Pelican Press

Tears of the Kingdom for a record-low price Tears of the Kingdom for a record-low price Nintendo ****** Friday deals are now live, and they’re worth paying attention to if you want to pick up some big games on *****. In addition to video games, you can pick up a few Nintendo Switch bundles on ***** as well, including options for the standard Switch, the OLED model and the Switch Lite. The deals are available at retailers like Best Buy and Target, and of course, direct from Nintendo. Perhaps the jewel in ****** Friday’s crown is a big discount on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Normally $70, Nintendo has the game for $50, but we’re seeing even steeper price drops at GameStop ($45), Target ($40) and Best Buy ($40) at the moment. The game is an absolute blast and builds on all of the good stuff originally introduced in Breath of the Wild. This time, however, new abilities allow for even more unique solutions to puzzles. The ***** also applies to the long-gestating Pikmin 4 and the sublimely creative Super Mario Maker 2. Both is available for between $35 and $40. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the belle of the COVID-era ball, costs between $35 and $40 as well, depending on the retailer. There are a few deals on an actual Switch console bundles, too. The Nintendo Switch Lite: Hyrule Edition has dropped to $210, but it comes with some serious perks. This bundle ships with the gold-******** console and a full year of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. This provides access to all kinds of retro games, from the NES all the way to the N64. Elsewhere at Target and Best Buy, a bundle with the Nintendo Switch OLED edition and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is down to $275. The standard Switch is also on ***** bundled with the same game for $225. There’s a caveat here. The Nintendo Switch isn’t long for this world, as a sequel is imminent. Adults may want to wait for the new console, but a Switch Lite is still a great gift for a ****. However, nobody has any idea what Trump’s promised tariffs will do to console prices, so maybe even the Switch Lite will cost $600 next year. Who the heck knows anymore. If you’re keen on getting some holiday shopping done now, though, you can browse the best ****** Friday tech deals we’ve curated. Gaming deals are ramping up, and right now you can get up to 55 percent off Xbox titles right now, or a 1TB Xbox Series X with two included controllers for $490 — that’s $110 off the usual rate. Elsewhere, Lego deals are in full swing with up to 40 percent off Star Wars and Super Mario sets, including this Super Mario King Boo’s Haunted Mansion (71436) for $60 and Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy (75387) for $44. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #Tears #Kingdom #recordlow #price Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Moscow offers debt forgiveness to new recruits and AP sees wreckage of a new Russian missile Moscow offers debt forgiveness to new recruits and AP sees wreckage of a new Russian missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir ****** has signed a law granting debt forgiveness to new army recruits who enlist to ****** in Ukraine. The measure, whose final version appeared on a government website Saturday, underscores Russia’s needs for military personnel in the nearly 3-year-old war, even as it fired last week a new intermediate-range ballistic missile. According to Russian state news agency Interfax, the new legislation allows those signing up for a one-year contract to write off bad debts of up to 10 million rubles ($96,000). The law applies to debts for which a court order for collection was issued and enforcement proceedings had commenced before Dec. 1, 2024. It also applies to the spouses of new recruits. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. Russia has ramped up military recruitment by offering increasing financial incentives, in some cases several times the average salary, to those willing to ****** in Ukraine. The strategy has allowed the military to boost its ranks in the conflict zone while avoiding another mobilization order. A “partial mobilization” in September 2022 sparked an exodus of tens of thousands of Russian men, who fled the country to avoid enlistment. The intense and drawn-out war has strained Russian resources. ****** in September called for the military to increase its troops by 180,000. The U.S., South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea sent more than 10,000 troops to Russia in October, some of whom have recently begun engaging in combat on the front lines, piling more pressure on Ukraine’s also weary and overstretched army. The push for recruits coincides with a new intermediate-range ballistic missile the Kremlin fired at Ukraine on Thursday. ****** said it was in response to Kyiv’s use of ********* and British missiles capable of striking deeper into Russia. Ukraine’s Security Service showed The Associated Press on Sunday wreckage of the new experimental ballistic missile, which struck a factory in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The fragments of the missile called Oreshnik – Russian for hazel tree, and which the Pentagon said is based on Russia’s RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile – have not been analyzed yet, according to security officials on site in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. The AP and other media were able to see the fragments before they were taken by investigators. Charred, mangled wires and an ashy airframe the size of a large snow tire was all that remained of the *******, which can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads. “It should be noted that this is the first time that the ******** of such a missile have been discovered on the territory of Ukraine,” said an expert with Ukraine’s Security Service, who identified himself only by his first name Oleh because he wasn’t authorized to discuss the issue with the media. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the missile was fired from the 4th Missile Test Range, Kapustin Yar, in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew for 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. The missile had six warheads, each carrying six submunitions. The peak speed was 11 Mach. Meanwhile, Moscow sent 73 drones into Ukraine overnight into Sunday. According to Ukraine’s air force, 50 drones were destroyed and four lost, likely having been electronically jammed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Russian forces over the past week had struck Ukraine with more than 800 guided aerial ******, about 460 ******* drones and more than 20 missiles. In Russia, the Defense Ministry said that 34 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight into Sunday in four regions of western Russia, including Kursk, Lipetsk, Belgorod and one over the Oryol region. ___ Morton reported from London. ___ Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at Source link #Moscow #offers #debt #forgiveness #recruits #sees #wreckage #Russian #missile Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Can Starbucks fix long lines at its airport cafes? Can Starbucks fix long lines at its airport cafes? Customers wait in a long line at a Starbucks cafe in a terminal at Miami International Airport, in Miami, Dec. 12, 2022. Jeff Greenberg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Air travelers face a host of headaches on their journeys: slow security lines, long waits for plush lounges, the threat of delays or cancellations — and the airport Starbucks. Many travelers, flight crews and even airport employees have at some point encountered long wait times for their Starbucks cappuccinos, cold brews and egg bites. “They need to have a better system,” said Coresa Barrino, a Starbucks patron at New York’s LaGuardia Airport Terminal B earlier this month who said she had been waiting 10 minutes and counting for her coffee. The nursing assistant, who was taking a flight back to Charlotte, North Carolina, said the wait when she buys her coffee at a Starbucks in Charlotte is about two minutes. The long waits have caught the attention of the coffee chain’s new CEO, Brian Niccol, who joined Starbucks from Chipotle in September, pledging to win back customers and reverse the company’s sales slump. Niccol told investors he thinks that licensed locations, such as those inside Target stores or airports, are interested in following the company’s strategy of “getting back to Starbucks.” “When I think about the airports and such, there’s such a huge opportunity for us to simplify some of the ********** there so that we get people the great throughput that they want so they can get on their way,” Niccol said on the company’s quarterly conference call Oct. 30. Starbucks’ airport location staff — and company technology — will be put to the test this week during some of the busiest travel days of the year. The Transportation Security Administration forecast a record number of travelers during Thanksgiving week and said Sunday, Dec. 1, could be the busiest day of the year, with more than 3 million people screened at U.S. airports. The surge in air travel, especially during peak times such as Thanksgiving, has led to congestion in airport security lines, in lounges and at gates — problems that airlines and the federal government are trying to fix. For the aviation industry, bottlenecks at airport Starbucks are just another sign of soaring demand and overcrowded airports. A record 1.05 billion people boarded airplanes going either to, from or between U.S. airports in 2023, narrowly topping the total in 2019, before the pandemic, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Struggles and fresh approaches Starbucks has recently struggled. Its sales fell for the third straight quarter in the ******* ended Sept. 30, as consumers pushed back against higher prices and ignored initiatives such as discounts and energy drinks aimed at bringing customers back. Same-store sales in the U.S. declined by 6% from a year earlier. In late October, Niccol unveiled plans aimed at improving customers’ experiences and reviving the company’s sales, from bringing back condiment bars, to eliminating surcharges for dairy alternatives and cutting down the menu. Cutting wait time is a key goal: He wants to trim service times down to four minutes, which would shrink long lines and improve the customer experience. And while Starbucks started rolling out mobile order and pay to its airport locations in 2022, the change can sometimes add to the confusion and chaos at the cafe counter instead of resolving it. Plus, some travelers might not be regular Starbucks customers who already have the app downloaded. Improving the coffee chain’s airport outposts could boost both sales and the brand’s reputation during a time when it needs it most. Even the customers Starbucks has lost might visit an airport location while they’re traveling. With travelers returning in droves after the pandemic, it gives Starbucks and other restaurant chains a chance to boost sales. Concessions contribute about 4% of U.S. airport revenue annually, according to the latest available Federal Aviation Administration data, but they’re an important feature to many passengers, who have limited time — and, often, energy — to fuel up before a flight. At Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, revenue from food and beverage outlets is growing faster than passenger numbers, said Jennifer Simkins, the airport’s assistant vice president of concessions. The airport has become the world’s third-busiest for passengers, up from 10th place in 2019, according to Airports Council International. Airlines are also packing more seats on their aircraft and in some cases are flying larger jets. More passengers per plane means restaurants can become crowded during peak times with more customers waiting to be served and space limited, said Ursula Cassinerio, an assistant vice president at Moody’s Ratings who covers airports. She noted that many airports have been undergoing major renovations, if not building new terminals. That means “more opportunities for revenue if you have more square footage for retail and restaurants,” she said. The 25 busiest airports in the U.S. have an average of 80 food and beverage brands as options for travelers, according to data from market research firm Technomic. Licensing model A challenge for Starbucks is that licensees — not Starbucks itself – operate its airport locations. Starbucks opened its first airport location with licensee HMSHost in 1991 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which serves Starbucks’ hometown. For nearly three decades, HMSHost operated the chain’s airport locations through an exclusive deal with Starbucks and gradually grew its airport footprint to roughly 400 outposts. But in 2020, HMSHost ended the deal, giving the operator flexibility to offer more coffee options to airports. While HMSHost still operates the overwhelming majority of Starbucks’ airport cafes, more operators, such as Paradies Lagardere and OTG, have since taken a swing at it. HMSHost, Paradies Lagardere and OTG did not respond to requests for comment for this story. “Airport locations are tricky because they can make good money, but operationally, at times, they can be very challenging,” said Mark Kalinowski, restaurant analyst and CEO of Kalinowski Equity Research. Customers wait in line at a Starbucks cafe in a terminal at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Nov. 11, 2024. Leslie Josephs/CNBC Licensing its stores saves Starbucks the hassles of operating inside an airport, such as staffing problems, high rents and security checkpoints. And though the coffee chain is used to handling a surge of undercaffeinated customers in the mornings, the swell in demand at an airport can be even more erratic. “A plane lands, and all of a sudden there’s a hundred people when there were zero people there before,” said Kevin Schimpf, director of industry research for Technomic. The trade-off is that Starbucks makes less money from those licensed restaurants. The company has more than 16,300 locations in the U.S. as of Sept. 24. But it only runs about 60% of those cafes itself; licensees operate the rest. That number includes its cafes in 47 of the 50 busiest airports in the U.S., according to Starbucks. The company did not disclose its current airport store count to CNBC. In fiscal 2024, licensed locations accounted for 12% of Starbucks’ revenue, or $4.51 billion. From those stores, Starbucks collects only licensing fees, a percentage of monthly sales through royalties, and payments for supplying its coffee, tea and food to licensees, according to company filings. For every dollar spent in a licensed store, Starbucks generates about 7 cents of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, according to estimates from Bank of America analyst Sara Senatore. Company-owned stores make about 23 cents per dollar spent, Senatore wrote in a research note in September. If its business partners and third-party providers slack off, Starbucks’ brand could be damaged, the company noted in the risk factors section of its latest annual filing. “The vast majority of customers, they don’t know whether that is a company-owned Starbucks or a licensed Starbucks,” Kalinowski said. “They just want their Starbucks. They want it made properly. They want it quickly. And they’re in a situation of heightened stress because they’re trying to get to their gate.” Airports themselves have been adopting more technology in their restaurants to help move lines along. Labor challenges have led to more kiosks and tablets inside airport restaurants, for example. “It’s ******* and ******* to staff a lot of these restaurants, so any front-of-house savings that you can make by having consumers order on kiosks or tablets or whatever, that really, really helps,” Schimpf said. Laurie Noyes, vice president of concessions and commercial parking at Tampa International Airport, said that “sometimes the airports are a little bit behind the street.” But she said the airport has made strides in offering more digital options and now, travelers can order food ahead of time via Uber Eats, and pick it up at airport restaurants. Dallas Fort Worth offers DFWOrderNow, a website and platform available at digital kiosks so travelers can order food ahead. Simkins said the airport’s platform will reroute Starbucks customers to Starbucks’ own platform. Starbucks offers more than 170,000 possible drink orders, according to the chain’s website. “We just found the value in keeping the familiarity for their customers,” Simkins said. Simkins said the airport is developing robotic technology for delivery to speed up service. It’s also experimenting with offering meal and retail bundles from airport restaurants and shops, she said, so passengers “no longer have to plan their route for multiple stops” in an airport. A local coffee company, Fort Worth, Texas-based Ampersand, plans to open a robotic barista at DFW’s Terminal C, Simkins said. It will be available 24/7, to accommodate flight crews arriving at off-hours. Simkins said popular chains still draw a crowd. “There are some brands that people will line up for,” she said. For Barrino, who was waiting for her coffee at LaGuardia, Starbucks is one of those companies. “I just really love the brand,” she said. Source link #Starbucks #fix #long #lines #airport #cafes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Can Starbucks fix long lines at its airport cafes? Can Starbucks fix long lines at its airport cafes? Customers wait in a long line at a Starbucks cafe in a terminal at Miami International Airport, in Miami, Dec. 12, 2022. Jeff Greenberg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Air travelers face a host of headaches on their journeys: slow security lines, long waits for plush lounges, the threat of delays or cancellations — and the airport Starbucks. Many travelers, flight crews and even airport employees have at some point encountered long wait times for their Starbucks cappuccinos, cold brews and egg bites. “They need to have a better system,” said Coresa Barrino, a Starbucks patron at New York’s LaGuardia Airport Terminal B earlier this month who said she had been waiting 10 minutes and counting for her coffee. The nursing assistant, who was taking a flight back to Charlotte, North Carolina, said the wait when she buys her coffee at a Starbucks in Charlotte is about two minutes. The long waits have caught the attention of the coffee chain’s new CEO, Brian Niccol, who joined Starbucks from Chipotle in September, pledging to win back customers and reverse the company’s sales slump. Niccol told investors he thinks that licensed locations, such as those inside Target stores or airports, are interested in following the company’s strategy of “getting back to Starbucks.” “When I think about the airports and such, there’s such a huge opportunity for us to simplify some of the ********** there so that we get people the great throughput that they want so they can get on their way,” Niccol said on the company’s quarterly conference call Oct. 30. Starbucks’ airport location staff — and company technology — will be put to the test this week during some of the busiest travel days of the year. The Transportation Security Administration forecast a record number of travelers during Thanksgiving week and said Sunday, Dec. 1, could be the busiest day of the year, with more than 3 million people screened at U.S. airports. The surge in air travel, especially during peak times such as Thanksgiving, has led to congestion in airport security lines, in lounges and at gates — problems that airlines and the federal government are trying to fix. For the aviation industry, bottlenecks at airport Starbucks are just another sign of soaring demand and overcrowded airports. A record 1.05 billion people boarded airplanes going either to, from or between U.S. airports in 2023, narrowly topping the total in 2019, before the pandemic, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Struggles and fresh approaches Starbucks has recently struggled. Its sales fell for the third straight quarter in the ******* ended Sept. 30, as consumers pushed back against higher prices and ignored initiatives such as discounts and energy drinks aimed at bringing customers back. Same-store sales in the U.S. declined by 6% from a year earlier. In late October, Niccol unveiled plans aimed at improving customers’ experiences and reviving the company’s sales, from bringing back condiment bars, to eliminating surcharges for dairy alternatives and cutting down the menu. Cutting wait time is a key goal: He wants to trim service times down to four minutes, which would shrink long lines and improve the customer experience. And while Starbucks started rolling out mobile order and pay to its airport locations in 2022, the change can sometimes add to the confusion and chaos at the cafe counter instead of resolving it. Plus, some travelers might not be regular Starbucks customers who already have the app downloaded. Improving the coffee chain’s airport outposts could boost both sales and the brand’s reputation during a time when it needs it most. Even the customers Starbucks has lost might visit an airport location while they’re traveling. With travelers returning in droves after the pandemic, it gives Starbucks and other restaurant chains a chance to boost sales. Concessions contribute about 4% of U.S. airport revenue annually, according to the latest available Federal Aviation Administration data, but they’re an important feature to many passengers, who have limited time — and, often, energy — to fuel up before a flight. At Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, revenue from food and beverage outlets is growing faster than passenger numbers, said Jennifer Simkins, the airport’s assistant vice president of concessions. The airport has become the world’s third-busiest for passengers, up from 10th place in 2019, according to Airports Council International. Airlines are also packing more seats on their aircraft and in some cases are flying larger jets. More passengers per plane means restaurants can become crowded during peak times with more customers waiting to be served and space limited, said Ursula Cassinerio, an assistant vice president at Moody’s Ratings who covers airports. She noted that many airports have been undergoing major renovations, if not building new terminals. That means “more opportunities for revenue if you have more square footage for retail and restaurants,” she said. The 25 busiest airports in the U.S. have an average of 80 food and beverage brands as options for travelers, according to data from market research firm Technomic. Licensing model A challenge for Starbucks is that licensees — not Starbucks itself – operate its airport locations. Starbucks opened its first airport location with licensee HMSHost in 1991 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which serves Starbucks’ hometown. For nearly three decades, HMSHost operated the chain’s airport locations through an exclusive deal with Starbucks and gradually grew its airport footprint to roughly 400 outposts. But in 2020, HMSHost ended the deal, giving the operator flexibility to offer more coffee options to airports. While HMSHost still operates the overwhelming majority of Starbucks’ airport cafes, more operators, such as Paradies Lagardere and OTG, have since taken a swing at it. HMSHost, Paradies Lagardere and OTG did not respond to requests for comment for this story. “Airport locations are tricky because they can make good money, but operationally, at times, they can be very challenging,” said Mark Kalinowski, restaurant analyst and CEO of Kalinowski Equity Research. Customers wait in line at a Starbucks cafe in a terminal at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Nov. 11, 2024. Leslie Josephs/CNBC Licensing its stores saves Starbucks the hassles of operating inside an airport, such as staffing problems, high rents and security checkpoints. And though the coffee chain is used to handling a surge of undercaffeinated customers in the mornings, the swell in demand at an airport can be even more erratic. “A plane lands, and all of a sudden there’s a hundred people when there were zero people there before,” said Kevin Schimpf, director of industry research for Technomic. The trade-off is that Starbucks makes less money from those licensed restaurants. The company has more than 16,300 locations in the U.S. as of Sept. 24. But it only runs about 60% of those cafes itself; licensees operate the rest. That number includes its cafes in 47 of the 50 busiest airports in the U.S., according to Starbucks. The company did not disclose its current airport store count to CNBC. In fiscal 2024, licensed locations accounted for 12% of Starbucks’ revenue, or $4.51 billion. From those stores, Starbucks collects only licensing fees, a percentage of monthly sales through royalties, and payments for supplying its coffee, tea and food to licensees, according to company filings. For every dollar spent in a licensed store, Starbucks generates about 7 cents of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, according to estimates from Bank of America analyst Sara Senatore. Company-owned stores make about 23 cents per dollar spent, Senatore wrote in a research note in September. If its business partners and third-party providers slack off, Starbucks’ brand could be damaged, the company noted in the risk factors section of its latest annual filing. “The vast majority of customers, they don’t know whether that is a company-owned Starbucks or a licensed Starbucks,” Kalinowski said. “They just want their Starbucks. They want it made properly. They want it quickly. And they’re in a situation of heightened stress because they’re trying to get to their gate.” Airports themselves have been adopting more technology in their restaurants to help move lines along. Labor challenges have led to more kiosks and tablets inside airport restaurants, for example. “It’s ******* and ******* to staff a lot of these restaurants, so any front-of-house savings that you can make by having consumers order on kiosks or tablets or whatever, that really, really helps,” Schimpf said. Laurie Noyes, vice president of concessions and commercial parking at Tampa International Airport, said that “sometimes the airports are a little bit behind the street.” But she said the airport has made strides in offering more digital options and now, travelers can order food ahead of time via Uber Eats, and pick it up at airport restaurants. Dallas Fort Worth offers DFWOrderNow, a website and platform available at digital kiosks so travelers can order food ahead. Simkins said the airport’s platform will reroute Starbucks customers to Starbucks’ own platform. Starbucks offers more than 170,000 possible drink orders, according to the chain’s website. “We just found the value in keeping the familiarity for their customers,” Simkins said. Simkins said the airport is developing robotic technology for delivery to speed up service. It’s also experimenting with offering meal and retail bundles from airport restaurants and shops, she said, so passengers “no longer have to plan their route for multiple stops” in an airport. A local coffee company, Fort Worth, Texas-based Ampersand, plans to open a robotic barista at DFW’s Terminal C, Simkins said. It will be available 24/7, to accommodate flight crews arriving at off-hours. Simkins said popular chains still draw a crowd. “There are some brands that people will line up for,” she said. For Barrino, who was waiting for her coffee at LaGuardia, Starbucks is one of those companies. “I just really love the brand,” she said. Source link #Starbucks #fix #long #lines #airport #cafes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ExpressVPN’s ****** Friday deal saves you up to 61 percent ExpressVPN’s ****** Friday deal saves you up to 61 percent ****** Friday doesn’t just mean discounts on “stuff,” it also means big price cuts on services — and VPNs are no exception. ExpressVPN, a mainstay on our list of , is currently offering an attractive discount for all new customers: Up to 61 percent off. US-based customers can choose between two plans with huge discounts over ExpressVPN’s standard rate. The “1-year plan” (actually 16 months) costs $6.25 per month, billed at a total of $100, and the 2-year plan (actually 30 months) costs just $4.99 per month, billed at a total of $150. Those rates compare to a default price of $12.95 per month. ExpressVPN Engadget deemed ExpressVPN the best for streaming services, frequent travel and gaming. Its biggest drawback is generally considered to be the price — higher than most rivals in the space — so this is a great time to get it at a discount. (There’s a 7-day trial ******* and a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can make sure it meets your needs before committing.) And since we conducted our review, ExpressVPN has added some additional features making it more of a full-service suite, including a password manager and ad blocker. More recently, it’s added ID alerts (with a $1 million identity theft insurance package), as well as a data removal service (to counteract the preponderance of online data brokers). Some notable caveats: The data removal service is only available on the 30-month plan, and the ID alerts, insurance and data removal features are only applicable to subscribers in the US. Furthermore, these discounts are applicable only to new ExpressVPN customers. And the service will automatically renew at the standard rate after the initial discount ******* expires. It goes without saying that ExpressVPN is compatible with nearly all major operating systems, with support for connecting 8 devices at a time. And its no-logs policy means your online activity is as anonymous as can be. If you’re looking for a dependable VPN that now has a bevy of additional privacy features, ExpressVPN is worth checking out. But don’t delay: This offer is only good through December 6. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #ExpressVPNs #****** #Friday #deal #saves #percent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Brace yourself for PC hardware to get insanely expensive next year Brace yourself for PC hardware to get insanely expensive next year None of us like higher prices, but that’s exactly what we could be in for next year. I’m going to be analyzing the impact of Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on the price of PC hardware in the future, using not only some estimates that are available now, but also the historical context of tariffs during Trump’s first administration. My point is not to say anything political in nature, but instead to take a serious look at just how much these tariffs will affect PC hardware pricing. The target of these tariffs is the world’s second-largest economy in China, and the latest reports indicate the tariffs could be as high as 40% come early next year. That will undoubtedly impact the price of PC components, as both chips and hardware are largely manufactured in China. Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming Some background Jacob ****** / Digital Trends We’ve been here before. During the first Trump administration, tariffs ranging from 7.5% to 25% were imposed on various goods imported from China. Graphics cards and other PC components were originally spared from the import tax. However, as the pandemic started to peak, supply chains were disrupted, and the GPU shortage got underway, tariffs on China’s largest semiconductor firm, SMIC, went into effect. The original tariffs that were supposed to go into effect in 2019 didn’t manifest at first, thanks to an exclusion that was offered as the pandemic ramped up. In early 2021, however, the exclusion expired. Not only did the tariffs keep GPU prices high, but Asus, at the time, also said that it would be raising the prices of its motherboards, and other companies followed suit. The context of the pandemic is very important here, as the tariffs imposed in 2019 largely didn’t impact PC hardware until the supply chain was already disrupted. Because of that, it’s hard to attribute the rise in GPU prices — and PC hardware prices overall — solely to the tariffs. Regardless, they made an already bad situation worse. Jacob ****** / Digital Trends If you lived through the GPU shortage of 2020, you already know how rough it was. The prices of PC components were sometimes double what they normally sold for, and you’d have to camp out in long lines outside of retailers to even have a chance of scoring something at list price. Even as the supply chain recovered, the prices of some GPUs only truly dropped in early 2022. A big reason why is that the tariffs were lifted. In late 2021, a group of companies spearheaded by Nvidia asked the Biden administration to remove the tariffs, and they were joined by HP and Zotac in asking for the exclusion that was applied in 2020. In 2022, the tariffs were lifted, and immediately Asus said it would be lowering its prices by up to 25% — the same amount as the tariff. Just days before, prices on GPUs dropped significantly, barreling back toward list price. We don’t have a pandemic to contend with this time around, nor a sudden rise in the price of cryptocurrency. However, the upcoming Trump administration has signaled that tariffs could climb up to 60% on goods imported from China, which could have a devastating impact on the price of PC hardware. Projecting projections CTA Fast-forward to today. The proposed tariffs are 60% on ******** goods and either 10% or 20% on goods imported from all other countries. This won’t all happen at once — that’s why I cited the 40% number earlier on — but that’s what’s been suggested. According to a study by the Consumer Technology Association (or the CTA, who’s behind the annual CES event), prices on smartphones would rise by 26% and prices of video game consoles by 40%. Laptops and tablets? 46%. Those numbers alone show how big of a role tariffs on China play in the price of PC components (and video game consoles, which are using largely the same hardware). Although PC component manufacturing is focused in the Asia-Pacific region overall, including countries like Taiwan, Vietnam, and Korea, nearly all hardware touches ********-made components in some form. There are PCBs, fans, MOSFETs, capacitors, and a slew of other components that go into PC hardware that come from China. On video games, one analyst told Digital Trends that the cost of something like the PlayStation 5 could jump from $500 to as high as $800 under the tariffs. We don’t have any specific estimates for GPUs and other PC components, but there’s plenty of historical context given the — relatively minor — tariffs we saw during 2021 and 2022. Giovanni Colantonio / Digital Trends Last time around, major tech companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Sony were able to carve out a temporary exclusion, and they likely will try again. That doesn’t mean they’ll be successful, however. Earlier this year, the tariffs lifted in 2022 were reimposed, and at the time, the CTA told PCMag that “they’re not getting rid of anything. There are only tariff increases.” The CTA doesn’t have any estimates for PC hardware in particular. However, there are some parallels. For laptops, the CTA says China currently represents 79% of all U.S. imports of laptops and tablets, and 87% of imports for video game consoles. Prebuilt desktop computers are a bit different, representing only 2% of imports — though that’s largely because these PCs are assembled and imported through Mexico. Understanding the cost of PC hardware Jacob ****** / Digital Trends PC hardware is complex. Most components are truly a result of global manufacturing, which makes them highly sensitive to tariffs placed on any country, let alone China. “China ******** the major manufacturing base of video graphics cards and personal computers in the industry,” computer hardware company Zotac wrote to the U.S. Trade Representative in 2021. “The major reason is due to the upstream supply chain remaining mostly in China.” The supply chain for PC components isn’t solely in China, so you shouldn’t expect prices to suddenly jump by 60% across the board. However, the jump could still be signficant. Even if chips are made in, for example, Taiwan by TSMC, final packaging usually takes place elsewhere. AMD, for instance, has facilities in both China and Malaysia for final packaging. Tariffs are meant to encourage domestic purchasing of goods made locally instead of the goods from the country on which the tariffs are imposed. The problem is that the U.S. doesn’t have much capacity for PC hardware manufacturing. Even looking to other countries like Malaysia and Vietnam, it’s unlikely that PC hardware companies will be able to pull completely out of China. EVGA We saw this in action in 2021 when the original tariffs went into effect. Even a U.S.-based company like EVGA raised prices on its graphics cards across the board at the time, with some GPUs going up by as much as $100. That was only with a 25% tariff, as well. With a 60% tariff, or even a 40% one, that number could climb quite a bit. Although it’s worrying for the price of building a PC, it’s important to remember that nothing has actually happened yet. The increased tariffs aren’t in place, and it’s still possible that the tariffs on PC components could either be lower or completely removed when the time comes. But the signs right now just aren’t promising. Source link #Brace #hardware #insanely #expensive #year Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

IPL 2025 auction: Rishabh Pant becomes most expensive player in tournament’s history IPL 2025 auction: Rishabh Pant becomes most expensive player in tournament’s history Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League as he was signed by Lucknow Super Giants for 27 crore (£2.54m) at the mega auction in Saudi Arabia. The India wicketkeeper, 27, was the subject of a bidding war between the Super Giants and his former side, Delhi Capitals. Pant, who returned to the game in this year’s IPL after an 14-month lay-off following a car accident, beat the record set earlier in the day when Shreyas Iyer was signed for 26.75 crore (£2.51m) by Punjab Kings. Australia seamer Mitchell Starc, who held the record prior to the auction, was signed for 11.75 crore (£1m) by the Capitals, some way short of his 24.75 crore (£2.3m) cost when he was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders last year. Jos Buttler was the only Englishman in the initial batch of players auctioned in Jeddah, and the England white-ball captain and wicketkeeper was picked up by Gujarat Titans for 15.75 crore (£1.4m). Liam Livingstone was signed from the second set of players, joining Royal Challengers Bangalore for 8.75 crore (£827,000). Hundreds of players will go under the hammer at the IPL’s mega auction across Sunday and Monday, with sides looking to build their squads after retentions in October. Source link #IPL #auction #Rishabh #Pant #expensive #player #tournaments #history Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fallout 76’s next update could revolutionize the endgame experience Fallout 76’s next update could revolutionize the endgame experience Fallout 76 had an undeniably rocky start, with an above-average number of bugs and glitches for even a Bethesda game. It also has one of the best comeback stories in all of gaming and is now a popular, and more importantly, populated, game with a ton of content. The Gleaming Depths update promises to add even more to do in the game, including a brand-new raid, the biggest boss yet, and — finally — four-star gear. This update marks the start of Fallout 76 season 19, The Scientific Forge. It starts on December 3, but the new raid has already been conquered several times over on the Fallout 76 Public Test Server. However, the biggest news of all isn’t in the new raid or even the better gear. Fallout 76 is finally getting pets. That’s right: Players will be able to choose between a Bombay cat and a ******* Shepard to keep their companions company at CAMP while they’re out on adventures. The Fallout Day broadcast teased many of these new features, including the upcoming ability to transform into a ghoul. This isn’t expected until the March 2025 update, but you can see a bit of it for yourself if you watch the video. Bethesda’s continued support of Fallout 76 is encouraging. The game is truly a delight to play (but, like most things, it’s better with friends), and there will be plenty of opportunities throughout the months to come to score double EXP, so you don’t even need to play every day to avoid any FOMO. Fallout 1st subscribers will receive a few extra bonus items at the start of the season, including a BBQ grill, a plasma core recharger, and a terminal that serves as another vendor at your camp. Source link #Fallout #76s #update #revolutionize #endgame #experience Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AI voice scams are on the rise – here’s how to stay safe, according to security experts AI voice scams are on the rise – here’s how to stay safe, according to security experts AI voice-clone scams are on the rise, according to security experts Voice-enabled AI models can be used to imitate loved ones Experts recommend agreeing a safe phrase with friends and family The next spam call you receive might not be a real person – and your ear won’t be able to tell the difference. Scammers are using voice-enabled AI models to automate their fraudulent schemes, tricking individuals by imitating real human callers, including family members. What are AI voice scams? Scam calls aren’t new, but AI-powered ones are a new dangerous breed. They use generative AI to imitate not just authorities or celebrities, but friends and family. The arrival of AI models trained on human voices has unlocked a new realm of risk when it comes to phone scams. These tools, such as OpenAI’s voice API, support real-time conversation between a human and the AI model. With a small amount of code, these models can be programmed to ******** phone scams automatically, encouraging victims to disclose sensitive information. So how can you stay safe? What makes the threat so problematic is not just how easily and cheaply it can be deployed, but how convincing AI voices have become. OpenAI faced backlash for its Sky voice option earlier this year, which sounded spookily like Scarlett Johansson, while Sir David Attenborough has described himself as “profoundly **********” by an AI voice clone which was indistinguishable from his real speech. (Image credit: Getty Images / d3sign) Just a few seconds of audio is enough to simulate the voice of a loved-one. This could easily be sourced form a video shared on social media. Even tools designed to beat scammers demonstrate how blurred the lines have become. *** network O2 recently launched Daisy, an AI grandma designed to trap phone scammers in a time-wasting conversation, which they believe is with a real senior citizen. It’s a clever use of the technology, but also one that shows just how well AI can simulate human interactions. Disturbingly, fraudsters can train AI voices based on very small audio samples. According to F-Secure, a cybersecurity firm, just a few seconds of audio is enough to simulate the voice of a loved-one. This could easily be sourced form a video shared on social media. How AI voice-cloning scams work The basic concept of a voice-clone scam is similar to standard phone scams: cybercriminals impersonate someone to gain the victim’s trust, then create a sense of urgency which encourages them to disclose sensitive information or transfer money to the fraudster. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. The difference with voice-clone scams are two-fold. Firstly, the ********** can automate the process with code, allowing them to target more people, more quickly and for less money. Secondly, they are able to imitate not just authorities and celebrities, but people known directly to you. Safe Phrases: Stay safe against AI voice cloning – YouTube Watch On All that’s required is an audio sample, which is usually taken from a video online. This is then analyzed by the AI model and imitated, allowing it to be used in deceptive interactions. One increasingly common technique is for the AI model to imitate a family member requesting money in an emergency. The technology can also be used to simulate voices of high-profile individuals to manipulate victims. Scammers recently used an AI voice clone of Queensland Premier, Steven Miles, to try an ******** an investment ****. How to stay safe from AI voice scams According to Starling Bank, a digital lender, 28% of *** adults say they have been targeted by AI voice-clone scams, yet only 30% are confident that they’d know how to recognize one. That’s why Starling launched its Safe Phrases campaign, which encourages friends and family to agree a secret phrase which they can use to confirm each other’s identity – and that’s a wise tactic. TL;DR How to stay safe (Image credit: Getty Images / Ronstick) 1. Agree a safe phrase with friends and family 2. Ask the caller to confirm some recent private information 3. Listen for uneven stresses on words or emotionless talk 4. Hang up and call the person back 5. Be wary of unusual requests, like requests for bank details Even without a pre-agreed safe phrase, you can use a similar tactic if you’re ever in doubt as to the veracity of a caller’s identity. AI voice clones can imitate a person’s speech pattern, but they won’t necessarily have access to private information. Asking the caller to confirm something that only they would know, such as information shared in the last conversation you had, is one step closer to certainty. Trust your ear as well. While AI voice clones are very convincing, they aren’t 100% accurate. Listen for tell-tale signs such as uneven stresses on certain words, emotionless expression or slurring. Scammers have the ability to mask the number they’re calling from and may even appear to be calling from your friend’s number. If you’re ever in doubt, the safest thing you can do is hang up and call the person back on the usual number you have for them. Voice-clone scams also rely on the same tactics as traditional phone scams. These tactics aim to apply emotional pressure and create a sense of urgency, to force you into taking an action your otherwise wouldn’t. Be alert to these and be wary of unusual requests, especially when it relates to making a money transfer. The same red flags apply to callers claiming to be from your bank or another authority. It pays to be familiar with the procedures used by your bank when contacting you. Starling, for example, has a call status indicator in its app, which can you check at any time to see if the bank is genuinely calling you. You might also like… Source link #voice #scams #rise #heres #stay #safe #security #experts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lynas Rare Earths’ slows its roll on Texas plans Uncle Sam is keen to throw money at Lynas Rare Earths’ slows its roll on Texas plans Uncle Sam is keen to throw money at Lynas Rare Earths says it wants to start building a rare earths refinery in Texas, yet the Perth-based mining major has not filed an application for a crucial permit. Source link #Lynas #Rare #Earths #slows #roll #Texas #plans #Uncle #Sam #keen #throw #money Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This ****** Friday Meta Quest deal includes a free $75 gift card when you buy the Quest 3S This ****** Friday Meta Quest deal includes a free $75 gift card when you buy the Quest 3S It’s hard to beat the promise of a big box for one-stop shopping. Target is one of my favorites if I just want to browse with no agenda, because I’ll inevitably stumble on something fun or on *****. Or in the case of this ****** Friday deal, both. Target is currently selling a Meta Quest 3S for $300, as is Amazon. That’s the usual price tag for this virtual reality headset, but both retailers include a $75 gift card along with the tech (On Amazon, use the code QUEST75 to get it.) That covers a lot of impulse buys. Meta There’s a lot to recommend the Meta Quest 3S for a virtual reality fan. In fact, it’s our pick for the best budget VR set. Even if you’re investing in a lower-range VR headset, you’ll want to have plenty of software to run on it. The Quest 3S has a large app library and it can be used to stream games from a PC. While some headsets can be unpleasant to wear for very long, reviewer Devindra Hardawar found that wasn’t an issue with the Quest 3S. And although it has made some sacrifices on the screen and lenses to keep the costs down, this set still delivers a strong, immersive virtual reality experience. The content included with any Quest headset purchase will help you get started in VR. Batman: Arkham Shadow is one of the most notable exclusive games for Meta’s Quest 3 and Quest 3S, continuing the lineage of the Arkham game universe initially developed by Rocksteady Studios. You’ll also get three months’ subscription to the Meta Quest+ catalog of games. Keeping the subscription after the trial ******* will cost $8 a month. Or use that gift card and pick up a title to keep. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #****** #Friday #Meta #Quest #deal #includes #free #gift #card #buy #Quest Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

5 calendar apps you should use instead of Outlook 5 calendar apps you should use instead of Outlook Microsoft has just redesigned its Outlook email app, and it’s fair to say that the change has made some people unhappy. But Outlook covers more than just email — it’s got a built-in calendar too, and Microsoft’s plan is to ditch the existing Mail and Calendar apps for Windows and merge them both into Outlook. That means that anyone switching away from the email app also needs a new way to manage their schedule. That’s where our guide comes in. We’ve found five of the best Outlook alternatives you can get your hands on, and they run the gamut of features and philosophies, from privacy-minded options to those that are built for productivity. Whatever you need, chances are you’ll find it below. Notion Calendar Notion Notion is well known as an all-in-one productivity suite that lets you create boards, tasks, lists, databases, wikis, and so much more. It’s also got a very capable calendar, and it’s downloadable as a standalone app for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. The Notion Calendar is built for collaboration, making it well-suited to teams or remote workers. Once you’ve set your availability, other users can book in a meeting without needing to bug you with messages. It hooks up with apps like Google Calendar and Zoom, so you can easily work with whatever your organization provides. And its beautiful design makes understanding your day easier than ever. The Notion Calendar comes with some clever extras, too. You can see your day’s schedule right from the menu bar in macOS, for example, and drop multiple time zones into your calendar to see what time it is wherever your co-workers live. And it’s well integrated with the rest of the Notion suite, so you can create Notion documents from the calendar or plug them directly into your schedule. All that makes it a solid Outlook alternative, whatever your needs may be. Mozilla Thunderbird Mozilla Like Outlook, Thunderbird is primarily an email client that also has strong calendar functionality. But this isn’t just an app where the calendar is a half-baked second thought — Thunderbird’s calendar is a key part of its overall offering. Because it’s part of an email app, it’s incredibly easy to take schedules from your messages and add them right into Thunderbird’s calendar. It also makes managing your day’s task lists and updating your contacts far simpler than if you had to do so across multiple apps. One of the best parts about Thunderbird is its tight integration with third-party apps and plug-ins. You can attach files to your appointments with Box or Dropbox, work with Outlook and Google Calendar events, convert your tasks to a kanban-style board, and a lot more. There’s a whole community of developers creating add-ons for Thunderbird, so there’s always something new to try. Of course, Thunderbird offers a strong email suite as well. And because it’s made by Mozilla, it’s guided by the same principles that have shaped the company’s Firefox browser: Thunderbird is free, open source and built around privacy and security. Proton Mail Proton Many apps and services know far too much about our private lives, and that’s never truer than when we’re talking about our daily schedule. Proton Mail helps keep your timetable private, as it contains a built-in calendar with all the same protections that you’d expect from a company like Proton. The calendar interface is attractively designed and easy to navigate, while adding and editing tasks takes just a couple of clicks. It’s ease of use proves that protecting your privacy need not be hard work. Everything is end-to-end encrypted, meaning no one can see your details — not advertisers, not governments, not even Proton. And it ties in well with Proton’s other products, allowing you to add events to your calendar right from your Proton Mail inbox, for example. Any.do Any.do Any.do is designed first and foremost as a to-do list app, but anyone who has spent time managing their tasks knows that understanding your upcoming schedule is a key part of staying on top of things. To that end, Any.do includes a built-in calendar, and it makes for an excellent Outlook alternative. The clean, intuitive interface and powerful features make it a great way to view your upcoming events without the hassle of some rival products. And it’s not just for keeping your personal schedule under control — Any.do’s calendar is well-suited to teamwork, too. For instance, you can assign tasks to your colleagues or leave notes explaining what you need from them, while shared attachments can be uploaded so everyone knows what they’re working with. We also appreciate that you can customize Any.do to your taste and way of working. Anything from the app’s colors and layout to its notification rules can be tweaked as needed, ensuring it works for you, not the other way around. Google Calendar Google We’d be remiss not to include Google Calendar, as it’s a hugely popular Outlook alternative that offers a raft of high-quality features. Give it a try and you’ll quickly see why so many people use it. Events can be dragged and dropped to a new time and shrunk or expanded with a quick click and pull. You can run multiple calendars at once and see them in the same view, plus share calendars with friends and colleagues so that everyone is on the same page. We also like how well it works with other Google services. Scheduled video calls can be hosted on Google Meet, while it can also be used as a to-do list with events that you check off as they’re completed. And it’s smart enough to automatically add things like concerts, flights, and sporting events to your calendar if they show up in your email. Google Calendar is a highly flexible app, as it can run on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, as well as in a web browser, so you should be able to stay on track no matter where you are or what device you’re using. Source link #calendar #apps #Outlook Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How supermassive is your knowledge of the universe? How supermassive is your knowledge of the universe? When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: NASA, ESA, and D. Coe, J. Anderson, and R. van der Marel (STScI) ****** holes are the most extreme objects in the universe. These hyper-dense celestial phenomena exert gravitational forces so powerful that not even light can escape their pull, and time itself is distorted in their orbit. Physicist Karl Schwarzschild accidentally discovered the concept of ****** holes in 1916 while working on a solution to Einstein’s general theory of relativity. However, at that point, ****** holes were still theoretical, and many scientists refused to believe they existed. In 1930, Indian astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar proved that they could exist by showing that above a certain density, no force can overcome gravity. It then took another 40 years for scientists to find one when, in 1972, astronomers Paul Murdin and Louise Webster surmised that a known galactic X-ray source called Cygnus X-1 was, in fact, a ****** *****. Though we haven’t known about these awe-inspiring objects for very long, our knowledge has come a long way in recent years. Has your ****** ***** knowledge been keeping up? Try as you might, you can’t escape the pull of our ****** ***** quiz, so it’s time to find out how much you know about these cosmic drain holes. Be sure to login if you want to try for a spot on our leaderboard — and feel free to hit the hint button if these perplexing objects leave you stumped. Source link #supermassive #knowledge #universe Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Microsoft is testing a Steam-like in-game overlay Microsoft is testing a Steam-like in-game overlay Have you ever paused your game, tabbed over to a browser, and Googled something you were stuck on? You aren’t alone. 88% of PC players have done that, Microsoft says. While this works for a lot of people, it can cause games to glitch out (like Skyrim, which somehow always loses my crosshairs). Microsoft’s solution is Edge Game Assist, a fully-featured in-game browser that’s similar to Steam’s overlay but with a twist. It’s essentially a gaming-optimized version of Microsoft Edge that appears on top of your game in Game Bar. Here’s the cool part: It knows what you’re playing and will toss tips your way (although that feature only works for a few games at the moment). And even cooler, you’ll be able to access your browsing data from the normal version of Edge, so you won’t need to log back in to any sites. That also means you can access your browsing data from your phone and your PC. Game Assist comes with the same elements as most in-game overlays and lets you pin Game Assist on your screen so you can watch a walkthrough for those tricky parts (like fighting Elizabeth in Persona 3.) And, of course, you can open go-to apps like Spotify and Discord from the sidebar. Interested in trying it for yourself? Game Assist (Preview) is available today on Windows 11, but it’s still in beta. You’ll need Microsoft Edge Beta 132 to check it out, but be aware that it could be unstable and ****** during gameplay. Once installed, all you have to do is press Windows + G to open Game Assist. For now, you can only use a mouse and keyboard setup with Game Assist, but Microsoft says it is bringing controller and handheld support in the future. Maybe that means Game Assist could make its way to Xbox Cloud Streaming platforms like the ROG Ally in the future. Source link #Microsoft #testing #Steamlike #ingame #overlay Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MacBook Pro M4 repairability rut for Apple laptops MacBook Pro M4 repairability rut for Apple laptops The updated slate of MacBook *****, powered by the M4 series silicon, has once again established Apple’s performance dominance in the segment. However, a teardown courtesy of the folks over at iFixit has confirmed that not much has changed internally, which means the usual repairability snags are still here. Starting with the new elements this time around, Apple engineers seem to have redesigned the logic board, increasing the heatsink size and shifting a few component locations. The ports are easy to replace on the new laptop, and the battery is repair-friendly as well. However, if you harbor any self-repair ambitions, Apple won’t make it easy. The ****** stretch-release adhesive for accessing the battery pack is here to stay, and the main board is not easy to remove, either. There are a total of six stretch release tabs close to the trackpad area and eight on the sides. As for the logic board removal process, iFixit’s teardown video doesn’t ****** words in referring to it as “incredibly complex and tedious.” iFixit Similar is the situation if you intend to replace the card reader or MagSafe connection kit, as that would require advanced soldering chops and all the expensive tools needed for the undertaking. Apple is also using foam elements that require isopropyl alcohol to remove. Then there’s a generous network of gaskets and flex cables before the board finally comes off. Once again, Apple’s part-matching strategy and calibration protocols for repair and replacement services emerge as a key hurdle. “Swapping displays or logic boards is a minefield of software locks,” notes an iFixit blog post. That means if you intend to replace a misfiring component with a cheaper, third-party replacement part, there is no guarantee that it will be fully functional. The screen and Touch ID module are two such parts that would have you fork out serious cash for a replacement job. Interestingly, it seems Apple has quietly made some repairability improvements on its end. According to a Macrumors report that cites an internal memo, Apple will offer speakers as standalone repair parts for the M4-driven 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops. So far, experts at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers have had to replace the entire top case in order to fit a new speaker, which was quite an expensive ordeal. Apple is expected to list these standalone speaker parts soon on its self-repair service dashboard. The process of replacing a faulty speaker isn’t exactly a cakewalk, but at least DIY enthusiasts won’t have to spend a ***** if they muster the courage to fix a MacBook Pro on their own. Given Apple’s historical repairability stance, we’d call that a win. Source link #MacBook #Pro #repairability #rut #Apple #laptops Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Assisted dying bill ‘about right to choose,’ says minister Liz Kendall Assisted dying bill ‘about right to choose,’ says minister Liz Kendall The assisted dying bill has been defended by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall who said it was about the “right to choose”. She refused to criticise colleagues who are against the Bill, including Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who wrote to her constituents this weekend saying the proposed changes would create a “slippery slope to ****** on demand”. Kendall told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg she believed the bill would give people “power, choice and control” over their own deaths. The bill, which would allow some terminally-ill people to have a medically-assisted ******, is to be debated by MPs on Friday. Former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown told BBC Radio 4 he wanted to see more debate on the issue, saying “life is a gift” and he urged MPs to vote against the bill. Speaking on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Kendall said: “I think you should have the right to choose. “The point is not that this is for everybody.” Kendall, who is a long-time advocate of assisted dying, called the debate on the bill part of a “*******” national discussion as more people “have longer deaths”. Her comments came as 29 ****** leaders representing Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Sikhs signed an open letter in The Telegraph warning the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, would lead to people being pressured into ending their lives to avoid burdening families or the NHS. MPs will get a free vote on Friday on the bill – introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater – meaning they can follow their conscience rather than party orders. Source link #Assisted #dying #bill #choose #minister #Liz #Kendall Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Production tax credits timeframe revealed in new bill Production tax credits timeframe revealed in new bill Critical minerals and hydrogen projects hoping to benefit from the government’s new tax credits will have to be in production by 2040 under a tweak to the arrangements. Treasurer Jim Chalmers will put legislation for the tax incentives to Parliament on Monday. Under the scheme, first unveiled in May’s budget, a 10 per cent tax credit on the costs of critical minerals processing and refining will be on offer for up to a decade to projects that start production between 2027-28 and 2039-40. Similarly, a hydrogen production tax incentive of $2 per kilogram produced in the same time frame. The deadline to start production is a year earlier than the 2040-41 end date outlined in the Budget papers. The two incentives combined are worth $13.7 billion over the next decade and form the centrepiece of the Government’s Future Made in Australia policy. “The legislation will give investors clarity and certainty to invest in Australia’s potential to add more value to its natural resources, and help deliver cheaper and cleaner energy,” Dr Chalmers said. WA and Queensland are expected to be the biggest beneficiaries. Warren Pearce, chief executive of the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies which proposed the tax credit scheme, said those benefits would come in the form of a whole new industry with highly paid jobs for workers, increased tax and royalty revenue for governments and a big step forward in decarbonisation goals. “Importantly, this is a smart and zero risk approach for Australia. If companies don’t produce a value-added product, they don’t receive a tax credit and it costs taxpayers nothing,” he said. “Talking a good game isn’t good enough. We need real action, and the production tax incentive is exactly what industry has been seeking.” The Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA’s Rebecca Tomkinson said passing the legislation would set an important investment signal about value-adding industries. The peak body for the State’s resources sector wants to work further with the government to make sure its support does not end at production tax credits. The Coalition has indicated it will oppose the scheme – despite backing from WA Liberals – which leader Peter Dutton dubbed “billions for billionaires”. Resources Minister Madeleine King said this amounted to “behaving like clowns” and would damage the resources sector and national security. She pointed out the Opposition supported loans to the critical minerals projects but wouldn’t back an industry-led policy response to the global challenges the sector faced. “It’s hypocritical, shameful and the Coalition should stop wasting people’s time with ******* stunts that act against the interests of their own constituents and the resources industry,” she told The West. Source link #Production #tax #credits #timeframe #revealed #bill Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

When an election determined if Wilmington would double in size When an election determined if Wilmington would double in size As rapid growth in Wilmington has caused some to argue against development, or at least a better way to manage it, voters more than 60 years ago had little problem saying yes to expansion. Amid sadness days after the ************** of President John Kennedy, Wilmington residents went to the polls in a special election to determine several bond measures that would effectively more than double the size of the city. According to an article in the Nov. 24, 1963, edition of the Sunday StarNews, voters were days away from deciding whether “$3.8 million in bonds should be issued to finance the cost of extending city services to areas to be annexed.” The bonds included building two new ***** stations, more vehicles for *****, police, sanitation and street departments as well as water and sewer lines. The old waterfront along the Cape ***** River in downtown Wilmington, N.C., on Jan. 27, 1965. Also pictured is Fergus’ Ark. Turnout was expected to be high after the city saw “an additional 816 names on the voting books during the special registration ******* hold prior to the election.” That gave the Port City close to 14,000 registered voters. Various polling sites included Hemenway Hall, Atlantic Motors, Sunset Park Junior High School, Shew’s Credit Store and the New Hanover County Courthouse. More than half of city voters turned out as the six bond measures received overwhelming approval. “This is a real victory for the citizens of Wilmington,” said Herb McKim, president of the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. “The community is really ready to move forward.” This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: When Wilmington, NC, voted to expand its city limits in 1963 Source link #election #determined #Wilmington #double #size Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Warning issued for Storm Bert winds Warning issued for Storm Bert winds Getty Images A yellow wind warning comes into place from 11:00 GMT on Sunday A yellow warning for high winds from Storm Bert has come into effect across Northern Ireland. On Saturday, a number of homes in counties Down and Tyrone were flooded after heavy rain and wind caused by the storm. The wind warning will last until 18:00 and has the potential to cause travel disruption and power cuts. On Saturday, 6,500 homes and businesses across Northern Ireland were left without power at the peak of Storm Bert, Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) said. There were also delays to rail services, with flooding causing some services between Belfast and Dublin to be cancelled. The Met Office said that winds of between 45 and 55mph are widely expected on Sunday, with gusts up to 65mph possible. The strongest winds in Northern Ireland on Saturday – 67mph – were recorded in Ballypatrick, County Antrim. Yellow alert for the Republic Met Éireann (the Irish Meteorological Service) has also issued a status yellow wind alert for a number of counties in the Republic of Ireland which will come into effect from 08:00 local time. In counties Clare, Kerry and Galway this warning will last until 19:00 on Sunday. In Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo, the alert is in place until 02:00 on Monday, with County Donegal’s in effect until 08:00. The service has warned of difficult travelling conditions, as well as fallen trees and debris. On Saturday, the service issued red alerts – the highest level – for heavy rain in west Cork and west Galway. At the storm’s peak, 60,000 ESB customers in the Republic of Ireland were without power. Wet, wet, wet during Storm Bert by Barra Best, BBC News NI weather presenter Parts of Northern Ireland recorded more than half a month’s rainfall over the weekend. Derrylin in County Fermanagh had 65.2mm of rain between 18:00 GMT on Friday and 06:00 on Sunday. That is 53% of normal rainfall for Northern Ireland for the whole month of November. The average is 122.5mm. Altnahinch Filters in County Antrim and Murlough in County Down both recorded 58mm of rain – 47% of normal rainfall. Source link #Warning #issued #Storm #Bert #winds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Police Union to call on Government to install CCTV at regional-based officers’ properties after home invasions Police Union to call on Government to install CCTV at regional-based officers’ properties after home invasions One of the key asks is the installation of security cameras and **** safes at police homes in regional WA. Source link #Police #Union #call #Government #install #CCTV #regionalbased #officers #properties #home #invasions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******** army orders Gaza City suburb evacuated, spurring new displacement wave ******** army orders Gaza City suburb evacuated, spurring new displacement wave By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) – The ******** military issued new evacuation orders to residents in areas of an eastern Gaza City suburb, setting off a new wave of displacement on Sunday, and a Gaza hospital director was injured in an ******** drone *******, ************ medics said. The new orders for the Shejaia suburb posted by the ******** army spokesperson on X on Saturday night were blamed on ************ militants ******* rockets from that heavily built-up district in the north of the Gaza Strip. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. “For your safety, you must evacuate immediately to the south,” the military’s post said. The rocket volley on Saturday was claimed by ******’ armed wing, which said it had targeted an ******** army base over the border. Footage circulated on social and ************ media, which Reuters could not immediately verify, showed residents leaving Shejaia on donkey carts and rickshaws, with others, including children carrying backpacks, walking. Families living in the targeted areas began fleeing their homes after nightfall on Saturday and into Sunday’s early hours, residents and ************ media said – the latest in multiple waves of displacement since the war began 13 months ago. In central Gaza, health officials said at least 10 Palestinians were ******* in ******** airstrikes on the urban camps of Al-Maghazi and Al-Bureij since Saturday night. HOSPITAL DIRECTOR WOUNDED BY GUNFIRE In north Gaza, where ******** forces have been operating against regrouping ****** militants since early last month, health officials said an ******** drone dropped ****** on Kamal Adwan Hospital, injuring its director Hussam Abu Safiya. “This will not stop us from completing our humanitarian mission and we will continue to do this job at any cost,” Abu Safiya said in a video statement circulated by the health ministry on Sunday. “We are being targeted daily. They targeted me a while ago but this will not deter us…,” he said from his hospital bed. ******** forces say armed militants use civilian buildings including housing blocks, hospitals and schools for operational cover. ****** denies this, accusing ******** forces of indiscriminately targeting populated areas. Kamal Adwan is one of three hospitals in north Gaza that are barely operational as the health ministry said the ******** forces have detained and expelled medical staff and prevented emergency medical, food and fuel supplies from reaching them. In the past few weeks, ******* said it had facilitated the delivery of medical and fuel supplies and the transfer of patients from north Gaza hospitals in collaboration with international agencies such as the World Health Organization. Residents in three embattled north Gaza towns – Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun – said ******** forces had blown up hundreds of houses since renewing operations in an area that ******* said months ago had been cleared of militants. Palestinians say ******* appears determined to depopulate the area permanently to create a buffer zone along the northern edge of Gaza, an accusation ******* denies. *******’s campaign in Gaza has ******* more than 44,000 people, uprooted nearly all the enclave’s 2.3 million population at least once, according to Gaza officials, while reducing wide swathes of the narrow coastal territory to rubble. The war erupted in response to a cross-border ******* by ******-led militants on Oct. 7, 2023 in which gunmen ******* around 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages back to Gaza, according to ******** tallies. (Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi; editing by Mark Heinrich) Source link #******** #army #orders #Gaza #City #suburb #evacuated #spurring #displacement #wave Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

South Korean man convicted of dodging military service by binge eating South Korean man convicted of dodging military service by binge eating A court in South Korea has found a man guilty of trying to avoid mandatory military service by deliberately gaining weight, local media report. The 26-year-old began binge eating before his physical examination for the draft, a judge in the capital, Seoul, said. He was categorised as obese, allowing him to serve in a non-combat role at a government agency. The defendant received a one-year suspended sentence. A friend who devised a special regimen that doubled his daily food intake got a six-month suspended sentence, the Korea Herald newspaper reports. All able-bodied men in South Korea over the age of 18 must serve in the army for at least 18 months. According to the Korean Herald, the defendant was assessed as fit for combat duty during an initial physical exam. But at the final examination last year, he weighed in at over 102kg (225 lbs, 16 stone), making him heavily obese. The man who recommended binge dieting had denied the charge of aiding and abetting, saying he never believed his friend would through with it, the newspaper adds. Source link #South #Korean #man #convicted #dodging #military #service #binge #eating Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Hype Around Ghost of Yotei and the Success of Ghost of Tsushima Has Fans Begging ******* Punch to Return to the Title That Put Them on the Map The Hype Around Ghost of Yotei and the Success of Ghost of Tsushima Has Fans Begging ******* Punch to Return to the Title That Put Them on the Map ******* Punch Productions, which has been a subsidiary of PlayStation Studios since 2011, has released many iconic video games since its inception in 1997. It is also the studio behind one of the most popular action-adventure games of all time, Infamous. The 2009 hit ***** down the foundation for the legendary Infamous franchise, and shortly after the release of Infamous 2 in 2011, Sony announced its acquisition of the studio. The first Infamous game was well received by the fans as well as the critics (Image via ******* Punch Productions) With support and funding from Sony, ******* Punch developed the third game in the series, Infamous Second Son. The game was released shortly after the release of the PlayStation 4 and quickly became the fastest-selling entry of the Infamous series. It’s been a decade since ******* Punch has touched the Infamous series and yet, many fans remain hopeful that one day, the studio will develop a fourth game in the series. ******* Punch Productions’ Infamous Series Ended In 2014 Throughout the 2000s, ******* Punch Studios developed three Sly Cooper games, successfully establishing itself as one of the best studios in the gaming industry. After the success of the third game, the studio went to Sony and shared their intent of developing a game called True Hero (later known as Infamous). The project was approved and three years later, in 2009, Infamous was released for PlayStation 3, marking the beginning of the popular Infamous franchise. At the time of its release, the game was compared to ******** Entertainment’s Prototype as the two games shared some crucial elements. Thanks to the positive response from gamers all over the world, two more installments were released in 2011 and 2014. After the third game, fans got a standalone expansion to Infamous Second Son called Infamous First Light. It served as a prequel to the third game and was well-received by the fans. ******* Punch Productions Must Revive Its Infamous Series After The Release Of Ghost of Yotei ******* Punch’s next video game, Ghost of Yotei, will be released in 2025 (Image via ******* Punch Studios) It’s been a decade since the release of Infamous Second Son, one of the most popular games on PlayStation 4. ******* Punch Productions has clearly moved on from the series as it is now laser-focused on expanding its Ghost series. After 2020’s Ghost of Tsushima, the studio is now developing a sequel, Ghost of Yotei. The Ghost games are indeed exciting but many gamers are eagerly waiting for a fourth game in the Infamous series, so ******* Punch must revive the series after the release of Ghost of Yotei. Comment byu/Crylose from discussion ingaming Comment byu/Crylose from discussion ingaming Comment byu/Crylose from discussion ingaming Comment byu/Crylose from discussion ingaming It’s hard to say if ******* Punch will go back to the Infamous series as the studio might be setting up an *********’s Creed-like franchise with its Ghost series. Ghost of Yotei is a standalone sequel to Ghost of Tsushima, however, the only shared element is the idea of the Ghost as the upcoming game features a brand-new story set centuries later after the first game. This approach will allow ******* Punch to explore different eras and protagonists, extending the franchise’s life. Ghost of Yotei is all set to release for PlayStation 5 in 2025 and as of now, it is unclear what ******* Punch will work on after its release. Source link #Hype #Ghost #Yotei #Success #Ghost #Tsushima #Fans #Begging #******* #Punch #Return #Title #Put #Map Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

E-waste: Burning old TVs – the toxic trade in electrical waste E-waste: Burning old TVs – the toxic trade in electrical waste BBC E-waste is trafficked as reusable goods into several poorer countries then either burnt or dumped after valuable metals have been extracted You can see thick plumes of smoke rise from the Agbogbloshie dumpsite from miles away. The air at the vast dump, in the west of Ghana’s capital Accra, is highly toxic. The closer you get, the ******* it is to breathe and your vision starts to blur. Around these fumes are dozens of men, who wait for tractors to unload piles of cables before setting them on *****. Others climb up a toxic waste hill and bring down TVs, computers and washing machine parts and set them alight. The men are extracting valuable metals like copper and gold from electrical and electronic waste – or e-waste – much of which has made its way to Ghana from rich countries. “I don’t feel well,” says young worker Abdulla Yakubu, whose eyes are red and watery as he burns cables and plastic. “The air, as you can see, is very polluted and I have to work here every day, so it definitely affects our health.” Some dealers at the Agbogbloshie scrapyard say they either ***** or dump plastics from e-waste because they cannot recycle them Abiba Alhassan, a mother of four, works near the burning site sorting out used plastic bottles, and the toxic smoke does not spare her either. “Sometimes, it’s very difficult to breathe even, my chest becomes heavy and I feel very unwell,” she says. E-waste is the world’s fastest-growing waste stream, with 62 million tonnes generated in 2022, up 82% from 2010, according to a UN report. It is electronisation of our societies that is primarily behind the e-waste rise — ranging from smartphones, computers and smart alarms, to automobiles with electronic devices installed, whose demand is steadily on the rise. Annual smartphone shipments, for instance, have more than doubled since 2010, hitting 1.2 billion in 2023, according to a UN Trade and Development report this year. When e-waste is burnt for valuable metals, toxic fumes are released mainly from their plastic parts Most frequently seized item The UN says only around 15% of the world’s e-waste is recycled, so unscrupulous companies are seeking to offload it elsewhere, often through middle men who then traffick the waste out of the country. Such waste is difficult to recycle because of their complex composition including toxic chemicals, metals, plastics and elements that cannot be easily separated and recycled. Even developed countries do not have adequate e-waste management infrastructure. UN investigators say they are seeing a significant rise in the trafficking of e-waste from developed countries and rapidly emerging economies. E-waste is now the most frequently seized item, accounting for one in six of all types of waste seizures globally, the World Customs Organisation has found. Officials at Italy’s Naples port showed the BBC World Service how traffickers mis-declared and hid e-waste, which they said made up around 30% of their seizures. They showed a scan of a container bound for *******, carrying a car. But when port officials opened the container, broken parts of vehicles and e-waste were stacked inside, with oil leaking from some of them. “You don’t pack your personal goods like this, much of it is meant for dumping,” says Luigi Garruto, an investigator with the ********* Anti-****** Office (Olaf), who collaborates with port officials across Europe. Port authorities in Europe say traffickers even grind up e-waste and mix it with plastic flakes to smuggle it out Sophisticated trafficking tactics In the ***, officials say they are also seeing a rise in trafficked e-waste. At the Port of Felixstowe, Ben Ryder, a spokesman for the *** Environment Agency, said waste items were often wrongly declared as reusable but in reality, “broken down for precious metals and then illegally burnt after they reach the destination” in countries like Ghana. Traffickers also attempt to conceal e-waste by grinding it down and blending it with other forms of plastic that can be exported with the correct paperwork, he said. A previous report by the World Customs Organization showed there had been an increase of almost 700% in trafficking of end-of-life motor vehicles – a huge source of e-waste. But experts say such seizures and reported cases are just the tip of the iceberg. Although there has been no comprehensive global study that traces all the e-waste trafficked out of the developed world, the UN e-waste report shows countries in Southeast Asia still remain a major destination. But with some of those countries now clamping down on waste trafficking, UN investigators and campaigners say more e-waste is making its way to ******** countries. In Malaysia, officials seized 106 containers of hazardous e-waste from May to June 2024, according to Masood Karimipour, the UN Office on Drugs and ******’s regional representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Toxic chemicals from e-waste and its plastic parts are very harmful for humans and the environment But traffickers often outsmart authorities with new smuggling tactics and governments don’t catch up fast enough, UN investigators say. “When ships carrying hazardous waste like e-waste cannot easily offload them in their usual destination, they turn their beacon off when they are in the middle of the sea so that they cannot be detected,” said Mr. Karimapour. “And the ******** shipment is dumped at sea as part of a business model of organised ****** activity. “There are far too many groups and far too many countries profiting from this global ********* enterprise.” E-waste is now the most frequently seized waste item by customs authorities around the world Chemicals of high concern When e-waste is burnt or dumped, the plastic and metals it contains can be very hazardous to human health and have negative effects on the environment, a recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) said. The WHO says many recipient countries also see informal e-waste recycling – meaning untrained people including women and children are doing the job without protective equipment and the right infrastructure, and are being exposed to toxic substances like lead. The International Labour Organisation and WHO estimate that millions of women and child labourers working in the informal recycling sector may be affected. The organisations also say exposure during foetal development and in children can cause neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioural related disorders. From January 2025, global waste treaty the Basel Convention will require exporters to declare all e-waste and obtain permission from recipient countries. Investigators are hopeful that this will close some of the loopholes that traffickers have been using to ship such waste across the world. E-waste and plastic are carried by lagoons and rivers into the sea which then washes them back to the shore But there are some countries including the US — a major e-waste exporter — that have not ratified the Basel Convention – one reason campaigners say e-waste trafficking continues. “As we start to ****** down, the US is now more and more shipping trucks across the border to Mexico,” said Jim Puckett, executive director of Basel Action Network, an organisation campaigning to end toxic trade including e-waste. Back at the Agbogbloshie scrapyard in Ghana, the situation is getting worse by the day. Abiba says she spends almost half the money she earns from collecting waste on medicines to deal with conditions resulting from working at the dump. “But I am still here because this is my means of survival and that of my family.” The Ghana Revenue Authority and Environment Ministry did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Source link #Ewaste #Burning #TVs #toxic #trade #electrical #waste Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US summons for India’s Adani, nephew on bribery claims US summons for India’s Adani, nephew on bribery claims The ******* States Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a summons to Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, indicted on US bribery allegations related to a bombshell federal indictment against him, a court filing shows. The commission is suing the head of the Adani Group and his nephew Sagar Adani, alleging they engaged in hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes to help an Adani company while “falsely touting the company’s compliance with anti-bribery principles and laws in connection with a $US750 million ($A1.2 billion) bond offering”. The summons requires an answer within 21 days, according to the filing dated Wednesday in federal court in the Eastern District of New York. The commission suit seeks unspecified monetary penalties and restrictions on the Adanis from serving as officers of listed companies. Adani Group representatives did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Sunday. The group has denied the ********* charges as “baseless”. The group CFO said the indictment was linked to one contract of Adani Green Energy that made up some 10 per cent of its business, and that no other firms in the conglomerate were accused of wrongdoing. Federal prosecutors issued arrest warrants for Gautam and Sagar Adani, alleging they participated in a $US265 million ($A408 million) scheme to bribe Indian officials to secure power-supply deals. Authorities said Adani and seven other defendants, including his nephew Sagar, agreed to bribe Indian government officials to obtain contracts expected to yield $US2 billion ($A3.1 billion) of profit across 20 years, and develop India’s largest solar power plant project. The crisis is the second in two years to hit the ports-to-power conglomerate founded by Adani, 62, one of the world’s richest people. The fallout was felt immediately, as billions of dollars were wiped off the market value of Adani Group companies and Kenya’s president cancelled a massive airport project with the group. Source link #summons #Indias #Adani #nephew #bribery #claims Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]