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Lester Holt to Exit ‘NBC Nightly News’ After Decade Behind the Desk Lester Holt to Exit ‘NBC Nightly News’ After Decade Behind the Desk Lester Holt, the NBC News anchor known for his ability to lead hours of breaking news coverage without pause, is finally ready for a breather. The NBC News veteran plans to step away in early summer from his anchor duties on “NBC Nightly News,” which he has held since 2015. After that, he plans to devote himself full time to NBC News’ “Dateline,” which he has anchored since 2011. More from Variety “After 10 years, 17 if you include my years on the weekends, the time has come for me to step away from my role as anchor of ‘Nightly News.’ It has truly been the honor of a lifetime to work with each of you every day, keeping journalism as our true north and our viewers at the center of everything we do,” Holt said in a memo to staffers Monday. “But before we play the walk off music, I have another announcement. I’m excited to report I will be continuing as anchor of ‘Dateline NBC,’ but for the first time in a full time capacity whereby I will be expanding my footprint on the broadcast and crafting ‘Dateline ‘hours on subjects I care deeply about. I am thrilled to be able to work more closely with my enormously talented friends at Dateline as the broadcast continues to grow and attract new viewers in new places.” Holt’s exit is the latest in a parade of departures of senior TV-news personnel in recent months as the industry grapples with new economic pressures brought about by the rise of streaming, and contends with a harsh climate for media outlets in the early days of the second Trump administration. Chuck Todd, the veteran political director and “Meet the Press” moderator, left NBC News in January, and Andrea Mitchell, the longtime international affairs and politics reporter, recently ended her decades-long tenure on MSNBC’s daytime schedule. Hoda Kotb recently left her duties at NBC News’ “Today.” NBC News isn’t the only news outlet parting ways with veterans. Neil Cavuto recently exited Fox News Channel, where he has held forth since 1996, and Chris Wallace parted ways with CNN after a short tenure. Holt has been a calming presence at NBC News, where his unflappable and low-key demeanor helped the news division move forward after a chaotic moment. He took over “Nightly” duties after his predecessor, Brian Williams, was removed following scrutiny of claims the latter made about the details of a reporting trip to Iraq. Holt has tried to stretch new muscles, always conscious that traditional TV viewers, once wed to watching evening news after coming home from work on a set in the living or family room, were interacting with such content in different ways. ““A year or two from now, people might be watching us on their toaster,” Holt told Variety in 2015, “and we’ve got to be there to put butter on the bread.” In 2020, he launched a “Kids’ Edition” of “Nightly.” During some broadcasts, Holt talked to Sesame Street characters about mental health awareness, and looked at the birth of a rare antelope at the Oregon Zoo. He has also tinkered with the “Nightly” ‘closing, delivering in somber national moments something more reflective and nuanced than the typical anodyne sign off. One day before the 2020 presidential election, he told viewers, “democracy is messy, but we’ve got to let it work,” particularly for “our children, who you know are watching us.” During Holt’s tenure, “Nightly” also tried to focus on news in different parts of the country, including Florida and California, and not just on events in New York and Washington, D.C. “Because of Lester’s steady and thoughtful leadership, ‘Nightly News’ has sustained its perch as a trusted and top news destination for millions of viewers across America. He has led the network during some of the country’s most fraught and challenging times in the past decade, most notably during the early days of the pandemic when Lester’s voice was a source of comfort each night for so many,” said Janelle Rodriguez, the NBC News executive vice president who oversees the evening newscast. “He’s taken viewers to the frontlines of every major story and sat down with world leaders, skillfully eliciting answers on consequential issues.” NBC News did not comment on potential successors for Holt at “Nightly.” Hallie Jackson was recently made the anchor of the Sunday broadcast of program, and Tom Llamas, who came to NBC News from ABC News in 2021, has been seen as a candidate for the job. Holt has been with NBCUniversal for a quarter century, joining MSNBC in 2000, then gaining roles as a substitute anchor for “NBC Nightly News” and a weekend anchor at “Today.” Before that, he spent nearly 20 year working for CBS-owned TV stations. He will step away from “Nightly” as the overall evening-news format seems to be in flux. CBS News has retooled its long-running “CBS Evening News” so that it focuses less on the breaking news of the day. Meanwhile, ABC’s “World News Tonight,” which leads among the three main broadcast networks in winning overall audience, is tied closely to anchor David Muir. “We’re lucky to have our jobs. I mean, it’s 30 minutes, 23 outside commercials is not a lot of time to try and curate all the complicated issues of the day in that ******* is a testament to the talented people we get to work with every day who can help us put this in a concise manner. Sometimes I think about our short attention spans these days, it’s like the evening news show were kind of ahead of their game. Now, 30 minutes is actually a pretty good time,” Holt told Variety in 2017. “Beyond that, we’re like, I’ve gotta move on.” Best of Variety Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Source link #Lester #Holt #Exit #NBC #Nightly #News #Decade #Desk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why Walmart’s stock may continue to struggle and how to capitalize on it Why Walmart’s stock may continue to struggle and how to capitalize on it I’ll review why Walmart, the largest retailer in the world, has stumbled and why the stock may continue to come under pressure. I’ll give an options trade that wins if the stock continues to struggle. In the past 45 years, Walmart has posted only one modest year-over-year sequential sales decline of -0.7% in FY2016. The company ranks in the top 3% of the S & P 500 regarding trailing 12-month free cash flow, which is expected to grow an impressive 15% YoY between FY2025 and FY2026. The street expects net income margins to expand in the next two fiscal years. One of the reasons that Walmart has continued to grow, even as many retailers have struggled in the past several years, is evolution. They’ve maintained their mission to be a one-stop shop by adding groceries that bring consumers back regularly. The company has continued to build its e-commerce business. In addition to expanding in these areas, Walmart has continued to focus on the operations of its legacy business by continuously improving cost and inventory management. Continuous evolution and improvement helped the company deliver a modest earnings beat when they reported on February 20th, the 11th consecutive quarter the company reported earnings that beat the street’s estimates. In fact, through the 19th, the day before their quarterly earnings release, Walmart’s share price was in the top 20% of Russell 1000 companies year-to-date. However, after the company reported, the share price fell by 6.3% and another 2.5% on Friday. The reason was disappointing sales guidance. The Street had been hoping for 5% annual sales growth, but the company guidance suggested that it would likely be between 3-4%, barely above the inflation rate. When asked about Walmart on Fast Money Friday night, I mentioned that it “perplexed me.” Not that the company would grow only marginally faster than inflation – an expectation similar to the pace of growth anticipated for GDP. I believe in everything I said about the company’s multi-decade operating performance. One might wonder why I’m not a buyer after the stock’s nearly 9% decline over the past two trading days, and the answer is, as it should usually be, valuation. Valuation concerns It is insufficient for a company to be well-operated or even “best of breed” to make a compelling investment. It must offer growth at a reasonable price, which is relative. A slower-growing company is reasonably expected to trade at valuation multiples lower than faster-growing ones. All else equal, steady growth will trade at a premium to more volatile operating performance. If one compares Walmart to Costco, Costco has grown its top and bottom lines faster over the past five years. Note that I have normalized sales and profits to $100 in these charts so one can easily discern the relative growth rates. And, as a result, Costco has maintained a higher price-to-forward earnings multiple: Observing these three charts, we see two companies that have experienced solid growth, with the faster-growing business trading at a deserved premium over the slower-growing one. One might believe that either would be a satisfactory investment. However, comparing two companies to one another is like comparing the size and growth of two trees in the forest. They may look reasonable compared with one another, but comparing them to the development of all trees might change one’s perspective. Such is the case here. Consider S & P 500 overall figures over the same *******. The market’s revenues have grown more than 40% — not quite as fast as Costco’s, but faster than Walmart’s. Earnings have grown more than 50%. Again, not as much as Costco’s, but more than Walmart’s. The trade A 38% premium to purchase Walmart shares, which have experienced earnings growth of 7% compounded over the past five years versus an 8.3% CAGR for the S & P more broadly, would only be justified if one believed Walmart would materially outperform the S & P earnings growth in the coming years. Perhaps one thinks the S & P’s earnings are at greater risk due to the tech sector or that Walmart’s growth will suddenly accelerate, but I would ask investors to consider some things first. Walmart has meaningful competition online from Amazon, which is growing faster and will likely overtake Walmart’s revenues soon. In the grocery space, Costco has been growing more rapidly (not enough to justify Costco’s huge multiple, but that’s another matter). If the stock were trees, Walmart would be one of the largest in the forest. However, the increase in the number of board feet of usable lumber has not grown as quickly recently. So, if asked whether I want a share of that tree to be harvested five years from now or a share of all trees for a similar time frame, I’d prefer a share of the forest rather than the tree. If you own the shares, selling covered calls at this point, even after the recent decline, makes sense to give yourself a little extra yield in the form of an options premium. Sell Apr. 4 WMT $100 call For those inclined to lean into the stock’s weakness and make an outright bearish (short) bet, one might consider a debit put spread such as the very slightly-in-the-money April 95/87.5 example provided below. Buy Apr. 17 WMT $95 put Sell Apr. 17 WMT $87.50 put DISCLOSURES: (None) All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium. THE ABOVE CONTENT IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY . THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSITUTE FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, TAX OR LEGAL ADVICE OR A RECOMMENDATION TO BUY ANY SECURITY OR OTHER FINANCIAL ASSET. THE CONTENT IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND DOES NOT REFLECT ANY INDIVIDUAL’S UNIQUE PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ABOVE CONTENT MIGHT NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES. BEFORE MAKING ANY FINANCIAL DECISIONS, YOU SHOULD STRONGLY CONSIDER SEEKING ADVICE FROM YOUR OWN FINANCIAL OR INVESTMENT ADVISOR. Click here for the full disclaimer. Source link #Walmarts #stock #continue #struggle #capitalize Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lester Holt is stepping down as anchor of ‘NBC Nightly News’ after a decade Lester Holt is stepping down as anchor of ‘NBC Nightly News’ after a decade Lester Holt on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. Nathan Congleton | NBCU | Getty Images Lester Holt, the anchor and managing editor of “NBC Nightly News” for a decade, announced Monday that he is stepping down from the long-running broadcast at the beginning of the summer. Holt will continue to be a fixture at the network with a full-time role at “Dateline,” where he has been the principal anchor for almost 15 years, according to a memo shared with network staff Monday. NBC News did not immediately name Holt’s successor. Holt was named anchor of “Nightly News” in June 2015 after steering weekend editions of the news broadcast for eight years and co-anchoring “Weekend TODAY” for 12 years. He has served as principal anchor of “Dateline” since September 2011. “A smile comes to my face when I think that with Nightly News, and Dateline, I have now anchored two of the most successful and iconic television news programs in broadcast history,” Holt wrote in a note Monday to “Nightly” and “Dateline” staffers. “As a 20-year-old radio reporter on the police beat chasing breaking news around San Francisco, I could never have imagined my career path would unfold in the way it has. What an amazing ride.” In his 10 years at the helm of “Nightly News,” Holt covered the defining events of the era, including the political rise of President Donald Trump, the Covid pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel and the war in Gaza. In recent months, Holt co-anchored the network’s coverage of election night, traveled to Iran for an exclusive interview with President Masoud Pezeshkian and helmed a “Dateline” special about the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. Holt’s interviews with world leaders regularly made headlines and set the news agenda. He spoke one-on-one with Trump, former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Barack Obama, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other key figures. Holt frequently traveled to areas hit by deadly hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and mass shootings. “He has led the network during some of the country’s most fraught and challenging times in the past decade,” Janelle Rodriguez, executive vice president of programming for NBC News, wrote in a message to staff. “Quite simply, Lester is the beating heart of this news organization.” He has been named the “most-trusted television news personality in America” two consecutive times, according to polls from The Hollywood Reporter and Morning Consult. “Nightly News” is consistently a top television show each week, averaging around 7 million viewers. Holt, who joined NBC News in 2000, also anchors “Nightly News: Kids Edition,” an Emmy-nominated digital newscast geared toward informing and educating children. Disclosure: Comcast’s NBCUniversal is parent of NBC News and CNBC. Source link #Lester #Holt #stepping #anchor #NBC #Nightly #News #decade Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The Haunted Carnival is a spooky new escape room-style puzzler, out now on Android The Haunted Carnival is a spooky new escape room-style puzzler, out now on Android The Haunted Carnival is an escape room-style puzzler out now on Android Explore (and hopefully escape from) the titular eerie carnival Five distinct rooms with five puzzles each block your path, however. You know, for how much fun they are it seems like all you need to do is turn down the lights and throw in a murderous clown or two before the carnival becomes anything but a fun day out. Don’t believe me? Well, maybe getting locked in with The Haunted Carnival will change your mind. This escape room-style puzzler sees you plopped into the titular carnival with only one objective: escape. Naturally, you’ll have plenty of obstacles in your way, and as with last week’s topic Legacy Reawakening despite having all the conventions of a point-and-click adventure you’ll be able to explore a fully rendered carnival at your leisure. The carnival itself is not a single continuous world of course. The Haunted Carnival is split into five rooms, with five distinct puzzles each. As you might expect The Haunted Carnival promises not just intrigue but also a healthy dose of spookiness to boot, and if you’re afraid of clowns you may want to give this one a miss. Admit one I will say I was somewhat sceptical spotting the use of some AI art in the icon for The Haunted Carnival. But I was pleasantly surprised (and somewhat confused) to see the actual gameplay involving some nice, crunchy low-poly environments that actually look quite nice. As for the gameplay itself, I’m not able to give my two cents, but if the puzzles in The Haunted Carnival are anything like the environment design then I’m confident that this is worth a shot. In the meantime, if you’re a little sceptical about the idea that mobile can deliver on the scares why not take a chance on some of the absolute spookiest of releases that we’ve listed on our ranking of the top 25 best horror games for iOS and Android? Source link #Haunted #Carnival #spooky #escape #roomstyle #puzzler #Android Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Video Trump hosts France's Macron at the White House amid Ukraine tensions – ABC News Video Trump hosts France's Macron at the White House amid Ukraine tensions – ABC News Video Trump hosts France’s Macron at the White House amid Ukraine tensions ABC NewsTrump set to meet with world leaders in DC during busy week as Russia-Ukraine peace talks continue Fox NewsLive updates: Trump hosts Macron; Musk email to federal workers stirs controversy The Hill Source link #Video #Trump #hosts #France039s #Macron #White #House #Ukraine #tensions #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

8BitDo’s M Edition Retro Mechanical Keyboard is 40 percent off right now 8BitDo’s M Edition Retro Mechanical Keyboard is 40 percent off right now The is now 40 percent off at Woot, down to $60, the lowest it’s ever been. It’s a newer version of the (without the numpad) that ships with a pair of programmable “Super Buttons” which resemble gigantic versions of the A and B buttons on an old game controller. This 87-key keyboard has top-mounted hot-swappable PCBs, making it perfect for enthusiasts who like to tinker with their keyboards. It boasts three connection modes: wired, wireless 2.4Ghz and Bluetooth, and you can use the top left knob to swap between them. 8BitDo 8BitDo’s M Edition Retro Mechanical Keyboard is 40 percent off right now. This deal is part of a larger ***** at Woot. $60 at Woot For users who want to do some custom key mapping, 8BitDo offers its Ultimate Software V2. However, it’s only available on Windows. You can still use this keyboard on Mac, but the software won’t work. Woot has more discounted products as part of its . Aside from some peripherals, many games are also on *****. Of note, is down to $45, and is discounted to $42. The ***** will only last five days, or until supplies run out. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Source link #8BitDos #Edition #Retro #Mechanical #Keyboard #percent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Lion King visual effects firm Technicolor on brink of collapse Lion King visual effects firm Technicolor on brink of collapse Chris Vallance Senior Technology Reporter Getty Images Technicolor owned studio MPC’s projects included Mufasa The Lion King The visual effects group behind Disney’s Mufasa The Lion King and its upcoming Snow White remake, is on the brink of failure. Technicolor owns a brace of leading visual effects studios including MPC, Mikros Animation and The Mill, with operations in the US, ***, Canada and India The Paris-based company employs 446 people in the ***, according to recent corporate filings and has told staff not to come into the office. The BBC has approached Technicolor for comment Visual effects (VFX) studios play a key role in film production. Most modern big-budget movies and television will rely heavily on visual effects to transport actors and audiences into outer-space, the distant past or the deep-sea. And the appearance and non-vocal performances of characters and creatures, fantastic and otherwise will often be partly or fully the creation of animators and other specialist staff. As well as purely animated films and TV, many live action releases are in large-part the work, of the employees of VFX studios. Many staff work film-to-film on fixed-term contracts, so redundancies if they are announced, may not reflect the total impact of the business’ troubles on jobs. Technicolor owned MPC, was founded in 1970 as a Soho based production company. It has been a major force in the VFX industry delivering big budget movies such as recent computer-animated remakes of Disney’s The Lion King and the Jungle Book. Recent projects include “Kraven the Hunter,” “Young Woman and the Sea” and “Emilia Perez” according to Variety. Mikros Animation projects include two recent Mutant Ninja Turtles titles and the Paw Patrol series of films. ‘Render in peace’ In an email sent to *** staff, Technicolor said the group’s *** entity Technicolor Creative Studios *** Ltd filed for administration Monday. Staff were told not to come into the office. US employees were also notified the company could fold via email. According to animation news-site Cartoon-brew an email sent over the weekend by chief executive Caroline Parot said “external headwinds” had exacerbated problems caused by factors including post-covid recovery. She also said the US writers’ strike which led to a slow-down in demand for VFX work causing “severe” pressure on cash-flow. Those same issues will add to the anxiety of staff and may fear re-entering what has been a relatively lean jobs market for VFX professionals. “Render in peace” one self-described 13-year veteran of The Mill wrote on Reddit – a reference to the computationally intense process of producing final, film grade images, a process known as rendering. Source link #Lion #King #visual #effects #firm #Technicolor #brink #collapse Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft CEO Says Company Will Train New AI On A “Catalog Of Games” Microsoft CEO Says Company Will Train New AI On A “Catalog Of Games” Microsoft’s plans for its new Muse AI technology for video games appears to be ready to move into full gear. In a recent interview, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that the company is getting ready to start training its new AI system on a “catalog of games”. Speaking on the Dwarkesh Patel Podcast—h/t to Eurogamer—Nadella says that the plan is to train the AI system on games so that it can actually start playing them. “When Phil Spencer first showed it to me, he had an Xbox controller and this model basically took the input and generated the output based on the input. And it was consistent with the game,” Nadella said. “That to me is a massive, massive moment of ‘wow’. It’s kind of like the first time we saw ChatGPT complete sentences, or Dall-E draw, or Sora. This is one such moment.” As far as how this ability and training will help with game development and gamers, in general, Nadella didn’t go into any specifics. According to Microsoft’s announcement of Muse, not only does it have the potential to assist with game development and accessibility, but it could help with game preservation as well. The idea of AI in gaming continues to be a much discussed topic. Recently, Steam users began requesting the ability to filter out games that use generative AI. Even CEO’s have gotten in on the topic with Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick believing that there’s truly no such thing as “artificial intelligence”. What do you think of Microsoft using games to train its AI model to play them? Let us know down below, and join the discussion further in the official Insider Gaming Forums. For more Insider Gaming, read about Assassin’s Creed Shadows gameplay being leaked early after copies have made their way into players’ hands. 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 #Microsoft #CEO #Company #Train #Catalog #Games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** says no Gaza ceasefire talks unless Israel frees prisoners ****** says no Gaza ceasefire talks unless Israel frees prisoners Getty Images ****** says talks with Israel about further steps in the Gaza ceasefire deal are conditional on ************ prisoners being freed as agreed. Israel said on Sunday it was delaying the release of more than 600 Palestinians in return for six living and four dead hostages who had been freed, accusing ****** of repeated violations including “humiliating” handover ceremonies. A senior ****** official said the decision exposed the entire agreement to “grave danger” and called on mediators, especially the US, to pressure Israel. The deal’s first phase and temporary six-week truce is set to expire on Saturday but indirect negotiations on the second phase and an end to the war have not yet begun. UN Secretary General António Guterres warned that the ceasefire was “precarious” and that a resumption of hostilities must be avoided at all costs. He also called for the “dignified release of all remaining hostages”. On Saturday – the start of the sixth and final week of the ceasefire deal’s first phase – ****** released six living Israeli hostages. As with many of the previous handovers, five of them were led onto stages beside armed fighters before being transferred to the Red Cross and then taken to Israel. Later, ****** posted a video of two other hostages in a vehicle watching one of the handover ceremonies and appearing to plead with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to get them out too. A forum representing the hostages’ families condemned the video as a “sickening display of cruelty”. There was already fury in Israel after ****** returned the bodies of four hostages earlier in the week, including those of Shiri Bibas and her two young sons Ariel and Kfir, who were abducted during the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel. It emerged on Friday that ****** had handed over the remains of a ************ woman rather than those of Ms Bibas. The group said there had been a mistake and transferred Ms Bibas’s body later that day. Israeli authorities also said a post-mortem had shown that Ariel and Kfir’s captors killed the boys “with their bare hands”, contradicting ******’s claim that they died in an Israeli air strike. Israel was scheduled to free 620 ************ prisoners in exchange for the 10 hostages. More than 400 were Gazans detained by Israeli forces during the war, while 50 of the prisoners were serving life sentences in Israeli jails. They had reportedly already boarded buses at a prison in the occupied West Bank when the order came to suspend their release while Netanyahu consulted ministers. In the early hours of Sunday, the prime minister’s office said the release would be postponed “in light of ******’s repeated violations, including the ceremonies that humiliate our hostages and the cynical exploitation of our hostages for propaganda purposes”. “It has been decided to delay the release of terrorists that was planned for yesterday until the release of the next hostages has been assured, and without the humiliating ceremonies.” Reuters Israeli hostages Omer Shem Tov, Eliya Cohen and Omer Wenkert were paraded by armed fighters on a stage in Nuseirat before being handed over to the Red Cross ****** – which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US, *** and other countries – denounced Israel’s decision as a “blatant violation” of the deal and warned US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators that there could be no talks on extending the ceasefire until the prisoners were released. “We have conveyed a clear and strong message to the mediators – we cannot continue discussing any further steps if these 620 Palestinians are not released,” ****** political bureau member Basem Naim said in an interview with Al Jazeera on Monday. Asked if the scheduled release of the bodies of another four Israeli hostages on Thursday could be affected, he replied that “all options are on the table”. “Before going to the next step, we have to be sure that the past step [will happen],” he added. “Netanyahu is clearly sending strong messages that he is intentionally sabotaging the deal, he is preparing the atmosphere for returning back to the war. Therefore, what are the guarantees that he might take the other four bodies and again not release the agreed-upon number of Palestinians, plus the 620 Palestinians?” Naim said ****** had discussed Israel’s complaints about the hostage handover ceremonies, but denied they had been humiliating and alleged that Israeli authorities had mistreated ************ prisoners before they were released. The White House backed Israel’s decision to delay the prisoner release, saying it was an “appropriate response” to what it called the “barbaric treatment” of hostages by ******. But President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said he would travel to the region this week with the aim of getting “an extension of phase one”. “We’re hopeful that we have the proper time… to begin phase two, and finish it off and get more hostages released,” he told CNN on Sunday. EPA Palestinians were waiting in Ramallah for the prisoners early on Sunday when Israeli authorities delayed their release A total of 33 Israeli hostages are supposed to be exchanged for about 1,900 ************ prisoners and detainees from Gaza during the ceasefire deal’s first phase. So far, 25 living hostages and four dead hostages have been released, while the bodies of the last four hostages are scheduled to be handed over this week. Five living Thai hostages have also been freed outside the deal. The agreement has also seen Israeli forces withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have been allowed to return to their homes in the north and hundreds of aid lorries are now being allowed into the territory each day. The ceasefire’s second phase should see the remaining hostages released, a full Israeli withdrawal and a permanent ceasefire. The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy ****** in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. At least 48,346 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s ******-run health ministry. Most of Gaza’s population has also been displaced multiple times, almost 70% of buildings are estimated to be damaged or destroyed, the healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed, and there are shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter. Source link #****** #Gaza #ceasefire #talks #Israel #frees #prisoners Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Monster Hunter Wilds Review | TheSixthAxis Monster Hunter Wilds Review | TheSixthAxis TSA writes: Monster Hunter Wilds is the best Monster Hunter game weve ever had with a great storyline, improved gameplay and epic monsters to battle. Source link #Monster #Hunter #Wilds #Review #TheSixthAxis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Killing Me Softly singer dies aged 88 Killing Me Softly singer dies aged 88 The R&B singer Roberta Flack, best known for the hits The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly With His Song, has died at the age of 88. “We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, February 24, 2025,” said a statement from her representatives. “She died peacefully surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator.” Flack had previously announced in 2022 that she had motor neurone disease, and could no longer sing. Born in North Carolina and raised in Arlington, Virginia, the musician started out as a classical pianist, first teaching music. Her recording career started after she was discovered singing in a jazz club by musician Les McCann, who later wrote that “her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I’ve ever known”. But she didn’t score her first hit until she was in her 30s – when her recording of Ewan MacColl’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was used to soundtrack an explicit love scene in Clint Eastwood’s 1971 film Play Misty For Me. It was subsequently named song of the year at the Grammys. Flack won the award a second time the following year, for Killing Me Softly With His Song. After topping the charts again in 1974 with Feel Like Makin’ Love, Flack took a break from performing to concentrate on recording and charitable causes. Over the course of her career, she worked with artists including Donny Hathaway and Miles Davis, and recorded an album of Beatles covers in 2012. In 2020, a year after having a stroke, Flack was awarded a lifetime achievement award from the Grammys. “It’s a tremendous and overwhelming honour,” she said at the time. “I’ve tried my entire career to tell stories through my music. This award is a validation to me that my peers heard my thoughts and took in what I have tried to give.” Source link #Killing #Softly #singer #dies #aged Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

With Philips Hue light bulbs under $10 each at Amazon, I’m giving my home the ultimate spring glow-up With Philips Hue light bulbs under $10 each at Amazon, I’m giving my home the ultimate spring glow-up If you like the idea of Philips Hue smart lights but have always been put off by the price, I’ve got good news. Right now at Amazon, you can pick up a four-pack of A19 fitting warm white Philips Hue light bulbs for just $36.99 (was $49.99). That’s less than $10 each, and one of the best deals I’ve ever seen on these versatile bulbs. If you’re not familiar with the Philips Hue range, there are several different types of bulbs available, each of which gives you different color options, but all of which can be controlled via the Philips Hue app. White & Color Ambiance lights offer warm and cool lighting, plus 16 million RGB colors so you can choose any shade you like to create the right mood. White Ambiance bulbs don’t offer fun shades, but let you pick different white light temperatures to suit the time of day. Finally, there are White bulbs like these, which have one temperature. Today’s best Philips Hue deal You can control these bulbs via Bluetooth with the Philips Hue app on your phone, which will let you turn them off and on remotely, and adjust their brightness. Alternatively, you can use a Philips Hue Bridge to connect them all to your home Wi-Fi network, and to each other. This will open up new options like scheduling, the ability to operate them using a smart speaker, and connectivity with smart switches and sensors. This is an awesome deal on some of the best smart lights you can buy, and a great entry point if you’re not interested in bathing your living room in shades of green and pink, and just want more control over your regular light fixtures. If you also want to pick up a Philips Hue Bridge to get the most out of these bulbs and unlock all their features, we’ve rounded up all today’s best deals for you here: Source link #Philips #Hue #light #bulbs #Amazon #giving #home #ultimate #spring #glowup Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Five key takeaways from the ******* election Five key takeaways from the ******* election Paul Kirby Europe digital editor in Berlin Getty Images Friedrich Merz’s conservatives have won, but Germany’s 2025 election has thrown up some important and fascinating stories that reveal a country in flux. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has doubled its support in just four years to 20.8%, and has spread out from its support base in the east to become the second biggest political force in parliament. Meanwhile, outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD had its worst performance in decades, only sharing 16.4% of the vote. Here are five key takeaways. AfD dominant in east, spreading to the west Look at an election results map of Germany, and you could almost have travelled back in time to the Cold War, when an iron curtain divided ********** East Germany from the west. In the east it’s a swathe of AfD light blue, apart from pockets like Berlin and half of Leipzig. In the west the vast majority has turned conservative ******, especially in Bavaria where Merz’s conservative sister party, the CSU, dominates the landscape. But the AfD is spreading in the west too, and political loyalty to the old mainstream parties has gone. Its main message is “remigration”, which it defines as deporting migrants who have committed crimes. But the term can also refer to the mass deportation of migrants and their descendants. The AfD wants a vote on leaving the EU if it can’t reform it, to scrap climate change measures, build nuclear power plants, and repair gas lines and relations with Russia. For one in five Germans it has become normalised. “They’re just normal people,” said one young man of immigrant origin in Duisburg, a city in western Germany’s old industrial heartland. Even though it came second, the AfD is blocked from being part of the next government because of a “firewall” – or Brandmauer – operated by Germany’s main parties, who do not co-operate with any party seen as extremist since the end of World War Two. The AfD’s leader Alice Weidel insists it is a libertarian, conservative movement, not racist. Its big increase in public support has coincided with a series of deadly attacks in the past nine months, all allegedly by immigrants. The AfD has embraced a highly controversial policy called “remigration”, which it defines as deporting migrants who have committed crimes. But the term can also refer to the mass deportation of migrants and their descendants. However, in May 2024 a ******* court rejected an AfD appeal against a ruling classifying it as a suspected far-right extremist organisation. Judges found that the AfD had “positions that disparage the democratic order and are incompatible with the principle of democracy”. In three ******* states in the east – Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony – domestic intelligence has designated the AfD as right-wing extremist. A leading AfD figure in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, has twice been convicted of using a banned Nazi slogan “Alles für Deutschland” – everything for Germany. Alice Weidel supporters have chanted her name during the election campaign, using the phrase “Alice für Deutschland”. Germans voted in biggest turnout for 40 years Not since 1987 has turnout been as high as 82.5% in a ******* election, and that was three years before reunification of east and west. Four years ago it was 76.6%. Put simply, more than four in every five of Germany’s 59.2 million voters turned out. It reflects just how energised Germans have been by this election, which comes at a pivotal moment for their country. There were nine TV debates in the final stretch of the campaign, but that reflected the broad interest of the audience. All over for leaders of collapsed government The three-party government of outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz fell apart at the end of last year, and within 24 hours of Sunday’s election, all three leaders have said they’re leaving the front line of politics. The leader of the economic liberals, the ****, was first. Christian Lindner has led his party for 11 years. But it failed to get any MPs elected and Lindner has said he’s leaving politics after 25 years. It was Lindner’s refusal to compromise on debt rules that first brought the government down, and then sent his party into the wilderness. Although Scholz will remain as chancellor until the next government is formed, he won’t be taking part in coalition talks and will be leaving frontline politics. Greens Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck is also leaving frontline politics after his party fell below 12% in the election. TikTok generation hauls Left back from dead Until a few weeks ago, the Left party looked doomed when one of its leading lights, Sahra Wagenknecht, went off and founded her own, more populist, party with eight other MPs. Wagenknecht’s popularity soared for a while as head of her BSW party, but ultimately fell just below the 5% threshold for getting into parliament. The story was very different for the Left (Die Linke), which came back from the dead with an inspired social medial campaign. Heidi Reichinnek, Die Linke’s co-chair, went viral after she gave a speech enthusiastically defending the firewall against the AfD. She now has 580,000 followers on TikTok and her post has attracted seven million views. Her party secured just under 9% of the vote. Young go left and right, old stick to centre Die Linke’s viral videos helped secure a quarter of the 18-24 vote, and the AfD were not far behind with 21%, according to surveys by ARD TV. Alice Weidel was the biggest hit on social media during the election, even ******* than Heidi Reichinnek. She has attracted more than 935,000 followers on TikTok. For the over-35s, it was the Christian Democrats who won out, and more men than women. Source link #key #takeaways #******* #election Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Infinity Nikki makes things spooky with it’s Eerie Season, coming after next update Infinity Nikki makes things spooky with it’s Eerie Season, coming after next update Infinity Nikki’s Eerie Season is almost here, coming February 26th after maintenance This creeptacular, early Halloween present brings a spooky castle, new cosmetics and more Explore the Queen’s Palace Ruins and experience new events up until March 26th It may still be February, but it looks as if Infinity Nikki, the hit dress-up RPG from Infold Games, is having an early Halloween. Because after maintenance on February 26th, we’ve got the new Eerie Season to look forward to! What can you expect? Creepy castles, new cosmetics and a lot more. As you might expect from an event broadcasting its gothic influence the events of Eerie Season focus on the mysterious Queen’s Palace Ruins. In Queen’s Lament Nikki and Momo will embark on an expedition into the ruins to discover the source of a mystery lament that’s instilling fear in the inhabitants of Florawish. Completing the Queen’s Lament event won’t be the end either, as it’ll also unlock the Queen’s Palace Ruins: Inner Court dungeon to offer new, spine-tingling challenges. As you might expect there’s also the addition of a brand new outfit in the form of the Dream Chaser, which you can acquire for free alongside 15 Revelation Crystals. Spooky scary royalty But that’s still not all because the Eerie Season also introduces new areas to explore once you’ve cleared the dungeon. Alongside that, there’s another story event focusing on the legendary, but peaceful, Bullquet as it falls in a strange torpor. Naturally, it’s up to Nikki to find out why and hopefully fix it. As much as it’s odd to have a season focusing on spooky goings-on in mysterious mansions at the start of the year, it’s not exactly unusual for some unseasonal events to take place during the colder months ahead of spring. And with some top releases already marking spring, I’d say Infinity Nikki has the opportunity to offer something a bit different! Meanwhile, if you’re looking for other options to fill up your time, why not check out some of our latest reviews? Will Quick has just dived, or leapt, into Jump King. So, find out what he thought of this rage-inducing (in a good way) platformer! Source link #Infinity #Nikki #spooky #Eerie #Season #coming #update Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Starbucks to dismiss 1100 corporate workers globally Starbucks to dismiss 1100 corporate workers globally Starbucks plans to lay off 1100 corporate employees globally as new chairman and CEO Brian Niccol streamlines operations. In a letter to employees released Monday, Niccol said the company will inform employees who are being laid off by mid-day on Tuesday. Niccol said Starbucks is also eliminating several hundred open and unfilled positions. “Our intent is to operate more efficiently, increase accountability, reduce complexity and drive better integration,” Niccol wrote in the letter. Starbucks has 16,000 corporate support employees worldwide but that includes some employees who are not affected, like roasting and warehouse staff. Baristas in the company’s stores are not included in the lay-offs. Niccol said in January that corporate lay-offs would be announced by early March. He said all work must be overseen by someone who can make decisions while the the Seattle coffee giant reduces the complexity of its structure and eliminates silos within the company that slow communication. “Our size and structure can slow us down, with too many layers, managers of small teams and roles focused primarily on co-ordinating work,” Niccol wrote. Starbucks hired Niccol last year to turn around sluggish sales. He has said he wants to improve service times – especially during the morning rush – and re-establish stores as community gathering places. Niccol is also cutting items from Starbucks; menu and experimenting with its ordering algorithms to better handle its mix of mobile, drive-through and in-store orders. Starbucks’ global same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, fell 2 per cent in its 2024 fiscal year, which ended on September 29. In the United States, customers tired of price increases and growing wait times. In China, its second-largest market, Starbucks faced growing competition from cheaper rivals. Source link #Starbucks #dismiss #corporate #workers #globally Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

From Controversies to Legal Action in Japan, The Hits Keep Coming for Ubisoft as Assassin’s Creed Shadows Suffers a Massive Leak From Controversies to Legal Action in Japan, The Hits Keep Coming for Ubisoft as Assassin’s Creed Shadows Suffers a Massive Leak To say that Assassin’s Creed Shadows is Ubisoft’s do or die moment would be a bit of an understatement. After all, the company has been subject to numerous controversies as of late, with multiple failed projects as well – putting its sustainability in serious jeopardy. As per recent reports online, Shadows might already have been leaked in its entirety to multiple users, which could be a cause of concern for them – assuming it wasn’t intentional in the first place. Physical copies of Assassin’s Creed Shadows distributed to multiple players Assassin’s Creed Shadows has been leaked | Image Credit: Ubisoft Detailed by multiple reports online, physical versions of Assassin’s Creed Shadows have made their way to the hands of players nearly a month ahead of its official launch on March 20, 2025. This naturally, includes only the console versions of the game – that is, for the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 – and not the PC, which is digital only. This information has been verified by multiple owners of said copies, with many of them providing in-game screenshots to verify the same. Depending on the nature of the leak, and how many users have had their hands on the game – the situation could be most dire for Ubisoft, who is already treading on thin ice with its recent controversy with the title in Japan. Shadows has been a very controversial title thanks to its inclusion of Yasuke as one of its dual protagonists, with many calling the game ‘woke’ in its wake. It’s not just player opinion that’s haunting Ubisoft, though. The game was recently charged with legal action in Japan. This is thanks to its ‘inappropriate’ depiction of Shrines, many of which can be easily destroyed. The footage, which showcased the destruction of the Shrine, has not stood with officials from the Itate Hyozu Shrine, who consider it highly offensive. Wake up, Ubisoft “defender,” and hear our voice! What kind of Assassin’s Creed game destroys an actual religious site? Japanese culture is consumed but receives no respect. Here is a perfect example. pic.twitter.com/UsfWMgy53n — Shohei Kondo (@shoheikondo) January 31, 2025 As depicted in the video, players can enter and ransack the shrine to their heart’s content. It should be kept in mind here that players are not directed to destroy anything here – it is simply the player’s own actions on show here. Ubisoft has been facing a lot of controversy recently | Image Credit: Ubisoft However, the possibility of being able to do so has caused a fair bit of controversy. Ubisoft is no stranger to controversy at this point, but a leak of this magnitude could very well spell doom for the franchise and the company as a whole. Even more damning is the fact that these players have access to a full version of the game, and could release gameplay clips (containing an awful lot of spoilers) to the public, further ruining the game for everyone. A genuine slip up, or an intentional marketing ploy? Ubisoft is yet to respond | Image Credit: Ubisoft While gaming leaks aren’t exactly anything new, a leak of this magnitude with no proper response from Ubisoft seems to be quite an interesting situation. After all, one would expect Ubisoft of all people to crack down on leakers with extreme prejudice. It could be argued that Ubisoft could very well have staged this in an attempt to gain more publicity for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. After all, any publicity is good publicity. Ubisoft’s social media handles seem to be handling the situation remarkably well given its severity, and the fact that there are barely any spoilers being released onto the internet also adds credibility to the theory. However, at the end of the day, a theory is all this is, and Ubisoft could very well be attempting to take their time and discuss legal options in order to combat leaks. Source link #Controversies #Legal #Action #Japan #Hits #Coming #Ubisoft #Assassins #Creed #Shadows #Suffers #Massive #Leak Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mother in custody after teen daughter with autism found dead and ‘mummified’ in their home Mother in custody after teen daughter with autism found dead and ‘mummified’ in their home A woman in Texas is in custody after her 19-year-old autistic daughter was found dead and “mummified” on the floor of her concrete bedroom, say officials. Crystal Canales, 41, is facing one count of serious bodily injury to a disabled person – a second-degree felony – after officers from the Balch Springs Police Department found her child dead and emaciated at their home on the outskirts of Dallas on February 14. Delilah Villegas’s body was curled up in a “near-fetal” position, next to a single mattress and pallets of bedding when authorities found her, Balch Springs officer Pedro Gonzalez said this weekend. Speaking to the media, Gonzalez stammered while describing the body: “She looked like she was in a mummified, in a mummy state of…on the floor. She was just in a curled-up position on the floor and it was just unrecognizable for a 19-year-old to be in that position.” Detectives had arrived at the home on Horseshoe Trail, Balch Springs, which was inhabited by Villegas’s great uncle, grandmother, and mom, after receiving a 911 call from Canales who explained that her daughter was struggling to breathe and needed CPR. However, when officials arrived they were stunned to discover it was too late. Delilah Villegas, 19, was found “skin to bone” by police on Valentine’s Day, police shared (Supplied) As they entered, officers began to smell a pungent decaying odor which led them to the girls’ bedroom. This is when they found Villegas’ body “skin to bone” with large exposed wounds, bedsores, and decaying limbs, with bones on her shoulder, leg, and arm also protruding through the skin. Officers initially thought the girl was 13 years old, said Gonzales, because of how malnourished she was. Gonzalez said it was clear the girl had been dead for at least four hours because the “rigor mortis had set in” but shared that the medical examiner’s office estimated she could have been dead anywhere from between 6 to 24 hours. Interviews with family members revealed that Villegas’ was autistic and nonverbal. She often broke out in random outbursts of violent anger by kicking, punching, and beating family members and was previously involved in an altercation on a school bus, Gonzales shared. Family members would often be discouraged from interacting with the girl because of how violent she became, authorities said. According to the affidavit, seen by Live5News, the grandmother claimed not to have seen the 19-year-old in weeks while the great-uncle claimed to have not seen her for a year. The last time police went to the home was for a ******** check in 2021 where they reported that “everyone had been fine”. The victim also had an older sister, said police. The grandmother and great-uncle are not currently facing charges. The mom was reportedly praised as a loving and caring parent, and no behavior ever raised any suspicion of abuse in the home, said Gonzales. He added that an earlier ******** check and closer monitoring could have prevented the tragedy from unfolding. Canales was first taken into custody at the Balch Springs Jail and is currently awaiting transfer to the Dallas County Jail. Source link #Mother #custody #teen #daughter #autism #dead #mummified #home Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The SEC is dropping an investigation into Robinhood The SEC is dropping an investigation into Robinhood In another sign that the Trump administration will be friendlier toward the cryptocurrency industry, the Securities and Exchange Commission is dropping an investigation into Robinhood. The agency has informed the company that it won’t move forward with any enforcement action, Robinhood . In May last year, Robinhood a Wells Notice from the SEC indicating that the agency’s staff was going to recommend enforcement action against it. The company had faced potential charges of violating securities law through its crypto listings and sales. Under the Biden administration, there was some momentum for cryptocurrency to be considered and regulated as securities; Trump’s policy goals seem to signal the opposite. “Robinhood Crypto always has and will always respect federal securities laws and never allowed transactions in securities,” Dan Gallagher, Robinhood’s chief legal, compliance and corporate affairs officer, . “As we explained to the SEC, any case against Robinhood Crypto would have failed. We appreciate the formal closing of this investigation, and we are happy to see a return to the rule of law and commitment to fairness at the SEC.” Robinhood added that it was looking forward to working with the SEC to develop a clearer and more “tailored” regulatory framework for digital assets. The company in 2022, but it has faced regulatory trouble. New York officials handed the crypto side of Robinhood’s business and in 2024, the company with California over crypto withdrawal claims. Meanwhile, just last month, Robinhood agreed to pay $45 million to related to record keeping, trade reporting and other alleged rule violations. Last week, Coinbase said the SEC was . In a lawsuit during the Biden administration, the agency had accused that company of running an unregistered securities exchange. Source link #SEC #dropping #investigation #Robinhood Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Goldman says these five stocks are the favorite among the two biggest types of investors Goldman says these five stocks are the favorite among the two biggest types of investors While hedge funds and mutual funds generally differ in level of risk, there are some stocks that appear to be favored among both in the first quarter of 2025, according to Goldman Sachs. In two recent reports, the firm analyzed $7 trillion worth of fund holdings at the start of the current quarter, assessing 695 hedge funds with $3.1 trillion of gross equity positions and 544 mutual funds that total $3.9 trillion in equity assets. In the *******, there are five shared favorites among hedge funds and mutual funds, with those names overlapping in Goldman’s Hedge Fund VIP and Mutual Fund Overweight baskets. This quarter’s group includes one new addition, Applovin , as well as previously shared favorites like Mastercard . Notably, these shared favorites have returned 14% this year, almost six times the year-to-date gains of the S & P 500 at around 2.4%. Below are the five that appeared in the baskets. Funds have evidently benefited from Applovin as an addition, as shares of the ad tech company have risen more than 24% in 2025. Over the past 12 months, the stock has soared about 600%. Applovin – one of the biggest winning tech stocks of 2024 with a massive gain of more than 712% – recently gained around 24% on the back of its fourth-quarter earnings and revenue beat and stronger-than-expected guidance for the current quarter. Most analysts are still bullish on the name in the months ahead. According to LSEG, 19 out of 26 analysts covering the stock have a strong buy or buy rating, and its consensus price target of around $502 implies 21% upside potential, as of Friday’s close. Analysts also see more upside ahead for Mastercard, which has already also outperformed the broader market with a year-to-date gain of about 6%. That global payments stock has risen nearly 18% over the past year. To be sure, 34 out of 41 analysts covering Mastercard have a strong buy or buy rating on the name, while the remaining seven analysts have a hold rating. Its average target of nearly $615 reflects more than 10% upside potential. Moreover, audio streaming giant Spotify has surged more than 34% this year and more than 135% in the last 12 months. Wall Street is similarly bullish on the name as well, as 25 out of 39 of them have a strong buy or buy rating. Source link #Goldman #stocks #favorite #among #biggest #types #investors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lawsuit challenges threat to federal workers Lawsuit challenges threat to federal workers CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort Hotel And Convention Center on Feb. 20, 2025 in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Andrew Harnik | Getty Images A newly amended lawsuit challenges a threat by Elon Musk to federal workers, which warned them to respond to an email demanding them to submit a list of their accomplishments over the last week, or face a forced “resignation.” The amended lawsuit in California federal court comes amid confusion and controversy inside the federal government over whether employees must respond to that email from the Office of Personnel Management, and, if so, how. This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates. Source link #Lawsuit #challenges #threat #federal #workers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Shocking statistics show *********** breast ******* rates among highest in world Shocking statistics show *********** breast ******* rates among highest in world Research examining breast ******* incidents and deaths across 185 countries shows Australia has one of the highest rates of diagnoses across the globe. Source link #Shocking #statistics #show #*********** #breast #******* #rates #among #highest #world Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Jimmy Butler-Warriors union has immaculate early vibes: ‘Jimmy gives us some swagger’ Jimmy Butler-Warriors union has immaculate early vibes: ‘Jimmy gives us some swagger’ SAN FRANCISCO — As he backpedaled following his stepback 3-pointer over P.J. Washington in front of Dallas’ bench, Steph Curry pulled out his now world-famous celebration. Night. Night. The oddity about this one, however, was that 2 minutes, 50 seconds remained. In the third quarter. Curry shunned his usual concerns about pulling out his gesture too early. His one worry is pulling out the celebration and then losing the game. But in a rare instance, Curry did not filter his confidence, giving no regard to the potential for shame. He had revenge on his heart. Curry remembered on Feb. 12 when Washington co-opted Curry’s celebration gesture in the Mavericks’ win over Golden State in Dallas. It didn’t sit well with the Warriors that Washington didn’t play that night. So when Curry got the chance, he pulled it out for Washington and simultaneously flexed the newfound certainty he is feeling these days. “The Night-Night stuff is never really predictable,” Curry said. “ It’s just whenever I’m feeling it. And you gotta be good to do it.” GO DEEPER With Jimmy Butler, the Warriors are thriving when Steph Curry rests A month ago, he was giving bleak state-of-the-Warriors news conferences after every brutal defeat. Now, he’s trolling his foes midway through the second half. Curry hasn’t exuded this much audaciousness since he pointed to his ring finger in Boston in the third quarter of Game 6 in the 2022 NBA Finals. Witness the impact of Jimmy Butler. “One hundred percent,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Jimmy gives us some swagger.” When Draymond Green predicted a Warriors championship on Feb. 16, sharing that bold message on the **** airwaves during NBA All-Star Weekend after making the same declaration privately in the days before, it was fair to wonder about the origins of his newfound cockiness. The answer, according to the Warriors who matter most, is born out of the lessons learned during the dynastic run they want so badly to extend. They recognize the team’s higher ceiling since acquiring Butler from Miami. A familiar sense of viability has returned. “I just know what it looks like,” Green told The Athletic when asked to explain his proclamation. “This team all year has been kind of like, ‘Man, we’re right there, but can’t quite get over the hump.’ But there’s a reason that you feel like you’re right there, but can’t quite get over. “And the reason I think we all thought we couldn’t quite get over was because there was a missing piece. That piece isn’t missing anymore. That piece is him.” The Warriors have been in search of this combination of talent and aura — perhaps since 2019 when Kevin Durant departed for free agency. As their foundational trio of Curry, Green and Klay Thompson aged, the need became increasingly apparent. It was exacerbated when Thompson left in free agency and as their young hopefuls proved not yet ready for such expectations. The Warriors checked in on LeBron James at the 2024 trade deadline. They tried to fill the void by going after Paul George and Lauri Markkanen last summer but couldn’t get a massive deal done. They even came close to reuniting with Durant. League and team sources said they had the structure of a deal agreed upon after Phoenix reached out to Golden State, but they decided against pushing the button after learning Durant wasn’t interested. It all led to Butler, who also was in search of a franchise to maximize his talents. And his wallet. “Jimmy almost won the championship leading the team — twice,” Green said of Butler, who signed a two-year, $112 million extension with the Warriors that runs through the summer of 2027. “So he just needed a little bit more to get over the hump. I think we needed a little more to get over the hump. You combine those two together, and this one guy with an undying passion and wants to win a championship. It’s like burning for that. “And then there are some guys who have done it before but are burning to f—ing do it at least one more time. You mix the two together with the know-how — because Jimmy knows how. Obviously, we know how. And what you get is what everybody’s going to see.” It’s been six games, capped with the Warriors 126-102 deconstructing of the hobbled Mavericks. Not coincidentally, Sunday’s foe represented the lone loss in Golden State’s Butler era, that four-point defeat in Dallas on Feb. 12 prompting Washington’s taunt. The shift toward becoming a more balanced, two-way team has been evident. With Green and Butler still among the game’s best defenders, and the pieces of the Warriors puzzle around them suddenly fitting in so well, they’ve had the league’s sixth-best defensive rating and the sixth-best offensive rating since Butler’s debut on Feb. 8. Before Butler’s arrival, the Warriors ranked No. 10 in defensive rating and No. 18 in offensive rating. The Warriors’ net rating, 16th before the trade, is fifth since. For Butler’s part, this immaculate vibe has everything to do with what these Warriors represent. He spent much of his six seasons in Miami wishing team president Pat Riley would add more firepower to the roster, reaching the NBA Finals twice despite big man Bam Adebayo being the only other All-Star in the Heat’s employ. Yet now, with future Hall of Famers like Curry and Green having embraced him during these early days that have gone so well, Butler agrees with Green’s bullish view on what might lie ahead. “I don’t pay attention to social (media), so I didn’t know that (Green) said that,” Butler told The Athletic between sips of a beer in the visiting locker room in Sacramento after Friday night’s win over the Kings. “But we do have a chance. And the reason why is not because I’m here. It’s not because of the energy that I may or may not bring. It’s because everybody thinks that we can win. That’s all that matters. “If everybody thinks that you can do something, then you can do it. I’m not going to say how it was before I was here. I don’t know. I wasn’t here. But when you go around this locker room, and you see the joy, and you see the excitement that everybody gets to hoop and play basketball with one another, we really think, and we really know, that every time we take the floor, we should win — home or away. That’s the difference-maker in this thing.” Before Butler arrived, Green had a standing request of the team’s front office that he deemed vital to their renaissance: Go get another “a–hole,” as one team source described it. Another fiery, two-way talent like him who would say what needed to be said at all times and compete on the knife’s edge on both ends of the floor. Warriors legend Andre Iguodala, whose jersey was lifted into the rafters after the win over Dallas, played that part as well as anyone. Cherished veterans like David West and Andrew Bogut made vital contributions to that department, too. But Butler, as Green sees it now, is the man for this moment. “I know how a championship looks,” Green said. “I know the demeanor that you have to have on the floor against the teams that you’re going up against. When you win a championship, you’re not always better than the team that you beat along the way. But you know how to get it done. And I think a part of that demeanor is how you get it done. I think with where we are as an organization, as a team, the makeup of our team, we needed a little more of that. And we got it.” It wasn’t unanimous in the Warriors’ realm that Butler would fit this mold. His talent was unquestionable. His winning attitude had been proved. But his age (35) and price tag when mixed with the uncertainty of which Butler would show up — the gamer who put the Heat on his back, or the one trolling the Heat on social media — prompted concern from some in the organization. GO DEEPER Tears, a missed flight and suspensions: How Jimmy Butler-Heat tension finally bubbled over Just as the Warriors’ key stakeholders had their early reservations about pursuing Butler, signs pointed to his uncertainty about the prospect of a partnership with them, too. On Feb. 3, amid all the chaos and acrimony that came with his messy exit from Miami, an ESPN report indicated Butler wasn’t interested in signing a contract extension with the Warriors if they traded for him. It was, at first glance, the kind of public messaging from a player typically meant to scare off an unwelcome suitor. Yet three weeks later, as Butler sat so content at his locker following Friday night’s win at Sacramento, he sidestepped a question about that subplot in the most self-assured of ways. “Honestly — in the most humble way possible — I’m a good fit everywhere,” said Butler, who is averaging 20.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals so far with Golden State. “I am because I’m going to play basketball the right way. I’m going to play my game. A lot of people here shoot a ton of 3s. You don’t see me out there shooting a ton of 3s. “I’m going to do what I do because what I do helps teams win. I’m gonna guard, gonna get some steals, get to the free-throw line, and I’m gonna hit the open guy 10 out of 10 times. And I think that’s why it works here. The only thing (about his new situation) is wanting to be wanted. I’m wanted here. I’m good with that. And this is where I want to be. Real s—.” The Heat subtext of his perspective is as obvious as his early Warriors impact. “I see my role clearer than ever,” he continued. “And that’s the thing. Here, everybody knows their role, and they know where the ball is supposed to go, at what time in the game, and that’s a huge difference-maker. Ain’t nobody fighting for shots. Ain’t nobody doing none of that. You get the ball where it needs to go. In the fourth quarter, you slow the ball down, take good shots, take care of the ball, and that’s what it takes to win in this league at a high level. They’ve done it a s— ton of times. “This is what I’ve been trying to do in the past X amount of years, but now that we’re here, and we get to mix up playing fast and (slowing) the ball down to make sure that we can win, we can do that too.” Butler has reenergized Curry and Green. But perhaps more indicative of his presence is how he’s lifted the bench players. The Warriors are owning the non-Curry minutes with Butler at the helm. Brandin Podziemski looks again like the impactful young player they fell in love with last season. Moses Moody’s game has flourished since the trade. Even Quinten Post, the rookie big man who was with Santa Cruz earlier this season, is matching the Warriors’ newfound zeal. The energy is different for the reserves, too. Such was evident following a dagger of a fast break Sunday. Golden State led by 26 as Butler pushed the ball in transition. He got a foot into the paint, collapsing the Dallas defense, before swinging a pass to Podziemski for a swished 3-pointer from the right corner. At that point, the Warriors had outscored the Mavericks by 14 points in 10:50 of action with Butler on the court and Curry on the bench. The Warriors are plus-30 over the last six games when Curry sits. Before Butler, the Warriors were minus-90 over the first 51 games when Curry sat. No. 30 rested the entire fourth quarter Sunday. After Podziemski’s 3, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd called a timeout. He’d seen enough to wave the white flag and sub out his starters. In celebration, Podziesmski ran and jumped on the back of the Warriors’ new star, who grinned with the Jack Harlow lookalike draped around his shoulders. Witness the impact of Jimmy Butler. (Photo: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images) Source link #Jimmy #ButlerWarriors #union #immaculate #early #vibes #Jimmy #swagger Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Each second of Google’s Veo 2 AI video footage will cost 50 cents Each second of Google’s Veo 2 AI video footage will cost 50 cents Google’s Veo 2 model was announced , and now we have an idea of what using it will cost. According to its : 50 cents per second of footage. Veo 2 is presently limited to two-minute clips in up to 4K resolution — a fair sight more than the 20-second, 1080p clips generated by ChatGPT’s Sora model. It’s somewhat more difficult to compare the two on pricing as Sora uses a subscription-based approach. The staggering $200 ChatGPT Pro plan entitles a user to 500 videos per month, while the Plus plan caps things at 50 videos and hobbles the maximum quality and length to 720p and five seconds, respectively. Veo 2 users, meanwhile, just pay piecemeal whenever they choose. Big-budget feature films cost many multiples of Veo’s pricing per second to produce, but that’s not really what the model is currently seeking or able to compete with. Google is already testing Veo 2 as a means to quickly generate backgrounds for YouTube Shorts through its feature. It (and Sora) are also likely to take a bite out of the stock footage industry, where high-quality clips can cost what a Veo 2 clip would. Of course, those clips are typically free of weird artifacts and . If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Source link #Googles #Veo #video #footage #cost #cents Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Government seeks payments tech partner through £49m contract Government seeks payments tech partner through £49m contract The *** government has begun its search for an IT supplier to support its plan to build open banking capabilities into its payment platform. The Government Digital Service (GDS) is looking for a tech supplier to start work in July this year, in a three-year contract worth £49m. The GDS, which is part of the Cabinet Office, said it wants a payment service provider “to underpin the Gov.*** Pay platform, specifically for processing credit and debit card payments and pay by bank (open banking) payments”. Its search includes inviting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to bid for the multimillion-pound contract. Open banking specialisation is found in the fintech sector, which includes a large number of startup SMEs. The Gov.*** Pay platform enables central government, local authorities, police forces and the NHS to take payments for their services digitally, reducing financial processes and the administrative burden. According to the government, Gov.*** Pay processed over 94 million transactions since its launch in September 2016, worth about £6bn. “Gov.*** Pay is a common tool that is built once and used many times by more than 1,000 different public sector services, saving the public sector time, money and reducing duplication of effort,” the government said. It also offers a consistent, trusted and accessible user experience, making it quick and easy for citizens to pay for public sector services. Pay has achieved significant realised benefits, saving the public sector money, and the contract includes the option for two year-long extensions. Through application programming interfaces (APIs), open banking enables banking details to be shared by consumers with third-party apps and websites if permission is granted. In 2018, *** banks were required to implement the Competition and Markets Authority open banking regulations, which led to the development of APIs in banking to give consumers more control over their accounts. The end goal was to increase competition in a sector dominated by big financial services companies. Customer banking data is shared by the industry through APIs, with customer permission, enabling businesses to offer tailored products. According to recent figures from Open Banking Limited (OBL), the implementation authority for open banking, there are now about 11.7 million active users of open banking-enabled products in the ***, and over 22.1 million open banking payments are made monthly. The OBL said there has been a total of 400 million successful open banking payments made since 2018, and added that there is an open banking ecosystem in the *** worth £4bn to the economy. In January, Marion King, chair and trustee at the OBL, said: “As we reflect on the last seven years, we should be collectively proud of the financial innovation and the benefits open banking delivers to consumers and businesses, as well as the wider economy. We’re at a pivotal stage in the evolution of open banking, with legislation and regulation coming forward that will not only put it on a commercially sustainable footing fit for the long term, but also move us towards open finance and other smart data schemes.” Source link #Government #seeks #payments #tech #partner #49m #contract Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

22,000-year-old tracks are earliest evidence of transport vehicles 22,000-year-old tracks are earliest evidence of transport vehicles Illustration of two types of travois, or sledge, that may have been used by ancient people in North America Gabriel Ugueto Drag marks and human footprints made up to 22,000 years ago have been found on several sites at White Sands National Park in New Mexico. These are thought to have been made by people pulling long pieces of wood laden with goods and are the earliest evidence of such activity. This kind of primitive vehicle is known as a travois. “Basically it’s a wheelbarrow without the wheel,” says Matthew Bennett at the University of Bournemouth in the ***, a member of the team that studied the tracks. They were widely used across the world, but this is by far the oldest evidence of their use, says Bennett. “There’s nothing this old.” An ancient dried-up lake at White Sands has many ancient animal footprints, while human footprints were discovered there in 2017. In 2019, the team found long drag marks in association with human footprints, with several other examples identified since. “They occur in lots of different areas, so it was widespread,” says Bennett. “It’s not just one inventive family using a travois.” Some of the drag marks consist of a single line. The team think this was made by a travois consisting of two long pieces of wood joined in a triangle shape, with one end of each piece held in one hand, but only a single contact point with the ground. Other drag marks consist of two parallel lines. These were probably the result of a travois where two pieces of wood were crossed in an X shape, providing two handles and two ground contact points, which would have been more stable. The drag marks often go through the footprints of the person assumed to be pulling the travois, as would be expected. In some cases, there are parallel tracks of footprints – often of children – showing other people walking alongside. Drag marks made by ancient vehicles in White Sands National Park, New Mexico Bournemouth University Elsewhere in the world travois were often pulled by dogs or horses, says Bennett, but there is no evidence that the people at White Sands used animals. The dating of the footprints, announced in 2021, challenges the conventional idea that humans didn’t move into the Americas until ice sheets began retreating around 15,000 years ago. “The peopling of the Americas debate is a very controversial one, but we’re fairly confident about the dates,” says Bennett. “The traditional story is that the ice sheets parted and they came, but you can come through before the door closes, too.” Other recent discoveries hint that humans may have reached the Americas as early as 33,000 years ago. Bennett says there are very likely similar tracks around the world that haven’t been recognised for what they are. In fact, his team has already discovered similar markings elsewhere in the US, he says. Topics: Source link #22000yearold #tracks #earliest #evidence #transport #vehicles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]