Three men charged with harassment of BBC presenter
Three men charged with harassment of BBC presenter
BBC
From left to right: Kristofer Alexander Deichler, Jatinder Singh Kamra, and Sukhraj Bir Singh
Three members of a group which was the subject of a BBC programme have been charged with harassment of the show’s presenter Catrin Nye.
A Very British Cult was released in April 2023 and centred on an organisation previously known as Lighthouse International Group.
Kristofer Alexander Deichler, 46, Jatinder Singh Kamra, 45 and Sukhraj Bir Singh, 38, were charged with harassment without violence between 28 August and 6 September 2024.
They have been on bail since they were arrested in London in September last year.
The BBC podcast and TV documentary told the story of Lighthouse – which has since rebranded itself as Lighthouse Global – and how it began as a life coaching organisation led by a man called Paul Waugh.
No date has yet been set for their court hearing.
Source link
#men #charged #harassment #BBC #presenter
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Three defensive plays with good-looking charts as markets shudder
Three defensive plays with good-looking charts as markets shudder
With the S & P 500 finally breaking below a key support level at 5,850, and the former high-flying “Magnificent 7” stocks trading more like the “Meager 7” in 2025, where can investors look to ride out this ******* of market uncertainty? We’ll highlight three stocks with three factors in common: they are in defensive sectors that tend to do well during bear market phases, they have a dividend yield higher than the S & P 500, and they are featuring compelling technical profiles. First, let’s look to the health care sector, which has actually been the top performing S & P 500 in 2025. While other stocks in the health care sector have experienced stronger gains so far in 2025, we’re focused on Bristol Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) because it’s currently working through a consolidation pattern. This sideways pattern started last October, soon after BMY broke above the $54 resistance level from earlier in 2024. With clear resistance around $61, a break above this price point would mean an upside resolution to this sideways trend, and BMY would then be sitting above two upward-sloping moving averages. With a dividend yield just over 4%, and a price trend close to a breakout point, we could see the powerful combination of strong price performance with a healthy dividend component for this emerging health care name. The second best performing sector in 2025 has been consumer staples, and the tobacco group has shown strong performance going back to mid-2024. While other tobacco names have experienced stronger price action, we see British American Tobacco (BTI) as a compelling option because of its recent downside gap to price support. BTI gapped higher in mid-January to achieve a new 52-week high, and traded just above $42 last month before a gap lower after their quarterly earnings call. The earnings miss pushed BTI down about 13% to its 50-day moving average, which once again held as key price support. This successful test of the 50-day came with an RSI value around 40, confirming that BTI remains in a bullish phase. Given the recent pullback, along with a dividend yield just above 7%, we see this as a compelling chart within a strong sector. Utilities became a growth trade in 2024, driven by the incredible power needs of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Shares of American Electric Power Co. (AEP) have recently pushed to a new 52-week high while the S & P 500 and Nasdaq have dropped below key support levels, translating to a strong relative performance line at the bottom of the chart. The break above resistance at $102 last month suggested a new uptrend phase after a seven-month consolidation *******. AEP now sits above two upward-sloping moving averages, along with strong price momentum, improving relative strength, and a dividend yield around 3.4%. When the broad market indexes show clear signs of fatigue, and the previous leadership names begin to struggle, savvy investors look for stocks demonstrating strong relative strength and a decent dividend yield. These three names in defensive sectors could provide opportunities to outperform amidst a ******* of market uncertainty. —David Keller, CMT marketmisbehavior.com DISCLOSURES: (None) All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer.
Source link
#defensive #plays #goodlooking #charts #markets #shudder
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Elevate Your Wellness Journey with a Serene Stay at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Elevate Your Wellness Journey with a Serene Stay at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Whether you’re a self-care connoisseur or a wellness novice in search of a slower pace of travel, the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort and Club has every indulgence you could ask for when it comes to an authentic reset for mind, body, and soul. Idyllically situated on a stunning blufftop in Dana Point, California, the sprawling five-star resort overlooks the ocean and beckons you to take in the coastal views, luxuriate in the sunshine-drenched pool, and explore the gorgeous grounds that boast everything you could possibly need to unwind.
For starters, the hotel just invested over $30 million to refresh its 400 guest rooms and it’s clear the emphasis was on creating classic yet comfortable accommodations that accentuate the mesmerizing panoramic ocean views and tranquil coastal spirit of the area. Take a step outside on your balcony and you’ll soon appreciate the common areas that encourage you to take a deep breath and truly do what moves you. There’s ample lush grounds for golf enthusiasts, a beautifully manicured botanical garden, sophisticated private beach club, three sparkling swimming pools, and a peaceful spa brimming with all of the amenities one would expect.
Indulge in any number of rejuvenating facial and body treatments, book one of many fitness offerings (including beach yoga, coastal run routes, and more), or simply take a mental break with a much-needed wellness activity like a morning meditation sound bath to truly calm the nervous system from the inside out. An unexpected highlight of my recent stay was the invigorating walk from the hotel to the beach, which was the perfect way to fit in movement while enjoying the ocean breeze and blue skies all around. I was also delighted to discover that the spa menu was recently refreshed with dazzling new treatments including the De-Stress Massage, which features OSEA products and targets the vagus nerve, which is integral for calming the body during stressful times.
Once you’re in a relaxed state of mind, make your way towards the entrance, where the picturesque property recently unveiled its brand new lobby and lobby bar, 33 North, which is gorgeously appointed in warm, sunset-inspired neutral tones that evoke a relaxing vibe that’s both inviting and elegant. There’s live music on the weekends, cozy couches and ample seating for moments of socializing (or soul searching), and a full ********* menu (complete with several spirit-proof beverages) to keep the good vibes flowing.
The Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach also has several thoughtful restaurants to pick from, including Aveo Table + Bar, Sombra Cantina (for casual poolside bites), the Monarch Bay Beach Club, Bourbon Steak, and so much more.
If you’re looking for an exquisite hotel experience for a girls getaway, a romantic rendezvous, or a solo stay that’s centered on wellbeing, the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach truly has something for everyone.
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach
Source link
#Elevate #Wellness #Journey #Serene #Stay #Waldorf #Astoria #Monarch #Beach
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
RAC hosts Project Road Smart event in Bunbury to raise awareness about alarming realities of reckless driving
RAC hosts Project Road Smart event in Bunbury to raise awareness about alarming realities of reckless driving
More than 1600 Year 10-12 students from 14 schools have been given a warning about the alarming realities of reckless driving.
Source link
#RAC #hosts #Project #Road #Smart #event #Bunbury #raise #awareness #alarming #realities #reckless #driving
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Red Pine Restaurant & Bar Serves Up Standout ******** Cuisine in Boca ******
Red Pine Restaurant & Bar Serves Up Standout ******** Cuisine in Boca ******
Courtesy of Red Pine Restaurant & Bar
We may be doing a disservice to those diners in the know of Red Pine Restaurant & Bar letting everyone else know where this standout ******** restaurant is.
Nestled in the lobby of an office building in Boca ****** with no exterior signage, the spacious eatery (named to symbolize longevity, health, and wisdom in ******** tradition) enjoys an elusive location. Upon entering though, it was clear the secret was out.
The beautiful interior features high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling walls of glass, several dining areas with sumptuous red banquettes, and bustling bar packed with an after-work, happy hour crowd snacking on cheap bar bites paired up with discounted craft cocktails and wines by the glass.
Courtesy of Red Pine Restaurant & Bar
Red Pine’s menu is designed to be shared, and each dish is served family style.
There are familiar classics like General Tso’s chicken and Dan Dan noodles, but the chef’s creativity really shines in flavor-filled dishes like ****** Bean Pepper Beef (tenderloin tips served with baby Bok choy, and charred peppers and onions) and a spiced-up Kung Pao Chicken made even better with three chili and Sichuan pepper tossed with fresh snow peas, peppers, and peanuts.
The menu here focuses on serving up a wide selection of dishes, inspired by recipes collected from ******** restaurants throughout the world. What also makes Red Pine so unique is their integration of the freshest seasonal ingredients designed to make every dish stand out.
Courtesy of Red Pine Restaurant & Bar
For example, their half-roasted Peking duck is served two ways – traditional with a side of Mushu pancakes, cucumbers, pickled Daikon radish and scallion, and house made plum sauce and hoisin sauce; as well as Peking duck lettuce cups. Be sure to allow about 30 minutes prep time for this entrée that can be shared between two to three diners.
Dim Sum, Dumplings, Soups, Vegetables & Greens, Noodles, Fried Rice, and Big Wok categorize the easily approachable menu.
Courtesy of Red Pine Restaurant & Bar
Start off with a shareable sampling of Dim Sum like the steamed bao buns topped with Char Sui pork and spicy cabbage slaw, or their famous sticky spareribs served with an addicting hoisin soy glaze.
Moving right along, the pork long dumplings served traditional style should not be missed.
They also offer chicken dumplings served with a unique chili cinnamon sauce and an indulgent Wagyu beef offering with ****** garlic soy sauce, onion crunch, Chiu Chow chili and truffle oil.
Courtesy of Red Pine Restaurant & Bar
Other dishes we look forward to trying next visit include Hong Kong style noodles, “angry pig” fried rice, Maine lobster fried rice, chili garlic shrimp, and spice braised short rib.
Be sure to save room for dessert. The milk tea sponge cake featuring a vanilla cake soaked with jasmine tea infused milk accompanied by brown sugar milk tea ice cream was large enough to share, but so good you may not want to.
Red Pine Restaurant & Bar is located at One Town Center Road in Boca ******.
Source link
#Red #Pine #Restaurant #Bar #Serves #Standout #******** #Cuisine #Boca #******
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
EU plans law to give car services groups access to vehicle data
EU plans law to give car services groups access to vehicle data
By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Commission aims to propose draft legislation this year that would allow insurers, leasing companies and repair shops fair access to valuable vehicle data, according to its auto industry action plan to be published on Wednesday.
Provided it gets the backing of member states, the law could end a tussle between car services groups, Big Tech and automakers that are all seeking to monetise in-vehicle data as they seek to develop new products and services.
The data covers anything from driving habits to fuel consumption and tyre wear, and analysts have said it means the connected car market could be worth hundreds of billions of euros by the end of the decade.
Ownership of the data is not clearly defined in EU law, which has resulted in the current dispute over access.
“Due to many specificities of connected motor vehicles and its potential to open new business opportunities, including on ***-directional and smart charging, complementary measures are needed,” said the draft auto industry action plan seen by Reuters.
“The Commission will therefore take adequate measures, including a legislative proposal on access to vehicle data, to allow the full automotive ecosystem to reap the benefits of data from connected vehicles,” it said, with the proposal planned for this year.
Carmakers have cautioned against legislation that could impose blanket obligations on them and also warned of the risks to trade secrets as well as data misuse.
The auto industry has in addition voiced concern that Big Tech could soon dominate the infotainment systems on cars’ dashboards. Alphabet’s Google and Apple have already got a foothold in the market.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Barbara Lewis)
Source link
#plans #law #give #car #services #groups #access #vehicle #data
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Cheap? Nvidia valuation nearing 10-year lows, according to Bernstein
Cheap? Nvidia valuation nearing 10-year lows, according to Bernstein
Bernstein is taking a contrarian view on Nvidia stock even as other investors signal that valuations had grown for the broader artificial intelligence trade and as tariffs weigh on sentiment and depress prices. In fact, Bernstein managing director and senior analyst Stacy Rasgon argued that Nvidia’s valuation is a buying opportunity for investors, now that the stock is trading at roughly 25 times the next twelve months, or ****, estimated earnings. Rasgon says that’s the lowest forward valuation level in a year for Nvidia and close to a 10-year low. “Worries that the AI trade is ‘over’ feel a little premature to us, and valuation is getting increasingly attractive,” Rasgon said. “Sentiment has clearly pivoted for now on the AI group. However, spending intentions seemingly continue to rise, a product cycle is just kicking off, and we have GTC coming in a few weeks.” GTC refers to Nvidia’s GPU Technology Conference , an AI conference for researchers, developers, engineers and investors. It has usually been profitable for investors to buy Nvidia at a 25 times **** P/E ratio, with an average return of 150% over the past 10 years at that level, Rasgon said. Bernstein has an outperform rating on Nvidia alongside a $185 per share price target, implying about 62% upside moving forward. Nvidia stock has pulled back close to 14% so far in 2025. Earlier Tuesday, the decline was closer to 17%. NVDA YTD mountain Nvidia over the past year. “It is clear that the Blackwell introduction has not gone as smoothly as the company might have hoped, and there remains added volatility given how laser-focused investors are on this supply chain,” Rasgon wrote in a report on Tuesday. “However, it does seem they have worked through things.” Rasgon cautioned that the potential headwind Bernstein is most closely keeping an eye on is how stringent President Donald Trump’s export restrictions on China will ultimately prove. “For what it is worth, every ~$10B would account for ~25 cents in NVDA EPS; a full China datacenter ban would likely impact EPS ($5-6 baseline?) by mid to high single digits, with the stock already pulling back by much more than that,” Rasgon said. Questions have recently emerged about the actual level of demand for AI applications and projects. Microsoft recently slashed some of its leases for data centers , walking away from its most ambitious expansion plans and signaling that the company backing OpenAI may be reappraising the future growth of generative AI.
Source link
#Cheap #Nvidia #valuation #nearing #10year #lows #Bernstein
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
We had chances to post 300, and needed to do so: Smith
We had chances to post 300, and needed to do so: Smith
Steve Smith felt Australia did not take advantage of their opportunities with the bat, and so failed to post a score large enough to put pressure on India.
Source link
#chances #post #needed #Smith
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Supreme Court sides with San Francisco, makes it harder for EPA to police sewage discharges
Supreme Court sides with San Francisco, makes it harder for EPA to police sewage discharges
A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday made it harder for environmental regulators to limit water pollution, ruling for San Francisco in a case about the discharge of raw sewage that sometimes occurs during heavy rains.
By a 5-4 vote, the court’s conservative majority ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency overstepped its authority under the Clean Water Act with water pollution permits that contain vague requirements for maintaining water quality.
The decision is the latest in which conservative justices have reined in pollution control efforts.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the court that the EPA can set specific limits that tell cities and counties what can be discharged. But the agency lacks the authority “to include ‘end-result’ provisions,” Alito wrote, that make cities and counties responsible for maintaining the quality of the water, the Pacific Ocean in this case, into which wastewater is discharged.
“When a permit contains such requirements, a permittee that punctiliously follows every specific requirement in its permit may nevertheless face crushing penalties if the quality of the water in its receiving waters falls below the applicable standards,” he wrote.
One conservative justice, Amy Coney Barrett, joined the court’s three liberals in dissent. Limits on discharges sometimes still don’t insure water quality standards are met, Barrett wrote.
“The concern that the technology-based effluent limitations may fall short is on display in this case,” Barrett wrote, adding that “discharges from components of San Francisco’s sewer system have allegedly led to serious breaches of the water quality standards, such as ‘discoloration, *****, and floating material, including toilet paper, in Mission Creek.'”
The case produced an unusual alliance of the liberal northern California city, energy companies and business groups.
The EPA has issued thousands of the permits, known as narrative permits, over several decades, former acting general counsel Kevin Minoli said.
The narrative permits have operated almost as a backstop in case permits that quantify what can be discharged still result in unacceptable water quality, Minoli said.
With the new restrictions imposed by the court, “the question is what comes in place of those limits,” Minoli said.
Alito downplayed the impact of the decision, writing that the agency has “the tools needed” to insure water quality standards are met.
In response to the decision, the Sierra Club, a grassroots environmental organization headquartered in Oakland, California, released a statement.
The decision “ignores the basic reality of how water bodies and water pollution works, and could stymie the ability of the EPA to implement the Clean Water Act, a bedrock environmental law that has kept water safe for the last 50 years,” Sanjay Narayan, chief appellate counsel at the Sierra Club’s environmental law program, said.
“Because the EPA is not allowed to include health-based standards when regulating water pollution, it’ll need to know everything about what might be discharged before a clean-water permit can be issued — making the permitting process delayed and incredibly expensive,” Narayan said. “The result is likely to be a new system where the public is regularly subjected to unsafe water quality.”
Source link
#Supreme #Court #sides #San #Francisco #harder #EPA #police #sewage #discharges
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
French defense minister responds to JD Vance comments on post-conflict peacekeeping force in Ukraine
French defense minister responds to JD Vance comments on post-conflict peacekeeping force in Ukraine
French defense minister responds to JD Vance comments on post-conflict peacekeeping force in Ukraine
Source link
#French #defense #minister #responds #Vance #comments #postconflict #peacekeeping #force #Ukraine
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
CFPB drops JPMorgan, Bank of America, Wells Fargo lawsuit over Zelle fraud
CFPB drops JPMorgan, Bank of America, Wells Fargo lawsuit over Zelle fraud
FILE PHOTO: Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Acting Director Russell Vought testifies before House Budget Committee on 2020 Budget on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 12, 2019.
Yuri Gripas | Reuters
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Tuesday dismissed its lawsuit against the operator of the Zelle payments network and the three U.S. banks that dominate transactions on it.
The CFPB sued Early Warning Services, which runs the peer-to-peer payments network, as well as JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo in December, alleging that the firms failed to properly investigate fraud complaints or give victims reimbursement.
The CFPB “dismisses this action against Defendants Early Warning Services, LLC, Bank of America, N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., with prejudice,” the regulator said in its filing.
Since Acting Director Russell Vought has taken over the CFPB, the agency has dropped at least a half dozen cases brought by his predecessor, Rohit Chopra. The agency is now embroiled in a legal battle after a union representing CFPB employees sued to halt mass firings and the purging of data that would’ve happened under Vought and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
The CFPB said customers of the three banks have lost more than $870 million since the launch of Zelle in 2017. The service was launched to provide bank customers an alternative to peer-to-peer platforms including PayPal. Last year Zelle crossed $1 trillion in total volumes, which it said was the most ever for a peer-to-peer platform.
Since the recent cases were dismissed with prejudice, the CFPB has agreed to never bring these claims again, shutting off the possibility of clawing back funds for consumer relief, former head of enforcement Eric Halperin told CNBC last week.
A spokeswoman for the Zelle brand said they welcomed the dismissal and reiterated an assertion that the CFPB lawsuit was “legally and factually flawed.”
“Banks have consistently followed the law in offering services through Zelle,” Lindsey Johnson, president of the Consumer Bankers Association, said in a statement after the dismissal. “In a time when fraud and scam activity is surging … we look forward to moving past finger-pointing and political grandstanding and instead working constructively with policymakers to counter the root causes of these threats.”
Source link
#CFPB #drops #JPMorgan #Bank #America #Wells #Fargo #lawsuit #Zelle #fraud
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Here's how tariffs will hit the U.S. housing market – CNBC
Here's how tariffs will hit the U.S. housing market – CNBC
Here’s how tariffs will hit the U.S. housing market CNBCSeattle-area homebuyers face a new hit The Seattle TimesTrump’s tariffs would make housing more expensive in the Bay Area. How much? It depends on what you’re building — and where The Mercury NewsTariffs and the spring housing market – hard on boomers, helpful for young buyers The Globe and Mail
Source link
#Here039s #tariffs #hit #U.S #housing #market #CNBC
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Woman charged with murdering two-year-old found in Hampshire pond
Woman charged with murdering two-year-old found in Hampshire pond
Family handout
Annabel Mackey was a “beautiful, positive and very happy little girl”, her father said
A woman has been charged with the ******* a two-year-old girl who died after being found in a village pond.
Annabel Mackey was discovered unresponsive in Kingsley Pond, near Bordon, Hampshire, on 10 September 2023, shortly after she was reported missing. She was pronounced dead in hospital a day later.
Alice Mackey, 42, of Gibbs Lane, Oakhanger, has been remanded in custody to appear at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Earlier, Annabel’s father paid tribute to the toddler who he described as a “shining star” who will be “loved forever”.
He said Annabel was a “beautiful, positive and very happy little girl”.
“She had an incredibly pure and caring nature that we miss so much,” he said.
“She loved story time, dogs and her dolly. She enjoyed singing songs and nursery rhymes and had a very sweet tooth.
“Annabel loved to laugh, she brought so much happiness into our lives.
“She was dearly loved by her family and friends. Thank you to everyone who was a positive influence in her life. Please continue Annabel’s legacy by remembering her and caring for others as much as she did.
“The world needs more people like Annabel to spread positivity and kindness.
“Annabel, I love you so much, you are a shining star and you will be loved forever.”
Annabel was reported missing from her home on Forge Road, Kingsley, on Sunday 10 September 2023.
Police later cordoned off a house on the road, which is about 1,500ft (460m) from the large pond along a rough track.
Source link
#Woman #charged #murdering #twoyearold #Hampshire #pond
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Man allegedly armed self with knife after high-speed jaunt spanning from Carey Park to Donnybrook
Man allegedly armed self with knife after high-speed jaunt spanning from Carey Park to Donnybrook
A 25-year-old man allegedly armed with a knife has been charged by WA Police after an alleged reckless high-speed jaunt from Carey Park to Donnybrook.
Source link
#Man #allegedly #armed #knife #highspeed #jaunt #spanning #Carey #Park #Donnybrook
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Sony announces centralized PlayStation Beta Program for PS5 and PC
Sony announces centralized PlayStation Beta Program for PS5 and PC
Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced a new PlayStation Beta Program.
It will serve as an umbrella beta program for both PS5 and PC experiences.
“The Beta Program at PlayStation will create an easy, centralized place for you to register your interest in a range of future PlayStation betas,” explained Sid Shuman, senior director, Sony Interactive Entertainment content communications.
“A single registration for Beta Program at PlayStation will allow you to express interest in gaining beta access to test participating games for the PS5 console and PC, new PS5 console features, PlayStation App features, and even user experience features on PlayStation.com.
“You only need to sign up once to express interest in these various betas, and if you receive an invitation to a specific beta, it’s up to you to decide whether you’d like to participate or not,” he added in a PlayStation Blog post.
Beta registration will “begin to open up globally” starting today, meaning it isn’t currently available in all regions, but it should be soon.
While players can register for the chance to be considered for future PlayStation betas, Sony said that doing so doesn’t guarantee participation.
To register, player must have a PlayStation Network account “in good standing”, live in a region where the Beta Program is available, and meet the legal age requirement for their region.
March’s PlayStation Plus Essential games were released earlier today. They are Dragon Age: The Veilguard (PS5), Sonic Colors Ultimate (PS4) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection (PS4, PS5).
Source link
#Sony #announces #centralized #PlayStation #Beta #Program #PS5
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Nvidia RTX 5070 Founders Edition won’t be available on launch day, coming ‘later in March’
Nvidia RTX 5070 Founders Edition won’t be available on launch day, coming ‘later in March’
Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5070 will launch on March 5; however, the Founders Edition model will not be available for purchase until later this month. The development has been confirmed by Andreas Schilling at Hardwareluxx, who shared that Nvidia informed him of the delay just hours before the scheduled reviews were published.
Despite the delay in the availability of the Founders Edition, it is expected that third-party versions from board partners such as Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI will be available on launch day. However, it is likely that the launch will not be a smooth sailing as stock levels may be limited, with some retailers not receiving any inventory initially.
You think you can buy a GeForce RTX 5070 Founders Edition tomorrow? No, NVIDIA told us 2 1/2 hours before review drop:”The RTX 5070 Founders Edition will be available later in March.” pic.twitter.com/8BntkzNc7TMarch 4, 2025
As a quick refresher, the RTX 5070 is currently the most affordable GPU option under the latest RTX 50 series with a $549 price tag. It features 6,144 CUDA cores, 192 Tensor Cores (5th Gen), and 48 Ray Tracing Cores (4th Gen). The card operates at a boost clock speed of 2,512 MHz and comes equipped with 12GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit interface, providing a memory bandwidth of 672 GB/sec.
Per our testing, the RTX 5070 outperforms its predecessor, the RTX 4070, by 19% at 1440p, with its advantage growing to 22% at 4K. However, its lead narrows to 16% at 1080p ultra and 14% at 1080p medium, likely due to CPU bottlenecks. Compared to the RTX 5070 Ti, the 5070 is 20% slower at 1440p and 24% slower at 4K. The RTX 5070 is approximately 11–13% slower than Radeon RX 7900 XT but outperforms the 7800 XT by around 17%.
Consumers interested in the RTX 5070 Founders Edition will need to await further updates from Nvidia regarding its availability later this month. In the meantime, those eager to upgrade may consider third-party RTX 5070 models or explore AMD’s forthcoming Radeon RX 9070 offerings, which are scheduled to launch a day later on March 6. AMD has reportedly ensured better stock availability for its upcoming release, potentially giving it an advantage in the current market scenario.
Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Source link
#Nvidia #RTX #Founders #Edition #wont #launch #day #coming #March
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
These U.S. states may be hit hardest by Canada’s retaliatory measures, as Trudeau predicts ‘harm’ for American families
These U.S. states may be hit hardest by Canada’s retaliatory measures, as Trudeau predicts ‘harm’ for American families
Traffic flows towards the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., Monday, February 14, 2022 (THE ********* PRESS/Nicole Osborne) · The ********* Press
Canada’s first wave of counter tariffs on U.S. imports took effect on Tuesday, with more to follow, according to plans laid out by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. U.S. Census Bureau data suggest North Dakota could be hardest hit among U.S. states, with over 80 per cent of its exports destined for America’s northern neighbour.
Trudeau says the first wave of ********* tariffs will target $30 billion worth of U.S. goods, with further levies on $125 billion worth of products going into force in 21 days.
“Our tariffs will remain in place until the U.S. trade action is withdrawn, and should U.S. tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures,” he said in a statement late Monday.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Trudeau said Canada will also file dispute resolution claims at the World Trade Organization and through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
“There are no winners in a trade war,” Trudeau said, directly addressing U.S. citizens. “We want to work with you as a friend, an ally. And we don’t want to see you hurt either. But your government has chosen to do this to you.”
He added the newly launched trade war “will first and foremost harm American families.”
According to U.S. Census Bureau data compiled by the American online loan marketplace LendingTree, North Dakota is most vulnerable to retaliatory tariffs from Canada. The state exports US$7.2 billion worth of goods to Canada annually, representing over 81 per cent of overall exports. North Dakota’s top exports include petroleum and coal products, machinery, and agricultural products.
Maine has the next largest export exposure to Canada, according to LendingTree’s report, with 49 per cent of its exports heading north. Montana, South Dakota, and Michigan round out the top five.
In dollar terms, Texas is the largest exporter to Canada, at US$36 billion annually. The Lone Star state is followed by Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Illinois.
When it comes to Trump’s tariffs on U.S. imports from Canada, Montana is most exposed, with 92 per cent of its overall imports coming from Canada. Maine (69 per cent), Vermont (68 per cent), North Dakota (64 per cent), and Wyoming (55 per cent) are the top five by percentage of imports from Canada.
In dollar terms, Illinois tops the list at US$65.4 billion annually, followed by Michigan, Texas, New York and Washington.
Last month, a LendingTree survey of 1,999 U.S. consumers aged 18 to 79 found 44 per cent expect tariffs will negatively impact their finances. The remaining respondents were evenly split, with 28 per cent expecting a positive impact, and 28 per cent predicting no effect.
Story Continues
Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist.
Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
Source link
#U.S #states #hit #hardest #Canadas #retaliatory #measures #Trudeau #predicts #harm #American #families
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
How tariffs will hit the U.S. housing market
How tariffs will hit the U.S. housing market
New homes being built in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. on Sept. 24th, 2024.
Adam Jeffery | CNBC
From lumber to drywall to appliances to finishings, much of what goes into a U.S. home comes from outside American borders.
The cost of those products is about to go up, as President Donald Trump’s administration imposes tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada. Goods from China are now subject to a 20% tax, an increase from a previous 10% tax, and those from Canada and Mexico face a 25% tax. ********* lumber was already subject to separate duties of 14.5%.
The new tariffs could increase builder costs anywhere from $7,500 to $10,000 per home, said Rob Dietz, chief economist at the National Association of Home Builders, citing estimates from U.S. homebuilders. Last year the NAHB estimated that every $1,000 increase in the median price of a new home prices out roughly 106,000 potential buyers.
The greatest impact to homebuilders will be from lumber cost increases, which are expected to total about $4,900 per home on average, according to Leading Builders of America, the trade group representing most of the nation’s publicly traded homebuilders.
Roughly a third of the lumber used in U.S. homebuilding comes from Canada, and domestic lumber producers are expected to raise their prices to match the imported supply.
“Since Trump first imposed the tariffs on Feb. 1, which were then delayed, we’ve seen some increase in buying with prices for Western Spruce-Pine-Fir two-by-fours increasing 13%,” said Paul Jannke, principal at Forest Economic Advisors. “With the re-imposition of the 25% tariff on ********* goods shipped to the U.S., we expect ********* producers will stop shipping lumber to the U.S. Meanwhile, dealers, who have been hesitant to buy given uncertainty around the tariffs, will need to step up purchases ahead of the coming building season. This will drive prices higher.”
Lumber futures are up 5% in the past week and were rising steadily Tuesday.
Trump on Saturday issued an executive order to increase domestic lumber production through a streamlining of regulatory and permitting processes. The homebuilding industry took that as a win.
“A stable and affordable supply of lumber is critically important for our industry to address the country’s housing supply crisis,” wrote Ken Gear, CEO of the LBA, in a statement. “The domestic lumber industry cannot meet current demand, so we applaud President Trump for exploring opportunities to increase domestic supply as a long term solution.”
The NAHB, which represents small to mid-sized private builders, “welcomed” the move, but said in a statement, “Any additional tariffs on lumber could further increase the cost of construction and discourage new development, and consumers end up paying for the tariffs in the form of higher home prices.”
As for ramping up domestic production immediately, that’s easier said than done. Jannke estimates it would take up to three years to build multiple new mills. He explained that there are a limited number of companies that manufacture sawmill machinery and even fewer, perhaps one or two, that can build a mill top to bottom.
High demand during the first years of the Covid-19 pandemic, when homebuilders were going gangbusters, had lumber producers rushing to expand.
“However, so many folks wanted to build [or] expand mills, that the lead times from equipment manufacturers moved out to two years,” Jannke said. “On top of that, once a mill was built, labor had to be found to operate the mill. These mills are in rural areas that tend not to have the skilled labor force needed to operate a modern sawmill. This added another year before the mill was operating at full capacity.”
The labor force, from logging to hauling, is already lean and decreasing. Opening up new land and deregulating the industry is one thing, but finding the workers to bring U.S. lumber to market is another.
“In the short term it is going to be very volatile from a pricing perspective,” said Kyle Little, chief operating officer at Melville, New York-based Sherwood Lumber. As for increasing production, “that won’t be a flip of a switch. You’re taking a 40-year supply chain and trying to switch overnight – that’s hard.”
Homebuying landscape
Beyond lumber, the homebuilding industry is subject to rising costs across the sector.
China is the market leader in household appliances. And, the majority of drywall, or gypsum, used in both commercial and residential construction is imported from other countries. In 2023, the U.S. imported $215 million in gypsum, becoming the largest importer of the product in the world, according to OEC World, a trade data platform. It primarily comes from Spain, Mexico and Canada.
“Rising costs due to tariffs on imports will leave builders with few options. They can choose to pass higher costs along to consumers, which will mean higher home prices, or try to use less of these materials, which will mean smaller homes,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com.
Hale noted that while new construction will see the biggest impact, tariffs will change the landscape of the housing market overall, including existing homes.
“We may see buyers’ willingness to pay rise for existing homes as newly built homes get pricier, which would mean rising prices for existing homes, too. We may also see a lower appetite for major remodeling projects that would rely on these tariff affected inputs, hamstringing the ability of consumers to remake their homes to fit their current needs,” she added.
While costs for home construction will certainly rise, the Trump administration is touting lower mortgage interest rates in the past few weeks. The average rate on the 30-year fixed hit its most recent high of 7.26% on Jan. 13, according to Mortgage News Daily. It is now down to about 6.64%.
“I think thus far, one of the biggest wins for the American people is since Election Day, and since Inauguration, mortgage rates have come down dramatically,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in an interview on Fox News Tuesday.
Bessent noted the spread between the 10-year Treasury and mortgage rates narrowed, though that spread has in fact widened significantly since Trump took office.
The tariffs come at a time when the U.S. housing market is already under pressure. Signed contracts on existing homes dropped to the lowest level on record in January, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales of newly built homes dropped 10% in January, compared with December, according to the U.S. Census. And prices are still stubbornly high, with the inventory of homes for ***** still historically low.
Source link
#tariffs #hit #U.S #housing #market
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
Argentines in Rome Pray for Pope Francis
Argentines in Rome Pray for Pope Francis
On Sunday evening, Mariarosa Cavañas lit a candle in front of a small chapel in the Church of Santa Maria Addolorata — the national church of Argentina in Rome — where a photo of Pope Francis was affixed on a dais next to a prayer for his good health. On the back wall of the chapel sat a small statue of Our Lady of Lujàn, the patron saint of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, and a prayer entrusting Francis to her care.
“I hope he gets better,” said Ms. Cavañas, an Argentine who works as a nurse auxiliary in Rome. She was among the dozens of faithful who had flocked to the church for a Mass that brings Rome’s Argentine community together on the first Sunday of every month. This Sunday, their ailing compatriot Francis was very much on everyone’s mind, and in their prayers.
Francis has been in a Rome hospital with pneumonia and other infections since Feb. 14. On Tuesday evening, the ******** said that Francis’ condition was stable after suffering two acute respiratory episodes the previous day.
“I am very sad, and I’ve been praying for him,” said Marcela Perez, who works for a institute that houses six nuns in Rome. “All of Argentina is praying for the pope.”
Millions around the world have been offering prayers for Francis since he entered the hospital. But members of the Argentine community that meets at the church of Santa Maria Addolorata, built a century ago by Argentine bishops, said they felt particularly close to him.
About 1,200 Argentines live in Rome, according to the Rome-based IDOS study and research center, which tracks immigration in Italy. Aptly, the church is in Piazza Buenos Aires, which borders some of Rome’s most well-heeled neighborhoods.
Dozens of get-well wishes were scribbled — nearly all in Spanish — in a guest book in the chapel. The Rev. Fernando Laguna, the church’s rector, said it would be delivered to Pope Francis at the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli where he is being treated.
Before he became Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio used to occasionally say Mass at the church, recalled Mary Cuartas, a retired dentist.
“We always pray for the pope,” said Father Laguna, but the prayers have “intensified” since Francis was admitted to the hospital. In front of the main altar, next to a statue of Our Lady of Lujàn, was another photo of Francis with the entreaty “For the Health of the Holy Father.”
Francis remains closely attached to his native country. He is a fan of San Lorenzo, a Buenos Aires soccer team — though he hasn’t seen a game on television for decades, having vowed to never again watch television after being “deeply offended” by a “sordid scene” he saw onscreen in 1990, he said in his autobiography, “Hope.”
But he added that he was kept informed about the team thanks to a “Swiss guardsman who leaves the results and league tables on my desk.” In “Hope,” which was published in January, Francis recounts that he has kept in touch with several of his childhood friends, who often visit him if they pass through Rome.
“There’s always a lot of Argentines around,” said Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the ********’s foreign minister. “He sometimes assumes a personal responsibility,” remaining in touch with Argentine clerics and nuns in far-flung places.
On a physically grueling 11-day trip to the Asia-Pacific region last September, Francis flew 600 miles to Vanimo, a remote outpost of Papua New Guinea, to spend an afternoon with a group of missionaries from Argentina and local Catholics. The priests served him mate, a traditional herbal drink that is common in South America.
Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, Francis has been in near nightly contact with a parish led by an Argentine priest in the enclave, although the calls became less frequent after he entered hospital.
Francis also hasn’t lost his taste for Argentine food.
Angel Moavro, one of the owners of Baires, an Argentine restaurant in downtown Rome, said Francis’ compatriots often came to buy homemade desserts to bring to the pope, including alfajores, a popular sandwich cookie, churros — “which are Spanish but we eat them a lot in Argentina,” Mr. Moavro said — and budin de pan, a bread pudding.
Since his hospitalization began, Francis’ normally outspoken voice had all but disappeared, save for short messages via Angelus prayers on Sundays, and it was sorely missed, said Mr. Moavro. “We really need him these days” to help mediate, he said, referring to the explosive confrontation at the White House between President Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.
“Certainly, once he’s back he’s going to have to take more care of himself,” he said.
Ms. Cuartas said she could hardly wait until Francis returned to Casa Santa Marta, the guesthouse inside the ******** where the pope has chosen to live. But then, she added, “he has to go visit Argentina.”
A visit, or rather lack there of, to his homeland has become a sore point for many Argentines.
John Paul II went to Poland, his native home, eight times during his papacy. Benedict XVI went to Germany, where he was born, three times. But in the 12 years of his papacy, Francis has not set foot in Argentina.
“A trip to Argentina is a pending subject,” said Elisabetta Piqué, an Argentine journalist and biographer of Pope Francis. She said she believed Francis had always felt that a trip home might be politically manipulated by whichever leader happened to be in charge at the time. “So he’s kept putting it off, and obviously this has created a lot of frustration in Argentina,” she said.
Another biographer, Austen Ivereigh, said Francis had told him that he wanted to go to Argentina only “if the visit would be a source of unity and healing in a very fractured and divided society,” and that it remained unclear whether that would be the case. “Argentina is famous for its polarized culture” he said.
“It’s always been complex” to plan a trip to Argentina, Mr. Ivereigh said, adding that Francis also believed that other countries had needed a papal visit more than his native country.
After Mass on Sunday, as they do each month, the dozens of Argentine expats gathered in the church hall to eat empanadas made by volunteers.
Federico Gatti, who works in risk assessment for an American import export company, said the Argentine community in Rome saw Francis as one of their own. “For us, it’s as though our grandfather is ill, we want him to get better,” he said. “So one prays, hopes he will get better, in the hope that he will regain his forces and the support of all the church on this path.”
Jason Horowitz contributed reporting.
Source link
#Argentines #Rome #Pray #Pope #Francis
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
'Dumb': Canada, Mexico blast historic Trump tariffs, threaten retaliation – ABC News
'Dumb': Canada, Mexico blast historic Trump tariffs, threaten retaliation – ABC News
‘Dumb’: Canada, Mexico blast historic Trump tariffs, threaten retaliation ABC NewsDow falls by almost 600 points as Trump’s tariffs threaten a dangerous trade war CNNTrump’s Goal in Trade War Is to Annex Canada, Trudeau Says BloombergTrudeau to Americans on Trump tariffs: “Your government has chosen to do this to you” AxiosAmerica’s Flex The New York Times
Source link
#039Dumb039 #Canada #Mexico #blast #historic #Trump #tariffs #threaten #retaliation #ABC #News
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
PlayStation’s New Beta Program Will Let You Test New Console Features Early
PlayStation’s New Beta Program Will Let You Test New Console Features Early
PlayStation has unveiled a new beta program that will make it easier to access game betas, test out new PS5 and PlayStation App features early, and more.
Aptly called the “Beta Program at PlayStation,” this new initiative is similar to the Xbox Insider program Microsoft currently runs for its gaming hardware and apps. Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Sid Shuman describes this program as “an easy, centralized place for you to register your interest in a range of future PlayStation betas” in a PlayStation Blog post. Essentially, players can now register at the program’s official website and be in the loop on future beta initiatives by Sony.
The official key art for the Beta Program at PlayStation initiative
By signing up for the Beta Program at PlayStation, players will essentially be enrolled for a chance to gain beta access to future software betas that Sony holds for PlayStation. The PlayStation Blog post specifically calls out beta tests for PS5 and PC games, new PS5 console and PlayStation App features, and new UI capabilities on PlayStation.com. Companies like Sony need to thoroughly test games and software updates before they release them to the masses. This new program gives Sony a way to involve fans in that process.
While the website is down as of the writing of this article, the Beta Program at PlayStation initiative has a website of its own where interested PlayStation fans can sign up for free. All you need is to meet the age and region requirements and to have an active PlayStation Network account with no restrictions or violations currently applied to it.
Source link
#PlayStations #Beta #Program #Test #Console #Features #Early
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Spitting Image and Dead Ringers creator dies
Spitting Image and Dead Ringers creator dies
Comedy writer and producer Bill Dare, who worked on shows including ITV’s Spitting Image and BBC’s Dead Ringers, has died, his agent has said.
The 64-year-old created several award-winning satirical programmes for TV and radio over a decades-long career.
In a statement, his agent said he had “died at the weekend following an accident overseas” but did not provide further details.
In a post on social media, Dead Ringers star Jon Culshaw called Dare the “wisest comedy alchemist and the dearest, dearest friend”.
Dare also worked on programmes including The Late Edition and I’ve Never Seen Star Wars.
His topical satire show Dead Ringers is set to mark its 25th anniversary on BBC Radio 4 this year.
Dare also produced The Now Show, a biting take on the news which ran on Radio 4 from 1998 to 2024.
Former EastEnders actress Tracy-Ann Oberman said on Instagram that she was “devastated” at the news and that her “entire comedy career was down to Bill”.
Julia McKenzie, comedy commissioner for Radio 4, said: “Bill has been a huge part of Radio 4 comedy for decades, as a writer and producer, and listeners will have heard his legendary name at the end of many of their favourite shows.”
She added: “He was funny and very dry in person, amusingly cynical when he needed to be and always pushed to keep the comedy he made, and particularly satire, spiky.
“He will leave a big hole in the comedy world and in our hearts.”
Richard Morris, the creative director of comedy and entertainment at BBC Studios Audio, said: “Bill was a legendary figure in the comedy world and we, his friends and colleagues in radio, will miss him hugely.
“We’ll miss the sharp wit and wisdom he brought to every production he worked on.”
In a statement released on Monday, Dare’s representatives at JFL Agency said: “We are shocked and greatly saddened to have to announce the death of our brilliant client Bill Dare, who died at the weekend following an accident overseas.
“Our thoughts are with his wife Lucy, daughter Rebecca, and with all of Bill’s family and friends who will be devastated by his loss.
“Bill was a truly legendary producer and writer, and his comedy instincts were second to none.”
Source link
#Spitting #Image #Dead #Ringers #creator #dies
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
What is Root Cause Analysis?
What is Root Cause Analysis?
Root cause analysis (RCA) is a method for understanding the underlying cause of an observed or experienced incident. It examines the incident’s causal factors, focusing on why, how and when they occurred. An organization often initiates an RCA to get at the principal source of a problem to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Root cause analysis is a step beyond problem-solving, which focuses on taking corrective action when an incident occurs. In contrast, an RCA gets at a problem’s root cause. When a system breaks or changes, investigators should perform an RCA to fully understand the incident and what caused it. Because of this added clarity, RCA is commonly used in areas like IT operations, manufacturing, healthcare, accident analysis and risk management.
In this diagram, the problem is defined in the head of the fishbone shape, and its causes and effects are splayed out behind it.
In some cases, an RCA is used to better understand why a system is operating in a certain way or is outperforming comparable systems. For the most part, however, the focus is on problems — especially when they affect critical systems. An RCA identifies all factors that contribute to the problem, connecting events in a meaningful way so that the issue can be properly addressed and prevented from reoccurring. Only by getting to the root of the problem, rather than focusing on the symptoms, is it possible to identify how, when and why the problem occurred.
Problems that warrant an RCA can result from human error, malfunctioning physical systems, issues with business processes or operations, or other reasons.
For example, investigators might launch an RCA when machinery fails in a manufacturing plant, an airplane makes an emergency landing, or a web application experiences a service disruption. Any anomaly can potentially necessitate an RCA.
The goals of root cause analysis
The primary purpose of root cause analysis is to reduce risk to the overall organization. The information discovered in this process can be used to enhance a system’s reliability. The main goals of an RCA are threefold:
Identify exactly what has been occurring, going beyond just the symptoms to get to the actual sequence of events and primary causes.
Understand what it will take to address the incident or apply what has been learned from that incident, while considering its causal factors.
Apply what has been learned to prevent the problem from reoccurring or duplicate the underlying conditions.
When an RCA achieves these goals, it can offer several benefits to a wide range of industries. When used effectively, root cause analysis can help improve medical treatments, reduce on-the-job injuries, deliver better application performance, optimize infrastructure uptime, minimize machinery maintenance, provide safer transportation and benefit various other systems and processes.
Root cause analysis principles
Root cause analysis is flexible enough to accommodate different types of industries and individual circumstances. Yet beneath this flexibility, the following four important principles are essential to making RCA work:
1. Learn why, how and when the incident occurred. These questions work together to provide a complete picture of the underlying causes. For example, it can be difficult to know why an event occurred if you don’t know how or when it happened. Investigators must uncover an incident’s full magnitude and all the key ingredients that made it happen. This process includes gathering, organizing and analyzing any potentially related information.
2. Focus on the underlying causes, not the symptoms. Addressing only the symptoms when a problem arises rarely prevents that problem from recurring and can waste time and resources. An RCA effort should instead focus on the relationships between events and the incident’s underlying root causes. Ultimately, this can reduce the time and resources spent on resolving issues and ensure a viable remedy over the long term. Remember, multiple root causes might also be behind a problem that needs to be identified. Likewise, investigators must remain unbiased.
3. Think about prevention when using RCA to solve problems. To be effective, an RCA effort must address a problem’s root causes, but that’s not enough. It must also enable resolutions that prevent the problem from recurring. If the RCA doesn’t help fix the problem and prevent it from happening again, much of the effort will have been wasted.
4. Do it right the first time. An RCA is only as successful as the effort behind it. A poorly executed RCA can waste time and resources. It might even make the situation worse, forcing investigators to start over. An effective root cause analysis must be carried out carefully and systematically. It requires the proper methods and tools, as well as leadership that understands what the effort involves and fully supports it. Reviews can be scheduled afterward to determine how effective specific corrective actions were.
Root cause analysis methods
One of the most popular methods for root cause analysis is the Five Whys. This approach defines the problem and then asks “why” questions for each answer. The idea is to keep digging until you uncover reasons that explain the “why” of what happened. The number five in the methodology’s name is just a guide, as it might take fewer or more questions to get to the root causes of the initially defined problem.
Another popular approach to RCA is to create a cause-and-effect Ishikawa diagram, or fishbone diagram, where the problem is defined in the head of the fishbone shape, and its causes and effects are splayed out behind it. Possible causes are grouped into categories that connect to the spine, providing an overall view of the causes that might have led to the incident.
The following methodologies are also available to investigators when conducting a root cause analysis:
Failure mode and effects analysis. FMEA identifies different ways a system can potentially fail and then analyzes the possible effects of each failure.
Fault tree analysis. FTA provides a visual mapping of causal relationships that uses Boolean logic to determine a failure’s potential causes or to test a system’s reliability.
Pareto chart. This combination bar chart and line chart maps out the frequency of the most common root causes of problems, listed from left to right, starting with the most probable.
Change analysis. This type of analysis considers how conditions surrounding the incident have changed over time, which can play a direct role in bringing about the incident.
Scatter chart. This type of diagram plots data on a two-dimensional chart with an x-axis and y-axis to uncover relationships in the data as they pertain to an incident’s potential causes.
Several other approaches are also used for RCA. Professionals who focus on root cause analysis and seek continuous improvement in reliability should understand multiple methods and use the appropriate one for a given scenario. Some other examples include barrier analysis and Kepner-Tregoe analysis.
Successful root cause analysis also depends on good communication within the group and staff involved in a system. Debriefing after an RCA — often called a post-mortem — helps ensure the key players understand the time frames of casual or related factors, their effects and the resolution methods used. Post-mortem information sharing can also lead to brainstorming around other areas that might need investigation and who should look into what areas.
How to conduct a root cause analysis
Performing a root cause analysis can be a complex undertaking that requires both time and resources. A team that’s carrying out an RCA should take a systematic approach that’s built on open communication and careful planning. Although there’s no single approach to an RCA process, a team should consider starting with the following five basic steps:
1. Define the problem. It might seem obvious, but the first step should be to identify the problem as concisely as possible to ensure all RCA participants understand the scale and scope of the issue they’re trying to address. This process includes the following:
Create a clearly defined problem statement.
Identify the specific symptoms surrounding the problem.
Document the effects of the problem on the target system as well as peripheral and supporting systems.
Ensure all key players understand and agree on the nature of the problem.
If there are multiple problems, deal with them one at a time.
2. Collect all relevant data. Investigators require whatever data is necessary to ensure they have the evidence they need to understand the full extent of the incident and the time frame in which it occurred. This process includes the following:
Data gathering should be a methodical process that’s carefully documented and verified.
Investigators need access to all relevant evidence related to the incident without exception.
The data should include any information specific to the incident itself and any suspected causes.
The collected data should cover the entire applicable time frame, including data from before and after the incident.
The data should include details about any special circumstances or environmental factors that might have contributed to the incident.
3. Identify and map events. Investigators should be able to understand and track all events that contributed to the incident and how those events can be correlated. This step includes the following:
The RCA team should identify the sequence of events and the timeline in which they occurred.
The team should also determine the conditions under which the events occurred.
Events should be correlated to determine what links might exist between them.
The collected data should be examined for any causal factors that contributed to the events or that are somehow related to the events.
Any other factors that could have contributed to the incident should be examined.
4. Identify the root cause. After collecting the data and mapping events, investigators should start identifying the incident’s root causes and working toward a resolution. This process includes the following:
Investigators must analyze all contributing factors and relevant data.
From their analysis, investigators should identify any potential root causes that seem feasible within the given circumstances.
Investigators should carefully analyze each potential root cause, eliminating those least viable and digging deeper into those most likely to have contributed to the incident.
Multiple causes might have contributed to the incident, and they all need to be identified and analyzed.
After identifying the real root causes, investigators should try to confirm their validity by simulating the circumstances that led to the incident and when and where this is practical.
5. Implement an action plan. After identifying the incident’s root causes, investigators should develop an action plan to address the root problem and prevent it from occurring again. This step includes the following:
The resolution should reflect the problem statement created in the first step.
Investigators should carefully outline what needs to be done and what it will take to get it done, including the potential effects on individuals or operating environments.
The RCA team, with the help of other individuals, should provide a strategy for implementing the resolution, considering such factors as timelines, budgets and specific roles.
Investigators should identify any potential roadblocks to implementing the fix.
After the remedy has been deployed, the RCA team should carefully monitor and evaluate its implementation to ensure it has effectively addressed the underlying issues.
When performing root cause analysis, investigators should use the methods and tools most appropriate for their situation. They should also implement a system for verifying each stage of the RCA effort to make sure every step is done correctly. As part of this process, investigators should carefully document each phase, starting with the problem statement and continuing to the resolution’s implementation.
Benefits and drawbacks of root cause analysis
Conducting an RCA can offer numerous advantages, including the following:
Identifies the leading causes of an issue. Identifying the root cause of an issue helps solve its immediate symptoms and uncovers the underlying reasons behind a problem’s occurrence.
Enhances prevention. Once the root cause of a problem is identified, teams can implement a permanent fix and templates to avoid the same issue occurring in the future.
Develops a general approach to solve core issues. RCA provides a structured framework that organizations can use repeatably with different problems.
Improves problem-solving skills. RCA encourages increased critical thinking among teams, helping them troubleshoot and solve issues more efficiently.
Encourages optimization. Optimize systems, processes or operations by providing insights into underlying issues and roadblocks.
Provides higher-quality services. Deliver higher-quality customer and client services by addressing issues more efficiently and thoroughly.
Helps improve communication. It leads to better in-house communication and collaboration, along with improved knowledge of the underlying systems.
Reduces costs. It lowers costs by getting to the root of the problem sooner rather than continuously treating the symptoms.
Although RCA is an important process, it does have the following limitations:
There might be more than one root cause for an issue. Some problems might have multiple main contributing factors, making it difficult to identify one root cause. This can make the RCA process more complicated.
RCA is used only to identify performance issues. RCA is often overlooked when an organization wants to analyze why one system is performing better than expected.
Time and complexity. Depending on the problem, conducting an effective RCA can be time and resource-intensive — especially for issues that are inherently more complex and extensive.
Risk of laying blame. If RCA is not conducted carefully, it can lead to a culture of blaming specific teams of employees instead of providing a constructive problem-solving approach.
Tools for root cause analysis
Root cause analysis is a process that pairs human deduction with data gathering and reporting tools. IT teams often turn to the platforms they’re already using for application performance monitoring, infrastructure performance monitoring or systems management — including cloud management tools — for the background data they need to carry out the RCA.
Many of these products also include features built into their platforms to help analyze root causes. In addition, some vendors offer tools that collect and correlate the metrics from other platforms to help remediate a problem or outage event. Tools that include AIOps capabilities can learn from prior events to suggest remediation actions in the future.
In addition to monitoring and analysis tools, IT organizations often rely on external sources to help with their root cause analysis. For example, IT team members might participate in Stack Overflow discussions to get others’ expertise on topics related to their RCA. Other examples of root cause analysis tools include TapRoot and EasyRCA.
Root cause analysis examples
Root cause analysis is used by a range of industries and in various situations, making it a highly valuable tool flexible enough to accommodate specific circumstances. The following are examples of RCA in action, but the possibilities for its use are nearly limitless.
Example 1. An email service disruption. Users couldn’t send or receive email messages for two hours, and the boss wanted to know what happened. The IT team is tasked with carrying out a root cause analysis.
The team begins by defining a problem statement and collecting relevant data. Next, they use the Five Whys method to uncover the contributing events and underlying causes as follows:
Why did emails stop working? Because mail flow stopped.
Why did mail flow stop? Because someone installed patches during the day.
Why were the patches deployed during the day? Because the admin did not follow the rules in IT’s processes to patch after business hours.
Why did this cause a two-hour outage? Because a patch disabled a service, and it took that long during the chaos to troubleshoot and resolve the outage.
The answers to the “why” questions outline what happened and what went wrong. From this information, the IT team can improve patching procedures and prevent this same situation from happening again.
Example 2. A drop in mobile app active users. A popular mobile app’s number of active users has steadily dropped over the past two weeks, and several teams within the organization are scrambling to understand what happened. Individuals from each of these teams are working together to conduct an RCA.
After gathering the necessary data, the RCA team generates a fishbone diagram like the one in Figure 1 to understand possible causes and their effects better.
Although there are numerous approaches to root cause analysis, a team should start with these five basic steps.
The diagram helps them identify all the potential root causes. They can then drill into each one to determine its viability. For example, they can use data generated by their monitoring software to verify whether there have been any issues with infrastructure performance or the back-end systems.
After analyzing each potential root cause, the RCA team determines that the most likely cause was the recent release of a similar app by a top competitor. The app was well marketed, included cutting-edge technology and integrated with several third-party services.
From this information, the team develops a strategy for accelerating the next update of their application to provide a competitive edge over the other app. They also communicate this information with the marketing and customer support teams so that they’re prepared for the next release.
For the root cause analysis process to be effective, an organization must coordinate its RCA activities among its various teams. Learn which approaches work best for team coordination.
Source link
#Root #Analysis
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
New Marvel Rivals Event Will Let You Unleash Chaos As An Entire Team Of Cloned Heroes
New Marvel Rivals Event Will Let You Unleash Chaos As An Entire Team Of Cloned Heroes
The next limited-time game mode for Marvel Rivals has been revealed, and if you’re tired of never getting to play as the hero that you want to, then Clone Rumble is just for you. The new mode allows players to choose from two heroes as voted on by their team, letting players hit the field as one of them. This means that you can field an entire team of Iron Men or Venoms, and some of the other combinations here are wild.
You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.
Marvel Rivals | Clone Rumble Game Mode Trailer
Size:640 × 360480 × 270
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Sign up or Sign in now!
Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.
This video has an invalid file format.
Sorry, but you can’t access this content!
Please enter your date of birth to view this video
JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900
By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
enter
For example, imagine if everyone is playing as the Punisher–a scenario that could let six players hold a point with turrets. Or if the teams vote for Doctor Strange, you could probably melt a PC with all of the portals that’ll be opened during a match. If you’re feeling evil, you could choose to all play as Moon Knight and unleash a wave of hard-to-escape ultimate attacks, or if you want to be a real monster, you could convince the entire team to choose Jeff the Land Shark.
Completing certain tasks will reward players with limited-time items such as the ****** Widow: Mrs. Barnes costume, MVP nameplates, sprays, Units, and other loot. NetEase says that there will be no restrictions on the identical heroes that players can vote for, and the event will take place exclusively on the Wakandan map of Birnin T’Challa. Players will need to complete certain mission objectives to claim victory, and the event will be held on the following dates:
March 7-10: Starts at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET
March 14-17: Starts at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET
March 21-24: Starts at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET
In other Marvel Rivals news, we recently got a closer look at the rest of the Fantastic Four, with new videos spotlighting the Thing and the Human Torch. The game has also riffed on a classic Moon Knight meme, and amidst layoffs of some employees who worked Marvel Rivals, that the game was almost canceled before release.
Source link
#Marvel #Rivals #Event #Unleash #Chaos #Entire #Team #Cloned #Heroes
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
Privacy Notice: We utilize cookies to optimize your browsing experience and analyze website traffic. By consenting, you acknowledge and agree to our Cookie Policy, ensuring your privacy preferences are respected.
