Pelican Press

Indigenous All Stars shine bright in dazzling exhibition display against Fremantle at Optus Stadium Indigenous All Stars shine bright in dazzling exhibition display against Fremantle at Optus Stadium Flair. Instinct. Pride. Passion. The Indigenous All Stars promised all of the above and delivered in Saturday’s entertaining pre-season game at Optus Stadium, opening with a war dance before bouncedown and expressing themselves with quick feet, sure hands and inventive minds. On the land of the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation, the All Stars played with an impressive symmetry for a team that was combining for the first time against a well-drilled unit, albeit missing some key parts, that is expected to push the top four this season. The All Stars shuffled, shimmied and surged and played with the connectivity Indigenous footballers are famous for. They burnt Fremantle with speed and finished full of running, winning by 43 points, 16.12 (108) to 9.11 (65), Yothy Yindi’s Treaty blaring over the speakers at the final siren. What a pity AFL fans don’t get to watch this team every week because it would be one long highlight reel. And one tough coaching assignment for the opposition. They might have to wait two years, with the game expected to become a biennial feature of the AFL pre-season. Expressing themselves with aggressive chains of handball through the corridor, it was footy poetry with fancy calligraphy. It was one long celebration of the indigenous game by the game’s best Indigenous footballers. They weren’t always rewarded due to some haphazard inside-50 entries, but it was no less entertaining. Bobby Hill kicked two of his four goals in the first term, the opener followed by a dance and the second celebrated with a tug of the Indigenous jumper. Camera IconBobby Hill embraces the crowd after a goal. Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West *********** He could have had three to half-time but missed from 15m out early in the second quarter after being hit up by Izak Rankine who broke clear with a massive don’t argue. Hill rectified that from close range but a tight angle shortly midway through the third term to for his third goal and added a fourth in the shadows of the final change. Skippered by Fremantle veteran Michael Walters, the All Stars owned possession in the first quarter, with Jason Horne-Francis and Jy Simpkin busy as the team racked up 96 possessions to Fremantle’s 67 at 81 per cent efficiency. Camera IconJy Simpkin. Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West *********** It was an exciting, uncontested brand, with the All Stars standouts Simpkin – who led all possession-getters with 30 and won the Polly Farmer Medal as best afield – and Horne-Francis, who pumped the ball inside 50 five times in the opening stanza alone. Bradley Hill, and defenders Steven May and Lawson Humphries also performed strongly. Fremantle importantly got a four-quarter game played in intense heat into its pre-season, another look at Cooper Simpson and a fresh one at Murphy Reid. It might have been a pre-pre-season game but it didn’t bother midfielders Caleb Serong, Jeremy Sharp and Andrew Brayshaw while Nathan O’Driscoll put his hand up for a round one game with 548 metres gained. Only Jeremy Sharp had more with 586. Dockers ruck Liam Reidy dominated the hitouts against young West Coast Eagle Coen Livingstone and will get his chance with Sean Darcy sidelined for at least the opening two rounds and copped the wrath of the All Stars for a late bump on Eagle Liam Ryan in the final term. Camera IconLuke Jackson tries to break the tackle from Ash Johnson Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West *********** Their forward line wasn’t serviced well yesterday and was well covered by the All Stars defence but Michael Frederick kicked three goals, Sharp and Luke Jackson and Jye Amiss two each. Fremantle swingman Jackson looks as if he has prepared for an assault on the competition. He started forward but had his first shift in the ruck after just two minutes and pounced on a loose ball from his own aerial contest to snap a goal at the 12-minute mark. Jackson was the Dockers’ most impactful player in an intra club practice match eight days earlier and while has had better games than yesterday’s effort, the evidence suggests he is going to be a weapon this season. The Dockers employed their 2024 tactic of rotating a midfielder forward and it worked for Serong, although he sprayed two early opportunities. Camera IconFremantle’s Brandon Walker leaves the field with a facial injury. Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West *********** At the other end, Jordan Clark and Corey Wagner worked feverishly in the face of wave after wave of All Star entries. The game’s most precious moment came nine minutes into the second term when Charlie Cameron goaled from a free kick at the top of the goalsquare. Cue Take Me Home Country Roads and an unusual in-game interview between Shaun Burgoyne and Cameron with the Brisbane Lions premiership player telling the interviewer “I gotta go”. The All Stars held on to a 12-point halftime lead with Rankine headed forward as the siren sounded following a five-bounce run on the wing, and extended it to 30 at the final change. The Dockers were missing a core of experience with Alex Pearce, Sean Darcy, Luke Ryan, James Aish, Nat Fyfe and Hayden Young either sidelined or managed out. Shai Bolton and Walters were also playing for the other side, so the Dockers were missing about more than a third of their first-choice team. Camera IconCyril Rioli in the crowd. Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West *********** They lost Sam Switkowski on Saturday under concussion protocols. It was a concern last season when he missed three games. The two sides had unlimited interchange with squads of 30 and longer quarter and three quarter time breaks under the heat policy with the temperature reaching 36C in the pre-game build-up. All Stars 5.2 7.5 12.8 16.12 (108) Fremantle 2.3 5.5 7.8 9.11 (65) Goals: All Stars: Bobby Hill 4, Horne-Francis 3, Walters, Stengle, Simpkin, Cameron, Pickett, Motlop, Ryan, W. Rioli, Kelly. Fremantle: Frederick 3, Sharp 2, Jackson 2, Amiss 2. Best: All Stars: Simpkin, Horne-Francis, Bobby Hill, Humphries, Bradley Hill, Rankine. Fremantle: Serong, Clark, Sharp, Brayshaw, Reidy, Wagner. Crowd: 37,865 at Optus Stadium. Source link #Indigenous #Stars #shine #bright #dazzling #exhibition #display #Fremantle #Optus #Stadium Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

President Donald Trump Will Break His Social Security Promise and Propose Cuts — Just Not in the Way You Might Think President Donald Trump Will Break His Social Security Promise and Propose Cuts — Just Not in the Way You Might Think When 2025 began, the average monthly Social Security check for retired workers was $1,975.34. Though this might not sound like a lot, more retirees than you might realize count on their Social Security income as their financial foundation. In each of the previous 23 years, national pollster Gallup has surveyed retirees to determine how important Social Security income is to their financial well-being. In every poll, 80% to 90% of respondents noted it was necessary, in some capacity, to help cover their expenses. Although supporting and strengthening America’s leading retirement program should be a priority for our elected officials, the financial health of Social Security has been deteriorating for four decades. Reforms need to be enacted to improve the program’s financial health — and that may include President Donald Trump breaking his campaign promise and proposing cuts to Social Security. President Donald Trump delivering remarks. Image source: Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead, courtesy of the National Archives. Before digging into the details of what may come to pass, it’s important to understand why Social Security’s financial foundation is crumbling. Ever since the first Social Security check was mailed in 1940, the Social Security Board of Trustees has issued an annual report outlining the financial health of the program. It details where every dollar in income comes from, as well as traces where those dollars end up. What’s even more intriguing are the long-term (75-year) forecasts provided by the Trustees concerning the solvency of Social Security’s trust funds. Though the program is incapable of going bankrupt or becoming insolvent with the way it’s current set up, the existing payout schedule, inclusive of cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), may not be sustainable. Every year since 1985, the Trustees Report has cautioned of a long-term funding obligation shortfall. In simple terms, estimated outlays (benefits and, to a lesser extent, administrative expenses to operate Social Security) would outpace collected income in the 75 years following the release of a report. The 2024 Trustees Report pegged this long-term shortfall at a staggering $23.2 trillion. The more immediate concern is the forecast depletion of the Old-Age and Survivor Insurance Trust Fund’s (OASI) asset reserves by 2033. If this excess cash built up since inception were to be exhausted, sweeping benefit cuts of up to 21% would await retired workers and survivor beneficiaries. The culprit behind this financial maelstrom for Social Security is a confluence of ongoing demographic changes, such as rising income inequality, a historically low U.S. birth rate, and a steep decline in the legal net migration rate since 1998. Story Continues The OASI’s asset reserves are pace to be exhausted by 2033. US Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund Assets at End of Year data by YCharts. Lawmakers wanting to strengthen Social Security have three choices: increase income, reduce spending, or do some combination of the two. But given that any changes to Social Security would result in some group of people being worse off than they were before, it’s typically an issue that lawmakers steer clear of. Presidential candidates don’t have the luxury of sweeping key issues under the rug. They’re expected to offer concrete ideas as to how a clearly ailing program can be improved. While on the campaign trail, then-candidate Donald Trump made clear that he wouldn’t touch Social Security. By this, he meant that no changes would be made that result in sweeping benefit cuts, as some current and future retirees fear. This would mean increases to the full retirement age are off the table. However, President Trump did leave the door wide open for efficiency-based Social Security cuts. In a December 2024 interview with Meet the Press, he responded to a question from TV journalist Kristen Welker by noting, “I said to people we’re not touching Social Security, other than we make it more efficient. But the people are going to get what they’re getting.” In each of Donald Trump’s first four years in the White House, his presidential budget proposals called for a variety of efficiency-based cuts to Social Security. Based on projections, these actions would have reduced outlays by a cumulative: $72 billion from fiscal 2018 through fiscal 2027 (the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30). $64 billion from fiscal 2019 through fiscal 2028. $26 billion from fiscal 2020 through fiscal 2029. $24 billion from fiscal 2021 through fiscal 2030. For example, President Trump’s last budget proposal aimed to make the Disability Insurance Trust Fund more efficient by halving the retroactive benefits that workers with disabilities could receive from 12 months to six months. This would have accounted for more than half of the forecast $24 billion in 10-year cost-savings. Though Donald Trump won’t propose sweeping Social Security benefit cuts, all signs point to him breaking his promise to “not touch Social Security” by proposing efficiency-based cuts. Image source: Getty Images. While the Trump administration’s efforts to cut down on government waste and make select programs more efficient are helpful in some respects, the president’s budget proposals pertaining to Social Security during his first term in the White House would have hardly made a dent in the program’s widening cash shortfall. The hard truth is that strengthening Social Security will require bipartisan cooperation and some tough decision-making. On social media message boards, commentors frequently call for the removal of the earnings tax cap as a means to shore up Social Security. In 2025, all earned income (wages and salary, but not investment income) between $0.01 and $176,100 is subject to a 12.4% payroll tax, which is the primary means of funding Social Security. Every dollar in wages and salary above this earnings tax cap is exempt from the payroll tax. Based on a study conducted by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Actuary, completely removing the payroll tax ceiling and exposing all earned income to this tax would extend the solvency of Social Security’s trust funds by “about 35 years. While this would kick the can decades down the road, taxing all earned income, by itself, doesn’t come close to resolving Social Security’s long-term funding obligation shortfall. The other common proposal is to gradually increase the full retirement age from 67 to perhaps 69 or 70. Doing so would require future generations of retirees to wait longer to receive 100% of their retired-worker benefit, or to accept a steeper permanent reduction to their monthly payout if collecting early. Regardless of which claiming age retired workers select, their lifetime income would be reduced. Although this approach would effectively lower Social Security’s outlays over numerous decades, it does nothing to address the expected exhaustion of the OASI’s asset reserves in 2033. As much as Democrats want to increase income by taxing the well-to-do and Republicans want to lower long-term outlays, these unilateral solutions would miss the mark. The only way the existing payout schedule, including COLAs, has any chance of being sustained over the long run is with bipartisan cooperation. If you’re like most Americans, you’re a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known “Social Security secrets” could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $22,924 more… each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we’re all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. View the “Social Security secrets” » The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Prediction: President Donald Trump Will Break His Social Security Promise and Propose Cuts — Just Not in the Way You Might Think was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #President #Donald #Trump #Break #Social #Security #Promise #Propose #Cuts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NBA Rising Stars results: Team Mullin advances to All-Star tournament as G Leaguers nearly pull off upset – CBS Sports NBA Rising Stars results: Team Mullin advances to All-Star tournament as G Leaguers nearly pull off upset – CBS Sports NBA Rising Stars results: Team Mullin advances to All-Star tournament as G Leaguers nearly pull off upset CBS SportsCastle opens busy weekend with Rising Stars MVP ESPNWhere to watch 2025 NBA Rising Stars Game: Time, TV channel, rosters, stream as All-Star Weekend kicks off CBS SportsNBA All-Star 2025 weekend festivities continue in the San Francisco Bay Area. Here’s what to know. CBS San Francisco Source link #NBA #Rising #Stars #results #Team #Mullin #advances #AllStar #tournament #Leaguers #pull #upset #CBS #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AMD’s RX 9070 GPUs could go on ***** March 6, the day after Nvidia’s RTX 5070 – and I wouldn’t fret about those 900W power supply rumors AMD’s RX 9070 GPUs could go on ***** March 6, the day after Nvidia’s RTX 5070 – and I wouldn’t fret about those 900W power supply rumors AMD RX 9070 GPUs are rumored to hit shelves on March 6 Another rumor suggests 9070 XT could need a 900W power supply That’s for a top-end overclocked version of the 9070 XT, though, and there are numerous caveats to consider here AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 graphics cards will get a full launch event on February 28, which has been confirmed by Team Red, and now chatter on the rumor mill is indicating these GPUs will be available to buy on March 6. That purported on-***** date comes courtesy of VideoCardz’s sources, an assertion also backed up by ******** tech site Benchlife. Even though these two rumors align, we should still take this with a great deal of caution. That said, AMD has told us that its RX 9070 models will go on ***** in early March, which I take to mean the first week, and March 6 fits that picture. Still, we’ll need confirmation officially, and presumably that’ll come at the mentioned press event for RDNA 4 GPUs in late February. At the same time, more speculation is floating around regarding the power consumption of the RX 9070 XT, suggesting that one third-party variant has a big ask in terms of your PC’s power supply. Tom’s Hardware noticed a post on X from Tomasz Gawroński showing a purportedly leaked image of the PowerColor RX 9070 XT Red ******, with the packaging apparently indicating that you’ll need a 900W PSU to have this graphics card in your gaming PC. There will be 9070 XT cards available at launch that will require lower minimum power supply wattages as will there be plenty with 8 pin power connectors for worry-free upgrading.February 14, 2025 This has raised plenty of eyebrows, as it’s 100W more than the current recommendation for the RX 7900 XTX flagship, though even the poster admitted that they weren’t sure if the image is faked. Interestingly, Frank Azor, who is head of consumer and gaming marketing at AMD, actually replied to Gawroński, observing that there will be other RX 9070 XT models that’ll “require lower minimum power supply wattages as will there be plenty with 8 pin power connectors for worry-free upgrading.” Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Note that Azor didn’t confirm that the image was real, though the AMD executive didn’t call it a fake, either (but of course, he doesn’t work for PowerColor). (Image credit: AMD / TechPowerup) Analysis: Ready for the AMD vs Nvidia mid-range GPU shootout? The launch date of March 6 for the RX 9070 models, if it turns out to be correct, is certainly an interesting choice – mainly because Nvidia only just announced March 5 is when the RTX 5070 arrives on shelves. So, as we theorized earlier this week, this is looking very much like a mid-range head-to-head between the RX 9070 and RTX 5070 in the first week of March. As for the PSU requirement, I wouldn’t panic about the potential scenario of RX 9070 models somehow requiring vast reservoirs of power. Some of the beefiest models may, but we must remember, the Red ****** board mentioned in the leak is a top-end graphics card, and as Azor observed, other models will require less wattage. Indeed, the rumor is that the reference 9070 XT from AMD will ask for a 750W PSU, with the RX 9070 vanilla needing 650W, far more modest requirements (add seasoning with that still). It’s also worth noting that 900W is an odd specification here, given that there aren’t any PSUs delivering that exact figure, as far as I’m aware. There are 850W models and then we jump to 1000W, so why PowerColor is (theoretically) placing the requirement just above 850W, in a non-existent PSU bracket (as it were), I’m not sure. This could perhaps be another suggestion that the image is faked. That said, I don’t doubt that a heavily overclocked RX 9070 XT model will drink a lot more juice than a standard board. It clearly will, and so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the top dogs of the RDNA 4 graphics card world are considerably more demanding on the PC’s power supply. These GPUs will also cost a lot more than the entry-level 9070 XT products, too, and how competitive AMD’s graphics cards will be in pricing terms is the other key question we’re dying to have answered. We’ll have those answers soon enough, thankfully. Roll on the end of February. You might also like… Source link #AMDs #GPUs #***** #March #day #Nvidias #RTX #wouldnt #fret #900W #power #supply #rumors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Volodymyr Zelensky calls for creation of an ‘army of Europe’ to face Russian threats Volodymyr Zelensky calls for creation of an ‘army of Europe’ to face Russian threats Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for the creation of an “army of Europe” to guard against Russia as he suggested the US may no longer come to the continent’s aid. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, he also said that Ukraine would “never accept deals made behind our backs without our involvement” after US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to start peace talks. In a speech on Friday, in which he attacked European democracies, US Vice President JD Vance warned that Europe needed to “step up in a big way” on defence. Zelensky said: “I really believe the time has come – the armed forces of Europe must be created.” He said: “Yesterday here in Munich, the US vice president made it clear [that] decades of the old relationship between Europe and America are ending. “From now on things will be different and Europe needs to adjust to that.” Earlier this week, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine was a “factory reset” for Nato which signalled the alliance needed to be “robust”, “strong” and “real”. On Saturday, Zelensky said: “Let’s be honest. Now we can’t rule out the possibility that America might say no to Europe on an issue that threatens it. “Many, many leaders have talked about Europe that needs its own military. “An army, an army of Europe.” Source link #Volodymyr #Zelensky #calls #creation #army #Europe #face #Russian #threats Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Record crowd on hand as Indigenous All-Stars crush Freo Record crowd on hand as Indigenous All-Stars crush Freo Bobby Hill kicked four goals and Jy Simpkin ran rampant in the midfield as the Indigenous All Stars put on a spectacle in a 43-point win over Fremantle at Optus Stadium. Hill starred with his four majors from 12 disposals in Saturday’s twilight match, while Jason Horne-Francis was equally impressive with three goals from 17 touches as the All Stars ran out 16.12 (108) to 9.11 (65) winners. Simpkin won the Polly Farmer medal as best afield following his 30-disposal, 10-clearance, one-goal effort. The match marked the first Indigenous All Stars clash since 2015, and the 37,865 crowd on hand smashed the previous record of 17,500, set in 2003 when Carlton suffered a 73-point loss in Darwin. Caleb Serong led the way for Fremantle with 27 disposals, while Michael Frederick kicked three goals. Fremantle forward Sam Switkowski suffered a suspected concussion when he was crunched in a first-quarter marking contest, ruling him out for the rest of the match. The All Stars were hot from the outset, with their swift ball movement and willingness to take risks a sight to behold. Hill kicked the opening goal after Fremantle’s defence were panicked into a mistake, while some inventive handballs in the midfield set up Horne-Francis for their second. Tyson Stengle produced one of the highlights of the quarter when he nailed a tough 40m set shot from the boundary line, helping give the All Stars a, 18-point lead at quarter time. Kysaiah Pickett, who is rumoured to want a trade to Fremantle from Melbourne at the end of this year, produced a crowd-pleasing “don’t argue” fend-off on Serong early in the second quarter Pickett also kicked a fine goal later in the term, but two goals to Fremantle forward Frederick closed the margin to 12 points by half-time. Hill kicked two goals in the third quarter as the All Stars broke the game open, giving them a 30-point lead at the final change. The carnage continued in the last term as the stunning skill and pace of the All Stars humbled Fremantle, who were without players including Sean Darcy, Hayden Young and Nat Fyfe, as well as All Stars squad members Shai Bolton, Alex Pearce and Michael Walters. Pearce didn’t play due to an ankle injury. Source link #Record #crowd #hand #Indigenous #AllStars #crush #Freo Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

2 Magnificent Stocks That Are Screaming Buys in February 2 Magnificent Stocks That Are Screaming Buys in February Buying solid companies at attractive valuations and holding them for a long time is a tried and tested way of making money in the stock market. The strategy allows investors to benefit from secular growth trends and also take advantage of the power of compounding. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been one of the hottest trends that investors have hopped on in the past two years. The adoption of this technology has been growing rapidly thanks to the productivity and gross domestic product (GDP) gains that it promises. Not surprisingly, companies and governments have been investing heavily in building AI infrastructure and deploying AI applications. Below are two names that have received a nice boost thanks to the spending on AI hardware and software. Here’s why investors looking to add top AI stocks to their portfolios this month can consider buying them right away. Marvell Technology (NASDAQ: MRVL) stock registered healthy gains of 48% on the market in the past year. The good part is that investors who missed this impressive rally are still considering a stock trading at just 40 times forward earnings. That multiple may seem on the expensive side at first considering that the tech-laden Nasdaq-100 index has a price-to-earnings ratio of 34 But a closer look at the chipmaker’s earnings growth rate will show that it can easily justify that valuation. Consensus analyst estimates project Marvell’s earnings will grow in the low single digits in the recently concluded fiscal year 2025 to $1.56 per share. However, as the following chart shows, its bottom-line growth is expected to accelerate big-time in the current and the next fiscal year. Data by YCharts. The red-hot demand for Marvell’s custom processors and networking chips used in AI data centers should play a central role in boosting its bottom line going forward. For instance, Marvell’s data center revenue nearly doubled in the third quarter of fiscal 2025 to $1.1 billion. This offset the steep declines in the company’s other segments, helping Marvell record a 7% jump in its overall revenue. Marvell got more than 72% of its revenue from the data center business in fiscal Q3, up remarkably from 39% in the year-ago *******. The segment’s robust growth is here to stay as the demand for Marvell’s custom AI processors ramps up. Management remarked on the company’s December earnings conference call: “These strong results were driven by a significant step-up in our custom AI silicon ramp, as our customers saw increasing demand for the differentiated capabilities offered by these new custom AI chips. We are seeing strong custom AI demand continue into the fourth quarter and have secured supply chain capacity to support our customers’ growth forecast.” Story Continues Marvell has two customers for its custom AI chips currently. Management’s comments indicate that these customers have been buying more chips from the company. Amazon, for instance, expanded its relationship with Marvell last quarter. The tech giant’s Amazon Web Services cloud division has signed a five-year agreement with Marvell for multiple products that include custom AI processors and networking chips. Moreover, Marvell points out it is on track to add a third large-scale customer for its custom AI chips along with the additional programs that its existing customers are expected to move into production. All this indicates that Marvell’s data center business has room for more growth. After all, the largest player in the custom processor market believes that the addressable market for custom AI processors and networking chips could be worth between $60 billion and $90 billion in three years. Marvell is the second-largest player in this segment with an estimated market share of 13%, a number that the company wants to increase to 20%. If Marvell indeed achieves a 20% share of the custom AI processor market thanks to its expanding relationships and new customers, its data center revenue could jump to $12 billion in three years (assuming the end market generates $60 billion at that time). That would be more than double the revenue the company has generated in the past 12 months. Investors, therefore, can consider buying Marvell Technology right away as it has the potential to deliver more upside. While Marvell Technology can help investors capitalize on the massive investments in AI infrastructure, C3.ai (NYSE: AI) will allow them to benefit from the fast-growing adoption of AI software. After all, spending on generative AI software is expected to jump by a whopping 14 times between 2023 and 2028, hitting nearly $40 billion at the end of the forecast *******, according to IDC. C3.ai already benefits from this growth opportunity. The company provides more than 130 ready-to-use enterprise AI applications that can be deployed in multiple industries ranging from financial services to government utilities, oil and gas, and defense and intelligence, among others. It also offers development tools and an AI platform on which customers can develop and deploy custom AI applications. The company’s recent quarterly results make it clear that the demand for its AI software solutions is picking up. C3.ai’s revenue in the first six months of the ongoing fiscal year 2025 increased 25% year over year compared to just 14% growth it reported in the same quarter last year. Its revenue growth has accelerated impressively in each of the last six quarters. The company has adopted a smart strategy of making its AI software solutions visible to a large audience by tying up with major cloud computing providers such as Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon. This partner network is enabling C3.ai to close more deals. For instance, C3.ai saw a year-over-year increase of 180% in the number of contracts closed through Google Cloud in fiscal Q2. It has also strengthened its partnership with Microsoft, a move that could help it reach more customers looking for generative AI software solutions. As such, it is easy to see why C3.ai’s revenue growth is expected to remain robust over the next couple of fiscal years following an estimated jump of 25% in the current one to $388 million. Data by YCharts A big reason why investors can consider buying C3.ai hand over fist right now is its valuation. Trading at 12 times sales, C3.ai is relatively cheap when you consider that Palantir Technologies, another big name in the AI software space, has a sales multiple that’s nearly 9 times higher. Moreover, Palantir isn’t growing 9 times faster than C3.ai. While C3.ai’s revenue increased 29% year over year in the last reported quarter, Palantir reported a 36% increase in Q4 2024. Investors, therefore, are getting a terrific deal by comparison on C3.ai stock right now, and they may not want to miss this opportunity as a strong set of results from the company later this month could send its shares higher. Before you buy stock in Marvell Technology, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Marvell Technology wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $829,128!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 948% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 176% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list. Learn more » *Stock Advisor returns as of February 7, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Harsh Chauhan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends C3.ai and Marvell Technology and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Magnificent Stocks That Are Screaming Buys in February was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #Magnificent #Stocks #Screaming #Buys #February Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Without Europe, a Russia-Ukraine peace deal wouldn’t work, Kallas says Without Europe, a Russia-Ukraine peace deal wouldn’t work, Kallas says If Europe is left out of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, a deal wouldn’t work, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told CNBC at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. “For anything to work it has to have Ukrainians and Europeans as a part of it, because Ukrainians and Europeans are the ones who need to also implement the deal here in Europe so without us, any deal wouldn’t just work,” she told CNBC’s Silvia Amaro on the sidelines of the MSC. Kallas’ comments come after U.S. Vice President JD Vance stunned European officials on Friday when he delivered an excoriating speech at the MSC slamming European democratic institutions and the state of free speech in the region. In a speech to the MSC on Friday, Vance said the threat to Europe came from within, rather than from adversaries. “The threat that I worry the most about vis a vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actor. What I worry about is the threat from within,” he said, adding that “the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United State of America.” Needless to say, the comments were met with a stony silence in Europe, and were the strongest signal yet of a widening ideological and geopolitical rift between the two powers since President Donald Trump came to power. Earlier EU official Kallas responded to Vance’s speech on Friday saying it was like the vice president was “trying to pick a fight” with Europe. “Listening to that speech, they try to pick a fight with us and we don’t want to a pick a fight with our friends,” Kallas said at the Munich event, Reuters reported. Kallas told CNBC on Saturday that Europe “can deal with our own domestic problems, the things that we need to discuss with our friends and allies are how we are opposing the threats that come from outside to both of us, to the transatlantic community.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, can be seen on a monitor during the Munich Security Conference. The 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) will take place from February 14 to 16, 2025 at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich. Picture Alliance | Picture Alliance | Getty Images The world’s defense and security elite have gathered in Munich for the three-day security summit in which discussions are centered on the future of Ukraine, peace talks with Russia and reshaping Europe’s security and defense architecture. The summit comes just days after Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to start peace talks, and that he had instructed U.S. officials to begin negotiations immediately. The substance of those talks, and what conditions and compromises Moscow and Kyiv — and the U.S. — are likely to demand as part of those negotiations are a focal point for delegates at the MSC. The role Europe will play in the discussions remains to be seen, despite Ukraine’s insistence that its most steadfast ally is included in talks. In a speech to the MSC on Saturday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on European allies to create their own army and to prepare for more Russian aggression in the future, saying Russia was “not preparing for dialogue” to advance peace talks. He also claimed Kyiv had evidence, which he did not elaborate on, that Moscow was ready to send troops to Belarus this summer. Source link #Europe #RussiaUkraine #peace #deal #wouldnt #work #Kallas Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump administration agrees to pause any layoffs at CFPB – Government Executive Trump administration agrees to pause any layoffs at CFPB – Government Executive Trump administration agrees to pause any layoffs at CFPB Government ExecutiveSensitive Bank Data Set for Deletion in CFPB Purge, Ex-Aide Says BloombergWith Attack on Consumer Bureau, Musk Removes Obstacle to His ‘X Money’ Vision The New York Times Source link #Trump #administration #agrees #pause #layoffs #CFPB #Government #Executive Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fremantle Dockers will have plenty of questions about round one team after loss to Indigenous All Stars Fremantle Dockers will have plenty of questions about round one team after loss to Indigenous All Stars Fremantle had a stack of big names missing during their clash against the Indigenous All Stars but their fringe players didn’t seize the chance to absolutely demand selection for round one. Source link #Fremantle #Dockers #plenty #questions #team #loss #Indigenous #Stars Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dan Houser Created Gta but That Wasn’t Good Enough for Fans When He Made a Different Video Game Sequel Dan Houser Created Gta but That Wasn’t Good Enough for Fans When He Made a Different Video Game Sequel When talking about a great pedigree in the gaming industry, Rockstar Games is one of the first names that comes to mind. Dan Houser and his team have presented amazing titles since its inception, delivering revolutionary titles like Grand Theft Auto, and Red Dead Redemption. The studio faced some criticism after the initial reveal. | Image Credit: Rockstar Games However, with great success comes great expectations, especially when the studio has a reputation for taking multiple years to start working on sequels. This was evident when the studio took on Max Payne 3, a sequel to the beloved action franchise originally created by Remedy Entertainment. Fan’s expectation was far different from Dan Houser’s vision After nearly a decade of silence on the franchise, fans were eager to see Max return in a grand fashion with Max Payne 3. But instead of the trenchcoat-wearing, noir-style Max Payne, Rockstar revealed a completely different version of the character. In the initial screening, Max was shown older, heavier, and sporting a shaved head. The reaction was immediate and very intense (not in a good way). Fans rejected this drastic change, longing for the classic version of Max they had grown attached to. Dan Houser, Rockstar’s co-founder and former head writer, later reflected on the backlash. In an interview with GameDeveloper, he revealed just how angry fans were, some even went on to question Rockstar’s ability to handle the franchise. Yeah, yeah — which was only half the story even then, but absolutely we saw a lot of people questioning our parentage, and our right to be doing this and, you know, our right to even exist. And I think we expected a little of that. Houser acknowledged the difficulty of balancing nostalgia with innovation, recognizing major changes often lead to strong reactions. Despite the negativity, the team didn’t take the criticism personally. Instead, Dan saw it as proof that Max Payne still had a passionate and dedicated fanbase. I think we expected a little of that and we honestly were pleased. Rather than backtracking, Rockstar remained confident in its vision. The team focused on creating an experience that honored the spirit of Max Payne while pushing the series forward with improved gameplay, a darker narrative, and cinematic action sequences. Max Payne 3 defied the odds and initial skepticism The game defied player expectations and was a hit. | Image Credit: Rockstar Games While the backlash was understandable from a nostalgic standpoint, Rockstar had a clear narrative reason for Max’s new look. The shaved head wasn’t just for a visual change, it was a reflection of the protagonist’s mental state. As the story unfolds, Max has reached a breaking point, both emotionally and physically. By the time he decides to shave his head, he is fully prepared to take the fight to his enemies, not the other way around. This depth in storytelling is something the studio has always excelled at. So, when Max Payne 3 finally launched in 2012, it defied expectations and was praised for its intense gunplay, polished mechanics, and gripping storytelling. Fans who were initially skeptical found themselves won over by the game’s great execution, proving once again that Rockstar thrives on taking creative risks. However, despite strong reviews and solid sales, it didn’t reach the level Rockstar had hoped for. Still, the game proved the studio’s ability to face criticism head-on, and deliver a high-quality experience, even when fans doubted them. In the end, the Max Payne 3 experience serves as a reminder that even when you’ve created Grand Theft Auto (GTA), sometimes that’s still not enough for fans. Even today, with GTA 6 on the horizon, the studio finds itself in a familiar position: under heavy expectations. Source link #Dan #Houser #Created #Gta #Wasnt #Good #Fans #Video #Game #Sequel Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Three more hostages handed over by ******-led militants in Gaza Three more hostages handed over by ******-led militants in Gaza Three more Israelis held captive in the Gaza Strip were freed Saturday as part of a shaky ceasefire deal that requires Israel to release hundreds of ************ prisoners in exchange. Militants paraded Iair *****, 46, a dual citizen of Israel and Argentina; American-Israeli Sagui Dekel Chen, 36; and Russian-Israeli Alexander (Sasha) Troufanov, 29 — before a crowd before releasing them. Crowds in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv jumped and cheered as they watched live. (AP video from Gaza shot by: Mohammad Jahjouh) Source link #hostages #handed #Hamasled #militants #Gaza Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Fearless Wall Street Traders Refuse to Panic as Tariff War Rages – Bloomberg Fearless Wall Street Traders Refuse to Panic as Tariff War Rages – Bloomberg Fearless Wall Street Traders Refuse to Panic as Tariff War Rages BloombergView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Fearless #Wall #Street #Traders #Refuse #Panic #Tariff #War #Rages #Bloomberg Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

BT email down as outage leaves customers without access BT email down as outage leaves customers without access Getty Images Thousands of customers are reportedly unable to access BT email services due to an ongoing outage. Reports started spiking from 05:00 GMT on Saturday according to outage-tracking site Downdetector, which received more than 5,000 complaints from customers. On its website, BT has apologised to impacted customers and said it is “investigating the cause”. Other services including Broadband, TV and mobile packages appear to be unaffected. BT added that those impacted should “switch off wi-fi and use mobile data to access their email”. The outage appears to be nationwide with customers taking to social media to report issues from Aberdeenshire and Dumfries in Scotland to Warwick, Norfolk and Wakefield in England. “Email is not working. What is problem? When will it be fixed?” wrote one user, Paul Hough who tagged the provider in a post on X. “Unable to login BT Email. Getting the message “BT Server Outage. Try again later” said another customer. Meanwhile others reported “I switched off wi-fi, I was able to get email using mobile data”. The BBC has contacted BT for comment. Source link #email #outage #leaves #customers #access Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Indigenous All Stars match: Five Fremantle Dockers players who impressed in pre-season hit-out Indigenous All Stars match: Five Fremantle Dockers players who impressed in pre-season hit-out Fremantle were no match for the Indigenous All Stars, but they still had players who shone in the 43-point defeat. Here’s our pick of the bunch as the Dockers completed their first pre-season hit-out. Source link #Indigenous #Stars #match #Fremantle #Dockers #players #impressed #preseason #hitout Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Here’s One Big Way You’ll Know if We’re in a Presidential Dictatorship Here’s One Big Way You’ll Know if We’re in a Presidential Dictatorship Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. The legal counteroffensive against the Trump–Musk deconstruction of the federal government has begun. State attorneys general, unions, and other groups have already obtained multiple restraining orders and injunctions commanding that illegally frozen funds flow and illegally suspended employees be reinstated. However, the Trump administration has, predictably, proved reluctant to comply. Indeed, in some instances, it is simply defying court orders. For example, here in Colorado, more than $570 million in congressionally authorized funds is being unlawfully withheld from public and private groups, despite court orders commanding that the Trump freeze on the money be lifted. As a result, the media is full of speculation about what happens if the president simply ignores court orders. This question really has two parts. First, what can courts do to compel compliance with their orders? Second, what happens to the country if Trump remains recalcitrant and the courts’ enforcement powers prove ineffectual? It’s important to answer the first question before getting to the second. The fundamental weakness of courts is that their orders have force only if people, including government officials, obey them. In a society with a strong rule-of-law tradition, obedience rarely if ever requires compulsion, and almost never when the courts order an executive branch official to do something. Indeed, the characteristic feature of a country ruled by law is the shared understanding that court orders will be obeyed without the necessity of employing force or other modes of coercion. Still, even in ordinary times, there will be cases when those subject to court orders refuse obedience. The courts’ primary remedy in such instances is to find the defiant litigant in contempt of court. Contempt proceedings are of two kinds: civil and criminal. The purpose of civil contempt is to compel compliance with a court order. A court may impose fines (which can escalate every day that disobedience of the court’s order continues) or command disobedient subjects to be jailed until they comply. Because the point of civil contempt is to coerce obedience, the fines may be remitted, and contemners (those found in contempt) must be released once they have complied with the order. Criminal contempt, by contrast, is designedly punitive. The point is to punish someone for having defied the court in the past regardless of whether that person later complied with court orders. Thus, a defendant found in criminal contempt can be fined, imprisoned, and subjected to all the collateral consequences of any criminal conviction. And the penalties, once imposed, are not waived after compliance is achieved. Before finding someone in civil contempt, a court must provide notice and an opportunity to be heard, but neither a jury trial nor proof beyond a reasonable doubt is required. However, criminal contempt is a crime in the ordinary sense, and thus contempt defendants must be afforded all the rights of any criminal defendant, including a jury trial in serious cases involving the possibility of imprisonment for more than six months. Ordinarily, criminal contempt cases are prosecuted by the Department of Justice upon referral by the courts. One might think that the avenue of criminal contempt could be blocked if the DOJ refused the referral. However, Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 42(a)(2) permits a court to appoint a private attorney to prosecute a criminal contempt if the government declines to do so. To those outraged by the Trump administration’s ongoing violations of constitutional and statutory law and its incipient defiance of court orders, all this no doubt sounds quite satisfactory. And the vision of Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought or, indeed, Elon Musk being frog-marched off to the hoosegow will warm the cockles of many a heart. However, although courts certainly could charge individual administration officials with either civil or criminal contempt for defying judicial orders and, after an appropriate proceeding, order them fined or jailed, the great question is whether that order would be enforced. Several commentators have mentioned the possibility that Trump could nullify any criminal contempt with a pardon. In theory, that is true. The pardon clause of the Constitution grants presidents the power to issue reprieves and pardons for “offences against the United States.” That last phrase refers to crimes and not civil violations of the law. Thus, a president plainly could not use the pardon to void a civil contempt. However, the Supreme Court has held that presidents can pardon criminal contempt, and many have done so. In Trump’s first term, several prominent scholars suggested that the pardon power did not extend to criminal contempt convictions such as that of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whom Trump controversially pardoned in 2017. At least under the circumstances of that case, their arguments seemed to me unconvincing, as I explained at the time. That said, should Trump begin employing pardons not as an individual act of clemency for a particular defendant but as part of a systematic effort to nullify the power of the judiciary to enforce its orders against the executive branch, the calculus would be quite different, and even this Supreme Court might be induced to reexamine the point. Even if one assumes that a presidential pardon would be effective against any criminal contempt verdict against an executive branch official, regardless of the circumstances or the president’s anti-constitutional motives, a president can pardon only past criminal conduct. Accordingly, if Vought and Musk defied a court order on Monday, were found in criminal contempt on Tuesday, were pardoned on Wednesday, and continued to defy the court order on Thursday, they would still be in contempt and subject to yet another prosecution. In theory, therefore, one could see a merry-go-round of referrals and charges followed by pardons followed by referrals and charges, and so on into perpetuity. But this seems in the highest degree unlikely. Instead, the increased procedural complexity of criminal contempt proceedings combined with the specter of presidential pardons renders criminal contempt an improbable recourse for the judiciary. That leaves civil contempt, which, as noted, authorizes the imposition of fines, imprisonment, or both to compel compliance with judicial orders. The looming obstacle to deployment of civil contempt against Trump’s merry band of constitutional arsonists is the reality that judges do not arrest or imprison people themselves. Nor does the judicial branch have its own armed employees to arrest those who defy its orders or its own jails in which to hold prisoners. Those jobs are performed by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Prisons … which are both components of the DOJ and are thus subordinate to the attorney general, who is subordinate to Trump. Even an order imposing a fine can be enforced only against a noncompliant defendant by action of the Justice Department. It is true, of course, that the primary traditional function of the U.S. Marshals Service is to act as the enforcement arm of the courts. Indeed, the service is geographically organized to serve that purpose. It has a local office in every federal judicial district that is customarily housed in the federal courthouse. On a day-to-day basis, the marshals operate under the direction of federal judges. Likewise, the Bureau of Prisons has always, and without question, received and housed prisoners ordered incarcerated by the judiciary. However, an attorney general could conceivably order the marshals not to enforce a contempt order against a Trump administration official and could conceivably order the BOP not to incarcerate such an official despite a court order to do so. It is possible that the marshals or the BOP might view such an order as ******** and refuse to obey. But the events of the past several weeks suggest that any officers of the Marshals Service or BOP who honored their constitutional duty in this way would promptly be fired and replaced by more-complaisant successors. Should the attorney general order the marshals and BOP not to enforce a judicial contempt order against an administration official, that would be an open repudiation of the rule of law and a plain declaration of presidential dictatorship. My own, entirely uncertain, assessment of the current state of play is that the Trumpists would rather not baldly declare a dictatorship but instead overwhelm the courts and the political system with daily assaults on law and custom coupled with persistent, contumacious, but never candidly avowed noncompliance with court orders. The objective of this approach, consistent with Trump’s lifelong approach to litigation, is to delay a conclusive showdown with the judiciary so long that, whatever the legal outcome, the destruction of the federal government and subjection of the executive branch to Trump’s whim will have proceeded too far to be undone. The judges are surely aware of the fragility of their own authority in the face of outright defiance by a rogue executive, particularly in a moment when Congress has shown no disposition to defend constitutional separation of powers. For that reason, judges may be reluctant to deploy their contempt power assertively. But this is not the time for judicial timidity. With each passing day, America’s constitutional regime and the capacity of its government erodes further. And with each passing day, the practical ability of the courts to stop, or even materially hinder, the catastrophe diminishes. If there is to be a test of wills between law and Trumpism, it must come now, or it will be too late. That said, the rest of us need to understand that if Trump successfully defies the courts, the only remaining obstacle to dictatorship will be public revulsion, national popular protest, and the hope that such a reaction would cause Trump to retreat and, at long last, recall some fraction of the Republican Party to its constitutional duty. Source link #Heres #Big #Youll #Presidential #Dictatorship Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

In D.C. Visit, ********* Leaders Face Trump’s Tariff Hawks In D.C. Visit, ********* Leaders Face Trump’s Tariff Hawks Another week, and another round of tariff threats and annexation suggestions from President Trump. It began with the announcement of a policy imposing 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. In Canada’s case, those tariffs would be stacked on top of the previously introduced 25 percent tariffs on most ********* exports, which are in a 30-day holding *******. If Mr. Trump follows through on both, the rate on steel and aluminum will be a staggering 50 percent. [Read: Nations Denounce Trump Tariff on Metals and Warn of Retaliation] Next up, the president told his advisers to come up with new tariffs that take into account trade barriers and other economic approaches by U.S. trading partners that his administration deems unfair. It’s a sweeping approach that includes not just tariffs that other countries place on U.S. goods but taxes they charge on imported products, such as the G.S.T. in Canada; any subsidies they give industries; and their exchange rates. “Canada’s been very bad to us on trade, but now Canada is going to have to start paying up,” Mr. Trump said while making the announcement. “Canada is going to be a very interesting situation because, you know, we just don’t need their product.” Among the things that may be targeted, according to a fact sheet released by the White House, is the 3 percent tax Canada began applying last year to the ********* revenues of large tech companies like Google, Amazon and Netflix. Again, any tariffs that emerge from this review will be added onto whatever else Mr. Trump has already threatened to impose on ********* exports. [Read: Trump Says He’ll Rework Global Trading Relations With ‘Reciprocal’ Tariffs] A small number of U.S. business leaders have started to speak out against Mr. Trump’s tariff plans, if not directly speaking up for Canada. Jim Farley, Ford’s chief executive, told an industry conference that “a 25 percent tariff across the Mexico and ********* border will blow a hole in the U.S. industry that we have never seen.” Speaking of Mr. Trump’s plan to revive American manufacturing through tariffs, he added, “So far what we’re seeing is a lot of costs and a lot of chaos.” [Read: Ford Chief Executive Says Trump Policies May Lead to Layoffs] Mr. Farley’s message echoes what ********* officials have been telling anyone who will listen in Washington. This week, all 13 provincial and territorial leaders visited the U.S. capital to deliver that argument and others about the importance of trade between the countries and observations about the interlinked nature of their economies. While 11 of the premiers did ultimately get a last-minute meeting at the White House, it was with Mr. Trump’s deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs and the president’s director of personnel. “I don’t think the premiers met with people who are very significant,” Gary Mar, the president and chief executive of the Canada West Foundation, a public policy research group based in Calgary, told me. Mr. Mar was Alberta’s official representative in Washington from 2007 to 2011. He said that Canada’s place in the United States had shifted substantially since then. “I think our relationship with the United States has changed forever,” Mr. Mar said. “Donald Trump is not the reason for this. He is a symbol. The people who went to war with the United States — that generation is gone. And in the U.S., a culture of achievement has been replaced by a culture of grievance.” Cultural shifts aside, ********* politicians hoping to change minds in Washington may be delivering arguments that many people close to Mr. Trump flatly reject. Many, if not most, of Mr. Trump’s tariff actions have closely tracked the ideas of Robert E. Lighthizer, the U.S. trade representative in the first Trump administration. Mr. Lighthizer does not, to put it mildly, believe that the move toward more open trade over the last four decades has benefited the United States. “The global trading system has failed our country,” Mr. Lighthizer, who led the U.S. side during the NAFTA renegotiation, wrote this month in a guest essay for the opinion section of The New York Times. “It has not faltered because free trade doesn’t work. It has failed because free trade doesn’t exist.” [From Opinion: Want Free Trade? May I Introduce You to the Tariff.] While Mr. Lighthizer does not specifically discuss trade with Canada in that essay, he has little good to say about it in his book, “No Trade Is Free: Changing Course, Taking On China, and Helping America’s Workers.” “Canada is in reality a quite parochial — and at times quite protectionist — country,” he wrote. “For years Canada has operated a dairy supply chain management program that would make a Soviet commissar blush.” Mr. Lighthizer, who like Mr. Trump abhors trade deficits, is proposing a new global trading order that would split the world’s economy in two. In one group, countries would generally charge one another lower tariffs. However, if one of the group’s members developed a trade surplus, the others would increase tariffs against its exports until that surplus disappeared. And this group of countries would charge high tariffs to countries outside it — “nondemocratic countries as well as those that insist on using beggar-thy-neighbor, aggressive industrial policies to run large surpluses,” he writes. In a profile of Mr. Lighthizer, Elizabeth Williamson and Ana Swanson, my colleagues in Washington, write that when economists, like ********* politicians, argue that high tariffs will only increase prices for Americans and might even cause a recession, “Mr. Lighthizer simply argues that the economists are wrong.” Trans Canada This section was written by Vjosa Isai, a reporter-researcher based in Toronto. ********* scientists are working to solve a marine mystery after several dead sharks washed up on the east coast. The Toronto rapper Drake collaborated with PartyNextDoor, a Mississauga-born R&B singer and producer, on a new album released on Valentine’s Day. Chrystia Freeland, the former finance minister running to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the Liberal leader, writes in a guest essay that Mr. Trump is “once again upending the global trading order.” Lorne Michaels, the proud ********* who created “Saturday Night Live” — and who still wears his Order of Canada rosette on his lapel — reflects on the show’s legacy as it turns 50. Alissa Wilkinson, a movie critic at The Times, reviews the satirical and surrealist comedy “Universal Language,” which takes place in Winnipeg. Looking for a kid-friendly spring break destination? Try Montreal. Igloo-brand coolers were recalled in Canada and the United States after customers reported serious injuries from using them. Ian Austen reports on Canada for The Times and is based in Ottawa. Originally from Windsor, Ontario, he covers politics, culture and the people of Canada and has reported on the country for two decades. He can be reached at *****@*****.tld. More about Ian Austen How are we doing?We’re eager to have your thoughts about this newsletter and events in Canada in general. Please send them to *****@*****.tld. Like this email?Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up here. Source link #D.C #Visit #********* #Leaders #Face #Trumps #Tariff #Hawks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Does planetary evolution favor human-like life? Study ups odds we're not alone – Phys.org Does planetary evolution favor human-like life? Study ups odds we're not alone – Phys.org Does planetary evolution favor human-like life? Study ups odds we’re not alone Phys.orgView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #planetary #evolution #favor #humanlike #life #Study #ups #odds #we039re #Phys.org Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force come from 13 points down in final 10 minutes to topple Moana Pasifika 45-44 Super Rugby Pacific: Western Force come from 13 points down in final 10 minutes to topple Moana Pasifika 45-44 They trailed by 13 points with nine minutes to play, but an incredible 84th minute Ben Donaldson try has delivered the Western Force a stunning 45-44 win Moana Pasifika in their Super Rugby Pacific opener. Source link #Super #Rugby #Pacific #Western #Force #points #final #minutes #topple #Moana #Pasifika Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

2 Unstoppable Growth Stocks to Buy and Hold for 20 Years 2 Unstoppable Growth Stocks to Buy and Hold for 20 Years Every investor should focus on holding a diversified mix of promising growth stocks. Getting rich in the stock market is simply a matter of patiently holding shares of growing companies over many years. Here are two easy-to-understand companies you can buy today that can deliver massive returns over the next 20 years. The restaurant industry is easy to understand for most investors and has consistently produced winners over the last half-century. Dutch Bros (NYSE: BROS) was founded in 1992 and has grown to 982 locations with $1.3 billion in trailing revenue. And the stock is surging to new highs. The company continues to report solid financial performance as it expands across the U.S. There seems to be a sizable opportunity for specialty beverage shops. Starbucks popularized fancy coffee, but new brands, like 7Brew and Dutch Bros, are taking it a step further with a menu centered on lemonade, energy drinks, smoothies, and others in addition to coffee. The proof is in the numbers. Dutch Bros reported positive same-shop sales last year, even while Starbucks has experienced a notable decline in sales. In the fourth quarter, revenue grew 35% year over year, driven by 32 new shop openings and a 6.9% increase in same-shop sales. It plans to open another 160 shops this year. While it continues to open new shops at a steady pace, Dutch Bros has also seen its margins steadily improve over the last year as it expands. It closed 2024 with adjusted net income of $88 million, up from $50 million in 2023. Another reason Dutch Bros should be successful is that it promotes new shop managers from within the company. Someone can start out as a “broista” and eventually open and run a Dutch Bros location. This helps promote consistent service and instills a passion for the brand across the company. Dutch Bros stock is positioned for a spectacular run over the next 20 years. It’s only operating in 18 states so far, so it has great potential to open thousands of locations in the coming years. The athleticwear industry is another ripe field to look for simple businesses that can produce wealth-building returns. Nike and Adidas are the leaders, but several new brands, many privately owned, emerged over the last 20 years or so, which speaks to the growing demand for activewear. Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ: LULU) has built an incredibly powerful brand that has grown from humble beginnings. In 1998, it started as a retail space in a yoga studio in Vancouver before opening its first stand-alone store in 2000. As of Oct. 27, 2024, it had 749 company-operated stores worldwide, with 39% of revenue coming through online sales. Story Continues Lululemon’s revenue grew close to 20% per year over the last decade, with earnings growing slightly faster. The company still has ample room to expand worldwide. Revenue from the Americas region made up 74% of the business in the fiscal third quarter, which leaves a lot of room for growth in Europe and China. Lululemon has experienced tremendous growth in China, with fiscal third-quarter comparable sales, which measures the performance at stores open at least 12 months, up 27%. China’s growing middle class will be a major opportunity for Lululemon’s premium brand. Management sees international revenue coming into a 50-50 balance with North American markets over the long term. Lululemon also has a huge opportunity to win more business from men. Women’s products generated over $1.5 billion in revenue in fiscal Q3, 65% of the company’s total revenue. But the brand’s high customer satisfaction scores across all categories show great potential to balance its appeal between men and women. The stock trades at a reasonable valuation of around 26 times this year’s earnings estimate. Lululemon stock climbed 500% over the last 10 years and should continue to grow in value over the next decade and beyond. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $350,809!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $45,792!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $562,853!* Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon. Learn more » *Stock Advisor returns as of February 3, 2025 John Ballard has positions in Dutch Bros. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Lululemon Athletica, Nike, and Starbucks. The Motley Fool recommends Dutch Bros. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Unstoppable Growth Stocks to Buy and Hold for 20 Years was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #Unstoppable #Growth #Stocks #Buy #Hold #Years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

******* Chancellor Rebukes Vance for Supporting Party That Downplays Nazis – The New York Times ******* Chancellor Rebukes Vance for Supporting Party That Downplays Nazis – The New York Times ******* Chancellor Rebukes Vance for Supporting Party That Downplays Nazis The New York TimesEurope tries to regroup in aftermath of Vance’s Munich takedown EURACTIVUS Vice President JD Vance meets ******* far-right leader as he criticizes ‘firewalls’ in Europe The Associated PressVance jokes about Greta Thunberg as he goes scorched earth on European censorship Fox News Source link #******* #Chancellor #Rebukes #Vance #Supporting #Party #Downplays #Nazis #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Worldie salvages City ALW draw with Sydney Worldie salvages City ALW draw with Sydney A world class strike from Mariana Speckmaier has helped A-League Women leaders Melbourne City claim a comeback 2-1 win over struggling Sydney FC and remain unbeaten heading into the international break. Elsewhere, Adelaide sit second after coming from behind to claim a 1-1 home draw with finals aspirants Canberra United. Reigning champions Sydney, who sit bottom of the table, took a shock lead in the 13th minute at AAMI Park when Sky Blues star Mackenzie Hawkesby pounced on a City mix-up at the back. Goalkeeper Malena Mieres passed forward to Laura Hughes under immense pressure. The defensive midfielder lost the ball, allowing Hawkesby to coolly stroke the opener past Mieres as Hughes pounded the ground in frustration. Less than five minutes later, Hughes lost the ball again but Princess Ibini dragged her shot just wide. City’s equaliser arrived just 24 seconds after half time. Speckmaier won the ball just inside her own half and took off, sprinting until just outside the 18-yard box and, with Sydney’s defence backing off, unleashing an unstoppable strike. Sydney’s defence will have been deflated to concede after an otherwise sound performance. Natalie Tobin and Jordan Thompson mostly marked City star Holly McNamara out of the game, ahead of her linking up with the Matildas for the SheBelieves Cup. Sydney unsuccessfully appealed for a penalty in the 86th minute, believing Rebekah Stott had brought down Amber Luchtmeijer in the area when challenging for the ball. Three minutes later, Leticia McKenna brilliantly split open the Sydney midfield for Lourdes Bosch, who slipped the ball forward for Bryleeh Henry to score the winner. City now sit nine points clear of second-placed Adelaide and 10 ahead of third-placed Victory, while reigning champions Sydney are bottom of the table and 14 points outside the top six, their season slipping away. Earlier at Coopers Stadium, Canberra snatched the lead in the 45th minute. Adelaide goalkeeper Claudia Jenkins failed to properly clear a corner and Darcy Malone headed the ball inside the near post, with Ella Tonkin unable to prevent it crossing the line. Adelaide continued to press for an equaliser and found it through star attacker Chelsie Dawber. Erin Healy brilliantly slipped through Fiona Worts, who squared it for Dawber. The striker burst forward and unleashed her seventh goal of the season from just inside the box to salvage a point. On Sunday, Victory take on Central Coast, Brisbane host Western United and Perth take on Wellington. Source link #Worldie #salvages #City #ALW #draw #Sydney Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

JPMorgan and other big banks are flying billions of dollars worth of gold on planes. Here’s why JPMorgan and other big banks are flying billions of dollars worth of gold on planes. Here’s why U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs are already having unintended and somewhat strange economic repercussions. For example, they have led to big banks transporting billions of dollars of gold via commercial planes from London to New York City. The price of gold, which investors tend to buy during times of heightened risk, has been on the rise. Gold futures, contracts for the future delivery of gold at a set price, that trade in New York’s Commodity Exchange (Comex (CME)) have risen 11% this year and closed at $2,909 a troy ounce on Wednesday. The Wall Street Journal reports that some analysts project that future contracts could soon reach $3,000 for the first time. However, following Trump’s election and his threat to impose tariffs on Europe, the price of physical gold in London has been trading about $20 lower since early December. Normally, prices in these two markets move in sync because traders can ship gold between them whenever there is a price gap. Banks play a big role in these markets by holding gold bars in London, lending them out to earn returns, and protecting themselves from potential price drops by selling futures contracts in New York. JPMorgan (JPM) and HSBC (HSBC) are key players, as they handle gold transactions and store gold for other banks in London. However, banks that had sold gold futures are now facing losses, as U.S. prices surged above those in London. Rather than buying back futures at a loss, they have a better option — shipping physical gold from their London reserves to New York to fulfill their contracts. This move allows them to avoid losses on their earlier bets and even make a profit by selling additional gold at the higher U.S. price. JPMorgan alone plans to deliver $4 billion of gold to New York this month, the Wall Street Journal reported. This gold rush has triggered a logistical nightmare, with some clients waiting up to a week to retrieve their gold from the Bank of England’s vaults. Additionally, Comex contracts require gold bars to be a specific size, forcing traders to send their gold to refineries for recasting before shipping it to the U.S. Finally, the cheapest and safest way to transport such large amounts of gold is via commercial flights. According to the Wall Street Journal, banks are using security firms to move the gold in armored vans to London’s airports. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Source link #JPMorgan #big #banks #flying #billions #dollars #worth #gold #planes #Heres Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Mitoma magic and Minteh brace dent Chelsea's top-four hopes – Premier League Mitoma magic and Minteh brace dent Chelsea's top-four hopes – Premier League Mitoma magic and Minteh brace dent Chelsea’s top-four hopes Premier League’Worst performance’: Maresca decries Chelsea loss ESPNEnzo Maresca is in a dangerous moment – The Athletic The New York TimesMitoma and Minteh’s magic inspires Brighton to emphatic win over Chelsea | Premier League The GuardianLeicester City vs Arsenal LIVE: Premier League team news, line-ups and more Yahoo Sports Source link #Mitoma #magic #Minteh #brace #dent #Chelsea039s #topfour #hopes #Premier #League Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Clues and answer for Friday, February 14 Clues and answer for Friday, February 14 Hey, there! Happy Valentine’s Day to all those who are celebrating. But even if you don’t care about the occasion, one thing we’d love to see is for you to extend your Wordle streak. To help with that, here’s our daily Wordle guide with some hints and the answer for Friday’s puzzle (#1,336). It may be that you’re a Wordle newcomer and you’re not completely sure how to play the game. We’re here to help with that too. What is Wordle? Wordle is a deceptively simple daily word game that first emerged in 2021. The gist is that there is one five-letter word to deduce every day by process of elimination. The daily word is the same for everyone. 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. Wordle blew up in popularity in late 2021 after creator Josh Wardle made it easy for players to share an emoji-based grid with their friends and followers that detailed how they fared each day. The game’s success spurred dozens of clones across a swathe of categories and formats. The New York Times purchased Wordle in early 2022 for an undisclosed sum. The publication said that players collectively played Wordle 5.3 billion times in 2024. So, it’s little surprise that Wordle is one of the best online games and puzzles you can play daily. How to play Wordle To start playing Wordle, you simply need to enter one five-letter word. The game will tell you how close you are to that day’s secret word by highlighting letters that are in the correct position in green. Letters that appear in the word but aren’t in the right spot will be highlighted in yellow. If you guess any letters that are not in the secret word, the game will gray those out on the virtual keyboard. You’ll only have six guesses to find each day’s word, though you still can use grayed-out letters to help narrow things down. It’s also worth remembering that letters can appear in the secret word more than once. Wordle is free to play on the NYT’s website and apps, as well as on Meta Quest headsets. The game refreshes at midnight local time. If you log into a New York Times account, you can track your stats, including the all-important win streak. How to play Wordle more than once a day If you have a NYT subscription that includes full access to the publication’s games, you don’t have to stop after a single round of Wordle. You’ll have access to an archive of more than 1,200 previous Wordle games. So if you’re a relative newcomer, you’ll be able to go back and catch up on previous editions. In addition, paid NYT Games members have access to a tool called the Wordle Bot. This can tell you how well you performed at each day’s game. Previous Wordle answers Before today’s Wordle hints, here are the answers to recent puzzles that you may have missed: Yesterday’s Wordle answer for Thursday, February 13 — RUMBA Wednesday, February 12 — RAPID Tuesday, February 11 — SCORE Monday, February 10 — GOODY Sunday, February 9 — BONUS Today’s Wordle hints explained Every day, we’ll try to make Wordle a little easier for you. First, we’ll offer a hint that describes the meaning of the word or how it might be used in a phrase or sentence. We’ll also tell you if there are any double (or even triple) letters in the word. In case you still haven’t quite figured it out by that point, we’ll then provide the first letter of the word. Those who are still stumped after that can continue on to find out the answer for today’s Wordle. This should go without saying, but make sure to scroll slowly. Spoilers are ahead. Today’s Wordle help Here is a hint for today’s Wordle answer: A short and simple song. Are there any double letters in today’s Wordle? There is a pair of repeated letters in today’s Wordle answer. What’s the first letter of today’s Wordle? The first letter of today’s Wordle answer is D. The Wordle answer today This is your final warning before we reveal today’s Wordle answer. No take-backs. Don’t blame us if you happen to scroll too far and accidentally spoil the game for yourself. What is today’s Wordle? Today’s Wordle answer is… Today’s Wordle answer for Friday, February 14 – DITTY DITTY Not to worry if you didn’t figure out today’s Wordle word. If you made it this far down the page, hopefully you at least kept your streak going. And, hey: there’s always another game tomorrow. Source link #Clues #answer #Friday #February Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]