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Asus Zenbook Duo 2025 review: Two screens, one laptop Asus Zenbook Duo 2025 review: Two screens, one laptop Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Two-minute review (Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird) If ever there were a tale of two halves, it’s the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025). This dual-screen laptop-megatablet offers some of the most impressive mobile hardware currently available. It absolutely holds its ground with any of the very best laptops you can buy in 2025 in that regard. That starts with its cutting-edge Intel Arrow Lake CPU, but just like last year’s 2024 model, this revised-for-2025 device really centers on its beautifully built chassis containing dual 14-inch OLED touchscreens, plus a clever wireless clip-on keyboard and a kickstand that adds an additional ergonomic flourish. Yes, there are compromises in terms of the pure hardware. The otherwise similar best touchscreen laptops in 2025 offer a slimmer and lighter form factor, plus better battery life and outright performance. There are thermal limitations with this kind of design. But Asus has clearly put in some serious engineering legwork to realize this remarkable machine. Then there’s the software side of the equation. For starters, Windows 11 has never been well optimized for touch input and a system like this only serves to highlight that shortcoming. Then there’s Asus’ own suite of touch optimized apps and features, all designed to make the most of the extraordinary dual-screen hardware. You can see what Asus is trying to do, including a highly modular and user configurable touch control interface that in theory can be set up to suit almost any preference. You even get ready-made configurations for specific apps, be that content creation or media consumption. However, in practice the learning curve is extremely steep, and even once you’ve scaled that peak, the results are a little patchy and a touch buggy. A slick, fully polished touch experience this ultimately is not. There’s a slight vibe of concept hardware or a design study going on here despite this 2025 model being a second generation product. Some of that is thanks to Windows itself as ever being half baked, some of it is surely down to Asus. In the end, the reasons don’t matter, the result is at least occasional frustration. That doesn’t make the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) unbuyable, but especially for a machine this expensive it does make for some significant caveats. If you’re willing to put up with some pain, there are rewards to be had. This system can do things that a conventional laptop can’t dream of. But in return you’ll have to accept aspects that feel clunky and unfinished to enjoy them. Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Price and availability (Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird) How much does it cost? $1,699 (with 1TB SSD) / £2,099 (with 2TB SSD)/ AU$TBC When is it available? Available now Where can you get it? Available in the US, *** At $1,699 in the US, the latest 2025 revision of the Asus Zenbook Duo is actually remarkable value when you consider that you’re getting dual OLED and a high-end version of Intel’s latest Arrow Lake laptop CPU, plus 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. It’s definitely a lot of mobile machine for the money. The £2,099 price in the *** looks like conspicuously poor value by comparison. That works out to $2,650, or thereabouts. Admittedly, the *** price includes 20% sales tax and you’re also getting the 2TB SSD on the *** version as reviewed here as opposed to the 1TB of the cheaper US model. But there’s still around $500 that’s gone missing in the translation from US to *** pricing. All of which means that in the US the Zenbook Duo 2025 compares well with the likes of a high-spec conventional laptop like a Dell XPS 13 with the options maxed out, which is impressive, while in the *** you’re paying a very notable premium for the two-screen experience, more’s the pity. Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Specs The Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) currently comes in one configuration in the US and one in the ***. Further configurations should follow soon. Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell – Column 0 ASUS Zenbook Duo 2025 (UX8406) ASUS Zenbook Duo 2025 (UX8406) Price: $1,699 £2,099 CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285H Intel Core Ultra 9 285H Graphics: Intel Arc 140T GPU Intel Arc 140T GPU RAM: 32GB DDR5 memory 32GB DDR5 memory Display: 2x 14.0-inch, 3K (2,880 x 1,800) OLED 16:10 aspect ratio, 0.2ms response time, 120Hz refresh rate, 400 nits, touch input 2x 14.0-inch, 3K (2,880 x 1,800) OLED 16:10 aspect ratio, 0.2ms response time, 120Hz refresh rate, 400 nits, touch input Storage: 1TB SSD 2TB SSD Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), USB-A, HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), USB-A, HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Camera: 1080p webcam with Windows Hello 1080p webcam with Windows Hello Weight: 3.64 lbs (1.65kg) 3.64 lbs (1.65kg) Dimensions: 12.34 x 8.58 x 0.57 ~ 0.78 inches (31.35 x 21.79 x 1.46 ~ 1.99 cm) 12.34 x 8.58 x 0.57 ~ 0.78 inches (31.35 x 21.79 x 1.46 ~ 1.99 cm) Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Design (Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird) Without question, the design and features of the Asus Zenbook Duo OLED (2025) really stand out. But, actually, it’s those dual OLED panels that really shine. The screens are identical 14-inch OLED panels with 2,880 x 1,800 pixels each, a peak HDR brightness of 500 nits and simply eye-popping visuals. They also run at up to 120Hz, which is important not just for things like scrolling around web pages and documents, but also for ensuring that the touch input with the bundled Asus Zenpen 2 is responsive, precise and lag free. Along with the main chassis you also get a clip-in wireless keyboard. Snapped into place, the Asus Zenbook Duo 2025 looks like a pretty conventional laptop, albeit a slightly portly machine compared to your usual thin-and-light machine. At over 1.6kg (3.5 lbs), it’s also heavier than many 15-inch systems, such as a MacBook Air 15. (Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird) Still, the key strokes feel much better than you’d expect for a clip-in board and it works wirelessly when you detach it, enabling all manner of intriguing ergonomic setups when combined with the dual screens. Anyway, the basic form factor does come with some compromises. But it’s also beautifully put together with a lush alloy chassis, a very sturdy feeling hinge, plus a kickstand on the bottom slice that allows you to prop both screens up vertically. (Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird) That’s absolutely fabulous for some use cases, for instance running collaboration software, such as Slack or Teams or whatever video conferencing platform you use on the top screen and your documents and apps on the bottom screen. Going back to a single-screen laptop once you get used to the Zenbook Duo feels awfully constraining, that’s for sure. Asus has also located a Thunderbolt port on both sides of the chassis, which is a welcome change from the otherwise physically pretty similar 2024 model that placed both ports on the same side. You also get a full-sized HDMI port and a headphone jack. This 2025 model has also been upgraded to Wi-Fi 7, so the lack of an ethernet socket is even less of an issue than before. Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Performance (Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird) Cramming the latest Intel Arrow Lake CPU under an OLED screen was never going to be a recipe for absolutely peak performance. But it’s not just any Arrow Lake chip in this case, but the top spec Intel Core Ultra 9 285H CPU with 16 cores. Overall, this is a very powerful processor, though as an Arrow Lake model as opposed to Lunar Lake, it has a relatively weak NPU that doesn’t qualify for Windows Copilot+ AI assistant functionality, which is a bit of a frustration. Indeed, there is a very strong case for this laptop being better suited all round to that Lunar Lake chip with its lower power footprint. The Zenbook Duo (2025) gets pretty toasty even under very light load and the fans are frequently audible. That said, with all cores ignited, this is a powerful portable with plenty of grunt for all but the most demanding tasks. Just expect some thermal throttling if you really lean on those CPU cores for long periods. Asus Zenbook Duo (2025): Benchmarks – Laptops only Here’s how the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) performed in our suite of benchmark tests: 3DMark: Night Raid: 30787; Fire Strike: 8004; Time Spy: 3800 GeekBench 6: 2770 (single-core); 16082 (multi-core) SSD sequential read / write: 5.2GB/s / 4.7GB/s Handbrake 1.6: 7m 12s CrossMark: Overall: 1955 Productivity: 1776 Creativity: 2299 Responsiveness: 1604 Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm: 15.951ms average frame time PCMark 10 Battery Life: 8 hours and 29 minutes The Intel Arc 140T graphics is also pretty speedy for an integrated GPU. Don’t expect desktop-class gaming performance. But you can get a reasonable experience in most games at 1080p, albeit you’ll typically have to turn down a fair few settings. The two OLED panels are also pretty much impeccable and offer a fabulous viewing experience, with good pixel density and fantastic colors and response. Rated at 400 nits, both screens are essentially identical and run at up to 120Hz for responsive touch input. In hardware terms, those screens are stunning. The problems come with the software and interface ergonomics. Windows 11 simply isn’t well optimized for touch and while the Asus ScreenXpert software is absolutely crammed with features, tools and widgets for every possible need, there’s a steep initial learning curve getting used to both the various gestures for doing things like expanding windows across the two screen, bringing up items like the the various virtual keyboards and trackpads, and then getting app-specific toolbars setup and optimized. (Image credit: Future / Jeremy Laird) Even when you have got a setup that you’re happy with, it can feel a little flaky as various items, for instance, can occasionally be obscured by the taskbar, touch controls can be unresponsive and some elements are well thought through. You’ll also notice little oddities, like the top screen only dimming slightly for a while before both screens shut down to save power. After the initial delight of using a five finger gesture to expand a webpage across two screens fades, then, you’re left with an interface that can feel slightly like quite hard work. Moreover, the core dual-screen experience using the lower screen as a keyboard and trackpad is no substitute for physical input devices. You’re going to want to take that clip-on keyboard with you. The upsides, of course, involve a wealth of ergonomic options no normal laptop can match. Asus Zenbook Duo 2025: Battery life Battery life can be a concern with any single-screen OLED laptop, but with two screens? Yikes. Actually, the Zenbook Duo (2025) probably outperforms expectations. In PCMark 10’s web test with the screens set to half brightness at the full 120Hz, the Zenbook soldiered on for eight and a half hours. Set the screens to 60Hz and merely watch some video and you may well see the Zenbook sail past the 10 hour mark. For sure, conventional laptops can last longer. But that’s still a very good result and makes for usable near-enough all day battery life. Should I buy the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025)? Swipe to scroll horizontally Attribute Notes Rating Value: In the US, the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) is actually solid value considering the incredible hardware you’re getting. In the ***, not quite so much. 4 / 5 Design: The quality of the design and engineering is this laptop’s main highlight. It’s a gorgeous device with a pair of fantastic OLED panels. 5 / 5 Performance: Cramming a high-performance CPU under an OLED screen isn’t ideal. But the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) makes a pretty good fist of it. 4 / 5 Battery: OLED laptops don’t usually do all that well for battery life. With two OLED screens the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) isn’t the best, but it still manages to come close to all-day battery life. 3.5 / 5 Average Rating: The Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) certainly has some shortcomings when it comes to software and interface ergonomics. But it’s still an incredible dual-screen device. 4 / 5 Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Also Consider If our Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) review has you considering other options, here are two laptops to consider… Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell – Column 0 Dell XPS 13 (2025) Price: $1,999.99 / £2,049 / AU$3,998.50 CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 288V Graphics: Intel Arc graphics RAM: 32GB DDR5 memory Display: 13.4-inch 3K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 60Hz Storage: 2TB SSD Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB-C Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Camera: 1080p webcam with Windows Hello Weight: 2.70lbs (1.21kg) Dimensions: 11.6 x 7.8 x 0.58 inches (29.5 x 19.9 x 1.48cm) Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell – Column 0 Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8 Price: $1,649.99 / £1,599 CPU: Intel Core i7-1360P Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics RAM: 16GB DDR5 memory Display: 14-inch WQUXGA (3840 x 2400), OLED, Touch, 100% DCI-P3, 400 nits, 60Hz Storage: 1TB SSD Ports: 2x USB-C Thunderbolt 4.0, 1x USB-A 3.2, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 Wireless: Wi-Fi 6E 11AX (2×2) & Bluetooth 5.1 Camera: 1080p webcam with Windows Hello Weight: 1.4kg (3.08 lbs) Dimensions: 12.52 x 9.06 x 0.6 inches (15.2 x 318 x 230mm) How I tested the Asus Zenbook Duo 2025 I used the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) as my at-home and on-the-go machine for doing almost everything for a week. That means everything from basic web browsing to watching brain-rot content on YouTube and the usual collab’ tools and video conferencing. Oh, and getting more serious work done including image editing. The latter was particularly interesting given the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025)’s dual touch screens and funky interface tools. That said, it was actually more mundane tasks, namely video conferencing and general work collaboration where the Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) really shines. Once you’ve got used to having a spare screen to have those tools running while retaining a primary display for your other actual work, you won’t want to go back to a single-screen laptop. I essay that having been a laptop geek for about 20 years and assessing them professionally for about 15. Most laptops don’t move the game on or make you think that you might actually need it in your life. The Asus Zenbook Duo (2025) is far from perfect, but it’s novel enough to do just that. First reviewed February 2025 Source link #Asus #Zenbook #Duo #review #screens #laptop Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
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Trump says tariffs will hit Canada, Mexico on Tuesday – National Trump says tariffs will hit Canada, Mexico on Tuesday – National Tariffs on Canada and Mexico will land on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump says. “Very importantly tomorrow, tariffs — 25 per cent on Canada and 25 per cent on Mexico — and that’ll start. So they’re going to have to have a tariff,” Trump told reporters in the White House. Trump was referring to the broad-based 25 per cent tariffs on all goods coming in from Canada and Mexico, with a lower 10 per cent rate for ********* energy exports and an additional 10 per cent on ******** goods. Trump has said these tariffs are aimed at curbing the flow of ******** substances, specifically fentanyl, coming in through the border into the United States. These tariffs were originally slated to go into effect on Feb. 4, but Trump decided to defer them for a month after a phone call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and ******** President Claudia Sheinbaum. Story continues below advertisement The 30-day pause was aimed at giving both countries time to secure their respective borders with the United States. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. While U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in a Fox News interview Sunday had said Canada and Mexico had done a “reasonable job” at securing the borders, Trump on Monday said the two did not have any room left for negotiation. “No room left for Mexico or for Canada. No. The tariffs you know, they’re all set. They go into effect tomorrow,” Trump said. More on Canada More videos The original executive order, signed on Feb. 1, states that the tariffs would go into effect at 12:01 am Eastern on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Trending Now Russian cargo plane seized in Toronto could soon be owned by Canada Oscars 2025 red carpet: The dreamiest and most daring fashion of the night While it was not clear what the revised timing of the tariffs would be, the U.S. decided on a one-month break. This would imply that the tariffs go into effect at 12:01 am Eastern on Tuesday, March. 4. Trump also seemed to hint that the tariffs are aimed at forcing the North American auto industry to shift production into the United States. “I would just say this to people in Canada or Mexico if they’re going to build car plants, the people that are doing them are much better off building here,” he said. The tariffs that Trump has linked to migrants and fentanyl crossing the border are not the only set of tariffs that are expected to hit over the next few weeks. Additional tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as global reciprocal tariffs are set to hit in the coming weeks. Story continues below advertisement Ottawa has vowed to hit back with dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs against the United States. © 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Trump #tariffs #hit #Canada #Mexico #Tuesday #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Is a truce between Ukraine and Russia possible? Is a truce between Ukraine and Russia possible? President Macron proposes one-month ceasefire. Source link #truce #Ukraine #Russia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Private credit is becoming more accessible to retail investors. What to know Private credit is becoming more accessible to retail investors. What to know A new exchange-traded fund is bringing private credit to the masses and could open the door to more products following suit. The ETF from State Street and Apollo Global Management, SPDR SSGA Apollo IG Public & Private Credit ETF (PRIV) , launched last Thursday . It aims to have at least 80% of its assets in investment-grade private and public debt securities. Still, there are some lingering questions about the fund and what it means for access to private credit moving forward. After the ETF started trading Thursday, the Securities and Exchange Commission in a letter on its website highlighted “significant remaining outstanding issues” on the fund, including the use of Apollo’s name in the title and the ability to comply with valuation rules. On Friday, State Street said it would revise the name of the fund as soon as practical. The company also explained the ETF’s illiquid products won’t be exclusively tied to Apollo and that its net asset value will be calculated daily. State Street told CNBC it would have no further comment at this time. Morningstar said the ETF represents a “seismic shift” in the industry. “We eagerly await what sort of firms will follow suit and try to launch some sort of copycat vehicle,” said Ryan Jackson, senior manager research analyst at Morningstar. “This is truly a first-of-its-kind product and I think one can safely assume there’s a lot of latent demand for true private assets in an ETF vehicle.” Sizing up liquidity The roadblock to this sort of product has been the illiquid nature of private credit. ETFs are typically allowed to have up to 15% in illiquid investments. With PRIV, private credit can range between 10% and 35% of its assets, although it can go below or above that. In order to provide the liquidity needed for the fund, Apollo not only provides the assets but will also repurchase them if needed. “What we’re most interested in is what kind of precedent does that set for ETF providers moving forward to who want to flip some private investments,” Jackson said. “If State Street and Apollo can do it with sort of a soft cap, does that same set of rules apply to every other provider?” Investors should also be aware that the liquidity comes at a price, said Neal Epstein, vice president of private credit at Moody’s Ratings. “If Apollo is setting the prices and making the market, it seems like there could be, implicitly, a conflict. It may not be the fairest outcome, but if people really want liquidity, you do expect prices to change dramatically in favor of the acquirer,” he said. “That’s what it means to seek liquidity. You’re willing to give up the price.” Still, he called the fund “a big, incremental step” in the expansion of private credit as an asset class. With an expense ratio of 0.70%, it is a lot cheaper than traditional private credit allocations, Jackson said. “Anytime the price tag is cheaper, that’s great for investors. But you have to wonder, are they getting the third, fourth, fifth best ideas, while the absolute best deal available for any given private credit provider kind of goes to their top-paying clients,” he said. Appetite for private credit Moody’s predicts global private credit assets under management (AUM) will reach $3 trillion by 2028. While that is largely from institutional investors, individual investors have been showing more interest in recent years. “Expansion of retail private debt AUM has been accelerating and, while still less than 20% of total private debt AUM, is growing at a faster pace than institutional AUM,” Moody’s Ratings wrote in its global private credit outlook for 2025. Separately, an MSCI report released in January said that 82% of wealth managers globally expect to make larger allocations to private assets, including private credit. The firm surveyed 20 wealth industry professionals in June 2024. Consider that the BondBloxx Private Credit CLO ETF (PCMM), which launched in December, offers liquidity because it focuses on private collateralized debt obligations. The ETF, which has a 30-day SEC yield of 7.44% and a 0.68% expense ratio, has since grown to $63.5 million in net assets . Investors in the ETF also get the benefit of diversification, said Tony Kelly, co-founder at BondBloxx. The ETF currently owns 42 CLOs. “There’s also diversification, even like the next layer down, that each CLO owns, on average, about 100 different loans,” he said. “So you’re looking at about 4,000 different different loans.” PCMM has about 80% of its assets invested in private credit. The weighted average rating is an A and duration is only about a quarter of a year, Kelly said. Investors can also get private credit exposure through interval funds and other ETFs, like Virtus Private Credit Strategy (VPC) , said Morningstar’s Jackson. The latter tracks the Indxx Private Credit Index, which provides passive exposure to private credit. The index holds assets such as business development companies (BDCs), which lend money to businesses, and closed-end funds. These assets are “one layer removed from the real deal,” Jackson said. Meanwhile, BondBloxx registered for another ETF in December that will offer private credit exposure to consumer-type loans, or fin-tech loans, Kelly said. It is awaiting approval from the SEC. On the equity side, investors can buy shares of the BDCs themselves. They include names like Blue Owl Capital , Oaktree Specialty Lending and Ares Capital . —CNBC’s Bob Pisani contributed reporting. Source link #Private #credit #accessible #retail #investors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
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Latest Xbox Controller Firmware Update Allegedly Leading to “Weird right and left stick behavior” Latest Xbox Controller Firmware Update Allegedly Leading to “Weird right and left stick behavior” Xbox’s Series X/S has been on the short end of the stick for quite some time now, with its primary rival PlayStation one-upping it in almost every way conceivable. This has resulted in Microsoft’s shy withdrawal from the console arms race – with its Xbox division opting to stick to a multiplatform release basis instead of focusing on exclusives and hardware. That’s not to say that Microsoft is entirely giving up on Xbox hardware though, and its accessories (along with the current-gen Xbox Series X/S) still remain in production to this day, with them showing no signs of backing down. However, Xbox’s recent Series X/S controllers have become something of a hot topic recently, with many commenting on strange analog stick behavior, past a firmware update. Xbox controllers face serious issues with recent firmware updates The Xbox Series controllers have manifested some strange behaviour | Image Credit: Xbox As mentioned by multiple reports online, Xbox’s controllers (of the Series X/S variety) have begun to manifest some rather strange symptoms. Those unfortunate enough to have updated their controllers with the latest firmware might notice that their right and left analog sticks move a bit ‘weird’. In short, the sticks feel a lot less reactive, meaning that certain stick movements are ignored entirely. When compared to a similar Xbox Series controller (but on a lower firmware), the difference is immediately apparent – the older controllers play a lot ‘smoother’. To make things clear, this is completely unrelated to stick drift, which results in the wearing out of analog sticks with their repeated use over time. The symptoms shown here are the exact opposite of stick drift, and can likely be fixed via a firmware update. It’s not just fault sticks though, with many affected controllers suffering from disconnection issues and faulty buttons. The firmware update in question is version 5.23.5.0, and readers might find it in their best interests to avoid updating for the time being, at least until the issue is sorted. Do controllers even need firmware updates? | Image Credit: Xbox It does bring into question why controllers need firmware updates in the first place, and of the quality checks done by Microsoft before shipping out a new piece of software. Those who have already updated are out of luck though – there’s not much else to do other than wait for an official fix. Another reason to get the DualSense over the Series X/S controller The DualSense is still a superior product | Image Credit: PlayStation It’s no secret that the DualSense (the PlayStation 5’s controller) is a far superior product when compared to the Series controller, despite having quite similar asking prices. The DualSense features a much sturdier, heavier build that feels a lot nicer in the hand. Furthermore, Sony’s controller features a lot more nice-to-have additions, such as adaptive triggers and a touchpad. Coupled with tighter sticks and a more precise rumble, the DualSense is a no-brainer – especially if one plays on PC. After all, both controllers support PC natively, and DualSense support has also become a thing for most modern AAA releases. Even ignoring the recent firmware update controversy, the DualSense was always a better option compared to the Xbox controller, save for perhaps its inferior D-Pad layout, which is albeit quite subjective. Source link #Latest #Xbox #Controller #Firmware #Update #Allegedly #Leading #Weird #left #stick #behavior Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Americans voters frustrated by Zelensky-Trump Oval Office spat Americans voters frustrated by Zelensky-Trump Oval Office spat Ana Faguy & Max Matza BBC News BBC The shocking blow-up between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to ripple across the globe, including though American voters who expressed frustration at one or both leaders for their role in the dispute. The extraordinary scene in Washington DC saw Vice President JD Vance accuse the Ukrainian president of being “disrespectful” to the US, while Trump urged him to make a deal with Russia “or we are out”. Trump also accused the Ukraine of “gambling with World War Three” as Zelensky pushed back at suggestions that he should work harder to agree a ceasefire with Vladimir Putin. Zelensky was eventually told to leave the White House early. World leaders and elected officials in the US have had much to say about about the tense exchange, but so do American voters. We’ve asked five people what they think. Watch: From laughter to anger, how the Oval Office meeting spiralled Christopher Carey, 51, Republican This South Carolina voter aligns himself with the Trump administration but he was frustrated by the Oval Office spat and wants the US to continue to back Ukraine. It never should have happened. I blame both [Zelensky and Trump]. Zelensky did come across as arrogant, frankly. I get he was trying to make his point but he doesn’t know how to deal with Trump. [*** Prime Minister Keir] Starmer knows how to deal with Trump, [French Prime Minister Emmanuel] Macron knows how to deal with Trump, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin definitely knows how to deal with Trump, but [Zelsnsky] doesn’t know how to handle Trump. Some of what Trump says is true. When he said Ukraine doesn’t have the cards, [Zelesnky] doesn’t have the cards. But Zelesnky does have the cards in so far as saying that we will feel it in America shortly after Europe feels it, if Putin is appeased, because [Putin will] just reconstitute his forces and invade somebody else. Kat O’Brien, 37, Democrat This Florida Democrat has repeatedly voted against Trump and said she was ashamed to call herself an American in the wake of the meeting. I had to pause it a couple of times to give myself a few moments to cool off. I saw Trump and Vance steamrolling President Zelensky and refusing to let him get a word in edgewise. They were selfish, rude, callous, and displayed a complete lack of basic human empathy. It’s hard to stay optimistic about the outcome of this war, and I knew something like this was likely to happen after Trump was re-elected. I’ve been dreading this possibility since election day; however, I didn’t anticipate Trump being this horrible about it. I’m terrified for Zelensky and Ukraine. John Carroll, 41, Independent This New Jersey voter has backed both Republicans and Democrats in the past but was “disgusted” by how Trump and Vance handled themselves in the Oval Office. I was absolutely disgusted with it. Even if Zelensky and the Ukrainians were considered adversarial to us, you wouldn’t talk to their head of state or head of government that way. I would go beyond sending more aid to Ukraine – I would go as far as saying we should send military assets: putting planes in the air or putting boots on the ground. [Putin] operates like a bully. The only way you’re really going to get a bully to reconsider their actions is to stand up to them – you have to be willing to punch them in the mouth at some point in time. Alli Rastrelli, 21, Republican This Indiana Trump voter wants to help Ukraine, but thinks there should be limit to US generosity to ensure Americans are taken care of too. I want to help them as much as we can but we can’t keep giving, giving, giving. Zelensky had good reason to want more, but I feel like he was in the wrong to ask for it in that manner. If he did it in private, it would have been the place for it. I didn’t feel like Trump or Vance’s reaction to it was wrong. It wasn’t perfect, but I don’t think it was a bad reaction per say. I hope there can be reconciliation after this, I want to help them end this war. But if there isn’t some middle ground they can find, I don’t want to see the US to continue to spend and spend on a country that isn’t ours when we have domestic problems. Ryan Rodriguez, 38, Democrat This California voter was taken aback by the “arrogant stance” of Trump and Vance against Zelensky. All it seemed like Trump and Vance wanted to do was “make a deal”, in other words turn a profit from this conflict. Ukraine doesn’t need trade partners. It needs allies, nations who aren’t afraid to put some skin in this fight and fend off an invading enemy. The world’s leaders need to take in the full scope of this conflict and stop letting Vladimir Putin dictate the rules of engagement. The war in Ukraine is not some limited regional border dispute. This is a case of full-blown invasion by one sovereign nation of another. The war has gone on long enough for Ukraine to fight it without any other allies fighting alongside them in battle. Ukraine can’t and shouldn’t fight this war alone. Source link #Americans #voters #frustrated #ZelenskyTrump #Oval #Office #spat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
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Coonamble’s Show Time Angus top at $72,000 Coonamble’s Show Time Angus top at $72,000 A Bremer Bay-bred Angus bull sold to a top of $72,000 at the Davis family’s Coonamble Angus Bull ***** that resulted in a total clearance with buyers bullish on the quality at hand. Source link #Coonambles #Show #Time #Angus #top Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Watch: Mice perform ‘mouse-to-mouse resuscitation’ Watch: Mice perform ‘mouse-to-mouse resuscitation’ Credit: Science.org Mice have been filmed by scientists attempting “first aid” on each other. Researchers from the University of Southern California drugged the rodents so they were immobilised and placed them near fully conscious mice to see how their peers would react. The conscious mice were seen trying to clear the airways of the casualties by pulling their tongue out of the way and biting their mouth in an apparent attempt to revive them and help them to breathe. They were also seen licking and grooming their fallen lab-mates with more intensity than usual. Although previous research has found elephants, chimpanzees and dolphins can all spot when an individual is incapacitated and respond with grooming and nudging, it is the first time a similar caring response has been seen in mice. Researchers said the mice had exhibited a stereotypical set of behaviours when encountering an unconscious social partner, which had been “reminiscent of human emergency responses”. Credit: Science.org Writing in the journal Science, Huizhong ***** Tao, the lead author, said: “They displayed distinct and consistent behaviours toward the partner, escalating from sniffing and grooming to more forceful actions such as biting the partner’s mouth or tongue and pulling its tongue out. “These behaviours emerged after prolonged immobility and unresponsiveness of the partner and ceased once the partner regained activity, suggesting that they were triggered by observing unresponsive states of others. “The consequences – including clearance of foreign objects from the mouth, improved airway opening, and hastened recovery – suggest reviving-like efforts.” Experts found that mice that had met before spent more time trying to revive their companions compared with strangers, which researchers said suggested social recognition. Mice spent more time trying to revive companions they had met before compared with strangers – University of Southern California The reviving behaviour came to light after prolonged immobility and unresponsiveness and ceased once the mouse had regained activity, suggesting that they had been triggered by observing unresponsive states of others. It was also seen when mice interacted with a dead companion but rarely seen when the partner had been active or simply sleeping. When researchers studied the brains of the mice to see what had been triggering the behaviour, they found that when the animals had encountered a fallen comrade, it had triggered neurons in the paraventricular nucleus, releasing oxytocin hormones responsible for social bonding. When the oxytocin activation was blocked, the helping behaviours was impaired. In emergency situations, humans often exhibit instinctual “first aid” behaviours towards others. The researchers concluded: “Our findings thus suggest that animals exhibit reviving-like emergency responses and that assisting unresponsive group members may be an innate behaviour widely present among social animals. The researchers concluded that helping unresponsive group members may be widely present among social animals – Wenjian Sun/University of Southern California “Such behaviour likely plays a role in enhancing group cohesion and survival.” In a commentary alongside the article, William Sheeran and Zoe Donaldson, of the University of Colorado Boulder, said: “People who witness someone collapse and who subsequently perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) report that they intervene because they intuitively understand that the person would otherwise die. “Humans are not alone in this instinct. Animals as diverse as elephants, chimpanzees and dolphins can recognise and intervene by touching, nudging, and even carrying an incapacitated individual. “These findings add to the evidence that an impulse to help others in states of extreme distress is shared by many species and highlight neural mechanisms that drive instinctive rescue.” Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Source link #Watch #Mice #perform #mousetomouse #resuscitation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Inflation will move toward 2% target, but risks to outlook are rising, says Fed’s Musalem Inflation will move toward 2% target, but risks to outlook are rising, says Fed’s Musalem Alberto Musalem, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, speaks to the Economic Club of New York, in New York City, U.S., Feb. 20, 2025. Brendan McDermid | Reuters WASHINGTON — The risks for higher inflation are on the rise, St. Louis Federal Reserve President Alberto Musalem said Monday. During a keynote address at the National Association for Business Economics conference, Musalem noted that his baseline case is for inflation to gradually move toward the central bank’s 2% target. This scenario requires inflation expectations to remain anchored and stable, he noted. However, “near-term inflation expectations have risen substantially over the last few weeks, and that’s something I’m watching closely,” Musalem added. Indeed, the February reading on The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index reflected the largest one-month drop since August 2021, as inflation expectations rise. The Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing PMI also showed a sharp increase in prices within the sector for the month. “Businesses and households are clearly more sensitive to expectations of higher inflation,” Musalem said. “That’s why the risks seem more skewed to the upside, but the baseline is for continued disinflation.” Investors came into 2025 expecting the Fed to lower rates this year. However, the central bank kept rates at their current 4.25%-4.5% range after its January meeting, where it noted that inflation remained “somewhat elevated.” The CME Group’s FedWatch tool also shows that traders are pricing in a 93% likelihood that the Fed will keep rates at their current levels at the central bank’s March meeting. Musalem’s remarks come as investors brace for U.S. tariffs on imports from China, Mexico and Canada — with many worried the levies will drive prices higher, thus making it harder for the Fed to ease rates going forward. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Inflation #move #target #risks #outlook #rising #Feds #Musalem Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Industries Brace for Trump Tariffs Taking Effect on Tuesday – The New York Times Industries Brace for Trump Tariffs Taking Effect on Tuesday – The New York Times Industries Brace for Trump Tariffs Taking Effect on Tuesday The New York TimesCEOs Cautious Ahead of New Tariffs, Kaplan Says BloombergTariffs for Mexico, Canada could begin Tuesday — if Trump moves ahead The Washington PostTrump to decide US tariff levels on Mexico, Canada as Tuesday deadline looms ReutersTrump’s Tariffs On Canada And Mexico Set For Tomorrow—Here’s How They Could Impact Prices Forbes Source link #Industries #Brace #Trump #Tariffs #Effect #Tuesday #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on ‘terrifying’ writer’s block during pregnancy Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on ‘terrifying’ writer’s block during pregnancy Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie says the writer’s block she experienced after becoming pregnant with her first child was “terrifying”. “It’s a really frightening place to be, because writing is the thing that gives me meaning,” the acclaimed ********* author, 47, tells the BBC’s Emma Barnett. “I’m not sure that it was just entirely physiological but something changed, and I just could not get back into that magical place where I can write fiction.” Adichie had her first child, a daughter, in 2016. Last year, she had twin boys, now 11 months old. While she was pregnant, she had a “very foggy feeling” and “couldn’t think as clearly,” she says. “I’m a person for whom thinking clearly is so important, and so to be in that kind of place emotionally is very frightening,” she says. Adichie is now releasing her first novel in more than a decade, Dream Count. The book tells the story of four women navigating lives that aren’t going to plan. “I couldn’t write for a while, and then I started writing again,” she says. Adichie is known for work that explores themes including feminism, gender and immigration. The novelist’s 2012 Ted Talk We Should All Be Feminists helped push her to greater prominence, and was even sampled by Beyoncé on her 2013 song Flawless. In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC, she speaks about topics including parenthood, grief and artificial intelligence (AI). Adichie’s beliefs about gender have led her to reflect on how she’d like to bring up her sons. “I’m determined to raise good men,” she says. “I want to raise my boys to be emotionally comfortable, to be in touch with emotion, to not be afraid of emotion, and also to not be afraid of fear,” she continues. Compared to girls, Adichie believes boys don’t have many “wholesome” role models. “This space is just occupied by noxious characters and ideas,” she says. The writer adds that she wants her sons to be “the kind of boys that never start a fight but if you bring a fight to them, they will beat you up”. As well as having her three children, since writing her last novel, Adichie has also lost both of her parents. “Grief recedes but only in waves and then, at some point, it comes back,” she says. Adichie was surprised by how physical grief felt. “Your heart really is very heavy, you feel as though your body is somehow no longer able to carry the weight of your heart,” she says. The novelist says that grieving for her mother, who died suddenly on her father’s birthday in 2021, had a role in shaping her new novel. When she started writing the book – after her mother died – “I did not think I was writing about my mother,” she says. But when she had nearly finished, she reread the manuscript and realised there was “so much about mothers and daughters” in it, even though she hadn’t been conscious of this while writing. “I felt very strongly that, in some ways, my mother had opened the door for me to get back into this magical place that means that I can write fiction,” Adichie says. “I kind of thought that she’s comforting me, and it was actually deeply emotional for me to make that realisation.” As someone with a deep emotional connection to the creative process, it is perhaps unsurprising that when the conversation turns to AI, Adichie has a strong stance. The author says that we should not refer to any written content produced by generative AI produces as stories and that the technology is going to make all of us, if we embrace it widely, “increasingly stupid”. She argues that AI could limit human creativity, something she says “we should never think that we can somehow replace”. Even using AI for tasks like summarising work emails can be damaging, she says. “The ability to summarise is something that requires a certain level of creativity and imagination and intelligence, and it just seems to me that if you’re ceding that to something else, what are we going to let our brains do for us?” Source link #Chimamanda #Ngozi #Adichie #terrifying #writers #block #pregnancy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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South of Midnight Had “Serious conversations” to Avoid 1 Racist Stereotype Around ****** Characters That Started With Michael B. Jordan in ****** Panther South of Midnight Had “Serious conversations” to Avoid 1 Racist Stereotype Around ****** Characters That Started With Michael B. Jordan in ****** Panther In the world of video games, representation matters. More than just skin tone and background, the way characters are designed, from their personalities to their appearance, can have a lasting impact on how audiences feel. One game that is taking this matter seriously is South of Midnight. The game is set to launch on April 8th. | Image Credit: Compulsion Games The game is a highly anticipated action-adventure game from Compulsion Games, especially when it comes to the portrayal of ****** characters. While there are many characters from similar backgrounds showing up in the gaming industry, most miss one crucial design choice: Hairstyle. South of Midnight wants to avoid the stereotypical hairstyle One of the most notable design choices for the game’s protagonist, Hazel, is her hair. This might seem like a small detail to many, but for the creators behind South of Midnight, it was one of the most essential things to get it right. This was to avoid the infamous “Killmonger cut” stereotype. For those unfamiliar, this stereotype began with the popular movie ****** Panther and Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of Erik Killmonger. While Jordon’s character had depth and even got power, he unintentionally started the trend of hairstyles for other fictional ****** characters. However, as many ****** viewers have pointed out, this type of hairstyle doesn’t fully capture their identity and culture. It’s a narrow representation that often overlooks the diversity of textures, lengths, and styles that make up their hairstyle. This was something the team at Compulsion Games was determined to avoid while designing the protagonist, Hazel. According to voice director Ahmed Best in an interview with RollingStone, the team had various conversations about how to handle Hazel’s hairstyle. This goal was to ensure it would feel true to the culture’s experience without resorting to clichés. Best said: We really did have serious conversations about what her hair was going to be. She’s not going to have the like, general kind of asymmetrical mop, or, like everybody has the same length dreadlocks. This level of care in Hazel’s design is just one example of how South of Midnight is working hard to break away from mainstream media’s limited and often stereotypical portrayals of ****** characters. The hype surrounding the game proves this point. It’s a move that not only feels refreshing but also sends an important message about ****** identity in modern media. The power of little details in character design Developers want to stay true to ****** culture and not take the stereotype route. | Image Credit: Compulsion Games Compulsion Games’ care in designing Hazel is part of a larger conversation about representation and authenticity in video games. It shows how important it is to avoid stereotypes as it ensures that characters are given the complexity and individuality they deserve. By addressing the issue of hair representation head-on, South of Midnight serves as proof of what can happen when creators take the time to engage in thoughtful discussions about how to portray their characters best (not just include them to have ‘diversity’ in the game). Additionally, it’s not just about avoiding one stereotype, it’s about embracing a broader, more nuanced view of what ****** identity looks like. And for ****** gamers, that’s a significant step forward in creating spaces where they can truly see themselves reflected. In the world of video games, where characters often fall into rigid archetypes, South of Midnight is forging its own path with a protagonist who embodies a rich, multifaceted vision. In the end, the path to change starts with a small step where every piece of detail matters. And yes, even hairstyle helps create a more diverse and inclusive world for all players to enjoy. Source link #South #Midnight #conversations #Avoid #Racist #Stereotype #****** #Characters #Started #Michael #Jordan #****** #Panther Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Trump’s tariffs threat hits Canada’s oil and gas drillers
Pelican Press posted a topic in World News
Trump’s tariffs threat hits Canada’s oil and gas drillers Trump’s tariffs threat hits Canada’s oil and gas drillers Canada’s oilfield drilling and services sector is already showing signs of slowing due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs, triggering fears that an expected industry rebound could stall if such levies go forward. Employment levels in the ********* drilling sector collapsed between 2014 and 2020 due to sustained low oil prices and reduced production during the COVID-19 pandemic. Activity has improved since 2020, but Trump’s threat to impose a 10 per cent tariff on the 4 million barrels per day (bpd) of ********* crude imported into the U.S. could upend that, industry representatives said. When volatility affects oil markets, oilfield service companies are often the first hit as their oil producer customers look to delay or defer spending. Precision Drilling, Canada’s largest drilling rig operator, saw a steeper-than-expected slowdown in its ********* well servicing segment in the fourth quarter of 2024. Story continues below advertisement “It seems that some of the tariff uncertainty slowed down customer decision-making,” said CEO Kevin Neveu during a conference call last month. A recent report from the investment bank TD Cowen predicted ********* oil producers will “err on the side of conservatism” due to uncertainty over tariffs. Global News A TD Cowen report from February predicted ********* oil producers will “err on the side of conservatism” due to uncertainty over tariffs. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Analysts at the bank reduced their 2025 ********* rig count forecast by about 5 per cent as a result, to average 175 active rigs versus a prior projection of 185 rigs. TD Cowen also downgraded its recommendation for two ********* drilling stocks — Precision Drilling and Ensign Energy Services — from “buy” to “hold.” “I know that certainly the anxiety level is rising,” said Mark Scholz, president of the ********* Association of Energy Contractors (CAOEC), in an interview. Story continues below advertisement “Any sort of investment reduction will have an immediate and very, very quick effect on our industry.” Scholz emphasized the slowdown thus far has been small, involving “just a handful” of rigs. He attributed it to uncertainty within the broader ********* oil industry about the timing, duration and market impacts of tariffs. While a 10 per cent tariff on ********* oil is not likely to immediately impact most oil producers’ plans, at least near-term, smaller companies could get hit, warned DaneGregoris, managing director with Enverus Intelligence Research. “A lot of (oil company) budgets are pretty set up at this point and disclosed. They might be hitting the low-end of their (forecast) ranges, but I can’t imagine massive changes to capital budgets,” he said. 2:01 Trump has threatened a 10% tariff on ********* oil – how will it impact the industry? Still, there are other concerns among producers, including the possibility of retaliatory tariffs by Canada, which would raise the prices of inputs and drilling rig equipment imported from the U.S., said Gurpreet Lail, president of industry group Enserva. Story continues below advertisement Sand, for example, is among the items the ********* government has identified on its list of proposed counter-tariffs. Sand is used heavily by the oil and gas industry in the hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, process. If tariffs do come into effect, said Lail, it will likely mean job losses in a sector that still has not recovered to where it was a decade ago. Last year, total employment in Canada’s drilling sector was approximately half what it was in 2014. CAOEC’s November 2024 forecast had projected 2025 would see the sector’s highest level of employment in ten years, but Lail said that is now in doubt. “We thought we had finally seen a light coming at the end of the tunnel here, and people were getting back to work,” she said. “But this is not good news.” 3:52 Reciprocal tariff impacts on Canada Source link #Trumps #tariffs #threat #hits #Canadas #oil #gas #drillers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] -
Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Title That Has Became a Lightning Rod for Racism Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Title That Has Became a Lightning Rod for Racism It seems like 2025 is setting new highs for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. Even though it’s been just three months into the year, subscribers have had access to a number of day-one releases, such as Avowed, Eternal Stands, and Citizen Sleeper 2. Game Pass is one of the best subscription service for gamers. (Image Microsoft) Another title that’s soon making its way to Game Pass is none other than South of Midnight. The title was revealed all the way back in mid-June 2023 Xbox Games Showcase. While gamers are hyped, the title has attracted racism for its attempt to include diversity. Next Xbox Game Pass title already in trouble South of Midnight aims to properly represent all the cultures. (Image via Microsoft) In an interview with Rolling Stone, Compulsion Games’ Montreal studio opened up about the development of the game. The developers revealed that the game was inspired by the folklore and culture of the regions of the South, including Louisiana, Georgia, and South Carolina. Whitney Clay, the art director for South of Midnight, then talked about the importance of creating a connection with audiences. With the game’s art style, magic, and tales, it wants to establish relatable details with people. According to her, the diversity and experience during the team’s travels helped them reflect the beauty of the South. And we just saw so much diversity on our trips in terms of landscapes, food, the people are super warm — so we just wanted to get that beauty. With the inclusion of diversity in the Xbox Game Pass title, Compulsion Games is looking to deliver an authentic experience that’s true to the Southern region. However, this hasn’t gone down well with many in the gaming community. Even though diversity and inclusion are important topics in the video gaming world, many are against the inclusion of people from all backgrounds. Some players have condemned the diversity aspect of South of Midnight and believe it’s nothing but woke propaganda. They are passing racist comments against the various characters and praying for the downfall of the game. One of the best Ubisoft titles is now on Game Pass Watch Dogs: Legion is an enjoyable game. (Image via Ubisoft) We all know that the last couple of months have been a roller-coaster for Ubisoft. All of the French publisher’s recent games have been failures, and now its future depends upon the success of Assassin’s Creed Shadows. However, that doesn’t mean that Ubisoft hasn’t made good games in the past. One of those is Watch Dogs: Legion, which debuted in 2020. The title takes players to the dystopian London of the future, where the DedSec group gets framed for terrorism. Legion brought tons of new mechanics to the game, including a new playable character system. This allowed gamers to recruit any NPC in the game and develop a unique team with different abilities and backgrounds. Seriously, it was a level of customization and personalization that we hadn’t seen before. However, if you’re someone who hasn’t tried Legion, Xbox has got you covered. The title is available at no additional cost with an Xbox Game Pass subscription. It’s one of the major additions to the subscription service we have seen this year. It’s not just Legion; Xbox Game Pass subscribers will also enjoy the brand-new action roguelike, 33 Immortals, and survival game Atomfall in March. With that said, are you excited for South of Midnight? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Upcoming #Xbox #Game #Pass #Title #Lightning #Rod #Racism Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
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Two dead, five hurt as car hits crowd in ******* city: police Two dead, five hurt as car hits crowd in ******* city: police A man drove a car into a crowd in Germany on Monday, killing two people and seriously injuring five, police said, adding that a 40-year-old ******* man was arrested over the suspected attack. Politicians and police treated the noon-time vehicle rampage in the southwestern city of Mannheim as a deliberate act. Germany has been shocked by two other deadly car-ramming attacks since December. “Once again we mourn with the relatives of the victims of a senseless act of violence and fear for the injured,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a post on X, adding: “We cannot accept this.” “This act is one of several crimes in the recent past in which a car was misused as a weapon,” said the Baden-Wuerttemberg state interior minister Thomas Strobl. He said the sole suspect in the case lived in the city of Ludwigshafen, which lies directly across the river Rhine from Mannheim but is in the neighbouring state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Strobl added that investigators saw “no indication of an extremist or religious background” and that “the motivation could be rooted in the person of the perpetrator himself,” suggesting psychological troubles. The suspect was arrested and is being treated in hospital. The driver ploughed a small ****** Ford passenger vehicle through a downtown pedestrian shopping area around 12:15 local time (1115 GMT) where a carnival market was located with dozens of food stalls, rides and games. “It’s heartbreaking,” cafe owner Kasim Timur, 57, was quoted as telling news site Der Spiegel, adding that one of his staff had seen seriously injured people, among them children. Police with heavy weapons soon shut down and evacuated the inner city as helicopters flew overhead and citizens were told to stay indoors via warning apps during the “life-threatening situation”. Enes Yildiz, 24, who works in tax consulting in a nearby office, said: “I just heard a very, very loud noise. It was rather extraordinary, not a noise that you hear every day.” He went down to the street and saw a dead body lying on the ground and pools of blood, he said. The motionless victim appeared to have been thrown through the air by the impact. “There were a lot of people crying, people shouting for help, people calling the police.” He walked further down the street to witness the carnage at the city’s central Paradeplatz: “It was a mess, as if it had been hit by a bomb. The whole place was in disarray.” Yildiz saw more victims lying in the street, he recounted. “I was shocked. I grew up here, I work here every day. I walk along the route where it happened every day.” – Spate of attacks – A reporter for news channel NTV said soon after the car hit the crowd that “at least one person is lying covered under a tarpaulin” and that children’s shoes were among the clothes and debris scattered on the ground. The intensive care unit of Mannheim’s university hospital quickly issued a disaster alert, readying for a wave of casualties needing emergency treatment. ******* cities have seen several violent attacks in recent months, including stabbing sprees and car ramming attacks. Security was a major theme in last month’s general election, which was won by the conservative CDU/CSU alliance led by Friedrich Merz, the presumed next chancellor. The incident “is a stark reminder to us: we must do everything we can to prevent such crimes… Germany must become a safe country again,” Merz wrote on X. Last month a man drove a car into a trade union rally in the southern city of Munich, killing a two-year-old girl and her mother. Police arrested a 24-year-old Afghan suspect. In December a car-ramming attack targeted a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg, killing six people and wounding hundreds. Police arrested a Saudi man at the scene. Mannheim itself was the scene of a stabbing attack at an anti-Islam rally in May in which a policeman was killed and five others wounded. A Syrian man is now on trial over that attack, which happened some 300 metres from Monday’s car-ramming. Amid the spate of attacks, which fuelled support for the far-right AfD, Merz pledged a “zero tolerance” law and order drive and tough restrictions on irregular immigration. Authorities were on high alert as Monday was the high point of traditional ******* carnival celebrations before the beginning of Lent. Mannheim had seen thousands take to the streets on Sunday for its own carnival parade. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser cancelled her visit to the Rose Monday parade in Cologne to travel to Mannheim, where she condemned the act of “horror in broad daylight” and the “simply unimaginably terrible act that happened here”. bur-sr/fz/jsk/rlp Source link #dead #hurt #car #hits #crowd #******* #city #police Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]
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What to know about the tornado risk in the U.S. through Wednesday – The Washington Post What to know about the tornado risk in the U.S. through Wednesday – The Washington Post What to know about the tornado risk in the U.S. through Wednesday The Washington PostNew storm bringing blizzard conditions to Heartland, tornadoes to the South AOLStorms arrive Tuesday KY3Severe Weather Will Pack Tornado And Damaging Wind Threats From The South To East Coast Through Wednesday The Weather Channel Source link #tornado #risk #U.S #Wednesday #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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PSV v Arsenal: Gunners defender says club can change season’s narrative in Champions League PSV v Arsenal: Gunners defender says club can change season’s narrative in Champions League Jurrien Timber says Arsenal can “change the narrative” of their season if they beat PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League last 16 tie. The Gunners have suffered injuries to several of their key attackers with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus ruled out for the season, while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have hamstring injuries to keep them on the sidelines. Arsenal have failed to score in their last two matches and fallen 13 points behind leaders Liverpool at the top of the Premier League. However, they were one of the standout sides in the Champions League group phase, finishing third on 19 points and only conceding three goals. Before Tuesday’s first leg at PSV’s Philips Stadium, Dutch defender Timber said: “I think the motivation is there and it’s an amazing league to play in. I think we showed as well in the group stages that we did really well and we have a good team. “I think tomorrow is a beautiful game to change the narrative and to win.” Timber has played 36 times for Arsenal this season after only making two Premier League appearances in the last campaign after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury on the opening day. And the 23-year-old does not think his side need to do anything complicated to get the good feeling back. “I think we have so much quality in our group, of course we have a lot of injuries, especially up front, but it’s a beautiful challenge for us to put our front players – or anyone – to score goals and hopefully we can show that,” added Timber. “We have to score tomorrow, we have to win and in the Champions League you only have two games, so you don’t get second chances. So we have to go for it in this game.” Without their first-choice forwards, Arsenal have been criticised for their recent performances, but Timber remains excited for the challenge of taking on PSV. “I don’t think of it as a negative, but we have been through a lot – especially in the last couple of weeks,” said the former Ajax player. “But what I said is I think it is a challenge for us and we just have to take it. Tomorrow is beautiful game to show that – and we will definitely show that tomorrow.” Source link #PSV #Arsenal #Gunners #defender #club #change #seasons #narrative #Champions #League Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Pope Francis suffers new respiratory crises, back on ventilation: ******** – National Pope Francis suffers new respiratory crises, back on ventilation: ******** – National Pope Francis suffered two new acute respiratory crises Monday and was put back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation, in another setback to his battle to fight pneumonia, the ******** said. Doctors extracted “copious” amounts of mucus from his lungs during two bronchoscopies, in which a camera-tipped tube was sent down into the airways with a sucker at the tip to suction out fluid. The ******** said the mucus was the body’s reaction to the original pneumonia infection and not a new infection, given laboratory tests don’t indicate any new bacteria. Francis remained alert, oriented and cooperated with medical personnel. The prognosis remained guarded. Doctors didn’t say if he remained in stable condition, though they referred to the crises in the past tense, suggesting they were over. The crises were a new setback in what has become a more than two-week battle by the 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed, to overcome a complex respiratory infection. Story continues below advertisement In a late update, the ******** said the episodes were caused by a “significant accumulation” of mucus in his lungs and bronchial spasms. “Copious secretions,” were extracted during the bronchoscopies and the pope was put back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation, a mask that covers his nose and mouth and pumps oxygen into the lungs, the ******** said. 1:52 Pope calls meeting with cardinals as health remains critical The ******** hasn’t released any photos or videos of Francis since before he entered the hospital on Feb. 14 with a complex lung infection. This has become the longest absence of his 12-year papacy. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. The ******** has defended Francis’ decision to recover in peace and out of the public eye. But on Monday one of Francis’ closest friends at the ********, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, urged him to let his voice be heard, saying the world needs to hear it. “We need men like him who are truly universal and not only one-sided,” Paglia said, speaking after a press conference to launch the annual assembly of his Pontifical Academy for Life, the ********’s bioethics academy, which has as this year’s theme “The End of the World?” Story continues below advertisement Francis wrote a message to the assembly in which he lamented that international organizations are increasingly ineffective to combat the threats facing the world and are being undermined by “short-sighted attitudes concerned with protecting particular and national interests.” It was dated Feb. 26 and signed “from Gemelli Polyclinic.” Doctors often use noninvasive ventilation to stave off an intubation, or the use of invasive mechanical ventilation. Francis has not been intubated during this hospitalization. It’s not clear if he has provided any advance directives about the limits of his care if he declines or loses consciousness. Trending Now As Trump tariffs loom within hours, how the coming days could play out U.S. tariffs on Canada still coming Tuesday, but it may not be 25%: Lutnick Catholic teaching holds that life must be defended from conception until natural death. It insists that chronically ill patients, including those in vegetative states, must receive “ordinary” care such as hydration and nutrition, but “extraordinary” or disproportionate care can be suspended if it is no longer beneficial or is only prolonging a precarious and painful life. 2:20 Pope Francis’ health brings ‘anxiety and concern’ about Catholic Church’s future Francis articulated that to a meeting of Paglia’s bioethics body in 2017, saying there was “no obligation to have recourse in all circumstances to every possible remedy.” He added: “It thus makes possible a decision that is morally qualified as withdrawal of ‘overzealous treatment.’” Story continues below advertisement Paglia, whose office helps articulate the Catholic Church’s position on end-of-life care, said Francis is like any other Catholic and would follow church teaching if it came to that. “Today the pope is giving us an extraordinary teaching on fragility,” he added. “Today the pope, not through words but with his body, is reminding all of us, we elderly people to begin with, that we are all fragile and therefore we need to take care of each other.” Francis’ 17-night hospitalization is by no means reaching the papal record that was set during St. John Paul II’s numerous lengthy hospitalizations over a quarter century. More on World More videos © 2025 The ********* Press Source link #Pope #Francis #suffers #respiratory #crises #ventilation #******** #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Easy Way To Find Helldivers 2’s Iconic ‘Rock of Liberty’ Stone Formation That Looks Like a Giant B*ttplug Easy Way To Find Helldivers 2’s Iconic ‘Rock of Liberty’ Stone Formation That Looks Like a Giant B*ttplug There is nothing more that excites a gamer than a random rock formation that might just resemble something from real life. Interestingly, things have taken a confusing turn in the Helldivers 2 community, where the player base is divided on deciding whether one rock formation resembles a strong fist, signifying the strength of democracy, or if it’s just a giant b*ttplug. Helldivers 2 players are divided because of this one rock formations | Arrowhead Studios Either way, it is fun assets like these that end up making the game fun. Whether it be a silly rock formation or genetically modified bugs that you can blow the heads off of with your friends, Helldivers 2 has always delivered. How to find the iconic Helldivers 2 iconic rock formation The weird rock formation of Helldivers 2 | Arrowhead Software (u/corporalgrif on Reddit) Ever since Helldivers 2 came out last year, players have been relating everything to democracy, rightfully so. There is nothing more that should matter to the soldiers of Super Earth than the liberation of other planets and spreading the message and love of democracy across galaxies. It is more of a responsibility than anything of the players in situations like these to make sure and experience such iconic and staple elements of the game themselves. There are possibly different ways to go about seeing the rock formation for yourself, but a kind user on Reddit has shared what is most probably the most efficient way to go about it. Comment byu/corporalgrif from discussion inHelldivers The user shared how the formation mostly appears around minor POIs on the map. They further share how you will possibly need to get hold of the scout armor to see the rock formation for yourself. Comment byu/LettuceDifferent5104 from discussion inhelldivers2 Comment byu/LettuceDifferent5104 from discussion inhelldivers2 Comment byu/LettuceDifferent5104 from discussion inhelldivers2 Comment byu/LettuceDifferent5104 from discussion inhelldivers2 For those who still do not believe the fist of democracy rock formation does not resemble a giant b*ttplug at all, always remember, if there’s a will, there’s a way. Helldivers and their love for democracy Fighting for democracy and liberation is prime priority for Helldivers | Arrowhead Studios To prove their love for spreading the message of democracy across different planets, the soldiers of Super Earth have even gone meta at one point, challenging the very publisher of Helldivers 2, Sony Entertainment, after the studio decided to implement a mandatory PSN login. To protect their planets from invasions, the players of Helldivers 2 have at times even come up with the weirdest strategies. Whether that be planting bombs or parking their ships in front of wormholes, anticipating an attack from the Illuminate and catching them by surprise, destroying the enemy before they even get to know about it. There is no way to go about it, but consider the said rock formation found in the game holy in some sense. Found several times, it is now what will remind a tired Helldiver what he stands and fights for, and that is democracy, not a giant b*ttplug. Source link #Easy #Find #Helldivers #Iconic #Rock #Liberty #Stone #Formation #Giant #Bttplug Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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City of Bunbury to cover sports centre pool lining replacement blowout City of Bunbury to cover sports centre pool lining replacement blowout City of Bunbury councillors met last week to address the increased cost of replacing the South West Sports Centre pool liner with tiles. Source link #City #Bunbury #cover #sports #centre #pool #lining #replacement #blowout Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Woman hospitalized after being stung by scorpion at Boston’s Logan Airport, police say Woman hospitalized after being stung by scorpion at Boston’s Logan Airport, police say A woman was hospitalized after authorities say she was stung by a scorpion at Boston’s International Airport on Sunday night. The 40-year-old woman was stung while retrieving her luggage in the baggage claim area of customs in Terminal E around 7:30 p.m., according to Massachusetts State Police. The woman, whose name hasn’t been released, was rushed to a local hospital. There was no immediate word on her condition. It wasn’t immediately clear where the scorpion originated or how it got loose in the airport. Scorpions are commonly thought of as desert dwellers, but they also live in Brazilian forests, British Columbia, North Carolina, and even the Himalayas, National Geographic noted. They may have as many as 45 different toxins in their venom, according to the San Diego Zoo. The incident at Logan remains under investigation. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Source link #Woman #hospitalized #stung #scorpion #Bostons #Logan #Airport #police Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Monster Hunter Wilds Patch Coming Tuesday, But Don’t Expect It To Improve Performance Monster Hunter Wilds Patch Coming Tuesday, But Don’t Expect It To Improve Performance Monster Hunter Wilds is getting an update on March 4, one that will bring a number of bug fixes to address issues players have encountered continuing the game’s story and unlocking key features. Currently, some players are encountering a bug that prevents them from continuing to make story progress during Chapter 5-2 “A World Turned Upside Down,” due to a required NPC not appearing. Some players have also run into an issue that is causing the “Grill a Meal” and “Ingredient Center” features to not unlock as intended. Both features are usually unlocked as part of the main quest. Heads up, hunters: an update is planned to go live on all platforms at 12am PST / 8am GMT on March 4th with fixes for issues with the Ingredient Center, Grill a Meal and story progression in Chapter 5-2 “A World Turned Upside Down”. Once the update is out, any online sessions… — Monster Hunter Status (@MHStatusUpdates) March 3, 2025 Players online when the update arrives at 12 AM PT / 3AM ET on March 4 will be removed from their online session and required to download the update to continue playing online, according to the official Monster Hunter Status X account, which posts updates about known issues and upcoming fixes. The March 4 update should fix the major progress-blocking problems, but it doesn’t address one of the other main issues many players have had with Monster Hunter Wilds since launch: performance issues on PC. Despite breaking Steam records at launch and soaring into the top-5 Steam games of all time based on concurrent player counts, Monster Hunter Wilds currently sports a “mixed” average user review rating on the platform due to many players complaining about poor performance and optimization for Capcom’s latest hit. Aside from an FAQ on the Monster Hunter website suggesting common PC fixes like making sure drivers are up to date and that players meet the minimum required system requirements, Capcom has not said when players can expect performance improving updates to come to Monster Hunter Wilds. For those diving into the world of Monster Hunter Wilds and still finding their footing, be sure to check out GameSpot’s Monster Hunter Wilds guide hub for more information on everything from how long the game’s tutorial-like campaign takes to what Tempered Monsters and Artian Weapons are. In GameSpot’s Monster Hunter Wilds review, we said the latest entry in Capcom’s long-running franchise iterates on a winning formula with satisfying new mechanics, but suffers from performance issues and draws too much attention to its dull and predictable main story. Source link #Monster #Hunter #Wilds #Patch #Coming #Tuesday #Dont #Expect #Improve #Performance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Trump says tariffs on agricultural products coming on April 2 Trump says tariffs on agricultural products coming on April 2 President Donald Trump on Monday alerted America’s farmers to coming U.S. tariffs on ‘external product,’ telling them to get ready to sell their goods domestically. Source link #Trump #tariffs #agricultural #products #coming #April Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Trump expected to discuss TSMC investment in U.S. Trump expected to discuss TSMC investment in U.S. [The stream is slated to start at 1:30 p.m. ET Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] President Donald Trump is expected Monday to formally announce a planned $100 billion investment in the United States by chip manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. The investment will build “cutting-edge chip-making facilities in the U.S., The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Monday. Trump last month announced a multibillion AI infrastructure project with Oracle, OpenAI and Softbank. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Source link #Trump #expected #discuss #TSMC #investment #U.S Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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Even RDNA 4 Doesn’t Have It And That Fuels NVIDIA’s Handheld Console Domination Even RDNA 4 Doesn’t Have It And That Fuels NVIDIA’s Handheld Console Domination The Nintendo Switch has been a massive success, and Nintendo aims to emulate the same with its successor – the Nintendo Switch 2. The Switch is based on Nvidia’s Tegra X1 SoC, an ARM-based chipset which was already previously released for streaming devices such as the Nvidia Shield TV. While AMD dominates the console market (as seen in the Xbox and PlayStation consoles), it has not managed to make an appearance on the Switch 2. This is to be expected for two major reasons – backwards compatibility and Nvidia-specific upscaling advantages. AMD loses out to Nvidia for the Nintendo Switch 2 once again Nintendo partners with Nvidia for the Switch 2 | Image Credits: Nintendo Nintendo has chosen to go with Nvidia for the Switch 2, as per multiple recent reports. AMD has lost out to Nvidia yet again against Nintendo hardware, despite once partnering with Nintendo for a wide range of home consoles prior. After all, AMD (or ATi, the GPU division at time) did power the Gamecube, Wii and Wii U before. With the launch of the Switch though, Nintendo wanted to try something different and went toward Nvidia instead, which paid off quite well for them. For the uninitiated, the Switch is based on the aging Tegra X1 SoC, which is an incredibly efficient chip that offered reasonable levels of performance on release. Given its age (the SoC was already outdated when it was bundled with the Switch after all), Nintendo is planning to replace it with a successor – with a clear focus on backwards compatibility in mind. It is perhaps for this very reason that AMD was never considered by Nintendo for the Switch 2. After all, switching to AMD would have required a complete change in architecture, which would have removed backwards compatibility with Switch 1 titles entirely. Backwards compatibility is something Nintendo has always prided itself upon, and this shift would not have sat well with its player base either. The Tegra X1 was originally part of the Shield TV | Image Credit: Nvidia Additionally, the next gen Nvidia Tegra SoC is rumored to bring with it DLSS support which should make for an even ******* advantage over AMD. After all, FSR is quite inferior when compared to DLSS – which uses hardware acceleration to approximate images better, resulting in a much finer image. Coupled with the Tegra SoC’s amazing power efficiency the decision to stick with Nvidia seems like a no-brainer. FSR is a lot less efficient in comparison, requiring higher presets in order to achieve the same level of quality as DLSS. Could RDNA 4 change the game? RDNA 4 is unlikely to change things | Image Credit: AMD AMD has been making some rapid progress though, especially when we take into consideration its upcoming RDNA 4 based GPUs and APUs. RDNA 4 is a major shift in AMD’s existing lineup, boasting more raw processing power and most importantly, better upscaling methods in the form of FSR 4. FSR 4 could very well bridge the gap between FSR 3.1 and DLSS, given that it does utilize some form of hardware accelerated approximation. AMD is already a dominant force in the PC handheld market, with Intel barely scraping by – and Nvidia having 0 presence. However, handheld PCs cover a tiny fraction of the entire handheld console market, and a lack of backwards compatibility with existing hardware means that AMD is never likely to grace Nintendo again – at least until they decide to make a non-hybrid home console once more. Source link #RDNA #Doesnt #Fuels #NVIDIAs #Handheld #Console #Domination Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]