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Fulham condemn ‘abhorrent’ Calvin Bassey racist and homophobic abuse Fulham condemn ‘abhorrent’ Calvin Bassey racist and homophobic abuse Fulham have condemned the “abhorrent” racist and homophobic online abuse directed at defender Calvin Bassey following Sunday’s FA Cup penalty shootout win at Manchester United. Nigeria defender Bassey, who scored the opening goal at Old Trafford, shared some examples of the unsavoury abuse he had received on social media. “We strongly condemn this abhorrent behaviour which has no place in football or society,” Fulham said in a statement. “Such actions are entirely unacceptable, and we stand in full support of Calvin Bassey, who will continue to receive our full backing. “We will do everything in our power to work with the relevant authorities in identifying the perpetrators of these vile messages and taking the strongest form of action against them.” Bassey’s online abuse follows recent cases involving Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, England defender Kyle Walker, Newcastle United’s Joe Willock and Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw. In a recent interview with BBC Sport, Samuel Okafor, chief executive of anti-discrimination body Kick It Out (KIO), said the level of abuse in English football had “reached crisis point”. Bassey’s goal was cancelled out in the second half by Bruno Fernandes, with the game staying level at 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes and extra time. Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee missed for United in the shootout to send the Cottagers into the quarter-finals, where they will host Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage. Source link #Fulham #condemn #abhorrent #Calvin #Bassey #racist #homophobic #abuse Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Steam crosses 40 million concurrent players for the first time Steam crosses 40 million concurrent players for the first time Since its launch, Steam has been one of the go-to platforms for PC gamers, but it just broke its all-time record with more than 40 million people using Steam at one time. That doesn’t mean 40 million people are gaming all at once — that number is a bit over 12 million — but it’s still a massive increase from when Steam first started. At the time of writing, Steam hit its all-time peak within the last two hours with a staggering 40,270,997 people. The majority of people are in the storefront or doing something else that’s not strictly gaming, but there are millions of gamers playing through some of the most popular titles right now. Take Counter-Strike 2, for example; it currently has just under 1.3 million active players, while over 1 million people are exploring the world of Monster Hunter Wilds. Those two games are the undeniable champions at the present time, with the next most-played game — Dota 2 — coming in at just over 600,000 players. Valve With multiple games hitting more than one million players per day, it’s not hard to see why Steam is such a success. Even Amazon acknowledges Steam’s reign at the top, when a former Prime Gaming executive acknowledged that even the retail giant’s size didn’t give it enough of an edge to beat Steam. Please enable Javascript to view this content Right now, the Steam Next Fest is still in full swing (though it ends tomorrow, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, now is your last chance.) Tons of demos are available for gamers to try out for free, so it’s a fantastic option to broaden your gaming horizons a bit with minimal risk. And if the demos don’t appeal to you, Steam is renowned for its massive sales — and with the right know-how, you can walk away with a slew of new titles without breaking the bank. Throw in the dominance of the Steam Deck in the handheld PC market, and Valve has a powerhouse platform that doesn’t look to be going anywhere anytime soon. Source link #Steam #crosses #million #concurrent #players #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This PC has a folding screen that I wish I could buy This PC has a folding screen that I wish I could buy Table of Contents Table of Contents Meet the ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept Software tricks make it more than just a folding screen More than just a folding display Why the ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept is exciting Will this ever become a commercial product? Mobile World Congress may be considered a mobile show, but each year, Lenovo brings a series of computing concepts to the show. In the past, we’ve seen devices like the ThinkPad X1 Fold, a rollable PC, and even a rolling phone, but this year’s concept is one of my favorite folding laptop concepts yet. The ThinkBook Flip AI PC Concept doesn’t have the most friendly name, but it takes a unique approach to solving a key problem for all PC users: how to extend your screen real estate when you’re on the go. Lenovo’s answer is an 18-inch display that folds outwards and has other benefits depending on your needs. I spent some time with it this morning, and my brief hands-on experience left me surprised at how user-friendly it is. In particular, Lenovo has a few nifty software tricks that make it more than just a folding laptop. This is why it’s my new favorite folding laptop concept. Meet the ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends We’ve yet to see folding laptops become a truly mainstream product, but we’ve already seen one released, thanks to Lenovo. The ThinkPad X1 Fold broke barriers by bringing the traditional book-style folding form factor to a PC, replete with enough power to ensure it delivers on most tasks. Unfortunately, the ThinkPad X1 Fold also showed that that form factor wasn’t appealing to most customers. Instead, the ThinkPad Flip AI PC introduces a new form factor that will almost certainly be far more useful. Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends The Lenovo ThinkPad Flip AI PC has an 18-inch display, but it folds outward to create two 13-inch displays stacked on top of each other. When folded, the display works as an external display, which means it’s great for intimate presentations, salespeople, or more. Software tricks make it more than just a folding screen Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends The biggest pain point with the Lenovo ThinkPad Flip AI PC is likely the way that the Windows OS handles the multiple screens. Rather than two displays. It shows as a single display, which makes it more challenging to maximize the usefulness of the screen. That said, Lenovo demonstrated some nifty software tricks that minimize the issues with the Windows OS approach. The first of these makes it easy to disable the outer display with a virtual button that’s conveniently located on the part of the display that bends. This makes it easy to disable the outer display when needed, whether to save on battery life or to prevent someone from seeing what you’re doing. The second is far more useful: with a simple swipe across the hinge, you can quickly display an app or presentation that’s on your main display. It essentially treats the outward folding display as a secondary monitor and improves the way that Windows itself treats the secondary display. More than just a folding display Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends The Lenovo ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept is also interesting for one other key reason: Look down at the trackpad, and you’ll see a truly unique take on this laptop staple, except not where you expect it. The trackpad is designed to surface different quick settings and features three modes that you can easily switch between. Switching is as easy as tapping one of the mode buttons on the right of the trackpad. The three modes surface a number pad quick settings for your PC and media controls. There’s also a backlight that you can control, and everything works as you’d expect. I enjoy the trackpad shortcut gestures on Asus laptops, but this is a more impressive and practical implementation of extending the usefulness of the trackpad. The ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept also doubles as a tablet. Rather than carrying a separate tablet, flipping over the screen lets you use the outer display in tablet mode. You can’t access the keyboard or mouse, but it is a touchscreen, and you can easily use it as a Windows-powered tablet if you just want a small screen for watching something. Why the ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept is exciting Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends You may be wondering whether you’d need these features, and there are a few different use cases where this laptop would be beneficial. The first is for tech journalists like myself. I’ve used the dual-screen Yoga laptops before, and the secondary display is fantastic for covering major product launches while on the go. Similarly, it’s also incredibly useful for day-to-day work when traveling, and this concept will improve my workflow in both cases. There are also other professionals who could benefit from this. Hosting presentations in a coffee shop? Simply flip over the screen. Trying to sell someone financial, automotive, or other products that require reviewing numbers and documents? Flip the screen over. As you can tell, there’s a theme to the use cases, and it’s ultimately designed for anyone who wants a secondary screen, or a ******* screen, on the go. Will this ever become a commercial product? Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends As the name suggests, the ThinkPad Flip AI PC Concept is firmly a concept product. As such, it’s unclear whether it’ll become a commercial product, and if it does, whether only some of the features will make it to a commercial product. Yet, Lenovo has an extensive pedigree at turning conceptual products into commercial ones. The original ThinkPad X1 Fold was a concept but became a viable product. The rollable PC was a concept that became an actual product at CES earlier this year. I wouldn’t bet against Lenovo making this a commercially available product, but I would bet that it won’t be affordable. If I had to guess? Based on the cost of other folding products and the previous folding laptop, this will be an ultra premium product. Based on what I saw, it will likely be worth it. Source link #folding #screen #buy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

EU eyes giving car makers three years on CO2 targets EU eyes giving car makers three years on CO2 targets The European Commission will propose revising planned fines for vehicle makers whose car and vans fail to meet 2025 CO2 emission targets, by allowing them to hit the targets based on fleet emissions over three years. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a news conference on Monday that the targets remained the same but that compliance would be over three years, rather than one. The European Union executive intends to publish its automotive action plan on Wednesday to help ensure EU car producers can electrify their fleets and compete with more advanced ******** and US rivals. “There’s a clear demand for more flexibility on CO2 targets,” von der Leyen told journalists after a meeting with representatives of the European car industry in Brussels. Under the proposed plan, companies are to be given three years to comply with the targets, instead of annual compliance demands, while the overall emission targets are to stay unchanged, she said. Car makers “have to fulfil the targets but it means more breathing space for industry,” von der Leyen said. The commission president plans to table an amendment to the current rules this month to EU capitals and the European Parliament for approval. Since the start of the year, manufacturers have to meet stricter limits for the average carbon dioxide emissions of their entire vehicle fleet. Several car manufacturers are at risk of exceeding the targets as the sales of battery-powered vehicles in the EU have not increased as projected. with DPA Source link #eyes #giving #car #makers #years #CO2 #targets Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia’s poor RTX 50 compute test results due to missing 32-bit OpenCL support, says PassMark Nvidia’s poor RTX 50 compute test results due to missing 32-bit OpenCL support, says PassMark After Nvidia pulled the plug on 32-bit CUDA support with CUDA 12.0 (and later), technologies built around this platform such as PhysX subsequently reached End Of Life. A new report from PassMark at X suggests that dropping legacy CUDA support extends its impact to older OpenCL code, written for 32-bit systems. This explains the lackluster performance in PassMark’s Direct Compute benchmark, part of which contains 32-bit chunks of code; likely older libraries or modules. Nvidia hasn’t flipped the switch all of a sudden with one update. Legacy CUDA support has been gradually phased out through successive updates over the past few years. Notably, programs written with 32-bit CUDA in mind can still be run on RTX 40 or older hardware. On newer RTX 50 GPUs, older CUDA applications now fallback to the CPU, which is abysmally slower than the graphics card for parallel processing, as seen with PhysX. We suspect this is mostly a software limitation, and may be overcome by 32-bit to 64-bit translation layers, but don’t expect anything official from Nvidia. Found the explanation for RTX 5090 and 5080 low compute performance.Link: found out a few hours ago that nvidia removed OpenCL 32bit support. Seems it depended on CUDA 32bit. Which is also gone. We’ve been unable to buy a 5090 for testing (no stock… pic.twitter.com/gIp1HiOsJNFebruary 25, 2025 PassMark reports that Nvidia’s decision to terminate 32-bit CUDA compatibility also affects legacy OpenCL code. While we don’t have an official statement, the firm’s tweet indicates that Nvidia has outright dropped 32-bit OpenCL support. Given the widespread Blackwell shortages, the PassMark team has been unable to procure an RTX 50 GPU for testing. In fact, Nvidia’s developer documentation for OpenCL still offers samples of code written for 32-bit environments. The code reportedly works fine on older RTX 40 (Ada Lovelace) GPUs, but throws a “non-obvious” error with RTX 50 hardware. It’s fair to assume that dated OpenCL programs will never work on Blackwell and future GPUs, without necessary changes to the source code. While the main PerformanceTest application from PassMark is compatible with modern systems, it still contains several sub-benchmarks that didn’t require a 64-bit address space. For the benchmark to gauge performance properly, PassMark probably needed to recompile some of their kernels in 64-bit mode. That’s easier said than done, as older libraries and dependencies made with 32-bit systems in mind can quickly pile up depending on the age of your software. Likewise, this transition may require significant code changes when dealing with low-level operations and memory management. The latest release of PerformanceTest has resolved these issues by updating required components to 64-bit, with the whole situation taking around a week or so to clear up. It’s unlikely that entire codebases will shut down and compute software will cease to work, since most developers have slowly migrated towards 64-bit code over the years. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Nvidias #poor #RTX #compute #test #results #due #missing #32bit #OpenCL #support #PassMark Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

How to upgrade gear in Monster Hunter Wilds How to upgrade gear in Monster Hunter Wilds Staying alive shouldn’t be a surprising tip or trick you need to learn in Monster Hunter Wilds. While upgrading your weapons comes down to forging new ones with Gemma, which is made all the easier with the wishlist feature, the early hours of Monster Hunter Wilds will force you to make new armor sets if you want to increase your defense. Once you get a bit further into the story, though, you will be able to upgrade your existing armor so you can keep all your favorite perks and skills associated with it. Here is when you can upgrade your armor and how it works. How to upgrade armor Capcom You won’t be able to upgrade your armor until the early parts of Chapter 2. Once you reach the Oilwell Basin region and can access the forge again, Gemma will tell you about armor upgrades. To upgrade any piece of armor, enter the forge and got to the Forge/Upgrade Armor menu. Select the currently equipped armor you want to upgrade, and you can now select Upgrade. This will pop open a new menu where you need to spend Armor Spheres to add XP to an armor. Add enough Spheres that it levels up and it will get stronger. Normal Armor Spheres will give 10 points, Armor Sphere + 50 points, and Advanced Armor Spheres 200 points toward leveling up. However, each piece of armor can only be leveled up so many times so don’t spend one of your more expensive Spheres on a piece of gear that will max out before using all the points. Armor Spehres are earned as rewards from quests and assignments. You can see if a quest will give you any, and what kinds, by looking at the quest info before accepting it. Source link #upgrade #gear #Monster #Hunter #Wilds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Street carnival kicks off in Germany amid security concerns Street carnival kicks off in Germany amid security concerns STORY: :: Carnival celebrations kick off in Germany amid security concerns :: Cologne, Germany :: March 3, 2025 The biggest carnival parade took place in Cologne with tens of thousands of carnival revelers watching from the sidelines. Germany has experienced several attacks recently. In December, six people were killed in an attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg and in January a toddler and adult were killed in a knife attack in the Bavarian town of Aschaffenburg. Source link #Street #carnival #kicks #Germany #security #concerns Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Infinix Note 50, Note 50 Pro and Note 50 Pro+ With 50-Megapixel Rear Cameras Launched Infinix Note 50, Note 50 Pro and Note 50 Pro+ With 50-Megapixel Rear Cameras Launched Infinix Note 50 series was unveiled in Indonesia on Monday. The lineup includes a base, a Pro and a Pro+ variant. The phones sport 50-megapixel main rear cameras, up to 5,200mAh battery with up to 90W wired fast charging, and 6.78-inch full-HD+ AMOLED displays. The vanilla and Pro versions are powered by MediaTek Helio G100 Ultimate chipsets, while the Pro+ option carries a MediaTek Helio G100 SoC. The company has yet to confirm the launch of the handsets in other global markets. Infinix Note 50 Series Price, Colour Options Infinix Note 50 price in Indonesia is set at IDR 28,99,000 (roughly Rs. 15,400) for the 8GB + 256GB option. The Pro variant is marked at IDR 31,99,000 (roughly Rs. 17,000) for the same configuration. The cost of the Pro+ version has not yet been listed online. The phones are available for purchase in the country via Infinix’s Official Store on Shopee. The vanilla Infinix Note 50 comes in Mountain Shade, Ruby Red, Shadow ****** and Titanium Grey colourways. The Infinix Note 50 Pro is offered in Enchanted Purple, Racing Edition, Shadow ****** and Titanium Grey options. The top-of-the-line Infinix Note 50 Pro+ is available in Dreamy Purple, Sleek ****** and Titanium Grey shades. Infinix Note 50 Series Features, Specifications The Infinix Note 50 series handsets come with 6.78-inch full-HD+ (1,080 x 2,436 pixels) AMOLED screens with up to 144Hz refresh rate, 1,300 nits of peak brightness level, a 2,160Hz instant touch sampling rate and Always-On Display feature. The Infinix Note 50 Pro+ sports a 3D curved AMOLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection and TÜV Low Blue Light certification. The base and Pro Infinix Note 50 phones come with MediaTek Helio G100 Ultimate chipsets paired with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB of UFS2.2 onboard storage. They run on Android 15-based XOS 15. The top-end Pro+ variant is powered by a MediaTek Helio G100 SoC and it ships with Android 14 with XOS 14.5 skin on top. For optics, the Infinix Note 50 and Note 50 Pro are equipped with 50-megapixel main sensors with optical image stabilisation (OIS) support. The base variant has a 2-megapixel secondary sensor and a 13-megapixel front camera sensor, while the Pro option has an 8-megapixel secondary camera and a 32-megapixel selfie shooter. Meanwhile, the Infinix Note 50 Pro+ is equipped with a 50-megapixel 1/2.8-inch Hi-5022Q primary sensor alongside a 2-megapixel depth sensor and a 13-megapixel 1/3.06-inch front camera sensor. Both Infinix Note 50 and Note 50 Pro pack 5,200mAh batteries. They support 45W and 90W wired fast charging, respectively. The Pro+ version carries a 5,000mAh cell with 33W wired fast charging support. All variants support 10W reverse charging. For security, the phones have in-display fingerprint sensors. The base and Pro models have IP64-rated builds for dust and splash resistance, while the Pro+ model has an IP54 rating. Connectivity options for the series include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.4, GPS, OTG, NFC and a USB Type-C port. For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2025 hub. Source link #Infinix #Note #Note #Pro #Note #Pro #50Megapixel #Rear #Cameras #Launched Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Amazon to bring palm-scanning tech Amazon One to NYU Langone Health Amazon to bring palm-scanning tech Amazon One to NYU Langone Health Amazon is bringing its palm-scanning payment system to a Whole Foods store in Seattle, the first of many planned future locations to roll out the technology. Amazon Patients at NYU Langone Health facilities will soon be able to check in for appointments using Amazon’s palm-scanning technology, the company announced Monday. The contactless service, called Amazon One, can identify patients “securely and quickly,” according to a release. NYU Langone said the technology will help it speed up sign-ins, alleviate administrative strain on staff, and reduce errors and wait times. For a health system that handles more than 10 million patient visits each year, every minute counts. With Amazon One, NYU Langone anticipates it will be able to cut the time patients spend at their front desks from about two to three minutes to less than a minute, Andrew Rubin, NYU Langone senior vice president of clinical affairs, told CNBC. “That’s both a positive experience for the patient to be able to actually get in faster, and requires less work on our part having to authenticate who the patient is,” Rubin said. Amazon will not store or access any of patients’ health data or personal information beyond their palm prints, NYU Langone said. Participation is voluntary, and patients can opt out at any time. NYU Langone operates six hospitals and more than 320 outpatient facilities, and it’s the first health-care organization to ever deploy Amazon One. The collaboration has been about nine months in the making, said Nader Mherabi, NYU Langone’s chief digital and information officer. Amazon said it plans to explore additional applications for Amazon One within health care in the future, such as credentialing for access to high-security areas and shared computer systems. The company introduced Amazon One at its Go cashierless stores in 2020, and it rolled out to all Whole Foods Market locations in 2023. NYU Langone will be the largest third-party deployment of Amazon One to date. The service will be available at NYU Langone sites in the New York metro area starting next week, and it will expand to other locations this year. Amazon and NYU Langone did not disclose terms of the deal. – CNBC’s Annie Palmer contributed to this report. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Amazon #bring #palmscanning #tech #Amazon #NYU #Langone #Health Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Amazon to bring palm-scanning tech Amazon One to NYU Langone Health Amazon to bring palm-scanning tech Amazon One to NYU Langone Health Amazon is bringing its palm-scanning payment system to a Whole Foods store in Seattle, the first of many planned future locations to roll out the technology. Amazon Patients at NYU Langone Health facilities will soon be able to check in for appointments using Amazon’s palm-scanning technology, the company announced Monday. The contactless service, called Amazon One, can identify patients “securely and quickly,” according to a release. NYU Langone said the technology will help it speed up sign-ins, alleviate administrative strain on staff, and reduce errors and wait times. For a health system that handles more than 10 million patient visits each year, every minute counts. With Amazon One, NYU Langone anticipates it will be able to cut the time patients spend at their front desks from about two to three minutes to less than a minute, Andrew Rubin, NYU Langone senior vice president of clinical affairs, told CNBC. “That’s both a positive experience for the patient to be able to actually get in faster, and requires less work on our part having to authenticate who the patient is,” Rubin said. Amazon will not store or access any of patients’ health data or personal information beyond their palm prints, NYU Langone said. Participation is voluntary, and patients can opt out at any time. NYU Langone operates six hospitals and more than 320 outpatient facilities, and it’s the first health-care organization to ever deploy Amazon One. The collaboration has been about nine months in the making, said Nader Mherabi, NYU Langone’s chief digital and information officer. Amazon said it plans to explore additional applications for Amazon One within health care in the future, such as credentialing for access to high-security areas and shared computer systems. The company introduced Amazon One at its Go cashierless stores in 2020, and it rolled out to all Whole Foods Market locations in 2023. NYU Langone will be the largest third-party deployment of Amazon One to date. The service will be available at NYU Langone sites in the New York metro area starting next week, and it will expand to other locations this year. Amazon and NYU Langone did not disclose terms of the deal. – CNBC’s Annie Palmer contributed to this report. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Amazon #bring #palmscanning #tech #Amazon #NYU #Langone #Health Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Watch: Stars celebrate at glitzy Oscars after party Watch: Stars celebrate at glitzy Oscars after party Award winners and nominees headed for a night of partying across Los Angeles after the Oscars ceremony concluded. Source link #Watch #Stars #celebrate #glitzy #Oscars #party Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to do Power Clashes in Monster Hunter Wilds How to do Power Clashes in Monster Hunter Wilds For a newcomer, the amount of tips and tricks you need to learn in Monster Hunter Wilds can feel overwhelming. Just figuring out which weapon to use or what armor to upgrade can be a lot, but mastering the game’s somewhat cryptic combat mechanics can take dozens of hours. Even friends who have played hundreds of hours of prior games won’t be able to help you with new systems like offset attacks and power clashes, though. For that, we can help you learn all about this new move, how it works, and why it is so important. How to do power clashes Capcom Power clashes are another new move type that is only used by certain weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds. Before getting into the details, make sure you’re rocking one of the following weapons to be able to pull off a power clash: Great Sword Gunlance Sword and Shield Charge Blade Lance Heavy Bowgun While the offset attack asks you to time an attack to interrupt an enemy, power clashes trigger when you time your block to parry an incoming attack. This requires perfect timing, but it also doesn’t work on every attack. You will know you are performing a perfect guard when you see a small white glow around your character when tanking the hit. Perform enough perfect guards to build up the power clash it will trigger eventually. Once this happens, you will be prompted to mash your attack button to win the clash. If you do, the monster will be knocked down and wide open to attack. The other big difference between this and offset attacks is that there are no complex inputs or combos to activate it for each weapon. As long as you can master the timing, power attacks are a much more reliable tool. But, like offset attacks and status effects, it will take more blocks to trigger additional power clashes as you keep using them. Source link #Power #Clashes #Monster #Hunter #Wilds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ghost hunting, ************ and interactive art: the weird afterlife of Xbox Kinect | Games Ghost hunting, ************ and interactive art: the weird afterlife of Xbox Kinect | Games Released in 2010 and bundled with the Xbox 360, the Kinect looked like the future – for a brief moment, at least. A camera that could detect your gestures and replicate them on-screen in a game, the Kinect allowed players to control video games with their bodies. It was initially a sensation, selling 1m units in its first 10 days; it remains the fastest-selling gaming peripheral ever. However, a lack of games, unreliable performance and a motion-control market already monopolised by the Nintendo Wii caused enthusiasm for the Kinect to quickly cool. Microsoft released a new version of the Kinect with the Xbox One in 2013, only for it to become an embarrassing flop; the Kinect line was unceremoniously discontinued in 2017. The Guardian reached out to multiple people involved in the development of the peripheral, all of whom declined to comment or did not wish to go on record. Instead, the people keenest to discuss Microsoft’s motion-sensing camera never used it for gaming at all. Theo Watson is the co-founder of Design I/O, a creative studio specialising in interactive installations – many of which use depth cameras, including the Kinect. “When the Kinect came out, it really was like a dream situation,” he recalls. “We probably have 10+ installations around the world that have Kinects tracking people right now … The gaming use of the Kinect was a blip.” Assistants demonstrate the game Kinect Adventures for Xbox 360 during a media briefing in 2010. Photograph: Mario Anzuoni / Reuters/Reuters Watson speaks about the Kinect, which turns 15 this year, with rare relish. (“I cannot stop talking about depth cameras,” he adds. “It’s my passion.”) As part of the collaborative effort OpenKinect, Watson contributed to making Microsoft’s gaming camera open-source, building on the work of Hector “Marcan” Martin. It quickly became apparent that the Kinect would not, as Microsoft had initially hoped, be the future of video games. Instead, it was a gamechanger in other ways: for artists, roboticists and … ghost-hunters. The Kinect functions on a structured light system, meaning it creates depth data by projecting an infrared dot cloud and reads the deformations in that matrix to discern depth. From this data, its machine learning core was trained to “see” the human body. In games such as Kinect Sports, this allowed the camera to transform the body into a controller. For people making interactive artwork, meanwhile, it cut out much of the programming and busywork necessitated by more basic infrared cameras. “The best analogy would be like going from ******-and-white television to colour,” says Watson. “There was just this whole extra world that opened up for us.” Though high-powered depth cameras had existed before, retailing at about $6,000 (£4,740), Microsoft condensed that into a robust, lightweight device costing $150 (£118). Robotocists were also grateful for an accessible sensor to grant their creations vision and movement. “Before it, only planar 2D Lidar information was available to detect obstacles and map environments,” says Walter Lucetti, a senior software engineer at Stereolabs, which is soon to release the latest version of its advanced depth-sensing cameras and software. The 2D Lidar detects objects by projecting a laser and measuring the time the light takes to reflect back; the Kinect, however, could create a detailed and accurate depth map that provided more information on what the obstaclemay be and how to navigate it. “Before Kinect-like sensors,” Lucetti says, “a tuft of grass was not perceived differently from a rock, with all the consequences that entails for navigation.” This type of depth camera now powers a host of autonomous robotics, including 2020’s Perseverance Mars Rover’s AutoNav system, and Apple’s facial identification tech. (Apple bought PrimeSense, the Israeli company behind the Kinect’s structured light system, in 2013.) Nasa’s Mars Perseverance Rover in 2020. Photograph: Nasa/UPI/REX/Shutterstock The Kinect’s technology was soon eclipsed by freely available open-source sensors and more advanced motion-sensing devices. But since Microsoft ceased manufacture of the Kinect line in 2017, the little camera has enjoyed a spirited and not entirely un-troubled afterlife. It has watched over the Korean demilitarised zone and worked on topography and patient alignment in CT scanners; reports have emerged of it being used in airport baggage halls, as a security camera in Newark Liberty International airport’s Terminal C (United Airlines declined to comment on this), and even to gamify training for the US military. It’s been attached to drones, rescue robots and even found a brief application in ************. “I’m not sure anyone had a firm vision of what interactive sex involving the Kinect would be,” says Kyle Machulis, founder of *********.io and another member of the OpenKinect team. The camera was deployed mostly as an over-complex controller for 3D sex games, fulfilling “more of a futurist marketing role than anything of actual consumer use,” Machulis says. In that role, it was successful: it attracted a flurry of attention, and threats from Microsoft to somehow ban porn involving Kinect. It was an interesting experiment, but it turned out that the addition of a novelty device was not a turn-on for many porn users. Besides, as Machulis says, when the camera malfunctions, “it looks pretty horrible.” skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Pushing Buttons Keza MacDonald’s weekly look at the world of gaming Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Unreliability is of less concern for ghost hunters, who thrive on the ambiguity of ageing technology and who have rebranded the Kinect as the “SLS” (structured light sensor) camera. They deploy its body tracking to find figures the naked eye cannot see. Ghost hunters are thrilled by the Kinect’s habit of “seeing” bodies that aren’t really there, believing that these skeletal stick figures are representations of disembodied spirits. The paranormal investigation industry doesn’t care much about false positives, so long as those false positives can be perceived as paranormal – which is just as well, says Jon Wood, a freelance science performer who has a show devoted to examining ghost hunting technology. “It’s quite normal for ghost hunters to be filming themselves in the dark, with infrared cameras and torches. You’re bathing the scene with IR light, while using a sensor that measures a specific pattern of infrared dots,” he says. Given that Kinect is designed specifically to recognise the human body in any data it receives, it would be stranger if the Kinect didn’t pick up anomalous figures in this context. There’s a certain poetry in the Kinect living on among those searching for proof of life after death. In the right hands, the camera is still going strong. Theo Watson points me in the direction of Connected Worlds, an exhibition that has run in the New York Hall of Science since 2015. Of the many Kinect devices that power the installations, only two have had to be replaced in the decade since it opened – and one of those was only a few weeks ago. Watson started stockpiling the device when Microsoft ceased production. “Half the projects on our website wouldn’t exist without the Kinect,” he says. “If we had this camera for another decade, we would still not run out of things to do with it.” Source link #Ghost #hunting #************ #interactive #art #weird #afterlife #Xbox #Kinect #Games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kano’s Islamic police arrest ********* Muslims for eating in public during Ramadan Kano’s Islamic police arrest ********* Muslims for eating in public during Ramadan The Islamic police in the northern ********* state of Kano have arrested Muslims seen eating and drinking publicly, as well as those selling food at the start of Ramadan, when Muslims are supposed to fast from dawn until dusk. The deputy commander of the Hisbah, Mujahid Aminudeen, told the BBC that 20 people had been arrested for not fasting and five for selling food, and that the operations would continue throughout the month, which began on Saturday. “It is important to note that we don’t concern ourselves with non-Muslims,” he said. Mr Aminudeen said any “disrespect” for Ramadan would not be condoned. “It’s heart-breaking that in such a holy month meant for fasting, adult Muslims would be seen eating and drinking publicly. We won’t condone that and that’s why we went out to make arrests,” he said. He said all 25 had been charged in a Sharia court and would be punished accordingly. The Hisbah official added that they sometimes get tip-offs when people are seen eating. “We do get calls from people who are enraged after seeing people eating in public and we act fast by going to the area to make arrests.” He also confirmed the arrest of other people who were seen with “inappropriate haircuts”, wearing shorts above the knee and tricycle drivers mixing male and female passengers. Last year, those arrested for not fasting were freed after promising to fast, while the relatives or guardians of some of them were summoned and ordered to monitor them to make sure they fast. Those arrested this year were not so lucky as they will have to face the court. Just over two decades ago, Sharia, or Islamic law, was introduced to work alongside secular law in 12 of Nigeria’s northern states that have a majority ******* population. Sharia does not apply to the Christian minorities living in the states. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, has a special significance in Islam. It is during this month that Muslims believe the first verses of the Quran – Islam’s holy book – were revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which lay the basis for how Muslims are required to live their lives. The fast is observed during daylight hours. Ramadan usually last 29 or 30 days, and is expected to end on Sunday 30 March. Source link #Kanos #Islamic #police #arrest #********* #Muslims #eating #public #Ramadan Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Once the Deadliest Enemies of Super Earth, the Illuminates in Helldivers 2 Need a Massive Rework to Be Relevant Again Once the Deadliest Enemies of Super Earth, the Illuminates in Helldivers 2 Need a Massive Rework to Be Relevant Again Helldivers 2 isn’t just a game, it’s a call to arms for all freedom-loving citizens of Super Earth. This cooperative, squad-based shooter throws you into a never-ending war against three major factions that want nothing more than to see democracy burn. First, there are the Automatons, relentless robotic killing machines with an unhealthy obsession with making life **********. Then, we have the Terminids, a swarm of hyper-aggressive alien bugs that believe the best defense is overwhelming offense. Finally, there’s the Illuminate, an advanced alien race with psionic abilities, teleportation tech, and mind-control tricks. A still from Helldivers 2 | Credits: Arrowhead Game Studios Each faction brings its own unique brand of chaos, forcing players to adapt, strategize, and, more often than not, die horribly. But while the Automatons have continued to evolve into even greater threats, the Illuminate have remained stagnant, making them the least fearsome of the bunch. And that’s a problem. The ultimate pain machines of Helldivers 2, the Automatons Automatons in Helldivers 2 | Credits: Arrowhead Game Studios Fighting the Automatons is like trying to win an argument with a brick wall, except the brick wall has lasers, missile barrages, and an endless supply of reinforcements. These metal monstrosities aren’t just tough; they’re strategically relentless. And just when we thought they couldn’t get any worse, the Jet Brigade swooped in to turn battles into full-blown nightmares. Their firepower is unmatched, their numbers feel infinite, and their ability to adapt keeps even veteran Helldivers on edge. Automated defense turrets, massive war machines, and heavily armored shock troops ensure that every mission against them is a desperate struggle for survival. They aren’t just a faction, they’re an unrelenting war machine, programmed to erase Super Earth from existence. The Automatons also excel at battlefield control. Their ability to establish forward operating bases mid-mission and deploy reinforcements at a moment’s notice means that no battle ever feels truly won. You may clear an area, but within minutes, drop ships bring fresh waves of enemies eager to finish what their predecessors started. They don’t just challenge your reflexes, they challenge your endurance. Every mission against them is a high-stakes, edge-of-your-seat experience, making them the deadliest faction in the game. The Illuminate were once feared but are now barely relevant The Illuminate in Helldivers 2 | Credits: Arrowhead Game Studios Remember when the mere mention of the Illuminate sent shivers down your spine? At the start, these psionic space squids were a force to be reckoned with. The first few encounters were absolute chaos, Watchers blinding and shocking players and Harvesters with their laser eye and regenerative shields. We were terrified, and it was glorious. But now? Now we walk into Illuminate territory like we’re taking a leisurely stroll through the park, casually swatting them aside as if they were nothing more than slightly more annoying bugs. Gone is the thrill of unpredictability. While The Automatons continue to try and break our spirit, the Illuminate feel like they just kind of… exist. Like they missed the last few balance patches and are stuck. And that’s unacceptable. They deserve better. We deserve better. Super Earth demands better. Comment byu/Smoke_Funds from discussion inHelldivers So what’s the fix? Reddit user Marilius came up with a simple solution. They need to become the terrifying, headache-inducing, squad-wiping menace they once were. And to do that, we need a two-pronged approach, more of them, and new units. Because why settle for one when we can have both? Source link #Deadliest #Enemies #Super #Earth #Illuminates #Helldivers #Massive #Rework #Relevant Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Qualcomm’s next chip could boost your Windows performance, new leak suggests Qualcomm’s next chip could boost your Windows performance, new leak suggests Qualcomm is reportedly developing its next-generation high-end processor for Windows PCs, the Snapdragon X2. The new chip is expected to feature a significant increase in core count, boasting up to 18 Oryon V3 cores. As per information shared by WinFuture, the Snapdragon X2, identified by the model number SC8480XP, is anticipated to adopt a system-in-package (SiP) design, integrating both RAM and flash storage directly within the processor package. Leaked import-export documents suggest configurations may include up to 48GB of SK hynix RAM and a 1TB SSD. This integration aims to enhance data transfer speeds and energy efficiency by reducing latency between components. The core architecture and clock speeds of the Snapdragon X2 remain unknown. It’s also unclear whether it will feature only high-performance cores or a mix of different core types. However, documents suggest it is a “high-TDP” variant, likely the most powerful version. To manage the increased performance and potential heat output, Qualcomm is said to be testing the Snapdragon X2 with an all-in-one liquid cooler featuring a 120mm radiator. This indicates a focus on maintaining optimal thermal performance, especially in desktop environments where higher power consumption is more acceptable. The Snapdragon X2 is expected to be branded under the “Snapdragon X2 Ultra Premium” label, targeting high-end laptops and desktops. This development aligns with Qualcomm’s strategy to compete more effectively with established x86 architecture processors from Intel and AMD, as well as ARM-based solutions like Apple’s M-series chips. This isn’t the first time we are hearing about Qualcomm’s future plans for the Snapdragon X platform. Back in November, Qualcomm confirmed that its upcoming PC processor, the Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2, will feature the Oryon v3 CPU. This announcement came only a month after the Oryon v2 was unveiled, with plans to integrate it into the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset for smartphones. The Oryon v2 is said to deliver a 30% performance boost and 57% greater power efficiency compared to its predecessor. Hopefully the v3 will surpass these improvements. The release of the Snapdragon X2 could also significantly impact the Windows on ARM ecosystem, offering improved performance and efficiency for users. However, challenges such as software compatibility and market adoption remain, as previous ARM-based Windows devices have faced hurdles in running certain applications and games. As of now, Qualcomm has not officially confirmed these details, and the information is based on leaked documents. More concrete information may emerge during upcoming industry events, possibly at Mobile World Congress (MWC) which kicks off starting today. Source link #Qualcomms #chip #boost #Windows #performance #leak #suggests Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

S&P 500 Emini: Stuck in a 5-Month Trading Range, Breakout Imminent? S&P 500 Emini: Stuck in a 5-Month Trading Range, Breakout Imminent? Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks. Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed. Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website. It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website. Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers. © 2007-2025 – Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved. Source link #Emini #Stuck #5Month #Trading #Range #Breakout #Imminent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rugby league: Have games in Las Vegas been a success? Rugby league: Have games in Las Vegas been a success? The *********** National Rugby League (NRL), the driving force behind the project, turned the world-famous Freemont Street into a spectacular red carpet walkway filled with dancers, musicians, drummers and sporting celebrities to welcome the players from the eight teams involved. More than 10,000 fans turned up to the event, creating a carnival atmosphere the like of which the sport has never seen before. Many watching on from the barriers were left open-mouthed at the scale of the welcome. And all that before a ball had even been kicked. Super League may not have been here at all had it not been for the vision of Wigan Warriors chief executive Kris Radlinski. Twelve months ago, he reached out to the NRL to get his side involved, having watched last year’s inaugural event that was limited to just *********** clubs. “I never thought it’d be like this, it’s ******* than I imagined,” said Radlinski. “But it’s what we deserve. I want everyone at home to believe what’s possible. We’ve been through so much as a sport, so much effort goes on behind the scenes and we’re in Las Vegas – it’s exciting. We should enjoy and embrace it.” Source link #Rugby #league #games #Las #Vegas #success Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gemini just got an enhanced memory upgrade for all users and you’ll love what you can do with it now Gemini just got an enhanced memory upgrade for all users and you’ll love what you can do with it now Google has added memory ability to the free version of Gemini in a browser It can now remember anything about you that you tell it to Mobile app version will hopefully roll out soon Google has added the ability to remember personal information to the free version of Gemini, just a few weeks after launching the feature for Gemini Advanced subscribers. The ability to recall information is one of the most useful features of an AI Chatbot, and makes it feel much more personal. That ability has been available in Gemini rival ChatGPT for about a year now, so Google are late to the game, but making the ‘saved info’ feature available to all Gemini users so quickly is a really great move. Talking to a friend ‘Saved info’ means you don’t keep having to tell Gemini the names of your children or what job you have, which makes the conversations with it feel much more natural. For example, I’m currently working on writing a book, and once I’ve asked Gemini to remember this, and a few things about it, I can simply refer to it as “my book” in future conversations and it knows what the subject is and what level it’s aimed at, meaning our conversations about it feel much more natural. It really is like talking to a friend. If you’ve been using Gemini for a while now with the app on your phone or through a web browser then you’ll know that it’s a powerful chatbot, on a par with ChatGPT, and you can also voice chat with us using Gemini Live, which comes with 10 different voices, just like you’re having a conversation with a human. Gemini Live requires a Gemini Advanced subscription on an iPhone, but Android users get it free. (Image credit: Google) Free vs Advanced With a Gemini Advanced subscription Gemini’s ability to remember things works in both the standard chatbot interface and in Gemini Live. To get Gemini to remember something just say, or type, “Remember that” or “keep in mind”, followed by what you want me to remember. On a free account you’ll now notice that ‘Saved info’ has been added to the web interface so you can now use it in the same way Gemini Advanced subscribers can, however we haven’t been able to access it in the mobile app yet for free users. Hopefully it will roll out in the next few days. Gemini doesn’t have to remember what you’ve told it to remember forever, either. To delete something you’ve saved just write or say, for example, “Forget everything I told you about my sci fi novel”. You can also manage what Gemini has saved for you on the ‘saved info’ page accessible from tapping on your profile image. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. You might be wondering if it’s still worth being a Gemini Advanced (via Google One AI Premium) subscriber, which costs $19.99 / £18.99 / AU$32.99 a month, since a lot of the benefits have now transferred over to the free Gemini, including use of the latest Gemini 2.0 Flash LLM. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that the premium service gives you access to a number of other new LLMs like 2.0 Experimental. You also get 2TB of storage and access to NotebookLM Plus. You may also like Source link #Gemini #enhanced #memory #upgrade #users #youll #love Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Horror as woman’s body discovered dumped in suitcase on road Horror as woman’s body discovered dumped in suitcase on road A woman’s body was discovered stuffed in a suitcase near a bus stand in the northern Indian state of Haryana, prompting shock and outrage. Police arrested a man on suspicion of ******* two days after the body of Himani Narwal, 23, was found on the Rohtak-Delhi highway on 1 March. “We have arrested one accused and further investigations are on,” a police official said. “The accused belonged to a village in Jhajjar district and was known to the deceased,” Hindustan Times quoting a senior police official as saying, referring to a region in Haryana. “We will produce the man before the court and seek his remand to ascertain the reasons behind the gruesome *******. Prima facie it seems that some grudge took place between the accused and Himani.” The suspect, identified only as Sachin, was detained in neighbouring Delhi and allegedly confessed to the crime, India Today reported. The accused, married with two children, had been in contact with Narwal for more than a year, senior police officer Krishna Kumar Rao said at a press conference on Monday. He allegedly visited the woman’s home in Rohtak on 27 February and stayed overnight. The next day, they got into a heated argument during which he tied her up with a piece of cloth and strangled her to death with a mobile phone charging cable, Mr Rao said. Sachin removed Narwal’s jewellery and stuffed her body inside a suitcase he found in the house. Later that night, he took an autorickshaw to the Rohtak bus stand and boarded a bus to Sampla, where he disposed of the body, the police officer added. According to India Today, the man was in a relationship with Narwal and accused her of blackmailing him. He was carrying Narwal’s cell phone when he was detained. Rajneesh Kumar, a deputy superintendent of police leading the investigation, said the suitcase belonged to the victim’s family. “We are investigating all angles. We have found certain clues but cannot reveal them at this stage. We are also taking help from cyber and forensic experts, and examining CCTV camera footage,” Mr Kumar was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. Scratches and bite marks found on Sachin’s hands indicated that Narwal fought back, the Indian news agency ANI reported. Investigators were also checking whether he had pawned the jewellery as a receipt indicating such a transaction was found on him. Narwal, a law student, had actively participated in opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo campaign and was widely recognised as a Congress party worker. She was last seen on 27 February. Her family, who live in Rohtak’s Vijay Nagar, refused to perform her last rites until the perpetrators were brought to justice. Her mother, Savita Rani, alleged foul play saying Narwal’s rapid rise in the Congress party could have made her enemies. “It could be someone in the party who was jealous of her or someone else entirely,” Ms Rani claimed. Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, from the Congress party, demanded a fair investigation. “A culprit is a culprit, whether he is in the party or outside it. The law must take its course,” Mr Hooda said. Senior Haryana minister Anil Vij of the Bharatiya Janata Party described Ms Rani’s allegations about internal political rivalry as “serious” and assured that police were thoroughly investigating all possible motives. Congress party lawmaker Deepender Hooda called for stringent action against the perpetrator. “We demand exemplary punishment for whoever is guilty in this case,” he said. The autopsy was conducted at the Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak, but the report was still to come. Source link #Horror #womans #body #discovered #dumped #suitcase #road Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The economy’s at risk of plunging into an air pocket, says JPMorgan. – MarketWatch The economy’s at risk of plunging into an air pocket, says JPMorgan. – MarketWatch The economy’s at risk of plunging into an air pocket, says JPMorgan. MarketWatchView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #economys #risk #plunging #air #pocket #JPMorgan #MarketWatch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A weekend of frantic talks – where does it leave Zelensky, Trump and Europe A weekend of frantic talks – where does it leave Zelensky, Trump and Europe Laura Gozzi Europe reporter Thomas Mackintosh BBC News, London Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is back in Kyiv after three frantic days, which saw him ordered to leave the White House on Friday after a tense and public showdown with Donald Trump and JD Vance in Washington. He found a warmer welcome in London on the weekend, where he was greeted by the prime minister outside Downing Street, visited the King and received a strong show of support from European leaders at a summit on Sunday – a sharp contrast to the scenes in the Oval Office. After the London summit, Sir Keir Starmer suggested European leaders would form a “coalition of the willing” to defend Ukraine – but details of who would contribute what were scarce. Here’s the latest on Zelensky’s relationship with Trump, and Europe’s plans to guarantee Ukraine’s security. Where is Trump and Zelensky’s relationship now?EPA Zelensky left the White House after clashing with Donald Trump In a series of social media posts on Saturday morning, President Zelensky said Ukraine and the US needed to be “honest and direct with each other” to understand their shared goals – and he wanted America to “stand more firmly” on their side. Appearing on Fox News hours after leaving the White House, Zelensky said the confrontation was a “really tough situation” and took the chance to thank Americans and Donald Trump. He also stopped short of an outright apology despite calls from US lawmakers for him to do so. While Trump hasn’t commented directly on the angry exchange over the weekend, most Republican figures have expressed their support for Trump and Vance. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz – who was in the Oval Office during Friday’s heated meeting – compared the Ukrainian leader to an “ex-girlfriend”, while Speaker Mike Johnson called for Zelensky to quit. However, moderate Republican Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon said it was “a bad day for America’s foreign policy” and Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski said she is “sick to my stomach as the administration appears to be walking away from our allies and embracing Putin”. How have European leaders reacted? Tweets in support of Zelensky poured in shortly after he left the White House on Friday evening. Among the notable exceptions were Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, who wants to preserve her excellent relations with the Trump administration, and Hungary’s Viktor Orban, who praised Donald Trump for “standing bravely for peace”. By the time the London summit came around on Sunday, there was a sense that concrete action had to follow words of support – with most leaders careful to highlight that they still considered US support essential. At the end of the summit, Starmer outlined a four-point plan for peace which included the continuation of military aid to Ukraine, a commitment for Ukraine to be present at peace talks, boosting Ukraine’s defence capabilities to deter future Russian aggression, and developing a “coalition of the willing” to defend Ukraine, including sending troops to Ukraine. What about European security guarantees? Starmer said that the idea of sending troops to Ukraine – which would include boots on the ground and planes in the air – had the backing of several parties, but he was careful to leave it to individual countries to discuss the matter internally. Scandinavian countries have already signalled they would be open to the idea. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she was keeping an “open mind” on the proposal, while Sweden’s Ulf Kristersson said his country was ready to provide Ukraine with security guarantees – if it had the backing of the US. Italy’s Giorgia Meloni would much rather push for another summit that includes the US than discuss a European contingent in Ukraine – a possibility which she says “perplexes” her. And Poland – which has long been one of Kyiv’s most vocal supporters – has already ruled out sending soldiers, although it put few boundaries on humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. European leaders will now have a few days to digest the latest developments before they meet again in Brussels on Thursday for a special meeting on defence, at which Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will present what she has called “a comprehensive plan on how to rearm Europe”. *** plays down Macron’s truce planEPA Emmanuel Macron, Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelenskiy attend the European leaders’ summit at Lancaster House in London to discuss security On Sunday night, the French newspaper Le Figaro reported that President Emmanuel Macron and Starmer have proposed a potential one-month truce between Russia and Ukraine, “in the air and at sea”. Details of any agreement are scarce and the idea put forward by the French remains just that. Under the hypothesis, both sides would agree a truce for four weeks in the air, on the sea and around energy infrastructure. But, Macron has suggested it would not cover fighting on the ground along the front line, as it would be too hard to monitor. But on Monday morning, the ***’s armed forces minister played down the idea of a truce insisting that “no agreement has been made on what a truce looks like”. Luke Pollard told Times Radio: “We are working together with France and our European allies to look at what is the path to how… we create a lasting and durable peace in Ukraine.” Any truce would have to be agreed by Russia and there is no evidence yet they are willing to do that. What has Russia said?Getty Images Over the weekend Maria Zakharova claimed Zelensky is “obsessed” with prolonging the war Although Vladimir Putin has not yet officially commented on the Washington encounter – the Kremlin’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said it had been a “complete diplomatic failure of Kyiv” On Monday morning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov then added his criticism of the London summit on Ukraine. “Statements were made there about the need to step up funding for Ukraine as a matter of urgency. This is obviously not part of a peace plan but is done to continue the fighting,” Peskov said. “The rest will depend on what kind of peace plans will be drawn up and offered for discussion. Any constructive support for this process would be welcome now, and any constructive initiatives.” Source link #weekend #frantic #talks #leave #Zelensky #Trump #Europe Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Marvel Rivals Will Receive ‘Crossover Events and Promotions’ Soon Marvel Rivals Will Receive ‘Crossover Events and Promotions’ Soon · · March 3, 2025 Netease recently spoke about their plans to grow Marvel Rivals as a franchise, and one avenue they are focusing on is “crossover events and promotions.” Spotted by MP1st, Netease spoke about its growth strategies for Marvel Rivals during a Q&A section of its Q4 2024 earnings call. When asked about marketing expansions, the developers confirmed that Marvel Rivals will receive “crossover events and promotions with other media to expand the user base.” Apart from crossovers in Marvel Rivals, the developers also spoke about the “wide acclaim” the game has received since the release of Season 1. Moreover, their investments in development and marketing have continued following a “long-term operational strategy”. Regarding esports, the team has a plan in the works and will announce it soon to “enhance the gaming ecosystem”. Marvel Rivals has massive potential for crossovers with a name like Disney behind it. Players will also look forward to collaborations with the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as other games. A game like Fortnite already has its own Marvel Universe; imagine if Marvel Rivals were to join the fray, too. In other news, more esports organisations are flocking towards Marvel Rivals. Also, the game hit 40 million players within 3 months. What are your thoughts on Marvel Rivals receiving crossover events and promotions in the near future? Let us know in the comments or on our community forum! For more information from Insider Gaming, read about Forza Horizon 5 not having plans for a physical release on the PS5. 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 #Marvel #Rivals #Receive #Crossover #Events #Promotions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Morgan Stanley upgrades Chipotle, sees a stock rebound after a rough start to 2025 Morgan Stanley upgrades Chipotle, sees a stock rebound after a rough start to 2025 The recent dip in Chipotle ******** Grill has created a buying opportunity for investors who can look past the company’s short-term difficulties, according to Morgan Stanley. Analyst Brian Harbour upgraded the fast-casual burrito chain to overweight from equal weight and increased his price target on the stock by $5 to $70, which suggests 29.7% potential upside. “A quality large cap growth compounder seeing some slowing with the stock flat to 12 months ago — what’s not to like? We’ve always appreciated CMG’s strengths and think many are set to continue,” Harbour wrote in a Monday note to clients. “An entry point has presented itself, in our view.” Chipotle has lost 10.5% this year after disappointing investors with its downbeat same-store sales forecast for 2025 and its weaker January traffic, which was impacted by volatile sales amid weather changes and the Los Angeles wildfires. Chipotle CFO Adam Rymer had said the company believes its first-quarter same-store sales will be roughly flat. “Bulls have recently argued that the company is seeing some choppy demand trends but not facing structural issues. We agree, and as the stock has continued to fade on weak sales data and growth stock pressures, an opportunity to step in has presented itself if one thinks these are short term headwinds,” Harbour said. CMG 1Y mountain Chipotle stock performance. Harbour remains bullish on the stock longer-term, however, anticipating that Chipotle’s consistent unit sales, strong balance sheet and use of automation to cut costs and drive margins could be some key growth drivers for the company. In fact, Harbour said Chipotle is an “excellent tech play” in the firm’s coverage, particularly given that the restaurant chain will likely be a leader in deploying automation at a large scale. “CMG is probably the best combination of an on-trend brand, existing scale, and incremental tech bets (both equipment and software) that in combination could be powerful, to drive margin, or offset inflation, which in turn protects the ability to underprice competitors,” the analyst said. Shares gained more than 2% in the premarket after the upgrade. Most analysts are bullish on the stock, according to LSEG. Of the 36 who cover Chipotle, 26 have a buy or strong buy rating on shares. The average price target also signals 22% upside. Source link #Morgan #Stanley #upgrades #Chipotle #sees #stock #rebound #rough #start Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Aussie Hansen commits to Ireland until at least 2027 Aussie Hansen commits to Ireland until at least 2027 Mack Hansen has committed his future to Ireland and Connacht by signing a new two-year contract. The Australia-born wing has scored 12 tries in 27 international caps following his debut against Wales in the opening round of the 2022 Six Nations. The 26-year-old’s latest deal runs until the end of the 2026-27 season. “Since moving to Ireland I have loved my time and I am delighted to sign this new contract,” Hansen said to the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU). “Playing in Ireland with Connacht means a huge amount to me and I feel that I have improved because of the coaching and structures here. Hansen, whose mother hails from Cork, joined Connacht from Canberra-based Brumbies in 2021. Canberra-born Hansen played 21 times for the Brumbies before heading for the northern hemisphere. He was nominated for World Rugby’s breakthrough player of the year in his debut season at Test level, with the award going to Italy’s Ange Capuozzo. IRFU performance director David Humphreys said: “As a mainstay of the Ireland and Connacht sides in recent years, securing Mack’s signature over the coming season is a huge boost for Irish rugby. “He is a proven performer, someone who wears his heart on his sleeve and delivers on the big occasion. He is also a crowd favourite for club and country.” Source link #Aussie #Hansen #commits #Ireland Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]