Pelican Press

Activist Elliott takes a stake in Aspen Technology and pushes back on an offer from Emerson Activist Elliott takes a stake in Aspen Technology and pushes back on an offer from Emerson Pavlo Gonchar | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Company: Aspen Technology (AZPN) Business: Aspen Technology provides industrial software that focuses on helping customers in asset-intensive industries worldwide. Its software is used in performance engineering, modeling and design, supply chain management, predictive and prescriptive maintenance, digital grid management and industrial data management. The company serves a range of asset-intensive industries, including oil and gas exploration and production; oil and gas processing and distribution; as well as oil and gas refining and marketing. Stock Market Value: $16.8B ($265.25 per share) Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Aspen Technology shares in the past year Activist: Elliott Investment Management Ownership: ~9.0% Average Cost: n/a Activist Commentary: Elliott is a very successful and astute activist investor. The firm’s team includes analysts from leading tech private equity firms, engineers, operating partners – former technology CEOs and COOs. When evaluating an investment, the firm also hires specialty and general management consultants, expert cost analysts and industry specialists. Elliott often watches companies for many years before investing and have an extensive stable of impressive board candidates. The firm has historically focused on strategic activism in the technology sector and has been very successful with that strategy. However, over the past several years its activism group has grown, and Elliott has been doing a lot more governance-oriented activism and creating value from a board level at a much larger breadth of companies. What’s happening On Feb. 7, Elliott announced that it’s taken a $1.5 billion position in Aspen Technology. The firm expressed its disagreement with Aspen’s decision to support a $265 per share tender offer by Emerson Electric, noting that it substantially undervalues the company. Behind the scenes Aspen Technology (AZPN) is a global provider of process optimization software solutions designed to manage and optimize plant and process design, operational performance, and supply chain planning. On Nov. 5, 2024, Emerson Electric (EMR), which currently owns approximately 57.4% of Aspen’s outstanding shares, issued a tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Aspen not already owned by Emerson at $265 per share. To evaluate this offer, Aspen’s board formed a special committee of three independent and disinterested directors. Ultimately, on Jan. 27, 2025, it was announced that the committee voted unanimously to recommend the transaction for approval. On Feb. 7, Elliott announced that it opposes the tender offer as the firm does not believe it fairly values the company. Emerson acquired a 55% position in Aspen in 2022 and until May 2024 had a standstill agreement preventing it from acquiring additional stock (it got to 57% through share repurchases by the company). As an insider for 2.5 years, Emerson knows Aspen well and could have made this offer at any time since May. As a controlling shareholder, Emerson has an informational advantage over the public and pursuing a buyout now suggests that it’s strategically timing its move. Notably, it comes after a good quarter where the integration of Emerson’s contributed assets from its 2022 majority investment is starting to take hold, an improvement of margins seems to be on the horizon, particularly with the recent suspension of Aspen’s Russia business, and the seating of the Trump administration (Emerson actually announced its bid on Election Day) bringing with it a more lenient regulatory environment for oil- and chemical-related products. When Emerson publicly announced its tender offer, Aspen stock was trading at approximately $240 per share, making this a 10% takeover premium that does not come close to accounting for the significant synergies Emerson could get from this transaction. While there are operational and sales synergies of at least $100 per share, what is most valuable to Emerson is access to Aspen’s software and code, which Emerson can only get by acquiring the entire company. There is a clear precedent for this. In January 2023, Schneider Electric closed out its acquisition of Aveva, buying out the remaining 40% of the company – which happens to be Aspen’s smaller peer player. It offered a 41% premium to Aveva’s undisturbed share price before Schneider’s interest was disclosed in August 2022. This is more of a standard premium for these types of transactions and is consistent with the $100 per share of synergies Emerson would get here. This suggests a substantially higher fair price than $265 per share. When looking at all the synergies and integration advantages Emerson has in this transaction, a more reasonable takeout price looks to be north of $350 per share. As a majority shareholder, Emerson has a lot of control in this situation. Absent an activist investor, this deal likely gets done at $265. Not only does the price seem glaringly low, but the process suggests a sweetheart deal. For example, Aspen’s “independent special committee” that approved this deal was comprised of three directors, two of whom were Emerson’s designated directors on the board. So, Emerson effectively controlled the special committee that was tasked with reviewing the tender offer. Fortunately, in Delaware, where the company is incorporated, a tender offer requires at least 50% of disinterested outstanding shareholders to approve the transaction. This means 21.4% of the remaining shareholders (other than Emerson) need to vote for the deal for it to pass. Elliott has 9%, and if every other shareholder votes (an improbable likelihood), Elliott would just need another 12.4% to block the transaction. If 5% of shareholders do not vote, Elliott would only need an additional 7.4% of votes. Kayne Anderson is the next largest shareholder with 6.5%, so its vote will be important. It should be noted that it is not clear if Elliott’s position is in common stock or swaps (a common practice for the firm) as its actions here would not require the firm to file a 13D. However, in this situation it is not that relevant. If the company were required to get the vote of 50% of disinterested shareholders, Elliott would need to have its position in common stock to vote. However, since in this case the requirement is a tender of 50% of disinterested shares, even if Elliott owns swaps (and assuming the counterparty does not take equity risk), the shares underlying the swaps will not be tendered. One final note – this is not just a “bumpitrage” situation for Elliott. While the firm would sell to Emerson at a fair price, it owns the stock because it likes Aspen and thinks it is a good investment as a standalone company owned 57% by Emerson. If Emerson does not increase its bid, that does not mean Elliott will tender at the $265 price or any other price it finds insufficient. The firm would likely be happy to own the stock and benefit from the same operational and macro tailwinds that Emerson sees. Moreover, the company just had a strong earnings call, but the stock did not rise past the $265 on the news as the offer price is establishing somewhat of an artificial ceiling. So, this is a situation where if Emerson ups its offer, the stock will go up. If the offer goes away, the artificial ceiling does too, and the stock price could also go up in that situation. Ken Squire is the founder and president of 13D Monitor, an institutional research service on shareholder activism, and the founder and portfolio manager of the 13D Activist Fund, a mutual fund that invests in a portfolio of activist 13D investments. Source link #Activist #Elliott #takes #stake #Aspen #Technology #pushes #offer #Emerson Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Pope has restful night after respiratory setback, ******** says – National Pope has restful night after respiratory setback, ******** says – National Pope Francis had coffee and was reading newspapers Saturday after an alarming setback in his two-week recovery from double pneumonia: Doctors had to put him on noninvasive mechanical ventilation following a coughing fit in which he inhaled vomit that needed to then be extracted. Doctors said it would take a day or two to evaluate how and if the Friday afternoon episode impacted Francis’ overall clinical condition. His prognosis remained guarded, meaning he wasn’t out of danger. In its morning update Saturday, the ******** said the 88-year-old pope didn’t have any further respiratory crises overnight: “The night has passed quietly, the pope is resting.” He had coffee in the morning for breakfast, suggesting that he was not dependent on a ventilation mask to breathe and was still eating on his own. In the late Friday update, the ******** said Francis suffered an “isolated crisis of bronchial spasm,” a coughing fit in which Francis inhaled vomit, that resulted in a “sudden worsening of the respiratory picture.” Doctors aspirated the vomit and placed Francis on noninvasive mechanical ventilation. Story continues below advertisement The pope remained conscious and alert at all times and cooperated with the maneuvers to help him recover. He responded well, with a good level of oxygen exchange and was continuing to wear a mask to receive supplemental oxygen, the ******** said. The episode, which occurred in the early afternoon, marked a setback in what had been two successive days of increasingly upbeat reports from doctors treating Francis at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since Feb. 14. The pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has lung disease and was admitted after a bout of bronchitis worsened and turned into pneumonia in both lungs. 5:04 Pope Francis Making Slow Recovery from Double Pneumonia Doctors say the episode is alarming The ******** said the episode was different from the prolonged respiratory crisis on Feb. 22, that was said to have caused Francis discomfort. Story continues below advertisement Dr. John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care doctor at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said the isolated episode Friday as relayed by the ******** was nevertheless alarming and underscored Francis’ fragility and that his condition “can turn very quickly.” Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. “I think this is extremely concerning, given the fact that the pope has been in the hospital now for over two weeks, and now he’s continuing to have these respiratory events and now had this aspiration event that is requiring even higher levels of support,” he told The Associated Press. “So given his age and his fragile state and his previous lung resection, this is very concerning,” added Coleman, who is not involved in Francis’ care. 2:20 Pope Francis’ health brings ‘anxiety and concern’ about Catholic Church’s future Dr. William Feldman, a pulmonary specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said it was a good sign that the pope remained alert and oriented during the episode, but concurred that it marked “a worrying turn.” Trending Now U.S. woman claims she’s Madeleine McCann, shares DNA test to try to prove it Russian cargo plane seized in Toronto could soon be owned by Canada Story continues below advertisement “Often we will use noninvasive ventilation as a way of trying to stave off an intubation, or the use of invasive mechanical ventilation,” Feldman said. Types of noninvasive ventilation include a BiPAP machine, which helps people breathe by pushing air into their lungs. Doctors will often try such a machine for a while to see if the patient’s blood gas levels improve so they can eventually go back to using oxygen alone. Friday’s statement said Francis showed a “good response” to the gas exchange using the ventilation. Doctors did not resume referring to Francis being in “critical condition,” which has been absent from their statements for three days now. But they say he isn’t out of danger, given the complexity of his case. Prayers continued to pour in Francis’ hospitalization has come as the ******** is marking its Holy Year that is drawing pilgrims to Rome from all over. They are walking through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica and also making pilgrimages to the hilltop Umbrian town of Assisi, to pray at the home of Francis’ namesake, St. Francis. Story continues below advertisement “Every day we’re praying for the pope,” said the Rev. Jacinto Bento, a priest visiting Assisi on Saturday with a group of 30 Jubilee pilgrims from the Azores Islands. “We’re very sad for his situation.” Veronica Abraham, a catechist and Argentine native, came to Assisi on Saturday with her two children and other kids from her parish on Lake Garda and said the group had prayed for the pope at every church they’d visited. “I’m sure that he’s hearing our prayers, that he feels our closeness,” she said. Serena Barbon, visiting Assisi from Treviso on Saturday with her husband and three children, said she hoped that if Francis doesn’t make it, the next pope will be just like him. “He’s been very charismatic and we pray for him and that any new pope might also be someone who puts the poor in the center. Because we’re all a bit the poor,” she said. —Dell’Orto reported from Assisi, Italy. Associated Press writer Carla K. Johnson in Washington state contributed to this report. More on World More videos &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #Pope #restful #night #respiratory #setback #******** #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Warner Bros. Games Lost Over $384 Million on Games in 2024 Warner Bros. Games Lost Over $384 Million on Games in 2024 Warner Bros. Q4 and full-year financial report reveals that the company wrote off $384 Million in losses in the gaming sector alone. Source link #Warner #Bros #Games #Lost #Million #Games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Zelenskiy arrives in the *** for talks with PM Starmer Zelenskiy arrives in the *** for talks with PM Starmer Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has arrived in the United Kingdom ahead of talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and a wider summit of European leaders in London later on to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine. “The prime minister and President Zelenskiy will be meeting in Downing Street this afternoon,” a spokesperson for Starmer’s office said on Saturday. The meeting follows an extraordinary public spat between Zelenskiy and US President Donald Trump at the White House over the war with Russia. Zelenskiy had seen the meeting in the Oval Office as an opportunity to convince the United States not to side with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who ordered the invasion of Ukraine three years ago. Starmer spoke to both Trump and Zelenskiy on Friday and expressed his “unwavering support” for Ukraine, echoing similar statements of backing for Zelenskiy from other European leaders. US support for Ukraine is “crucial,” Zelenskiy said as he arrived in the ***. The Ukrainian leader’s plane, emblazoned with the country’s flag, landed at London’s Stansted Airport on Saturday morning and was met by a convoy of cars. Zelenskiy struck a conciliatory tone in a string of posts on X after arriving in the ***. Ukraine was “very grateful to the United States for all the support,” Zelenskiy said. “I’m thankful to President Trump, Congress for their bipartisan support, and American people,” he added. “It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. “We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. “It’s a fight for our freedom, for our very survival.” The verbal stoush at the White House was met with a volley of supportive messages from European leaders who are set to gather in London on Sunday. Starmer’s talks at Downing Street on Sunday are expected to feature European leaders discussing efforts to police a future Ukraine peace deal. Starmer believes a deal will have to involve US military assets providing surveillance, intelligence and potentially warplanes giving air cover to deter Russian forces from launching another bid to conquer its neighbour. The summit on Sunday in London will include leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania, as well as the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council. Three people were killed in a Ukrainian attack on a Russian-occupied part of Kherson region in southern Ukraine, Russian-installed governor Vladimir Saldo said on Saturday. Two of them were killed on a road between the villages of Nova Maiachka and Obryvka, while the third was killed in the town of Oleshky, Saldo said via his channel on Telegram. Five other people were injured of varying degrees of severity, Saldo said. with PA and AP Source link #Zelenskiy #arrives #talks #Starmer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Several Xbox Games Planned for PS5 Release in April, Reports Claim Several Xbox Games Planned for PS5 Release in April, Reports Claim VGChartz’s Evan Norris: “From the beginning, 2024 had its work cut out for it. The previous year, 2023, was one of the best in a long time, thanks to a plethora of unusually great games that included Tears of the Kingdom, Baldur’s Gate III, and Resident Evil 4. In the end, 2024 failed to surpass its predecessor, but it turned out plenty of extraordinary experiences in the process. Among those experiences are Astro Bot, a 3D platforming tour-de-force that proves PlayStation studios offer far more than just cinematic third-person action games; Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, an action-RPG that builds upon the successful framework of Final Fantasy VII Remake, a GotY contender itself; Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which did what Hollywood could not and made Indy compelling again; The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, a different and joyfully experimental take on the evergreen series; and Metaphor: ReFantazio, yet another in a long line of deep and engaging role-playing games from Atlus.” Source link #Xbox #Games #Planned #PS5 #Release #April #Reports #Claim Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China’s DeepSeek claims theoretical cost-profit ratio of 545% per day China’s DeepSeek claims theoretical cost-profit ratio of 545% per day BEIJING (Reuters) – ******** AI startup DeepSeek on Saturday disclosed some cost and revenue data related to its hit V3 and R1 models, claiming a theoretical cost-profit ratio of up to 545% per day, though it cautioned that actual revenue would be significantly lower. This marks the first time the Hangzhou-based company has revealed any information about its profit margins from less computationally intensive “inference” tasks, the stage after training that involves trained AI models making predictions or performing tasks, such as through chatbots. The revelation could further rattle AI stocks outside China that plunged in January after web and app chatbots powered by its R1 and V3 models surged in popularity worldwide. The sell-off was partly caused by DeepSeek’s claims that it spent less than $6 million on chips used to train the model, much less than what U.S. rivals like OpenAI have spent. The chips DeepSeek claims it used, Nvidia’s H800, are also much less powerful than what OpenAI and other U.S. AI firms have access to, making investors question even further U.S. AI firms’ pledges to spend billions of dollars on cutting-edge chips. DeepSeek said in a GitHub post published on Saturday that assuming the cost of renting one H800 chip is $2 per hour, the total daily inference cost for its V3 and R1 models is $87,072. In contrast, the theoretical daily revenue generated by these models is $562,027, leading to a cost-profit ratio of 545%. In a year this would add up to just over $200 million in revenue. However, the firm added that its “actual revenue is substantially lower” because the cost of using its V3 model is lower than the R1 model, only some services are monetized as web and app access remain free, and developers pay less during off-peak hours. (Reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Daren Butler) Source link #Chinas #DeepSeek #claims #theoretical #costprofit #ratio #day Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

All Marvel Rivals Midnight Features II event challenges and rewards All Marvel Rivals Midnight Features II event challenges and rewards Table of Contents Table of Contents Full list of Marvel Rivals Midnight Features II missions and its rewards Midnight Features II event milestone rewards Marvel Rivals, the fast-paced Super Hero team-based PVP shooter from NetEase Games, released its highly anticipated Season 1.5 update, bringing a surge of exciting features to gamers worldwide. This mid-season patch adds two legendary Fantastic Four members, Human Torch and The Thing, to the list of free-to-play characters, rounding out the fan-favorite team with Mister Fantastic and Invisible Woman. Along with these additions, the update includes a brand-new Convergence map set in the vampire-infested Empire of Eternal Night: Central Park, which provides new battlegrounds for players to test their abilities. The in-game shop also receives a sleek makeover with new cosmetics, while gameplay changes and bug fixes ensure a more enjoyable experience. Building on the success of Season 1: Eternal Night Falls, which debuted in January, this update continues the action with new challenges and rewards. Furthermore, the focus shifts to the Midnight Features II event, which kicks off the second half of Season 1. This limited-time event features new objectives related to the continuing battle against Dracula, as well as exclusive rewards for players to claim. With secrets growing beneath the Blood Moon, here’s what players can expect from the Midnight Features II quests and their tempting rewards. Full list of Marvel Rivals Midnight Features II missions and its rewards The Midnight Features II event in Marvel Rivals, which began with the Season 1.5 update on February 21, 2025, immerses players in an exciting continuation of the Eternal Night Falls story. This limited-time event, which runs until March 21, 2025, includes five unique questlines, each linked to the vampire-laden turmoil of the Empire of Eternal Night. NetEase Games Vampire Slayer Gone Missing Missions and Rewards Gothic Renaissance – Read the ****** Panther Lore: The Blood of Kings (1) – 100 Chrono Tokens Embers & Earth – Deal 1000 Damage with Flaming Meteor as Human Torch in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI OR Launch 30 enemies with Yancy Street Charge as The Thing in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI – Happy Squirrel Spray Forks in the Park – Win 2 Matches in Empire of Eternal Night: Central Park OR Win 5 matches in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI – 60 Units Squirrel Girl Gone Savage?! Missions and Rewards Furry Fortification – Immobilize 15 enemies with Squirrel Blockade as Squirrel Girl in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI – Holy Ankh Spray Unbreakable Bonds – Take 20000 Damage in Empire of Eternal Night: Midtown or Empire of Eternal Night: Central Park as The Thing , Mister Fantastic , Invisible Woman , or Human Torch OR Take 50000 Damage as any Vanguard hero in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI – 100 Chrono Tokens Ratatoskr Rescue – Rescue Ratatoskr 5 times in Empire of Eternal Night: Central Park OR Secure 30 Assists as The Thing , Mister Fantastic , Mantis , or Invisible Woman in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI – 60 Units Rare Occult Book Auction Missions and Rewards Stone-Cold Combat – Hit 8 enemies with Stone Haymaker as The Thing in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI – 100 Chrono Tokens Soulful Slumber – Release 10 Souls with Eye of Agamotto as in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI OR Land 10 Final Hits in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI – Fantastic Spray Midnight Mayhem – Inflict 50,000 damage in Empire of Eternal Night: Midtown or Empire of Eternal Night: Central Park as The Thing, Mister Fantastic, ****** Panther, Iron Man, or Invisible Woman or heal 60,000 health as any Strategist hero – 60 Units Brighter Days Ahead for NYC? Missions and Rewards Flame of Fame – Create 15 Flame Fields with Blazing Blast as Human Torch in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI OR Upvote players who have primarily used Mister Fantastic , Human Torch , The Thing , or Invisible Woman in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI a total of 5 times. – Count Dracula Spray Darkest Before Dawn – Land 4 2-player KO streaks in Empire of Eternal Night: Central Park as The Thing , Doctor Strange , Iron Man , Scarlet Witch , Mantis , or Luna Snow OR Deal 40000 Damage as any Duelist hero in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI. – Careless Ignition Emote Blood, Sweat, and Power – Deal 100000 Damage in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI. – 60 Units Elderly Heiress Seeks Missing Heirloom Missions and Rewards Healing Harvest – Collect 10 Health Packs in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI – 100 Chrono Tokens Castle of Crossed Fates – Reach Dracula’s Castle 3 times in Empire of Eternal Night: Central Park OR Defeat 60 enemies as Venom , Magneto , Hela , Squirrel Girl , Rocket Raccoon , or Mantis in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI – 60 Units Guardians of the Night – Secure 30 Assists as Mister Fantastic , Invisible Woman , The Thing , or Human Torch in Quick Match, Competitive, or Practice VS. AI – Bloodstorm One Nameplate Midnight Features II event milestone rewards NetEase Games Completing each event page will grant the following additional rewards: Turning the Pages Gallery Card Star Turn Gallery Card Plans Within Plans Gallery Card Ratatoskr Nameplate Carved Traveler Groot Costume If you’re looking for more Marvel Rivals, check out how to get Lattice and how to convert Chrono Tokens into Units in the game. Source link #Marvel #Rivals #Midnight #Features #event #challenges #rewards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Save $400 when you buy this Alienware gaming laptop with RTX 4060 Save $400 when you buy this Alienware gaming laptop with RTX 4060 Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of gaming laptop deals because we’ve found an offer that you don’t want to miss: the Alienware m16 R2 with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card with a $400 discount from Dell, which slashes its price from $1,700 to just $1,300. You’ll be getting amazing value with this purchase, but you have to act fast if you’re interested in the savings on this gaming laptop because we’re not sure how much time is remaining before you miss out. Why you should buy the Alienware m16 R2 gaming laptop The Alienware m16 R2 is a powerful gaming laptop that will let you play all of the best PC games without any issues. In addition to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, it comes with the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and 16GB of RAM, which are specifications that are recommend by our gaming laptop buying guide. Storage is also important for a gaming laptop as you don’t want to only have a handful of titles installed at a time, and thankfully, that won’t be a problem with the Alienware m16 R2’s 1TB SSD with Windows 11 Home out of the box. We compared the Alienware m16 R2 versus Alienware x16 R2 — the brand’s 16-inch gaming laptops — and we recommended the Alienware m16 R2 because you’ll be getting more bang for your buck, and that’s even more true right now with Dell’s discount. Its 16-inch screen with QHD+ resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate won’t disappoint as you play your favorite titles, allowing you to take in and appreciate the graphics of modern video games. For a device that will let you fully enjoy the PC gaming experience, you can’t go wrong if you go for the Alienware m16 R2 with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card. It’s a very attractive option right now because it’s on ***** from Dell for only $1,300, for savings of $400 on its sticker price of $1,700. However, you need to hurry with your purchase because Alienware deals rarely last long. Complete your transaction for the Alienware m16 R2 gaming laptop as soon as you can to make sure that you get it for this special price. Source link #Save #buy #Alienware #gaming #laptop #RTX Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

These S&P 500 stocks are deeply oversold and may be due for a rebound These S&P 500 stocks are deeply oversold and may be due for a rebound The S & P 500 may have just notched its second down week in a row, but there’s good news for investors: plenty of companies are oversold and due for a rally on a technical basis. The 500-stock benchmark slipped 1% this week, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite plunged 3.5%. The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average was the best-performing index on the week, registering a gain of 1%. Additional tariff promises from the Trump administration have rattled investors in recent days, alongside signs of a potential economic softening . AI poster child Nvidia fell 8.5% on Thursday , in the wake of its latest earnings report, further trampling the market’s optimism to start the new year. Against this background, CNBC Pro used its stock screener tool to identify the most oversold and overbought stocks on Wall Street as measured by their 14-day relative strength index, or RSI. Stocks with a 14-day RSI below 30 are considered oversold, which indicates that a potential rebound may be on the horizon. Conversely, a reading above 70 signals that a stock is overbought, meaning that shares might soon be due for a pullback. Electric vehicle maker Tesla , with an RSI of 18, is among the most oversold stocks on Wall Street. Shares ended the week 13% lower, with Tesla sinking 8% on Tuesday alone . Following Friday’s close, the stock has now fallen 40% from its record closing high on Dec. 17 of $479.86. This move lower followed a Monday report from Reuters that said Tesla’s autopilot software upgrades in China left owners disappointed. Barclays analyst Dan Levy said in a Wednesday note that Tesla’s sell-off may also be caused by a reversal of technical factors that drove the previous rally. “Our best explanation is that there is an unwind of the powerful run that it had last fall post the U.S. elections, which reflected a combination of sharp euphoria and technical factors — with fundamentals largely dismissed,” he wrote. ” Bitcoin has also traded down since mid-December, and has largely mirrored Tesla’s decline in the last month. We believe this may reflect a general pull-back from speculative assets/Trump beneficiaries.” However, on Thursday, Morgan Stanley reiterated its overweight rating on Tesla, with analyst Adam Jonas saying that it was the original equipment manufacturer that would most likely “help ‘transplant’ a ******** EV maker into the U.S.” Similarly, investors are overwhelmingly bearish around PayPal . The financial payments stock ended the week 5.2% lower following its first investor day in four years , and is now down 17% on the year. At the investor day, CEO Alex Chriss laid out a turnaround strategy at the company that would see payments app Venmo topping $2 billion in revenue by 2027. This compares to PayPal’s last annual revenue estimate for Venmo in 2021 of around $900 million. On the other hand, Philip Morris International made the list of overbought stocks, with an RSI of 78. Year to date, the tobacco giant has surged 29%. The stock rallied 19% this month after the Marlboro owner reported its fourth-quarter results had exceeded analyst expectations, boosted by sales of its Zyn nicotine pouches, which are especially popular with younger populations. In January, Morgan Stanley initiated Philip Morris at an overweight rating , citing the smoke-free product as a major catalyst. “We see continued upside for PMI’s stock as its reduced-risk smoke-free portfolio drives stronger than expected LT sales and earnings growth and becomes an even larger percentage of the mix, which should drive upward re-rating for the stock,” the firm wrote. Biopharma stock Gilead Sciences also clocked an RSI of 78. Shares popped 18% this month after Gilead posted a fourth-quarter earnings and revenue beat earlier in February. Last week, Deutsche Bank upgraded the name to a buy rating from hold. “We’re upgrading GILD to a Buy and raising our DCF-based PT to $120 — our upgrade is based on GILD life cycle managing its core **** treatment franchise to yield steady revenue growth deep into to the 2030s,” the bank said. Shares of Gilead Sciences are now up 24% on the year. — CNBC’s Fred Imbert contributed to this report. Source link #stocks #deeply #oversold #due #rebound Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

iPhone 16e, NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti, Sony A1 II and more iPhone 16e, NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti, Sony A1 II and more As Engadget celebrates its 21st birthday this weekend, we’re rounding up all of the recently published reviews from the last few weeks. It’s already a busy time for the reviews team, even though spring is still officially a few weeks away. The latest entries include a new iPhone, the latest from NVIDIA and those Beats workout earbuds the company teased months ago. Pour a couple bevvies for the weekend and make one a double, because we’re old enough to drink now. iPhone 16e Apple / Engadget The iPhone 16e is the most affordable entry into Apple Intelligence and the rest of the company’s ecosystem, and is a solid option for anyone who doesn’t care very much about smartphone photography. Pros Solid performance Long battery life Clean, durable design Bright, vibrant screen Cons Only one rear camera, leading to many limitations Expensive compared to previous iPhone SE No MagSafe $599 at Apple Apple’s new “budget” phone has arrived, providing the most affordable gateway to Apple Intelligence. While the iPhone 16e offers solid performance, expected long battery life and a great display, there are some caveats that you might not be able to live with. “In my week or so with the iPhone 16e, I felt the drawbacks of the camera the most — I can live without MagSafe and the Dynamic Island,” Cherlynn writes. “But what the iPhone 16e does offer is fast performance, a clean design, long battery life and, most crucially, cheaper access to Apple’s ecosystem.” NVIDIA GeForce 5070 Ti ASUS NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti is a capable GPU for 4K gaming, mostly thanks to DLSS 4. It’s a solid upgrade for gamers looking for a bit more power and memory than the 5070. Pros Solid 4K performance DLSS 4 multi-frame gen makes a huge difference Cool under load Cons Prices fluctuate wildly Stock is a major problem $750 is still a lot for a mid-range GPU $900 at Best Buy If you’re in the market for a new 4K gaming GPU, the RTX 5070 Ti is a a nice upgrade over the regular 5070. However, finding one, and doing so for a decent price, is another thing entirely. “I knew it would be a tad faster than the 4070 Ti Super, but with the addition of multi-frame generation, it’s also a far more capable 4K card,” Devindra says. “And it’s definitely more future-proof than the 5070, since it has 16GB of VRAM like the 5080.” Sony A1 II Sony Sony’s A1 II is the company’s best mirrorless camera yet, with improved handling, stabilization and autofocus compared to the original A1. Pros Incredibly fast Sony’s best autofocus yet Sharp and color-accurate photos Outstanding in-body stabilization Cons Lacks the RAW video support its rivals offer Expensive Not a huge upgrade from the A1 $6,498 at B&H Photo With A1 II, Sony had to live up to its own high standards. And while the camera may be the company’s best mirrorless option yet, it’s not a huge leap over the A1. “The innovation that Sony is known for is lacking here, and on top of that, the A1 II is very expensive,” Steve explains. “The A1 II is only a mild upgrade over the A1 and when it comes to video, it’s lagging behind the Nikon Z8 and Z9 as well as the Sony R5 II.” Steve also took the DJI Flip for a spin. He gives the creator-friendly drone high marks for 4K video quality, battery life and a people-safe design. The drone’s obstacle detection isn’t the best though, and it struggles in windy conditions. Lenovo Legion Go S Lenovo The Legion Go S takes a lot of the good stuff from its predecessor and distills it into a slightly more compact and portable package. However, the launch model currently costs more than the original Legion Go, while offering worse performance, a smaller screen and no detachable controllers, which makes this a hard handheld to love. Pros Big 120Hz 8-inch screen Handy little built-in touchpad Solid design with adjustable triggers Hall effect joysticks Dual USB ports Cons No fingerprint reader Lackluster vibration motor Too pricey for the performance Legion Space app is still kind of finicky $730 at Best Buy While Lenovo has already teased a new version of the Legion Go gaming handheld for later this year, the company introduced the more streamlined Legion Go S in the meantime. There are some things to like here, including a more portable design, an 8-inch 120Hz display and handy controls. For now, the price is the main problem. “The issue is that Lenovo hasn’t fully rolled out all of its variations,” Sam writes. “So even if you aren’t holding out for the SteamOS variant, you’d be silly not to wait for less expensive versions to come out with starting prices closer to $600 (or even $500 for the one with Valve’s platform).” Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Beats Apple’s first earbuds with heart-rate tracking aren’t AirPods, but they offer a lot of the same smarts via a major design overhaul from Beats. Pros Improved, comfy design Powerful, balanced bass performance H2 chip adds smarts Heart-rate sensors onboard Cons Heart-rate support is limited at launch on iOS Hook design isn’t for everyone ANC is average at best $249 at Amazon After an initial tease months ago, Beats finally debuted its updated Powerbeats Pro workout earbuds. The hook design remains, but there are significant upgrades both inside and out, including Apple’s first dance with heart-rate tracking in an audio product. “On the whole, the Powerbeats Pro 2 are a substantial upgrade over the original,” I explain. “They’re more comfortable and have a host of new features that help it match today’s earbuds.” I also reviewed the Noble Audio FoKus Rex5 earbuds in the last month. This set offers the best sound quality I’ve experienced on wireless earbuds, thanks in part to the company’s use of five drivers in each one. However, the Rex5 is expensive at $449 and it’s far from a complete package in terms of features and noise-canceling performance. Other notable reviews and a look ahead Managing editor Cherylnn Low spent more time living with the Kindle Scribe 2 and updated the review with some long-term observations about the tablet. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 was wrapped around the wrist of buying advice senior report Amy Skorheim as she put yet another incremental update from the company through its paces. My review of the Technics AZ100 earbuds that one a Best of CES award from Engadget is coming soon. As I suspected during my brief hands-on in Las Vegas, the improved sound is the star of the show here, but I won’t spoil the rest of the review with more observations. MWC 2025 is happening next week, so whatever is announced during the show will certainly be on the upcoming review agenda. For now, you can check out our preview here. Source link #iPhone #16e #NVIDIA #RTX #Sony Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘I want him to be prepared’: why parents are teaching their gen Alpha kids to use AI | Technology ‘I want him to be prepared’: why parents are teaching their gen Alpha kids to use AI | Technology Jules White used to believe his 11-year-old son needed to know how to code to be successful. Now, though, the Vanderbilt computer science professor says it’s more crucial for James to learn a new, more useful skill: how to prompt artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Since OpenAI released ChatGPT in 2022, White has been showing his son the ropes of generative AI. He began by demonstrating to James how ChatGPT can create games using photos of toys on the floor of their house. Later, White exposed him to AI’s hallucinatory flaws by having his son debunk ChatGPT-generated world record claims with verified information from the Guinness Book of World Records. After more than two years of experimentation, White’s son, now in fifth grade, has learned how to integrate AI into a range of everyday activities, from crafting study materials to determining the cost of shoes without a price tag. “My goal isn’t to make him a generative AI wizard,” White said. “It’s to give him a foundation for using AI to be creative, build, explore perspectives and enrich his learning.” White is part of a growing number of parents teaching their young children how to use AI chatbots so they are prepared to deploy the tools responsibly as personal assistants for school, work and daily life when they’re older. James, Jules White’s son. Photograph: Courtesy Jules White Parents are curious how the proliferation of generative AI will affect their kids’ personal growth. Nearly a third of parents say AI tools such as ChatGPT should be banned in schools to avoid cheating, according to a 2023 Ipsos poll, as a growing number of young students lean on chatbots to do their homework. Despite limited research on AI’s impact on kids’ critical thinking skills, Unicef and other child health organizations are questioning how a dependency on chatbots for classwork can affect cognitive development. AI’s rapid evolution could also make it harder for less tech-savvy parents to intervene when children misuse it. According to a 2023 National Parents Union poll, only 16% of parents with kids in kindergarten to 12th grade say they have a firm grasp on AI’s capabilities. While OpenAI and Google’s terms of service say their AI models are for users 13 and older, some parents are bending the rules, introducing AI to their young kids anyway, albeit with caution. These parents hope to help their children see AI as an imperfect tool that can expand rather than hamper human abilities. “This is going to take over everything,” White said. “I want him to be prepared.” Parents who spoke to the Guardian believe exposing kids to AI early can enhance creativity, hone critical thinking and improve communication skills. Ola Handford, an AI consultant, introduced ChatGPT in her home in early 2023, when her kids were nine and 12 years old, through weekly Friday Fun Nights. Some nights focused on free exploration, while others were structured, such as rewriting the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off through the perspective of a squirrel. Her kids now use AI for research, recipes, debates and finding things to do when they travel. These activities serve as springboards for discussions about risks such as deepfakes and AI companions, the darker side of AI associated with to crimes, emotional dependency and, allegedly, suicide. Handford shows her kids AI tools including Character.ai, explaining that the avatars are computer-generated and not real people. She emphasizes that AI companions could have “serious consequences” if kids treat them as human. It didn’t matter what ChatGPT said. What mattered was that it created a bridge between my son and me Kunal Dalal, AI administrator “Deepfakes and AI companions are high-priority concerns because they can influence my kids and be very damaging,” Handford said. “Playing around” with these tools raises awareness, she believes. White also emphasizes responsible AI use with his son. The professor’s activities are designed to show the 11-year-old how AI can unlock creative possibilities, such as building games that aid learning, rather than simply serving as a search engine or a way to skip writing something himself. Without guidance, the elder White said, kids could misuse ChatGPT to cheat on schoolwork, leading to “intellectual laziness”. “If your goal is to copy and paste ChatGPT’s answer, you’re not really contributing to society,” White said. He added that he wanted his son to see AI as a tool for reimagining processes in the workforce, where demand for AI skills is growing. Beyond gaining a competitive edge in the job market, some parents see AI as a tool to help them enhance empathy and trust with their families. Kunal Dalal, administrator of AI at the Orange county department of education, uses AI daily with his four-year-old son to bond. They use ChatGPT to make music and use AI art generators such as Dall-E to produce personalized images, including illustrations of Dalal’s childhood in Bombay, India. The most compelling use case, he says, is to facilitate tough conversations with his son. skip past newsletter promotion A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives 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 Kunal Dalal’s son using Dall-E. Photograph: Courtesy Kunal Dalal When Dalal feels he’s been too harsh or notices his son struggling emotionally, they sit around ChatGPT on his smartphone to talk it out. Dalal calls this tactic the “triangle of communication”. If, say, Dalal notices his son is upset, Dalal may open ChatGPT’s voice feature, explain to the AI the situation, and ask the chatbot what he can do as a father to comfort his child. The AI would then validate his son’s emotions, suggest active listening techniques, and offer practical ways to reduce stress. ChatGPT’s response, he says, can help Dalal understand what his son needs when feeling agitated, leading to a heart-to-heart conversation that leaves them feeling closer. “It didn’t matter what ChatGPT said,” Dalal said. “What mattered was that it created a bridge between my son and me.” While some parents are embracing the tech with open arms, AI has the potential to drive a wedge between parents and children if the tech is misused, according to Ying Xu, an assistant professor at Harvard University who studies AI’s impact on children and families. Xu, who has herself introduced ChatGPT to her 10-year-old, warns that AI could erode children’s trust in their parents. If kids view AI’s knowledge as supreme, they may turn to it for guidance over their guardians. That’s especially true if parents do not know how often their children use AI, which Xu has frequently observed in her research. Companies that advertise their AI companions as child-friendly amplify this concern, she said, adding that overreliance on AI could blur the boundaries between real human interactions and AI-generated responses. My goal isn’t to make him a generative AI wizard. It’s to give him a foundation for using AI Jules White Still, Xu says there are benefits of introducing generative AI to kids. Access to the technology can expand the range of information sources and make its use increasingly seamless as they grow. But exposing AI to kids requires a controlled, intentional environment, she said. Parents who spoke to the Guardian said they prioritize supervision. White and Dalal only allow their kids to use ChatGPT on their devices with permission, and Handford says her kids don’t use AI during their personal time like they do social media, which she says is more dangerous as platforms such as TikTok may expose kids to a cesspool of questionable content. Dalal even limits the number of ChatGPT queries his son can make to reduce environmental costs. Looking ahead, White and others said they plan to increase the complexity of AI activities as their kids grow older, with emerging tools like AI agents presenting new learning opportunities. “I’m excited about agentic AI,” the professor said. “We haven’t explored that yet, but it’s next on the list.” Share your experience We’d like to hear from parents and teachers about introducing AI to younger children and instructing them how to use it. In what ways are you teaching them about the technology, and why? Tell us about it in the form below. Your responses, which can be anonymous, are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We will only use the data you provide us for the purpose of the feature and we will delete any personal data when we no longer require it for this purpose. For true anonymity please use our SecureDrop service instead. Parents and teachers, tell us about introducing AI to younger children or students Please include as much detail as possible. In what ways are you teaching them about the technology, and why? Optional Please include as much detail as possible. If you are happy to, please upload a photo of yourself here Optional Please note, the maximum file size is 5.7 MB. Choose file Can we publish your response? You can add more information here Optional If you include other people’s names please ask them first. Would you be interested in speaking to our audio and/or video teams? By submitting your response, you are agreeing to share your details with us for this feature. Submit Show more Source link #prepared #parents #teaching #gen #Alpha #kids #Technology Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Morgan Stanley top stocks with more room to run Morgan Stanley top stocks with more room to run Morgan Stanley recently called out a few overweight-rated stocks that could have room to run after quarterly earnings. Companies like Robinhood are firing on all cylinders and are worth buying now, the firm’s analysts said. Other stocks include Toast , Cummins and Seagate Technology. Cummins Analyst Angel Castillo is standing by shares of top pick Cummins following the company’s fourth-quarter earnings report. The industrial engine company is well positioned after “another better than expected quarter and guide,” the analyst said. Castillo also said that Cummins has an “ample runway for margin expansion and top line growth setting up another year of beat and raises.” Cummins’ engine segment and power generation outlook also have plenty of room for growth, the analyst added. “We think the guide was conservative and continue to see material upside from here,” Castillo said. Cummins’ shares are up 36% in the past year. Robinhood In February, Robinhood reported a solid earnings beat for the fourth quarter. Now, Morgan Stanley is doubling down on shares of trading platform. Analyst Michael Cyprys said he has “increased conviction in HOOD’s growth path ahead,” following the quarterly report. Further, he said, Robinhood “provided greater clarity around the 2025 product roadmap and strategic initiatives.” Cyprys also said that deregulation will lead to a ******* opportunity in crypto for the company. He sees a “catalyst-rich path as HOOD gains traction with new initiatives and launches new products.” Shares are up 210% over the past 12 months. Toast Morgan Stanley recently named the restaurant payment tech company a new top pick following its robust fourth-quarter earnings report on Feb. 19. “Consistent and strong execution against a broader opportunity yields a new, *******, better bull case,” analyst Josh Baer wrote. In addition, the firm said Toast has a long runway for growth in a variety of areas, including international expansion. “There is enough evidence of Toast making early progress in newer growth markets to envision a Bull Case future where Toast replicates the success it has had in its core US SMB [small and mid-sized business] restaurant market,” he wrote. Shares are up about 70% in the past year. “With momentum well intact across growth vectors, a new bull case fully forms,” he said. Cummins “Another better than expected quarter and guide. Although the market will continue to debate the NA Truck cycle, we view the company’s outlook as conservative with ample runway for margin expansion and top line growth setting up another year of beat and raises. Reiterate OW and Top Pick. … We think the guide was conservative and continue to see material upside from here.” Robinhood “We have increased conviction in HOOD’s growth path ahead on the back of 4Q’s significant earnings beat and conference call that provided greater clarity around the 2025 product roadmap and strategic initiatives. … Catalyst-rich path as HOOD gains traction with new initiatives, and launches new products.” Toast “W/ momentum well intact across growth vectors, a new bull case fully forms. … Consistent and Strong Execution Against A Broader Opportunity Yields A New, *******, Better Bull Case. … There is enough evidence of Toast making early progress in newer growth markets to envision a Bull Case future where Toast replicates the success it has had in its core US SMB restaurant market…” Seagate “We reiterate STX as our IT Hardware Top Pick as we remain confident in the sustainability of the HDD [hard disk drive] cycle and structurally stronger gross margins, which supports both positive EPS revisions and a multiple re-rating. … Recent industry & supply chain checks give us confidence the HDD upcycle has longevity as demand continues to outstrip supply and cloud spending remains robust.” Source link #Morgan #Stanley #top #stocks #room #run Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why nursing homes and hospice are so expensive in the U.S. Why nursing homes and hospice are so expensive in the U.S. Baby boomers are about to be the largest generation in American history to hit the long-term care space. Born between 1946 and 1964, as defined by Pew Research, the oldest baby boomers are turning 80 next year. The group is set to flood a senior care space that is already understaffed, underfunded and facing political uncertainty. “This space is completely underprepared for the number of older adults that are going to need long term care and end of life care,” said David Grabowski, professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. “We’ve historically relied heavily on families. There’s not going to be the number of family members that we’ve had in the past.” Now private equity is increasingly looking to get in on the market. A recent study found between 2015 to 2022, 47 private equity firms bought 124 U.S. hospice agencies. Today an estimated 75% of U.S. hospice agencies are for-profit, according to a study out of the University of Pennsylvania. “Hospice was started as a grassroots, nonprofit movement where the majority of care, a couple decades back, was provided by strictly non-profits,” said Robert Tyler Braun, assistant professor in the division of health policy and economics at Weill Cornell Medicine. “In this current landscape now, the majority of hospice providers are for profit.” Nursing homes and long-term care facilities have long been an acquisition target for private equity and publicly traded companies. Data provided to CNBC by Coherent Market Insights shows those same trends in the hospice care space have picked up significantly since the 2010s. Watch the video above to learn how these investments are impacting the space, who is investing in it, and what it means for seniors and their families. Source link #nursing #homes #hospice #expensive #U.S Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Burnley players ignore Osmajic after racial abuse accusations Burnley players ignore Osmajic after racial abuse accusations Burnley players refuse to shake Milutin Osmajic’s hand after teammate Hannibal Mejbri accused the Preston forward of racially abusing him the last time the two sides met. Source link #Burnley #players #ignore #Osmajic #racial #abuse #accusations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Former Intel directors strongly oppose TSMC takeover, call for Intel fabs spinoff Former Intel directors strongly oppose TSMC takeover, call for Intel fabs spinoff Intel’s stock has surged over 20% recently as investors anticipate a possible company split amidst a rumor suggesting that the Trump administration might push Intel and TSMC to form a joint venture that would take over Intel’s manufacturing capacity. Four former directors of Intel wrote a column in the Fortune magazine explaining that this is a terrible idea and proposed spinning off Intel manufacturing to a separate company that would be owned by American investors instead. Speculation has arisen that the new U.S. government might pressure Intel and TSMC to form a joint venture that would take over Intel’s semiconductor production facilities, which are valued at approximately $108 billion. These facilities span multiple U.S. locations, including Arizona, New Mexico, and Oregon, with an additional site under development in Ohio. In addition, Intel has fabs in Israel and Ireland. The Trump administration has denied its involvement and said that it would not welcome a Taiwanese company taking over Intel fabs. TSMC’s management also denied interest in taking control over Intel’s manufacturing capacity. The old plan is bad Former Intel directors David B. Yoffie (a professor at Harvard Business School, has an extensive background in high-tech business strategy), Reed Hundt (a former chairman of the FCC), Charlene Barshefsky (a lawyer and a former U.S. Trade Representative), and James Plummer (a professor of electrical engineering and former dean of the School of Engineering at Stanford University, has a rich semiconductor background and holds 20 appropriate patents), wrote a column for Fortune magazine condemning the idea of handling Intel manufacturing capacity to TSMC and calling to spin it off and sell to a group of Western investors. A TSMC-controlled semiconductor industry poses significant risks. Concentrating leading-edge semiconductor production in the U.S. under a foreign entity could weaken American technology firms by creating a near-monopoly, the former directors believe. While companies like Apple, AMD, and Nvidia rely on TSMC today, they still benefit from competitive pressure on the market that is created by Samsung Foundry and will be supported by Intel Foundry if the latter is a success. Intel presents little competition for TSMC as it has only two production nodes to offer. However, if Intel disappears completely, American firms could face reduced bargaining power, the former directors suggest. A proposed plan The former Intel directors think that a more strategic approach would be for Intel to separate its manufacturing division from its design business. In fact, they go as far as saying that the U.S. government should require the company to spin off its production operations and sell them to a Western private investor group. To make this viable, Washington should provide $10 billion in capital as non-voting equity, similar to the 2008 bank bailouts, ensuring taxpayers benefit if the venture succeeds. Additionally, major U.S. semiconductor firms, including Intel’s design division, must commit to placing orders to guarantee profitability. The former members of the Intel board of directors believe these measures would make the business attractive to investors while preserving American semiconductor production capabilities. On paper, spinning off Intel’s manufacturing operations to a separate company sounds like a plausible idea. However, significant technological and business barriers will likely prevent this from happening smoothly, if at all. Intel’s semiconductor production fab chain costs around $108 billion (maybe a bit less if we subtract the cost of office buildings and other non-production assets). Finding an investor willing to buy these manufacturing assets for their value will be hard, to put it mildly, as $100 billion M&A transactions are not common. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Of course, it would be easier to persuade a consortium of investors to invest in Intel Foundry if a group of leading American companies would commit to using its services for years to come. However, committing to an unknown Intel Foundry is a huge risk for companies like AMD, Apple, Intel, and Nvidia, as this might slow down their progress and hinder their growth. Something that happened to AMD’s commitment to GlobalFoundries back in the day. Analysis The proposal to handle Intel’s manufacturing facilities to TSMC completely omits that Intel has its own process technologies — Intel 14nm (and older), Intel 10SF/10ESF, Intel 4, and Intel 3 — and already makes chips in high volumes. Also, the company is about to launch high-volume manufacturing of its Panther Lake and Clearwater Forest, with its 18A process technology, and get third-party 18A tape-ins in mid-2025. Discussions about spinning off Intel’s fabs to a separate entity run by TSMC would hurt Intel’s negotiations with potential 18A customers. But let’s assume that Intel and TSMC agreed to form a joint venture to run Intel’s fabs., and that Intel keeps making chips on its Intel 4, Intel 3, and 18A process technologies, but TSMC would like to also make chips on Intel’s capacity as well. Transferring TSMC’s fabrication technology to Intel’s U.S. factories with EUV capabilities would be highly complex. Although both companies use EUV lithography, their equipment setups, fab configurations, and vendor-specific modifications differ significantly. ASML’s lithography tools, for instance, are custom-calibrated for each company. Intel and TSMC also have distinct etching, deposition, and process control methods, all of which influence production tools. A joint venture would hurt TSMC’s profit margins. The only reason TSMC might consider working with Intel is if a Trump administration introduced tariffs forcing it to manufacture its advanced 3nm and 2nm chips in the U.S. However, Intel lacks sufficient EUV production capacity in the U.S. to meet demand for both its own products and those of TSMC’s clients. Instead, TSMC is accelerating its own Arizona fabs to support 3nm and 2nm production, which is a more viable business strategy, as industry analysts have suggested. Even if TSMC was compelled to take control of Intel’s capacity, its most advanced research would remain in Taiwan, and over time, it might close Intel’s factories and lay off most of its workforce. It should be kept in mind that Intel also has non-EUV capacity designed to produce Intel’s own products. TSMC will unlikely be able to port its nodes to production lines meant for Intel 14nm (and older) and Intel 10SF/10ESF (at least, not in a financially viable way). These production capacities are worth billions for Intel as they produce sellable products. For an external company (whether TSMC or a group of investors), they will unlikely pose that much value as Intel would remain the only customer for those nodes and fabs. Meanwhile, at some point, those fabs will either have to be upgraded (which means additional investments), or shut down (something that the former members of the board mentioned above), which means writing off billions of dollars. Source link #Intel #directors #strongly #oppose #TSMC #takeover #call #Intel #fabs #spinoff Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lego Unveils A New Avengers Endgame Set Based On The Movie’s Epic Final Clash Lego Unveils A New Avengers Endgame Set Based On The Movie’s Epic Final Clash The annual Toy Fair expo has kicked off, and as you’d expect, Lego has a big presence at the convention. One of the new licensed sets revealed this weekend is the Avengers Endgame: Final Battle diorama, a new kit that captures one of the biggest moments from the final film in the Infinity Saga, where Earth’s mightiest heroes and their allies band together in a last-ditch effort to stop Thanos from claiming the Infinity Gauntlet. This set lets you build a mini replica of the devastated Avengers headquarters where the exciting clash takes place. You’ll also get mini figures of the heroes Captain America, Iron Man, Ant-Man, Wanda Maximoff, Doctor Strange, Iron Spider, ****** Panther, and Falcon, plus a Thanos figure to complete the scene. Lego Avengers Endgame Final Battle 3 Set This is the third Lego set based on the Avengers: Endgame final clash. The first is a 360-degree battleground featuring Captain Marvel, Okoye, Wanda Maximoff, Shuri, the Wasp, and Valkyrie battling Thanos atop the Avengers building. If you’re interested in grabbing the set, it’s on ***** at Amazon for $71.40 (was $100). The second Avengers: Endgame kit pits Thanos and his Chitauri warriors against Thor, Captain America, ****** Panther, Iron Man, and Scarlet Witch in the Avengers lab and includes parts to assemble the lab’s time-travel gizmo and Ant-Man’s quantum truck. You can grab this set for $94. Lego has also made similar sets based on the climactic final battles from other movies in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, including two based on Spider-Man: No Way Home. The first set features a trio of Spider-Men facing off against the Green Goblin, Electro, and Doc Ock atop the Statue of Liberty. You can grab the set for $102 (was $110). You can complete the collection with the second No Way Home set, which lets you build a giant version of Sandman and comes with get minifigures of the Lizard, Electro, and Spider-Man. Normally $38, this set is on ***** for $30.40. Finally, Lego recently released a battle scene from Captain America: Civil War. This impressive kit recreates the airport battleground scene, complete with a Quinjet aircraft with foldable wings, a giant moveable Ant-Man, and minifigures of Captain America, Winter Soldier, Wanda, Falcon, Iron Man, Spider-Man, ****** Widow, and ****** Panther. It’s available for $100 at Amazon. Lego Marvel Final Battle Sets Source link #Lego #Unveils #Avengers #Endgame #Set #Based #Movies #Epic #Final #Clash Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Citigroup’s $81 trillion mistake is a warning ‘that operational risk is still a ticking time bomb in banking,’ expert says Citigroup’s $81 trillion mistake is a warning ‘that operational risk is still a ticking time bomb in banking,’ expert says Citigroup accidentally credited a customer account $81 trillion instead of $280 last April. It took three employees and several hours to realize and correct the error. Experts say mistakes of this magnitude are extremely rare, and incite mistrust in banking. However, Citigroup said there was “no impact to the bank or our client.” A major error by Citigroup employees was just uncovered that would have made one customer a trillionaire. The Fortune 500 financial services company erroneously credited $81 trillion, instead of just $280, to a customer’s account last April, the Financial Times reported on Friday. The error got past two employees before a third caught it 90 minutes after it had been posted, according to internal documents seen by the FT and two people familiar with the matter. The event was considered a “near miss” because no funds actually left Citigroup. That amount would’ve been more than 1.5 times the market cap of the entire S&P 500—while dwarfing Citigroup’s own market cap of about $150 billion. “Despite the fact that a payment of this size could not actually have been executed, our detective controls promptly identified the inputting error between two Citi ledger accounts, and we reversed the entry,” a Citigroup spokesperson told Fortune in a statement. “Our preventative controls would have also stopped any funds leaving the bank.” Still, it took several hours to reverse the transaction, according to the FT, unveiling operational weaknesses at the bank. The Citigroup spokesperson said there was “no impact to the bank or our client,” but the episode underscores the bank’s efforts to eliminate manual processes. “If a bank can misplace $81 trillion, what does that say about its ability to safeguard the average consumer’s paycheck? Citi’s latest blunder isn’t just a glitch—it’s a flashing warning sign that operational risk is still a ticking time bomb in banking,” Anna Kooi, national financial services and institutions practice leader at accounting and advisory firm Wipfli, told Fortune. Citigroup had a total of 10 near misses of at least $1 billion last year, down from 13 the previous year, an internal report reviewed by the FT shows. A near miss occurs when a bank processes the wrong amount but ends up being able to recover the transaction funds. “If two employees processed the transaction without catching the mistake, it indicates potential gaps in training, alert thresholds, or even cultural complacency around due diligence,” Kooi said. This episode also marks a major setback for Citigroup, which has been under regulatory scrutiny for years over its risk management and operations practices. Bank regulators have demanded improvements, and this $81 trillion mistake could show Citigroup hasn’t addressed its operational weaknesses, she added. Story Continues One such example was when, in 2020, Citigroup accidentally wired $900 million to a group of lenders at beauty company Revlon instead of an intended interest payment of just $7.8 million. That event led to a two-year legal battle and a $400 million fine from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. In 2024, the bank was also fined $136 million for failing to fix data management issues. In January, Citigroup chief financial officer Mark Mason said the bank was making an effort to address compliance issues. “We saw the need to invest more in the transformation on data, on technology, on improving the quality of the information coming out of our regulatory reporting,” Mason told reporters. Citigroup had several near misses last year, but “errors of this magnitude are incredibly rare, especially given the millions of transactions major banks process daily,” Andrew Latham, a certified financial planner, told Fortune. “But they serve as reminders that even well-established systems aren’t infallible.” This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Source link #Citigroups #trillion #mistake #warning #operational #risk #ticking #time #bomb #banking #expert Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Best Call of Duty Players in 2025 – Top 10 COD Players Best Call of Duty Players in 2025 – Top 10 COD Players Call of Duty boasts one of the most popular esports ecosystems in the business. From the Call of Duty League to Challengers, and from the Esports World Cup to the many grassroots events that pop up every year, the competitive scene has plenty of meat on the bones. Many players front the esports landscape, but which of them can be considered the best Call of Duty players around? In this breakdown, I’ll highlight the top COD pro players you should be watching this year. It’s an ever-changing scene, but the top dogs are usually the same year in, year out – at least until they retire, that is. Read on to learn about the ten best Call of Duty players in 2025. Who Are The Best COD Players? As a preface, I’ll highlight that I’m talking only about players in the Call of Duty League in this guide. This list won’t touch on the best Warzone players in the business. I’m all about the CDL in this piece! In no particular order, let’s talk about the best Call of Duty players in the game right now. Chris ‘Simp’ Lehr Earnings: $1.8 million Team: Atlanta FaZe Simp is a tried and tested competitor with some of the most stunning achievements in the scene. He was a prodigy who started competing from a young age, breaking into the CWL in 2019 and winning the COD Championship as one of the freshest faces ever to do it. He went on to win another ring in 2021 after one of the most incredible seasons in the business, showing remarkable domination through the Cold War year. He has flown the Atlanta FaZe banner proudly since 2019 and is one of the most recognisable forces in the Call of Duty League. Simp’s talents on the sticks are second to none. Time and again, he proves himself to be one of the most technically proficient players in the game, and despite his relatively quiet demeanour, he’s an utter animal with some of the best thumbs in esports. In 2025, Simp has already claimed a Major chip and a win at the first CDL Minor. Thomas ‘Scrappy’ Ernst Earnings: $507,000 Team: LA Thieves Scrap entered the Call of Duty League scene as one of the most electrifying, controversial rookies, going on a crusade against some of the biggest and most beloved veterans in the business. The loudmouthed competitor could back up his bark with his bite, though. He quickly established himself as one of the straightest shooters in the game. In his opening season with Toronto Ultra, Scrap claimed a Major chip and came close to netting a world championship title but was stopped in his tracks by the New York Subliners. Since then, Scrap has earned another chip and wound up in third place at his second COD Champs event. In 2025, Ernst finds himself occupying a spot on the LA Thieves ‘Super Team’, and he’s already flying in ****** Ops 6. He fell ever so slightly short of first place at Major I but has already proven himself as one of the most dominating players and a budding IGL in the 2025 CDL season. It helps that he has mellowed a bit, too. McArthur ‘Cellium’ Jovel Earnings: $1.6 million Team: Atlanta FaZe Cellium lives and breathes competitive Call of Duty. As one of the best Call of Duty players in the world, Cellium is the epitome of talent on the sticks, and everything from his movement to his accuracy is top-notch. Alongside Simp, Cellium has won a COD Champs ring, the top prize at the inaugural Esports World Cup, and has claimed several chips over the last few years. He’s a beloved character with a quirky personality, and his skills are almost unparalleled. Cellium started strong in 2025, netting a win at the first Major in Madrid and the CDL Minor I tournament. With multiple spots as an MVP and an All-Star, Cellium has a stellar record and even more potential to land another ring in the future – perhaps in 2025. Anthony ‘Shotzzy’ Cuevas-Castro Earnings: $1 million Team: OpTic Texas In 2024, Shotzzy went on a burner along with the rest of OpTic Texas, netting a win at Major III and then securing a massive victory at COD Champs, beating the New York Subliners with a 5 – 1 scoreline. That earned Shotzzy his second ring in Call of Duty, following on from his 2020 win with Dallas Empire. Shotzzy is one of the most popular Call of Duty players around, and his charm and rizz are undeniable. He’s one of the stalwarts of the OpTic Texas roster and is a fan-favourite, but it helps that he’s an animal of the game with some of the best movement in the business. The OpTic Texas team had a slow start to the 2025 season, which wasn’t helped by roster changes, but Shotzzy is very much at home in ****** Ops 6, thanks to the ‘omnimovement’ mechanics. As a side note, Shotzzy has a prestigious place in the world of esports. He’s one of just two pro players in the world to have earned a world championship title in two games – Halo and Call of Duty. Isaiah ‘Gwinn’ Gwinn Earnings: $63,000 Team: Carolina Royal Ravens Gwinn is a stunning prospect and one of the most talented young players in the Call of Duty pro scene. He broke into the Carolina Royal Ravens roster towards the end of 2023 and has been a recognisable face in the squad ever since, but this year, he has blown up. In terms of numbers, Gwinn has started strong. He ranks high in almost every category – kills, captures, hill time, first bloods, and so on. His talents were a pivotal part of the Royal Ravens seeing immense success early in the season, with the team putting up some of the best numbers right off the bat. The Royal Ravens even handed Atlanta FaZe the team’s first 0 – 3 loss in two years. The dominance persisted into Major I, with Carolina eliminating Vegas, OpTic, and Toronto from the Madrid tournament without too much fuss. It’s a team effort to be sure, but Gwinn is outperforming his teammates, including veteran talents SlasheR and TJHaly, in most respects. Zack ‘Drazah’ Jordan Earnings: $903,000 Team: Atlanta FaZe Drazah can be a hit-and-miss player at times, but he’s been more hit than miss recently. As one of the cockiest players in the Call of Duty League, Drazah has been forced to put his money where his mouth is on numerous occasions, and sometimes, the trash talk hasn’t paid off – but he’s on a streak right now and it’s working well for him. At the tail end of the 2022 season, Drazah found his feet, netting the trophy in Major IV and then scooping the COD Championship while representing the LA Thieves. He went on to win Major IV again the next season and then relocated to Atlanta FaZe’s starting roster. From there, things moved on in earnest for Drazah. The AR who once dubbed himself the best SnD player in the world has since won a further two chips under FaZe, as well as a CDL Minor and the Esports World Cup. Flanked by the likes of Cellium, aBeZy, and Simp, Drazah could easily come out on top in 2025. Paco ‘HyDra’ Rusiewiez Earnings: $742,000 Team: LA Thieves HyDra is one of the superstars of the Call of Duty League and has been since he surfaced on the New yok Subliners in 2021, slipping under Clayster’s wing and making a name for himself. He’s known as the ‘French Phenom’ for good reason. In the years since HyDra entered the Call of Duty League, he has won a Pro-Am, three Major tournaments, and a world championship title. He was a part of the New York Subliners roster that devastated the CDL in 2023, winning two Majors and COD Champs. That COD Champs grand final was historic, with the Subliners hitting a 5 – 0 scoreline in record time. Paco has since joined the LA Thieves and is working as an integral part of the ‘Super Team’ assembled by Nadeshot. He’s been a little sticky to kick off the CDL 2025 season, but his ceiling is almost unparalleled, and he has some solid players around him. Last season, HyDra ended up with a second-place finish at Champs, and he’s eager for a redemption story this year. Tyler ‘aBeZy’ Pharris Earnings: $1.8 million Team: Atlanta FaZe Adding aBeZy to this list means that every member of the Atlanta FaZe squad has made it here, but it just makes sense. This team has built up so much chemistry over the years that it’s almost unstoppable, and the wins come thick and fast for the squad. ABeZy is one of the most dependable Call of Duty players in the CDL, and like Simp, he broke into the competitive scene as a prodigy. With Lehr, Pharris makes up the other half of ‘The Tiny Terrors’ on Atlanta FaZe. In 2025, aBeZy has already claimed wins at both a Major and a Minor, and in 2024, he snatched the Esports World Cup win with ease – plus he added another chip to his collection. He was a part of the FaZe roster that dominated the Cold War season, putting up some of the best numbers in competitive COD history. By numbers, aBeZy is the highest-earning COD pro player in the world, and he has so much left in the tank for the years ahead. Dan ‘Ghosty’ Rothe Earnings: $267,000 Team: LA Thieves Ghosty is another member of the LA Thieves ‘Super Team’, a talented IGL with undeniable skills and a charming persona. He’s a likeable player with intense abilities in-game, represented nicely by the attributes he’s secured in a relatively short time in the CDL. Ghosty’s first shot in the CDL came with OpTic Texas, and from there, he joined the LA Thieves. Nadeshot used Ghosty to build up a team featuring HyDra, Scrappy, and Envoy, and the play has been like clockwork ever since. While an ultimate victory has escaped Ghosty thus far, his first big win is inching ever closer. In 2024, he landed in second place at the Esports World Cup and has been within spitting distance of netting a chip at a couple of Major tournaments. His in-game skills are front and centre, and the execution to secure a trophy could come during the 2025 season. Brandon ‘Dashy’ Otell Earnings: $788,000 Team: OpTic Texas Dashy is one of the best beamers in the business, boasting ethereal thumbs and the ability to never miss a shot. For that alone, he earns a place on this list of the best Call of Duty players in 2025, but his accolades speak for themselves. In 2024, Dashy won the Call of Duty League Championship with OpTic Texas, securing his first ring after several years of playing at the highest level. He has the best team possible around him now, and the chemistry is on another level. The future is looking bright for Dashy, and he’s an integral part of one of the biggest brands in esports. OpTic Texas isn’t in the best place to start the season, but there’s plenty of time to right the ship and start securing chips. Do you think another competitor deserves a spot on this list of the best Call of Duty players in 2025? Let us know in the comments or on the Insider Gaming forum. Stay tuned for more Insider Gaming esports coverage SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Call #Duty #Players #Top #COD #Players Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump administration accused of sidestepping court rulings amid spree of legal losses Trump administration accused of sidestepping court rulings amid spree of legal losses U.S. President Donald Trump looks on on the day he signs an executive order in the Oval Office, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. Feb. 25, 2025. Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters The Trump administration continued to face setbacks in court this week over its efforts to drastically downsize the size of the government, while plaintiffs in some of the cases accused the government of trying to sidestep judicial orders. A federal judge in California found a U.S. Office of Personnel Management memo that directed the firing of thousands of probationary employees was unlawful and should be rescinded, while another in Washington, D.C. ordered the restoration of foreign aid that was supposed to be freed weeks ago. The plaintiffs — and the judge — in the foreign aid case have accused the government of continued stonewalling, while plaintiffs in cases involving the suspension of refugee program funding charged the administration is failing to fully comply with court orders. Here’s a look at the swirl of legal developments over the past week. Mass firings of probationary workers ‘********’ A federal judge in California on Thursday ordered OPM to rescind a memo and email telling agencies to get rid of probationary employees. The directions, communicated in a Jan. 20 memo and Feb. 14 internal email, are “********” and “should be stopped, rescinded,” Judge William Alsup said. “The Office of Personnel Management does not have any authority whatsoever under any statute in the history of the universe, to hire and fire employees within another agency,” the judge found. “It can hire its own employees, yes. Can fire them. But it cannot order or direct some other agency to do so,” Alsup said. His ruling did not reinstate the thousands of employees who have already been dismissed, but it came ahead of expected terminations at the Defense Department Friday of probationary employees —largely workers who’ve been in a job for less than two years. ‘Death, impoverishment, sickness, and waste’ On Tuesday, a D.C. federal judge ordered for the third time the government to comply with his Feb. 13 order blocking a blanket freeze on foreign aid by the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The frustrated judge also went a step farther, ordering them to free the funding by midnight Wednesday after a lawyer for the Justice Department couldn’t tell him what steps they’d taken to comply with his order. The government then said for the first time in a filing the next day that it would take “weeks” to unfreeze the money, and appealed to a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals for a stay of the deadline. The appeals court rejected the government’s bid, and the government then turned to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Roberts issued a stay. The plaintiffs on Friday asked the high court to reject the appeal, and said the government had gone to the court “with an emergency of its own making.” In court filings in the underlying case, the government argued it’s now in compliance with the order because all of the 12,000 grants and awards have since undergone individual reviews and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “has now made a final decision with respect to each award, on an individualized basis, affirmatively electing to either retain the award or terminate it.” The filing said over 10,000 of the awards have been terminated. The plaintiffs argue those terminations are unlawful — and the delays have been catastrophic in more ways than one. “There is no dispute whatsoever that Defendants’ actions have led to death, impoverishment, sickness, and waste” around the world, they wrote, and they “do not address the thousands of American jobs — and counting — that have been lost as a direct result of the blanket freeze.” Refugee admission ‘antics’ A federal judge in Seattle on Tuesday blocked Trump’s executive order pausing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, agreeing with the plaintiffs’ arguments that the order likely exceeded the president’s authority. “The president has substantial discretion to suspend refugee admissions. But that authority is not limitless,” U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead said in his decision. “He cannot ignore Congress’ detailed framework for refugee admissions and the limits it places on the president’s ability to suspend the same.” Whitehead said he would issue a written decision in the coming days, and on Thursday, the aid groups that had filed the suit said the government was trying to circumvent his impending decision by formally deciding to terminate their refugee assistance contracts. They’ve asked for an emergency hearing to “ensure that Defendants are not permitted to evade this Court’s bench ruling and forthcoming written order with antics designed to confuse the state of play.” The government is being sued in a separate but similar case by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which was also seeking a restraining order. They say the suspension has prevented the organization “from receiving the funds necessary to carry out its mission to assist the refugees the government already placed in its care.” On Thursday, the government filed “a notice of change of material facts,” informing the judge that USCCB’s contract had been terminated, so its claim should now be considered a contract dispute that should be heard in the Court of Federal Claims. Joseph Carilli, a lawyer for the government, doubled down on that stance at a hearing on Friday. “This harm is about money, they want reimbursement. This is about money,” he said. The organization said it’s about its mission, and contended the judge should still take action. “The government cannot escape review of its unlawful suspension by effecting an unlawful termination,” it said in a filing. More DOGE restrictions A federal judge in Maryland issued a temporary restraining order barring OPM and the Department of Education from allowing personnel with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing records with sensitive personal information. The order by U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman follows a similar ruling last week barring DOGE from access to records at the Treasury Department. Boardman found that the plaintiffs in the case, which include members of several major unions, had shown that the Education Department and OPM “likely violated the Privacy Act by disclosing their personal information to DOGE affiliates without their consent.” “DOGE affiliates have been granted access to systems of record that contain some of the plaintiffs’ most sensitive data — Social Security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, income and assets, citizenship status, and disability status — and their access to this trove of personal information is ongoing,” the judge wrote. “There is no reason to believe their access to this information will end anytime soon because the government believes their access is appropriate.” In a separate case involving DOGE’s access to Labor Department data, a federal judge in D.C. ordered a DOGE official to provide documents and testify under oath about the office’s operations, which the judge described as “opaque.” ICE banned from some houses of worship In Maryland, a federal judge issued an order restricting immigration raids at or near houses of worship owned by a group of religious organizations that filed suit challenging a new policy allowing such raids. The previous policy, which had been in effect since the early 1990s, had protected “sensitive locations” such as churches from immigration enforcement without special approval. The order by U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang of Maryland only applies to the religious organizations that filed the suit. Injunction on federal funding freeze On Tuesday, a federal judge in Washington issued a preliminary injunction barring the administration from reinstating a federal funding freeze directed by the Office of Management and Budget that had caused chaos and confusion across the country. “Many organizations had to resort to desperate measures just to stay operational,” Judge Loren AliKhan wrote in her order. “The pause placed critical programs for children, the elderly, and everyone in between in serious jeopardy. Because the public’s interest in not having trillions of dollars arbitrarily frozen cannot be overstated, Plaintiffs have more than met their burden here,” she wrote. The OMB directive was later rescinded, but the White House added to the confusion by then saying it was “NOT a rescission of the federal funding freeze.” AliKhan and a federal judge in Rhode Island both issued restraining orders blocking the freeze from going back into effect. The Rhode Island judge, John J. McConnell, has yet to rule on a motion for a preliminary injunction in that case. Second appeals court loss on Trump birthright citizenship order For the second time in a week, a panel of federal appeals court judges handed a loss to the Justice Department’s attempts to implement President Donald Trump’s executive order limiting birthright citizenship. The government had sought a stay of a lower court’s ruling barring the order from going into effect while it appeals. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied that bid in a ruling Friday. “We join the Ninth Circuit in finding that the government has not made a ‘strong showing’ that it is ‘likely to succeed on the merits’ of its argument,” the three-judge panel’s ruling said. Trump’s order aims to limit birthright citizenship to people who have at least one parent who is a United States citizen or permanent resident. At least three judges have blocked the directive, finding it violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Source link #Trump #administration #accused #sidestepping #court #rulings #spree #legal #losses Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gaza ceasefire deal at critical moment Gaza ceasefire deal at critical moment Paul Adams Diplomatic correspondent Reuters Palestinians in Gaza are trying to put their lives back together in the current, fragile peace Where next? The first six-week phase of the Gaza ceasefire ends on Saturday. The 42 days since 19 January have seen their fair share of uncertainty, hope, grief and anger, but everything that should have happened in that time has. Israeli hostages – the living and the dead – have been released. ************ prisoners set free. But negotiations on phase two, including the release of all remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, have barely begun. Talks opened in Cairo on Friday but Israel’s delegation returned home in the evening. Reports suggested that negotiations would continue “at a distance” and that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to hold late-night talks with the delegation, senior ministers and intelligence chiefs. For such a meeting to take place late on the sabbath was highly unusual. But as of mid-morning on Saturday, no details have been released. Israel appears to be looking to extend the current phase for another six weeks, to get more hostages back and release more ************ prisoners but without withdrawing its troops. The government here is adamant that ******, the group responsible for the massacres of 7 October 2023 and the taking of 251 hostages, has to lay down its arms and relinquish any form of authority in the Gaza Strip. Israel also says it is not yet ready to leave the Philadelphi corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border – a process that should have begun on Saturday. In a statement sent to reporters on Friday, an unnamed Israeli official said: “We will not allow the ****** murderers to again roam our borders with pickup trucks and guns, and we will not allow them to rearm through smuggling.” Such anonymous quotes are often believed to come directly from the prime minister’s office. Last summer, efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza faltered when Netanyahu insisted on keeping Israeli troops stationed along the Philadelphi corridor. On Friday night, ****** said it would not agree to any extension of phase one without guarantees from American, Qatari and Egyptian mediators that phase two would eventually take place. ****** seems determined to remain a force in Gaza, even if it might be willing to hand over day-to-day governance to other ************ actors, including the West Bank-based ************ Authority. Egypt has been working on a reconstruction plan for Gaza, as an alternative to Donald Trump’s proposal to take the area over and evacuate its entire civilian population. But Western diplomats are not optimistic that the plan, due to be unveiled at an Arab League summit in Cairo next Tuesday, has the sort of robust security and governance arrangements that will be needed to meet Israeli demands. This is a critical moment. Getty Images Mourners paid their respects to the Bibas family at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv – some holding up signs urging the Israeli government to ensure the return of all remaining hostages For all the emotional turmoil of the last few weeks, Israelis have come to expect the gradual release of hostages. There are believed to be 24 alive, still waiting to be freed, with another 39 presumed to be dead. Israelis desperately want them all back, without the sort of propaganda displays that have disgusted and infuriated the entire country. If the whole process now grinds to a halt, public anger – at ****** and their own government – will mount. Further street protests are planned, including one on Saturday night in the place in Tel Aviv that all Israelis now know as Hostages Square. “We demand the return of all 59 remaining hostages by day 50 of the agreement,” reads the invitation from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum HQ. “Now is our only window of opportunity – we won’t get another.” UN Secretary General António Guterres has weighed in, urging the parties “to spare no effort to avoid a breakdown of this deal”. There’s a widespread belief that, sooner or later, the war will begin again. It’s a bleak prospect, for the hostages and for two million Palestinians in Gaza who are trying to put their lives back together in the current, fragile peace. In a place where families are still digging bodies from the rubble, sometimes with their bare hands, the thought of a resumption of a conflict which has already claimed tens of thousands of lives is chilling. Areas in the middle of the Gaza Strip that have so far escaped the worst of the conflict would likely suffer badly from any return to war, making it even harder to sustain life in this ravaged strip of land. Source link #Gaza #ceasefire #deal #critical #moment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Peter Garrett in hot oil with Minister over ‘totally inappropriate’ Gina Rinehart jibe Peter Garrett in hot oil with Minister over ‘totally inappropriate’ Gina Rinehart jibe Arts Minister David Templeman has condemned a jibe by rock icon, environmentalist and former politician Peter Garrett aimed at Gina Rinehart during his Perth concert on Friday night. Source link #Peter #Garrett #hot #oil #Minister #totally #inappropriate #Gina #Rinehart #jibe Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Billionaires Sell Nvidia Stock and Buy a BlackRock ETF Wall Street Experts Say May Soar Up to 15,375% Billionaires Sell Nvidia Stock and Buy a BlackRock ETF Wall Street Experts Say May Soar Up to 15,375% In the fourth quarter, several prominent hedge fund managers sold Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and bought the iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ: IBIT), an exchange-traded fund issued by BlackRock that tracks the price of Bitcoin. Israel Englander of Millennium Management sold 1.1 million shares of Nvidia, reducing his stake by 10%. He also added 6.3 million shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust, which now ranks as his third largest position excluding options contracts. Ken Griffin of Citadel Advisors sold 3.9 million shares of Nvidia, reducing his stake by 56%. He also added 1 million share of the iShares Bitcoin Trust, though it remains a relatively small position in his portfolio. David Shaw at D. E. Shaw sold 6.9 million shares of Nvidia, reducing his stake by 41%. Shaw also added 7.4 million shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust, which now ranks among his 25 largest positions excluding options contracts. The three billionaires mentioned above manage the three most successful hedge funds in history in terms of net gains since inception, according to LCH Investments. That makes them good sources of inspiration. Here’s what investors should know about Nvidia and the iShares Bitcoin Trust. Nvidia reported excellent fourth-quarter financial results, beating expectations on the top and bottom lines. Revenue increased 78% to $39.3 billion on particularly strong growth in data center sales, and non-GAAP net income increased 71% to $0.89 per diluted share. The company also provided first-quarter guidance that exceeded estimates. However, the stock has fallen about 10% since the report. One cause for the decline may be the 3-percentage point contraction in gross margin in the fourth quarter, which suggests Nvidia has lost some pricing power. But Stifel analyst Ruben Roy thinks that number will rebound as Nvidia sells more of its next-generation Blackwell graphics processing units (GPUs). The investment thesis for Nvidia is solid. Its GPUs are the leading artificial intelligence (AI) accelerators. And competing with the company is difficult due to its CUDA platform, software development tools that include 300 code libraries and 600 pretrained AI models. CUDA helps programmers write AI applications across disciplines ranging from healthcare and retail to autonomous robots and self-driving cars. Wall Street expects Nvidia’s adjusted earnings to increase 50% in fiscal 2026, which ends in January 2026. That makes the current valuation of 40 times adjusted earnings look downright cheap. So, why were certain hedge fund managers selling Nvidia in the fourth quarter? I suspect it was more about portfolio diversification than lost confidence in the company. Regardless, patient investors should consider buying a small position today. Story Continues Bitcoin has advanced 35% over the past year to $84,000, but several Wall Street experts expect tremendous price appreciation in the coming years, as detailed below: Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood thinks Bitcoin could hit $3.8 million by 2030, which implies about 4,420% upside from its current price. Gautam Chhugani at AllianceBernstein thinks Bitcoin could reach $1 million by 2033, which implies about 1,090% upside from its current price. Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor expects Bitcoin to reach $13 million by 2045, which implies about 15,375% upside from its current price. Personally, I think those forecasts are very aggressive, but I do see three catalysts that could make Bitcoin more valuable in the coming years: adoption of spot Bitcoin ETFs, the periodic halving of Bitcoin mining subsidies, and the possible creation of a national digital asset stockpile. Spot Bitcoin ETFs reduce friction by providing Bitcoin exposure without the hassle and high fees associated with cryptocurrency exchanges. Consequently, those funds are creating demand by drawing more investors to the market. The iShares Bitcoin ETF was the most successful ETF launch in history in terms of net inflows during its first year on the market, according to The Wall Street Journal. Bitcoin is created and awarded to miners that add new transaction blocks to the blockchain, which involves solving complex cryptographic puzzles. However the Bitcoin subsidies awarded to miners are cut in half every 210,000 blocks, which limits the supply of Bitcoin to 21 million coins. The economic law of supply and demand says any asset with a fixed supply will become more valuable as demand increases. President Donald Trump in January signed an executive order that tasked a working group with evaluating the creation and maintenance of a national digital asset stockpile. If such a stockpile is created, it would likely position the government as a buyer of Bitcoin. That would increase demand for cryptocurrency and help push its price higher. Importantly, while the tailwinds discussed could make Bitcoin more valuable in the long run, history says it will be a very bumpy ride. Bitcoin has fallen 20% since mid-January, and it has dropped more than 50% from a record high three times in the last six years. Only investors comfortable with that type of volatility should consider buying a position in the iShares Bitcoin Trust. Before you buy stock in Nvidia, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Nvidia wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $736,343!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 870% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 170% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of February 24, 2025 Trevor Jennewine has positions in Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Billionaires Sell Nvidia Stock and Buy a BlackRock ETF Wall Street Experts Say May Soar Up to 15,375% was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #Billionaires #Sell #Nvidia #Stock #Buy #BlackRock #ETF #Wall #Street #Experts #Soar Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Rise of pediatric flu cases is sending more children to the hospital – The Washington Post Rise of pediatric flu cases is sending more children to the hospital – The Washington Post Rise of pediatric flu cases is sending more children to the hospital The Washington PostReports of Encephalopathy Among Children … CDCCDC: 13% of kids who died from flu this year had brain damage University of Minnesota Twin CitiesCDC Reports Neurologic Complications of Flu in Kids This Year Medpage TodayHarsh flu season has health officials worried about brain complications in children Channel3000.com – WISC-TV3 Source link #Rise #pediatric #flu #cases #sending #children #hospital #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Capcom Nailed Monster Hunter Wilds but It Still Suffers From World’s Biggest Flaw Capcom Nailed Monster Hunter Wilds but It Still Suffers From World’s Biggest Flaw Monster Hunter Wilds has smashed records faster than a hammer main breaking monster parts. Just one day after launch, Capcom’s latest beast has already attracted over 1.3 million concurrent players on Steam alone, making it the seventh most-played game on the platform ever—outpacing juggernauts like Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Baldur’s Gate 3. 1.3 million players, same old performance monster to slay. | Image Credit: Capcom But beneath the impressive numbers and critical acclaim lurks a familiar shadow. As players flood into the Forbidden Lands, many are discovering that their high-end hardware isn’t enough to tame this particular beast. Sound familiar? It should, because we’ve been here before. Seven years after Monster Hunter: World stumbled out of the gate with optimization issues, history is repeating itself in the most frustrating way possible. It seems some lessons are harder to learn than others—even for a company that’s been hunting monsters since 2004. Monster Hunter Wilds repeats World’s optimization nightmare The numbers don’t lie—Monster Hunter Wilds is a massive hit, nearly tripling World’s all-time peak player count within hours of release. But peek beneath the surface, and you’ll find a Steam rating hovering around a tepid 50% positive. The culprit? Performance issues that would make even the mightiest hunter throw their controller. Players with top-tier hardware are reporting frame rates that would make a slideshow look smooth. As one Steam reviewer put it succinctly: “Fun game, god awful performance.” Not exactly the kind of “game balance” Capcom was aiming for (we hope). The most baffling part is that many players can’t understand why the game runs so poorly given how it looks. One particularly frustrated hunter noted: The game does not look nearly good enough to warrant this performance. If I can run KCD2 and Cyberpunk on maxed out settings comfortably, there’s no reason this game should be running like this. Embarrassing. I’ve played games on my Deck that look better than this. Capcom‘s response has been predictably underwhelming—a troubleshooting guide suggesting players update their drivers, turn off compatibility mode, and “readjust settings.” Revolutionary advice that absolutely nobody has ever thought of before: Hunters! If you’re experiencing any initial issues with Monster Hunter Wilds on Steam, please try updating your graphics driver, turning off compatibility mode, and then readjust your settings. Thank you all for your patience and support! More details:[Hidden Content] — Monster Hunter Status (@MHStatusUpdates) February 28, 2025 What makes this situation particularly maddening is that Monster Hunter fans have seen this exact same movie seven years ago with Monster Hunter: World. That game eventually received patches that fixed many of its performance woes, but the fact that Capcom has stumbled into the same pit trap twice suggests they weren’t paying attention the first time around. The industry’s growing reliance on post-launch fixes Menacing beasts, ugly frame rates: the Wilds paradox. | Image Credit: Capcom The frustrating reality is that Capcom isn’t alone in this approach. More and more publishers seem comfortable releasing games in technically compromised states, promising fixes down the line while players serve as unpaid QA testers. Bethesda’s Starfield launched with performance issues so severe that when players complained, Todd Howard suggested they simply “upgrade” their systems. STALKER 2 arrived in what many considered a “beta state,” with traversal stutters that persist despite multiple patches. Even the Until Dawn remake shipped with crashes, save corruption, and broken ray tracing features. The RE Engine that powers Monster Hunter Wilds has proven itself capable in more linear games like Resident Evil and ****** May Cry 5, but seems to buckle under the weight of open-world environments. We saw similar issues with Dragon’s Dogma 2 last year—another Capcom title that struggled with performance at launch. It’s particularly frustrating when other developers manage to launch their complex games in highly polished states. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 released with remarkable optimization despite its dense open world. Warhorse Studios proved it can be done—if you’re willing to put in the work before release rather than after. The sad truth? Capcom knows players will stick around. Monster Hunter: World eventually became their best-selling game despite its rocky start. Why invest in proper optimization when you can patch it later and still break sales records? What’s your experience with Monster Hunter Wilds so far? Are you enjoying the hunt despite the technical issues, or are you waiting for patches before diving in? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Source link #Capcom #Nailed #Monster #Hunter #Wilds #Suffers #Worlds #Biggest #Flaw Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Striking new HMAS Perth memorial in East Fremantle officially opened by Governor Chris Dawson Striking new HMAS Perth memorial in East Fremantle officially opened by Governor Chris Dawson More than two-thirds of the 681 aboard who departed Fremantle to fight in WWII never saw home soil again. Those brave souls have now been properly honoured. Source link #Striking #HMAS #Perth #memorial #East #Fremantle #officially #opened #Governor #Chris #Dawson Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]