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Authorities arrest JetBlue pilot at Boston’s Logan Airport Authorities arrest JetBlue pilot at Boston’s Logan Airport Feb. 21 (UPI) — A JetBlue pilot from Ohio was arrested at Logan International Airport in Boston Thursday night before he was scheduled to leave with a crew to Paris, Authorities said. Jeremy Gudorf, 33, was scheduled to appear in East Boston District Court on Friday on an outstanding warrant from North Carolina. No other details were immediately available about the warrant. U.S. Customs and Border Protection called Massachusetts State Patrol to the airport after conducting their standard review of the manifest and found the active warrant against Gudorf. The pilot was detained until state troopers arrived. According to FlightAware.com, the JetBlue flight left Logan Airport 1 1/2 hours late but managed to land at Charles DeGaulle Airport Friday morning. . Source link #Authorities #arrest #JetBlue #pilot #Bostons #Logan #Airport Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Apple is adding tens of thousands of recipes to News+ Apple is adding tens of thousands of recipes to News+ Apple is set to give News+ subscribers more than a soupçon of fresh material. When iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 arrive in April, the company will to News+. This will include tens of thousands of recipes, along with stories curated by Apple News editors about healthy eating, restaurants, kitchen essentials and so on. Apple says “the world’s top food publishers” — including Allrecipes, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Good Food and Serious Eats — will supply the recipes and stories. One notable omission from that list is The New York Times, which has a separate subscription for its famed Cooking app. As such, it seems Apple is trying to go toe-to-toe with one of the country’s papers of record on another front after it . Of course, there are plenty of other places you can go on the web . Non-News+ subscribers will have access to a limited number of stories and recipes. An appetizer, if you will, to encourage folks to sign up for the full buffet. New recipes will be added to the Recipe Catalog every day. You’ll be able to browse, search and filter the library. Apple says the format makes it easy to review the lists of ingredients and directions. There’s an option to view step-by-step instructions in full screen mode (which looks a bit like a lyrics screen in Apple Music). You can also save recipes for offline access, which could be useful for meal planning if you like to go off-grid once in a while. If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission. Source link #Apple #adding #tens #thousands #recipes #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Steve Cohen says tariffs and DOGE’s cuts are negative for economy, market correction could be soon Steve Cohen says tariffs and DOGE’s cuts are negative for economy, market correction could be soon Steve Cohen, chairman and CEO of Point72, speaking to CNBC on April 3, 2024. CNBC Billionaire investor Steve Cohen doubled down on his negative view of the U.S. economy due to a backdrop of punitive tariffs, immigration crackdown and federal spending cuts spearheaded by the Department of Government Efficiency. The chairman and CEO of hedge fund Point72 said he turned bearish for the first time in a while after President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policy made him worry about inflationary pressures and lower consumer spending. Meanwhile, his tough stance on immigration could mean a constrained supply of labor, he said. “Tariffs cannot be positive, okay? I mean, it’s a tax,” Cohen said Friday at the FII Priority Summit in Miami Beach, Fla. “On top of that, we have slowing immigration, which means the labor force will not grow as rapidly as … the last five years and so.” The prominent hedge fund investor took a stab at DOGE’s cost-cutting moves led by Elon Musk, saying they could only hurt the economy more. Musk has said his goal is to cut federal spending by $2 trillion. “When that money has been coursing through the economy over many years, and now, potentially it will be reduced or stopped in many ways, has got to be negative for the economy,” Cohen said. Cohen believes a pullback in the stock market could be likely given the uncertain macroeconomic environment. He sees the U.S. economy growth to slow down to 1.5% from 2.5% in the second half of the year. “I think we’re seeing the regime shift a little bit. It may only last a year or so, but it’s definitely a ******* where I think the best gains have been had and wouldn’t surprise me to see a significant correction,” Cohen said. “I don’t think it’s going to be a disaster.” Source link #Steve #Cohen #tariffs #DOGEs #cuts #negative #economy #market #correction Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Avowed Was Originally Pitched With Multiplayer Like Destiny Mixed With Skyrim Avowed Was Originally Pitched With Multiplayer Like Destiny Mixed With Skyrim Avowed was originally going to have multiplayer components, similar to that of Destiny where players could walk around in a massive world. In an interview with Bloomberg, director Carrie Patel said that Obsidian Entertainment pitched Avowed as a cross between Destiny and Skyrim to prospective buyers, which ended with Microsoft purchasing the studio. Avowed’s development started in 2018 but went through two reboots, which led Obsidian to scrap its multiplayer component. The second reboot occurred in January 2021, when Obsidian replaced Avowed’s leadership as they were about to enter production. Patel initiated two major pivots to Avowed, the first of which was to focus on its story and lore from the Pillars of Eternity universe. The second was to replace Avowed’s original open world with open-zone ones, similar to that of Obsidian’s The Outer Worlds. The latter decision was made so that the development team could create more distinct and denser spaces. As a result, the development team had to scale back in creating large and sprawling maps like Skyrim. “We knew from The Outer Worlds that we could build a really great game with ‘open zones’ and that also adds some advantages in terms of letting you really theme your areas more distinctly and intentionally, and provide a sense of progression as the player’s going from one environment to the next,” Patel explained. Patel also said that the team is happy with Avowed’s sales numbers so far. Although Patel wouldn’t reveal what her team’s next project is, we do know that Obsidian Entertainment is currently working on The Outer Worlds 2. Initially announced in 2021, Obsidian released its first gameplay trailer at The Game Awards 2024. The game is set for release sometime this year for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Avowed is now available on PC and Xbox Series X|S, as well as Game Pass. In GameSpot’s Avowed review, we said, “Avowed’s impactful and satisfying combat is undone by a widely unbalanced upgrade system and an uninteresting story that wastes its potential.” Source link #Avowed #Originally #Pitched #Multiplayer #Destiny #Mixed #Skyrim Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Salman Rushdie stabbing: Man found guilty of attempted ******* and assault – BBC.com Salman Rushdie stabbing: Man found guilty of attempted ******* and assault – BBC.com Salman Rushdie stabbing: Man found guilty of attempted ******* and assault BBC.comThe man accused of trying to kill author Salman Rushdie is found guilty of attempted ******* CNNSalman Rushdie trial jury deliberations begin in New York stabbing case The GuardianMan Who Stabbed Salman Rushdie Is Found Guilty of Attempted ******* The New York TimesA New Jersey man accused of trying to kill author Salman Rushdie is convicted of attempted ******* Yahoo Source link #Salman #Rushdie #stabbing #Man #guilty #attempted #******* #assault #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Blows Up After Onslaught of Devastating Polls Trump Blows Up After Onslaught of Devastating Polls Trump posted through the pain after a series of devastating national polls showed his approval rating quickly plummeting after his first month in office. “I won the Presidential Election in a landslide, won ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, THE POPULAR VOTE, AND ALL FIFTY STATES SHIFTED REPUBLICAN, a record, and now I have the best polling numbers I’ve ever had,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday, seemingly in response to the news this week. “The Democrats, run by broken down losers like James Carville, whose weak of mind and body, are going crazy, and just don’t know what to do. They have lost their confidence and spirit – They have lost their minds! We are going to have big WINS for our Country, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. It’s already happening, and will get ******* and better than ever before!” A CNN poll published Thursday found that just 47 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s performance, while 52 percent disapprove. Moreover, 55 percent of respondents don’t think he’s focused enough on the most pressing issues in the U.S., and 62 percent don’t think he’s done enough to bring the costs of common goods down. The Washington Post and Gallup released similarly negative results this week. The Post-Ipsos poll found that 57 percent of Americans thought that Trump was “exceeding his authority” and that 48 percent opposed his actions outright. Gallup’s poll showed that 51 percent of Americans disapproved of Trump. According to CNN, about half the country (52 percent) also thinks Trump has gone too far with his executive power, and about half (48 percent) think he’s gone too far with the federal purge and DOGE overhaul. If this is how Trump is reacting to mostly normal polling numbers in month one, there’s no telling how he’ll be racing to criticism after a year or two. Source link #Trump #Blows #Onslaught #Devastating #Polls Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Marvel Rivals Version 20250221 Balance Post – Season 1.5 Marvel Rivals Version 20250221 Balance Post – Season 1.5 NetEase: “We’re excited to kick off Season 1.5 right away with some refinement to our Super Heroes and Villains. As a reminder, players can look forward to comprehensive adjustments to Team-Up abilities beyond numerical tweaks starting in Season 2. Without further ado, lets get straight into the Balance Adjustments!” Source link #Marvel #Rivals #Version #Balance #Post #Season Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Once high-flying Bluebird Bio sells itself to private equity after tough times for the gene therapy maker – CNBC Once high-flying Bluebird Bio sells itself to private equity after tough times for the gene therapy maker – CNBC Once high-flying Bluebird Bio sells itself to private equity after tough times for the gene therapy maker CNBCWhat’s Going On With Gene Therapy Company Bluebird Bio Stock Today? Yahoo Financebluebird bio Announces Definitive Agreement to be Acquired by Carlyle and SK Capital Business WireBluebird bio to sell to investment funds after struggling to make money from gene therapies Endpoints NewsStruggling Somerville biotech Bluebird Bio to be sold for less than $30 million The Boston Globe Source link #highflying #Bluebird #Bio #sells #private #equity #tough #times #gene #therapy #maker #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man injured in attack at Berlin Holocaust memorial Man injured in attack at Berlin Holocaust memorial A man has been seriously injured in a knife attack near Berlin’s Holocaust memorial, ******* media is reporting. According to Tagesspiegel newspaper, police have cordoned off the site and are carrying out a search. The man was reportedly injured with a sharp object and has been transported by the fire brigade to hospital. “At around 18:00 local time (17:00 GMT), a man was seriously injured by an unknown person,” ******* police wrote on X, adding “investigations are ongoing”. “The injured man was taken to hospital,” the statement continued. “Rescue workers are on site caring for several people who witnessed the events.” The knife attack appears to have taken place on the northern side of the memorial – opposite which sits the US Embassy. It is not yet clear what caused the attack or if the assailant has been apprehended. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, which sits in the centre of Berlin, covers 19,000 sq metres. It is Germany’s central Holocaust memorial. Source link #Man #injured #attack #Berlin #Holocaust #memorial Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Congo boxer jets in to ‘shock the world’ against Parker Congo boxer jets in to ‘shock the world’ against Parker Joseph Parker had come to Saudi Arabia to try to win the IBF world heavyweight title from Daniel Dubois — but instead now finds himself having to tackle last-minute Congolese replacement Martin Bakole in a non-title affair. Dubois withdrew from Saturday’s fight because of a medical issue, leading to a golden opportunity for Bakole, who says he’s “going to shock the world.” “The show goes on. It’s not even just in boxing, but it’s in life,” New Zealander Parker shrugged on Sky Sports. “Things happen, you just have to adjust and adapt to the situation.” Bakole posted a video on his Instagram account on Friday to say he was awaiting a flight from Kinshasa in Congo. “I’m on my way,” said Bakole, whose itinerary included a stop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. “I can’t wait. I think I will shock the world tomorrow. A boxer is like a soldier, anytime they ask you to go to war, always be ready.” Even though there’s no shot at a world title Saturday, the Parker-Bakole winner will be in line to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the Ukrainian’s WBO belt. The WBO announced the winner would become the mandatory challenger. “I said it before, I’ll fight anyone and everyone, doesn’t matter who it is,” Parker said. “Thanks to Martin for putting up his hand. He’s a tough fighter. I look forward to that challenge.” Parker (35-3, 23 KOs) is a former WBO champion. The New Zealander won the belt in December 2016 when he beat Andy Ruiz and lost it to Anthony Joshua 15 months later. Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs) weighed over 280 pounds in his most recent fight when he stopped Jared Anderson in the fifth round last August in Los Angeles. Dubois was hoping to win and then take on Usyk later this year. He made his first title defence last September with a brutal fifth-round knockout of Joshua in front of 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. The London resident became the titleholder three months earlier when the IBF belt was vacated by Usyk. Saturday’s main attraction is the rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Beterbiev became the undisputed light-heavyweight world champion after a contentious points decision over Bivol in October. Source link #Congo #boxer #jets #shock #world #Parker Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Arrest made in theft of luxury cars from Miami athletes Carson Beck, Hanna Cavinder Arrest made in theft of luxury cars from Miami athletes Carson Beck, Hanna Cavinder MIAMI (AP) — Authorities have made an arrest in the theft of three luxury cars from a home where Miami quarterback Carson Beck and basketball player Hanna Cavinder were staying. Tykwon Anderson, 20, was arrested Thursday afternoon. He’s one of four men accused of stealing the vehicles, including a Lamborghini, according to an arrest report. Deputies with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office responded to the couple’s home early Thursday morning. Beck and Cavinder told investigators that someone stole a silver Mercedes-Benz AMG, a red Lamborghini Urus and a white Range Rover while they were asleep. 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. Police recovered the Mercedes-Benz and Range Rover within several hours, but they were still searching for the Lamborghini. Just before 3 a.m. Thursday, Anderson and three other masked men arrived at Beck’s home, police said. One of the men was able to break into a vehicle parked in the driveway and use the garage door opener to get into the house and steal the keys to all three cars. The alleged thieves used a rental car registered to Anderson to drive to Beck’s home, authorities said. Investigators said they used the rental car’s tracking data to find Anderson and place him at the scene of the theft. Anderson has been charged with grand theft, vehicle theft and burglary. He was being held at the Miami-Dade jail with no bail immediately set. Online court records didn’t list an attorney for Anderson. ___ AP sports: Source link #Arrest #theft #luxury #cars #Miami #athletes #Carson #Beck #Hanna #Cavinder Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tesla recalls over 375,000 vehicles in U.S. due to failing steering systems Tesla recalls over 375,000 vehicles in U.S. due to failing steering systems Tesla models Y and 3 are displayed at a Tesla dealership in Corte Madera, California, on Dec. 20, 2024. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Tesla is voluntarily recalling 376,241vehicles in the U.S. to correct an issue with failing power-assisted steering systems, according to records posted to the website of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In a safety recall report posted on the NHTSA website, Tesla said the recall includes Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that were manufactured for ***** in the U.S. from Feb. 28, 2023, to October 11, 2023, and that were equipped with a certain older software release. The records said printed circuit boards in the steering systems in affected vehicles could become overstressed, causing the power-assist steering to fail in some cases when a Tesla vehicle rolled to a stop and then accelerated. When electronic power-assist steering systems fail in a Tesla, drivers need to exert more force to steer their cars, which can increase the risk of a collision. Tesla told the vehicle safety regulator that it was not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths related to the power steering failures, and that it was offering an over-the-air software update as a remedy. The recall follows an earlier related probe and voluntary recall in China concerning the same systems. President Donald Trump has appointed Tesla CEO Elon Musk to lead a team that is slashing the federal government workforce, and in some cases, regulations and entire agencies. Those cuts already affected the NHTSA, an agency Musk has long seen as standing in the way of some of his ambitions at Tesla. The regulator has been engaged in a yearslong investigation into safety defects in the systems that Tesla markets currently as its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) options. The features do not make Tesla cars into robotaxis. They require a human driver ready to steer or brake at any time. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Musk’s team has led mass firings at the NHTSA, reducing the agency’s workforce and capacity to investigate companies including Tesla by about 10%. Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment. WATCH: Tesla stock hinges on new vehicles being introduced Source link #Tesla #recalls #vehicles #U.S #due #failing #steering #systems Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Chelsea Manning Shows up to Manhattan Courthouse to Support Luigi Mangione – PEOPLE Chelsea Manning Shows up to Manhattan Courthouse to Support Luigi Mangione – PEOPLE Chelsea Manning Shows up to Manhattan Courthouse to Support Luigi Mangione PEOPLELuigi Mangione Supporters Remain Steadfast Ahead of UnitedHealthcare C.E.O. ******* Trial The New York TimesLuigi Mangione’s CEO ******* case raises concerns activist jurors may ignore evidence Fox NewsLuigi Mangione New York case expected to set trial date Yahoo Source link #Chelsea #Manning #Shows #Manhattan #Courthouse #Support #Luigi #Mangione #PEOPLE Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Federal workers’ money questions answered Federal workers’ money questions answered Protesters demonstrate in support of federal workers outside of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Feb. 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images On Feb. 11, Elizabeth Aniskevich, an attorney at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, received a notice that she was being terminated immediately. “I was completely shocked,” said Aniskevich, 39. She had been with the CFPB for nine months and imagined spending her entire career in the federal government. “I didn’t expect it to unfold this way,” she said. More than a week later, she’s still scrambling for basic answers. “There’s no information about what’s going on with my benefits, or what I need to do with unemployment,” Aniskevich said. She’s worried about how she’ll pay the mortgage on her Washington, D.C., apartment after her emergency savings runs out in a few months. “I’ve worked really hard to be financially stable,” Aniskevich said. Elizabeth Aniskevich. Courtesy: Elizabeth Aniskevich Aniskevich is one of thousands of federal workers laid off by the new Trump administration in recent weeks and thrown into financial and career uncertainty. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s secretive government-slashing effort, the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, are working to shrink the federal workforce. Losing one’s job is always difficult. But the suddenness and speed of the firings, which have affected offices from the Environmental Protection Agency to the U.S. Department of Education, have left workers especially in the dark about their rights and next steps, experts said. “Most people would have selected the public sector because it has a reputation of being a more stable work environment than the private sector,” said Don Moynihan, a public policy professor at the University of Michigan. “But in this case, that stability proved to be an illusion.” CNBC spoke with financial advisors and policy experts to get answers to some of the many important questions terminated federal workers likely have right now. Workers may be able to appeal, take legal action The Trump administration and Musk’s DOGE have largely targeted workers on a probationary status for cuts. That’s because probationary workers, who have typically been in their position for a year or less, have fewer protections after they’re removed than do career civil servants, said David Eric Lewis, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University. For example, probationary workers might not meet the requirements to appeal their termination to the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. The board reviews cases in which federal workers were laid off or suspended. Still, there are limited cases when they can appeal, experts said. You should speak to an employment lawyer or your union representative for more details, experts recommend. The name and logo for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is seen scraped off the door of its building in Washington, D.C., U.S., Feb. 20, 2025. Brian Snyder | Reuters “They can also seek legal relief,” Lewis said. Your union may help you file your lawsuit in federal court, he added. It can be more effective to bring your legal challenge as a group, with other terminated federal workers, Lewis said. “That’s what is happening,” he said. “There’s a hope that there is at least a stop to these orders.” A federal judge Thursday denied a bid by labor unions to block the mass layoffs across the federal workforce. The National Treasury Employees Union alongside four other groups filed a lawsuit against the firings on Feb. 12. What to know about unemployment benefits Federal workers can collect unemployment benefits through the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) program. Some government employees — including ex-military personnel discharged under honorable conditions and former members of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration — receive benefits through a separate program, known as the Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX). The jobless benefits, which are supposed to arrive within two or three weeks after you apply for them, are nearly identical to those of private-sector workers, said Michele Evermore, senior fellow at the National Academy of Social Insurance. States — as well as U.S. territories and the District of Columbia — administer the payments. Workers must submit an application with the appropriate workforce agency. You should apply in the state or district where your last official duty station was located, Evermore said. Those working remotely on a full-time basis likely need to file a claim in their state of residence, Evermore said. Workers should apply for unemployment as soon as possible, experts said. Delays are likely amid the purge of government workers. Those claiming UCFE benefits will likely need to include certain documents with their claim, including a SF-8, or a Notice to Federal Employee About Unemployment Insurance, as well as a SF-50, or a Notification of Personnel Action, according to the U.S. Labor Department. Those applying for UCX benefits should have a copy of their service and discharge documents — DD-214 or a similar form, the Labor Department said. Federal employers are supposed to provide these forms to workers upon separation, but Aniskevich said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau still hadn’t given her those documents as of Friday. For now, she filed her unemployment application in Washington, D.C., without them. “It’s stressful to have uncertainty about whether my claim can be processed given the lack of forms,” Aniskevich said. Federal agencies appear to be citing lackluster performance as rationale for many job cuts in termination letters, experts said. Even so, workers should still apply for benefits, Evermore said. The cause must generally rise to the level of “gross misconduct” to prevent people from receiving aid. This could delay benefits if the government contests a claim, however, experts said. Health coverage for terminated workers Meanwhile Chris, who worked as a transportation program specialist at the Federal Transit Administration, was laid off on February 14. Like Aniskevich, he was a probationary worker, and had been employed by the FTA for around nine months. (He requested to use his first name only, out of fear of retaliation from the Trump administration.) Despite the financial stability usually associated with a federal job, he found himself with no protections. “There was no severance pay,” said Chris, 33, who is based in the Los Angeles area. Chris did learn that his health benefits will continue for 31 calendar days after Valentine’s Day. Similarly, federal employees should try to determine the specific date their health coverage will end, experts said. While the timelines may vary, most probationary workers will need to find new health insurance soon. Those who wish to continue with their current health care should look into the federal government’s Temporary Continuation of Coverage, experts say. Under this option, you’re able to extend your federal workplace plan for up to 18 months after termination. (It’s similar to COBRA, or the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, for private-sector workers.) Keep in mind that, with TCC, you’ll be responsible for the full cost of your premiums, plus any administrative fees. “It’s going to be [a] pretty big hike,” said Brennan Rhule, a Reston, Virginia-based certified financial planner who specializes in federal workers. If the new premium cost is too high to shoulder under TCC, you may qualify for a special enrollment ******* of the Affordable Care Act marketplace, according to Kate Ende, leader of the policy team at the Consumers for Affordable Health Care, a nonprofit. The special enrollment ******* typically gives you 60 days to sign up for a marketplace plan after you lost your coverage. Medicaid might also be an option, Ende said, and if you qualify you can enroll at any time for it. Relief options for recurring bills Federal workers concerned about staying current with their bills should reach out to their lenders and explain their situation, consumer advocates said. For instance, contact your mortgage lender and ask about forbearance or deferment options, said John Breyault, vice president of public policy at the National Consumers League. If you’re a renter, landlords and property managers may offer temporary payment plans or deferments. More from Personal Finance: How IRS layoffs could impact your tax filing, refund As tariffs ramp up, here’s an investment option DOGE’s FDIC firings put banking system at risk Some auto lenders allow deferments, too, especially if you have a good payment track record. Meanwhile, your auto insurer may be able to adjust your coverage and lower your costs if you will no longer be driving long distances to work, Breyault said. For utilities like electricity, water, gas, internet and phone service, see if your providers offer a grace ******* or deferred payments, Breyault said. Those with student loan bills can request an unemployment deferment with their servicer. Keep in mind that such concessions and breaks can be helpful in the near-term, but read the terms thoroughly. There could be long-term costs associated, such as interest continuing to accrue or other fees. Watch out for ‘undoable’ retirement account missteps Federal workers who find themselves unexpectedly out of work may be tempted to take money from their retirement plans. However, experts emphasize it is important to know the ins and outs of each plan’s rules to avoid unexpected costs. “Before you do anything, make sure you talk to somebody who understands and can guide you,” said CFP Mark Keen, who is a federal benefits expert with the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. “Make sure that you don’t make any mistakes that are undoable,” said Keen, who is also a partner at Keen & Pocock. Federal workers generally have access to a pension through the Federal Employee Retirement System, or FERS, and to a defined contribution savings plan, known as the Thrift Savings Plan, or TSP. FERS provides a guaranteed income stream once a worker reaches a certain age, a perk that’s mostly unavailable in the private sector, Keen said. Federal workers may withdraw their FERS contributions if they leave federal employment, but that may not be the best choice. It will take a while to build your pension back up if you return to federal service, said Katelyn Murray, a chartered federal employee benefits consultant and director of relationship management at Serving Those Who Serve. If you leave the balance intact, you retain the years of service you’ve accumulated, Murray said. Having a FERS pension also allows retirees to continue health coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits, or FEHB, in retirement. Even if you’re not sure you may return to federal work, you may want to think twice before cashing out, Murray said. “It’s more about flexibility and keeping your options open,” Murray said. Federal workers may have some flexibility with a Thrift Savings Plan that is like a 401(k) plan and allows employees to make contributions that are matched by government agencies. Generally, participants who are at least age 59½ can make withdrawals without penalties. In some cases, workers may qualify for the Rule of 55, which may allow them to take withdrawals from the TSP without having to pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty, provided they are at least age 55 when they leave their job (or age 50 for some public safety employees). If you haven’t found another job yet, you can’t take a TSP loan, but you may be able to look at doing a hardship withdrawal, Murray said. Importantly, by doing so you may incur taxes and/or penalties, as well as delay your anticipated retirement date. Source link #Federal #workers #money #questions #answered Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man found guilty of attempted ******* and assault Man found guilty of attempted ******* and assault A man accused of stabbing and trying to kill renowned British-Indian author Sir Salman Rushdie in New York has been found guilty of attempted ******* and assault, US media report. Hadi Matar, a 27-year-old man from New Jersey, now faces a potential sentence of more than 30 years in prison. Sir Salman survived the attack, but the injuries resulted in damage to his liver, lost vision in one eye and a paralysed hand caused by nerve damage to his arm. The jury’s guilty verdict came after a two week trial in Chautauqua County Court in western New York state, near where Matar stabbed Rushdie in August 2022 as he was delivering a lecture. Source link #Man #guilty #attempted #******* #assault Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Elder Scrolls VI Is Allegedly Titled 'Hammerfell', Features Naval Battles & Shipbuilding The Elder Scrolls VI Is Allegedly Titled 'Hammerfell', Features Naval Battles & Shipbuilding The Elder Scrolls VI will be titled ‘Hammerfell’, and will feature naval battles as well as Shipbuilding, based on a new rumor. Source link #Elder #Scrolls #Allegedly #Titled #039Hammerfell039 #Features #Naval #Battles #amp #Shipbuilding Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tesla recalls over 375,000 vehicles in U.S., failing steering systems Tesla recalls over 375,000 vehicles in U.S., failing steering systems Tesla models Y and 3 are displayed at a Tesla dealership in Corte Madera, California, on Dec. 20, 2024. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Tesla is voluntarily recalling 376,241vehicles in the U.S. to correct an issue with failing power-assisted steering systems, according to records posted to the website of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In a safety recall report posted on the NHTSA website, Tesla said the recall includes Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that were manufactured for ***** in the U.S. from Feb. 28, 2023, to October 11, 2023, and that were equipped with a certain older software release. The records said that printed circuit boards in the steering systems in effected vehicles could become overstressed, causing the power-assist steering to fail in some cases when a Tesla vehicle rolled to a stop and then accelerated. When electronic power-assist steering systems fail in a Tesla, drivers need to exert more force to steer their cars, which can increase the risk of a collision. Tesla told the vehicle safety regulator that it was not aware of any crashes, injuries or deaths related to the power steering failures, and that it was offering an over-the-air software update as a remedy. The recall follows an earlier related probe and voluntary recall in China concerning the same systems. President Donald Trump has appointed Tesla CEO Elon Musk to lead a team that is slashing the federal government workforce, and in some cases, regulations and entire agencies. Those cuts already impacted the NHTSA, an agency Musk has long seen as standing in the way of some of his ambitions at Tesla. The regulator has been engaged in a years-long investigation into safety defects in the systems that Tesla markets currently as its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) options. The features do not make Tesla cars into robotaxis. They require a human driver ready to steer or brake at any time. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Musk’s team has led mass firings at NHTSA reducing the agency’s workforce, and capacity to investigate companies including Tesla, by about 10%. Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment. WATCH: Tesla stock hinges on new vehicles being introduced Source link #Tesla #recalls #vehicles #U.S #failing #steering #systems Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

I.R.S. Bars Musk Ally From Seeing Personal Information I.R.S. Bars Musk Ally From Seeing Personal Information The Internal Revenue Service will not allow a member of Elon Musk’s team to view individual tax returns while he works at the agency, according to a copy of an agreement laying out his temporary job assignment viewed by The New York Times. The Trump administration has sent Gavin Kliger, a 25-year-old software engineer, to work at the I.R.S. to improve its information technology and to fight fraud. White House officials had pushed for Mr. Kliger to have broad visibility of I.R.S. data as part of that assignment. But the possibility of granting Mr. Kliger entry into databases that include reams of sensitive information about American individuals, nonprofits and companies alarmed the I.R.S., where officials pushed to limit the scope of Mr. Kliger’s access. In a memorandum of understanding between the I.R.S. and the Office of Personnel Management, where Mr. Kliger is a senior adviser, the two agencies agreed to put checks on Mr. Kliger’s access during his time at the I.R.S., which is focused on information technology. “Should access to I.R.S. systems that contain returns or return information become necessary as part of the detailee’s duties under this agreement, that access shall only be provided if it is anonymized and in a manner that cannot be associated with, directly or indirectly, any taxpayer,” the agreement reads. Mr. Kliger is set to work at the I.R.S. for 120 days, with the possibility of a 120-day extension, according to the agreement. John York, a counselor at the Treasury Department, will oversee his work. A Treasury Department spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment. The agreement may help resolve concerns on Capitol Hill and among outside advocacy groups about the security of taxpayer information at the I.R.S., at least for now. The Trump administration has been sued repeatedly over its decision to give Mr. Musk’s team access to various government databases. In a court case challenging access to Treasury’s payment system, Mr. York in a sworn statement said Treasury was hiring two more members of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency to work on technology issues at the I.R.S. While Mr. Kliger has shown up at I.R.S. headquarters and has started working there, no other members of Mr. Musk’s team have arrived at the agency yet, according to two people familiar with the matter. Source link #I.R.S #Bars #Musk #Ally #Personal #Information Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rubio’s Dilemma: Cutting Trump’s Deal With ‘Bloodthirsty’ Putin Rubio’s Dilemma: Cutting Trump’s Deal With ‘Bloodthirsty’ Putin At a Senate hearing soon after President Trump’s first election eight years ago, Marco Rubio had a simple question for the next U.S. secretary of state: “Is Vladimir Putin a war criminal?” Mr. Rubio, then a Florida senator, posed the question to the Texas oilman Rex Tillerson at his confirmation hearing in January 2017. He would have known well that he was putting Mr. Tillerson in an awkward position. Mr. Trump was an open admirer of Mr. Putin, despite the Russian leader’s pariah status in the West and — against the advice of Mr. Rubio and many others in Congress — hoped to restore fractured relations between Washington and Moscow. Mr. Tillerson dodged the question, saying he needed to study the evidence before drawing conclusions. Mr. Rubio tried again, this time ticking off atrocities committed by Russia’s military and the many suspicious murders of Mr. Putin’s critics. Mr. Tillerson again deflected. The exchange left Mr. Rubio visibly frustrated. “I find it discouraging, your inability to cite that which I think is globally accepted,” Mr. Rubio said. Secretary of state is “the second most important position in the U.S. government, with all due respect to the vice president,” because of its global influence, he later told Mr. Tillerson. It was critical, he added, that the job’s occupant speak with “moral clarity.” Eight years later, Mr. Rubio is in an awkward position of his own. Over 14 years as a senator, Mr. Rubio was a national security hawk who prided himself on challenging tyrants and defending human rights. He was particularly outspoken when it came to Mr. Putin (“bloodthirsty,” “a butcher,” “a monster”) and warned that he could not be trusted in negotiations. After Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, Mr. Rubio urged the Biden administration to say that the United States would support the Ukrainians “as long as they are willing to fight.” And he expressed fresh disgust with Mr. Putin, even speaking with approval of the idea that the Russian leader might be overthrown or assassinated by internal enemies. “I think the whole world wishes that,” he said. But a day after last November’s election, Mr. Rubio said in a television interview that the Ukraine conflict was stalemated and should be settled. “You don’t have to be a fan of Vladimir Putin to want to end the war,” he said. And in Saudi Arabia this week, Mr. Rubio found himself leading the first senior U.S. delegation to negotiate with Kremlin officials in more than three years, charged by Mr. Trump to reach an agreement to end the war in Ukraine — and potentially turn Russia from an enemy into an ally. “It’s not an easy position for Rubio to be in,” said John R. Bolton, who served as national security adviser to Mr. Trump before becoming a sharp critic of the president. While Mr. Rubio is more knowledgeable and experienced on Russia than most Trump officials, Mr. Bolton said, “he is operating in an environment where knowledge and experience doesn’t mean anything.” Noting that Mr. Trump had falsely claimed that Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was a deeply unpopular “dictator” who provoked Russia into war, Mr. Bolton said he was “repeating Russian propaganda lines.” A senior administration official said Mr. Rubio had not changed his views of Mr. Putin or his government and had no illusions that diplomacy with Moscow would be easy or without risk. But Mr. Rubio believes it is worth reaching out to Russia because he agrees with Mr. Trump that the war in Ukraine should come to an end, and that limited cooperation with Russia on issues like North Korea’s nuclear program could be in America’s interest, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy. During an interview on Thursday with the veteran journalist Catherine Herridge, Mr. Rubio said Mr. Trump “wants to know, are the Russians serious about ending the war or not serious about ending the war?” “The only way is to test them, to basically engage them and say, ‘OK, are you serious about ending the war, and if so, what are your demands?” Mr. Rubio said. “Are your public demands and your private demands different?” Some people familiar with Mr. Rubio’s record said he may hope to influence Mr. Trump behind the scenes. Many previous Trump advisers, including Mr. Bolton, have tried to contain Mr. Trump, with unhappy results. “Several times during my tenure I wondered why I was there,” Mr. Bolton said. Advisers seeking to restrain Mr. Trump are at least as likely to be fired, as was Mr. Bolton, as they are to alter his policies. In public, at least, Mr. Rubio has been a good soldier. After meeting with Russian officials in Riyadh — joined by Mr. Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Waltz, and the president’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff — Mr. Rubio made clear that the scope of the negotiations would extend well beyond the fate of Ukraine. Future discussions would involve geopolitical and economic cooperation, he said, including “incredible opportunities” for American businesses. The Russians seemed eager to do business, the administration official said. The Americans were prepared for a lecture from Russia’s longtime foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, who is well known for his tedious harangues. But in Riyadh, the official said, Mr. Lavrov said he would dispense with a detailed opening explanation of Russia’s views on Ukraine because Mr. Putin had already laid them out in public speeches. That was taken as a small gesture of good faith, the official said. But the meeting itself was widely criticized by European officials and analysts who say that talks without preconditions inherently reward Russia’s aggression, and that Ukraine was unfairly excluded from a discussion of its fate. Some analysts said Mr. Rubio seemed to uncritically accept Russian talking points, including that the United States and Russia cannot “deconflict on things that could lead to dangerous confrontations” until Ukraine is resolved. And some said it was particularly jarring to hear Mr. Rubio speaking of Mr. Putin as a potentially reliable negotiating partner after years of warning that he could not be trusted. Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a Russia expert with the Center for a New American Security, said she was particularly distressed to hear Mr. Rubio say in Riyadh that an agreement would require concessions from “all sides.” “My jaw fell to the floor,” said Ms. Kendall-Taylor, who advised President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s transition team. “That he could come out and with a straight face say that he thinks the Russians are interested in negotiations, and that all sides have to make concessions?” she said. “Because there has not been one sign of the Russians being willing to make any concessions.” Ms. Kendall-Taylor noted that the meeting had barely ended before Mr. Lavrov, in his own public remarks, added new negotiating conditions, including that Russia would make no territorial concessions, ruling out returning land it had taken. If Mr. Rubio feels he can responsibly shape Mr. Trump’s diplomacy with Mr. Putin, she said, the key question is: “Where do you draw the line? You’d better know in advance what your red lines are.” To be sure, Mr. Rubio is hardly the first diplomat to bargain with an avowed enemy. Secretary of State John Kerry negotiated a nuclear deal with an Iranian government that helped Iraqi insurgents kill hundreds of American troops. President Bill Clinton’s envoy, Richard Holbrooke, held extensive talks with the Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, whom he considered a genocidal war criminal, to achieve peace in the Balkans. And Mr. Trump’s second secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, struck a deal in 2020 with Taliban leaders whom he had previously branded as terrorists for a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. But in each of those instances, U.S. presidents struck compartmentalized agreements with foreign rivals while maintaining hostile relations overall. Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin appear to see Ukraine as a vehicle for transforming the U.S.-Russia relationship. The Russians are “looking at a restoration of a more or less normal diplomatic relationship with the United States,” said Thomas Graham, a Russia expert with the Council on Foreign Relations. With Mr. Trump expressing a similar desire, Mr. Rubio may find himself balancing his duty to the president with his own deep reservations about Mr. Putin. When Mr. Trump sought to cultivate a relationship with the Russian leader in his first term, Mr. Rubio, from his perch in the Senate, sounded a public alarm. “Vladimir Putin is not interested in a better working relationship with the United States,” Mr. Rubio told an audience in July 2018. “He believes that the only way to make Russia stronger is to make America weaker.” Source link #Rubios #Dilemma #Cutting #Trumps #Deal #Bloodthirsty #Putin Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Fatal Fury: City Of The Wolves Season 2 & 3 DLC Characters & Stages Possibly Leaked Fatal Fury: City Of The Wolves Season 2 & 3 DLC Characters & Stages Possibly Leaked DLC characters and stages that are set to be added via Season 2 and 3 of Fatal Fury: City Of The Wolves have potentially been leaked. Source link #Fatal #Fury #City #Wolves #Season #amp #DLC #Characters #amp #Stages #Possibly #Leaked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

UnitedHealth’s Medicare billing process faces US justice department scrutiny – Financial Times UnitedHealth’s Medicare billing process faces US justice department scrutiny – Financial Times UnitedHealth’s Medicare billing process faces US justice department scrutiny Financial TimesUnitedHealth’s rough stretch continues, with buyouts, a reported DOJ probe and a 23% drop in three months CNBC Source link #UnitedHealths #Medicare #billing #process #faces #justice #department #scrutiny #Financial #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bank of Canada governor’s tariff warning: ‘There won’t be a bounceback’ – National Bank of Canada governor’s tariff warning: ‘There won’t be a bounceback’ – National If Canada is hit by sweeping, broad-based tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump, the hit to the ********* economy could be permanent, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem is warning. Speaking to the members of the Mississauga Board of Trade and the Oakville Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Macklem said the shock from the tariffs would be very different from the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “In the pandemic, we had a steep recession followed by a rapid recovery as the economy reopened,” Macklem said. “This time, if tariffs are long-lasting and broad-based, there won’t be a bounceback.” Macklem said while Canada could recover part of the growth, the damage would be long-lasting. “We may eventually regain our current rate of growth, but the level of output would be permanently lower. It’s more than a shock — it’s a structural change,” he said. Story continues below advertisement 1:40 Leaders discuss tariff tactics Macklem said the first sector to feel the pinch would be Canada’s export sector. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. “As ********* goods become more expensive, U.S. demand for those goods would decline. A lower ********* dollar would provide a partial offset,” he said. He said the Bank of Canada estimates an 8.5 per cent decline in the first year following broad-based tariffs, with ********* exporters expected to respond by cutting production and laying off workers. Trending Now Former NFL punter Chris Kluwe arrested after calling MAGA a ‘Nazi movement’ Legault calls Tkachuk brothers ‘shameful’ as hockey, politics clash for 4 Nations final He said, “With exports to the United States accounting for roughly one-quarter of our national income, the shock would be felt across Canada.” This would lead to lower household income, he said. And Canada’s retaliatory tariffs would mean higher inflation. Story continues below advertisement “As a result, consumer spending on everything from cars to entertainment and housing would slow,” he said, projecting a 2.5 per cent decline in consumer spending by mid-2027. Macklem said broad-based tariffs would “wipe out growth in the economy” for 2025 and 2026, forcing ********* businesses to cut investment spending. He said Canada could offset some of the impacts of the tariffs by making structural changes. “Removing rules that restrict interprovincial trade and harmonizing or mutually recognizing provincial regulations could provide some offset to increased trade friction with the United States,” he said. “Provinces could also make it easier for workers to move within Canada by mutually recognizing different labour accreditations.” More on Canada More videos &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Bank #Canada #governors #tariff #warning #wont #bounceback #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Epic Games Store Has Two More Freebies for You The Epic Games Store Has Two More Freebies for You The Epic Games Store needs you to take on the undead, or maybe just put around the garden, all for free this week. Source link #Epic #Games #Store #Freebies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Best VPS Hosting Providers: Virtual Private Servers that won’t break the bank Best VPS Hosting Providers: Virtual Private Servers that won’t break the bank Best Web Hosting Plans 2025 If you’re serious about hosting a website for professional or business purposes, a Virtual Private Server (VPS) plan is what you need. Unlike the cheap shared plans that many hosting services offer for as little as $2 or $3 a month, a VPS gives you dedicated CPU, RAM and storage resources, along with root access to your server. And, unlike dedicated servers, which cost a lot more for a dedicated box, VPS is affordable, flexible and performant at the same time. We’ve tested the leading companies and identified the best VPS hosting providers to help you choose. Quick List 5. Green Geeks Web Hosting 25 Years of Working with Web Hosting Services 25 Years of Working with Web Hosting Services Avram Piltch Editor-in-Chief, Web Developer I’ve been developing websites and using web hosting services since most people were dialing in to AOL with 56K modems. I’ve built large databases in MySQL, programmed web tools in PHP and worked on the front end in HTML and JavaScript. I also maintain some of Future’s data-driven web tools. After having programmed many different sites, I understand what web developers of all skill levels (from beginners setting up a WordPress blog to programmers starting an online business) need from their VPS hosting providers. How to Choose a VPS Hosting Provider Different Types of VPS Hosting Plans Why you can trust Tom’s Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test. When shopping for a VPS provider, decide: Managed or Unmanaged? You can save money by purchasing an unmanaged VPS where you have nothing but a terminal and must install all your own software and updates. We recommend against this (and only test managed VPS plans), because the possibility of running into problems without support is too much of a hassle. Linux or Windows OS: This is a no-brainer. Unless you have a Windows-specific application you already run, go with Linux for lower costs, stronger performance and better stability. Monthly or annual? Don’t pay by the month. Sign up for two, three or four years if possible as you’ll lock in much lower monthly rates, and renewal rates after the initial term tend to be much higher. cPanel or other control panel? cPanel is the most popular and easiest-to-use control panel software, but even many of the best VPS providers charge significant licensing fees it, while offering reasonably capable alternatives for free. How much RAM, storage and CPU cores? For mid-range performance, we recommend a minimum of 4GB of RAM, 2 to 4 vCPUs (or CPU cores) and at least 60GB of storage. For larger sites with more databases, go for over 100GB. Best VPS Hosting Plans 2025 (Image credit: Shutterstock) 1. Hostinger VPS Plans Best VPS Web Hosting Specifications Price: $4.99 and up CPU: Up to 8 vCPU Cores RAM: Up to 32GB Bandwidth: Up to 32TB Storage: Up to 400GB of disk space Reasons to buy + Very low prices + Strong performance + Tons of flexibility Reasons to avoid – cPanel costs extra – Human support via live chat only Swipe to scroll horizontally Plan KVM 1 KVM 2 KVM 4 KVM 8 Monthly Price (24-months) $4.99 $5.99 $10.49 $19.99 Monthly Price (renewal) $8.49 $11.49 $24.99 $47.99 CPU Cores 1 2 4 8 RAM 4GB 8GB 16GB 32GB Disk Space 50GB 100GB 200GB 400GB Bandwidth 4TB 8TB 16TB 32TB Founded in Lithuania in 2004, Hostinger has grown into one of the world’s largest and most potent hosting services overall. It’s also one of the cheapest VPS providers while not skimping on performance. Hostinger’s VPS plans start at just $4.99 per month with a 24-month commitment, though we’d recommend going with at least the KVM 2 plan which has two CPU cores, 8GB of RAM and 100GB of storage allotted. There’s also a generous 8TB of bandwidth allowed — enough to serve a lot of traffic. The one thing you don’t get for these low prices is cPanel, the easiest-to-use and most powerful control panel software around. If you want cPanel, you have to pay an astonishing $23 a month in licensing fees, although there are other control panel options that are cheap or free. We tested the KVM 2 plan with Webmin / Virtualmin, which costs nothing extra and provides a pretty straightforward interface. Virtualmin is the user-facing panel that controls each website you build while the Webmin admin interface controls the physical server and the software it runs. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Hostinger doesn’t provide a lot of documentation on how to use the Virtualmin / Webmin combo, however. My default account came with a disk quota that prevented me from uploading all of my test files, for example, and I had to do some Googling to figure out how to change the limit. Once we had our server set up, it was very easy to manage, run tests and build our website. Connecting via SSH was a snap, particularly because our account did not force us to use an encryption key (though we could have). We ran a number of scripts, including our endless script, and the system never killed them. Our plan came preloaded with the 10.3.39 version of MariaDB, a popular MySQL-compatible database server, and the performance was top-notch. First, we used MySQL to insert millions of rows of old Tom’s Hardware page-view data, and Hostinger outperformed almost all of its competitors with the exception of Liquid Web (more on that later). (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The times for our other DB tests, including one where we replaced all the original numbers with random numbers and another where we do a massive table JOIN, were equally impressive. Hostinger’s VPS plan scored a very solid 7.4 on the WordPress Benchmark (where 10 is best). It also took just 1.9 seconds to load our sample WordPress site, which is within range of its competitors. We found support solid, but unexceptional. There’s a knowledge base with a lot of information, but not much on Webmin / Virtualmin, the only free server control software. You can eventually do a live chat with a human, but we wish you could file an email ticket. Overall, you get a lot of performance and flexibility for your money with Hostinger. It’s a winning combination and a value, even at the renewal prices. Read More: Hostinger Review (Image credit: Shutterstock) 2. Liquid Web Managed VPS Plans Best VPS Performance Specifications Price: $20 and up CPU: Up to 16 vCPUs RAM: Up to 16GB of RAM Storage: Up to 200GB of storage Reasons to buy + Good CPU, RAM, storage for the money + Very strong database and WordPress performance + Handles lots of traffic Reasons to avoid – Plans max out at 10TB of Bandwidth – cPanel costs extra If you’re looking for the fastest performance around and can spend a bit more money, Liquid Web is the best VPS hosting provider for you. Founded in 1997, the company has over 180,000 clients and hosts data centers in Michigan, Arizona and Amsterdam. It owns some other hosting companies including Nexcess and Servers.com, and it offers a variety of managed and unmanaged hosting services. We concentrated our testing on the managed VPS plans; unmanaged plans may be cheaper but also leave you with a lot more work when it comes to installing software, updating software and making sure your server is still running. The managed VPS plans on Liquid Web don’t come cheap, and their promotional ******* is only three months, so in reality you should just count on paying the non-promotional price when you make your calculations. The Liquid Web managed VPS plans start at a regular price of $59 a month for 2GB of RAM and $99 a month for the plan we tested with 4GB of RAM. For that price, you get 4 CPU cores, 100GB of storage and a whopping 10TB of bandwidth. Swipe to scroll horizontally Plan 2 GB RAM 4 GB RAM 8 GB RAM 12 GB RAM Monthly rate (first 3 months) $29.50 $49.50 $69.50 $84.50 Regular monthly rate $59 $99 $139 $169 CPU Cores 2 4 8 12 RAM 2GB 4GB 8GB 12GB Storage 40GB 100GB 150GB 200GB Bandwidth 10TB 10TB 10TB 10TB Like many of its competitors, including Hostinger, Liquid Web does not come standard with cPanel control panel software, which costs extra if you want it. Instead we used the free InterWorx software, which is divided into SiteWorx (for website management) and NodeWorx (for server management). We found the UI, particularly in SiteWorx, pretty easy to navigate. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Liquid Web has a variety of means of contacting support. You can use live chat, telephone or email. We got our quickest response when using email. Overall, the most important and impressive thing about Liquid Web is its performance, which eclipsed all other sites we tested on most benchmarks. It dominated the competition on all three database tests, including the very time consuming SUM and JOIN test, which has been known to take some competitors more than 20 minutes. Liquid Web’s was done in 8:42. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Liquid Web also aced the WordPress Benchmark, scoring 8.4 where most competitors are in the 7s. It did particularly well on the CPU operations portion of the test, scoring 9.21 out of a possible 10. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Liquid Web was also pretty quick to load our sample site, taking just 1.6 seconds (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) With 10TB per month of bandwidth, high-speed loading and high-speed data processing, Liquid Web’s VPS hosting plans are great for those expecting a lot of traffic. Read More: Liquid Web Review (Image credit: Shutterstock, Namecheap) Best Cheap Shared Web Hosting Specifications Price: $1.98 and up CPU: N/A RAM: N/A Storage: Up to 50GB of storage Reasons to buy + Strong database performance + Good traffic handling + Incredibly low price Reasons to avoid – SSL only free for first year For 25 years, Arizona’s Namecheap has offered inexpensive domain registration services, which is where its name comes from. But the company also offers inexpensive hosting, including some of the best VPS plans you can get. As its name implies, the plans are cheap, particularly if you want to pay annually and then keep going for more than a year — which any serious website would. The plans start at just $6.88 per month and go up to a mere $24.88 a month for 8 CPU cores. You get just a little more for your money with Hostinger, but Hostinger’s rates go up after the initial ******* while Namecheap’s stay the same, making it a better value over 24 months or more. Swipe to scroll horizontally Plan Pulsar Quasar Magnetar Monthly rate (annual sub) $6.88 $12.88 $24.88 Renewal rate $7 $13 $25 CPU Cores 2 4 8 RAM 2GB 6GB 12GB Storage 40GB 120GB 240GB Bandwidth 1TB 3TB 6TB If you’re building a larger site and expect a lot of traffic, note that the bandwidth limits are low on the first two plans. As with many competitors, you have to pay extra for cPanel control software, to the tune of $10.88/month. There’s no completely free option so we went with Webuzo for just $2.88 a month. We found Webuzo’s UI easy to navigate and used it to enable SSL on our sample site and to turn on SSH remote access. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Performance-wise, Namecheap’s VPS places in the middle of the pack. It took a decent 11 minutes and 22 seconds, for example, to import our 4GB MySQL database file (filled with millions of Tom’s Hardware PV records), which is slower than Liquid Web and Hostinger but quicker than Bluehost or Dreamhost. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The load time test was less impressive, but still reasonable as Namecheap took an average of 2.4 seconds to load our sample site and a modest 1.6 seconds to network response. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Overall, you get a lot of value, good flexibility and solid performance from Namecheap’s VPS offerings. Best of all, the renewal price is the same as the starting price. Read More: Namecheap Review (Image credit: Shutterstock) 4. Bluehost Cloud Plans Best Cloud Hosting Specifications Price: $29 and Up CPU: Up to 150 vCPU Cores Storage: Up to 225GB storage Bandwidth: Unmetered bandwidth Reasons to buy + Incredibly high-speed serving + Handles tons of traffic + No database size limit Reasons to avoid – Less flexibility than a VPS plan – Timed out on one of our database tests In business since 2003, Bluehost is one of the largest hosting services around with more than 2 million customers. It’s owned by Newfold Digital, which also owns HostGator, another large hosting service that offers VPS. Bluehost’s plans don’t come cheap, but they aren’t as pricey as Liquid Web’s offerings either. We definitely recommend going with a three-year contract, which means you have to pay all 36 months upfront but you get a significant discount. The plan we tested is one we signed up for a couple of years ago that supplies similar specs to Enhanced NVMe 8. Swipe to scroll horizontally Plan Standard NVMe 4 Enhanced NVMe 8 Ultimate NVMe 16 Monthly price (36-month commitment) $46.99 $65.99 $94.99 Renewal monthly price $66 $96 $141 CPU Cores 2 4 8 RAM 4GB 8GB 16GB Storage 100GB 200GB 450GB Bandwidth Unmetered Unmetered Unmetered We’ve been with Bluehost for several years now, long before we started testing web hosts, and we’ve used a couple of their plans. What we’ve seen is that Bluehost just works and is easy-to-use, particularly because cPanel, the powerful and simple control software that comes included. But our experience transferring a site to a new account was not good (they couldn’t get it working completely at the new server after several weeks) so we would recommend doing your own file transfer if you’re migrating from another service. Bluehost’s performance on our three MySQL database tests was solid, mid-tier. For example on our randomization test, in which we have MySQL randomize and update all the traffic numbers in our sample database, Bluehost VPS finished in just 3 minutes and 6 seconds, which was faster than every other competitor except Liquid Web. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) On the other hand, on the more intensive SUM and JOIN test, Bluehost finished behind Hostinger and DreamHost. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) On the website speed test, Bluehost’s load times were middle-of-the-pack, with the network taking 0.9 seconds to respond and 1.75 seconds to load the entire site. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) What we really like about Bluehost is how everything just works. In the years we’ve had the service, everything from setting up SSL to enabling new subdomains has been a snap. And we’ve never experienced an outage. Our main beefs with the service are its middling support and somewhat high pricing. We wish it were easier to file support tickets – you need to wait for a live agent and deal with them. And, in our case, the transfer process of moving a site from one server to another required us to do the work. However, if you want a service that just works and works well, Bluehost is one of the best VPS hosting providers. Read More: Bluehost Review (Image credit: GreenGeeks) 5. GreenGeeks Shared Plans Best Shared Hosting Specifications Price: $2.75 and Up CPU: Up to 3 vCPUs Storage: Up to 50GB of storage Bandwidth: Unmetered bandwidth Reasons to buy + Powerful cPanel comes standard + Very affordable + Good WordPress score Reasons to avoid – Can’t handle a lot of concurrent traffic GreenGeeks, as its name implies, stands out from the competition by focusing on renewable energy. The company, which launched in 2010, replaces the power it uses for your account each month with 300 percent more electricity in wind-power credits. The company also claims that it plants a tree for each new account. Going green with GreenGeeks is not cheap: The lowest-end plan costs $69 a month, with no discounts for purchasing years in advance. However, you do get cPanel included — and pretty good performance to boot. Swipe to scroll horizontally Plan 4GB 8GB 16GB Price per month $69.95 $129.95 $179.95 CPU Cores $4 $6 $6 RAM 4GB 8GB 16GB SSD 75GB 150GB 250GB Bandwidth 10TB 10TB 10TB Like Bluehost, GreenGeeks comes with cPanel control panel (and WHM for controlling the server) as standard so there’s no fussing with less-than-intuitive software to set up your site. Performance is pretty good. In our third MySQL database test, where we do a large table join and SUM, GreenGeeks VPS took only 14 minutes and 12 seconds. That’s faster than most competitors. It’s not the fastest when it came to importing the database, but operations on the database were pretty speedy. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) GreenGeeks VPS was also among the fastest to load, loading the complete home page of our sample Wordpress website in just 1.5 seconds. That’s pretty quick. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Read More: GreenGeeks Review How We Test VPS Hosting Providers How We Test VPS Hosting Providers We test each VPS provider in a few ways: We set up a sample WordPress blog that we use to test load times and run the WordPress Benchmark plugin. We test the load times using a combination of Dotcom-Tools’ Website Speed Test and the Apache benchmark. We import a large MySQL database with millions of records (based on old Tom’s Hardware traffic data). We then randomize all those page view numbers in a second operation and, in a third, we use a giant table JOIN to generate a SUM of page views for each page in the database. We perform each database operation three times and take the average completion time. We run an endless script that logs the time every minute so we can see if the VPS provider has a time limit on script execution. Other VPS Hosting Providers We Tested Other VPS Hosting Providers We Tested We also tested the following VPS hosts, but they didn’t make the cut necessary to be named among the best VPS providers. HostGator VPS: The company offers decent, cPanel-enabled plans but they’re expensive and didn’t perform extremely well on our benchmarks. ScalaHosting VPS: Decent prices and a helpful control panel make this a solid choice, but performance was a bit below the competition. InMotion VPS: The prices are ok, but we got mediocre support in our tests and benchmark scores were unimpressive. DreamHost VPS: Prices are decent but database performance was pretty weak and human support was slow for us. A2 Hosting: Prices are decent, but database performance was among the slowest we saw. Source link #VPS #Hosting #Providers #Virtual #Private #Servers #wont #break #bank Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Bluebird Bio gene therapy sells itself to Carlyle and SK Capital Bluebird Bio gene therapy sells itself to Carlyle and SK Capital Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Bluebird Bio will sell itself to private equity firms Carlyle and SK Capital for about $30 million, the company said Friday, marking the end of the Bluebird’s fall from the one of the buzziest biotech firms to one that was on the cusp of running out of money. Bluebird’s shareholders will receive $3 per share with the possibility of getting another $6.84 a share if Bluebird’s gene therapies reach $600 million in sales in any 12-month ******* by the end of 2027. Bluebird shares closed at $7.04 on Thursday. They fell 40% on Friday after the company announced the *****. For more than thirty years, Bluebird has been at the forefront of creating one-time treatments that promised to cure genetic diseases. At one point, Bluebird’s market cap hovered around $9 billion as investors bought into the idea that the company could find success with its gene therapies. It’s fallen under $41 million after the company faced several scientific setbacks, separated its ******* work into another company and fell into financial despair. The turning point came in 2018, when Bluebird flagged that a patient who received its gene therapy for sickle-cell disease developed *******. Bluebird concluded its treatment didn’t cause the condition, but the revelation started a series of questions surrounding the safety of its DNA-altering treatments. Bluebird also faced pushback from European payers after pricing its gene therapy for blood disorder beta thalassemia, called Zynteglo, at $1.8 million per patient. The company withdrew the treatment from Europe in 2021, just two years after it was approved there. Bluebird said it would instead focus on the U.S., where it was readying for the approval of Zynteglo for beta thalassemia, Lyfgenia for sickle cell disease, as well as another therapy Skysona for a rare brain disease called cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. All three of those gene therapies were approved in recent years, but none of them have been able to ease Bluebird’s financial woes. The company had been spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Offloading Bluebird’s ******* treatments into new company 2Seventy Bio also eliminated an important source of revenue. At last update in November, Bluebird said its cash would fund the company’s operations into the first quarter of this year. The ***** marks a stark reversal of Bluebird’s past performance. The upfront price of about $30 million is a fraction of the $80 million Bluebird’s former Chief Executive Officer Nick Leschly made from selling the company’s stock during his time there. And it’s at odds with the transformative results that most patients see with the company’s treatments. This reporter has spoken to patients who were desperate for the chance to receive Zynteglo, as well as a then-10-year-old girl who felt fortunate to become the first person in the U.S. to receive the treatment after it was approved. The entire field is facing tough questions right now about whether companies can translate the promise of one-time treatments for rare diseases into viable businesses. Vertex‘s competing gene therapy for sickle cell disease, Casgevy, has seen a similarly slow launch. Pfizer on Thursday announced it would stop selling a gene therapy for hemophilia that was approved only one year ago, citing weak demand. Bluebird’s treatments could still change many lives. They just weren’t enough to change the company’s fate. Source link #Bluebird #Bio #gene #therapy #sells #Carlyle #Capital Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]