching final match in the Senate Fox NewsHow Each Senator Voted to Confirm Linda McMahon as Education Secretary The New York TimesTrump’s new education secretary has 3 goals to overhaul the American school system Business Insider Source link #Education #Secretary #Linda #McMahon #announces #plans #department039s #039final039 #mission #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump threatens to jail or deport students for ‘******** protests’ Trump threatens to jail or deport students for ‘******** protests’ US President Donald Trump said he would cut funding for universities that allow what he called “********” protests and prosecute and deport foreign students who participate. On his Truth Social social media platform, Trump said that “all federal funding will STOP” for schools that permit students to protest illegally. Trump’s announcement comes less than a year after massive student protests against Israel’s war in Gaza swept across US college campuses, including Columbia University in New York and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). American students will be expelled, Trump said. Trump did not specify what would constitute an “********” protest. Broadly speaking, the right to protest is protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, also known as Fire, swiftly condemned Trump’s announcement. “Colleges can and should respond to unlawful conduct, but the president does not have unilateral authority to revoke federal funds, even for colleges that allow ‘********’ protests,” the statement said. The group added that the move will “cast an impermissible chill on student protests about the Israeli-************ conflict”. In a separate announcement, the US Department of Education, General Services Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services said they would conduct a “comprehensive review” of Columbia’s federal contracts amid an ongoing investigation into compliance with Title VI, a federal law that bans discrimination based on ethnicity or ancestry. In a statement, the education department said that it is considering stop work orders for $51.4m (£40.19m) in contracts with the New York City-based university, and will review more than $5bn in grant commitments to the school. “Americans have watched in horror for more than a year now, as Jewish students have been assaulted and harassed on elite university campuses – repeatedly overrun by antisemitic students and agitators,” Trump’s new Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, said in a statement. McMahon added that “unlawful encampments and demonstrations have completely paralysed day-to-day campus operations, depriving Jewish students of learning opportunities to which they are entitled”. In January, Trump signed an executive order that called for the removal of foreign students who participated in protests. The order also directed government departments to make recommendations that could allow educational institutions to “monitor for and report activities by alien students and staff” and, if warranted, remove them. A White House fact sheet on the order specified that it seeks to “protect law and order, quell pro-****** vandalism and intimidation, and investigate and punish anti-Jewish racism in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities”. In April 2024, student protests against the war in Gaza drew national attention after students at Columbia were arrested at a student encampment set up on campus. Thousands of arrests were ultimately made at dozens of universities across the country. At Columbia, the university authorised New York Police Department officers to swarm the campus, a controversial decision that led to the arrests of about 100 students who were occupying a university building. Four months after protests rocked the campus, Columbia president Minouche Shafik resigned. Earlier this week, a federal task force announced it would visit 10 prominent US universities that have been the scene of anti-semitic incidents. Source link #Trump #threatens #jail #deport #students #******** #protests Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Renown stand-up comedian Austen Tayshus is heading to Nannup for ‘wild show’ Renown stand-up comedian Austen Tayshus is heading to Nannup for ‘wild show’ Renowned stand-up comedian Austen Tayshus, who is touring Australia for the 40th anniversary of his hit comedy single Australiana, is heading to Nannup. Source link #Renown #standup #comedian #Austen #Tayshus #heading #Nannup #wild #show Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Big Government Contracts DOGE Hasn’t Touched The Big Government Contracts DOGE Hasn’t Touched Elon Musk and his team of budget cutters have claimed credit for billions of dollars in canceled government contracts. But their initiative, the Department of Government Efficiency, has so far barely touched the biggest sources of contract spending in the federal budget. Here’s where the government spends money on contracts, by agency. Here’s where the government spends money on contracts, by agency. The DOGE cuts have primarily targeted agencies that spend less. The DOGE cuts have primarily targeted agencies that spend less. And those cuts represent a sliver of all federal contract spending. And those cuts represent a sliver of all federal contract spending. If you look at just the cuts, a majority have affected foreign aid. There are barely any to defense. If you look at just the cuts, a majority have affected foreign aid. There are barely any to defense. Source: USA Spending, DOGE Based on obligated spending in the 2024 fiscal year. This narrow focus has meant DOGE’s impact on the federal budget has been narrow, too. In a New York Times analysis of public federal spending data, the total of the group’s claimed cuts represents a tiny slice of more than $750 billion in contracts across the government in 2024. Those cuts fall disproportionately on smaller businesses owned by women and by people in ********* groups. These smaller firms may lack the muscle to negotiate with the government or to compete for new work in the onerous federal contracting world. By contrast, the 10 largest government contractors together collect more than a quarter of all federal contract spending, or over $200 billion in the 2024 fiscal year, according to the Times analysis of nearly six million contracts. The cuts DOGE has published include few contracts with these firms, and none at all with Lockheed Martin, RTX, Boeing and Northrop Grumman — four of the biggest defense contractors. Spending on the largest government contractors Among all contracts Those listed by DOGE Lockheed Martin 7% 0% RTX 4% 0% General Dynamics 3% <1% Boeing 3% 0% UnitedHealth 3% 0% Northrop Grumman 2% 0% Leidos 2% 7% Huntington Ingalls 1% 0% L3Harris 1% 0% Booz Allen Hamilton 1% 2% Total 28% 9% Source: USA Spending, DOGE Based on obligated spending in the 2024 fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024). Highlights show the larger share. The group’s cuts have had big effects for small companies and nonprofits that work with the government. “They have gone to really the equivalent of the mom-and-pop shops,” said Danielle Brian, the executive director of the Project on Government Oversight, a group that investigates corruption and waste in government. “They are so on the margin of savings when it comes to the federal budget but have extraordinary impacts on the companies because they are small companies.” These cuts, in turn, are also trickling down to the small businesses that subcontract with companies working with the government. “I thought at first when things were happening that they would do something to protect small businesses,” said Anne Hayes, whose small business, Inclusive Development Partners, got about 90 percent of its income subcontracting on projects for the U.S. Agency for International Development. “It never happened.” Her company worked to ensure that U.S.A.I.D. educational programs in impoverished parts of the world were accessible to children with disabilities. Now she has not paid her staff of 22, many of whom have disabilities themselves, since Jan. 24. “I’m grieving,” Ms. Hayes said. “I loved the business, I loved the people I worked with — it’s unfathomable that it’s disappearing.” Share of spending among … All contracts 23% Contracts on DOGE site 29% *********-owned businesses All contracts 10% Contracts on DOGE site 19% Businesses owned by women All contracts 5% Contracts on DOGE site 11% All contracts 5% Contracts on DOGE site 11% Source: USA Spending, DOGE Based on obligated spending in the 2024 fiscal year for all federal contracts and those on DOGE’s list. Mr. Musk’s team has undertaken other efforts to trim and transform federal spending, including by firing federal workers and canceling leases and grants. According to its own error-filled accounting, the group has claimed it has reduced government spending by $105 billion, a number that couldn’t be verified with the information DOGE has publicly posted. Of that sum, the website says that contract “savings” total only around $8 billion. But contracting is one of the few areas where the office has shown its work and where detailed analyses are possible. The focus on smaller agencies largely reflects White House policy priorities, including a disdain for foreign aid, the Education Department and programs that promote diversity, equity and inclusion. A recent executive order signed by President Trump suggests that far larger sources of spending are unlikely to face similar scrutiny, for now. In the order, which promised “a transformation in federal spending,” the White House outlined steps for agencies to work with DOGE on future contract cancellations. Excluded from such cuts: all expenditures related to the military, immigration enforcement, law enforcement, public safety and the intelligence community. The three cabinet-level agencies that primarily oversee those roles, the Departments of Defense, Justice and Homeland Security, were responsible for two-thirds of all of the government’s contract spending in the 2024 fiscal year. U.S.A.I.D., by contrast, was responsible for 1 percent. These agencies have the largest share of federal spending on contracts … Among all contracts Those listed by DOGE Defense 60% <1% Veterans Affairs 9% 1% Energy 6% <1% Health and Human Services 5% 22% Homeland Security 3% <1% Source: USA Spending, DOGE … and these agencies have the largest share of spending on contracts cut by DOGE Among all contracts Those listed by DOGE U.S.A.I.D. 1% 56% Health and Human Services 5% 22% Social Security <1% 7% Education <1% 4% Treasury 1% 1% Source: USA Spending, DOGE To assess DOGE’s choices, The Times compared all federal contract spending in the 2024 fiscal year with spending that year on contracts that the group lists as canceled on its website. Many contracts cited by the group actually ended long ago, were misidentified or claimed unrealistic savings. For that reason, we used the actual money spent in 2024 to estimate the effects of the group’s claimed cancellations. Two-thirds of all the spending in 2024 on these contracts was for providing professional support services in some form. By contrast, the largest sources of spending for the full federal government include prescription drugs, government-funded health insurance, and military planes and ships. Just 2 percent of the spending on contracts listed by DOGE went to businesses that produce goods, our analysis found. Across the government, that share was 28 percent. The Defense Department, in particular, has a handful of extremely large contracts with companies that build the biggest and most complex equipment used in wars, like jets and aircraft carriers. The estimated cost of a single B-21 bomber, part of a contract with Northrop Grumman, is more than $500 million. The government has ordered around 100 of them. Defense contractors may not be spared from the contract-cutting spree forever. The executive order discourages Mr. Musk’s operation from cutting their contracts immediately. But Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, has asked the military branches to identify areas for spending cuts, part of a plan to reallocate resources to favored projects, such as border enforcement. (The White House did not respond to questions about how it intends to approach larger sources of federal contract spending in the future, or about the composition of cuts DOGE has pursued so far.) “I don’t think the large defense contractors will be immune from cuts and contract terminations for long,” said Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, who noted that the sensitive nature of some defense contract details may require a different approach to cuts. “The defense industry is bracing for budget cuts.” Large consulting firms are also preparing for scrutiny. The General Services Administration has asked the 10 largest such companies to come in to defend their contracts, as The Wall Street Journal first reported. Those companies will be able to discuss and defend their spending before any cuts are made, a senior G.S.A. official confirmed. “We welcome them working with us to decrease our excessive government spending while continuing to provide the essential services the government needs,” Will Powell, the G.S.A.’s acting press secretary, said in a statement. No such opportunity was offered to smaller vendors. In other ways, DOGE has pushed cuts that cause broad disruption with only small savings payoffs. The executive order last week also froze for 30 days credit cards used by federal offices to make “micro purchases” for things like lab supplies and plumbing services. Those expenditures average about $440 per transaction. About a third of this small-scale government spending goes to small businesses around the country — a local hardware store, or a self-employed landscaper. Such targets, and the absence so far of ******* ones like defense contractors, add to the sense among critics that the group isn’t molding a leaner, more efficient government so much as it is pursuing ideological foes and social media ovation. “Elon Musk has actually undermined the cause of deficit reduction by convincing people that simply cutting waste, fraud and abuse; D.E.I. contracts; foreign aid; and federal bureaucrats is all it takes to balance the budget,” said Jessica Riedl, a senior fellow with the Manhattan Institute who has worked for two decades on efforts to rein in the federal budget. “This is making it even harder for those of us trying to convince the public that real sacrifice is necessary to fix the budget.” About the data To assess the scale and scope of the contracts listed as canceled by DOGE, The Times downloaded an archive of federal contract transactions for the 2024 fiscal year from USA Spending. The data included prime awards, in which the federal government pays contractors, and did not include subawards, in which contractors pay other vendors. The data set included detailed information on nearly seven million transactions that were part of nearly six million contracts, together amounting to about $754 billion in obligated spending in the fiscal year. We matched these contracts to the ones listed on DOGE’s website, and compared the spending among both groups — all federal contracts and the ones on DOGE’s list. In the charts that measured shares of contractors or businesses, we excluded contracts that matched a set of identifiers that indicated that they lacked detailed information about the contractor. Source link #Big #Government #Contracts #DOGE #Hasnt #Touched Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Amazon’s AWS forms new group focused on agentic AI Amazon’s AWS forms new group focused on agentic AI By Greg Bensinger (Reuters) -Amazon.com has formed a new group focused on agentic artificial intelligence to help users and customers automate more of their lives, according to an internal email viewed by Reuters on Tuesday. The new group will be led by AWS executive Swami Sivasubramanian, the email, from AWS CEO Matt Garman, said. “Agentic AI has the potential to be the next multi-billion business for AWS,” Garman wrote. Sivasubramanian, previously vice president of AI and data, will report directly to Garman, according to the email. Agentic AI is meant to automate tasks for users so that they do not have to prompt the systems to take actions for them. Amazon touted some of those capabilities last week in announcing an updated version of voice service Alexa set to be released later this month to some customers. “We have the opportunity to help our customers innovate even faster and unlock more possibilities, and I firmly believe that AI agents are core to this next wave of innovation,” Garman wrote. A spokesperson for Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Also on Tuesday, AWS senior vice president Peter DeSantis announced in an internal email a series of additional reorganizations within AWS, which has for years been Amazon’s profit center. Those include moving AI groups Bedrock and SageMaker as well as hardware engineering under the compute organization and a new group combining customer experience and commerce. DeSantis said the changes will help “accelerate innovation.” Shares of Seattle-based Amazon were down less than 1% to $204.81. (Reporting by Greg Bensinger; Editing by Leslie Adler and Chizu Nomiyama) Source link #Amazons #AWS #forms #group #focused #agentic Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trudeau and Sheinbaum React to U.S. Tariffs on Canada and Mexico Trudeau and Sheinbaum React to U.S. Tariffs on Canada and Mexico new video loaded: Trudeau and Sheinbaum React to U.S. Tariffs on Canada and Mexico transcript Back transcript Trudeau and Sheinbaum React to U.S. Tariffs on Canada and MexicoPrime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico slammed the tariffs being imposed against both of their countries and vowed to retaliate. So today, the United States launched a trade war against Canada. Their closest partner and ally. Their closest friend. At the same time, they’re talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense. Now, it’s not in my habit to agree with The Wall Street Journal. But Donald, they point out that even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do. Canada will be implementing 25 percent tariffs against $155 billion worth of American goods. We will relentlessly fight to protect our economy. And we will stand up for Canadians every single second of every single day because this country is worth fighting for. Recent episodes in Americas Show more videos from Americas Source link #Trudeau #Sheinbaum #React #U.S #Tariffs #Canada #Mexico Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remake Release Date—Platforms, Editions & Price Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remake Release Date—Platforms, Editions & Price Activision has finally given a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remake the green light and a release date. It looks to follow in the footsteps of the previous remake and deliver an old-school kickflipping good time for fans old and new. Many hearts (and skateboards) broke when a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remake was canceled. It seemed a bizarre call given the lauded nature of the 1 + 2 Remake. But the legendary Tony Hawk himself created buzz back in September 2024. February 2025 came and went, and a new Tony Hawk’s Remake was suddenly a real possibility. Rumors became reality, and we no longer had to ruminate as a new remake is confirmed. When is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remake Coming Out? Birdman is the GOAT. Credit to Activision The Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remake has been given a July 11 release date by Activision. We knew of the Tony Hawk’s 3 and 4 remake confirmation hours before the official announcement. The news we were all waiting for finally became official on March 4 with a worldwide announcement and exciting reveal trailer for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4. It blasts Motorhead’s Ace of Spades while showing off modern revamps of Airport, Tokyo, and many more. You can check it out below—I dare you to not get goosebumps watching it! All Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remake Platforms PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC are all getting a THPS 3 + 4 release. Activision is making sure everyone gets a ticket to halfpipe heaven. Every platform gets a port on day one, and you’ve got no excuse not to strap on your helmet and elbow pads and pull off a multi-million point manual by spamming buttons. Every Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Remake Edition & Price A Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Standard Edition ($49.99/£39.99), Digital Deluxe Edition ($69.99/£59.99), and Collector’s Edition ($129.99/£119.99) will keep you up all night with a headache. Here’s an easy way of checking out each edition and its cost. Edition Price Standard Edition $49.99/£39.99 Digital Deluxe Edition $69.99/£59.99 Collector’s Edition $129.99/£119.99 As someone in his 30s and love the Tony Hawk’s series, I’m in dreamland. Are you also a nostalgia merchant desperate to relieve your youth? What are your favorite memories from the third or fourth iteration? While you wait for the newest sequel, here are more release dates to check out: Elden Ring Nightreign, Split Fiction, WWE 2K25, Atomfall, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Tales of the Shire A Lord of the Rings Game, and The First Berserker Khazan. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Tony #Hawks #Pro #Skater #Remake #Release #DatePlatforms #Editions #Price Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving out for season with torn ACL NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving out for season with torn ACL Three weeks after flagging his desire to switch allegiance and play for Australia, NBA star Kyrie Irving has been ruled of for the rest of the NBA season. Source link #NBA #AllStar #Kyrie #Irving #season #torn #ACL Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New Destiny 2 PvP Mode Heavy Metal Lets You Finally Pilot A Brig New Destiny 2 PvP Mode Heavy Metal Lets You Finally Pilot A Brig During its developer livestream on March 4, Bungie announced a brand-new, limited-time PvP mode called Heavy Metal coming to Destiny 2 in Heresy Act 3. While details were limited, we did get to see some gameplay that shows teams of players sorted into Drake Tank drivers or Brig pilots. Guardians haven’t been able to control Brigs before, despite them being in the game for more than half a decade. While we’ve had access to Drake Tanks before, they now have new functionality including rocket-boosted backflips. Heavy Metal is a 6v6 vehicle combat mode The 6v6 vehicle combat activity is only going to be in the game for a limited time. Bungie hinted that, if the reception is positive, Heavy Metal could be added to the Crucible rotation, much like the chaotic Mayhem mode, which features near-zero ability cooldowns. Bungie wants players to find the mode “goofy and fun” and challenged Guardians to jump in a Drake Tank to perform a 360 no-scope. There’s no official release date for the Heavy Metal PvP mode, but it has been confirmed to be releasing at some point within Heresy Act 3, which releases on April 1. Other announcements during the livestream include the arrival of a limited-time dungeon-focused event, Rite of the Nine, as well as the return of Io. Source link #Destiny #PvP #Mode #Heavy #Metal #Lets #Finally #Pilot #Brig Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Winter Storm Lola Moving East. Blizzard Conditions Possible Winter Storm Lola Moving East. Blizzard Conditions Possible Winter Storm Lola will bring winds strong enough for blizzard conditions to parts of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas & Nebraska. Travel is not recommended as whiteout conditions are likely along Interstate 80. By tomorrow, rain will turn to snow in parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes, before exiting through northern New England. Wind will still be blowing through the Northeast including New York City, New York and Boston, Massachusetts. Here are the details. Source link #Winter #Storm #Lola #Moving #East #Blizzard #Conditions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Zelensky says White House clash was 'regrettable' – BBC.com Zelensky says White House clash was 'regrettable' – BBC.com Zelensky says White House clash was ‘regrettable’ BBC.comZelensky Offers Terms to Stop Fighting, Assuring U.S. That Ukraine Wants Peace The New York TimesZelensky Offers Partial Ceasefire With Russia To Restart Peace Talks, Calls Spat With Trump ‘Regrettable’ The Times of IndiaZelenskyy says Ukraine ‘ready’ for peace negotiations, calls Trump meeting ‘regrettable’ Fox NewsZelensky describes Oval Office meeting as ‘regrettable,’ says he is ready to negotiate peace CNN Source link #Zelensky #White #House #clash #039regrettable039 #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Grand Theft Auto 5’s Enhanced edition is now available for PC Grand Theft Auto 5’s Enhanced edition is now available for PC Rockstar has released an updated version of Grand Theft Auto 5 for PC. This new version of the game, which the studio calls GTA 5 Enhanced, introduces features previously only available on Xbox Series X/S and PS5, plus modern PC enhancements including ambient occlusion and global illumination. Players who currently own GTA 5 on PC can upgrade to the new version for free, while anyone buying the game on PC for the first time will get the Enhanced edition along with the original Legacy version. The latter will also remain available to existing owners, meaning anyone whose PC doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements of the upgrade can still play. PC players on the Legacy and Enhanced versions will be separated, meaning those who want to play with friends will need to be playing the same edition. The PC upgrade includes a number of GTA Online features previously exclusive to next-gen consoles, including additional vehicles and upgrades at Hao’s Special Works, a Career Progress feature, a refreshed Landing Page, and Ambient Animals encounters. For the first time on PC, players can now also purchase GTA+, GTA Online’s premium subscription offering. “PC players on the newly upgraded version running with the recommended specifications can enjoy ray tracing features only available on PC, such as ambient occlusion and global illumination — plus ray traced shadows and reflections that first debuted on the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions,” Rockstar said. “There is also support for AMD FSR and NVIDIA DLSS (with Frame Generation support planned for both at a future date), and DualSense controller support with adaptive triggers. “Plus, faster loading times using SSD and DirectStorage on supported devices and configurations, enhanced support for higher resolutions, higher aspect ratios, and higher framerates, as well as enhanced audio with support for Dolby Atmos and improved fidelity of speech, cinematics, and music.” Rockstar is currently gearing up to launch Grand Theft Auto 6 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Last month, its parent company Take-Two said that GTA 6 is still on track to release in the fall of 2025. On Monday, Rockstar announced the acquisition of long-time development partner Video Games Deluxe. The Sydney-based studio, which will be renamed Rockstar Australia, was founded by Brendan McNamara, who previously directed The Getaway for Sony before establishing LA Noire studio Team Bondi. Source link #Grand #Theft #Auto #Enhanced #edition Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Zelensky (Almost) Says Sorry Zelensky (Almost) Says Sorry Ukrainian President ready to work under Trump’s leadership after “regrettable” showdown. Source link #Zelensky Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

CFPB drops Zelle lawsuit in latest reversal under Trump administration CFPB drops Zelle lawsuit in latest reversal under Trump administration The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has its lawsuit over peer-to-peer payment system Zelle, the latest in a of dismissals from this department under President Donald Trump’s administration. The agency had only just announced the suit — filed against Zelle’s operating entity Early Warning Services and partner banks JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo – . According to the initial action, the CFPB said that customers of the three banks had lost more than $870 million during the seven years Zelle has been active. The CFPB made several moves to on the financial products offered by tech companies under its previous director, Rohit Chopra. However, the agency is now overseen by Acting Director Russell Vought, who ordered the CFPB to all “supervision and examination activity” last month. While employees of the bureau have to try to keep the CFPB alive, there have been from government leadership about the agency’s status. Since taking office, Trump and ally Elon Musk have taken sweeping actions to control and close federal government departments. Agencies that have historically Musk’s business activities have been among those with reduced powers, as have federal operations for , and . Source link #CFPB #drops #Zelle #lawsuit #latest #reversal #Trump #administration Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Israel's security agency admits failures over October 7 Israel's security agency admits failures over October 7 Calls are growing in Israel for a national inquiry into the government’s failures on October 7, 2023, when ****** killed 1200 people and took 250 hostages. Source link #Israel039s #security #agency #admits #failures #October Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Zelenskiy instructs defence minister to secure precise information on US military assistance Zelenskiy instructs defence minister to secure precise information on US military assistance (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday he had instructed his defence minister and other officials to secure precise information on military supplies after the United States announced it was pausing assistance. “I have instructed Ukraine’s minister of defence, intelligence chief and diplomats to contact their counterparts in the United States and obtain official information,” Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. “People should not be left to guess.” He said maintaining a “normal, partnership relationship with America is crucial for truly ending the war. None of us wants an endless war.” Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. Zelenskiy said Ukraine sought “constructive cooperation and true partnership” with Washington and again expressed regret over the acrimonious exchanges during his meeting last week in the Oval Office in Washington. “What happened at the White House, instead of our planned negotiations, was regrettable,” he said. “But we must find the strength to move forward, respect one another – as we have always respected America.” Zelenskiy also noted that Russia more than three years into the war had not altered its positions on Ukraine. “They will demand a reduction of our army, they will want a legal renunciation of our territories and also a significant political deformation of the Ukrainian constitution,” he said. “In reality as long as we in Ukraine all stand together and strong, as long as we are here, no one will succeed in this. Our peace will be a dignified one.” (Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Chris Reese and Sandra Maler) Source link #Zelenskiy #instructs #defence #minister #secure #precise #information #military #assistance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Canada, Mexico tariffs create ‘ripple effects’ on consumer prices Canada, Mexico tariffs create ‘ripple effects’ on consumer prices Port Newark Container Terminal on March 3, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. Kena Betancur/View Press | Getty Images News | Getty Images Tariffs on Canada and Mexico took effect Tuesday — and they’re bound to raise prices for consumers, sometimes in unexpected ways, according to economists. Tariffs are a tax on foreign imports, paid by the United States entity importing a particular good. President Trump on Tuesday imposed a 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico, the two largest trading partners of the United States. Trump set a lower 10% tariff on ********* energy. Businesses typically pass along some of the additional cost of tariffs to consumers, economists said. Certain products like fruits and vegetables from Mexico and oil from Canada — which are among their major exports to the U.S. — will get more expensive as a result, economists said. But there are also far-reaching impacts across supply chains that aren’t as clear-cut, they said. “Tariffs create ripple effects that move through complex supply chains in ways that aren’t always obvious,” Travis Tokar, professor of supply chain management at Texas Christian University, wrote in an e-mail. Such dynamics make it challenging to predict precise product and price impacts, Tokar said. For example, take a fast-food chicken sandwich. While none of its ingredients may come directly from Canada or Mexico, the aluminum foil used in its packaging might — driving up costs that could be passed on to consumers, Tokar said. Nearly everything consumers buy is transported by trucks fueled by refined oil products — meaning the impact of tariffs on ********* crude oil “could be much broader than it appears at first glance,” Tokar said. The U.S. sources almost half of its foreign fuel from Canada, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “Costs eventually have to go through the supply chain” to the end consumer, said Mary Lovely, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. How much tariffs may cost the typical person The U.S. traded $1.6 trillion of goods with Canada and Mexico in 2024, accounting for more than 30% of total U.S. trade, according to Census Bureau data as of December. Tariffs on Canada and Mexico are expected to cost the average American household $930 in 2026, according to a January analysis by the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. More from Personal Finance:Who benefits from Trump tax cuts?Americans are suffering from ‘sticker shock’How the U.S. has used tariffs throughout history The levies would cost the typical household $1,200 a year after also accounting for tariffs on China, according to a PIIE analysis. (The analysis only considered a 10% tariff on ******** imports that Trump imposed in February; he put another 10% tariff in place Tuesday.) That PIIE assessment of consumer impact is “conservative,” said Lovely. For one, it doesn’t factor how domestic manufacturers would likely respond to less foreign competition, she said. “These tariffs will increase the price of imported goods,” and domestic producers would likely raise their prices to “match” those of their foreign counterparts, said Alexander Field, an economics professor at Santa Clara University. ‘Hugely disruptive’ for auto sector Consumer impact will also depend on the particular industry and company. Economists expect the automobile industry to be the most impacted sector, since automakers have extensive supply chains built up across North America. A new car that’s assembled in Alabama, for example, may seem unaffected by the tariffs — but many of those car parts may come from Mexico or Canada, Tokar said. Major automakers like Ford, General Motors and Stellantis may “face higher production costs due to the reliance on cross-border supply chains for parts and vehicles,” according to a Bank of America Global Research note on Monday. All told, Canada and Mexico tariffs could add almost $6,000 to the cost of a car, according to an estimate from investment bank Benchmark Co. in February. That dynamic is expected to drive up car insurance premiums. “This will be hugely disruptive for the auto industry,” said Douglas Irwin, an economics professor at Dartmouth College and author of “Clashing over Commerce: A History of U.S. Trade Policy.” Fresh produce could see swift price hikes President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office on Feb. 25, 2025. Trump directed the Commerce Department to open an investigation into potential tariffs for copper imports. Alex Wong | Getty Images News | Getty Images Brian Cornell, the CEO of Target, said Mexico tariffs could force the company to raise prices on fruits and vegetables — including strawberries, avocados and bananas — within a few days. Food prices overall would rise nearly 2% in the short term, according to a Yale budget Lab analysis of Canada, Mexico and China tariffs. Fresh produce prices would rise almost 3%. Construction materials are also a big export from Canada — including more than 40% of U.S. imports of wood products, according to PIIE. “If you’re doing a renovation this summer, you’re kind of out of luck,” Lovely said. Big corporations may be in a position to absorb some of the tariff cost, instead of passing on everything to consumers, Lovely said. But agricultural producers may not be in a position to do that, for example, since there are often “very low margins across the supply chain,” she said. Even businesses that absorb some of the cost — to avoid immediate sticker shock for consumers — means they have less profit to invest in new equipment, hire workers or develop new products, which creates an “economic drag that is less visible but still significant,” Tokar said. Retaliation also has an effect Consumers would also be impacted by foreign retaliation on U.S. trade — something to which officials in Mexico, Canada and China have already committed. “You don’t put these kinds of tariffs in place without expecting retaliation, and that’s happening right now,” said Field. ********* Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday announced a 25% levy on C$30 billion worth of U.S. imports, effective immediately. Tariffs on another C$125 billion in U.S. goods will take effect in 21 days, he said. Trump responded to the measures Tuesday by vowing additional tariffs on Canada. Ontario will impose a 25% tax on electricity it exports to 1.5 million homes in Minnesota, Michigan and New York in retaliation to Trump’s tariffs, Doug Ford, the province’s leader, told The Wall Street Journal. China also announced retaliatory tariffs of up to 15% targeted at U.S. agriculture. U.S. corn will face a 15% levy, while soybeans will be hit with a 10% duty, for example. ******** President Claudia Sheinbaum plans to announce retaliatory measures on Sunday. Source link #Canada #Mexico #tariffs #create #ripple #effects #consumer #prices Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Best stocks to own during a trade war, according to Evercore ISI Best stocks to own during a trade war, according to Evercore ISI Low volatility stocks such as Apple and AbbVie could emerge as winners in a trade war, according to Evercore ISI. Weeks of simmering trade tensions have erupted into a global trade war as President Donald Trump ‘s tariffs on key trade partners Canada and Mexico took effect on Tuesday, leading to retaliatory measures and fears about economic stagnation. The S & P 500 , Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones Industrial Average are down about 2% week to date as a result. Low volatility stocks outperformed in February trading as signs of the trade war emerged and uncertainty weighed on markets, Evercore found. These stocks also outperformed during similar trade tensions and tariff uncertainties in 2018, during Trump’s first presidential term. “Defense remains the best offense,” senior managing director Julian Emanuel wrote in a Monday note to clients. “With Trade War 2.0 moving to the next act with more tariffs scheduled to come into force starting 3/4, EVR ISI Strategy sees the battle as having been joined, with low volatility leading defensive factor performance in the weeks and months ahead.” He listed a slew of “trade war heroes.” These names are Russell 3000 stocks that are in the top quintile for low volatility and buybacks. Take a look at the stocks: A slew of health-care giants — including AbbVie , Centene , Humana , DaVita and UnitedHealth Group — could perform well during this trade war, according to Evercore. Health-care stocks are generally considered a defensive hedge in an investment portfolio, as they tend to hold up better than more growth-oriented sectors during an economic slowdown. These stocks mentioned by Evercore have varying performances in 2025, but year to date, the health-care sector is up 8% — making it the top S & P 500 in the *******, per FactSet data. AbbVie is one name that’s having a strong 2025, up 17%. The company posted fourth-quarter results that topped Wall Street’s estimates in late January, and it recently entered the high-flying obesity space. DaVita’s shares are down nearly 4% this year, but the kidney health company could be poised for a breakout. A recent chart analysis suggests that DaVita could see strong long-term performance compared to the S & P 500. Apple also made the cut as a strong defensive pick. The tech giant has seen shares drop 4.7% this year. Ben Reitzes, head of technology research at Melius Research, said earlier this week that Apple has become the safe-haven play of the “Magnificent Seven” since the DeepSeek emergence, as more use of artificial intelligence could lead to a new upgrade cycle for iPhones. Other stocks that could give investors a measure of safety during this trade war are defense stocks Booz Allen Hamilton and Lockheed Martin . Booz Allen is off nearly 16% in 2025, while Lockheed is down more than 6%. These two stocks have suffered this year on concerns that the U.S. could significantly cut defense spending. However, defense contractors are considered to be less tied to the broader market’s performance and therefore more reliable during periods of volatility, as they are more dependent on government budgets and war-related activities rather than the state of the economy. Source link #stocks #trade #war #Evercore #ISI Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sources: Eagles make Barkley NFL's top-paid RB – ESPN Sources: Eagles make Barkley NFL's top-paid RB – ESPN Sources: Eagles make Barkley NFL’s top-paid RB ESPNEagles reportedly make Saquon Barkley highest-paid RB in NFL history with $41.2M extension Yahoo SportsPhiladelphia Eagles reward Saquon Barkley with $41.2M extension, ESPN sources say 6ABC PhiladelphiaEagles reward Saquon Barkley for incredible 2024 season NBC Sports Philadelphia Source link #Sources #Eagles #Barkley #NFL039s #toppaid #ESPN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******* police charge man with ******* over car attack ******* police charge man with ******* over car attack ******* police have charged a man with double ******* after he was suspected of driving a car at speed into pedestrians in the southwestern city of Mannheim, killing two people and leaving 11 injured. The Mannheim public prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the 40-year-old ******* citizen was also being charged with five counts of attempted ******* alongside grievous bodily harm and 11 counts of actual boldly harm. “Items seized from the man, in his vehicle and in his home, such as a gun, written documents and digital data carriers, are currently being forensically examined and analysed,” the statement said. An 83-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man were killed in Monday’s incident. Prosecutors have said the suspect displays evidence of a psychological disorder. He was transferred from hospital to police custody on Tuesday. Media reports said he received treatment after shooting himself in the mouth with a blank round as he was arrested. Investigators searched his flat in the nearby city of Ludwigshafen late on Monday and seized a number of items, the DPA news agency has learnt. The car involved is registered to him. Investigators were hoping that interrogation would provide information about the motive for the incident that occurred on Monday, which police called a targeted attack. Handwritten notes have been discovered on the car’s dashboard containing mathematical formulas for speed and braking distance. In 2010, the Mannheim public prosecutor’s office brought a case against the man for the unauthorised carrying of a blank-firing gun. He was fined by a district court. The attack took place at the busy Paradeplatz square in central Mannheim, a city of approximately 320,000 people that lies about 80km south of Frankfurt. Witnesses reported seeing a car speeding down a major shopping thoroughfare before striking pedestrians. During a church service on Tuesday, the victims were remembered. “We are startled and at the same time petrified,” said the deputy dean of the Protestant church, Anne Ressel. “The life of the city, the joy of Carnival, has been replaced by horror within minutes.” Mannheim mayor Christian Specht thanked a taxi driver of Pakistani origin who stopped the fleeing driver. “He behaved so courageously, drove after the perpetrator and ultimately blocked his vehicle to prevent further damage,” he said. Source link #******* #police #charge #man #******* #car #attack Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stock Market Today: Dow Jones Remains Lower, Nasdaq Trims Losses As Tariffs Kick In; Nvidia Reverses Higher (Live Coverage) Stock Market Today: Dow Jones Remains Lower, Nasdaq Trims Losses As Tariffs Kick In; Nvidia Reverses Higher (Live Coverage) The Dow Jones Industrial Average remained lower as President Donald Trump’s tariff tactics rattled investors, but indexes were well off session lows in afternoon trading. Meanwhile, Nvidia (NVDA) reversed higher, while Palantir Technologies (PLTR) and Tesla (TSLA) remained in negative territory on the stock market today. As planned, 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico imports took effect at midnight. Also,… Source link #Stock #Market #Today #Dow #Jones #Remains #Nasdaq #Trims #Losses #Tariffs #Kick #Nvidia #Reverses #Higher #Live #Coverage Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Goldman Sachs rolls out suite of downside protection ETFs as market volatility picks up Goldman Sachs rolls out suite of downside protection ETFs as market volatility picks up s Goldman Sachs Asset Management has thrown its hat into the ring of increasingly popular buffer exchange-traded funds, just as the stock market is showing some signs of fragility. On Tuesday, the firm announced the launch of the Goldman Sachs U.S. Large Cap Buffer 3 ETF (GBXC). That follows two similar funds that launched in recent months. Each fund resets on a quarterly basis, meaning investors now have a fresh version to choose from every month. Buffer funds fall into a category called defined outcome products that has attracted billions of dollars from investors in recent years. Buffer funds use derivatives, often in the form of equity-linked notes, to trade off some potential upside in the market for downside protection. There is a wide variety of buffer funds on the market, with various levels of protection and upside participation. In the case of the new Goldman funds, they will protect against losses from 5% to 15% in the market, represented by the underlying SPDR Portfolio S & P 500 ETF (SPLG) . In exchange, the funds have upside caps of between 5% and 7%. Brendan McCarthy, global head of ETF distribution at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, said the firm believes that the 5% to 15% range is the “sweet spot.” “The feedback we were getting from clients was, I’m in the marketplace. I can live with down a few percent. That’s kind of like what I expect. It gets painful when I’m talking down 5 to down 15,” McCarthy said. Two key differences with the Goldman funds from other buffer funds is that most of the competitors reset annually instead of quarterly, and the Goldman funds have an additional floor built in. In addition to the 5%-15% protection band, the funds have an extra buffer that kicks in when the market is down roughly 25%, limiting total possible losses in each outcome ******* to approximately 15%. How the funds work Buffer funds are designed to be bought on or very near to the reset date and held throughout the entire *******. The price of the fund can fall by more than the buffer zone indicates during the interim *******, based on how options pricing changes over time. “You could show a loss in your position, but as long as you hold on to it to the next reset, then you’ll get the published parameters,” said Stuart Chaussee, a registered investment advisor based in Beverly Hills, California, who regularly uses buffer ETFs from multiple fund issuers. While the funds are designed for each outcome *******, their impacts can compound over time if investors hold them through multiple resets. For example, if the market falls sharply one quarter but rallies the next, the rally in a buffer fund would come from a higher starting place. “These are meant to basically kind of help you to sink less deeply to help you recover faster,” said Oliver Bunn, portfolio manager and global head of the quantitative investment strategies alternatives team within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Of course, the same is true in the opposite case. The performance of a buffer fund would suffer over time if the market was steadily climbing and exceeding the upside cap. Some of the biggest other players in the buffer fund space are Innovator, First Trust and Allianz. The new Goldman Sachs funds have a 0.50% fee, which is cheaper than many of the largest buffer funds already on the market. Market environment ETF launches are typically a monthslong process, and timing them to certain market periods is difficult. Still, the Goldman funds could be coming at just the right time for early adoption. On Monday, the S & P 500 fell 1.76%, its worst session since December. The index is now 4.84% below its record highs. .SPX YTD mountain The S & P 500 is off to a rough start in 2025. Chaussee said clients often come to him asking about buffer funds when volatility picks up. “With all the uncertainty that we have now and the fact that stocks are trading at lofty multiples, that’s when you may well have some protection on,” Chaussee said. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley seen at the New York Stock Exchange on Feb. 13, 2025. Danielle DeVries | CNBC Goldman Sachs Asset Management has thrown its hat into the ring of increasingly popular buffer exchange-traded funds, just as the stock market is showing some signs of fragility. On Tuesday, the firm announced the launch of the Goldman Sachs U.S. Large Cap Buffer 3 ETF (GBXC). That follows two similar funds that launched in recent months. Each fund resets on a quarterly basis, meaning investors now have a fresh version to choose from every month. GSAM Buffer ETFsFund Ticker Launch Month GS U.S. Large Cap Buffer 1 ETFGBXAJanuaryGS U.S. Large Cap Buffer 2 ETFGBXBFebruaryGS U.S. Large Cap Buffer 3 ETFGBXCMarch Source: Goldman Sachs Asset Management Buffer funds fall into a category called defined outcome products that has attracted billions of dollars from investors in recent years. Buffer funds use derivatives, often in the form of equity-linked notes, to trade off some potential upside in the market for downside protection. There is a wide variety of buffer funds on the market, with various levels of protection and upside participation. In the case of the new Goldman funds, they will protect against losses from 5% to 15% in the market, represented by the underlying SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPLG). In exchange, the funds have upside caps of between 5% and 7%. Brendan McCarthy, global head of ETF distribution at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, said the firm believes that the 5% to 15% range is the “sweet spot.” “The feedback we were getting from clients was, I’m in the marketplace. I can live with down a few percent. That’s kind of like what I expect. It gets painful when I’m talking down 5 to down 15,” McCarthy said. Two key differences with the Goldman funds from other buffer funds is that most of the competitors reset annually instead of quarterly, and the Goldman funds have an additional floor built in. In addition to the 5%-15% protection band, the funds have an extra buffer that kicks in when the market is down roughly 25%, limiting total possible losses in each outcome ******* to approximately 15%. How the funds work Buffer funds are designed to be bought on or very near to the reset date and held throughout the entire *******. The price of the fund can fall by more than the buffer zone indicates during the interim *******, based on how options pricing changes over time. “You could show a loss in your position, but as long as you hold on to it to the next reset, then you’ll get the published parameters,” said Stuart Chaussee, a registered investment advisor based in Beverly Hills, California, who regularly uses buffer ETFs from multiple fund issuers. While the funds are designed for each outcome *******, their impacts can compound over time if investors hold them through multiple resets. For example, if the market falls sharply one quarter but rallies the next, the rally in a buffer fund would come from a higher starting place. “These are meant to basically kind of help you to sink less deeply to help you recover faster,” said Oliver Bunn, portfolio manager and global head of the quantitative investment strategies alternatives team within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Of course, the same is true in the opposite case. The performance of a buffer fund would suffer over time if the market was steadily climbing and exceeding the upside cap. Some of the biggest other players in the buffer fund space are Innovator, First Trust and Allianz. The new Goldman Sachs funds have a 0.50% fee, which is cheaper than many of the largest buffer funds already on the market. Market environment ETF launches are typically a monthslong process, and timing them to certain market periods is difficult. Still, the Goldman funds could be coming at just the right time for early adoption. On Monday, the S&P 500 fell 1.76%, its worst session since December. The index is now 4.84% below its record highs. Stock Chart IconStock chart icon The S&P 500 is off to a rough start in 2025. Chaussee said clients often come to him asking about buffer funds when volatility picks up. “With all the uncertainty that we have now and the fact that stocks are trading at lofty multiples, that’s when you may well have some protection on,” Chaussee said. Source link #Goldman #Sachs #rolls #suite #downside #protection #ETFs #market #volatility #picks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

C.D.C. Sends ‘Disease Detectives’ to Texas for Measles Outbreak – The New York Times C.D.C. Sends ‘Disease Detectives’ to Texas for Measles Outbreak – The New York Times C.D.C. Sends ‘Disease Detectives’ to Texas for Measles Outbreak The New York TimesMeasles Outbreak Continues to Spread in West Texas The New York TimesTexas measles outbreak 2025: 159 cases confirmed since late January FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort WorthROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.: Measles outbreak is call to action for all of us Fox NewsCDC says it’s on the ground in Texas as measles outbreak grows to 159 cases CNN Source link #C.D.C #Sends #Disease #Detectives #Texas #Measles #Outbreak #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s impact to be felt from Wednesday as ‘destructive core’ approaches Queensland coast Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s impact to be felt from Wednesday as ‘destructive core’ approaches Queensland coast Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s impact is expected to be felt from Wednesday as the system’s “destructive core” bears down on the Queensland coast. The category two cyclone was about 465km east of Brisbane and 430km east of the Gold Coast as of Wednesday morning, moving west at 11km/h. It is expected to make landfall between the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast late Thursday or early Friday, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting the cyclone will maintain its category two intensity as it approaches the coast. The Bureau of Meteorology declared a warning zone between Double Island Point in Queensland to Grafton in NSW, which includes Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Byron Bay and Ballina but not including Grafton. A watch zone was also issued for Sandy Cape to Double Island Point in Queensland, including K’Gari. Camera IconThe affects from Cyclone Alfred are tipped to be felt as the ‘destructive core’ approaches the coast. Bureau of Meteorology. Credit: Supplied Gales with damaging wind gusts of up to 120km/h are expected to hit from Wednesday, with warnings issued for communities between Double Island Point in Queensland and Grafton in NSW. Residents between Double Island Point and Sandy Cape could be affected on Thursday if the cyclone moves further north. Destructive wind gusts of up to 155km/h may develop from Thursday afternoon along coastal and island areas “as Alfred’s destructive core approaches and crosses the coast”, the Bureau alert stated. Camera IconCyclone Alfred is tipped to make landfall on Thursday or Friday. Windy.com Credit: Supplied A dangerous storm tide may also occur along the coastal foreshore, while abnormally high tides are likely to continue in low lying coastal areas between Sandy Gape and Grafton, particularly during high tides on Wednesday night, and Thursday and Friday morning and night. Coastal erosion is likely for open beaches in those areas, the Bureau warned, while heavy to locally intense rainfall with the potential to lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding could occur near and south of the cyclone’s centre on Thursday. Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said nearly 20,000 properties across Brisbane could be affected by storm surge or flooding according to new modelling. Brisbane City Council buses are set to cease from last service on Wednesday, The Courier Mail reported, while Queensland Rail Trains are tipped to stop once either winds reach 90km/h or the cyclone is 200km or 10 hours away from hitting land. ‘Prepare for the worst’: Minns NSW Premier Chris Minns earlier urged people to listen to emergency communications and not to put themselves or volunteer rescue workers at risk by not driving through floodwaters. “We hope for the best, but we prepare for the worst,” Mr Minns said on Today. Just days on from the three year anniversary of the Lismore floods Mr Minns said this cyclone warning “brings back all the worst horrors of 2022”. Events cancelled, postponed due to ‘seriously ****** weather’ Several events have been cancelled or postponed as the cyclone nears, including two AFL opening round matches. Brisbane’s Thursday game against Geelong at the Gabba was postponed along with Gold Coast’s match against Essendon at People First Stadium on Saturday, the AFL said in a statement, following communication with the state government, Bureau of Meteorology and Stadiums Queensland. AFL chief executive officer Andrew Dillon said he didn’t want the games to “be a distraction” to cyclone preparations. An alternate schedule will be announced as soon as possible, the AFL said. Punk rock band Greenday announced their Wednesday night Gold Coast show was cancelled due to the cyclone, with it “not possible to reschedule” due to the band’s international touring schedule. “With Cyclone Alfred bringing some seriously ****** weather, it’s just not possible to go ahead safely,” the band said in a statement posted on social media. “We know this is a huge disappointment, and we’re just as bummed as you are. Stay safe out there!” Refunds will be processed within 14-21 days, Live Nation wrote in a post to Facebook More to come … Source link #Tropical #Cyclone #Alfreds #impact #felt #Wednesday #destructive #core #approaches #Queensland #coast Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Is the S&P 500 Road to 6400-6500 in Jeopardy? Is the S&P 500 Road to 6400-6500 in Jeopardy? Using the Elliott Wave Principle (EWP), we have been successfully tracking the most likely path forward for the (SPX) over several months. Although there are many ways to navigate the markets and to each their own, we find the EWP to be the most reliable and accurate. Namely, already in November last year,: “Ending Diagonals (EDs) are tricky because all their waves (i-ii-iii-iv-v) comprise three waves: 3-3-3-3-3 = abc-abc-abc-abc-abc. Besides, W-iii typically targets the 123.60% extension of W-i, measured from W-ii. The W-iv then tends to correct back to the 61.80% extension, after which the last W-v targets the 161.80% extension. In this case, we are looking at W-iii to reach at least SPX6060, W-iv should bottom around SPX5725, and W-v can reach at least SPX6260.” (Red) W-iii topped December 6 at $6099, and (red) W-iv may have bottomed out on January 13 at SPX5773, while (red) W-v only reached $6147 on February 19. See Figure 1 below. The former two waves reached their ideal Fibonacci-based target zones (green squares) for an ED, whereas the latter fell well short of it (blue target zone). Therefore, our unfortunately wholly missed the mark. It shows one cannot be always right, and after such a long streak of being on point, a miss is to be expected at some stage. Figure 1. Alternate Elliott Wave Principle count for the SP500 However, we were humble enough to recognize that: “We must keep our Bullish stance until proven otherwise. What would that be? A break below the 3rd (orange) warning level -The February 3 low- at $6003 for starters, but ultimately, the January 13 low at $5773 remains the Bull-Bear line in the sand. Our preferred EW count is wrong if the market moves below these levels.” As such, the break below $6003 already warned us and our premium members ahead of time of worse things to come. That said, let’s go back to the current price action. Although price is the final arbiter, and the markets do not owe us anything, i.e., they do not have to reach ideal target zones, such a big miss is uncommon and troubling for this potential wave count. As such, the index is more likely to complete an irregular expanded flat in EWP terms: W>c>b>a. See Figure 2 below. Besides, the index came within 5p of the ideal 61.80% extension of red W-i, measured from red W-ii, at today’s low, which is as close to the perfect target as possible for a 4th wave in an ED, and coincidentally coincides with the (red) 200-day simple moving average. Figure 2. Preferred Elliott Wave Principle count for the SP500 If the index can hold today’s low, especially the (orange) $5650 level, we can look forward to ideally the (red) 161.80% Fib-extension at $6260. Lastly, sentiment has become highly bearish even though the index made an all-time high less than two weeks ago and has only lost ~6.8% top-to-bottom. Meanwhile, seasonality is turning bullish. See Figure 3 below. Last week’s AAII’s bearish sentiment, expectations that stock prices will fall over the next six months, was 60.6%, which is unusually high and is above its historical average of 31.0% for the 13th time in 15 weeks. It was last higher on September 29, 2022, (60.8%) and was the seventh-highest reading in the survey’s history! CNN’s Fear and Greed Index has been below 25, which is extreme fear territory, for over a week now. However, the average seasonality during the post-US election years shows that the SP500 tends to bottom out around late February. Figure 3. Sentiment and Seasonality Although these conditions are not trade triggers, and seasonality is only an average, it aligns with our “irregular expanded flat” W-iv EWP count. Thus, our Elliott Wave analysis provides specific levels to watch. How the market reacts to those combined with the structure of that reaction will tell us how to adjust if needed: all we can do is anticipate, monitor, and adjust if necessary. Our preferred EW count went off track, but as we stated last, “we’re simply monitoring its progress to see if it aligns with the market’s price action. If yes, stay long and keep monitoring. If not, adjust and take appropriate trading action.” Over the last weeks, we monitored the index, found it started to diverge from our preferred EWP count, and adjusted accordingly. As such, we must also lower the ideal upside target from $6400-6500 to $6260. Thus, now the Bulls have a last chance to reach that level. However, once reached, a much larger correction can start, if not an outright multi-year Bear market. Source link #Road #Jeopardy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]