Pelican Press

Here’s Your Printable Oscar Ballot for the 2025 Academy Awards – Vanity Fair Here’s Your Printable Oscar Ballot for the 2025 Academy Awards – Vanity Fair Here’s Your Printable Oscar Ballot for the 2025 Academy Awards Vanity FairOscars 2025: All 10 Best Picture Nominees, Ranked from Worst to Best IndieWireOscars 2025: Who Will Win, Who Should Win Hollywood Reporter Source link #Heres #Printable #Oscar #Ballot #Academy #Awards #Vanity #Fair Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Minecraft Exploding RC Creeper In Stock And Discounted At Amazon Minecraft Exploding RC Creeper In Stock And Discounted At Amazon Featuring movement that mimics its in-game gait, the Exploding RC Creeper is a fun toy to have around the house. Along with the ability to remotely control the mob, the controller includes a button that activates a variety of lights and sounds. Continue pressing the button, and the Creeper will explode, sending its head flying skyward and launching 10 explosion particles from inside its chest. Beyond a quirky toy that looks and walks like a real Creeper, the Exploding RC Creeper comes with a code for an exclusive in-game item. Source link #Minecraft #Exploding #Creeper #Stock #Discounted #Amazon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PUBG Mobile Global Open’s final Qualifiers kick off this weekend PUBG Mobile Global Open’s final Qualifiers kick off this weekend The PMGO Qualifier Finals are set to take place this weekend This will see 12 teams proceed to the prelims and whittled down to those participating in the finals The PUBG Mobile Global Open is one of the most prestigious esports competitions for this title As we head into the weekend, many of you are probably lining up your personal pastimes with family and friends, or maybe even aiming to dive into your back catalogue of games on your platform of choice. But if you get time, and you’re a fan of some top-notch esports action maybe it’s time to tune into the PUBG Mobile Global Open Qualifier finals, starting this weekend. Well, technically it’s the Open Qualifiers Final. But with the numbers having dwindled from over 90,000 players(!) to 80 teams split across five regions, this part of the qualifiers will see just 12 teams make their way to the prelims and then (hopefully) onto the PUBG Mobile Global Open proper. With the main event set to take place from April 12th to 13th, and the prelims in the two days preceding that, this event is certainly shaping up to be a doozy. PUBG Mobile has increasingly become a major force in esports with the team behind it pushing as far as to bring the mobile battle royale release back for another round at the Esports World Cup. Championship gaming It’s difficult to say just how well esports registers with the average player. After all despite the success of the Overwatch League back in the day there were plenty of players who simply didn’t gel with it, and it slowly receded into the background. Conversely, PUBG Mobile is hugely popular in Asia, and if there’s anywhere to find a dedicated esports audience this is the region for you. And with the upcoming Esports World Cup too, I’m sure that the global open will draw in plenty of dedicated fans. But if you’re not working well with PUBG Mobile, you can still get your shooting fix with our guide of the best shooters for iOS and Android! Source link #PUBG #Mobile #Global #Opens #final #Qualifiers #kick #weekend Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The ‘White House put:’ February’s rough stock market could keep Trump in check The ‘White House put:’ February’s rough stock market could keep Trump in check For decades, investors have counted on the “Fed put” as a means of putting a floor under the stock market. But with the advent of more aggressive fiscal policy, a different kind of “put” could also come into play in case of market weakness. Described as a “White House put” by market strategist Tom Lee and a “Trump put” by Bank of America’s Michael Hartnett, the concept is that President Donald Trump could use fiscal stimulus as a boost should his tariffs threaten economic growth. “In our view, a White House ‘put’ still exists,” Lee, the head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, said in his overnight market note. The “White House wants to avoid Stall Speed in the economy,” he added, “as this raises recession risk, and would require fiscal stimulus … thus, a White House ‘put’ is still in play before [the] economy hits ‘stall speed.'” Recent consumer surveys show the public is getting nervous about the administration’s policies and fears that inflation could reignite. While the inflation concerns aren’t reflected in market-based indicators, moves lower in bond yields are indicating heightened concern about recession risks . First quarter outlook In addition to fiscal measures, Lee also thinks the Federal Reserve could take a dovish turn and indicate a greater inclination toward lowering interest rates to head off an economic slowdown. Data released Friday showing a downturn in consumer spending during January caused the Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow tracker to revise down its first-quarter tracking dramatically to a contraction of 1.5%. “The market is seeing signs that tariffs would further weaken growth and possibly even cause less inflation,” Lee added. “Thus, tariffs might actually force the Fed to become dovish.” Hartnett thinks some intervention from the White House might not take much, with the “1st strike price of [the] Trump put” at 5,783 for the S & P 500, just 1.3% below Thursday’s close. .SPX YTD line S & P 500 year to date That is also where the index stood on Election Day in 2024. “We say this is [the] first strike price of [a] Trump put, below which ‘Stocks Down Under Trump’ headlines begin, below which investors currently long risk would very much expect and need some verbal support for markets from policymakers,” Hartnett said in his weekly “Flow Show” report of where money is going in markets. What form that verbal support would take is unclear. Trump said Thursday that 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico will start Tuesday, the same day that China will be hit with another 10% in charges. The looming tariff prospects have caused uneasiness among investors, with the S & P 500 treading water through a volatile first two months of the year. However, Trump also has signed orders cutting regulations and has promised to reauthorize the 2017 tax cuts he pushed through during his first term in office, both of which would presumably help buoy the economy. Source link #White #House #put #Februarys #rough #stock #market #Trump #check Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Busy stretch of Mass. Turnpike shut down for ‘emergency repairs’ Busy stretch of Mass. Turnpike shut down for ‘emergency repairs’ Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways A busy stretch of the Massachusetts Turnpike is shut down Friday morning as crews conduct “emergency repair operations,” officials said. The two right lanes on the westbound side of the highway at the Interstate 495 interchange near the Hopkinton-Westboro line are closed back to Route 9 in Framingham after a “construction trench settlement formed” in the roadway, according to a MassDOT spokesperson. Aerial video showed multiple workers assessing apparent large cracks in the road and orange traffic drums in place as some cars squeezed by in the far left lane. An excavator was called in by late morning and could be seen digging up the middle lane. A MassDOT traffic camera showed vehicles backed up for miles leading up to the area. “Drivers should expect delays and are encouraged to seek an alternative route,” the MassDOT spokesperson warned. “The duration of the lane closures is currently unknown.” Traffic is being diverted at Exit 111 onto Route 9. Drivers traveling through the affected areas are urged to reduce their speed and use caution. Stay updated with drive times on the Boston 25 Traffic page. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Source link #Busy #stretch #Mass #Turnpike #shut #emergency #repairs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Monster Hunter Wilds: tips and tricks for the perfect hunt Monster Hunter Wilds: tips and tricks for the perfect hunt Table of Contents Table of Contents It’s all in the preparation Call in support Don’t forget your Palico Utilize your Seikret Always work toward your next upgrade Attack with precision Understand your weapons Take advantage of the environment After Monster Hunter World and Rise introduced millions of players to the thrill of hunting massive monsters, Monster Hunter Wilds is poised to be the most popular entry in the long-running franchise yet. Even though Wilds does a lot to smooth over the rough edges of the past, it is still meant to be a long and complex experience, especially for newcomers. This isn’t a game where you can grab your weapon, a couple friends, and rush toward your next target without a plan and expect to come back alive. Seasoned hunters will know some of the basics, but there are plenty of new mechanics and tips to get familiar with in order to reach those high rank hunts. Let’s set up camp and go over the essential tips and tricks for Monster Hunter Wilds before mounting our Seikrets and rushing off. It’s all in the preparation Capcom In Monster Hunter Wilds, your hunt begins before you even take your first step out of your base. You can get by for a little while just rushing your next target, but soon enough you will need to spend a little time in your tent making preparations. The most important part is filling your hunter’s belly with a good meal. Once you unlock the grill, you should be giving yourself the best buffs possible before each hunt. Basic buffs like more HP and stamina are always great, but you can also be more specific and give yourself stronger resistance to whatever damage type your target uses. This is also when you want to customize your radial menu. There are tons of items in Monster Hunter Wilds you will want quick access to, but not all on the same hunts. Much like your buffs, creating different loadouts for your current objective will save you a lot of stress fumbling in the menus. Sometimes you may want traps and bombs easily accessible, while others call for curative items. You can make and name a ton of loadouts, so spend some time setting a few up to save time later. Finally, make sure you never run out of those essential items like poitions. On your way to hunts, always use your grapple to snag every resource and material you can spot. The game will automatically craft and refil your items for you when you rest to make sure you’re always stocked up. Call in support Capcom Your Palico does its best to aid you in battle, but this is a game that demands cooperation. Thanks to full cross-platform support, you have no excuse not to join up with other hunters as often as possible. You can ask for help upon selecting a quest, or while it is in progress by shooting up an SOS flair. Even if you despise the idea of bringing in other players to your game, you can still call in NPC Support Hunters. They won’t be as effective as a team using diverse weapons and coordinating, but it can at least get you through the story. Don’t forget your Palico Capcom Speaking of your feline friend, don’t forget to purchase new weapons and armor for them as well. You might not see how much of an impact they have in a fight, but they’re in there doing their best so give them the best shot they can with new gear. If nothing else, new armor and weapons look adorable on them. Utilize your Seikret Capcom The Seikret is your new mount in Monster Hunter Wilds and is way more than just a quick way to cross the map. You will get in the habit of using it to auto-run towards your next objective right away, allowing you to focus on grabbing materials on the trip, but that is just scratching the surface of its uses. During a fight, don’t be afraid to treat your Seikret as an assist. You can fight directly from its back to increase your mobility, plus take advantage of a unique dismount attack. This is especially useful when a monster is attempting to run, allowing you to get easy hits in while it flees. For the first time, you can also bring in a second primary weapon to your hunts, but have to mount up to swap them. There’s no need to fully commit to just one weapon anymore, so experiment and keep things fresh by swapping out on the fly. Most of all, never manage your equipment on foot. If you need to heal and sharpen your blade, get on your Seikret first so you’re not a sitting duck while chugging a potion or working your whetstone. Always work toward your next upgrade Capcom There are no levels or XP in Monster Hunter Wilds. You can only earn money, Hunter Ranks, and materials. If you want to get stronger, you need to focus on getting better gear. Once you know which weapons you like best, either pick an upgrade path from the forge or follow Gemma’s recommendations. You can’t go wrong so long as you’re making or improving your gear. To make this process as easy as possible, put whatever your next armor or weapon goals are on your wishlist. This will mark the monsters you need to hunt to get the required materials on the map and any quest focusing on them so you can easily get what you need. We suggest upgrading armor and weapons each time a new monster is introduced before moving forward while in low rank. Attack with precision A core aspect of Monster Hunter has always been breaking and cutting off monster parts. Just killing a monster won’t get you everything it has the chance of dropping, but there’s no chance of getting certain materials without deliberately focusing on severing a specific body part. Holding R2 on a controller will let you manually aim your strikes to hit exactly where you want. It also is how you can create and destroy wounds to knock the monster down and deal a ton of damage. Besides that, aiming is the best way to make sure your attacks don’t whiff. Once you start a combo without aiming, you can’t correct your direction if the monster moves, leading to a lot of misses. Understand your weapons Capcom With 14 weapons to pick from, each having its own unique mechanic, you could spend hours just figuring out which weapon you like most. There’s too much to go over here, so check out our weapons guide for more detail on each weapon, but our basic tip is to choose the two weapons you think are coolest first and play with them in the training area. Get a feel for their basic combos and what special properties they have. Once you have a pair you understand, take them out on some hunts. Never be afraid to change your mind on what weapons you want to main. It is trivial to get early materials for new ones while in low rank, so don’t feel locked into any choice. However, you should nail down a focus at least by the end of the story mode. Take advantage of the environment Capcom The environment is just as much a tool as any item or weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds. Even a simple change in elevation can let you pull off jump attacks, but the further you get, the more dynamic options start to appear. Things like causing boulders to fall, dams to break and flood areas, or even grappling points to swing around an arena like Spider-Man will appear more frequently. These can cause massive damage, but don’t rush to trigger them instantly. Like traps, you need to lure the monster into position to make sure they hit them and not you. Source link #Monster #Hunter #Wilds #tips #tricks #perfect #hunt Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Measles outbreak: how contagious is it and what are the symptoms? – The Guardian Measles outbreak: how contagious is it and what are the symptoms? – The Guardian Measles outbreak: how contagious is it and what are the symptoms? The GuardianTexas leaders quiet amid the biggest measles outbreak in decades The Texas TribuneMeasles cases approach 150 in ongoing West Texas outbreak CNNTexas measles cases rises to 146 in an outbreak that led to a child’s death The Seattle Times Source link #Measles #outbreak #contagious #symptoms #Guardian Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Best graphics cards you can actually buy right now Best graphics cards you can actually buy right now Table of Contents Table of Contents AMD RX 7800XT Nvidia RTX 4060 AMD RX 7700 XT AMD RX 7600 But you should probably wait… If you’ve taken even a cursory glance at the graphics card market lately, you’ve probably put your head your hands in despair. It’s rough out there right now, with Nvidia’s new RTX 50-series cards impossible to find and outrageously overpriced on second hand markets, and it’s last-generation RTX 40-series all but sold out and no-longer in production. AMD’s best alternatives are likewise absent while we await the impending launch of the RX 9070 and 9070 XT — and we have everything crossed they’ll be available in good quantities. But if your PC just died or you don’t want to be an early adopter of a new GPU that could melt your power connectors, what are you supposed to do? While second-hand cards are always an option, it’s a tricky one to recommend since you never know what those cards were used for, or even if you’re actually buying a box trying to lure in scalper bots. There are some good-ish GPU deals out there though. Here are some of the best we could find. Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming Note: Most of the cards we’re recommending here are only available in small quantities at suggested pricing, so apologies in advance if they’re gone by the time you get to them. AMD RX 7800XT Jacob ****** / Digital Trends This last-generation card was one of our favorite 1080p or 1440p gaming graphics cards when it debuted in September 2023, and though it’s getting a little long in the tooth, its specs aren’t bad, and its availability and pricing is strong enough that we don’t feel too terrible recommending it. With 16GB of VRAM, too, it’s relatively futureproofed where a lot of its contemporaries will feel outdated in 2025. We found a few examples of this at just north of $500. That’s more than it launched at, but considering the overpriced nature of many of the alternatives, this is what passes for value this year. If you buy it through a major retailer, too, you can use the included code to get a free copy of Monster Hunter: Wilds. That’s worth $70 in its own right. Nvidia RTX 4060 Jacob ****** / Digital Trends I know, it’s an 8GB VRAM graphics card and I hate to recommend that in 2025… but it’s $300. Really, at this price we should be recommending the much-newer and equally capable Intel B580, but that card is so good and such good value, that it’s now priced north of $400 at most retailers. That’s incredibly frustrating, so there’s this instead. While the limited VRAM isn’t great, $300 is about as affordable as graphics cards get at the moment, and you get support for DLSS 4 and frame generation, which does open up the potential for high FPS in some supporting games. AMD RX 7700 XT Jacob ****** / Digital Trends The RX 7700 XT has been on our recommended GPU list for months now. While it didn’t blow us away in our initial review, it’s solidified itself as a great value pick around $400, and amazingly that’s held strong during this recent pricing calamity. Its performance is somewhere around the 3070 Ti mark, making it a little faster than the 4060 Ti, and a little slower than the 4070 (non-super), so an excellent choice for 1080p or 1440p gaming. It has 12GB of VRAM, which isn’t astronomical by modern standards, but it’s well ahead of anything else you’ll find at this price. AMD RX 7600 Jacob ****** / Digital Trends This might be approaching the bottom of the barrel, but the 7600 is a capable enough GPU that it’ll see you right for 1080p esports and casual gaming. Its 8GB of VRAM is a little archaic in 2025, but then this card is much cheaper than the 4060, and that’s all that card sports. At just north of $250, the 7600 is about the best you can buy at this low price point. It’s not great, but it’ll get you gaming and with no sign of ultra budget graphics cards coming from AMD or Nvidia in the near future, you might even be able to resell it in a few months and recoup most of your original purchase. But you should probably wait… All of the above recommendations aside, if you can hold off just one more week, it’ll probably be worth it. AMD’s RX 9070 and 9070 XT graphics cards are hitting store shelves on March 6 and AMD is promising “wide availability.” We can’t confirm for sure how well these cards will perform until the embargo drops, and availability may still not be enough to overwhelm scalpers and early gamer demand. But we do know more GPUs are coming, and if they can help fill the GPU-sized hole in the market, that might just help bring prices down to some semblance of normality. If you can’t wait, though, the above options are great picks if you are strict with your budget. Do not overpay for them. Source link #graphics #cards #buy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Super7 Expands Its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ultimate Line With Iconic Foes And Allies Super7 Expands Its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ultimate Line With Iconic Foes And Allies Super7 has announced a new wave of action figures for its Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collection, as it’ll be adding several familiar allies and villains to the line. Last year, Super7 brought the 2003 TMNT animated series to plastic life with figures of the four turtle-brothers, and this year, fans can pick up Casey Jones, Master Splinter, the Shredder, and a Foot Clan ninja. Each figure is priced at $55 and comes with several accessories, but Super 7 will also be offering them as a bundle that comes with exclusive extras. Splinter, Casey Jones, a Foot Clan Ninja, and the Shredder are here. Gallery Kicking things off is Casey Jones, New York’s favorite sports-themed vigilante. Like his cartoon counterpart, Jones comes with sports gear like baseball bats, a hockey stick, and a golf club, as well as an unmasked headsculpt and one featuring his signature hockey mask. The figure has quite a bit of articulation, so if you want to strike a “Goongala” pose, you can do so easily. The Splinter figure also looks great, as it’s the spitting image of the TMNT sensei. This collectible comes with a minifigure of Splinter back when he was a hyper-intelligent rat who had not yet been exposed to the mutagenic ooze, as well as the Turtles in their infant form, several extra hands, a walking stick, and a spare head that features Splinter in a meditative pose. On the villainous side, the Foot Ninja figure is ready for a fight. This one comes equipped with throwing stars, swords, and a bo staff, as well as three headsculpts and extra hands. You’re probably going to want a small army of them, to create that ultimate TMNT diorama. Finally, no collection would be complete without the Shredder. This is a pretty imposing figure that stands seven inches tall, and as you’d expect, his armor is loaded to the max with blades. Additionally, you’re getting his signature sword, spare hands, and an Oroku Saki headsculpt, with the real treat here being a detailed figure of the fugitive Utrom Ch’Rell. The 2003 TMNT cartoon introduced a neat twist to the idea of Shredder, as the first on-screen incarnation of the Foot Clan leader was actually a robot shell inhabited by Ch’Rell, who in turn had been inspired to create him based on the legend of a demonic Shredder. For the bundle deal, you can expect the following exclusive parts inside of it: Yelling Ch’Rell, Alternate Casey Jones headsculpt A gauntlet Glow-in-the-dark Sword of Tengu The 2003 TMNT figures are still available to preorder. In case you missed it, you can still pick up a preorder for the first wave of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle figures that were revealed last year. While the bundle pack with bonus heads isn’t available, each Turtle is available individually through Entertainment Earth. Source link #Super7 #Expands #Teenage #Mutant #Ninja #Turtles #Ultimate #Line #Iconic #Foes #Allies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Tour de France: Great Britain set to host Grand Depart of men’s race in 2027 Tour de France: Great Britain set to host Grand Depart of men’s race in 2027 The Grand Depart of the men’s Tour de France is set to return to Great Britain in 2027, BBC Sport has learned. Britain last hosted the start of the world’s most famous cycling race in Yorkshire in 2014, when it began in Leeds, followed by stages finishing in Sheffield and London. GB’s first Grand Depart took place in London in 2007. Details of the route are still being finalised, and advanced talks between British sports authorities and race organisers continue. But according to well-placed sources, an official announcement could come as early as next month. Funding body *** Sport identified the 2027 Tour as one which could begin in Britain in a list of international event hosting targets last year, and has been in negotiations with race organisers ASO, with British Cycling fully supportive of the plan. In a statement, *** Sport said, “We have made no secret of our ambition to host the Tour de France Grand Depart in Britain – to inspire more people to enjoy cycling and bring lasting benefits to communities. “However, we respect this is a matter for the ASO and we remain committed to working hard to develop opportunities that can bring the joy of cycling to everyone.” According to an official report, crowds at the roadside for the three English stages in 2014 totalled 4.8 million, with 3.5m individual spectators. That helped generate an estimated £128m in total revenue, with £102m in Yorkshire alone. Last year’s Grand Depart took place in Florence, Italy, with the 2026 race due to start in Spain in Barcelona. Source link #Tour #France #Great #Britain #set #host #Grand #Depart #mens #race Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Call of Duty 2025 In Development For Last Gen Consoles Call of Duty 2025 In Development For Last Gen Consoles · · February 28, 2025 If you’re a Call of Duty fan who has yet to upgrade to a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S, it looks like you’ll be able to still keep your old system for at least another year. According to a new report, Call of Duty 2025 is in development for last gen PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The claim was first reported by CharlieIntel on Thursday night. Insider Gaming sources have since been able to corroborate the report that the game is in development for those platforms. Whether it actually releases on them is something that sources couldn’t confirm just yet. PODCAST: Wonder Woman Canceled And Is It The Games Media’s Fault? In addition to the plans for the game to remain on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, CharlieIntel speculates that the 13-year-old systems might be a reason why Warzone doesn’t have “two big maps at the same time”. As far as why the game could continue on last-gen consoles, it likely has to do with the popularity on those platforms. Still, it has fans on social media split about the decision. “Studios having to support 12 year old hardware is bad for the industry and holds back the full potential for games,” one user said. “It’s time to move on.” Said another: “Crazy but not surprising. Still a ton of ppl on there, and the game scales to low end hardware, [and the] game engine can even play on phones now as we saw with warzone mobile.” What do you think of Call of Duty 2025 likely staying on last gen? Let us know down below, and join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming Forums. For more Insider Gaming, check out our exclusive interview with a developer for Call of Duty’s SBMM system. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Call #Duty #Development #Gen #Consoles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Concern over sniffer dogs near first pill testing site Concern over sniffer dogs near first pill testing site Police will keep a highly visible presence including sniffer dogs around the site of a long-awaited pill testing pilot but say safety is the top priority. The two-day Yours and Owls music festival in Wollongong – headlined by US rapper Denzel Curry and *** band The Kooks – will host a drug checking site over the weekend, offering the harm reduction measure to thousands of festival-goers in NSW for the first time. It’s the first of 12 festivals to have the service as part of a year-long government-run pilot. But the continued use of sniffer dogs despite known effects on risk-taking has raised concern. Victoria Police in December said it would not have drug detection dogs at the state’s first music festival to trial pill testing. “There is a genuine risk to people’s safety at music festivals when there is high-visibility policing, including drug dogs,” Greens MP Cate Faehrmann told AAP. “If people are going to take drugs, we want them to do so as safely as possible and that is not what a highly visible police presence leads to.” Alexandra Ross-King died at a music festival in 2019 after consuming three MDMA capsules and multiple alcoholic drinks. A friend told her inquest the 19-year-old took two capsules at the festival gates when she became nervous she’d be caught by sniffer dogs. Police plan to use local police, sniffer dogs and other commands at the festival. Safety of festival goers was the top priority, Detective Acting Superintendent Glen Broadhead said. “Police will be targeting antisocial behaviour and alcohol-fuelled violence and any behaviour that puts yourself or others at risk will not be tolerated,” he said. “Prohibited drugs are ******** and potentially life-threatening, especially when combined with alcohol. We urge anyone who feels unwell or needs medical assistance to attend one of the medical tents on-site.” Once inside the drug checking service – attached to the festival’s medical tent – users will be presented with health and safety issues with illicit drugs from non-government peer workers. Amnesty bins will also be present. Up to six patrons at a time can have their drugs checked, with analysis taking about 10 minutes followed by further discussion. “Depending on what has been found, they can be educated further on the risks or be alerted to ‘this is actually a dangerous substance’,” festival co-founder Ben Tillman told ABC Radio Sydney. Some results may led to broader warnings to attendees or feed into intelligence for peer workers and medical staff on the ground, the state’s chief health officer said. Health, police and liquor regulators are overseeing the implementation of the $1 million trial. Drug checking is available in at least 28 countries, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Queensland’s new conservative government this week reiterated plans to shut down community drug checking services in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Source link #Concern #sniffer #dogs #pill #testing #site Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Monster Hunter Wilds is Capcom’s most sucessful PC launch ever Monster Hunter Wilds is Capcom’s most sucessful PC launch ever Monster Hunter Wilds hasn’t even been available for a full 24 hours, and it has already reached the number-six spot for the most-played games of all time on Steam. It has also firmly secured its position as Capcom’s most successful PC launch by more than 500,000 players, and that number just keeps growing. Right now, as of roughly 9:40 AM ET, the game currently has more than 1.3 million concurrent players. That’s a lot of players at one time — more than Elden Ring or Baldur’s Gate 3 ever achieved. It’s also an astronomical increase from Monster Hunter World, which peaked at just over 330,000 players. Wilds is a runaway success, especially when you consider that neither PlayStation nor Xbox players are included in this count. However, the number of players and its obvious popularity stands in stark contrast to its review score. With a Mixed score and only 47% positive reviews, Monster Hunter Wilds is criticized for its poor PC optimization. Even the positive reviews poke fun at how badly it runs, with one reviewer saying it was immersive because the heat from your GPU makes you feel like you’re actually in the desert. Capcom Another joked that the game was “a solid 10…frames per second.” Fans suggest everything from using a DLSS swapper to simply waiting for a more stable release. That isn’t to say the game is unplayable; many PC gamers still enjoy Monster Hunter Wilds, but warn that it takes a disproportionately powerful PC to achieve a decent experience. Please enable Javascript to view this content Besides, it can’t be all that bad when so many hunters are online in search of their next prey. Capcop’s lackluster optimization can hopefully be repaired with a patch or two, and doing so could make the game playable on lower-end hardware. Until a fix comes in, brush up on how to most efficiently bring down your prey — since it seemed Capcom might have brushed up on how to bring down GPUs. Source link #Monster #Hunter #Wilds #Capcoms #sucessful #launch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas on Face the Nation | Full Interview European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas on Face the Nation | Full Interview European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas on Face the Nation | Full Interview – CBS News Watch CBS News Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, sat down with “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan to discuss the Trump administration’s approach to the war in Ukraine and the strained relationship with the European Union. HRVP Kallas was one of the European leaders who traveled to Washington, D.C. this week to hold meetings with leaders about why the U.S. should pledge stronger support for Ukraine against Russia. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #European #Unions #top #diplomat #Kaja #Kallas #Face #Nation #Full #Interview Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Firefighters tackle large toxic train fire Firefighters tackle large toxic train fire Watch: Czech Republic train fire seen in drone footage A freight train carrying the highly toxic chemical benzene has derailed in the Czech Republic, sparking a huge fire. Several tankers and a locomotive were ablaze, with firefighters from several regions and a mobile chemical laboratory deployed to the area, according to local media. A massive cloud of dense ****** smoke was visible for several kilometres. Railway officials say nobody was injured in the incident, which occurred near Hustopeče nad Bečvou, 50km (31 miles) south-west of the Polish border, on Friday. Benzene, which is a *******-causing substance for humans, is an element present in aircraft fuel. The train “split apart” and subsequently derailed, according to initial reports. A nearby electric substation also caught fire, killing power to the nearby town of Hustopeče. Flames up to 20m high were visible when the fire broke out, one eyewitness told the Lidove Noviny newspaper. Dramatic drone footage from the scene, released by the Czech fire service, shows several badly charred and destroyed tankers – some still burning as thick ****** smoke spews into the sky. Firefighters used heavy foam to prevent the fire from spreading further, while other tankers were hosed down to prevent more explosions. A helicopter was also deployed, as well as a special chemical monitoring mobile lab. It took several hours to bring the fire under control, officials said. The fire affected around 15 of the 17 benzene tanks the train had been transporting, a fire department spokesperson told local media. “The substance should be the same in all tankers, the amount will be specified, but it is approximately 60 tonnes in one tanker. However, this does not mean that everything will burn out or leak,” Lucie Balážová said. Hasiči OlomoucHasiči Olomouc A massive cloud of dense ****** smoke was visible for several kilometres Flames up to 20m high were visible when the fire broke out, an eyewitness said Locals have been told to stay indoors and not open windows or doors. Officials say air quality “has not yet exceeded” any pollution limits, according to Czech news website iDNES. Police say they will investigate the cause of the derailment. Benzene is a colourless or light-yellow liquid with a sweet smell that can evaporate very quickly. It is used in common substances like plastic, resin, nylon and some forms of dyes, pesticides or detergents. It is very flammable. Exposure to benzene through breathing or ingestion can cause symptoms like drowsiness, dizziness, tremors, vomiting or sleeplessness. Very high levels of exposure can lead to unconsciousness or death, according to the CDC. Long-term exposure of a year or more could cause issues with blood, bone marrow or the immune system. Source link #Firefighters #tackle #large #toxic #train #fire Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

3 Xbox Game Pass games to play this weekend (February 28-March 2) 3 Xbox Game Pass games to play this weekend (February 28-March 2) Table of Contents Table of Contents Pillars of Eternity It Takes Two Yakuza 0 February was a big month for Xbox fans. Game Pass subscribers got one of the year’s first major RPGs with Avowed, plus Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii and Monster Hunter Wilds arriving in the last seven days of the month. That’s a lot of games, and March is not slowing down with the amount of upcoming Xbox Series X games to look forward to. If you’re not still digging deep into one of these big titles but want something that scratches the same itch or could be the perfect lead-in to some upcoming video games in March, check out these Game Pass games this weekend. Pillars of Eternity Pillars of Eternity Release Trailer Avowed isn’t the longest RPG but does a great job showcasing a slice of this fantasy world. There was no requirement to play either of the Pillars of Eternity games to understand the plot of that game, but if you want to get a broader vision of the world and lore then now is the perfect time to check out the first game in the series. Now, Pillars of Eternity is an isometric RPG in the style of Baldur’s Gate and not a third-person RPG, so if that style of game doesn’t suit you then this might not be the best option. However, if you loved the role-playing aspects of Avowed then this game will blow you away with the depth of its choices and options and is one of the best examples of a modern isometric RPG. Pillars of Eternity is available now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. It Takes Two It Takes Two – Official “We’re Better Together” Trailer The next game from Hazelight Studios, Split Fiction, is due out on March 6 so now is the perfect time to check out the studio’s last game. It Takes Two isn’t just one of the best co-op games on Xbox Series X, but also a game of the year winner. This game requires you to play with a partner, so keep that in mind when planning to give this game a shot, but is absolutely worth the trouble of coordinating a play session. The amount of teamwork and variety of mechanics on display is top-notch. The story might not always hit, but it is one of the few games that fully commits to its goal of making each player feel important and involved in solving every platforming and combat encounter. It Takes Two is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC. Yakuza 0 Yakuza 0 | Launch Trailer Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is the first solo-outing for Goro Majima despite being in nearly every game in the series for the past 20 years. Because he started that game suffering from amnesia, it was a fine place for players to start. If that describes you and you are curious about where to go next with these games, Yakuza 0 is the clear answer. This is the first game in the series’ timeline for one, but also splits the story between Majima and the previous star Kiru. The combat here is also most similar to Pirate Yakuza, and not turn-based like the last two Like a Dragon games. Yakuza 0 is available now on PS3, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Source link #Xbox #Game #Pass #games #play #weekend #February #28March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

FDA allowed to help WHO update flu shots, despite Trump ban FDA allowed to help WHO update flu shots, despite Trump ban The Food and Drug Administration was allowed to participate in the World Health Organization’s meeting this week on updating influenza shots, officials for the U.N. agency said, despite an order by President Trump last month banning government employees from working with the WHO. The administration has granted some exemptions to the order. “FDA, the same as CDC, participated in the vaccine composition consultation that just finished. They contributed again with the data package. So they participated as in the past,” Dr. Wenqing Zhang, head of the WHO’s global influenza program, told reporters on Friday. A source familiar with the exemption told CBS News that the FDA is able to work with the WHO on “public health outbreak and emergency response.” The Trump administration has granted some waivers for U.S. officials to collaborate on other diseases, like allowing the CDC to work with the WHO on an Ebola outbreak in Uganda. Zhang’s comments about the FDA’s participation followed the release of this year’s WHO recommendations for how the annual flu shot should be updated for the next flu season in the Northern Hemisphere. Experts and officials gather from around the world every February to come up with the updates. As part of that process, the FDA runs one of four WHO “essential regulatory laboratories” developing tests for the potency of influenza shots. One major change recommended by the WHO for the next flu season is an update to an ingredient that guards against strains of the virus called H3. Data from the U.S. suggests this season’s vaccines were less effective for some kids in protecting against an H3 strain. “The H3 component always gives us the most grief. It’s constantly changing and evolving quicker than the other viruses,” said Ian Barr of the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Australia, part of the WHO’s network of influenza researchers and testing laboratories. WHO officials also said the U.S. had resumed sharing data within the global influenza system, making it available in time for the process of updating flu shots. Some of the sharing was done by publishing data to publicly available data platforms, instead of to WHO servers, as was standard in the past. Alexander Tin Alexander Tin is a digital reporter for CBS News based in the Washington, D.C. bureau. He covers federal public health agencies. Source link #FDA #allowed #update #flu #shots #Trump #ban Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Champions Trophy: Australia into semi-finals as match against Afghanistan abandoned following rain Champions Trophy: Australia into semi-finals as match against Afghanistan abandoned following rain Australia qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy at the expense of Afghanistan as their match in Lahore was abandoned following heavy rain. Sediqullah Atal’s composed 85 helped Afghanistan post a competitive, if not especially threatening, total of 273 on another batter-friendly surface at the Gaddafi Stadium. His 95-ball innings included three sixes and six fours, while Azmatullah Omarzai contributed a brisk 67 off 63 ******, hammering five sixes. Ben Dwarshuis finished as the pick of Australia’s bowlers with 3-47, while fellow left-arm seamer Spencer Johnson and leg-spinner Adam Zampa picked up two wickets each. Perhaps with an eye on the weather forecast, and any possible revised total under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, Australia began the chase with real intent. Opener Travis Head rode his luck and punished Rashid Khan’s drop off Fazalhaq Farooqi at the start of the fourth over, when he was on six, by whipping the Afghanistan quick over the ropes for a maximum the next ball. Head raced to 59 in 40 ****** and, with 165 runs needed from 37.1 overs, he and Steve Smith looked well set for Australia before a heavy downpour left pools of water on the outfield and conditions unplayable. The result means Australia have four points and will go through as winners of Group B if England beat South Africa in Karachi on Saturday. Afghanistan can mathematically still reach the semi-finals but it would require a huge victory by England to enable them to overhaul the Proteas’ net run rate. Should South Africa triumph – or if their game is washed out – they will progress as group winners and Australia will go through as runners-up. Both semi-finals and the final have reserve days should they be affected by weather. Source link #Champions #Trophy #Australia #semifinals #match #Afghanistan #abandoned #rain Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Second “what did you do last week” email expected to go to some federal workers Second “what did you do last week” email expected to go to some federal workers Washington — Some federal workers are expected to receive another email Saturday asking them to provide five bullet points of what they accomplished in the past week, sources familiar with the directive confirmed to CBS News. This time, the email is expected to come from individual federal agencies, not the Office of Personnel Management, as was the case with the email circulated to the federal workforce last week. That government-wide directive caused confusion as to whether a response was required — and the possible ramifications of not answering. With this round of emails, OPM advised agencies to send the messages themselves, and each department has the discretion to decide to whether to do so, sources told CBS News. The emails are part of a strategy to have agencies account for their employees’ work each week and report it back to the government’s human resources agency, though no decision has been made about whether the messages will go out weekly, the sources said. In addition to the individual agencies deciding whether to send the emails, each will decide how long their workforces have to respond and the consequences of not replying, CBS News has learned. Since returning to the White House, President Trump has made reducing the size of the federal government a key part of his second-term agenda. He tasked Elon Musk to lead the cost-cutting effort through the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency, though the billionaire is not the administrator of the task force. The White House confirmed earlier this week that Amy Gleason, who worked at the U.S. Digital Service, the precursor to DOGE, is its acting administrator. But Musk and his team have roiled the federal government with their initiative; as thousands of probationary federal workers were fired, DOGE employees have sought access to departments’ data systems housing sensitive information and work at some independent agencies has ground to a halt. Their actions have sparked numerous lawsuits, and on Thursday, a federal judge in California found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful. The initial round of emails sent to the federal workforce last Saturday came from OPM with the subject line “What did you do last week?” It directed recipients to reply with five examples of what they accomplished in the prior week and include their bosses in the response. Government employees had until 11:59 p.m. Monday to answer and were told not to “send any classified information, links, or attachments.” Musk had initially warned on social media that a failure to respond “will be taken as a resignation,” but several agencies, including the FBI and Departments of State, Homeland Security and Defense, told their employees to ignore the request. OPM then told human resources officials from departments Monday that it was up to each agency to decide how they would handle the emails to their workers. But a memo also sent Monday to agency leaders that sought to provide guidance on the government-wide “what did you do last week” email said responses should be directed to department leadership, with a copy going to OPM. It said “agencies should review responses and evaluate nonresponses.” The memo did not mention the directions given by department heads that instructed their workforce not to reply. Roughly 1 million federal workers responded to the first “what did you do last week” email. Mr. Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Wednesday that those who didn’t reply “are on the bubble” and said his administration wasn’t “thrilled” about the non-responses. “Maybe they’re going to be gone, maybe they’re not around, maybe they have other jobs,” the president said. Source link #week #email #expected #federal #workers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Swans anxious over scans on Gulden's ankle injury Swans anxious over scans on Gulden's ankle injury Errol Gulden is the latest AFL star to be injured in the pre-season, with Sydney awaiting scan results after the star midfielder hurt his ankle. Source link #Swans #anxious #scans #Gulden039s #ankle #injury Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Jim Cramer Says Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) Stock Is ‘Getting Clobbered Because It Just Had A Parabolic Move’ Jim Cramer Says Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) Stock Is ‘Getting Clobbered Because It Just Had A Parabolic Move’ We recently published an article titled Jim Cramer Thoughts on 8 Stocks As He Discussed Market Froth. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) stands against the other stocks. Jim Cramer, the host of Mad Money, discussed how “froth” is currently affecting the market, explaining that trend-driven stocks need to experience a decline before more stable stocks can begin to recover. “The fad stocks, they need to go down before non-fad stocks can triumph. That’s what’s happening. It’s just a fact of life in this business.” READ ALSO: Jim Cramer Commented on 12 Stocks Linked to Data Centers and Jim Cramer Commented on 12 Stocks Linked to Data Centers After a rough week marked by a significant downturn in trendy stocks, Cramer pointed out that it is a rare positive sign in an otherwise negative environment that the trend seems to be running its course. Cramer reflected on the market’s performance, mentioning that the Dow managed to inch up by 33 points, while the S&P 500 fell by 0.5%. However, the Nasdaq dropped by 1.21%, turning negative for the year. He also stressed that the decline primarily occurred toward the end of the trading day, which he found unusual and concerning, though he was not sure about the specific cause of the abrupt drop. “It was pronounced, it was ******,” Cramer remarked, highlighting the sharpness of the downturn. “Now, nobody wants anybody to lose money, including me, but there’s a thing called froth, and we gotta talk about it as froth is the enemy of prudence. Smart investing requires a degree of prudence, something that’s highly incompatible with froth.” He explained that smart investment strategies require a certain degree of caution, which frothy market conditions cannot support. He pointed out that for a *******, the market had been filled with froth but lacked prudence, especially evident during the turbulent trading seen late last week. However, Cramer noted that as the froth subsides, investors are turning to assets with more durability and longevity. He specifically mentioned that drug stocks have been performing well recently. “So here’s the bottom line: Once these frothy momentum stocks come in enough, then we will finally be in a much more straightforward world, a world where what tends to rally is not the sizzle, but the steak.” For this article, we compiled a list of 8 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episode of Mad Money aired on February 24. We listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them. We also provided hedge fund sentiment for each stock as of the fourth quarter of 2024, which was taken from Insider Monkey’s database of over 1,000 hedge funds. Story Continues Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here). Palantir Technologies (PLTR): Jim Cramer Says “Wall Street Gave Up” on This Red-Hot AI Stock A software engineer manipulating a vast network of code on virtual monitors. Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 64 Cramer noted that Palantir Technologies Inc.’s (NASDAQ:PLTR) CEO, Alex Karp, is skilled at creating excitement around the company with his media presence. Cramer highlighted Karp’s tendency to downplay issues, like the slowdown in Europe, by blaming it on external factors. He also mentioned Karp’s high-profile book tour, joking that he hopes Karp, like Elon Musk, can balance business with his promotional activities. He then added: “But Palantir’s stock is getting clobbered because it just had a parabolic move and right now this data analytics company needs a huge noisy client win. Karp needs fellow promoter, Elon Musk to hire Palantir to reform the Pentagon. This stock rallied to $125 at its highest last week. It’s now at $90 and change. Is this an all the king’s horses stock? No, not at all. It’s just that something needs to happen good at Palantir, some big contracts, some big win, not just a book tour. Anything that can reset the narrative because the potty mouth, CEO is saying that, that he’s all about lethality and ontology… I’m sure that if you hire Palantir, it’s like hiring the Spartans and your company’s opponents are gonna dine in hell. Very compelling stuff but it doesn’t tell you much about the earnings power, which is what I care about.” Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) creates software platforms specializing in complex data integration and decision-making, catering to both government and intelligence sectors as well as commercial clients. The company offers a range of products, including Gotham, Foundry, Apollo, and its advanced Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), all aimed at assisting organizations in managing and interpreting large volumes of data. Overall PLTR ranks 6th on our list of the stocks Jim Cramer recently discussed. While we acknowledge the potential of PLTR as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than PLTR but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Source link #Jim #Cramer #Palantir #Technologies #PLTR #Stock #Clobbered #Parabolic #Move Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Texas measles cases rises to 146 in an outbreak that led to a child’s death – The Seattle Times Texas measles cases rises to 146 in an outbreak that led to a child’s death – The Seattle Times Texas measles cases rises to 146 in an outbreak that led to a child’s death The Seattle TimesTexas leaders quiet amid the biggest measles outbreak in decades The Texas TribuneOpinion | Who needs another measles vaccine dose? Answering your questions. The Washington PostWhat parents need to know about protecting their kids from measles The Dallas Morning News Source link #Texas #measles #cases #rises #outbreak #led #childs #death #Seattle #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A stretch of a North Carolina highway that collapsed during Helene is about to reopen A stretch of a North Carolina highway that collapsed during Helene is about to reopen WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A stretch of Interstate 40 through the western North Carolina mountains is reopening to traffic this weekend, months after Hurricane Helene’s historic flooding collapsed portions of the road, partially restoring the major travel connection with eastern Tennessee. The state Department of Transportation said the 20-mile (32-kilometer) section on the North Carolina side of the border will officially reopen on Saturday. Flooding in the Pigeon River gorge in Haywood County washed away over 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) of I-40’s eastbound lanes in late September. Although usually a four-lane road, large portions of the section will operate for now with just one narrowed lane in each direction, with a 35 mph (56 kph) speed limit, according to the state Transportation Department. A concrete curb separates traffic, and periodic breaks provide access to emergency vehicles. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. Gov. Josh Stein announced Feb. 10 that I-40 traffic would reopen by March 1. “This opening improves the flow of people, goods and services between our two states and between locations far beyond Haywood County,” regional DOT engineer Wanda Payne said in a news release this week. The release said that travelers on the stretch of I-40 should expect delays, especially on holiday weekends and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and suggested they still consider alternate interstate routes. While I-40 across the Tennessee line reopened months ago to traffic almost to the North Carolina border, one-lane-only sections also will extend into Tennessee to complete the connection, North Carolina DOT said. North Carolina government had hoped to restore traffic on I-40 in early January, but that got delayed when more asphalt from eastbound lanes fell in mid-December. Contractors worked to stabilize what’s left of the road by driving long steel rods into bedrock below the road, filling them with grout and spraying concrete on the cliff face to hold them in place. North Carolina government has already entered a contract for the road’s permanent reconstruction. Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins told state lawmakers this week it would be late 2026 before the section can resume fully to four lanes, provided that stone can be quarried from the adjoining Pisgah National Forest. Otherwise, he said, it could take two to three additional years longer, because trucks will have to ship stone in from Tennessee. Source link #stretch #North #Carolina #highway #collapsed #Helene #reopen Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Finally, we have some GPU competition – AMD announces the Radeon RX 9070 XT March 6 launch date, starting at $599 alongside the RX 9070 at $549 Finally, we have some GPU competition – AMD announces the Radeon RX 9070 XT March 6 launch date, starting at $599 alongside the RX 9070 at $549 The wait for AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 series is over, as it fully reveals the Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 The Radeon RX 9070 XT will start at $599 and the RX 9070 will launch at $549 Both GPUs will be available on March 6, with the RX 9060 series unveiling set for a later date Finally, after months of waiting for AMD’s full reveal of the Radeon RX 9000 series GPU lineup, we’ve now got a proper look at the next-gen cards via Team Red’s performance showcase and pricing for the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 – spoiler alert: fans may be in for an affordable treat. AMD announced that the Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 will launch on March 6, starting at $599 / around £570 / around AU$960 and $549 / around £520 / around AU$880, respectively. Both GPUs will come with 16GB of VRAM using PCIe 5.0 connectivity (the same as Nvidia’s Blackwell GPUs). There will be no reference cards direct from AMD, only partner cards that will utilize Team Red’s new RDNA 4 architecture, which was built to provide much better ray tracing and raw performance in games. As previously suggested, AMD claims the Radeon RX 9070 XT variant will be 42% faster than the RX 7900 GRE at native 4K graphics settings – it supposedly matches Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti across several titles, but more importantly, AMD’s new GPU is claimed to outperform Blackwell card in titles like Call of Duty ****** Ops 6, which shows it’s 24% faster at native 4K. Ray tracing is also a highlight in the graph (pictured below), with a suggested lead over the RTX 5070 Ti by 8%. Of course, these stats should be taken with a pinch of salt since they come directly from AMD and don’t factor in features like Nvidia’s new Multi-Frame Generation, but it’s still impressive stuff. The 9070 XT will most likely sit around 5-10% behind the 5070 Ti in real-world testing, but for 20% less cash at retail price. We will await real-world benchmarks and stats once the RX 9070 series launches on March 6. For now, AMD’s performance claims set its XT variant in pole position to become the budget GPU king at an affordable $599 price compared to the RTX 5070 Ti’s $749 / £729 / AU$1,509 (if you can even find it at MSRP amid current stock shortages, that is). That looks like budget GPU king right there… (Image credit: AMD) Now, I can gladly eat my words… Nvidia, you’ve got trouble MicroCenter’s listed prices before AMD’s full reveal suggested the Radeon RX 9070 XT would launch at $699 – which I feared would ring true – but fortunately, it appears as though those were indeed placeholders (unless online retailers decide to inflate prices, that is). I’m glad to say that Team Red has left me delighted with this reveal, as I’ve previously stated the GPU market desperately needs competition right now – Nvidia may still lead the high-end thanks to the powerhouse RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs, but what good is a premium GPU if you can’t even find one for *****? Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. If the Radeon RX 9070 XT at $599 ends up outperforming – or even just coming close to matching – Team Green’s RTX 5070 Ti as AMD claims, and manages to topple the previous gen’s RX 7900 XTX, then in my eyes it’s this generation’s GPU king. RDNA 4 promises significant enhancements across the board, notably with ray tracing and FSR 4 (exclusive to RDNA 4 GPUs) – based on what Team Red presented, FSR 4’s performance mode reminded me of what I saw over at Nvidia with its new transformer model in DLSS 4. Barring any potential stock issues, the Radeon RX 9070 series (specifically the XT variant) is shaping up to be the go-to GPU this generation, especially considering Team Green’s RTX 5000 series launch woes. You may also like… Source link #Finally #GPU #competition #AMD #announces #Radeon #March #launch #date #starting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Rams, QB Matthew Stafford meeting Friday to discuss his future: Sources – The Athletic Rams, QB Matthew Stafford meeting Friday to discuss his future: Sources – The Athletic Rams, QB Matthew Stafford meeting Friday to discuss his future: Sources The AthleticWhat we’re hearing about Giants’, Raiders’ push for Matthew Stafford: Will Rams keep QB? – The Athletic The AthleticNFL Rumors: Matthew Stafford Returning to Rams Seems ‘More Likely’ amid Raiders Buzz Bleacher ReportRams to meet with Matthew Stafford about future in L.A., QB has discussed contract with two teams, per report CBS SportsMatthew Stafford and the Rams enter negotiations as Tom Brady and the Giants watch anxiously Marca English Source link #Rams #Matthew #Stafford #meeting #Friday #discuss #future #Sources #Athletic Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]