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New evidence suggests that Mars used to have an ocean and sandy beaches New evidence suggests that Mars used to have an ocean and sandy beaches Researchers just discovered evidence to suggest that Mars was once home to oceans and sandy beaches on the red planet, according to data published by the . This is a far cry from the arid, freezing and radiation-filled conditions of modern Mars. Scientists discovered evidence of buried beaches after they analyzed below-ground imaging data from China’s Zhurong rover. This data from the northern lowlands of Mars is extremely similar to what researchers find when using similar ground-penetrating radar here on Earth, . They found subsurface material that’s angled and tilted toward a lowland, which likely was an ocean at some point. To view this content, you’ll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the “Content and social-media partners” setting to do so. #VantageOnFirstpost: A new study reveals that Mars once had an ocean with sandy beaches, with evidence of buried shorelines found deep underground. This study points to past life on the red planet about four billion years ago. Previous research supports the idea of oceans and… pic.twitter.com/iFIQ61dCVK — Firstpost (@firstpost) February 25, 2025 “Typically the radar picks up on even subtle changes in sediment size, which is probably what’s happening here,” said Dr Benjamin Cardenas, a co-author of the research from Penn State University. “It tells you there had to be tides, there had to be waves, there had to be a nearby river supplying sediment, and all these things had to be active for some extended ******* of time.” Scientists have long debated whether or not Mars had oceans, and this discovery certainly implies the planet was once home to vast bodies of water. Previous discoveries have indicated that it used to have and . There’s also evidence of liquid water in the present day. “A beach is an interface between shallow water, air and land. It’s these sorts of environments where it’s thought life first came to be on Earth, and I think it would be a great place to send a follow-up mission looking for signs of past life,” Cardenas said. Source link #evidence #suggests #Mars #ocean #sandy #beaches Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How a Demographic ‘Doom Loop’ Helped Germany’s Far Right How a Demographic ‘Doom Loop’ Helped Germany’s Far Right The Alternative for Germany party came in second in federal elections on Sunday, doubling its vote share from four years ago, in the strongest showing for a ******* far-right party since World War II. Some segments of the party, known as the AfD, have been classified as extremist by ******* intelligence. How could that happen in Germany, a country whose history has taught a bitter lesson about the dangers of right-wing extremism? Many experts have pointed to the role of immigration, particularly the surge of ******* refugees from Syria and other Middle Eastern countries in the mid-2010s, which has persuaded many people to abandon the long-dominant parties of the center-left and center-right. But new research suggests an additional factor. The AfD posted its biggest wins in the former East Germany, where young people have been moving away from former industrial regions and rural areas to seek opportunities in cities. Those poorer regions have entered into a demographic doom loop: a self-reinforcing cycle of shrinking and aging populations, crumbling government services and sluggish economic growth, which has created fertile ground for the AfD. And because the far-right party is strongly anti-immigration, its rise has created pressure to cut immigration levels — which further exacerbates the problems of a shrinking, aging population. Similar trends have the potential to play out in much of the developed world. The left-behind regions For years there has been a very strong correlation between the level of out-migration and the level of AfD support, particularly in the eastern part of the country, where the party came in first in most constituencies on Sunday. (The chart below shows data from 2021, but Sunday’s results largely followed the same trend.) In the decades after the country was reunified in 1990, much of the population in eastern Germany began to leave for cities and wealthy western regions that offered better opportunities. Many people from East Germany also expected a post-unification peace dividend that never materialized. “I studied in eastern Germany, so I’ve seen that firsthand,” said Thiamo Fetzer, an economics professor at the University of Warwick in England and the University of Bonn in Germany, who studies how austerity measures and cuts to local services trigger support for far-right populist parties. Unlike other Eastern European economies like Poland, which had a few years to adjust their economies before joining the European Union in 2004, eastern Germany got the equivalent of “shock therapy,” he said. “People with human capital would leave, and the people who stayed behind were sort of left behind, quite literally.” The people who moved away from those regions tended to skew younger and female, and were more likely to have advanced degrees — all characteristics that also, statistically, make people less likely to vote for the far right. The people who remained were disproportionately from the demographics most likely to support the AfD. If that sorting effect was all that was going on, it might not actually make much of a difference in a political system like Germany’s, which is designed to be strongly proportional: The parties are represented in the ******* Parliament based on their percentage of the national vote, so it shouldn’t matter too much whether a party’s voters are clustered in cities or distributed evenly across the country. But it’s not all that’s going on. A new paper found that as emigration reduces the quality of life in “left-behind” regions in Europe, the local population tends to blame the national government and mainstream political parties for the decline — and turn even more to the far right in response. “There is a sense in a lot of left-behind places that the government is not taking care of them,” said Hans Lueders, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University who is working on a book about internal migration and ******* politics. He has found that mainstream parties campaign less in left-behind regions and recruit fewer candidates there, further diminishing the sense of connection between local issues and national politics. “That feeds into this whole far-right populist narrative that the mainstream parties are abandoning those areas,” Lueders said. Far-right parties, which tend to position themselves as populists standing up for ordinary people against a corrupt or co-opted elite, are well placed to appeal to people who have lost faith in the status quo. The ‘doom loop’ kicks into higher gear The AfD, like other far-right parties, explicitly blames immigrants for Germany’s problems. It has demanded limits on new immigration and has called for the “return” and “repatriation” of immigrants. There have been proposals to improve the quality of life and economies in the left-behind areas. But most experts say that immigration is one of the few solutions to the growing problems of aging, shrinking populations — not just in Germany, but across the developed world. So the success of the AfD and other far-right parties threatens to create a self-perpetuating cycle, in which the political reaction to the problems of left-behind regions ends up making those problems worse. Over the long term, that could make all of Germany start to look more like the left-behind regions: an aging, shrinking population struggling to maintain public services and economic growth. Limits on immigration make it harder to find the workers needed to provide health care and other essential services to shrinking and aging populations. “It’s precisely the places that would be most benefiting from immigration — in terms of getting help for elderly care, child care, you know, any other care work and service-sector jobs — that are the ones that seem to be most opposed to this,” Lueders said. And while the divide between the former east and west makes that issue especially stark in Germany, a similar process is playing out across much of the developed world. “This is true in Europe and in the U.S. and in many other advanced economies. In these peripheral regions, across these countries, working-age people are departing,” Rafaela Dancygier, a professor of political science at Princeton University and the lead author of the new paper on the consequences of internal migration, told me last year. As in Germany, the trend is fueling the rise of the far right and causing mainstream parties to take anti-immigration stances in an attempt — usually unsuccessful — to win back those disaffected voters. “The doom loop continues,” she said. Thank you for being a subscriber Read past editions of the newsletter here. If you’re enjoying what you’re reading, please consider recommending it to others. They can sign up here. Browse all of our subscriber-only newsletters here. I’d love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email thoughts and suggestions to *****@*****.tld. You can also follow me on Twitter. Source link #Demographic #Doom #Loop #Helped #Germanys Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Instead of Copying Overwatch, Marvel Rivals Has an Easier Way To Make Life Hell For Smurf Accounts Instead of Copying Overwatch, Marvel Rivals Has an Easier Way To Make Life Hell For Smurf Accounts It’s been a while since the release of Marvel Rivals, and we all can agree that it’s quite an epic experience. Developer NetEase Games has done an incredible job at balancing heroes and gameplay mechanics to bring a hero-shooter that had never been seen in the industry before. Smurfing is spreading like a plague in Marvel Rivals. (Image via NetEase Games) One of the biggest issues present in any online game is smurfing, and even Marvel Rivals isn’t free from this problem. Things have gotten so bad for some in the community that they believe NetEase should adopt Overwatch‘s strategy to deal with smurfing. However, there’s another solution that NetEase could use to solve this problem easily. NetEase must end smurfing in Marvel Rivals with this easy fix If you’re unaware of “smurfing” shenanigans, it’s basically a practice where skilled players make a new account and steamroll new accounts. What’s the point of this well? Well, it allows these players to climb the ladder all over again and even play with their friends who are in lower ranks. While smurfing might be fun for skilled players, it’s an issue for players in lower ranks. Over on Marvel Rivals‘ official subreddit, players are starting to get sick of smurfing in games. Many have described the situation as going out of control, blaming streamers for this problem. There are even calls for an outright ban on smurfs. Let’s be honest; a ban sounds a bit too harsh, even for smurfing. Few believe that NetEase should take a page out of Overwatch 2‘s book and introduce placement matches that can put players in the right skill tiers as opposed to grouping them all at the bottom ranks. Sure, if it’s an effective solution and has worked for other online games, there’s no harm in adopting it. However, Marvel Rivals is a unique title that needs to take a different approach when it comes to smurfing. It doesn’t need to be anything complicated; all NetEase has to do is raise the level requirement to play in ranked. Comment byu/Commercial-Nebula-50 from discussion inmarvelrivals By simply increasing the minimum level to jump into ranked matches In Marvel Rivals, NetEase can solve the issue of smurfing. With this strategy, experienced gamers would find it difficult to make new accounts as they would have to spend more time and effort on one. It might not completely solve the issue of smurfing, but it can act as a strong deterrent. Making smurfing more tiring and discouraging can go a long way to keep away high-skilled players from low ranks. Not only that, it could also help newer players get a better understanding of the game before facing off in ranked matches. NetEase Games is truly ahead of the curve The hero-shooter is compensating players for server outages. (Image via NetEase Games) One of the biggest reasons behind Marvel Rivals‘ success is NetEase’s commitment to the game. The developer constantly listens to the community feedback for new additions and isn’t even afraid of rolling back controversial updates. It’s not something we’re used to seeing in the gaming sphere. NetEase has once again proven why it’s leading the hero-shooter genre. In a brand-new post on Twitter/X, the developer revealed that all Marvel Rival gamers will receive 200 units as compensation for a server outage that happened on February 24th. Hey Rivals, Servers are back up! Sorry for the inconvenience. As a token of our appreciation for your patience, we’ve credited your account with 200 units as compensation. Please make sure to log into the game and claim your compensation item from your in-game mail by March 12,… — Marvel Rivals (@MarvelRivals) February 25, 2025 Gamers who want to claim the free units need to log into Marvel Rivals by March 12th and check the in-game mail. After the hero shooter’s servers took a hit, many players rushed to social media to express their frustrations. Although NetEase did talk to confirm the server issues on Marvel Rivals‘ official Discord, it did not reveal when the servers would be back online. However, after a few hours, the game was back up. With that said, do you think NetEase can implement any other solution to fix smurfing in Marvel Rivals? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Copying #Overwatch #Marvel #Rivals #Easier #Life #Hell #Smurf #Accounts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Perplexity AI $50 million venture, backing early-stage startups Perplexity AI $50 million venture, backing early-stage startups Perplexity AI logo is seen in this illustration taken January 4, 2024. Dado Ruvic | Reuters Perplexity AI, the developer of a popular artificial intelligence search engine, is close to raising a $50 million venture fund focused on early-stage AI startups, CNBC has learned. The company will be an anchor investor in the fund, but most of the capital is coming from outside limited partners, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the information is confidential. The two general partners of the fund are also coming from elsewhere. They are Kelly Graziadei and Joanna Lee Shevelenko, who have been running early-stage fund f7 Ventures, the person said. Perplexity has been in the middle of the generative AI ***** that began in late 2022 with the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. CNBC reported in November that the company was in the final stages of raising $500 million in funding at a $9 billion valuation. Perplexity is viewed as a potential competitor to Google as more consumers turn to AI to search for information online. Last month, Perplexity also made a bid to merge with TikTok U.S. as the social media platform faces a potential U.S. shutdown. The company sees a potential investing advantage when it comes to startups because roughly 80,000 developers are plugged into its network, so Perplexity gets visibility into who is using its application programming interface (API) and who is most active in their consumption, the person said. Perplexity’s founders and investors are putting money into the fund, and some of the company’s commitment is in the form of stock, the source said. — CNBC’s Samantha Subin contributed to this report. WATCH: Perplexity’s case for U.S. TikTok ownership Source link #Perplexity #million #venture #backing #earlystage #startups Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tech earnings estimates losing their momentum in another warning sign for the market Tech earnings estimates losing their momentum in another warning sign for the market Analysts are cutting their estimates on Big Tech, raising another red flag for the market ahead. “In a notable reversal, Big Tech is now contributing marginally to negative revisions for the current fiscal year, though the impact is small relative to their market cap and there is some dispersion among the 6 mega-cap names,” Barclays analyst Venu Krishna wrote on Friday, adding that financials are now contributing the most to forward earnings expectations. This shift is putting pressure on overall S & P 500 earnings expectations. Barclays pointed out that 2025 earnings per share are expected to come in at $271, down from a previous consensus of $273 per share. To be sure, the full-year forecast usually falls at this point in the year as expectations are reevaluated. But, tech has been the primary driver of forward earnings estimates in recent years, as investors bet big on the artificial intelligence *****. XLK YTD mountain Tech sector this year This is the latest sign that the stock market that reached all-time highs just last week could be due for a pullback in the near term, especially as the “Magnificent Seven” is losing momentum . Nvidia is down 6% this year, and other momentum stocks have also waned. Alphabet is off by 7%, while Amazon has shed roughly 6% this year. The consumer discretionary and information technology sectors are the two biggest S & P 500 laggards of the year, down 6% and 3%, respectively. In fact, they’re the only two sectors trading in negative territory year to date. Jay Woods, chief global strategist at Freedom Capital Markets, said that “if technology is to take that hit, … then it gets me a little nervous.” Still, Woods sees some bright spots in this market. “Money still hasn’t left this market. It still rotates underneath the surface. The number of stocks beating the S & P 500 is very impressive.” “It’s just not the right stocks,” Woods added. Source link #Tech #earnings #estimates #losing #momentum #warning #sign #market Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bloober Team and KONAMI Continue Their Collaboration Bloober Team and KONAMI Continue Their Collaboration Bloober Team, the Polish masters of horror, and the Japanese giant Konami Digital Entertainment (KONAMI) are continuing their partnership, announcing the signing of a new agreement for a joint project. Source link #Bloober #Team #KONAMI #Continue #Collaboration Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light review: an easy and eye-catching way to switch up the ambiance Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light review: an easy and eye-catching way to switch up the ambiance Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light review The Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light is a Bluetooth-controlled length of customizable LED lights that can be applied around interior surfaces to create a subtle or eye-catching light feature. Govee has a large range of LED strip lights available, but this particular model appears to be available only at Amazon at the time of writing. There’s a list price of $28.99 / £27.99 for the 32.8 ft / 10-meter H617C model of the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light I’ve tested, and there’s also the shorter 16.4 ft / 5-meter H617A model available, retailing at $14.99 / £19.99. Longer lengths can be purchased in packs of two reels, with the 65.6 ft / 20 meter H617E costing $52.99 / £45.99, and the 100 ft H617F at $69.99. The back of the length of the LED strip has double-sided tape ready-applied; not 3M tape, which is a shame, but the strength of the tape seemed satisfactory over the time I tested it. It’s important to note that the longevity of the hold from any adhesive relies on factors like the surface it’s applied to, and any tension due to cable positioning, etc. (Image credit: Future) When it came to applying the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light around corners, I was pleased to find that the strip was very flexible, as long as there wasn’t a bit of hardware on the part of the strip that needed to bend. This is why it’s always advisable to check the positioning of any stick-on light strips before committing. Other than the generic double-sided tape, the quality of the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light looked satisfactory for the money, though of course, how the unlit strip looked isn’t what’s important here. Before delving into the fancier features, I used the control box to turn on the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light to observe the quality and brightness of the light. The LEDs were all in working order, performed well, and had no problem playing out sequences and switching between different colors. The Govee Home app was required to make the most of all the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light’s features. I’m already a big fan of the Govee companion app, as I made clear in my review of the Govee Table Lamp 2, thanks to its attractive and easy-to-navigate interface. Syncing the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light to the Govee Home app took mere seconds as the app detected it almost instantly, and connected to the LED strip quickly upon selection. (Image credit: Future) There are a lot of features available, a simple but useful one being the brightness adjustment bar on the main page. Under different tabs I found more adjustable settings, including customizable color selections that could be applied to the entire strip or specific segments, and a great selection of ready-made scenes, which changed the lighting effect to reflect my choice of sunrise, forest, or glacier, to name a few. There’s also an AI feature which, in my experience, wasn’t the most inspiring. I took a photo of a sunset-colored travel mug I own, and a bit of my grey and white marble-effect desk could be seen in the background. I can’t say I could see the resemblance in the resulting light combination, but I think this feature is best suited to highly saturated colorful images. For any custom color palettes or effects I created, there’s a DIY section where I could save them, making it easy to store and access my favorites. (Image credit: Future) As the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light doesn’t have smart capabilities, I wasn’t able to connect to my Amazon Alexa, so I naturally couldn’t use voice control or set routines, no matter which of the best smart home devices I owned. Fortunately, however, there’s a timer function on the Govee Home app, with several slots to choose which time and days you want the light strip to power on, and when to power off again. There’s also a wake-up feature that once set will gradually build up to maximum brightness in the ten minutes leading up to the assigned time. Overall, I’m quite fond of this Govee light strip. While there are many cheaper RGBIC LED light strips out there, I haven’t encountered any to date that rival the ready-made scenes or the level of customization available via the Govee Home app. If you’re interested in brightening up your home with smart lighting I recommend checking out our best smart lights guide for a variety of products that cater to different requirements. (Image credit: Future) Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light review: Price and specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Price $28.99 / £27.99 Model H617C Colors RGBIC Light sources 180 LEDs Power Corded electric Connectivity Bluetooth Voice control No Should I buy the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light? Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light review: Also consider How I tested the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light I tested the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light for one week I looked at the quality and flexibility of the LED strip I tested the app’s different features and customizable settings I set up the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light and synced it with the Govee Home app. I took a close look at the quality of the materials used, including the adhesive and the hardware. I tested how flexible it was and how well it handled corners. I checked that all LEDs were working, ensuring there were no gaps in the run of lights. I assessed how easy it was to control the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light, and looked at the different customizable settings. I created my own color palettes before saving them in the DIY folder, tested out the AI feature, and ready-made scenes. Source link #Govee #RGBIC #LED #Strip #Light #review #easy #eyecatching #switch #ambiance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Nearly 40% of contracts canceled by Musk’s DOGE are expected to produce no savings – The Associated Press Nearly 40% of contracts canceled by Musk’s DOGE are expected to produce no savings – The Associated Press Nearly 40% of contracts canceled by Musk’s DOGE are expected to produce no savings The Associated PressDOGE claims $65B in total estimated savings as ‘Agency Efficiency Leaderboard’ is launched Fox BusinessDOGE’s Only Public Ledger Is Riddled With Mistakes The New York Times37 percent of contracts on DOGE list not expected to save any money The Hill Source link #contracts #canceled #Musks #DOGE #expected #produce #savings #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Legend of Ymir is top of the charts on Google Play and is celebrating with… NFTs? Legend of Ymir is top of the charts on Google Play and is celebrating with… NFTs? Legend of Ymir has launched in Korea and already found success WeMade’s Norse-inspired MMORPG topped the charts on Google Play and pre-release on the iOS App Store To celebrate there are in-game items and, well, more news about blockchain If you’ve been following the action over in the Korean mobile gaming scene you may have spotted WeMade’s highly-anticipated MMORPG Legends of Ymir making headlines. It’s been a major success, perhaps precipitating an international release, as they’ve even had to add another server to make space for players as numbers balloon and it hits the #1 ranking on Google Play. As for how they intend to celebrate there’s naturally going to be a suite of in-game rewards for loyal players, as well as some more inclusions in the field of, er, NFIs. Yes, success notwithstanding it seems that WeMade is still betting big on blockchain to carry the day, which may seem a bit of an oddity as that slips from headlines. In any case, however, Legend of Ymir’s mix of Eastern MMORPG sensibilities and Norse-inspired setting and action seems to have made an impression on players in Korea. Could an international release therefore be on the cards? We’ll just have to wait and see. Valhalla and beyond With its Unreal engine graphics, tight gameplay and lavish production values it’s clear that Legend of Ymir is aiming to be a truly next-gen mobile release. However, the constant rattling-on about blockchain is a reminder that plenty of developers and publishers bet big on these things back in the day and are still trying to extract some value from them. With that being said hopefully attempting to integrate that into a global release doesn’t get in the way of what, I think it’s safe to say, is a highly-anticipated launch for many of us across the world. In any case, we may be waiting a while for news on a worldwide launch of Legend of Ymir, you can stay Ahead of the Game and find out about amazing new launches by checking out our regular feature of the same name! Source link #Legend #Ymir #top #charts #Google #Play #celebrating #with.. #NFTs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Women tell BBC of ***** ordeal at Goma’s Munzenze prison Women tell BBC of ***** ordeal at Goma’s Munzenze prison Orla Guerin BBC News, Goma Göktay Koraltan / BBC Warning: This article contains distressing content, including descriptions of *****, from the start. “He told me that if I tried to escape, he would kill me.” Pascaline, 22, recalls the words of her ******* at a prison in Goma, the largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in the early hours of 27 January. “I was forced to let it happen instead of losing my life,” Pascaline tells the BBC. He was the second man to ***** her at Munzenze prison. The first attack was so violent that she passed out. Her attackers came over the wall from the men’s block right next door called “Safina”, she says. “We heard a noise as they jumped on the water tanks. There were so many of them, and we were so scared. The ones who were unlucky were ******. The ones who were lucky got out without being ******.” Chaos was spreading through the jail, and the surrounding city. Rwandan-backed M23 rebels were closing in on Goma, after a rapid advance through the region. Most of the prison guards and the city authorities had already fled. Shooting could be heard outside the jail. Hours later, inside the compound, there was a fire – apparently set by male prisoners as they tried to escape. By morning, about 4,000 male inmates had broken out. But few of the women managed to get away. A total of 132 female prisoners and at least 25 children burned to death, according to two sources. A UN official told the BBC that “at least 153 women had perished”, quoting “reliable sources in the prison”. A month on, Pascaline has come back to the charred shell of the prison complex, where an empty watch tower still stands. Watch: ‘If I tried to escape he would kill me’ She wants to tell her story and is willing to be identified. She is also a voice for the dead. She walks through the main yard of the women’s section, glancing at the scorched walls, scattered cooking pots and piles of clothing. Her hand comes to her mouth in wordless horror, and she shakes her head. “At one point I didn’t know what was happening any more,” she says. “It was after seeing the others die that I began to pull myself together, I would say that it was God who wanted me to be saved.” Pascaline, an onion seller, wound up behind bars here when her employer accused her of theft. Nadine, 22, has also come back to the prison for the first time. In her mind, she cannot escape it. “When I sleep at night, everything I’ve seen here comes back to me. I see the dead again – as many dead bodies as I saw here until I got out. Instead of opening the door, they let us die like animals here.” Nadine says she was also ****** by two men. “They came with alcohol,” she tells the BBC. “They wanted to drug people. They took me by force. They took all the women here.” The BBC cannot verify how many women were ****** that night, out of a total of 167 who, sources say, were being held. Nadine is furious at the authorities – for locking her up in the first place over an unpaid debt, she says, and then failing to let her out. “I don’t think that justice can exist in Congo,” she says. “I condemn the way the government is running things.” The DR Congo government – more than 1,500km (1,000 miles) away in the capital Kinshasa – is no longer running anything in Goma. The rebels are in full control and are continuing to advance in the east. Among the piles of ash that carpet the prison floor after the fire, there is a tiny pink sandal, which is burnt on one side. Some shiny buttons glitter in the dirt beside it, perhaps from children’s clothing. Women prisoners were allowed to keep one of their children in the jail with them. Only two children out of 28 survived the blaze in the prison, according to a source. Child prisoners – held in a separate block – were released earlier in the day. It was not just the smoke and the flames that killed the most vulnerable, according to a detailed account from another survivor aged 38, who does not want to be identified. We are calling her Florence. She says “children started to die” when tear gas was fired into the women’s section. “The prison was surrounded by soldiers and police who, instead of coming to put out the fire, were firing bullets and throwing tear gas at us,” Florence says. “When the tear gas was dropped on us, the fire became intense. Our eyes tingled as if chilli had been poured into them. There was almost no way to breathe,” she adds. The fire and the rapes are shrouded in confusion, with all sides eager to blame someone else. Human rights groups say ***** is widely used as a weapon of war in DR Congo by both the M23 rebels and government forces. However, in this case, Florence says it was fellow inmates. “You could see they were prisoners. Some came without shoes. When they climbed onto the roof of the women’s prison, they were calling the names of those they knew. And none of the attackers were armed or in uniform.” Florence says she heard “bullets crackling” outside the prison from 23:00 onwards, and escaping prisoners were being killed by police outside. “If a prisoner got out, they shot him. When the bullets were flying, I was on my knees begging God to deliver us from this bad situation.” Some of the prisoners who broke into the women’s section were looking for a safer escape route, she says. They breached one of the walls facing the outside – a place where police were not normally stationed. But soon that gap was filled – by the fire. Florence first saw the flames at about 04:00. Then hour after hour, she rushed from body to body. “People were dying in front of our eyes. I couldn’t count them. We tried to revive them by giving them water. Some women were suffocated by the fire, as well as the gas. Some died of heart attacks,” Florence tells the BBC. She too blames the Congolese authorities for the loss of so many lives. “The state should have opened the doors when it saw the fire or come and put it out.” The BBC has contacted the government in Kinshasa asking for a response to what the survivors have told us but we have not yet received one. Florence says the women’s prison was finally opened at 11:00 – she does not know by who – and she emerged with 18 other survivors. They were offered no help. “Even the policemen we found on the road, did not ask for news of the prisoners, or ask if anyone had been hurt, or how we were,” she says. By then rebel fighters were in parts of the city, having entered at around 08:00. Goma was falling. The women did not seem to matter – in or out of prison. Göktay Koraltan / BBC Sifa survived the fire, but her child was killed in the attack on the prison In a tent in the grounds of Goma’s hospital, we meet another survivor, Sifa, 25, who was pulled from the flames by a friend. She lies on her left side – any other position is too painful. Her right arm is heavily bandaged, and there are burn marks on her arm and her face. She also has burns on her back. When her dressings are changed the nurses have to give her morphine. But her agony is more than physical. Her two-year-old daughter Esther died in the prison. “I had Esther on my back. When we wanted to escape, something fell on her. A bomb? I don’t know what. She died on the spot,” Sifa tells the BBC. She adds that Esther was just starting to walk and was “without sin”. Sometimes she would play with the other children in the prison, but mostly she was by her mother’s side. How did Sifa, a peanut seller, wind up behind bars in a teeming prison with her daughter? She was accused of involvement in a robbery, which she denies. She says she was jailed without being convicted. Local sources say that is a common occurrence. The full story of what happened in Munzenze Prison may never be known. It seems those in power are in no rush to find out. Sifa and the other survivors we spoke to told us that no-one had contacted them to take their testimony about the horrors of 27 January – not the rebels in control of Goma now, nor the government in Kinshasa who used to run the prison. “No-one will follow [this case],” Sifa says. “No-one will be pursued. It’s already over.” Additional reporting from the BBC’s Wietske Burema, Göktay Koraltan and Yvonne Katinga. More about the DR Congo conflict:Getty Images/BBC Source link #Women #BBC #***** #ordeal #Gomas #Munzenze #prison Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Xbox has delayed its Fable reboot until 2026 Xbox has delayed its Fable reboot until 2026 Microsoft is delaying one of the major first-party games it had lined up for 2025. The company said during its big annual Xbox showcase last June that its Fable reboot would . But that’s no longer the case as Xbox has pushed back the fantasy RPG to 2026. “We previously announced the date for Fable as 2025. We are actually going to give Fable more time and it’s going to ship in 2026 now,” Craig Duncan, the , said on the latest edition of the . “While I know that’s not maybe the news people want to hear, what I want to assure people of is that it’s definitely worth the wait.” The reboot, which is being developed by Forza Horizon studio Playground Games, was announced and there have been a few teasers since then. While the delay might be disappointing to those who have been waiting for Fable — especially since it’s been 15 years since the last mainline game in the series — Xbox can afford to give it a little more time. Microsoft’s games division has a pretty healthy slate for the coming months. only just came out, the promising is not too far away and then and its ridiculous shield-saw is slated to arrive in May. and are also on the docket for this year, and there are likely others in the pipeline (such as the inevitable annual Call of Duty entry). That’s not to mention all the and Microsoft selling more of its games on and Nintendo platforms. So Xbox is probably going to be okay while Playground keeps Fable simmering away. Duncan claims that the studio is crafting “the most beautifully realized version of Albion you’ve ever seen” but with its own spin and British humor. The Xbox Game Studios chief visited Playground to play some of Fable and see how things were going. Duncan brought back some new, early footage to show on the video version of the podcast, which you can see below starting at 15:55. Even the pre-alpha versions of these environments look very pretty, so here’s hoping Playground makes good use of that extra time to make the most of the game. To view this content, you’ll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the “Content and social-media partners” setting to do so. Source link #Xbox #delayed #Fable #reboot Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

N.L. Premier Andrew Furey says he is leaving politics N.L. Premier Andrew Furey says he is leaving politics Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey says he is stepping down after nearly five years in power. Source link #N.L #Premier #Andrew #Furey #leaving #politics Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What Feb. consumer confidence says about the labor market What Feb. consumer confidence says about the labor market The preliminary Consumer Confidence Index reading shows that consumer confidence fell sharply to 98.3 in February, lower than the expected 102 and the prior reading of 104.1. The Conference Board senior US Economist Yelena Shulyatyeva joins Catalysts co-hosts Madison Mills and Seana Smith to discuss the factors driving this decline. Shulyatyeva acknowledges this was a “sharp drop,” with consumer confidence now at the lowest level of the range at which it has hovered for the last few years. However, she notes this number is still within a range that signals “healthy consumer spending.” Since this survey reflects labor market conditions, the sharp decline reveals that “consumers are not seeing great prospects in the labor market, and that is something to watch in the months ahead.” Shulyatyeva adds, “If that continues to deteriorate, that’s a big deal.” She also highlights that consumers remain concerned about inflation, especially amid uncertainty around tariffs. With inflation remaining sticky and tariffs potentially proving inflationary, she notes this combination presents “a big concern for the consumer.” To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Catalysts here. This post was written by Angel Smith Source link #Feb #consumer #confidence #labor #market Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Imagination reveals new power-efficient DXTP GPU for laptops and mobile devices Imagination reveals new power-efficient DXTP GPU for laptops and mobile devices Imagination Technology has announced its newest GPU IP, Imagination DXTP. With 20% improved power efficiency over its predecessor DXT, Imagination brings two new RISC-V GPU models to the power-constrained market to complete its D-Series GPU family. Based in the *** and owned by ******** investment firm Canyon Bridge Capital Partners, Imagination Technology is known for its GPU IP design, which is adopted by the PC, smartphone, and automotive markets. Imagination DXTP will come in two variations: DXTP-48-1536 and DXTP-64-2048. Both GPUs are identical in software support and firmware. The chips support Vulkan 1.4 and “highly optimized” OpenGL 4.6 and OpenCL 3.0 libraries to reach 80% GPU utilization in everyday tasks. Like all Imagination GPU IPs, the chips specialize in asynchronous multitasking, simultaneously performing graphical and AI tasks. Swipe to scroll horizontally Specifications Imagination DXTP-48-1536 Imagination DXTP-48-1536 Clock Speed (GHz) 1 GHz 1 GHz FP32 FLOPs/Clock 1,536 2,048 FP16 FLOPs/Clock 3,072 4,096 DOT8 NN Ops/Clock 6,144 8,192 GPixel/s 48 (Bilinear 3D Textured) 64 (Bilinear 3D Textured) Both the DXTP-48-1536 and DXTP-48-1536 are clocked at 1 GHz. However, the latter scales up to 2,048 FP3 FLOPs per clock, which, according to Imagination, delivers a desktop-quality gaming performance to mobile devices. According to Imagination, the DXTP offers up to 22% improved power efficiency compared to its predecessor, the DXT. However, the manufacturer didn’t provide any details of the workloads. Both flavors of DXTP are RISC-V-based chips with support for Linux and Android operating systems. Windows and MacOS are necessarily not included, as Windows on RISC-V is a distant pipe dream. Still, low-power Linux computers will likely be an eventual landing place for DXTP hardware. (Image credit: Imagination Technology) As Imagination’s flagship D-Series GPU family, DXTP hopes to bring AI capabilities to a broader range of partner devices, including smartphones and PCs. In a statement, Peter Richardson of Counterpoint Research says, “The global smartphone market is experiencing a resurgence, propelled by cutting-edge AI features such as personal agents and enhanced photography.” Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. While the IP has already been licensed for smartphone and automotive uses, Imagination hopes the GPU will be used in desktop and laptop deployments. As a GPU IP creator, Imagination Technology’s products typically take over a year to see release in consumer products after their announcement. Imagination DXD and DXT, serving the desktop, laptop, and cloud gaming markets, have attracted intense attention in the ******** market for their imminent consumer releases. Imagination DXTP’s announcement follows news that Imagination Technology abandoned its RISC-V Catapult CPU IP this January. Leaving behind the CPU market entirely before releasing a finished product was a scary look for the company. Still, Imagination framed its decision as a recommitment to its RISC-V GPU and AI products. We eagerly await Imagination’s hardware clients bringing a GPU to RISC-V desktops that can provide novel low-power gaming experiences. Source link #Imagination #reveals #powerefficient #DXTP #GPU #laptops #mobile #devices Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Metal Gear Solid Delta PC Requirements Revealed, And You’ll Need A Lot Of Free Storage Space Metal Gear Solid Delta PC Requirements Revealed, And You’ll Need A Lot Of Free Storage Space Ahead of its release on August 28, the PC requirements for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater have gone live on Steam. It’s not the most exhaustive list of minimum and recommended PC requirements–especially this far out from its launch–but it does give a good indicator of what you’ll need to run the Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater remake. On the GPU side, the minimum recommendation here is an RTX 2060 Nvidia graphics card, with no mention of an AMD equivalent yet, and it’s recommended that you have an RTX 3080 GPU. Early looks at Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater have shown off a very lush environment for players to sneak through, and with the game being developed in Unreal Engine 5, you’re naturally going to need a lot of storage capacity for the game’s install files. Konami recommends 100GB of storage capacity, and while an SSD isn’t mandatory, it is recommended. Beyond that, the CPU and RAM requirements seem quite reasonable, although the PC requirements are subject to change before the game arrives. We also don’t know yet what these requirements are targeting in terms of resolution and frame rates. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Minimum PC requirements Operating System: Windows 10, Windows 11 (64-bit OS required) Processor: Intel i5-8600 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Memory: 16 GB RAM Graphics: RTX 2060 Super (8GB) DirectX: Version 12 Storage: 100 GB available space Additional Notes: SSD recommended Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Recommended PC requirements Operating System: Windows 10, Windows 11 (64-bit OS required) Processor: Intel i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Memory: 16 GB RAM Graphics: RTX 3080 DirectX: Version 12 Storage: 100 GB available space Additional Notes: SSD recommended If you’re looking to save some cash, you can preorder Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater and get a 25% discount off of a Steam key for the game from Fanatical. This drops the price down to $52.49 for the standard edition and $60 for the deluxe version that comes with 48-hour early access. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater will also launch for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom. Source link #Metal #Gear #Solid #Delta #Requirements #Revealed #Youll #Lot #Free #Storage #Space Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Supreme Court grants Richard Glossip new trial in capital case – SCOTUSblog Supreme Court grants Richard Glossip new trial in capital case – SCOTUSblog Supreme Court grants Richard Glossip new trial in capital case SCOTUSblogSupreme Court Grants New Trial to Death Row Inmate in Oklahoma The New York TimesVideo Supreme Court orders new trial for Richard Glossip after decades on death row ABC News Source link #Supreme #Court #grants #Richard #Glossip #trial #capital #case #SCOTUSblog Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Rating Surfaces in Singapore Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Rating Surfaces in Singapore Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 has been rated by The Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore. Spotted by Kurakasis (via Gematsu), if you head over to the Singaporean ratings website, you will see that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 has been rated ‘General’ and has been ‘approved’ for the region, with the year release section stating ‘2025’. The website also reveals which platforms the game has been rated for, including PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Talks about a new Tony Hawks remake game have been making the rounds all week, starting with Professional skateboarder Tyshawn Jones’ comments, which pointed specifically towards an upcoming remaster. An industry insider later stated that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 remaster will be shadow-dropped at the Xbox Summer Games Showcase. It doesn’t stop there; just a few days after, the game received another major tease, this time through a game from the same publisher, Activision. Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6’s Grind map features a logo reminiscent of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2, and within the logo is a number, 03.04.25, that could be teasing the arrival of the next remaster. With all the news and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 rating being spotted in Singapore, an official announcement could arrive soon. In other news, here’s everything we know so far about Tony Hawk’s remaster announcement. What are your thoughts on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 receiving a rating in Singapore? Let us know in the comments or on our community forum! For more information from Insider Gaming, read about Fable being delayed to 2026. Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Tony #Hawks #Pro #Skater #Rating #Surfaces #Singapore Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘I felt nothing but disgust’: Tesla owners vent their anger at Elon Musk | Automotive industry ‘I felt nothing but disgust’: Tesla owners vent their anger at Elon Musk | Automotive industry When Mike Schwede first sat in a Tesla Roadster 15 years ago, he felt like it was a glimpse into the future. By 2016, he was the proud owner of a Tesla, revelling in the thumbs up he would get from other drivers as he whizzed along Europe’s highways in the electric vehicle. But of late the sheen of owning a Tesla has begun to wear off. For years the brand has been synonymous with Elon Musk and his stance against the climate crisis. Recently, Schwede watched aghast as the Tesla CEO poured hundreds of millions into backing Donald Trump as he made promises to ramp up domestic oil and gas production. “He was getting more and more weird,” said Schwede, an entrepreneur and digital strategist based in Switzerland. The final straw came when Musk made back-to-back fascist-style salutes during Trump’s inauguration in January. “I felt nothing but utter disgust,” said Schwede. “And I no longer enjoyed sitting in my Tesla.” On Tuesday, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association showed sales of new Tesla cars almost halved in Europe last month. The figures left analysts scrambling to assess how big a factor customers turning their backs on the brand because of Musk’s foray into far-right politics may be. The Texas-based carmaker sold 9,945 vehicles in Europe in January, down 45% from last year’s 18,161, the association said. A still from a video posted on @everyonehateselon_ instagram page, of a bus stop in Bethnal Green, east London. Photograph: Instagram Now, there are signs existing Tesla owners who have become disgruntled with Musk’s views are making their anger heard. Schwede contemplated selling his car, but after racking up more than 60,000 miles on it, there was little value left in it. So he came up with his own means of reclaiming his Tesla and the liberal ethos that had underpinned his purchase; he began donating 10 cents for every kilometre driven to a range of charities, countering Musk’s support of the far right with direct support to those who help LGBTQ+ youth or fight hate and extremism. “It was something Elon wouldn’t like,” he said. “That’s my personal revenge.” It’s a hint of how some Tesla owners in Europe are fighting back, putting up their own – albeit small-scale – resistance as Musk wades into global politics, using his wealth to help secure Trump’s return to the White House and his sprawling influence to back far-right and anti-establishment parties across Europe. For Germany’s Patrik Schneider, the turning point came as he was heckled by a stranger at a petrol station, who pointed to his Tesla and called him a Trump supporter. Saddled with a long-term lease on the vehicle, he scrambled to find a way to address his relationship with a brand that – in his mind – had soured. “Of course, as a Tesla driver you were always the fool: the Green party voter, the world saviour, the CO2 guy,” Schneider told Germany’s Capital.de media. “But now you’re in a category that’s no longer funny.” What he came up with was a line of “Anti-Elon stickers” for Tesla cars. In an echo of an American initiative, he began selling the stickers online six months ago, taking orders for messages that range from “I bought this before Elon went crazy” to “Elon sucks.” As Musk waded more deeply into ******* politics, hosting the far-right AfD’s co-leader, Alice Weidel, in an interview on X and turning up at an AfD rally where he disparaged multiculturalism and lambasted the country’s focus on “past guilt”, demand for the stickers soared. The far-right AfD’s Alice Weidel talks online to Elon Musk during her speech at an election campaign launch. Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke/EPA Demand has now climbed to as much as 2,000 stickers a day, with orders pouring in from across the *******-speaking world but as far as Australia and South Korea. All of it was done without any advertising, said Schneider, adding wryly: “Elon Musk does that for us.” Others have called for the actions to go further. In Poland – where the Nazi ******* ioccupation led to the deaths of six million Poles, including three million Jews – the country’s tourism minister called on citizens to boycott Tesla after Musk’s surprise appearance at the AfD rally. “All I can say is that probably no normal Pole should buy a Tesla any more,” Sławomir Nitras recently told Polish broadcaster Tok Fm. “A serious and strong response is necessary, including a consumer boycott.” In August, ******* drugstore chain Rossmann said it would no longer buy Tesla cars for its corporate fleet, citing Musk’s support for Trump, while ******* energy company LichtBlick said on social media that it would be “pulling the plug” on the Tesla vehicles in its fleet, citing Musk’s backing of “a rightwing populist and extremist party”. The message was echoed recently by ***-based campaign group Led by Donkeys after they said they had projected images of Musk’s salute on to the facade of the Tesla gigafactory near Berlin. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we’ll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning 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 “The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, is promoting the far right in Europe,” the campaign group wrote on social media after their collaboration with Germany’s Centre for Political Beauty. “Don’t buy a Tesla.” In London, activists put up a parody “Tesla – The Swasticar” bus stop adverts with the tagline “goes from 0 to 1939 in 3 seconds”, referencing the start of the second world war, and stickers with similar wording have been slapped on Tesla cars. In Tottenham, north London, a member of the activist group – the People v Elon campaign – took a cardboard cutout of Musk’s salute into a Tesla dealership. In Sweden, EV maker Polestar has sought to capitalise on the discontent. “We get a lot of people writing that they don’t like all this,” the company’s CEO, Michael Lohscheller, recently told Bloomberg as he explained that he had directed sales staff to target disgruntled Tesla owners. After a Dutch poll suggested 31% of respondents who owned Teslas were considering selling them or had already done so, it remains to be seen what the impact will be on the company. Matthias Schmidt, a Germany-based automotive analyst, said “2025 will be one of the biggest tests for Tesla.” “With all respect, consumers tend to be like goldfish; they tend to forget things very quickly,” said Schmidt. “But Germany is potentially slightly different because of its history … The shift to him backing the AfD was potentially far more damaging in Germany than his move to back Trump.” Elon Musk wields a chainsaw during his appearance at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in the US. Photograph: Carol Guzy/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock Last year, Tesla saw sales in Germany plunge 41% – outpacing the overall 27% decline in EVs across the country – as rivals rolled out their own electric vehicles and governments rolled back subsidies. Figures for early 2025 show that Tesla sales have fallen sharply across several European markets. Data published by New AutoMotive sales fell in several European markets in January – down by 63% on a year earlier in France and 59% in Germany. In the ***, Sweden and Norway registrations fell by 12%, 44% and 38%, respectively. While buyers could be reacting to Musk’s comments, other factors may also be at play as consumers await Tesla’s release pf the updated Y model, said Schmidt. When contacted by the Guardian, Tesla did not reply to a request for comment. But late last month, Musk appeared to be upbeat during a call with investors, hinting that 2025 may be a tough year but that 2026 would be “epic” for the company. “Musk is kind of like a character that – like a cat – has nine lives,” said Schmidt. “And he’s almost used up those nine lives. And it will be interesting to see what happens now.” Source link #felt #disgust #Tesla #owners #vent #anger #Elon #Musk #Automotive #industry Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Former ********* military ruler reveals all Former ********* military ruler reveals all Mansur Abubakar BBC News, Abuja AFP Gen Babangida led Nigeria from 1985 to 1993 Nigeria’s former military ruler Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, known as IBB, has released a new autobiography including several revelations about the turbulent times while he was in charge of the country from 1985 to 1993. A Journey In Service has got ********** talking and reflecting on what might have been if things had turned out differently – especially the controversial decision to annul the 1993 elections, and the execution of a childhood friend. Babangida has a mixed record. While some praise him for the infrastructural development Nigeria he oversaw, others say there was massive corruption during his time. Here are four takeaways from the book: The 1993 elections annulment This is the biggest talking-point as it touches on a topic which many believed altered Nigeria’s history. Some say the country still hasn’t really recovered from the annulment of the 1993 presidential elections. In the book, Babangida, now 83, for the first time expressed deep regret for cancelling that election. The poll was supposed to bring an end to military rule after 10 years and the cancellation of the outcome threw the country into turmoil. The date of the vote – 12 June – is now remembered in Nigeria as Democracy Day. Gen Babangida was forced to resign. Moshood Abiola, widely believed to have won the election, was later imprisoned and his wife assassinated. Nigeria’s current President, Bola Tinubu, said at the book launch that Gen Babangida had shown courage by admitting what took place. “That accident of history is most regrettable. The nation is entitled to expect my expression of regret,” Babangida writes. Gen Babangida, popularly known as IBB, acknowledged that Abiola, who died in 1998, won the election. However, in 1993 as results were being collated, the military government abruptly stopped the process – an action that triggered widespread protests and a political crisis. At the time, he cited the issue of vote-buying, as well as the need to protect the country’s judiciary as reasons for the annulment. Abiola’s son Jamiu said the acknowledgment by Gen Babangida that his father had won the election came as a welcome surprise to him and some of his family members. ”Perhaps General Babangida was looking for peace,” he told the BBC Focus on Africa podcast. Civilian rule was eventually restored in 1999, 11 months after the death of another military ruler Sani Abacha. Execution of a childhood friendGetty Images Babangida, pictured here in 2007, left office for a quieter life General Mamman Vatsa and Babangida grew up together, were in the same class in school and rose alongside each other in the military. His execution in 1986 after he was convicted of a coup plot is another major talking-point of Babangida’s presidency. “We were very close friends,” Babangida recalls. “We had grown up together in Minna and had been classmates in Bida. We did several things together as peers. My wife recalled that we used to share a room as bachelors. We would reach out for whatever shirt was available, irrespective of whose it was, and just wear it and head out! We were that close.” However, he says now realises that Vatsa had been jealous since when they were teenagers. “With the benefit of hindsight now, I recall that a constant part of our relationship as teenagers and young men was a continuous and recurrent peer jealousy on his part towards me. He was always envious of my achievements, especially when he thought I was progressing better than him, either in school or our military career path.” Vatsa and nine others were executed in March 1986. They were said to have planned a coup, which according to Babangida would have plunged the country into darkness. “I had to choose between saving a friend’s life and the nation’s future,” he writes. Nigeria’s first coup Another contentious issue has been the 1966 coup which overthrew Nigeria’s first government following independence from the ***. Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was killed, along with other high-ranking national and regional leaders. The fact most of the coup plotters were from south-eastern Nigeria meant the coup became known as an “Igbo coup” – a label Babangida rejects. He highlighted the role of Major John Obienu, an ethnic Igbo officer, who played a key role in quelling the coup, revealing that many senior Igbo officers were also killed in the mutiny. The book also sheds light on the involvement of members of other ethnic groups, notably Yorubas, many of whom he said had participated in the military takeover. The former leader confirmed that the original intention of the coup plotters was to release politician Obafemi Awolowo from detention and install him as president. Babangida writes: “It was a terrible time for the ********* military. As I have said elsewhere, as a young officer who saw all of this from a distance, probably, ethnic sentiments did not drive the original objective of the coup plotters. “For instance, the head of the plotters, Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, was only ‘Igbo’ in name. Born and raised in Kaduna, his immigrant parents were from Okpanam in today’s Delta State, which, in 1966, was in the old mid-western region. Nzeogwu spoke fluent Hausa and was as ‘Hausa’ as any! He and his original team probably thought, even if naively, that they could turn things around for the better in the country. The association of Igbos with the coup led to attacks on members of that community around the country and ultimately to the civil war in which some Igbo leaders tried to secede from Nigeria in 1967. At least a million people were killed in what became known as the Biafran war. The love story with Maryam BabangidaGetty Images Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Maryam Babangida enjoyed a four-decade long marriage Many ********** see Babangida’s wife Maryam as the country’s most iconic and influential First Lady. From 1985 to when they left office in 1993, their love story captivated a lot of people. She died in 2009 and the ex-head of state has never remarried. “She was stunning. Her ebony beauty set off enchanting eyes, and her dazzling smile showed off a lovely set of teeth; when she smiled – and she often smiled – her face lit up, and her eyes danced,” he writes. “We both saw our marriage as our freedom and agreed to sort things out ourselves if we quarrelled. We were very compatible; indeed, I can only recall two occasions on which we quarrelled, and neither of us was afraid to apologise to the other. In all our years of marriage, it was never necessary for anyone to mediate between us over a misunderstanding because of that original meeting of minds.” “I never imagined that Maryam would pass away before I did, but the gift of life is in ******’s hands, not in humanity’s. I am grateful for the life Maryam and I shared and for the fruit of our union. Coping without her has not been easy, but it has been made much less demanding by the memories of our life together and the length of her shadow,” Babangida says. He describes Maryam as a devoted wife, mother, homemaker, and passionate advocate for rural women. Above all, he saw her as a true partner. You may also be interested in:Getty Images/BBC Source link #********* #military #ruler #reveals Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xbox has officially delayed Fable to 2026: ‘It’s definitely worth the wait’ Xbox has officially delayed Fable to 2026: ‘It’s definitely worth the wait’ Microsoft has officially delayed Fable’s release to 2026. Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan announced the news on the latest official Xbox podcast. “So, I just want to start with, really excited, really excited about progress, really excited about where Playground are,” he said. “We previously announced the date for Fable as 2025, we are actually going to give Fable more time and it’s going to ship in 2026 now. “While I know that’s not maybe the news people want to hear, what I want to assure people of is that it’s definitely worth the wait.” Accompanying the news of the delay, Microsoft shared some new Fable pre-alpha gameplay, which is viewable via the following timestamped YouTube video. “I have unequivocal confidence in the Playground team,” Duncan continued. “If you think about their history and legacy for Forza Horizon, the last two games critically acclaimed, 92 Metacritic, award-winning, beautiful, played great, and just what they’re bringing to Fable as a franchise. “Just think of the visuals of what you expect of Playground Games, plus amazing gameplay, British humor, Playground’s version of Albion, so inspired by what’s gone before with the franchise, but their take in quite frankly, the most beautifully realized version of Albion you’ve ever seen. “So really excited about the plans and really excited about the future, and I want the community to understand that we do these things for the best of the games, and the teams, and ultimately that results in the best games, or the best game for the community.” After years of speculation, Xbox announced in June 2024 that Fable would be released this year, and that it would be available on Game Pass on Xbox and PC on day one. Playground Games also confirmed that it’s been collaborating with Eidos Montreal on the game. The last Eidos Montreal game released was 2021’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which was met with a generally positive critical response but didn’t meet Square Enix’s sales expectations. Source link #Xbox #officially #delayed #Fable #worth #wait Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to use WhatsApp on desktop How to use WhatsApp on desktop If you’re easily distracted by your phone then you may want to know how to use WhatsApp on desktop to prevent yourself from having to even pick up your cellphone. There are a range of other benefits to using WhatsApp on desktop, be it organization, making phone calls or to access your message history. Using WhatsApp on desktop is simple, with two options. For those who don’t want to install a whole new application on their PC or laptop, you can simply access WhatsApp in a web browser. However, for anyone who wants to be able to minimise and tab out of WhatsApp from time to time, there is also a WhatsApp application for desktop. We’ll be covering both methods. Tools and requirements for using WhatsApp on desktop PC or Laptop you want to use WhatsApp on Smartphone which is already signed into the WhatsApp account you want to use Internet connection Steps for how to use WhatsApp via a web browser Go to web.whatsapp.com on your PC or laptop Open WhatsApp on your mobile phone and navigate to Settings > Linked Devices > Link a Device Scan the QR code which appears on your PC or laptop screen Steps for how to use WhatsApp via the desktop app Go to the Microsoft Store on your PC or laptop and download WhatsApp Open WhatsApp on your mobile phone and navigate to Settings > Linked Devices > Link a Device Scan the QR code which appears on your PC or laptop screen Step by step guide on how to use WhatsApp via a web browser 1. Go to the WhatsApp website (Image: © Future) First turn on your PC or laptop, open your preferred web browser and then navigate to the WhatsApp website. 2. Open WhatsApp on your phone (Image: © Shutterstock / AdemAY) Follow the directions outlined on screen. You’ll be asked to open WhatsApp on your mobile phone, so make sure you’re already logged into the WhatsApp account you want to use. 3. Open up settings (Image: © Future) Open the menu or settings page and then tap Linked Devices. Hit the Link a Device button. You may be prompted to enter your phone passcode or use Face ID to verify. 4. Scan the QR code (Image: © Future) Point your phone at the QR code which is shown on your PC or laptop screen. Once your phone has scanned the QR code, which may take a moment, it should say ‘Logging in…’ and then load up your WhatsApp chats on your web browser. Step by step guide on how to use WhatsApp via the desktop app 1. Get the app (Image: © Future) Turn on your PC or laptop and then navigate to the Microsoft Store (by default it will be located on your taskbar. Find the WhatsApp app and hit Download. For those who can’t access the Microsoft Store, you can find alternative options on the WhatsApp website. 2. Get started (Image: © Future) Load up the WhatsApp app once it has downloaded and then hit the Get Started option that appears. 3. Log into WhatsApp on your phone (Image: © Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Next you’ll have to follow the instructions which appear. Open WhatsApp on your mobile phone, make sure you’re already logged into the WhatsApp account you want to use. 4. Link your device (Image: © Future) Open up Settings in the WhatsApp app and then press the Linked Devices option followed by the green Link Device button that comes up. 5. Scan the QR code (Image: © Future) Point your phone camera at the QR code which is shown on your PC’s screen. Once your phone has scanned the QR code your WhatsApp chats should load up in the desktop app. FAQs Can I use WhatsApp on desktop without a phone? Yes. While you need your phone in order to initially connect to WhatsApp on desktop, once set up your phone doesn’t need to stay connected to your PC or laptop. It’s worth noting that each time you restart your desktop, you’ll need to start a new WhatsApp session on desktop which might require you to relink your device. Can you make a WhatsApp call from your computer? Yes. With the WhatsApp app version for desktop, you can make phone calls via the internet. These are free, even if they’re international. Final thoughts on using WhatsApp on desktop Overall, for those who are looking to boost their productivity or just want to stay organised, using WhatsApp on desktop is a great way to step away from your phone for a moment but still keep in touch with those who are important to you. Being able to make free phone calls from your desktop is also a bonus. You might also like Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Source link #WhatsApp #desktop Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

A woman died midway through a flight. A couple had to sit next to the body – National A woman died midway through a flight. A couple had to sit next to the body – National An *********** couple says they are “traumatized” after being forced to sit next to the body of a passenger who died midway through their Qatar Airways flight. Mitchell Ring and Jennifer Colin were travelling from Melbourne, Australia to Venice, Italy, when a woman collapsed in the aisle and could not be revived. “It [happened] right beside me in the aisle, and [staff] did everything they could, but unfortunately, the lady couldn’t be saved, which was pretty heartbreaking to watch,” Ring told the host of *********** news outlet A Current Affair. Story continues below advertisement Ring said airline staff brought in a wheelchair and attempted to move the deceased passenger to business class. “She was quite a large lady, and they couldn’t get her through the aisle,” he added. Ring said that the “staff were there in no time” and that they did “a wonderful job trying to revive her.” “They looked a bit frustrated and then they just looked at me and saw seats were available beside me — my wife was on the other side, we’re in a row of four by ourselves — and they just said to me, ‘Can you move over, please?’ and I just said, ‘Yes, no problem,’ and then they placed the lady in the chair that I was in,” he said. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. According to the couple, flight staff told them they must remain in their seats next to the body for the remaining four hours of the flight. They added that the crew took the blankets off the body to inspect it while the couple sat nearby. Story continues below advertisement “There were a few spare seats I could see around us. I can’t believe they told us to stay … it wasn’t nice,” Ring said, speaking from the couple’s vacation in Venice. Trending Now Elon Musk sued by Ashley St. Clair for sole custody of 5-month-old baby Tax season 2025: What Canadians need to know before filing Colin, on the verge of tears during the interview, called the whole experience “traumatizing” and said she moved herself to a different seat when a passenger in another row offered her the empty seat beside them. Ring and Colin said that they have not received any duty of care and haven’t been offered counselling after the flight. More on World More videos “They have a duty of care towards their customers as well as their staff. We should be contacted to make sure, do you need some support, do you need some counselling,” Ring told the outlet. “I don’t really know how I feel and would like to speak to somebody to make sure I’m all right.” Colin said that they are currently “trying to make the best of a pretty hard situation” because they are on vacation in Venice. “We’re really trying to have a good time,” she added. The couple booked their flight through the *********** airline Qantas and travelled with Qatar Airways. In a statement to multiple outlets, a spokesperson for Qantas said, “The process for handling incidents onboard an aircraft like this is managed by the operating airline, which in this case is Qatar Airways.” Story continues below advertisement In a statement to Global News, a representative for Qatar Airways said, “First and foremost our thoughts are with the family of the passenger who sadly passed away on board our flight.” “We apologize for any inconvenience or distress this incident may have caused, and are in the process of contacting passengers in line with our policies and procedures,” the spokesperson added. &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #woman #died #midway #flight #couple #sit #body #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Bhad Bhabie Drops Alabama Barker Diss Track Amid Feud, Features Travis Barker Lookalike in Video – E! NEWS Bhad Bhabie Drops Alabama Barker Diss Track Amid Feud, Features Travis Barker Lookalike in Video – E! NEWS Bhad Bhabie Drops Alabama Barker Diss Track Amid Feud, Features Travis Barker Lookalike in Video E! NEWSBhad Bhabie Debuts Dramatic New Look with Blonde Bangs After Getting Nose Job PEOPLETravis Barker Seemingly Trolled in Latest Bhad Bhabie Diss—Which Also Involves Kanye, Kourtney Kardashian Parade MagazineWhich Kanye West song did Bhad Bhabie sample in Ms. Whitman? Rapper thanks Ye and Bianca Censori for their stamp of approval for her diss song SportskeedaBhad Bhabie Drops Diss Track For Alabama Barker, Includes Travis Look-Alike TMZ Source link #Bhad #Bhabie #Drops #Alabama #Barker #Diss #Track #Feud #Features #Travis #Barker #Lookalike #Video #NEWS Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Callisto Protocol Dev Cuts More Jobs In Gaming’s Latest Layoffs The Callisto Protocol Dev Cuts More Jobs In Gaming’s Latest Layoffs Striking Distance Studios, the Krafton-owned game studio that made 2022’s The Callisto Protocol and 2024’s Redacted, has undergone a new round of layoffs. This follows on from a previous round of cuts in 2023. In a statement to GameSpot, Striking Distance confirmed that it has “reduced the size of its team” in an effort to “remain agile.” The statement also stressed that the cuts were part of a drive to establish a “sustainable environment” at the studio for the “current stage of development on future projects.” Striking Distance does not have any upcoming games that have been announced, but the statement confirmed that the team “remains operational” and that the layoffs “will not impact any planned ongoing support.” “No further changes are planned at this time,” Striking Distance said to close out its statement. In terms of the scope of the cuts, that remains unknown, but 80 Level discovered that anaffected worker said “most of the devs were laid off.” Striking Distance has zero open positions listed on its careers page. The Callisto Protocol was released in 2022 and was originally planned to be a PUBG spin-off before those plans were scuttled and it became its own thing. The game wasn’t a critical or commercial hit, however. Striking Distance followed it up with October 2024’s Redacted, which is set in the same sci-fi horror universe as The Callisto Protocol. It didn’t exactly light it up, either, in terms of review scores or sales–it achieved a peak concurrent player figure of 168 on Steam. As for what’s next, it’s been reported that Striking Distance is working on a third-person AAA multiplayer game that runs on Unreal Engine 5. Striking Distance was founded by Glen Schofield, who is best known for his work on the Dead Space and Call of Duty franchises. Schofield left the company in 2023 and is hyping up a mysterious project. Layoffs in the video game industry have been a repeated event in the past few years, and the unfortunate trend has continued so far in 2025, with layoffs impacting the Marvel Rivals US team, Crytek, and BioWare, among others. Source link #Callisto #Protocol #Dev #Cuts #Jobs #Gamings #Latest #Layoffs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple defeats shareholder effort to end DEI programmes Apple defeats shareholder effort to end DEI programmes Apple has fended off a proposal asking the tech giant to consider ending its diversity practices, such as the use of race and sex in hiring decisions. Apple said a majority of shareholders had rejected the measure, which the company had argued was “inappropriately” trying “to micromanage” its programmes and policies. It marks a second high-profile defeat of a shareholder proposal targeting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies at a major US company in recent weeks, after retailer Costco successfully beat back a similar push. The votes come despite fierce criticism of DEI from US President Donald Trump, who has pushed to end such programmes throughout the federal government. Trump’s orders have run into legal roadblocks, even as many companies in the US, including big names such as Meta, Amazon and Goldman Sachs, have already ended or rolled back their own policies, citing legal risks. The proposal at Apple was backed by National Center for Public Policy Research, a conservative think tank that was behind the proposal at Costco and has previously tangled with Apple over its green energy policies. The organisation argued that the existence of Apple’s diversity and inclusion programmes exposed Apple to “litigation, reputational and financial risks”, noting that recent lawsuits have made it easier for workers to sue over discrimination. “If even only a fraction of employees file suit, and only some of those prove successful, the cost to Apple could reach tens of billions of dollars,” it said. Stefan Padfield of the Free Enterprise Project, who presented the proposal at Tuesday’s meeting, said the risks to the company had also increased after the Trump administration recently ordered staff to investigate DEI in the private sector. “The vibe shift is clear,” he said. “DEI is out and merit is in.” Shareholders also rejected proposals that would have required Apple to report about its AI privacy practices, charitable giving and policies to combat child sex abuse. Source link #Apple #defeats #shareholder #effort #DEI #programmes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]