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Alibaba launches RISC-V-based XuanTie C930 server CPU — AI/HPC chip ships this month, more designs to follow Alibaba launches RISC-V-based XuanTie C930 server CPU — AI/HPC chip ships this month, more designs to follow Alibaba announced its newest CPU release this week with the XuanTie C930. The new RISC-V processor is built for AI-HPC workloads, and Alibaba describes it as its ‘first server-grade processor’ in an article published by the South China Morning Post. Damo Academy, Alibaba’s research and development institute, announced the XuanTie C930 at a conference in Beijing on Friday. Alibaba first teased the C930 last year when the company confirmed a 2024 release for the server chip. Now, a year after its first teasers, the C930 is here to herald a new era of Alibaba’s RISC-V production. We still don’t know much about the C930, despite this announcement. No core counts, clock speeds, or cache sizes were shared in Alibaba’s SCMP article. No performance numbers or claims about the C930 have been found either, at least looking in from the Western internet. Some ******** publications have touted a performance claim of 15 points per GHz in the legacy SPECint2006 benchmark, but these numbers have been tied to rumors around the chip since March of last year. However, it should be said that Alibaba does have a solid reputation for CPU performance; the company’s Yitian 710 was found to be the fastest Arm-based CPU for cloud servers last year, with the 128-core chip even beating out Intel’s 48-core Xeon Platinum 8488C in some efficiency benchmarks. Based on its pedigree, it would not be surprising for the C930 to end up performing beyond expectations, though we may never get our hands on the chip to see for ourselves. Damo Academy also announced a plan for more new RISC-V chips to follow the C930 under the XuanTie badge: the C908X, R908A, and XL200. These will be intended for AI acceleration, automotive use, and high-speed connectivity, respectively. News of these new chips arrived immediately following Alibaba’s announcement of its ¥380 billion ($52 billion) investment plan in AI and cloud infrastructure over the next three years. Alibaba has done much to push the RISC-V CPU market forward since entering the scene in 2019. Damo Academy claimed that its CPU team “has supported the implementation of more than 30 percent of RISC-V high-performance processors” at the C930 launch. RISC-V adoption is one of the only paths for ******** companies to push forward their CPU innovation, thanks to intense U.S. export laws blocking the nation from access to more established ISAs. With a new administration in the White House that seems even more bullish on the U.S.-China Chip War, Alibaba and other ******** tech companies will likely continue innovating on RISC-V. Due to RISC-V being an open-source architecture held by a non-American foundation, it is safe from U.S. trade intervention (for now). Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Alibaba #launches #RISCVbased #XuanTie #C930 #server #CPU #AIHPC #chip #ships #month #designs #follow Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Wall Street declines after February manufacturing data Wall Street declines after February manufacturing data Wall Street’s main stock indexes have declined, reversing pre-market gains after data showed that new orders at US factories fell in February, suggesting concerns that US President Donald Trump’s tariffs could pressure production. An ISM survey showed manufacturing was steady in February but a measure tracking forward-looking new orders contracted to 48.6 last month from 55.1 in January. In early trading on Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 31.77 points, or 0.07 per cent, to 43,809.67, the S&P 500 lost 22.52 points, or 0.38 per cent, to 5,931.98 and the Nasdaq Composite lost 145.65 points, or 0.78 per cent, to 18,700.59. Technology led declines among the S&P 500’s 11 sectors with a 1.5 per cent drop, dragged down by a 5.0 per cent fall in chip giant Nvidia. Cyclical stocks such as industrials and energy dipped 0.1 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively after the data. Recent reports of softening consumer demand have spurred fears of a slowdown as markets prepare for higher inflation once the Trump administration’s tariff policies take full effect. Wall Street’s main indexes logged their first monthly decline of 2025 in February, during which the Nasdaq also came close to a 10 per cent drop from its all-time high due to fears of a rise in inflation induced by Trump’s tariffs and other factors. Trump’s Tuesday deadline will end the one-month pause on 25 per cent tariffs he imposed on imports from Canada and Mexico. However, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s comments on Sunday sparked expectations that the levels of the duties might be lower than the threatened tariffs. “Most of Wall Street still believes that the tariffs are rhetoric rather than reality,” said Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research.” “The purpose of the tariff by the administration is to make changes with the trading partners, not to end trade with (them).” The Federal Reserve has left interest rates on hold since December in anticipation of sticky inflation but this week’s economic data could change the institution’s outlook. Investors will also focus on other crucial data on services activity and employment, lined up through the week. Traders have dialled up bets on the Fed’s 2025 monetary policy easing cycle to at least two 25 basis points worth of interest rate cuts by December, according to data compiled by LSEG. Trump has also threatened that an extra 10 per cent duty on imports from China will also take effect on Tuesday, against which a report said China is likely to retaliate with counter-measures on agricultural imports from the US. US-listed shares of ******** companies fell following the report on China’s expected moves, with Nio and JD.com off about 4.7 per cent and 2.6 per cent respectively. Tesla rose 0.7 per cent after Morgan Stanley reinstated the stock as “top pick” among US cars. Crypto stocks such as MicroStrategy jumped 4.0 per cent while Coinbase rose 2.5 per cent after Trump announced a proposed reserve of digital assets. Chipmaker Intel rose 2.0 per cent after a report that chip designers Nvidia and Broadcom were running manufacturing tests with the company. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.49-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.24-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P 500 posted 54 new 52-week highs and five new lows while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 39 new highs and 143 new lows. Source link #Wall #Street #declines #February #manufacturing #data Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Anker power banks and charging stations are up to 35 percent off right now Anker power banks and charging stations are up to 35 percent off right now It’s your lucky day if you’ve been looking for a good deal on a power bank or charging station. is taking place at Amazon. One power bank, the Anker 621, is 35 percent off. That discount , which is almost a record low. The device typically costs $40. This model is MagSafe-compatible, meaning it’ll attach magnetically to an iPhone 12 and above (but, annoyingly, not unless you resort to ) and charge your phone wirelessly. However, if you plug a cable into the Anker 621’s USB-C port, you can top up your phone’s battery a little faster — at a rate of 12W vs. 7.5W for wireless charging. The power bank has a capacity of 5,000mAh, which Anker says is enough to charge an iPhone 15 to 85 percent of its capacity from zero and an iPhone 14 to 80 percent. Anker One MagSafe-compatible power bank has dropped from $40 to $26 as part of a ***** on Anker charging gear. $26 at Amazon Anker makes some of the around, in our opinion. There are lots of options to consider as part of this *****. A new power bank that Anker introduced at CES has a large enough capacity to top up an M3-powered MacBook Air’s battery approximately 1.3 times, per the brand. This model has dropped by 18 percent from $110 . This particular power bank can charge four devices simultaneously — it has two built-in USB-C cables, another USB-C port and a USB-A port. It supports fast charging at up to 100W as well. Elsewhere, a 3-in-1 charging cube is , which marks a 31 percent discount given that it usually costs $150. This compact device can charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time. There are a few other deals that caught our eye. An Anker Zolo power bank with a built-in USB-C cable , which is half off. It has a capacity of 10,000mAh, which Anker says is enough to fully charge an iPhone 15 Pro twice over. Meanwhile, Prime members can pick up a travel-friendly 3-in-1 charging station (that can top up your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods batteries simultaneously) , which is a $21 discount. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Source link #Anker #power #banks #charging #stations #percent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

MSI quietly raises prices of its supposed RTX 5070 Ti MSRP models MSI quietly raises prices of its supposed RTX 5070 Ti MSRP models It turns out that MSI has quietly increased the retail price of its RTX 50-series (Blackwell) GPUs, including models that were supposed to launch at MSRP (via Hardware & Co). This impacts all three Blackwell GPUs released thus far: the RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070 Ti, though you’d be lucky to find any of the three in ready supply. Making matters worse, MSI’s lowest-priced RTX 5070 Ti is listed with a price tag of $820, with no model available at MSRP. By definition, MSRP is a manufacturer’s suggested retail price, so Nvidia really has no way to enforce a consistent $749 price tag across all SKUs. AIBs, however, typically launch several MSRP and non-MSRP models, with the latter featuring premium features, enhanced cooling, and exotic designs. The problem is that the GPUs reviewed as MSRP models are no longer available at that price. The absence of a Founders Edition model from Nvidia further exacerbates this issue. The MSI RTX 5070 Ti Ventus 3X launched two weeks prior at $749, compliant with Nvidia’s set MSRP. With MSI’s updated prices in effect, this SKU has climbed up to $899, 20% over MSRP, and that’s the lowest price you’ll see at resellers. It’s fair to say that the MSRP is no more than a suggestion. The cheapest model will set you back $820. (Image credit: MSI) Imagine going through all that hassle only to find your GPU has missing ROP units, cutting performance by up to 11% in some scenarios. You fire up an older title only to find that Blackwell no longer supports 32-bit PhysX. At the same time, you’re constantly worried about whether your power connector is seated correctly since Nvidia cut back on failsafe measures for this generation. AMD seems to be the answer with its $599 RX 9070 XT, which is within 2% of the elusive RTX 5070 Ti. Rumor has it that the RTX 5090 supply is expected to improve this month as Nvidia is reportedly shifting wafer supply from data centers to consumer-grade GPUs. The budget $549 (fingers crossed) RTX 5070 is arriving the day after tomorrow, and we’re eager to see how well supply holds up. Nvidia pushed this launch from February to March, likely to tackle the aforementioned production defects and improve inventory, but we’ll believe it when we see it. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #MSI #quietly #raises #prices #supposed #RTX #MSRP #models Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Driver Arrested After Crashing Car Into Crowd in Germany Driver Arrested After Crashing Car Into Crowd in Germany At least one person was killed and several others were injured when a car drove into a lunch-hour crowd in the southwestern ******* city of Mannheim. Source link #Driver #Arrested #Crashing #Car #Crowd #Germany Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A bitcoin trade using options if Trump’s reserve puts a floor under crypto A bitcoin trade using options if Trump’s reserve puts a floor under crypto Through Friday, bitcoin had fallen 28% from its intraday highs on January 20th. This swoon mirrored the post-election rally between early November and mid-December, when the crypto trade soared on hopes that the incoming administration and a Republican Congress would establish a crypto strategic reserve, an idea he floated during his second Presidential campaign. However, the flurry of executive orders, President Donald Trump signed over 70 within a month of the inauguration, did not include the hoped-for reserve. That combined with some mixed inflation data, mediocre consumer data, and sales guidance from the likes of Walmart, and a bumpy road in the AI trade after the provocative DeepSeek and Alibaba LLM announcements during the ******** New Year caused a negative investor sentiment shift which hit the crypto complex hard. Bitcoin maverick Michael Saylor’s company Microstrategy fell more than 56% from the peak through Friday in the sell-off. However, the space rebounded sharply over the weekend after President Trump posted on Truth Social that the administration is moving forward on a “Crypto Strategic Reserve,” anchored by BTC and ETH , including XRP, SOL, and ADA. This rebound brings a resurgent hope for the future of the cryptocurrency space. Analyzing crypto Cryptocurrencies tend to be volatile and sensitive to investors’ general risk appetite in the short term. However, fundamental drivers will drive them long-term, including adoption and a supportive regulatory environment. This announcement confirms that the new administration is taking a very different stance on crypto from the previous one. It can feel overwhelming for those interested in getting involved. Which cryptocurrency? Can they trust the crypto wallet platforms? Should they self-custody? Stories of hacks, thefts, scamcoins, and the discomfort of opening new accounts on unfamiliar platforms may discourage participants who otherwise believe in the technology and see a broader, legal role for cryptocurrencies in the future. Michael Saylor’s company, now called Strategy (MSTR) , exposes investors to bitcoin, but the business’s capital structure does confuse some people. The company issues debt to purchase Bitcoin, which introduces leverage, and its market capitalization exceeds the book value of the Bitcoin held less debt. Additionally, the bonds the company has issued are convertible, meaning that some of the potential future upside in the shares, if any, would belong to the convertible bond holders. So while investors may be impressed with Saylor’s conviction and creativity in financing his incremental bitcoin purchases as I am, they might prefer the simplicity of a security that trades like a stock, with valuation that trades more like the underlying asset, bitcoin. The trade For those investors, the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) , operated by Blackrock, presents a promising option. With a $50 billion market cap and operated by the world’s largest asset manager, the ETF’s objective is to reflect the performance of spot bitcoin. If one trades stocks and options in a brokerage account, this security is as accessible as any ETF, and very active and liquid options are also listed on it. Buying IBIT as a proxy for bitcoin in a promising approach for those who want to trade it like a stock in a conventional brokerage account. For those that believe bitcoin will likely find support at the recent lows now that the crypto reserve has been more formally announced, but also acknowledge it could bump into near-term resistance at the prior late January highs, one could buy longer-term calls financed in part by the ***** of a nearer-term strangle as follows: Buy Jan. 16 2026 $50 call Sell Apr. 17 2025 $45 put Sell Apr. 17 2025 $60 call DISCLOSURES: (None) All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer. Source link #bitcoin #trade #options #Trumps #reserve #puts #floor #crypto Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to Play as Shooter MacGavin in PGA Tour 2K25 How to Play as Shooter MacGavin in PGA Tour 2K25 Chris McDonald reprises his role as Shooter MacGiven in Happy Gilmore 2, and PGA Tour 2K25 is honoring the character’s legacy by letting you play as the famous actor. Happy Gilmore and Golf are like peas in a pod. Many people think of Caddyshack and The Greatest Game Ever Played when it comes to golf films. However, I remember sitting in the school canteen toward the end of term and watching the glory of Happy Gilmore. It’s one of Adam Sandler’s most iconic films, and it’s boosted by the stellar performance of Chris McDonald as the villainous rival Shooter MacGavin. MacGavin is the perfect folly to Happy Gilmore’s quest to golfing supremacy. Happy Gilmore 2 is on the horizon, so what better time for PGA Tour 2K25 to let you play as Shooter MacGavin. How to Unlock Shooter MacGavin in PGA Tour 2K25 You play as the actor. Image by Insider Gaming The only way we know of to play as Shooter MacGavin in PGA Tour 2K25 is to have pre-ordered the game ahead of its release date. If you pre-ordered any edition of PGA Tour 2K25, you were automatically entitled to the Shooter MacGavin character bonus. Even if you only secured the Standard Edition, Shooter would be firing his way into your character selection screen. Unfortunately, this opportunity has now expired as PGA Tour 2K25 released on February 28. The pre-order bonus window has passed, and we’re waiting to see if 2K adds Shooter as a future DLC purchase. There’s every chance he will be a special unlock in the game’s Superstore, or through different platform storefronts. Keep checking this guide if you have missed out on the Shooter MacGavin pre-order incentive. We’ll provide an update if he becomes available again through another means. How to Play as Shooter MacGavin in PGA Tour 2K25 The best way to play as Chris McDonald’s Shooter MacGavin is through Quick Play or other friendly match types, change your golfer when it gives you the option, and change over to Chris McDonald. Technically, you don’t play as Shooter MacGavin. You control the actor portraying the character. But at the end of the day, we get the idea, and the default outfit is pretty spot on anyway. Here’s a quick guide to equip the golfer: Make sure you pre-ordered PGA Tour 2K25. Choose an applicable game mode such as Quick Play. Select Local Round. Find the Change Golfer option located under your highlighted character and press on it. Cycle through the list until you see Chris McDonald. Press on him and confirm the selection. If done correctly, the golfer shown should now change to Chris McDonald AKA Shooter MacGavin! If Chris McDonald doesn’t appear in your golfer list, it means you don’t have the Shooter McGavin content. Again, check you pre-ordered PGA Tour 2K25. If so, consider checking in with 2K to chase up the missing content. Keep on top of the latest PGA guides including every known PGA Tour 2K25 Locker Code, its Trophy List, and Xbox Game Pass status. Golf is hotter than ever and it’s nice of 2K to give fans this neat opportunity. With Netflix’s Full Swing, Happy Gilmore 2, and social media, it’s a great time to be a golf fan. What’s got you most excited about golf right now? SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Play #Shooter #MacGavin #PGA #Tour #2K25 Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

European fintech must take different path to Trump’s US on diversity European fintech must take different path to Trump’s US on diversity The European fintech and banking industry must not follow Trump’s US in cancelling workforce equality programmes and must instead continue to enforce diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), according to Wincie Wong, co-founder of Tech She Can. During a session on women in fintech at Finovate Europe last week, Wang reflected on the direction of travel in the US, where President Donald Trump is pushing for workforce diversity programmes to be terminated. On regaining the US presidency, Trump called for an end to DEI programmes, which he described as “dangerous, demeaning and immoral”. Businesses in the US, including internet giant Meta, are closing DEI programmes as a result. But fintech businesses in Europe and the *** will gain an advantage if they stick to the diversity programmes they have in place, according to Wong. “This is a major issue, as many major banks, mainly in the US, are responding directly to the president. I am an American and this is an issue I am paying very close attention to.” She said the companies cancelling programmes were probably not committed to them in the first place and just saw them as a “box-ticking” exercise rather than a way to increase productivity. “Those companies that get it understand it’s about creating pathways for people who couldn’t always demonstrate their intelligence and thoughts. We know that, in the ***, if we close the gender skills gap, we can add billions of pounds to the economy. Hope for Europe She told Computer Weekly: “Europe has already made a clear stance that it doesn’t want to follow this line of thought. I think it’s very positive in Europe. The former head of workforce technical capability Digital X at NatWest said Europe can take a different approach and gain an advantage. “D&I when done correctly, embraced intentionally, yields better innovation and better products. It has been proven over and over again. Continuing to take a stand on it, to enforce all the policies we have in the EU and ***, can only be positive for productivity.” She said Europe has taken a different path to data protection and artificial intelligence regulation and has, as a result, been “ahead of the game”. Maria Scott, founder and CEO of Taina Technology, which helps financial services companies meet their tax regulatory requirements through automation technology, said: “It has been proven beyond any doubt that more diverse organisations and boards create more value and contribute to a safer, more inclusive world for all. The data is clear on this.” She added that she hopes “modern society” will not allow such a step backwards “into the dark ages” and risk losing all the progress made in making organisations more inclusive and fairer. “Clearly, everything has to be done on the merits and not as a box-ticking exercise. Anything that is done purely for box-ticking or reporting is pointless to begin with and will fizzle out eventually,” said Scott. “This is about substantive inclusion and fairness. It is about recognising our biases, promoting role models, changing mindsets for the sake of a happier, more inclusive and fairer world for our children.” Female founders already held back There have also been worrying signs recently that women are discriminated against when it comes to seeking investment in their fintech startups. A survey by industry body Innovate Finance found that women behind fintechs still face discrimination when seeking investment, despite the issue having been an industry talking point for years. Innovate Finance’s numbers unearthed the worrying detail that investment in fintechs led by women dropped by twice as much as the *** average in 2024. It reported that women-led fintechs experienced a sharp decline in investment of 78%, more than double the 37% market-wide fall, which it said underscores “the need for more inclusive funding practices”. Total investment in fintechs founded by women, according to Innovate Finance, was just under £100m, about 3.3% of the total. Source link #European #fintech #path #Trumps #diversity Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

How to Avoid Buying a Stolen or Looted Artwork How to Avoid Buying a Stolen or Looted Artwork No matter where you’re shopping, art world experts recommend asking questions and doing research to ensure an object wasn’t lost, looted or stolen. Source link #Avoid #Buying #Stolen #Looted #Artwork Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Supreme Court to hear arguments over ******** government’s suit against U.S. gunmakers Supreme Court to hear arguments over ******** government’s suit against U.S. gunmakers Washington — The Supreme Court is set to consider Tuesday whether to block the ******** government’s effort to hold U.S. gun companies accountable for the havoc and violence the country has experienced at the hands of drug cartels armed with firearms trafficked across the southern border. The legal battle marks the first time that the Supreme Court will consider a federal law known as the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, or PLCAA. Enacted with bipartisan support from Congress in 2005, the law provides a legal shield for gun companies from civil suits seeking to hold them liable for harms stemming from the criminal misuse of their products by another person. But the case, known as Smith & Wesson Brands v. Estados Unidos Mexicanos, also lands before the high court as it has emerged as a bargaining tool in negotiations between President Trump and ******** President Claudia Sheinbaum. The Trump administration has designated ******** drug cartels as terrorist groups and threatened 25% tariffs on goods imported from Mexico. Sheinbaum warned last month that if the U.S. declared the cartels as terrorists, her government would expand its lawsuit against the American gunmakers. Between 200,000 to 500,000 American-made guns are trafficked into Mexico each year, a pipeline that’s been called the “iron river.” Nearly half of all guns recovered at ******** crime scenes are manufactured in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Mexico’s lawsuit ******** President Claudia Sheinbaum attends the launch of a federal disarmament program outside the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City on Jan. 10, 2025. Daniel Cardenas/Anadolu via Getty Images Mexico, which has stringent firearms laws and a single gun store in the entire country, filed its lawsuit against seven of the nation’s biggest gun manufacturers and one wholesaler in 2021. The country is seeking $10 billion in damages from the industry, as well as other forms of relief. A federal district court in Massachusetts dismissed the suit in September 2022, finding that PLCAA “unequivocally” bars lawsuits seeking to hold gunmakers responsible for the actions of people using their firearms. The court also found that while PLCAA contains narrow exceptions, none applied to its case. But in January 2024, a panel of three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit reversed the district court’s decision and revived Mexico’s lawsuit. The 1st Circuit found that Mexico’s suit fell under one of PLCAA’s exceptions, known as the predicate exception, which allows gun manufacturers or sellers to be sued if they knowingly broke the law, and if that violation led directly to Mexico’s injuries. That determination pierced PLCAA’s liability shield, allowing Mexico’s suit to proceed. The 1st Circuit found that the firearms manufacturers have been “aiding and abetting” the ******** ***** of guns to traffickers for cartels in Mexico, and that the trafficking of firearms has foreseeably forced the ******** government to incur significant costs as a result of increased threats and violence wrought by armed drug cartels. The case remains in the early stages. While the gunmakers’ appeal was pending, and before the Supreme Court agreed to step into the dispute, the district court dismissed six of the eight manufacturers from the case. The two remaining companies are Smith & Wesson and Interstate Arms, a wholesaler. A key focus for the justices is likely to be the whether Mexico can draw a direct link from the manufacturers’ lawful production of firearms to the ******** trafficking of those guns and crimes committed by armed cartels. “It’s where Mexico might be the most vulnerable because however you lay this out, there are certainly a number of intervening actors and things that have to occur before the firearms could actually be used to cause harm in the country of Mexico,” said Andrew Willinger, executive director of the Duke Center for Firearms Law. Lawyers for the gun companies, led by Smith & Wesson, argued that Mexico relies on an multi-step chain to tie the lawful production and ***** of their guns within the U.S. to the chaos in Mexico incited by drug cartels criminally misusing their weapons. That chain starts with the federally licensed manufacturers, flows to wholesalers who sell to licensed dealers, who then engage in unlawful sales of guns that are trafficked into Mexico and land with the cartels. The final links are the guns being used to commit crimes that injure property and people, and the ******** government being forced to spend money to respond to that fallout. “In its zeal to attack the firearms industry, Mexico seeks to raze bedrock principles of American law that safeguard the whole economy,” they wrote in a Supreme Court brief. “Indeed, n Mexico’s view, any manufacturer or supplier of a lawful good could face liability over the predictable criminal misuse of its products by downstream consumers. But that is not the law.” The industry’s lawyers said Mexico’s lawsuit rests on routine business practices and likened the gunmakers to Budweiser selling beer to a college-town bar that serves underage drinkers. “When the manufacturer or supplier of a lawful product simply puts its product in the general stream of commerce, the aiding-and-abetting statute does not charge that business with broadly policing every bad actor who may pick up its products downstream,” they wrote. But lawyers for the ******** government claim that the gun manufacturers deliberately sell large quantities of their products through so-called red-flag dealers, who are known to disproportionately sell guns recovered at crime scenes in Mexico. One such dealer sold more than 650 guns to straw purchasers who were recruited by a drug cartel, the ******** government alleged in a filing. Mexico claims the companies also design and market certain firearms to cater to cartels, like Colt’s Super “El Jefe” pistol, a reference to the crime bosses, and the Emiliano Zapata 1911 pistol, which is engraved with the ******** revolutionary’s declaration that “it is better to die standing than to live on your knees.” Citing the killings of ******** police and military by weapons trafficked across the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as its efforts to combat gun trafficking, the ******** government said it has “tried to stem this relentless tidal wave.” “But its after-the-fact efforts to find and recover guns from the cartels are small-scale remedies given [the gun manufacturers’] systemic conduct in getting the guns into the trafficker’ hands in the first instance,” they wrote. The impact of the Supreme Court’s ruling The Supreme Court is seen in Washington, D.C., on March 2, 2025. TIERNEY L CROSS/AFP via Getty Images If the court sides with the gunmakers, the impact would depend on the contours of its opinion. Willinger said that the Supreme Court could issue a narrow decision that focuses on some of the unique aspects of the case: the cross-border context and fact that it was brought by a foreign government. A group of gun violence prevention organizations warned the Supreme Court that accepting the gun manufacturers’ argument would have devastating consequences. “It would be a signal that our law doesn’t appropriately contemplate or even respect the suffering of victims of gun violence, the harm they suffered, the lives lost, the lives changed forever,” said David Pucino, deputy chief counsel and legal director at Giffords Law Center. “And it would further suggest an impunity for one particular industry in our country.” Giffords is one of several gun violence prevention groups that submitted a friend-of-the-court brief backing Mexico in the case. “They’re trying to take the existing federal immunity statute and dramatically expand its reach because the statute was written and passed with an exception that prevents law-breakers from claiming immunity,” he said. “The restrictions do not apply when the plaintiffs can trace the harm they suffered to a violation of state or federal law.” Some lawsuits brought against gun manufacturers in state courts have been successful at getting through PLCAA’s liability shield — notably a historic $73 million settlement the families of the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting reached with Remington Arms, which made the rifle used in the massacre. And since 2021, at least nine states have enacted laws that authorize civil lawsuits against the gun industry. Willinger said that if Mexico prevails before the Supreme Court, it “would be a stamp of approval for some of these state firearm nuisance laws and some of these efforts that have been happening at the state level to essentially make it easier to bring cases under the predicate exception.” While the case does not involve the Second Amendment, it comes on the heels of a June 2022 Supreme Court decision that expanded gun rights. The high court is also considering the legality of a rule that regulates unserialized firearms called ghost guns, though that case involves whether the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms exceeded its authority. The U.S. Supreme Court More More Melissa Quinn Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Source link #Supreme #Court #hear #arguments #******** #governments #suit #U.S #gunmakers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Zelensky Turns to Diplomacy in a War With ‘a Long Way to Go’ Zelensky Turns to Diplomacy in a War With ‘a Long Way to Go’ President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to Ukraine on Monday after a whirlwind diplomatic mission that included both humiliation, by President Trump, and a warm embrace, from European leaders. He vowed to use all diplomatic avenues to pursue an end to Ukraine’s war with Russia, but acknowledged there was “a long way to go.” Russia has given no indication that it will accept any terms other than Ukrainian capitulation and permanent conquest of a large swath of Ukraine — and Mr. Trump makes clearer by the day that his intent is to stand with Moscow. Ukrainians have insisted they will not lay down their arms unless they receive security guarantees, supported by the United States, that would prevent the Kremlin from regrouping and attacking again. After a disastrous meeting with Mr. Trump on Friday, in which the American president and Vice President JD Vance berated him for being ungrateful, Mr. Zelensky received a show of support from Europe’s democracies on Sunday, who pledged to work with Ukraine to come up with a peace plan that it could then present to the United States. Mr. Zelensky himself said American buy-in for a peace plan was important and seemed to go further in his efforts to smooth things over with the White House. “We are grateful for all the support we have received from the United States,” he said in his address to the nation Sunday night. “There hasn’t been a single day when we haven’t felt grateful.” “There will be diplomacy for peace,” Mr. Zelensky said. “And for the sake of all of us standing together — Ukraine, the whole of Europe, and necessarily America.” But the Ukrainian leader faces a monumental challenge in repairing his relationship with Mr. Trump and his advisers. In a series of coordinated interviews on American television on Sunday, top Trump administration officials assailed the Ukrainian leader, often in remarkably personal terms. National security adviser Mike Waltz compared him to “an ex-girlfriend that wants to argue everything that you said nine years ago, rather than moving the relationship forward.” The new director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, questioned whether Ukraine and the United States really share common values and extended her critique to European countries who rallied around Mr. Zelensky, saying, they “don’t stand with us around these fundamental values of freedom.” When asked by the host of Fox News Sunday if Russia stood for the same values as Americans, she said “that’s not really what we’re talking about here.” After Mr. Zelensky left the White House, Mr. Trump said he could return when he is “ready for peace.” But Mr. Trump has said little about any concessions from the Kremlin as he aligns himself ever more closely with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. “We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant ***** gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our Country,” he wrote in a post on social media. “So that we don’t end up like Europe!” The Oval Office meeting fed into propaganda from the Kremlin, which added to the pile-on on Monday. The meeting showed that “the Kyiv regime and Zelensky don’t want peace, they want continuation of the war,” the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, told reporters on Monday. His comments connoted a tightening bond between Moscow and Washington as they falsely portray Ukraine as the aggressor, unwilling to make peace. Attempts by Washington and Moscow “will clearly not be enough” to end the fighting, Mr. Peskov said. “An important element is missing.” He implied that Russia could now push for a harder bargain than it did during the failed peace talks at the start of the war, given Russia’s military gains. “Since then, 2 ½ years later, the situation has changed,” Mr. Peskov said. “Only the blind can’t see that or the deaf not wanting to hear that.” Mr. Zelensky sought to defend himself from being painted as the obstacle to peace — a criticism many Ukrainians find hard to understand given that their country that has been under fierce attack for three years. Ukrainians almost universally want peace, just not peace at any cost. “We need peace, not endless war,” Mr. Zelensky said once again as he returned to Ukraine. But bitter experience has Ukrainians worried that a cease-fire without security guarantees would only provide a brief respite for Russian forces to regroup and attack again. They point to the fact that Ukraine has been fighting Russia in the eastern Donbas region since 2014 and that Mr. Putin has violated multiple peace accords aimed at ending the violence there. The Russian leader also claimed he had no intention of mounting a broader invasion of Ukraine right up until his tanks rolled across the border three years ago. Mr. Zelensky’s insistence on pushing for security guarantees was one of the things that apparently angered Mr. Trump. As Mr. Zelensky now works with European leaders to come up with a peace plan, he said once again that there are some fundamental principals not open to negotiation. “We need to proceed from the understanding of international law,” he said during a meeting with reporters in London. “We don’t want anything that doesn’t belong to us, but when you occupy something or when you break the law, everything will come back to you,” he said. He emphasized that Ukraine will never recognize the occupied territories as Russian: “For us, this will be temporary occupations.” Russia, he said, would need to take concrete actions before any deal. “The cease-fire must begin with the exchange of prisoners and the return of children,” his office wrote in a statement. “This would be a step to demonstrate Russia’s genuine intent for peace.” The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Mr. Putin and accused him of war crimes, based on Russia’s abduction and deportation of thousands of Ukrainian children during the war. The French have also suggested a staged process, perhaps with a truce regarding strikes on energy infrastructure by both sides. For now, the fighting rages on as violently as ever. Since Mr. Trump spoke with Mr. Putin two weeks ago, there has been no letup Russian attacks. Dozens of Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the past two weeks, according to Ukrainian officials, as Russia continues to launch nightly drone and missile attacks. At the same time, Ukraine has kept up its campaign targeting Russian oil and gas refineries, hoping to deepen the economic pressure on Moscow. In one attack, drones reportedly took aim at the Ufimsky refinery plant, more than 800 miles from the nearest Ukrainian-held territory. It was not possible to immediately assess the impact of the attack. Hopeful that America’s turn against Kyiv could do for him what his military has failed to do, Mr. Putin has stuck to his maximalist goals in public comments in recent days. Those include a desire to take control over wide swaths of land his forces do not yet occupy and which at the current pace of the Russian military’s creeping advances it would take many years to capture. Anatoly Kurmanaev contributed reporting from Berlin. Source link #Zelensky #Turns #Diplomacy #War #Long Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Odyssey’s Signature Spartan Kick Being Featured in Assassin’s Creed Shadows Feels Like a Useless Addition Odyssey’s Signature Spartan Kick Being Featured in Assassin’s Creed Shadows Feels Like a Useless Addition It would appear that Ubisoft is bringing back the iconic Spartan Kick from Assassin’s Creed Odyssey in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Inspired by the movie 300, it was a fitting part of Odyssey since it was deeply rooted in Greek culture and mythology. But bringing it to feudal Japan kind of seems out of place. A weird but not entirely unexpected move by the studio. | Image Credit: Ubisoft With Japan’s rich martial arts history and unique combat techniques, it’s surprising to see that more priority is being put on a move popularized by movies and games that focus on Greek history and mythology. Ubisoft has a lot riding on 2025 and on AC Shadows and moves like this might not be the way to go about it. Even if it does invoke nostalgia. You’ll be able to Spartan Kick enemies in Assassin’s Creed Shadows It’s not like Japan has a rich history of martial arts or anything. | Image Credit: Ubisoft The Spartan Kick was introduced in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey back in 2018 and was one of the game’s more iconic moves. It was inspired by a scene from Zack Snyder’s 300 where King Leonidas kicks a Persian messenger into a deep pit. With its over-the-top execution, we could kick enemies and send them flying off of cliffs, buildings, and even ships. And it’s returning in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Unlock the War Kick ability to deliver a powerful blow on enemies. A move that would make our Misthios proud #AssassinsCreedShadows pic.twitter.com/7DdjOqZixY — Assassin’s Creed (@assassinscreed) March 2, 2025 This time it’s called the War Kick and we’re not so sure if it really needed to be there in AC Shadows. The reason it worked so well in Odyssey was because it fit seamlessly into the game’s Greek setting and was a nice little easter egg-like addition. But AC Shadows is a game set in 16th-century Japan, and seeing a giant Samurai kick enemies through doors feels awkward and unnecessary. Throughout its history, Japan has been home to a lot of different martial arts styles, many of which could have been used to create unique combat mechanics. Imagine if we got techniques from karate, judo, jujutsu or others instead of shoehorning in a move popularized in an entirely different cultural setting. It’ll be hilarious if the game doesn’t explore Japanese themes There’s really no room for big mistakes on this one. | Image Credit: Ubisoft The decision to feature the Spartan Kick in AC Shadows feels lazy. It’s as if Ubisoft is trying to bring back the flashy and familiar things we’ve seen before instead of trying to make it feel real. The game lets you switch between its two protagonists, Yasuke and Naoe, both of whom have different playstyles. So it does kinda seem like a missed opportunity to develop a more Japan-centric skill set. The Assassin’s Creed series has always moved forward by adapting to its historical settings, and Shadows should be no different. Instead of reusing things we’ve already seen before, Ubisoft should have really focused on the unique combat styles of samurai and shinobi. The franchise needs a win and Ubisoft needs a win after its downfall over the last few years. Assassin’s Creed Shadows has already been under heavy scrutiny. The game’s delays and leaks have painted a rocky picture leading up to its release. There’s a lot we could talk about regarding all the real or false arguments that have been brought up in the last few months. But we’ll find out the truth soon enough. Assassin’s Creed Shadows comes out March 20. Will you be trying out the game when it comes out? Let us know in the comments! Source link #Odysseys #Signature #Spartan #Kick #Featured #Assassins #Creed #Shadows #Feels #Useless #Addition Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

S&P 500 falls to start March trading as economic and tariff worries swirl: Live updates – CNBC S&P 500 falls to start March trading as economic and tariff worries swirl: Live updates – CNBC S&P 500 falls to start March trading as economic and tariff worries swirl: Live updates CNBCStock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq slip as Trump tariffs stalk markets Yahoo FinanceStock Market Today: Dow Jones Dips But Tesla Rises; Warren Buffett Gives This Trump Tariff Warning (Live Coverage) Investor’s Business DailyStocks making the biggest moves premarket: Tesla, Southwest Airlines, Coinbase, Capri and more CNBC Source link #SampP #falls #start #March #trading #economic #tariff #worries #swirl #Live #updates #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Canada Post, union fail to reach deal resolving labour dispute – National Canada Post, union fail to reach deal resolving labour dispute – National By Staff The ********* Press Posted March 3, 2025 10:45 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Canada Post is accusing the union representing its more than 55,000 workers of showing “little meaningful movement” during mediated negotiations this weekend to end a labour dispute that saw employees ordered back to work late last year. A statement from Canada Post on Sunday says the Crown corporation put forward “a workable and affordable weekend delivery model” it says would make it competitive for parcel delivery, using a dedicated part-time workforce. 0:39 Canada Post ramps up service, begins accepting new international mail But it says the ********* Union of Postal Workers “failed to acknowledge the significant challenges” facing Canada Post and says it is disappointed no deal could be reached this weekend. Trending Now How Canada plans to use Russian cash to help fund Ukraine’s war effort U.S. tariffs on Canada still coming Tuesday, but it may not be 25%: Lutnick Story continues below advertisement The union says in its own statement on Sunday that Canada Post “continued to push for serious rollbacks” that it claimed would gut its agreements, “explode part-time and temporary work,” and threaten full-time jobs. 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. Both sides began mediated talks after a countrywide strike, which ended in December when the government directed the labour board to order the employees back to work if a deal couldn’t be reached before the end of the year. The two parties are also in the midst of hearings as part of a federal inquiry looking at the structural and business issues facing Canada Post, and the union says it will continue with its constitutional challenge before the Canada Industrial Relations Board of December’s back-to-work order. More on Canada More videos &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #Canada #Post #union #fail #reach #deal #resolving #labour #dispute #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

FCC chair says U.S. will defend interests of its tech giants FCC chair says U.S. will defend interests of its tech giants WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 31: Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr speaks during a House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Hearing titled Connecting America: Oversight of the FCC, on Capitol Hill on Thursday, March 31, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images BARCELONA – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Monday vowed to defend the interests of America’s technology companies against “excessive” European regulation as he urged for a “level and fair playing field.” Speaking in front of an audience of tech industry leaders and analysts at the Mobile World Congress conference in Barcelona, Carr said the European Union’s tech rules have been perceived by U.S. tech giants as “excessive” and “incompatible” with American values. He referred specifically to the EU’s Digital Services Act, a landmark piece of regulation from the bloc that aims to tackle ******** and harmful content online. “We’re returning to our first amendment roots, where we’re returning to our free speech tradition,” Carr said, adding that there was a sense that people’s right to free speech online was something that has eroded since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. “From President [Donald] Trump to me, across the government, we are encouraging our technology companies to stop the censorship we saw the last couple of years,” Carr said. “There is some concern that I have with respect to the approach that Europe has taken with the DSA in particular,” he added. “There’s a risk that that regulatory regime imposes excessive rules with respect to free speech.” It isn’t the first time that the U.S. has flagged concerns about European tech regulation. At a major international summit on AI in Paris last month, U.S. Vice President JD Vance took aim at Europe, claiming regulation has created burdensome compliance considerations for America’s tech firms. On Feb. 21, President Trump issued a directive threatening to impose tariffs on Europe to combat what he called “overseas extortion” of American tech companies through digital services taxes, fines, practices and policies. In response to Trump’s tariffs, the EU has reportedly threatened to use a new “anti-coercion” instrument, which enables the bloc to take action in cases of economic coercion against EU member states. “It’s a worry, I think, here for the people of Europe, but [also] for U.S. technology companies that do business here,” Carr said. “The censorship that is potentially coming down the pipe from the DSA is something that is incompatible with both our free speech tradition in America and the commitments that these technology companies have made in the diversity of opinions,” he added. Henna Virkkunen, the European Commission’s executive vice-president for technological sovereignty, security and democracy, did not directly address the U.S. regulator’s comments about excessive European rules when speaking during a panel discussion following Carr’s remarks. Instead, she said that Europe was committed to improving competitiveness across the bloc when it comes to technology innovation and digital transformation. “We will propose several … packages where we are revising our rules,” later this year, Virkkunen said. She also called for the creation of a digital single market to harmonize regulation of the tech and telecoms industries across the EU. It comes after Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank, issued a wide-ranging report urging for radical reforms around technological competitiveness to address weak economic growth and productivity compared with the U.S. and China. Source link #FCC #chair #U.S #defend #interests #tech #giants Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tennis court surfaces and speed: How Indian Wells fits in with ATP and WTA Tours Tennis court surfaces and speed: How Indian Wells fits in with ATP and WTA Tours Welcome back to the Monday Tennis Briefing, where The Athletic will explain the stories behind the stories from the past week on court. This week, illness decimated the ******** Open in Acapulco. Elsewhere, Stefanos Tsitsipas’ new racket gave him a boost and a court surface change provoked a ruckus. If you’d like to follow our fantastic tennis coverage, click here. What a new court means for tennis in the desert Tennis court conditions are complicated: they will feel faster or slower for different players and playstyles, and atmospheric conditions and ****** can make the same court play very differently. One thing not in dispute is that the speed of the courts at Indian Wells, Calif., is always a talking point, and that speed is always slow. This year, things might look different after BNP Paribas Open announced a new surface provider on the eve of the event. A press release from the event over the weekend outlined that Laykold, which also makes the courts for the U.S. Open, had been given the contract. Indian Wells has traditionally been one of the slowest of the big hard-court events, and has remained so across a general quickening in hard-court surfaces across the ATP and WTA tours in the last few years. The move could quicken things up in California, as happened at the Miami Open when it switched to Laykold in 2023. For some players, this will be a relief. World No. 6 and former U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev has been vocal in his criticism of the surface, as well as the slower, heavier tennis ****** about which many players (mostly on the ATP Tour) have complained in recent times. “It’s a disgrace to sport, this court,” Medvedev said in an on-court rant during his last-16 win against Alexander Zverev two years ago. “We should be banned from playing here, a freaking disgrace to sport, this freaking court. And they call it hard courts. What a shame to call this awful court a hard court. “I’ll go to toilet, but I don’t care, give me time violation. I’m going to be as slow as the court again. I don’t care; give me five time violations, I’ll go in one minute. If they allow us to play on such a court, I can allow myself to do whatever I want.” Last year’s champions, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek, thrive on the slower, higher-bouncing surface, where the grittiness makes the conditions play distinctly differently from most other hard courts, even before accounting for surface speed. The tournament’s change in surface comes in the wider context of a debate about whether a perceived general slowing down of conditions is damaging the sport, and whether or not making hard courts play more similarly is not the gain it might appear. Medvedev’s dislike (despite him making the final in Indian Wells the past two years) and other players’ love for the surface is, in one way, a display of the benefits of having distinct surfaces across events. With tennis itself getting more and more similar, homogenizing courts will only decrease the variety the sport can offer. The intrigue in the desert this year will be over who will be the big beneficiaries and losers from the changed conditions. GO DEEPER Surface mastery: How Alcaraz won Grand Slams on hard, grass and clay courts Charlie Eccleshare Were reports of Stefanos Tsitsipas’ demise little more than a racket? It didn’t really seem plausible that Tsitispas was going to drift out of the elite neighborhood of the sport to which he has committed his life. Or did it? The evidence suggested that Tsitsipas could not hang with the next generation. Not just Jannik Sinner and Alcaraz, either. Arthur Fils beat him in Basel. Alex Michelsen beat him in the first round in Australia. Hamad Medjedovic beat him in Doha last month on an injured leg. He seemed unable to figure out how to summon the same fight he had rarely lacked during his seven years of playing top-level tennis. Worse, he didn’t know where he might find it. Perhaps the answer was in his strings all along — just some different ones. Tsitsipas, who has been testing out a blacked-out racket reminiscent of a Babolat Pure Aero 98, finally made some headway last week, playing his best tennis in nearly a year to win in Dubai. His single-handed backhand once more sent the ball exploding off his strings. His touch was soft when he needed it to be. In the final, he beat Felix Auger-Aliassime, who has been putting together a solid bounce-back season of his own. When it was over, Tsitispas was the owner of his first hard-court title since Los Cabos in the summer of 2023 and back in the top 10. Stefanos Tsitsipas’ racket is stencilled with the Wilson logo to comply with his sponsorship contract. (Christopher Pike / Getty Images) What this means for the future is unclear. The tour now heads to the U.S., where Tsitsipas has rarely enjoyed much success. He didn’t have to beat any of the highly touted young guns in Dubai and Indian Wells has not been a happy place for him, despite its (former) conditions suiting his preference to move around his backhand. But it’s safe to say that — like the knight from Monty Python — he’s not dead yet. Matt Futterman Will more returning WTA players follow Belinda Bencic’s lead? There was a welcome return in Austin last week for Petra Kvitova, the two-time Wimbledon champion, who is back from a 17-month hiatus on maternity leave. She lost to Jodie Burrage of Great Britain in her first match back but was competitive throughout. Kvitova has been given a wildcard to play in Indian Wells this week. Beyond that, it will be interesting to see how Kvitova, 34, manages her schedule in the coming months, and whether she, and other returning players, will try to copy what Belinda Bencic has done. Belinda Bencic made waves at the *********** Open, knocking out world No. 3 Coco Gauff. (William West / AFP via Getty Images) Bencic, a former world No. 4 and Olympic champion, returned to tennis at the end of October after a 13-month hiatus of her own, during which she gave birth to her first child. She has since had exceptional results at the start of 2025, reaching the fourth round of the *********** Open and winning the Abu Dhabi Open, a 500-level event. Significantly, though, Bencic didn’t go straight into playing these big events. Her comeback began last year with low-level ITF and Challenger events, away from the main WTA Tour. “For me, it’s kind of logical,” she told The Athletic in December, having just played that run of lower-level tournaments. “I cannot be as arrogant to expect to not play for a year and a half and then come back to the same level that I played before and expect to be able to have a competitive match. So it’s important that I can go to the lower level to also build everything up again and see where I’m at. “I don’t see the point of going to a tournament like, I don’t know, Indian Wells. You have a difficult draw. Losing first or second round is not really what you need in that moment. You just need to build up matches and confidence and get back in the rhythm of playing a full week of the tournament.” Bencic will now head to Indian Wells looking to go much deeper. GO DEEPER Belinda Bencic believes in herself, because of the women who came before her Charlie Eccleshare Now, about those other Indian Wells women’s wild cards No need to apologize for giggles at the words “Indian Wells” and “wild card.” Tournament organisers last week announced that it had given one to 44-year-old Venus Williams — seemingly without clearing that with the eight-time Grand Slam champion. Williams, busy with commitments in Europe, will not be playing. And so, the tournament moved on. Last week, Indian Wells added Sloane Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, and Bencic to the main draw. Not bad, assuming one believes in the concept of wild cards in the first place. Bencic shouldn’t need one, having risen to world No. 58 since her return from giving birth. Stephens is outside the top 100 in the rankings. She has not won a tour-level match since the first round of Wimbledon, losing 10 in a row since. Kvitova, who is also on her way back from giving birth and is a two-time champion, received hers when the Williams wild card was announced Americans Robin Montgomery, Alycia Parks and Bernarda Pera also received wild cards last week. So did Iva Jovic, who’s worth keeping an eye on. She’s 17 and has won matches at the *********** Open and U.S. Open. She’s also from Los Angeles and should have healthy crowd support and plenty of friends and family in the stands. GO DEEPER Venus Williams won’t play at Indian Wells despite receiving wild-card entry Matt Futterman Recommended reading: The winners of the week ATP: Tomas Machac (No 8 seed) def. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6(6), 6-2 to win the ******** Open (500) in Acapulco, Mexico. It is the Czech’s first ATP title. Tsitsipas (4) def. Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 to win the Dubai Tennis Championships (500) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is his first 500-level title in 12 finals. Laslo Djere def. Sebastian Baez (3) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 to win the Chile Open (250) in Santiago, Chile. It is his first ATP title since 2020. WTA: Emma Navarro (1) def. Emiliana Arango (Q) 6-0, 6-0 to win the Merida Open (500) in Merida, Mexico. It is Navarro’s first 500-level title. Jessica Pegula (1) def. McCartney Kessler (5) 7-5, 6-2 to win the ATX Open (250) in Austin, Texas. It is the American’s seventh WTA Tour title. On the rise / Down the line Emiliana Arango moves up 53 places from No. 133 to No. 80 after her run to the final in Mexico. Tsitsipas returns to the top 10, moving from No. 11 to No. 9. Maya Joint moves inside the top 100 after rising 18 spots from No. 103 to No. 85. Learner Tien moves inside the top 70 after rising 15 spots from No. 83 to No. 68. Katie Boulter falls 12 places from No. 26 to No. 38. Alexander Bublik drops 31 places from No. 51 to No. 82. Coming up ATP Indian Wells, California: BNP Paribas Open (1,000) featuring Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Learner Tien. ***: Sky Sports; U.S.: Tennis Channel Tennis TV WTA Indian Wells, California: BNP Paribas Open (1,000) featuring Aryna Sabalenka, Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Zheng Qinwen. ***: Sky Sports; U.S.: Tennis Channel Tell us what you noticed this week in the comments below as the men’s and women’s tours continue. (Top photo: Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press; Design: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic) Source link #Tennis #court #surfaces #speed #Indian #Wells #fits #ATP #WTA #Tours Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rockstar acquires studio founded by the director of LA Noire and The Getaway Rockstar acquires studio founded by the director of LA Noire and The Getaway Rockstar Games has announced the acquisition of long-time development partner Video Games Deluxe. The Sydney-based studio, which will be renamed Rockstar Australia, was founded by Brendan McNamara, who previously directed The Getaway for Sony before establishing LA Noire studio Team Bondi. Video Games Deluxe has worked with Rockstar on several games including the 2017 rereleases of LA Noire, LA Noire: The VR Case Files, and most recently, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition. “After working together closely over many years, we are excited to have Video Games Deluxe join the team as Rockstar Australia,” said Rockstar Games head of publishing Jennifer Kolbe. “It’s been an honor to work closely with Rockstar Games this past decade,” said McNamara. “We are thrilled to be a part of Rockstar Games and to continue our efforts to make the best games possible.” Rockstar is currently gearing up to launch Grand Theft Auto 6 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Last month, its parent company Take-Two said that GTA 6 is still on track to release in the fall of 2025. It was recently claimed that Rockstar has met with top Roblox and Fortnite creators about the potential to build custom game experiences inside GTA 6. Source link #Rockstar #acquires #studio #founded #director #Noire #Getaway Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What is IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol)? What is IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol)? IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) is a standard retrieval protocol for receiving email. It stores email messages on a mail server, enabling the recipient to view and manipulate them from any device. IMAP enables users to organize messages into folders, flag messages for urgency or follow-up, and save draft messages on the server. Users can also have multiple email client applications that sync with the email server to show which messages have been read or are still unread. How does IMAP work? As an incoming email protocol, IMAP is the intermediary between the email server and the client. When users read an email using IMAP, they read them off the server. They don’t download or store the email on their local devices. This means the email is not tied to a particular device, and users can access it from any location in the world using different devices, such as PCs, laptops, smartphones and tablets. The following key points describe an IMAP operation: When a user signs in to an email client, like Microsoft Outlook, it uses IMAP to establish a connection to the email server using a designated port number. Once the user’s username and password are verified, IMAP downloads messages to the client when the user selects a folder such as Inbox. Attachments are not automatically downloaded. Users can check their messages from different devices, automatically synchronizing changes across those devices. Email messages remain on the server until the user explicitly deletes them. An IMAP server listens on port number 143, while IMAP over Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) is assigned port number 993. Email travels through several servers on its way to the recipient. IMAP, TCP and HTTP Most modern client-server protocols operate between a web browser and a server or an app and an application programming interface. APIs are implemented on top of the base protocol, HTTP. HTTP is implemented on top of TCP, which ensures that data packets are delivered to their intended destination. Like HTTP, IMAP is also implemented on top of TCP/IP. It works based on different types of requests, known as IMAP commands. A command in IMAP is similar to a request in HTTP. It either tells the server to do something or asks the server for some information. An IMAP command generally looks like the following: […] In the early 1990s, when network connections had low bandwidth, HTTP was necessary for retrieving email messages through IMAP, as it relied on efficient data transfer over slow internet connections. Adding email accounts to IMAP When an email account is added to an email app or IMAP client, it usually attempts to set it up with IMAP access. In that case, user inputs aren’t required. But, if the account is already set up for Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3), the client might have difficulty adding it to IMAP. If users still need to configure their accounts with IMAP, they must get the names of the POP3 and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) — outgoing mail — server from the email provider and then enter the following information into the client: IMAP server: imap.<name of service>.com POP3 server: pop.<name of service>.com SMTP server: smtp.<name of service>.com How does sending and reading messages work with IMAP? When a user opens their email client, it connects over the internet with an IMAP server through a specially designated port — port 143 — for standard messages or port 993 for encrypted messages. The IMAP server sends the user a list of email headers that display senders, subjects and other summary information about each message. For each email message the user clicks to open, their email service downloads the message from the IMAP server. However, even after download, the message remains on the server. Since all email messages remain on the server unless the user deletes them, they can be accessed again from any device. Changes made to emails, such as deleting or moving them, are synchronized by the IMAP server so that they appear on the server and on all devices used to access email. If the user deletes an email, that deletion is also synchronized by IMAP at all points. The email is deleted from all the user’s devices and the IMAP server. Differences between IMAP and POP3 Like IMAP, POP3 is a client-server email retrieval protocol. It is primarily used by internet service providers that offer email services. However, there are distinct differences between IMAP and POP3. POP3 begins by contacting the user’s email service so it can download all new email messages onto their device. However, POP3 limits the user to only accessing messages from that device. Once downloaded, POP3 automatically deletes all new messages from the server. Therefore, other than accessing that device, there is no way to get these messages back. In contrast, IMAP stores all email on a remote server, which makes the email continuously retrievable from the server and any device. IMAP only opens an email when the user clicks on it. IMAP’s popularity is growing due to the proliferation of mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets. IMAP is ideal for those who need to access their email on the go or use different devices. Advantages of IMAP IMAP offers users the following benefits: Supports multiple logins. Most implementations of IMAP support multiple logins. This enables users to connect to the email server simultaneously from different devices. For example, users could simultaneously access their email with an Outlook app on an iPhone and an Outlook desktop app. Provides accessibility. IMAP provides greater access for users who travel or need to check their email from different devices or locations. The protocol doesn’t specify how to handle multiple connections; the details are left to the mail client developers. Enables mailbox sharing. The email service’s shared mailboxes feature enables users to access and manage multiple emails within the same inbox. This is useful for team mailboxes or shared accounts where users view and respond to emails from a single email address. Supports multiple email functions. Users can organize emails on the server by creating folders and subfolders. They can also search and sort emails from the server, not just their device. Enables push mail. The IMAP server supports IDLE extensions or push mail, so the email is displayed in the inbox as unread, eliminating the need to set up a polling interval or require users to first click on Receive. Limitations of IMAP IMAP also has the following limitations: Resource usage. Because email messages remain on IMAP servers and are not automatically deleted upon transfer, IMAP uses more server resources, such as storage and processing. Speed. It takes more time to receive IMAP messages than with POP3. That’s because IMAP continuously uses synchronization with email accounts in real time. This can slow down email delivery. Internet connection requirement. Since POP3 email is downloaded to the user’s device, they can view these messages offline. However, since IMAP keeps all email messages on a server, the user can only view email with an internet connection. Complicated setup. IMAP is more complex than POP3. Although a user can configure an entire IMAP mail server, configuration errors can be easy to make. Email management with IMAP can also be complicated. Security considerations for IMAP Even though IMAP has an authentication mechanism, the authentication process can easily be circumvented by anyone who knows how to steal a password using a protocol analyzer because the client’s username and password are transmitted as cleartext. Administrators can work around this security flaw in an Exchange Server environment using SSL/TLS encryption for IMAP. Enabling multifactor authentication can also help add an extra layer of protection. IMAP has additional security vulnerabilities because email messages remain on an IMAP server and internet access must be used to send and retrieve messages. In the process, internet traffic can be intercepted by bad actors, who can infiltrate the server and infect it with malware. Organizations can use preventive techniques, such as implementing the IMAP email server on a zero-trust network using stringent firewall rules. They can also segment and secure networks at the segment level if it becomes necessary to restrict server access to a limited subset of users. IMAP server configuration and maintenance are highly complex and subject to error. When installing or upgrading an IMAP server, users can create security vulnerabilities through oversights, which bad actors can discover and exploit. Email continues to be a significant security vulnerability for many organizations. To contain these risks, they must follow security best practices. Source link #IMAP #Internet #Message #Access #Protocol Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

This under-the-radar autonomous driving play can rally 65%, says Morgan Stanley This under-the-radar autonomous driving play can rally 65%, says Morgan Stanley A release coming from Aurora Innovation next month could catapult the stock higher, according to Morgan Stanley. The bank initiated the self-driving vehicle stock at an overweight rating and $12 price target. This implies a roughly 65% upside from Aurora’s Friday closing price of $7.27. Shares of Aurora have surged nearly 190% in the past 12 months, and are up 18% this year alone. AUR 1Y mountain AUR 1Y chart “It has been 4 years since AUR went public but the market is finally noticing their autonomous leadership and the stock is up over 3x in the last 9 months (over 5x at its peak 2 weeks ago) — however, this is just the beginning if our view of the opportunity runway ahead, materializes,” wrote Morgan Stanley analyst Ravi Shanker. Shanker pointed to Aurora’s planned April launch of its first commercial driverless operations between Dallas and Houston as a key milestone for the industry that could “unlock a long runway of earnings growth ahead.” Thereafter, Aurora’s serial production is set to begin by either 2026 or 2027. “We have long been believers in the transformational potential of Autonomous Trucking and even though getting to this point may have taken a few years longer than we had initially expected, Trucking finally appears to be at the cusp of an autonomous future,” he wrote. “We believe AUR is leading the charge with arguably the most sophisticated on-highway, Class 8 autonomous solution amongst peers.” At this point, Shanker added, autonomous trucking has gained enough momentum to be considered “a real and credible commercial option” for many trucking fleets. Autonomous truck fleets are much easier to scale than their robotaxi counterparts, and Shanker expects the industry to achieve several thousand miles of driverless operations within the next year. The analyst noted that Aurora’s status as the clear leader in autonomous trucking should allow it to gain an “insurmountable lead” over its competitors. That being said, the total addressable market is large enough to sustain several autonomous players in the long term rather than being a “winner takes all” situation, Shankar added. Source link #undertheradar #autonomous #driving #play #rally #Morgan #Stanley Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Commanders GM Adam Peters takes risk-reward path in Deebo Samuel trade – The Athletic Commanders GM Adam Peters takes risk-reward path in Deebo Samuel trade – The Athletic Commanders GM Adam Peters takes risk-reward path in Deebo Samuel trade The AthleticSources: 49ers trade WR Samuel to Commanders ESPN49ers given a better grade than Washington after trading their former All-Pro wideout Niners NationNiners trade WR Deebo Samuel to Commanders for fifth-round pick NFL.comDeebo Samuel And The Offensive Revolution That Never Was Defector Source link #Commanders #Adam #Peters #takes #riskreward #path #Deebo #Samuel #trade #Athletic Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Athletic’s women’s college basketball All-America team The Athletic’s women’s college basketball All-America team With the regular season in the rearview, The Athletic’s team of dedicated writers and contributors got together to take stock of everything they’ve witnessed since November and made some tough decisions about the best of the best in an impressive year of hoops. Some of their preseason predictions came true as four preseason All-America members were also on the season-end first-team. But two big surprises they didn’t see coming? Two freshmen who have been steadying forces on their respective teams and played their way onto the second team in a very deep year in women’s college hoops. The committee — Chantel Jennings, Sabreena Merchant, Ben Pickman, Zena Keita and Mark Schindler — each ranked their top 10 players, and totals were tallied to determine this season’s year-end accolades. (Stats as of March 2) First team Player Program JuJu Watkins USC Lauren Betts UCLA Hannah Hidalgo Notre Dame Madison Booker Texas Ta’Niya Latson Florida State JuJu Watkins, USC Sophomore wing Stats: 27.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.3 spg, 1.6 bpg The fact that the race for national player of the year was undecided until the penultimate day of the season, and that finally — on the last day — the choice became unanimously Watkins, says a lot about the sophomore’s ability to rise to the biggest moments of the year. Her 30 points, five assists, two steals and three blocks in the Big Ten regular season championship game against UCLA ultimately gave her the final edge over Lauren Betts. Watkins showed what we’ve seen from her all season. A scorer’s mentality. A defensive playmaker. An acute awareness of how much her team needs her on the floor (after picking up her third foul in the early parts of the second quarter, she didn’t foul again through the rest of the game). Last season, as a freshman, Watkins proved herself as the best first-year player in America. This season, you can remove any qualifier. She was the best player. Full stop. Cheryl Miller JuJu Watkins Miller HYPED with JuJu’s big night (via @CBBonFOX) pic.twitter.com/RzyT8XKIeM — Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) March 2, 2025 Lauren Betts, UCLA Junior center Stats: 19.7 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.8 bpg Only four power conference players in the past decade have averaged 19-plus points, nine-plus rebounds and 2.5-plus assists through a full season: Napheesa Collier, Aerial Powers, Nia Coffey … and now Betts. It’s not bad company to keep. In her second year with UCLA, Betts was the main reason the Bruins maintained the No. 1 ranking the majority of the season, and her dominance in the paint is also the Bruins’ best shot at a national title. An elite rim protector, defensive magnet who creates greater space and freedom for her teammates and one of the nation’s top offensive rebounders — Betts proved her value daily for UCLA. Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame Sophomore guard Stats: 24.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.6 spg Few players, if any, can stat-stuff like Hidalgo. She’s an improved 3-point shooter and for the second consecutive year, she lights up opponents on offense and disrupts them on defense. She is first nationally in defensive win shares and leads the ACC in win shares for the second time in two seasons. Her production is integral to everything the Irish achieve, and a big reason Notre Dame will certainly be a top-two seed for the second consecutive year. Hidalgo may have another All-American playing alongside her in Olivia Miles as well as another likely 2025 first-round WNBA draft pick (Sonia Citron), but Hidalgo is also a force unto herself. She is smart enough to bring out the best in her teammates, yet skilled enough to take over games when the situation warrants. Madison Booker, Texas Sophomore wing Stats: 16.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.6 spg One of the best freshman classes in recent memory has only gotten better as sophomores, with Watkins and Hidalgo reprising their 2024 All-America campaigns and Booker joining them on this year’s first team. Now in her natural position on the wing with the return of point guard Rori Harmon, Booker has been a more efficient scorer and impactful defender in her second season. She is the No. 1 option for the SEC champs, on track to capture her second conference player of the year award. Booker has also been emboldened to attack the offensive glass without as many playmaking responsibilities, and it follows that the Longhorns are second in the country in second-chance points. Ta’Niya Latson, Florida State Junior guard Stats: 26.0 ppg, 4.8 apg, 4.6 rpg Latson is one of the nation’s most prolific offensive players. She led the NCAA in scoring, becoming one of just two players to have multiple performances against opponents of at least 20 points and seven assists. Despite being 5-foot-8, Latson is fearless in attacking the basket. She draws 6.4 fouls per game, which leads the nation. Latson is the engine in Florida State’s high-scoring attack, and her greatness has been on display throughout the season. Just last week against Notre Dame, Latson played the best of any All-American in the game, finishing with 23 points, nine assists and five rebounds in the Seminoles’ upset road win. Her game winner against North Carolina in late January is one of the highlights of the season. Second team Player Program Paige Bueckers UConn Sarah Strong UConn Mikayla Blakes Vanderbilt Aneesah Morrow LSU Olivia Miles Notre Dame Paige Bueckers, UConn Fifth-year senior guard Stats: 18.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.9 apg, 2 spg After her (in all likelihood) final regular-season game in Gampel Pavilion, Bueckers was inducted into the Huskies’ Ring of Honor and added to UConn’s impressive list of national players of the year (honoring her freshman season), marking the near end of a remarkable college career. She adds yet another All-America honor to her resume. Bueckers’ hallmark — her clutch scoring gene — was on display this season as she ranked among the top 20 players nationally in points per play (1.17), but she was also the only player in the country in major hoops to average better than a 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio this season. Sarah Strong, UConn Freshman forward Stats: 16.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.3 spg, 1.5 bpg Since 2009, the only player to ever have a 15-point, eight-rebound, three-assist season as a freshman is Strong. She was one of two players to start every game for the Huskies this season, and her ability to impact every facet of the game made her a critical part of UConn’s success this year. The 6-2 forward was remarkably poised in big moments, and proved versatile as a consistent scorer, averaging 9.4 points a game in the paint while shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc. Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt Freshman guard Stats: 23.1 ppg, 3.1 apg, 45.7 FG% It didn’t even take a full season for Blakes to arrive in Nashville and change the Commodores’ trajectory. From her first game in college, she proved to be a difference-maker by scoring 23 points in only 25 minutes. From there, Blakes routinely has proven to be one of the nation’s most dynamic players. The high point of Blakes’ season (so far) was a 55-point outing against Auburn in which she set the NCAA all-time freshman single-game scoring record. The performance was also her second 50-piece of the season, as she had scored 53 against Florida on Jan. 30. Blakes became the first NCAA freshman and the fourth NCAA Division I player since 1999-2000 to record multiple 50-point games in the same season. She led the SEC in offensive win shares, an especially impressive feat considering the conference’s depth. Aneesah Morrow, LSU Senior forward Stats: 17.8 ppg, 14.1 rpg, 2.6 spg The double-double queen has had at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in 26 of her 30 games this season and is leading the country in offensive rebounds and total boards. Despite being undersized as a power forward, Morrow has held up as a four in the SEC and even played a significant amount of center for the Tigers thanks to her motor and quickness. She is 19th nationally in total steals, fueling a top-10 LSU defense and jump-starting the Tigers in transition. Olivia Miles, Notre Dame Senior guard Stats: 16.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 6.0 apg, 41.3 3-pt FG% Miles was arguably the country’s best passer before tearing her ACL, capable of manipulating the defense in the half court and in transition with brute force and flair. She added an elite jump shot to her offensive arsenal this season, hitting 41.3 percent of her 3s while still connecting on 70 percent of her attempts in the restricted area. She might be the most complete offensive guard in Division I with her combo of passing and scoring, and she helms one of the most devastating offenses heading into the NCAA Tournament. (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; Photos of Hannah Hidalgo, JuJu Watkins, Lauren Betts: Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images, Ryan Hunt / Getty Images, Icon Sportswire / Getty Images) Source link #Athletics #womens #college #basketball #AllAmerica #team Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Not SHIELD, the Organization Marvel Rivals Director Claims Inspired the Game Is Already in MCU Not SHIELD, the Organization Marvel Rivals Director Claims Inspired the Game Is Already in MCU Marvel Rivals is a game where fans can live out the fantasy of assembling their dream teams and pitting them against others in a thrilling showdown. From Iron Man flying to Hulk Smashing to even Jeff the Land Shark causing a ruckus on the battlefield, there is something for everyone. Players are enjoying the game and its diverse roster. | Image Credit: NetEase Games However, what truly makes these experiences feel authentic is the destruction heroes leave behind, showcasing just how powerful they are. In an interview, director Thaddeus Sasser revealed that he had a very different inspiration when crafting the game. His core fantasy as a superhero wasn’t just about defeating villains, it was about leaving behind destruction. Marvel Rivals‘ director took destructive inspiration during the development The game wants to show how powerful these heroes are. | Image Credit: NetEase Games In an interview with VideoGamer, Sasser shared how the idea of destruction shaped his vision for Marvel Rivals. He shared that whenever he thought about superheroes, it wasn’t just about defeating villains or saving the day. For him, it was about the immense power they wield and the chaos they leave in their wake. The fantasy of being a superhero wasn’t just about heroic triumph, it was about feeling unstoppable. He said: As a superhero, one of my core fantasies is I wanna wreck the world. There used to be this old comic called Damage Control where this group would go into a city and clean up the messes superheroes made. Even though the destruction is for the greater good of humanity, it leaves a real impact on the world, literally. This is where Damage Control comes in: the clean-up crew no one thinks about after the epic battle. For those unfamiliar, it is an organization that specializes in cleaning up the mess left by superhero and supervillain battles, often dealing with dangerous alien technology and powerful artifacts. Fans may recognize the organization from its appearances in various MCU projects like Spider-Man: Homecoming and Ms. Marvel. In the context of Marvel Rivals, Sasser’s vision aimed to make heroes like Thor, Magneto, and even lesser-known characters leave behind massive destruction during their battles. As a superhero you want to feel powerful, you want to feel like you can change the world. Destruction, I think, really ties into that in a nice way. The destruction isn’t just for a visual spectacle, it’s meant to highlight the overwhelming power. The sheer scale of the chaos they leave in their wake is part of the game’s core fantasy. Players don’t just fight enemies, they experience what it truly means to wield that level of power and impact the world around them. The game continues to expand the world The anticipation for the next entry in the roster is high. | Image Credit: NetEase Games Marvel Rivals is steadily growing, with new characters and maps constantly being added. This has only added excitement within the community as they are eagerly waiting and speculating to see which hero or team is coming next. This anticipation shows that the developers are committed to keeping the game aligned with the broader Marvel Universe and not just focusing on mainstream characters. As for how these characters feel when being used, it’s clear that the goal is to bring the correct portrayal of these superheroes (from comics or movies) to life in a way that resonates with fans. Players can look forward to more iconic figures entering the roster, each bringing their unique abilities and signature destruction to the battlefield. For Sasser, the core of the game is about more than just defeating enemies, it’s about creating a lasting impact on the environment and fans. In the end, it’s clear that Marvel Rivals is slowly becoming more than just a team-based hero shooter, it’s a celebration of the destruction and heroism that make Marvel’s universe so thrilling. Source link #SHIELD #Organization #Marvel #Rivals #Director #Claims #Inspired #Game #MCU Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

MWC 2025: NTT Docomo preps for beyond 5G future MWC 2025: NTT Docomo preps for beyond 5G future Leading Japanese operator NTT Docomo has used the MWC 2025 event to showcase “fundamental advances” in next-generation communications technologies and services that will be needed to support almost unprecedented demand on network infrastructure over the course of the next decade. As it looks to draw on its expertise in information processing and computer graphics to deliver a wide variety of metaverse services, Toppan has inked an agreement with NTT Docomo to jointly develop communication services for the forthcoming 6G era. Under the terms of the deal agreement, Toppan will integrate its metaverse and advanced expression capabilities with Docomo’s Feel Tech platform, designed to extend human sensory experiences through 6G networks. The two companies will collaborate in the development and provision of services in the fields of education, skill transmission and online shopping. The first step in the process will be the integration of Feel Tech with Toppan’s metaverse app Metapa, which features educational content for museums designed for interactive learning. Development discussions will commence in April 2025. By incorporating Feel Tech’s sensory sharing capabilities into Metapa, the two firms said that they will look to companies aim to develop next-generation content that will allow users to experience the texture of materials and tactile sensations of artists, enhancing art education through direct interaction. Also in the realm of future 6G services, NTT Docomo said that – working with parent N TT Corporation (NTT) – it has demonstrated the effectiveness and feasibility of in-network computing (INC), an architecture that integrates and coordinates computing resources for services such as AI and mobile networks to enable end-to-end quality control, ensuring low latency and bandwidth usage. The demonstration was based on the Inclusive Core concept for the 6G/IOWN next-gen networking project. In a proof of concept conducted in collaboration with Nokia, the GSMA-defined Open Gateway/Camara API was used to develop and implement technologies for controlling network routing based on mobile network conditions. Additionally, new technologies were developed and implemented that enable connection and coordinated control between user communication devices and servers positioned near the user, allowing on-demand computing services to be provided according to user needs. As a result, the demonstration confirmed that quality requirements spanning both network and computing domains can be rapidly achieved through API control based on user requests, said NTT. Moreover, application of the INC architecture in real-time video data transmission and AI analysis is said to have the potential to achieve accuracy of 90%, which is the AI model’s performance limit. In a test of existing technology, NTT Docomo revealed that it has worked with Space Compass to complete the world’s first successful establishment of wireless data communication with a terrestrial smartphone using a small fixed-wing type high-altitude platform stations (HAPS) aircraft flying in the stratosphere at an altitude of 18km or more. As part of the experiment that took place in February 2025, in Laikipia County, Republic of Kenya, radio waves transmitted from a terrestrial LTE base station was connected to a terrestrial gateway station, with information and data transmitted to a small fixed-wing HAPS aircraft to and from a terrestrial smartphone via a communication device equipped on a HAPS at an altitude of approximately 20km using a non-regenerative relay technology method. As a result, a throughput of 4.66Mbps or more was confirmed in forward link communication from the terrestrial gateway station to the smartphone relayed by the HAPS. In addition, a technology was implemented to direct the centre of the beam from the HAPS aircraft circling in the stratosphere to a fixed point on the ground to form communication coverage in a certain area, and it was confirmed in a ground test area that the radio waves returned from the HAPS could be normally received by the smartphone. Space Compass and Docomo will continue to promote the development of HAPS with the aim of commercialising it in 2026 and will work on developing a space radio access network (RAN) that will achieve ultra-extended coverage to all places, including the sky, sea and space in what it calls the “beyond 5G” era. Source link #MWC #NTT #Docomo #preps #future Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Cellphone deepfake detection technology unveiled at MWC Cellphone deepfake detection technology unveiled at MWC STORY: :: Barcelona, Spain It’s a new line of defense against the rising prevalence of deepfakes. :: March 2, 2025 All built into a mobile phone, one artificial intelligence claims it can snuff out another. “Our deepfake detector can effectively inspect tiny details of pixels on your screen so it can detect those deepfakes and identify the deepfakes, tell our customers within six seconds.” :: ON AI Developed by ******** company Honor, the deepfake detection technology is combined with its Magic 7 Pro smartphone. It’s been launched ahead of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Here’s the product expert Thomas Bai. :: Thomas Bai, Honor AI product expert “The whole process it totally and completely run on device, you don’t need to worry about privacy or your safety. That’s totally being taken care of.” Bai says the AI agent is unique as it uses a technology called GUI. ”GUI stands Graphic User Interface, it means that our AI agent can understand the screen, it can read your screen like a human and then it can act on behalf of your permission and act like a human to operate it.” The smartphone is also designed to complete features such as booking a restaurant or even erasing an element from a picture with a one-sentence command. Source link #Cellphone #deepfake #detection #technology #unveiled #MWC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Minecraft Triple Bundle Releases Tomorrow, It’s Claimed Minecraft Triple Bundle Releases Tomorrow, It’s Claimed According to a reliable insider, the Minecraft Triple Bundle will be released tomorrow, March 4, 2025, for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. Popular leaker billbil-kun has just posted details about the Minecraft Triple Bundle on their Bluesky profile. Per their recent post, the Minecraft Triple Bundle will be released tomorrow for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One for $49.99/€49.99. Players will receive three games through this bundle: Minecraft, Minecraft Legends, Minecraft Dungeons, and 1020 Minecoins. If you are just getting into the Minecraft universe and want to experience all the franchise offers, the triple bundle is the perfect option. Players get to try the original sandbox survival adventure with Minecraft. Minecraft Dungeons brings the dungeon crawl and action-adventure elements to the mix. Minecraft Legends will be an excellent pick for action-strategy fans. Along with the three games, players receive 1020 Minecoins with the Triple Bundle. Minecoins are a virtual currency that can be used in the Minecraft Marketplace to purchase content that helps transform your world, customise your character and more. If you go to purchase Minecoins, 960 of them can be purchased at $5.99. In the same post, Billbil-kun stated that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 announcement will arrive tomorrow, March 4. In other news, A Minecraft Movie has received its final pre-release trailer. Also, Notch has ‘basically announced Minecraft 2’ on social media. What are your thoughts on the Minecraft Triple Bundle? Let us know in the comments or on our community forum! For more information from Insider Gaming, read about Dragon Ball Sparking Zero’s Daima DLC Part 1 arriving this month. Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Minecraft #Triple #Bundle #Releases #Tomorrow #Claimed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]