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Homebuyers are struggling to make ******* down payments Homebuyers are struggling to make ******* down payments Alvarez | E+ | Getty Images Home prices have been rising, and so have down payments. The median down payment among homebuyers in December was $63,188, according to a recent report by Redfin. That’s up 7.5%, or about $4,000, from a year prior. “That is mostly reflecting the fact that home prices have increased,” said Chen Zhao, an economist at Redfin. On top of high home prices, other issues homebuyers face include high inflation, volatile mortgage rates and limited savings balances. The typical homebuyer down payment was equal to about 16.3% of the purchase price in December, when the median home-***** price was $428,000, per Redfin data. More from Personal Finance: 1 in 5 Americans are ‘doom spending’ Trump plan to freeze funding stymies Biden-era energy rebates for consumers Social Security expedites timeline for benefit increases tied to new law While homebuyers are putting down more cash for their home purchases, down payments continue to be a major hurdle. A new report by Bankrate found that 81% of would-be buyers say that down payment and closing costs are obstacles toward owning a home some day. For 52%, the hurdle is “very significant” while for 29% it’s “somewhat significant.” The survey conducted by YouGov Plc polled 2,703 U.S. adults in mid January. What to know about low-, no-down-payment loans There are low- and no-down-payment mortgage options across federal agencies like the Fair Housing Association, the Department of Veteran Affairs and U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Department of Veterans Affairs offers VA loan programs, and those who qualify can put down as little as 0%. Mortgages from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, referred to as USDA loans, aim to help buyers purchase homes in rural areas and also offer 0% down payment options. Federal Housing Administration loans, or FHA loans, can require as little as 3.5% down for qualifying borrowers, which include first-time buyers, low- and moderate-income buyers and buyers from ********* groups. You don’t get anything for free. Melissa Cohn regional vice president at William Raveis Mortgage Recently, more people are using mortgage options sponsored by the government. About 15% of mortgaged home sales used an FHA loan in December, up from mid-2022’s decade-low of roughly 10%, Redfin found. The share of those who used a VA loan rose to 6.7%, from 6.2% a year earlier. The increase could be a sign of buyers having an upper hand in the market, said Redfin’s Zhao. Typically, sellers prefer to avoid FHA loans because they can involve a longer processing time, she said. For this reason, buying with an FHA loan can be less advantageous in a highly competitive housing market. While low-down payment mortgages can help someone achieve homeownership, there may be additional costs involved. With less cash upfront, you will need to borrow more, making your monthly mortgage payment much higher, experts say. And you could also face higher mortgage rates. “The best priced loans are going to do a larger down payment, so the less you put down, the higher the rate is, the greater the risk,” said Melissa Cohn, regional vice president at William Raveis Mortgage. With a down payment of less than 20%, you may be subject to private mortgage insurance, or PMI, which is added to the monthly mortgage payment. Meanwhile, mortgage lenders tend to offer better loan terms to borrowers who put more cash up front, or make 20% down payments. Benefits can include lower interest rates, reduced fees and favorable repayment terms. While a 20% down payment can be daunting, it’s certainly not a requirement. You can buy a house with much less up front. Here’s what to know. PMI can cost anywhere from 0.5% to 1.5% of the loan amount per year, depending on factors such as your credit score and your total down payment, according to The Mortgage Reports. For example, on a loan for $300,000, mortgage insurance premiums could cost from $1,500 to $4,500 a year, or $125 to $375 a month, the site found. “You don’t get anything for free,” said Cohn. ‘Time isn’t a nemesis’ In Bankrate’s survey, respondents said they expect that coming up with a down payment will take years. But “time isn’t necessarily a nemesis,” said Mark Hamrick, senior industry analyst at Bankrate. “Having more time is quite virtuous.” The time it takes to save can work in your favor. As you build your down payment savings, you can also work on paying down debt and improving your credit, so that you improve your chance of being approved for a mortgage at the best-available rate, Hamrick said. While you’re building your down payment, look for other programs that can help you get there faster. Aside from federally backed low-down-payment mortgage options, consider state or local assistance down payment assistance programs, which can offer aid to those who qualify, experts say. Such programs can offer grants and loans to help cover part or all of a homebuyer’s down payment and closing costs, per The Mortgage Reports. “The good news is the federal government isn’t the only game in town,” Hamrick said. “It’s really about trying to be aware and take advantage of any potential applicable program.” Browse online through the state agency and see if you meet the qualifications for any assistance programs or grants available in your state or area, Cohn said. “For people who don’t have the luxury or haven’t been able to save enough, that’s a good option,” she said. Source link #Homebuyers #struggling #******* #payments Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

College hopefuls have a new ultimate dream school — it’s not Harvard College hopefuls have a new ultimate dream school — it’s not Harvard Students on campus at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Education Images | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Harvard University is no longer the ultimate “dream” school, at least among current college applicants. This year, Massachusetts Institute of Technology secured the top spot of most desirable colleges, according to a new survey of college-bound students by The Princeton Review. Harvard fell from No. 1 after a prolonged ******* of controversy, marked by antisemitism on campus and the resignation of Harvard President Claudine Gay amid allegations of plagiarism. Despite the reshuffling, there remains a common element at the top of the rankings, according to Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief. “Each of the schools are exceptional,” he said. However, regardless of which institution they attend, for most students, the biggest problem remains how they will pay for their degree. Cost is a major concern A whopping 95% of families said financial aid would be necessary to pay for college and 77% said it was “extremely” or “very” necessary, The Princeton Review found. Its 2025 College Hopes and Worries Survey polled more than 9,300 college applicants between Jan. 17 and Feb. 24. Often, which college those students will choose hinges on the amount of financial aid offered and the breakdown across grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities and student loans. More from Personal Finance:How Musk’s DOGE took over the Education Department$2.7 billion Pell Grant shortfall poses a threat for college aidTrump’s ‘gold card’ visa opens a door for wealthy college applicants MIT is one of the hardest schools to get into, with an acceptance rate of 4.5%. It’s also among the nation’s priciest institutions — tuition and fees, room and board and other student expenses came to more than $85,000 this year. But MIT also offers generous aid packages for those who qualify. Among the Class of 2024, 87% graduated debt-free, according to the school. Top colleges are seeking exceptional students from all different backgrounds, according to James Lewis, co-founder of the National Society of High School Scholars, an academic honor society. To that end, many institutions will provide scholarships or discounted tuition, in addition to other sources of merit-based aid, he said. For qualified applicants, “if they can go after those institutions, don’t self-select out,” Lewis said. The return on investment: a good job In part due to the high cost of college, students are also putting more emphasis on career placement, according to Christopher Rim, president and CEO of college consulting firm Command Education. At MIT, for example, 2024 graduates earn a starting salary of $126,438, according to the latest student survey — nearly twice the national average. The percentage of MIT graduates employed in the months immediately after graduation has edged lower in recent years, while the share enrolling in graduate school has trended higher. “Because it’s getting harder to find a job, students are more focused on what they are going to do after college,” he said. “That’s a big thing for them.” When asked what they consider the greatest benefit of earning a college degree, most students said it was a “potentially better job and income,” The Princeton Review found. Fewer said it was “exposure to new ideas, places and people.” Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Source link #College #hopefuls #ultimate #dream #school #Harvard Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PJ Harvey review: I Inside The Old Year Dying concert shows English singer at the top of her game PJ Harvey review: I Inside The Old Year Dying concert shows English singer at the top of her game From the moody atmosphere of her gothic-folk songs to the strutting cool of her biggest punk hits, PJ Harvey gave an electrifying performance at Kings Park. Source link #Harvey #review #Year #Dying #concert #shows #English #singer #top #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 dominates 2025 BAFTA Games Awards nominations Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 dominates 2025 BAFTA Games Awards nominations Xbox’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is the most nominated game at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards, followed by PlayStation’s Astro Bot, and The ******** Room’s Still Wakes the Deep. Ninja Theory-developed Hellblade has received 11 nominations, followed by Astro Bot and Still Wakes the Deep with eight each. British indie comedy Thank Goodness You’re Here is another big winner with seven total nominations, followed by ****** Myth: Wukong with six, and Helldivers 2 with five. Last year’s big role playing games, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Metaphor: ReFantazio – two of the leading games at The Game Awards, received only two BAFTA nominations each (though Final Fantasy is excluded from some categories due to being defined as a remake). In the performance categories, 11 of the 13 nominees receive their first BAFTA nomination. They include Humberly González as Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws; Luke Roberts as James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2; Y’lan Noel as Troy Marshall in Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6; and former games journalist Jon Blyth as Big Ron in Thank Goodness You’re Here. BAFTA’s eligibility window this year runs from November 25, 2023 to November 15, 2024, with the exception of those in Evolving Game. Remakes are only eligible in craft categories, and DLC is eligible in Evolving Game and certain craft categories. The winners will be announced at the 21st BAFTA Games Awards in London on Tuesday, April 8, which will stream live at 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET / 11.00 PT on BAFTA’s YouTube and Twitch. Jane Millichip, CEO of BAFTA, said: “Today’s list of 41 nominated games is full of fresh, bold and fantastically varied genres – cinematic blockbusters, narrative-led adventures, online multiplayers and family games. Our nominations are a fantastic way for players to discover games they might never otherwise consider.” Tara Saunders, chair of BAFTA’s Games Committee, added: “Today’s nominations are a celebration of 41 outstanding games that showcase the very best of the British and international games industry. They put game titles onto the global stage, unearthing hidden gems alongside the best-known game experiences of the year. “A nomination is an incredible achievement for any team or individual, especially during what continues to be a turbulent and trying time for our industry. I extend my congratulations to each and every nominee for your incredible work, skill and endurance.” ANIMATION ASTRO BOT Development Team – Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment CALL OF DUTY: ****** OPS 6 Development Team – Treyarch, Raven Software/Activision LEGO HORIZON ADVENTURES Development Team – Guerilla, Studio Gobo/Sony Interactive Entertainment SENUA’S SAGA: HELLBLADE II Development Team – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios THANK GOODNESS YOU’RE HERE! Will Todd, James Carbutt – Coal Supper/Panic WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2 Development Team – Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT ASTRO BOT Development Team – Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment ****** MYTH: WUKONG Development Team – GameScience/GameScience HAROLD HALIBUT Ole Tillmann, Fabian Preuschoff, Onat Hekimoglu – Slow Bros./ Slow Bros. NEVA Development Team – Nomada Studio/Devolver Digital SENUA’S SAGA: HELLBLADE II Development Team – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios STILL WAKES THE DEEP Development Team – The ******** Room/Secret Mode AUDIO ACHIEVEMENT ANIMAL WELL Billy Basso – Billy Basso/Bigmode ASTRO BOT Development Team – Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment HELLDIVERS 2 Development Team – Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment SENUA’S SAGA: HELLBLADE 2 Development Team – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios STAR WARS OUTLAWS Development Team – Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft STILL WAKES THE DEEP Development Team – The ******** Room/Secret Mode BEST GAME ASTRO BOT Development Team – Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment BALATRO LocalThunk – LocalThunk/Playstack ****** MYTH: WUKONG Development Team – GameScience/GameScience HELLDIVERS 2 Development Team – Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: ECHOES OF WISDOM Development Team – Nintendo/Nintendo THANK GOODNESS YOU’RE HERE! Will Todd, James Carbutt – Coal Supper/Panic BRITISH GAME A HIGHLAND SONG Development Team – inkle Ltd LEGO HORIZON ADVENTURES Development Team – Guerilla, Studio Gobo/Sony Interactive Entertainment PAPER TRAIL Development Team – Newfangled Games/Newfangled Games SENUA’S SAGA: HELLBLADE II Development Team – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios STILL WAKES THE DEEP Development Team – The ******** Room/Secret Mode THANK GOODNESS YOU’RE HERE! Will Todd, James Carbutt – Coal Supper/Panic DEBUT GAME ANIMAL WELL Billy Basso – Billy Basso/Bigmode BALATRO LocalThunk – LocalThunk/Playstack PACIFIC DRIVE Development Team – Ironwood Studios/Kepler Interactive THE PLUCKY SQUIRE Development Team – All Possible Futures/Devolver Digital TALES OF KENZERA: ZAU Development Team – Surgent Studios/Electronic Arts THANK GOODNESS YOU’RE HERE! Will Todd, James Carbutt – Coal Supper/Panic EVOLVING GAME DIABLO IV Development Team – Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment FINAL FANTASY XIV ONLINE Development Team – Creative Studios 3/Square Enix NO MAN’S SKY Development Team – Hello Games/Hello Games SEA OF THIEVES Development Team – Rare/Xbox Game Studios VAMPIRE SURVIVORS Development Team – Poncle/poncle WORLD OF WARCRAFT Development Team – Blizzard Entertainment/Blizzard Entertainment FAMILY ASTRO BOT Development Team – Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment CAT QUEST III Desmond Wong Liang Wai, Nursyazana binte Zainal – The Gentlebros/Kepler Interactive LEGO HORIZON ADVENTURES Development Team – Guerilla, Studio Gobo/Sony Interactive Entertainment LITTLE KITTY, BIG CITY Development Team – Double Dagger Studio/Double Dagger Studio THE PLUCKY SQUIRE Development Team – All Possible Futures/Devolver Digital SUPER MARIO PARTY JAMBOREE Development Team – Nintendo/Nintendo GAME BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT BOTANY MANOR Development Team – Balloon Studios/Whitethorn Games KIND WORDS 2 (LOFI CITY POP) Ziba Scott, Luigi Guatieri, Clark Aboud – Popcannibal/Popcannibal SENUA’S SAGA: HELLBLADE II Development Team – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios TALES OF KENZERA: ZAU TALES OF KENZERA: ZAU Development Team – Surgent Studios/Electronic Arts TETRIS FOREVER Development Team – Digital Eclipse/Digital Eclipse VAMPIRE THERAPIST Cyrus Nemati, Sheila Fell, Kim Schumacher – Little Bat Games/Little Bat Games GAME DESIGN ANIMAL WELL Billy Basso – Billy Basso/Bigmode ASTRO BOT – Development Team – Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment BALATRO LocalThunk – LocalThunk/Playstack HELLDIVERS 2 Development Team – Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: ECHOES OF WISDOM Development Team – Nintendo/Nintendo TACTICAL BREACH WIZARDS Tom Francis, Steve Lee, John Roberts – Suspicious Developments/Suspicious Developments MULTIPLAYER CALL OF DUTY: ****** OPS 6 Development Team – Treyarch, Raven Software/Activision HELLDIVERS 2 Development Team – Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment LEGO HORIZON ADVENTURES Development Team – Guerilla, Studio Gobo/Sony Interactive Entertainment SUPER MARIO PARTY JAMBOREE Development Team – Nintendo/Nintendo TEKKEN 8 Development Team – BANDAI NAMCO Studios/ BANDAI NAMCO Studios WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2 Development Team – Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment MUSIC ASTRO BOT Kenneth C M Young – Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment ****** MYTH: WUKONG Development Team – GameScience/GameScience FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Development Team – Square Enix/Square Enix HELLDIVERS 2 Wilbert Roget II, Ross Tregenza, Keith Leary – Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment SENUA’S SAGA: HELLBLADE II Development Team – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios STAR WARS OUTLAWS Wilbert Roget II, Simon Koudriavtsev, Erik Jacobsson – Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft NARRATIVE ****** MYTH: WUKONG Development Team – GameScience/GameScience DRAGON AGE: THE VEILGUARD Development Team – BioWare/Electronic Arts FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Development Team – Square Enix/Square Enix METAPHOR: REFANTAZIO Development Team – ATLUS/***** SENUA’S SAGA: HELLBLADE II Development Team – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios STILL WAKES THE DEEP Development Team – The ******** Room/Secret Mode NEW INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ANIMAL WELL Billy Basso – Billy Basso/Bigmode BALATRO LocalThunk – LocalThunk/Playstack ****** MYTH: WUKONG Development Team – GameScience/GameScience METAPHOR: REFANTAZIO Development Team – ATLUS/***** STILL WAKES THE DEEP Development Team – The ******** Room/Secret Mode THANK GOODNESS YOU’RE HERE! Will Todd, James Carbutt – Coal Supper/Panic PERFORMER IN A LEADING ROLE ALEC NEWMAN as Cameron ‘Caz’ Mcleary in Still Wakes the Deep – The ******** Room/Secret Mode HUMBERLY GONZALEZ as Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws – Massive Entertainment/Ubisoft ISABELLA INCHBALD as Indika in Indika – Odd Meter/11 bit studios LUKE ROBERTS as James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2 – Bloober Team/Konami Digital Entertainment MELINA JUERGENS as Senua in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios Y’LAN NOEL as Troy Marshall in Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 – Treyarch, Raven Software/Activision PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ABBI GREENLAND & HELEN GOALEN as The Furies in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios ALDIS AMAH HAMILTON as Ástríðr in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios JON BLYTH as Big Ron in Thank Goodness You’re Here! – Coal Supper/Panic KAREN DUNBAR as Finlay in Still Wakes the Deep – The ******** Room/Secret Mode MATT BERRY as Herbert the Gardner in Thank Goodness You’re Here! – Coal Supper/Panic MICHAEL ABUBAKAR as Brodie in Still Wakes the Deep – The ******** Room/Secret Mode TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT ASTRO BOT Development Team – Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment ****** MYTH: WUKONG Development Team – GameScience/GameScience CALL OF DUTY: ****** OPS 6 Development Team – Treyarch, Raven Software/Activision SENUA’S SAGA: HELLBLADE II Development Team – Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios TINY GLADE Tomasz Stachowiak, Anastasia Opara – Pounce Light/Pounce Light WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2 – Development Team – Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment Source link #Senuas #Saga #Hellblade #dominates #BAFTA #Games #Awards #nominations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gas Station Sign Toppled During Severe Storm Gas Station Sign Toppled During Severe Storm A large gas station sign was toppled in Irving, Texas, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, March 4, as a line of storms brought winds of up to 70 mph to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Scott Hudek captured this footage showing the huge gas sign lying at the entrance to a Raceway station in Irving. The roof and sign of the gas station was also seen damaged, with broken metal hanging down over the filling station’s service window. The National Weather Service said storms were still in the region on Tuesday morning. Credit: Scott Hudek via Storyful Source link #Gas #Station #Sign #Toppled #Severe #Storm Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dedicated Helldivers 2 players who complete every Major Order could get more rewards Dedicated Helldivers 2 players who complete every Major Order could get more rewards PlayStation has a special Loyalty Program called PlayStation Stars, where members collect Points which they can use to redeem special rewards. Those Points can be redeemed in the “Rewards Catalog for available items that may include Digital Collectibles, select game titles, and more.” One of those rewards are the Super Credit bundles (as well as similar rewards for other games that you play). Source link #Dedicated #Helldivers #players #complete #Major #Order #rewards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

See who Melania Trump invited to President Trump’s speech for the 2025 joint address to Congress See who Melania Trump invited to President Trump’s speech for the 2025 joint address to Congress President Trump’s speech to a joint session of Congress is taking place Tuesday night and guests invited by first lady Melania Trump will be in attendance. Melania Trump has invited “everyday Americans” to the address, according to the White House, including an American who was recently released from a Russian prison and the family of one of Mr. Trump’s supporters who was killed in an assassination attempt on the president. Marc Fogel, a schoolteacher from Pennsylvania who was released from a Russian prison in February as part of a prisoner swap negotiated by the Trump administration, and his wife, Melanie Fogel, are expected to be there. The family of Corey Comperatore, a volunteer fire chief killed at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally where Mr. Trump was shot in an assassination attempt, will also be among the guests, the White House said in a statement. Stephanie Diller, the widow of slain New York Police Department officer Jonathan Diller, who was killed in 2024 during a routine traffic stop in Queens, will also be in attendance. Mr. Trump attended his wake on Long Island in 2024. These guests were first reported by the New York Post. What time is Trump’s speech and who else will be there? Mr. Trump will speak before both chambers of Congress starting at 9 p.m. ET in what will be his first speech before lawmakers since he returned to the White House six weeks ago. The mother and sister of Laken Riley, the 22-year-old nursing student murdered by a man in the country illegally, will be there. Mr. Trump last month signed the Laken Riley Act, a bipartisan bill that expanded the federal government’s ability to detain people in the country illegally. Another guest is Alexis Nungaray, a Texas woman whose 12-year-old daughter was murdered in 2024. Charged in her daughter’s death are two Venezuelan nationals who were released by immigration authorities before, and since her death, Nungaray has joined Mr. Trump at several campaign events. Immigration is a cornerstone of Mr. Trump’s agenda as his administration has launched a massive deportation initiative — and it is likely to be a key theme in the speech. Another guest will be 15-year-old Elliston Berry, who the White House said was the victim of computer-generated deepfakes created by a bully at her school. On Monday, Melania Trump joined an event on Capitol Hill to throw her support behind a bill sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz to bolster safety against deepfakes. January Littlejohn, of Tallahassee, Florida, will also be in attendance. Littlejohn sued her daughter’s middle school over asking her daughter what bathroom she wanted to use, which the White House said was “without January and her husband’s knowledge or permission.” Mr. Trump has already signed an executive order restricting access to gender-affirming care for minors, although transgender youth have sued to block the order. Another guest will be Payton McNabb, a North Carolina teen who said she was injured after a collision with a transgender athlete during a volleyball game. Mr. Trump has signed an executive order banning transgender women from women’s sports, and McNabb was recently invited by the White House to attend a briefing on women’s sports. Other guests include Jeff Denard, a Decatur, Alabama, steelworker; Haley Ferguson, a Tennessee woman who received a Fostering the Future scholarship, which was launched by the first lady’s Be Best initiative; and Roberto Ortiz, a Border Patrol agent in Texas who the White House said has been shot at by cartel members. Several Democrats announced Monday that they would be bringing fired federal workers to the speech instead of boycotting it, as others have suggested. How to watch Trump’s speech CBS News will carry the address live on TV and a ********** special will air at 9 p.m. ET. The speech can also be streamed for free on CBS News 24/7, available on CBSNews.com, the CBS News app and Paramount+. Jennifer Jacobs and Fin Gómez contributed to this report. Caroline Linton Caroline Linton is an associate managing editor on the political team for CBSNews.com. She has previously written for The Daily Beast, Newsweek and amNewYork. Source link #Melania #Trump #invited #President #Trumps #speech #joint #address #Congress Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Airline stocks tumble amid economic concerns – CNBC Airline stocks tumble amid economic concerns – CNBC Airline stocks tumble amid economic concerns CNBCTrump tariffs lead to sweeping losses with travel and leisure stocks (XRT:NYSEARCA) Seeking Alpha Source link #Airline #stocks #tumble #economic #concerns #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Meta, TikTok argue YouTube should be included in Australia’s under-16 social media ban Meta, TikTok argue YouTube should be included in Australia’s under-16 social media ban Late last year, Australia passed a law banning social media for all people under 16 years old. Now, some of those companies — namely Meta, TikTok and Snap — are not happy at one exception: YouTube. Australia has deemed YouTube as a critical education tool and is allowing use, despite an original assumption that the Google-owned platform would be included, Reuters and The Guardian reports. This follows last month’s report from Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, which found that YouTube is the most popular platform with 13 to 15-year-olds — with just under three-fourths of that age range using it in 2024. Notably, anyone under 16 needs to be part of a family account that offers parental supervision rights to use YouTube. Remarks from big tech were pointed. “It is illogical to restrict two platforms while exempting the third. It would be akin to banning the ***** of soft drinks to minors but exempting Coca-Cola,” said TikTok’s director of public policy in Australia and New Zealand, Ella Woods-Joyce. Meanwhile, Meta called out the *********** government for failed transparency and making “a mockery of the government’s stated intention, when passing the age ban law, to protect young people.” Snap reiterated its fellow platforms’ concerns, stating, “There must be a fair and impartial application of exclusions and all services should be held to the same standard.” At the same time, Snap is arguing that it’s a messaging service and thus shouldn’t be part of the ban. Australia’s ban on social media for under 16-year-olds should go into effect towards the end of this year. Time will tell whether big tech’s outrage will change its impact on YouTube. Source link #Meta #TikTok #argue #YouTube #included #Australias #under16 #social #media #ban Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The levies push limits of presidential authority The levies push limits of presidential authority U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as he speaks with members of the media on the South Lawn before boarding Marine One at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 28, 2025. Nathan Howard | Reuters U.S. importers and their customers are about to experience the full force of President Donald Trump’s unprecedented use of emergency economic powers. To that point, 25% tariffs on imports from America’s top two trading partners, Canada and Mexico, went into effect at midnight Tuesday, as did an additional 10% tariff on ******** imports. ********* energy will be tariffed at a lower rate of 10%, also as of midnight Tuesday. It’s difficult to overstate how far-reaching the impact of these tariffs will be, or how quickly they will be felt. U.S. trade with Mexico, Canada and China last year accounted for around 40% of America’s total commerce in goods around the world. And unlike traditional trade policy, these tariffs are designed to deliver a financial sting right away, trade experts told CNBC. “From a technical standpoint, the imposition of the tariffs is basically a light switch. They’re on or they’re off,” said Daniel Anthony, the president of Trade Partnership Worldwide, a policy research firm. Literally overnight, the cost of importing, for example, $100,000 worth of limes from Mexico increased by $25,000 Tuesday. This is money that the importer will need to pay directly to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when the limes cross the border. Target CEO Brian Cornell told investors Tuesday that shoppers could see produce prices rise within days, the result of tariffs on ******** fruits and vegetables. Even if a glitch prevented tariffs from being collected starting at exactly 12:01am Eastern Time Tuesday, they would still be tallied, and importers could expect to receive a tax bill retroactively, said Nicole Bivens Collinson, a Washington trade lobbyist and managing principal at Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg. “It’s like when you get an Uber bill and you forgot to tip, and add it on later,” she said. Along with the two new North American tariff rates, Trump also signed an order Monday doubling his earlier 10% tariff on imports from China, for a total 20% additional tariff rate on the nation. Taken together, Canada, China and Mexico accounted for $2.2 trillion worth of U.S. overseas trade in 2024, according to federal census data. About $840 billion of that came from trade with Mexico, $762 billion from ********* imports and exports and $582 billion from China. Extraordinary power Container at the Port of Vancouver in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Feb. 28, 2025. Ethan Cairns/Bloomberg via Getty Images Part of the reason Trump could do this so quickly is because the White House is invoking a sweeping national security law to justify the new levies. Until now, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, IEEPA, had been used mainly to impose emergency sanctions on foreign dictators or suspected terrorist groups. But the Trump administration argues that the illicit global fentanyl trade and immigrants at the ******** border both qualify as “unusual and extraordinary” foreign threats to American national security, justifying Trump’s use of emergency powers under IEEPA. Trump is using the law in a broader way than any president has before, Trade Partnership Worldwide’s Anthony explained. Trump is also inviting legal challenges, he said, by pushing the boundaries of presidential authority. For now, consumers will bear the brunt of the tariffs in higher prices, experts say. The Tax Policy Center estimates that Trump’s Mexico and Canada tariffs alone will cost the average household an additional $930 a year by 2026. The imposition of massive new tariffs on U.S. imports from Canada, China and Mexico are a sharp reminder of how much power Trump wields over global commerce. But they also hint at the limitations of this power. In the case of so-called de-minimis shipments, the Trump administration imposed new levies on millions of shipments entering the United States, before the federal government had the means to actually collect the fees. The de minimis mess Oscar Wong | Moment | Getty Images So-called “de minimis” imports are international shipments valued at $800 or less. Historically, these low-value, person-to-person imports have been exempt from U.S. tariffs. Several of the world’s biggest e-commerce companies take advantage of the de-minimis loophole by shipping their products directly to consumers from overseas. Fast fashion sites, like Temu and Shein, ship goods directly from China to American consumers. They have helped fuel an explosion in U.S.-bound de-minimis shipments in recent years. But collecting tariffs on de-minimis goods is harder than it looks. “There’s a whole infrastructure system set up for normal shipments that come in to the country,” said Collinson, who previously served as a U.S. trade negotiator. But this system doesn’t exist for de-minimis imports, she added. Last year alone, the U.S. accepted more than 1.3 billion overseas shipments that qualified for de-minimis tariff exemptions, according to federal data. To process that many new shipments, the federal government will need to hire more customs agents, experts said. Nonetheless, in early February Trump announced that the United States would begin collecting tariffs on low-value shipments from overseas. Trump’s order gave the U.S. Postal Service mere days to implement a system to begin collecting tariffs on millions of small packages every day. It also sowed chaos throughout the international postal system, culminating on Feb. 4 with an announcement that USPS had suspended all parcel delivery services from China and Hong Kong “until further notice.” A day later, the postal service reversed course and resumed processing the de-minimis parcels. But it did not collect any tariffs on them. Soon after, the Trump administration issued an amendment to the China order, formally delaying any effort to collect tariffs on de-minimis imports until “adequate systems are in place to fully and expediently process and collect tariff revenue” on them. The U.S. Postal Service didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. A month later, the White House put similar de-minimis waivers in place Sunday for Canada and Mexico, ahead of imposing the new 25% tariffs. It’s unclear when a de-minimis tariff collection system might be up and running. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman told CNBC, “The dynamic nature of our mission, along with evolving threats and challenges, requires CBP to remain flexible and adapt quickly while ensuring seamless operations and mission resilience.” But Anthony noted that the delay for China was “open ended.” “Part of the challenge is [federal] personnel and bandwidth,” he said. Customs and Border Protection may not have the staff or resources available to handle the new volume of shipments and packages, he said. Officials must also determine how the levy will be assessed and paid, and how customs officials will process tens of millions of new data points furnished by shippers for each individual package, the experts said. “Anyone can develop a good policy, but whether that policy can actually be effectuated is critical,” Collinson said. Source link #levies #push #limits #presidential #authority Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hardik sixes guide India towards victory Hardik sixes guide India towards victory India’s Hardik Pandya hits successive sixes to move his side to within touching distance of beating Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final. Source link #Hardik #sixes #guide #India #victory Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fallout 76 Finally Lets You Become A Ghoul Very Soon Fallout 76 Finally Lets You Become A Ghoul Very Soon Bethesda has announced what’s next for Fallout 76, and the next major update for the online game is coming soon. Fallout 76 Season 20: Glow of the Ghoul arrives March 18 as part of the Ghoul Within update. This long-awaited update allows players to become ghouls for the first time. “Glow of the Ghoul is all about the Ghouls. This theme is for the mutated, the irradiated, the glowing and the feral of the wasteland,” Bethesda said in its announcement. In addition to allowing players to become a ghoul, the new update adds a variety of toxic-waste-themed items for players to use to deck out their C.A.M.P.s. This includes the “Unfortunate End” nuclear waste tank, the “Mini Nuke Stein,” and the “Goo-Tub.” You can see some of this new content in the trailer below. Bethesda announced in June 2024 that an update to Fallout 76 would allow them to become a ghoul. The Fallout TV show features Walton Goggins as The Ghoul, and he became a fan-favorite. “As a Ghoul, you have that natural resistance to radiation. In fact, you even benefit from radiation in a lot of different ways,” Bethesda told GameSpot in an interview. “So that on its own will open up a number of different play styles. So if I benefit from radiation and a lot of players wear power armor to stave off radiation, as a Ghoul, I want to absorb it.” Bethesda also published a roadmap for Fallout 76’s next few months, showing off what’s coming in terms of seasonal events and double-XP opportunities. The next big update after Glow of the Ghoul doesn’t have a name or any details yet, but it’ll be released with Season 21 sometime in June. Here’s what’s next for Fallout 76. Beyond ongoing support for Fallout 76, Bethesda is working on The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5. As for the Fallout TV show, the Prime Video series is coming back for a second season, with MaCaulay Culkin joining the cast. Source link #Fallout #Finally #Lets #Ghoul Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Gasdivers Are Gassed Up by the Addition of Gas Mines in Helldivers 2 The Gasdivers Are Gassed Up by the Addition of Gas Mines in Helldivers 2 The Gas Mines have finally landed in Helldivers 2. The so-called Gasdivers are delighted and excited for this new Stratagem. Source link #Gasdivers #Gassed #Addition #Gas #Mines #Helldivers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MWC 2025: Comms tech consortium begins XR trials on 5G Standalone network MWC 2025: Comms tech consortium begins XR trials on 5G Standalone network Noting that as 5G mobile adoption continues to grow rapidly, evolution of advanced networks, augmented reality, headsets and smartphones is leading to a “perfect opportunity” to trial a next wave of 5G low latency operator services, Ericsson, Qualcomm Technologies and T-Mobile are collaborating to launch trials of extended reality (XR) on the operator’s 5G commercial network in the US city of San Diego. As they begin their project, the companies point to key drivers including the convergence of 5G Standalone (5G SA) deployments, the feasibility of slim form-factor AI augmented reality (AR) glasses tethered to 5G-capable smartphones and advanced 5G infrastructure capabilities The trials are designed to show the potential of XR technology in boosting user experiences and driving innovation in the telecoms industry, aiming to validate several key aspects such as network readiness, 5G Advanced features and device capabilities. As regards the former, the trials will look to ensure “seamless” XR experiences on a commercial T-Mobile network with 5G-SA deployments. The 5G Advanced features to be highlighted include network slicing that supports 5G features such as uplink configured grant, low latency, low loss and scalable throughput (L4S) and advanced schedulers. In terms of devices, the trials will make use AI immersive smart glasses powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 Platform, tethered to Qualcomm 5G Snapdragon Mobile platform, with distributed spatial compute and low latency features. It will also deploy Hololight’s XR streaming service to maximise device and infrastructure capabilities. Ericsson is deploying its 5G Advanced software portfolio to enable remote and locally rendered AR visuals, with the aim of bringing the industry closer to realising rich AR and XR experiences in wide-area 5G networks. The lightweight AR glasses in use are said to represent a “potent” use case that can enhance user experiences and drive traffic volume. Ziad Asghar, Qualcomm Technologies senior vice-president and general manager of XR, said: “These XR trials are demonstrating the potential of XR and 5G technology working together to highlight the value of distributed spatial compute and low latency on-device features, which are powered by Snapdragon XR platforms. By utilising distributed spatial compute capabilities [that can support fully immersive experiences], we are helping expand the horizons of what is possible in augmented reality and smart glasses.” Sibel Tombaz, head of product line cloud and purpose-built 5G RAN at Ericsson, added: “By enabling innovative applications like extended reality over a reliable, secure and high-performing network, we are transforming the way people interact with the world. [Our] 5G Advanced software is a game-changer for the latest slim AR glasses. It delivers high downlink and uplink speeds, low latency for sharp visuals, real-time information and seamless hands-free operation.” John Saw, executive vice president and chief technology officer at T-Mobile, said: “This pioneering trial showcases how 5G Standalone network, enhanced by advanced capabilities like network slicing and low-latency optimisations, is unlocking the full potential of 5G Advanced…We are excited to power a new wave of immersive experiences, delivering unparalleled extended reality experiences to our customers.” Source link #MWC #Comms #tech #consortium #begins #trials #Standalone #network Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Airline stocks tumble amid economic concerns Airline stocks tumble amid economic concerns United airplanes are seen at the Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, Unitted States on July 16, 2024. Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images Stock Chart IconStock chart icon NYSE Arca Airline Index versus the S&P 500 Airlines, especially full-service carriers with big international networks, had been a bright spot thanks to strong demand and moderating domestic flight growth, but some analysts are now anticipating potential demand impacts, particularly for more price-sensitive customers ahead of the crucial spring travel season. U.S. consumer spending fell in January for the first time in almost two years, the U.S. Commerce Department said last week. Earlier in February, its retail sales report from a month earlier showed a *******-than-expected drop. Read more CNBC airline news “While we continue to remain constructive on the supply backdrop – which we still believe is favorable – our attention has shifted to what appears to be an emerging economic ‘soft patch,'” Deutsche Bank said in a note on Tuesday. “To what extent and duration are not clear at the present, however, we do think it will likely weigh on demand for air travel, particularly the domestic discretionary segment.” The bank said it has not seen any signs of weakness in corporate or long-haul international travel. “Business is really robust,” United Airlines CFO Mike Leskinen said at a Barclays industry conference last month. “International leisure is very strong. Domestic leisure is kind of okay. It’s fine. It’s what we expected.” Source link #Airline #stocks #tumble #economic #concerns Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Americas at risk of losing measles elimination status, U.N. agency warns Americas at risk of losing measles elimination status, U.N. agency warns Measles outbreaks across North America are threatening the region’s status of having officially eliminated the virus, officials from the Pan-American Health Organization warned, potentially undoing a hard-fought victory to wipe out community transmission. The U.N. agency pointed to a 4.5-time increase in reported measles cases this year across North and South America, compared to the same ******* last year. More than 97% of cases across the region so far this year have been in the U.S. or Canada. Cases have also been reported in Mexico and Argentina. “The risk of outbreaks has increased, given the increase in measles cases worldwide, coupled with factors such as low coverage of the first and second doses of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine,” PAHO, the World Health Organization’s regional office for the Americas, said in a report published last week. Other factors driving spread that were cited by PAHO include increased movement of people around the Americas and an uptick in dengue, a mosquito-borne viral infection that can mask the spread of measles due to similar symptoms. What is measles elimination? The U.S. achieved measles elimination in 2000, after documenting a year of no endemic spread of the virus. WHO officials declared North and South America free of measles in 2016, making the Americas the first region to reach this milestone in the world. Health officials define “measles elimination” as proof of no endemic spread of the highly contagious virus within an area for at least 12 months. A continuous chain of transmission persisting for at least a year would reverse that goal. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention usually reports hundreds of measles cases every year around the U.S., many are from short-lived outbreaks linked to unvaccinated young children who were recently outside the U.S. The last large outbreak of the virus in the U.S. was in Illinois last year. It was largely confined to migrant shelters in Chicago. CDC officials warned in 2019 that the country was at risk of losing measles elimination status, after outbreaks spread for several months around undervaccinated communities in the New York area. However, the U.S. ultimately kept its status. Outbreaks in Texas and Canada Authorities have been grappling with a growing measles outbreak linked to unvaccinated communities across northwest Texas. At least 158 cases have been confirmed, state officials said Monday. A child died last month from the outbreak. The CDC’s death certificates data suggest the most recent reported U.S. death from measles before that was in 2019. The Trump administration has ramped up its messaging about the outbreak in recent days, including through an op-ed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and offers of support for Texas officials. “The CDC is actively supporting Texas state health officials and will be on the ground Tuesday working with the frontline health care providers,” HHS Principal Deputy Chief of Staff Stefanie Spear said in a statement Monday. In Canada, officials have also been grappling with a months-long outbreak that spread between two of the country’s provinces. Ontario’s public health department has reported at least 177 cases linked to the outbreak. Alexander Tin Alexander Tin is a digital reporter for CBS News based in the Washington, D.C. bureau. He covers federal public health agencies. Source link #Americas #risk #losing #measles #elimination #status #U.N #agency #warns Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Wall Street falls as trade war worries weigh Wall Street falls as trade war worries weigh Wall Street’s main indexes have fallen, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq leading declines, as investors feared that an escalating trade war between the US and its partners could damage the economy. The Nasdaq Composite index fell 10 per cent from its record high hit on December 16 into what is commonly known as correction territory. In early trading on Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 610.73 points, or 1.41 per cent, to 42,580.51, the S&P 500 lost 86.35 points, or 1.50 per cent, to 5,762.26 and the Nasdaq Composite lost 284.14 points, or 1.55 per cent, to 18,066.06. Financials led declines among the S&P 500’s 11 sectors with a 3.0 per cent drop. Wall Street’s biggest banks such as Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase & Co fell 7.2 per cent and 3.9 per cent respectively, sending the ******* banks index down 4.8 per cent. The CBOE market volatility index edged up 2.35 points to touch a two-month high. The latest trigger for equities came after the US tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, along with doubled duties on ******** goods took effect on Tuesday. Following this, China responded with additional tariffs on US imports and Canada has vowed a response. A stand-off between the countries could upend nearly $US2.2 trillion ($A3.5 trillion) in two-way annual trade. Ford and General Motors, that have vast supply chains across North America, fell 2.7 per cent and 5.9 per cent respectively. Nasdaq components such as Nvidia and Meta fell while Tesla dropped 6.4 per cent after data showed that the car maker’s China-made electric vehicles sales fell 49.2 per cent in February. Illumina fell 2.9 per cent after China banned imports of genetic sequencers from the medical equipment maker, just minutes after Trump’s tariff announcement. “There are concerns that (tariffs are) going to put a lot of pressure on the economy and the markets overall,” said Larry Tentarelli, chief technical strategist at Blue Chip Daily Trend Report. “Sectors that will be hit the hardest would probably be the industrial sector because they’re very cyclical, the small caps … and then (highly valued) tech stocks.” Investors are pricing in that the surcharges will fan inflation pressures, dampen demand and eat into corporate profits at a time when recent data has resurfaced expectations of a stalling economy. The domestically focused small-caps Russell 2000 index fell 2.0 per cent. Interest rate futures point to the Federal Reserve delivering at least three 25 basis points interest rate cuts by December, up from about two on Monday, as traders bet on the likelihood that slowing growth could nudge the US central bank to lower borrowing costs. New York Fed president John Williams’ comments later in the day will be parsed for the central bank’s stance on monetary policy. US shares of bullion miners such as Sibanye Stillwater rose 1.7 per cent, tracking higher gold prices as markets flocked to the safe-haven asset. Target lost 5.5 per cent after the retailer forecast full-year comparable sales below estimates. Best Buy fell 14 per cent after the electronics retailer issued a downbeat forecast and warned of the effects of tariffs on demand. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 3.99-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 3.93-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted 38 new 52-week highs and 37 new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 16 new highs and 484 new lows. Source link #Wall #Street #falls #trade #war #worries #weigh Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The new base iPad comes with twice the storage but no Apple Intelligence The new base iPad comes with twice the storage but no Apple Intelligence Apple has been steadily updating its product lineup over the last year or so to make sure as many devices work with Apple Intelligence as possible. But shockingly enough, the new base iPad now has an A16 chip rather than the A14 in the previous model. That’ll certainly provide better performance, but it’s not enough for Apple Intelligence. It’s an obvious way to differentiate this iPad from the just-updated iPad Air, which now has an M3 chip. The two most recent Air models also work with Apple Intelligence. One nice thing here is that Apple doubled the storage and kept prices the same — the 128GB model costs $349, and you can also get it with 256GB or 512GB of storage. It comes in blue, pink, silver and yellow. Besides the A16, much remains the same here, though. The iPad still has a 10.9-inch screen (that they’re just calling 11 inches at this point) that lacks some of the niceties you’ll find on the iPad Air display like full lamination to the front glass and an antireflective coating. It has basically the same camera array as other non-Pro iPads at this point, a 12-megapixel shooter on both the front and back. There’s no Face ID, unsurprisingly — you’ll need to authenticate with Touch ID on the power button. As with the iPad Air, the new base iPad is open for pre-orders now and will be available on March 12. Source link #base #iPad #storage #Apple #Intelligence Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo GameCube modified to run PowerPC Windows NT and Doom Nintendo GameCube modified to run PowerPC Windows NT and Doom Earlier this month, a brand-new build of the long-deprecated Windows NT for PowerPC surfaced. It’s now optimized for the Nintendo GameCube and Wii families of Nintendo consoles, of all platforms, thanks to their reliance on PowerPC architecture supported by the original Windows NT PowerPC releases. This build, called Entii for WorkCubes and on GitHub, also technically has Wii U support, but not in a sense that utilizes its two extra PowerPC cores, higher RAM pool, or more powerful AMD GPU— only through the virtualized Wii function. Early dev boards are either unsupported entirely or “theoretically” supported but not tested. Fortunately for homebrew enthusiasts interested in seeing this Windows NT software run on a Nintendo GameCube, YouTuber @emukid_id has recorded footage of the Windows NT installation process, some basic use, and even some incredibly low-resolution (320 x 200!) The Ultimate Doom gameplay. Unfortunately, there is no sound in any of these videos. But aside from lacking sound Windows 95 largely seems to work as expected— configuring classic Windows NT 3D wallpapers like 3D Maze, using Notepad, opening the basic Internet Explorer home page, etc) and intelligent support for a range of more PC-adjacent peripherals for Nintendo consoles (like a GameCube controller with a full-sized keyboard built into the middle, turning the original controls into a pair of distant handles) means that users on real hardware should have some input options, here. The regular old USB ports available on Wii and Wii U are also helpful for expanding into USB peripheral compatibility. Doom on Windows NT 4.0 running on a GameCube – YouTube Watch On Unfortunately, there is definitely some compromise here—but even a user employing a standard Windows NT PC here in 2025 would be unlikely to find any usable web pages on the modern Internet. Even if compatibility with GameCube or Wii’s Ethernet adapters is intact, online uses would seem supremely limited. However, the system can still be a snapshot of Windows NT and PowerPC in the pre-Windows NT 3.5 days of PowerPC support on Windows. Doom is still playable on GameCube, which is quite impressive. At the same time, the Wii is effectively a CPU-overclocked GameCube with a new GPU compared to its predecessor. Proper Wii U support for NT 3.5 or a later version of Windows could up the ante by utilizing its whopping 1GB of DDR3 RAM and triple PowerPC CPU cores versus the single-core design on Wii and GameCube. GameCube also operated on as little as 24MB of system RAM, though it also had other small dedicated RAM allocations for components like video and I/O. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Nintendo #GameCube #modified #run #PowerPC #Windows #Doom Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Chocolate price hikes sweeten Lindt’s operating profit Chocolate price hikes sweeten Lindt’s operating profit STORY: Chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli found consumers had the taste for their products last year. It reported Tuesday (March 4) a better than expected full-year operating profit. And that came despite historically high cocoa prices. The Swiss firm said tight cost control, prices rises and efficiency gain offset higher cocoa costs, and pushed profitability. Analysts have warned the chocolate industry is in for a difficult year ahead, as companies face unprecedented cost for the raw material. Market watchers warn this is likely to cause further price hikes. Lindt’s earnings before interest and taxes hit $987 million last year – just ahead of analyst projections. Investors liked what they heard and shares jumped over 8%. Source link #Chocolate #price #hikes #sweeten #Lindts #operating #profit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

All Assassin’s Creed Shadows Pre-Order Bonuses & Editions All Assassin’s Creed Shadows Pre-Order Bonuses & Editions Assassin’s Creed Shadows has gone with a different approach for pre-order bonuses and editions. It could be a beneficial move to help the latest sequel succeed, and we’ve got the latest on every AC Shadows edition and how to claim pre-order bonuses. Ubisoft isn’t shy about having multiple editions for one of its AAA releases. This is evident with Assassin’s Creed Shadows having several different editions to choose. In a positive move, Ubisoft has ditched the title’s Season Pass and is offering planned post-launch content for free—to an extent. This is likely part of the reason why Assassin’s Creed Shadows pre-orders are strong. So let’s catch you up on every AC Shadows edition and all pre-order bonuses. Assassin’s Creed Shadows Pre-Order Bonuses It’s free. Credit to Ubisoft Every edition of Assassin’s Creed Shadows has two pre-order bonuses: The Claws of Awaji of DLC and the Thrown to the Dogs Quest. To be clear, if you pre-order Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you get both pieces of content for free. Thrown to the Dogs is a typical AC quest found in the game, whereas Claws of Awaji is a DLC with 10+ hours of new content. The first gameplay trailer is very promising, and if you’re looking to maximize your Assassin’s Creed Shadows experience, it might be worth pre-ordering early. If you don’t, The Claws of Awaji DLC will be released at a later on as a standalone purchase. There is no Season Pass for Shadows, making it the first AC release in a long time to skip the popular business move. Every Assassin’s Creed Shadows Editions & Prices Decisions, decisions. Image by Insider Gaming Assassin’s Creed Shadows has three main editions: Standard Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition, and the Collector’s Edition. There’s nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ editions. Your commitment to the game, interest, and how much you’re interested in extra content all come into your edition decision. Here’s every edition and the full extent of what you get with it: Standard Edition Contents Base copy of Assassin’s Creed Shadows Thrown to the Dogs Free Quest (Pre-order bonus) Claws of Awaji DLC (Pre-order bonus) Deluxe Edition Contents Base copy of Assassin’s Creed Shadows Thrown to the Dogs Free Quest (Pre-order bonus) Claws of Awaji DLC (Pre-order bonus) Assassin’s Creed Shadows Sekiryu Dual Pack: Sekiryu Gear Set for both Naoe and Yasuke Eye of the Dragon Katana Claw of the Dragon Long Katana Sekiryu Beast Mount Dragon Tooth Trinket The Assassin’s Creed Shadows Hideout Pack: Sekiryu Wagasa Sekiryu Tapestry Sekiryu Mask Sekiryu Mizubachi Mastery Points Collector’s Edition Contents Base copy of Assassin’s Creed Shadows Thrown to the Dogs Free Quest (Pre-order bonus) Claws of Awaji DLC (Pre-order bonus) Assassin’s Creed Shadows Sekiryu Dual Pack: Sekiryu Gear Set for both Naoe and Yasuke Eye of the Dragon Katana Claw of the Dragon Long Katana Sekiryu Beast Mount Dragon Tooth Trinket The Assassin’s Creed Shadows Hideout Pack: Sekiryu Wagasa Sekiryu Tapestry Sekiryu Mask Sekiryu Mizubachi Mastery Points Steelbook Case A lifesize Naoe’s Katana Tsuba A physical AC Shadows World Map 40cm Naoe & Yasuke Statue 76-page Collector’s Artbook 70x30cm Creed Wall Scroll Two Sumi-E Lithographs (19×13.5cm) Ubisoft has tried to make Assassin’s Creed Shadows the most consumer-friendly in some time. Will you be picking up any of its editions, or will you wait for the Assassin’s Creed Shadows review embargo before making a decision? Share your thoughts and see if others feel the same. Plus, check out potential AC Shadows Early Access and the latest on the title coming to Xbox Game Pass. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Assassins #Creed #Shadows #PreOrder #Bonuses #Editions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Live Updates: Severe Weather, Tornado Warnings And Watches In Texas, Oklahoma And Arkansas – The Weather Channel Live Updates: Severe Weather, Tornado Warnings And Watches In Texas, Oklahoma And Arkansas – The Weather Channel Live Updates: Severe Weather, Tornado Warnings And Watches In Texas, Oklahoma And Arkansas The Weather ChannelFate of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras parades still uncertain as NWS issues High Wind Warning FOX 8 Local FirstNew Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras Day with costumes and revelry despite weather concerns The Associated Press Source link #Live #Updates #Severe #Weather #Tornado #Warnings #Watches #Texas #Oklahoma #Arkansas #Weather #Channel Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Thales CEO presses for Europe defense spending to stay in the region Thales CEO presses for Europe defense spending to stay in the region Europe should “take its destiny in its own hands” and strive to keep new defense budgets within its own borders, according to the chief executive of French defense giant Thales. The European Union plans to mobilize as much as 800 billion euros ($841 billion) to ramp up defense spending. The announcement came after the U.S. reportedly halted military aid to Ukraine, increasing pressure on the bloc to take action. “It sounds logical for Europe to take its destiny in its own hands and build, if needed, more and more capacity in terms of engineering, R&D, industry,” Thales CEO Patrice Caine told CNBC’s Charlotte Reed on Tuesday, after EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled the so-called ReArm Europe Plan. Caine told CNBC that, in his view, it made sense for European companies to be beneficiaries of the increased spending. “It’s exactly what happens in the U.S., and we are a U.S. player as well, so we know how it is. The U.S. supply their defense equipment systems from US suppliers, and that’s normal. Australia they do the same, the U.K. does the same — so why should Europe do it differently?” “If you want to be autonomous, if you want to give meaning to the word sovereignty, you need to be independent from third parties and be as self-sufficient as possible in this type of capability,” he said, adding that the European defense industry was capable of meeting demand. The chief executive said France was an example of a European country this is 100% self sufficient. “It’s only a political willingness to buy more and more from European suppliers rather than suppliers based outside of Europe,” he said. Thales on Tuesday reported higher income and revenue for 2024. Shares popped 12% before paring gains to trade 3% higher. The EU’s “ReArm Europe Plan” strategy bolsters the company’s confidence when it came to its future performance, Caine said. “It reinforces our own conviction that we see a decade of growth for Thales in defense – it will not change the equation for 2025, but clearly it’s a positive on the long run,” he said, emphasizing that there will be “a gap” between the announcement of the plan and any increase in orders. “It takes a bit of time, let’s say two years, from a political decision to a contract in force. So clearly, the future will tell, but it’s very positive for the overall industry, for Europe, to see this strong political momentum,” he said. Europe has come under pressure to increase defense budgets after demands from U.S. President Donald Trump that European NATO allies spend up to 5% of GDP on defense. Like the EU, the U.K. recently announced a significant hike in defense spending, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledging the U.K. will spend 2.5% of its GDP on defense by 2027. European defense stocks have rallied in the wake of talks from European Commission President Urusula von der Leyen, Starmer and other leaders on ramping up defense budgets. Thales has gained 60% since the beginning of the year, while Germany’s Hensoldt and Sweden’s Saab gained 85.5% and 52% respectively over the course of 2025. However, like Caine, some analysts have cautioned that it will take time for new defense spending policies to trickle through to earnings. “Defense is a national security issue, so to price those companies based on the news flow we currently have is increasingly difficult,” Christian Mueller-Glissmann, head of asset allocation research at Goldman Sachs, told CNBC’s “Street Signs Europe” on Monday. “The problem is when you have such a big regime change, these companies might change how they make money and how they get integrated into the fabric of national security. I understand why they’re rallying, there’s going to be a lot more spending on defense, but it’s going to be a multi-year process.” Source link #Thales #CEO #presses #Europe #defense #spending #stay #region Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

iFixit tears down the iPhone 16e, now with repairable USB-C charging port iFixit tears down the iPhone 16e, now with repairable USB-C charging port Repairing your iPhone without shelling out lots of money to Apple has long felt impossible. But, with recent Right to Repair laws in the likes of Colorado and Oregon, the new iPhones are a bit easier to repair without ever setting foot in an Apple store. This shift includes Apple’s latest product, the iPhone 16e, which debuted last month. It received a provisional 7/10 rating from iFixit thanks to features like a new repair guide for the USB-C port and its easy-release battery adhesive. The charging port repair guide is a big deal and something even the other iPhone 16s don’t offer. However, that’s not to say it’s a simple process. First, you have to remove the back glass, selfie camera, top earpiece speaker, battery, Taptic Engine and the list goes on. Then you have to lift up the logic board to access the port replacement bit. So, it’s still a bit of a mess, but at least you now know you’re taking the right steps as you go along it. The iPhone also offers the same electrically released battery adhesive as its fellow iPhone 16 models. It replaces the stretch-release adhesive which never worked as well as you’d hope. This is also the first time an iPhone has Apple’s C1 modem after a decade of rumored development. iFixit got down and dirty with the logic board to explore the C1 modem. The team went so far as to run the C1 through a CT scanner, which revealed that there’s not a trace of Qualcomm tech in the package. Source link #iFixit #tears #iPhone #16e #repairable #USBC #charging #port Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Tariffs will wipe out all profits for Detroit’s Big Three if they don’t raise prices, estimates Barclays Tariffs will wipe out all profits for Detroit’s Big Three if they don’t raise prices, estimates Barclays U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent levies could eradicate the profits of “Big Three” automakers General Motors , Ford and Stellantis , according to Barclays. On Tuesday, the president’s 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico took effect, along with an additional 10% tariff on goods from China. All three countries have since said they’ll impose retaliatory tariffs . “While it’s generally understood that a blanket 25% tariff on any vehicles or content from Mexico or Canada could be disruptive, it may be underappreciated how disruptive this could be,” analyst Dan Levy wrote in a Tuesday note. “In short, without any adjustment from OEMs (i.e. no price increase, no adjustment in production plans), we estimate it could wipe out effectively all profits for the D3 OEMs.” Shares of GM, Ford and Stellantis were each solidly in the red on Tuesday, with GM falling nearly 4%, Ford dropping more than 2%, and Stellantis declining more than 4%. Those moves put their year-to-date losses at more than 14%, more than 7% and more than 9%, respectively. GM F,STLA 1D mountain GM vs. F vs. STLA, 1-day “We believe it’s critical to be mindful of further volatility ahead, with the tariff/trade overhang likely to remain for the time being until there is more certainty on the end outcome,” the analyst continued. “That said, to the extent significant incremental weakness emerges in the stocks, we see buying opportunities.” Among the three names, Levy said that GM and Stellantis would be most impacted by the tariffs, given that they rely “significantly” on both Canada and Mexico for their U.S. vehicle sales. He noted that Canada and Mexico make up at least 35% of the companies’ North American production mix, which includes production of their “highly profitable” trucks. While the analyst said that Ford is “less impacted” due to its “far less” reliance on Mexico for its vehicles because its high-profit vehicles are produced in the U.S., Levy said the automaker still faces risk related to parts from Mexico and Canada. To be sure, Levy estimated that for a vehicle with half of its parts content from Mexico and Canada, a 25% tariff could amount to about $2,500 to $3,500 of higher cost. “Given the potential for significant disruption ahead if the tariffs stick, we believe it’s a reminder as to why tariffs of this magnitude are unlikely to stick,” he also said. Source link #Tariffs #wipe #profits #Detroits #Big #dont #raise #prices #estimates #Barclays Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]