Pelican Press

Three Potpies That Go Beyond Chicken Three Potpies That Go Beyond Chicken Ever since I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to eat potpie. Like its dessert counterpart, the potpie is everything I want in a dish: a rich amalgam of textures, always filling and eternally comforting. I grew up eating Marie Callender’s mini potpies from the frozen food aisle (Marie, you’ll always be famous, girl) and post-Thanksgiving potpies made with all that leftover turkey and store-bought pie crust. It was only in adulthood (and in New York) that I realized the incredible heights a potpie could reach — I’m talking veritable clouds of puff pastry over piping hot stewed chicken and vegetables like the kind you’ll find at the Waverly Inn or Kellogg’s Diner — as well as the magic New York City restaurants could work with potpies of the non-chicken variety. Here are three options that have recently melted my cold, wintry heart. Beef pie at Lingo We need to talk about Greenpoint. More specifically, we need to talk about that strip of Greenpoint Avenue between West Street and Transmitter Park that is teeming with restaurants: Taku Sando, El Pingüino, Radio Star, Panzón and, of course, Lingo, which opened almost two years ago. So often I’m meeting restaurants early in their lifetime, so it was nice to walk into a restaurant — this one from the chef Emily Yuen, an alum of the Japanese restaurant Bessou — that knows exactly what it’s about. Personally, I was about the beef pie, a stunning potpie served in an oval-shaped dish with a hunk of bone as a vent. “Beef pie” as a description really undersells what makes this menu item so special because underneath that thin but crispy sheet of crust is a tantalizing beef curry with root vegetables in the style of Hokkaido, Japan, where it’s prepared more like a thin stew and enriched with a buttery roux. When we dropped by for dinner on a snowy Sunday night, my friend Joey and I chipped every piece of crust off the edge of the platter long after the curry had disappeared. 27 Greenpoint Avenue (West Street) Fisherman’s pie at King I imagine many readers can’t wrap their minds around the sometimes fraught combination of dairy and seafood, even if they’re known to put away a bowl of clam chowder every now and then. But the British and the Irish have been combining fish and dairy for a while in the form of fisherman’s pie, the blustery seaside town’s answer to the more inland shepherd’s pie. Whenever I want to try a high-end version of a British staple, I always turn to King in SoHo. Its founding chefs Jess Shadbolt and Clare de Boer met while working at the River Cafe in London, so of course they’d know how to take a fisherman’s pie to another level. That level costs $68 and features a mixture of wild hake and cod in a tangy crème fraîche-enriched sauce under the most airy puff pastry; leeks and celery hearts add verve. The dish is advertised “to share” but I could have easily put one of them away by myself and still had room for more. (For what it’s worth, King will serve lunch on Fridays starting tomorrow, Feb. 14. Hard to think of a better locale for a romantic lunch date.) 18 King Street (Sixth Avenue) Turkey potpie at the Dead Rabbit Some might say turkey potpie isn’t that far off from chicken potpie. But some would be wrong because turkey at its best beats chicken every time. That’s a hill I’ll gladly die on, hopefully with a drumstick in my hand. That’s why I was immediately enamored when I came across the turkey potpie at the Dead Rabbit, the award-winning ********* bar in the deepest depths of the financial district. (We’re talking Bowling Green, view of the Statue of Liberty, Staten Island Ferry deep.) Sure the cocktails are very, very good, but the pleasures of a perfectly crafted drink don’t measure up to the even greater pleasures of a slim potpie presented outside the pot with a mound of potatoes that I’m pretty sure are squeezed through a frosting bag. The pie itself is served just this side of dry — this is how they manage to pop it out of the pan without incident — but that’s what the ceramic cup of thick, goopy gravy is for. Don’t be shy, pour it with aplomb and let the comfort wash right over you. 30 Water Street (Broad Street) One Reader Question We love staying in the Upper West Side area when visiting New York City, always do a dinner at Café Luxembourg, any other suggestions? — Claudia A. A few months ago I had brunch at Abigail’s, a relatively new (relative to, like, Zabar’s) Californian restaurant at the corner of West 102nd Street and Broadway. The space is cute and the menu is modern but approachable: So Cal breakfast burrito, “pancakes with too many blueberries,” grain bowls. The corn fritters with raspberry butter were also a surprise hit. I can’t attest to the quality of dinner, but if it’s anything like brunch you’re in for a nice, laid-back meal. Bonus: They just announced a new BYOB policy (Sunday through Wednesday only) with a $5 corkage fee, so feel free to bring along your preferred California cabernet. 2672 Broadway (West 102nd Street) Read past editions of the newsletter here. If you’re enjoying what you’re reading, please consider recommending it to others. They can sign up here. Have New York City restaurant questions? Send us a note at here. Follow NYT Food on TikTok and NYT Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest. Source link #Potpies #Chicken Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What is an inspector general and what do they do? What is an inspector general and what do they do? President Trump fired more than a dozen inspectors general during his first week in office — from departments as varied as the U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Veterans Affairs. On Wednesday, eight of those ousted inspectors general filed a lawsuit against Mr. Trump’s administration, saying the terminations were “unlawful and unjustified.” Inspectors general named in the lawsuit include those from the Department of Defense, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education. Court documents filed in Washington, D.C., district court state those inspectors general conduct and facilitate oversight of more than $5 trillion of appropriated funds annually and more than 3.5 million federal employees. But what exactly is an inspector general and what do they do? What is an inspector general? On October 12, 1978, Congress passed the Inspector General Act, which established twelve Federal Offices of Inspector General tasked with rooting out fraud and waste and providing non-partisan recommendations at government agencies. There are now more than 70 statutory inspectors general appointed either by the president or by agency heads. They are non-partisan public servants who serve during both Democratic and Republican administrations. Most federal agencies — ranging from the CIA, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Education to other federal entities such as Amtrak, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Smithsonian Institution — have an Office of Inspector General, or OIG. The Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, an independent entity in the executive branch tasked with improving and increasing professionalism in OIGs, keeps an updated list of OIGs, which also indicates if an office is vacant. Inspectors general are mandated to conduct independent and objective audits, investigations and inspections, according to the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. The Inspector General Act specifically directs inspectors general to investigate and audit programmatic activities run by the organization to ensure funds are being directed correctly, foster efficiency and prevent “fraud and abuse in the programs administered by each agency.” Inspectors general are independent, and while they are under the general supervision of the agency, by law, they can not be prevented from conducting an audit or investigation. Inspectors general report to their agency head and Congress, allegations of misconduct by their office are referred to the integrity committee of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. How is an inspector general appointed and can they be fired? Federal inspectors general can be appointed either by the president or by the agency head. The president nominates all inspectors general at Cabinet-level departments and agencies which then go through Senate confirmation. These include departments such as the Department of Defense, Agriculture and Housing and Urban Development. Federal entities not at Cabinet level, such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Endowment for the Arts and United States Postal Service, can appoint their inspectors general. The Inspector General Act specifies all are appointed without regard to political affiliation and solely based on integrity and demonstrated ability in accounting, auditing, financial analysis, law, management analysis, public administration or investigations. A federal law passed in 2022 requires the president to notify Congress 30 days before the removal of an inspector general, as well as requiring a “substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons.” The law also designates that a “first assistant” would automatically replace an inspector general in the event of a vacancy, and the president needs to communicate reasons for not making a formal nomination to fill a vacant position after a certain ******* of time. What does an inspector general do? Inspectors general act as independent watchdogs within their organizations. They conduct investigations to root out fraud, abuse and other allegations, after which they file public reports on their assigned agencies. Paul Martin, the former USAID inspector general, filed a report detailing the impact of the Trump administration’s cuts to the agency — finding nearly $500 million in food aid was at risk of spoiling as it sat in ports, ships and warehouses after the funding cuts. He was fired a day after the report was released. In court documents, fired Veteran Affairs Inspector General Michael Missal said he investigated reports of mysterious deaths at a VA medical center in West Virginia, identifying a nursing assistant who later pleaded guilty to multiple counts of *******. Larry Turner, the inspector general for the Department of Labor, said in court documents that as part of his oversight of the unemployment insurance fraud program he identified an estimated $191 billion that had been stolen from the pandemic funding Congress had authorized for the department. Melissa Quinn contributed to this report. Cara Tabachnick Cara Tabachnick is a news editor at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at *****@*****.tld Source link #inspector #general Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘They Want God’: 8,000 Students Seek Jesus in Huge Kentucky Revival, 2,000 Give Lives to Christ ‘They Want God’: 8,000 Students Seek Jesus in Huge Kentucky Revival, 2,000 Give Lives to Christ A supernatural Christian revival is stirring up once again on American college campuses through Unite US – an evangelistic movement marked by salvations, water baptisms, and worship. Last night at the University of Kentucky, more than 2,000 students responded to the gospel message of Jesus Christ and many took part in spontaneous baptisms. “It’s hard to believe. This keeps happening. It is insane,” said Unite US speaker and founder of IF:Gathering Jennie Allen. Unite US was birthed out of a desire to “lift the name of Jesus.” It all began at Auburn University’s Neville Arena in September 2023 where 5,000 students showed up to worship Jesus and 200 were spontaneously baptized in a nearby lake. And now, the organization hosts massive worship events making waves on college campuses across the country. Collectively, those events have brought in more than 70,000 college students. Their first stop in 2025 was the University of Kentucky, just 30 minutes from Asbury University where the first sparks of a new spiritual awakening were seen among American students in February of 2023. This time, more than 8,000 students packed Rupp Arena to worship Jesus and to hear a powerful message on the Gospel. “Every time they are confessing their sin, they are yelling it out. They are responding to the gospel in herds. Like droves of kids are coming forward to receive Jesus,” said Allen. “We are baptizing kids for an hour and a half. [They are] giving their lives to Jesus.” “It is only God,” she added. “There is a movement amongst students that you can’t believe. And even when you see it, you can’t believe it!” CBN’s Abigail Robertson was there, and she attests to the almost indescribable move of God that took place on the campus. “I’ve never seen anything like what happened last night. Kids lining up to get baptized in 30-degree weather – it’s truly amazing what’s happening,” she shared. According to the event’s organizers, it is an event that they have been praying about for months. “We’ve been praying for this night for months, and God met us here again,” reads a post on social media. “We know it’s just the beginning of all He has in store.” The founder and visionary behind Unite US, Tonya Prewett, shared a powerful message with the crowd about giving it all to Jesus. “You get so tired of the enemy and his attacks, that you will do anything. Even if it costs everything. Many times God will use our deepest pain to propel us into our deepest purpose,” she shared. The night ended with hundreds of students making a public declaration for Jesus Christ, followed by water baptisms. And as each person rose out of the cool waters, cheers erupted from the crowd because another life was counted for the Kingdom of God. “He did it again. Except for He did it ******* than He’s ever done it,” said Unite US speaker and Pastor Jonathan Pokluda of Harris Creek ******** Church in Waco, Texas. “It was just crazy,” he said. “All the aisles and the altars [were] just full of people. Literally thousands [of] college students came forward to give their lives to Jesus. My legs are sore, my arm is sore from baptizing people. And we say thanks to God. Praise be His Name.” Unite US is bucking the claims that GenZ is spiritually apathetic. “I think we’re a generation of critical thinkers, and I think we’re a generation of authenticity, and we’re a generation of vulnerability,” Trosper Buchanan, a junior at ***, told NBC News affiliate LEX-18. “I’ve seen and, and experienced firsthand, the death and the depravity that is disguised as the college experience. We’re just taught like this is what fulfills you and then this is life and then we, we take it and it kills us, and we’re like, ‘Well I guess, I guess something’s wrong with me,'” he continued. Dr. Sarah Baldwin, Vice President of Student Life at Asbury University, was at Asbury two years ago when a revival hit the campus that lasted several weeks. She told the outlet that GenZ is waking up to their true identity in Christ. “The students are recognizing that like, ‘no, this is what I was designed for; this is the purpose that was set aside for me, this is the life… this is the love that Jesus has for me.'” And events like Unite US are serving as a catalyst across many of those college campuses. “Revival is here,” Allen said. “We’re not pulling teeth. We’re not doing magic tricks. We are just there responding to the gospel. They want God. And it is so beautiful.” Source link #God #Students #Seek #Jesus #Huge #Kentucky #Revival #Give #Lives #Christ Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What is a denial-of-service (DoS) attack? What is a denial-of-service (DoS) attack? A denial-of-service (DoS) attack is a security threat that occurs when an attacker makes it impossible for legitimate users to access computer systems, networks, services or other IT resources. Attackers typically flood web servers, systems or networks with traffic that overwhelms the victim’s resources, making it difficult or impossible for anyone else to access them. Restarting a system usually fixes an attack that crashes a server, but recovering from flooding attacks is more difficult. Recovering from a distributed DoS (DDoS) attack in which attack traffic comes from many sources is even more difficult. DoS and DDoS attacks often take advantage of vulnerabilities in networking protocols and how they handle network traffic. For example, an attacker might overwhelm the service by transmitting many packets to a vulnerable network service from different Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. How does a DoS attack work? DoS and DDoS attacks target one or more of the seven layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. The most common OSI targets include Layer 3 (network), Layer 4 (transport), Layer 6 (presentation) and Layer 7 (application). Layers 3, 4, 6 and 7 are the most common layers for attacks of the OSI model. Malicious actors have different ways of attacking the OSI layers. One common way is using User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets. UDP speeds transmission transferring data before the receiving party sends its agreement. Another common attack method is SYN, or synchronization, packet attacks. In these attacks, packets are sent to all open ports on a server, using spoofed, or fake, IP addresses. UDP and SYN attacks typically target OSI Layers 3 and 4. Protocol handshakes launched from internet of things (IoT) devices are commonly used to launch attacks on Layers 6 and 7. These attacks can be difficult to identify and preempt because IoT devices are everywhere and each is a discrete intelligent client. Signs of a DoS attack The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team, also known as US-CERT, provides the following guidelines for detecting a possible DoS attack in progress: Slower or otherwise degraded network performance that’s particularly noticeable when trying to access a website or open files on the network. Slow website loading times. Inability to access a website. Unexplained amounts of traffic Out-of-nowhere spikes in network traffic. Increased CPU usage. More spam email than usual. Bot-driven DoS attacks show a variety of signs. Preventing a DoS attack Experts recommend several strategies to defend against DoS and DDoS attacks, starting with preparing an incident response plan well in advance. An enterprise that suspects a DoS attack is underway should contact its internet service provider (ISP) to determine whether slow performance or other indications are from an attack or some other factor. The ISP can reroute the malicious traffic to counter the attack and use load balancers to mitigate the severity of the attack. ISPs also have products that detect DoS attacks, as do some intrusion detection systems, intrusion prevention systems and firewalls. Other strategies include contracting with a backup ISP and using cloud-based anti-DoS measures. There have been instances where attackers have demanded payment from victims to end DoS or DDoS attacks, but financial profit isn’t usually the motive behind these attacks. In many cases, the attackers want to harm the business or reputation of the organization or individual targeted in the attack. Mitigating a DoS attack Mitigating a DoS attack requires differentiating between normal network traffic and traffic from an attack. This can be challenging, depending on the nature and complexity of the attack. There are several methods for making the distinction, including the following: Rate limiting. This reduces or limits the number of requests a server accepts in a given amount of time. This method can help slow down hackers by making their job more difficult. Web application firewall. A WAF protects a specific server and allows users to create customized rules that are particularly effective against Layer 7 attacks. Network diffusion. Where the architecture allows, effective mitigations include diffusion, which spreads requests throughout a network, making them less likely to pile up on top of a targeted server. Blackhole routing. This method redirects potentially malicious traffic into a null route, effectively shutting down the network. Although this should be used as a last resort, it does keep cybercriminals out. Types of DoS attacks DoS and DDoS attacks can be carried out in various ways. Common types of denial-of-service attacks include the following: Application layer. These attacks generate fake traffic to internet application servers, especially domain name system (DNS) servers or Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) servers. Some application layer DoS attacks flood the target servers with network data; others target the victim’s application server or protocol, looking for vulnerabilities. Buffer overflow. This type of attack sends more traffic to a network resource than it was designed to handle. DNS amplification. In a DNS DoS attack, the attacker generates DNS requests that appear to have originated from an IP address in the targeted network and sends them to misconfigured DNS servers managed by third parties. The amplification occurs as the intermediate DNS servers respond to the fake DNS requests. The responses from intermediate DNS servers to the requests might contain more data than ordinary DNS responses, which require more resources to process. This can result in legitimate users being denied access to the service. Protocol attacks. Protocol attacks seek to render a target inaccessible. They achieve this by consuming excessive server resources in firewalls and load balancers, creating service disruptions through what is known as state exhaustion. Cloud-based attacks. In this class of cyberattacks, the cybercriminal’s goal is to exploit cloud-centric system vulnerabilities and cloud resources. The attack can focus on the hypervisor layer — which manages virtual machine resources — and install false components. Variations of this approach include hypervisor attacks, hypercall attacks, hyperjacking and cryptojacking. Ping of death. These attacks abuse the ping protocol by sending request messages with oversized payloads, causing the target systems to become overwhelmed, stop responding to legitimate requests for service and possibly ****** the victim’s systems. State exhaustion. These attacks — also known as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) attacks — occur when an attacker targets the state tables held in firewalls, routers and other network devices and fills them with attack data. When these devices incorporate stateful inspection of network circuits, attackers might be able to fill the state tables by opening more TCP circuits than the victim’s system can handle at once, preventing legitimate users from accessing the network resource. SYN flood. This attack abuses the TCP handshake protocol the client uses to establish a TCP connection with a server. In a SYN flood attack, the attacker directs a high-volume stream of requests to open TCP connections with the victim server with no intention of completing the circuits. A successful attack can deny legitimate users access to the targeted server. Teardrop. These attacks exploit flaws similar to how older operating systems (OSes) handled fragmented IP packets. The IP specification enables packet fragmentation when the packets are too large to be handled by intermediary routers, and it requires packet fragments to specify fragment offsets. In teardrop attacks, the fragment offsets are set to overlap each other. Hosts running affected OSes are then unable to reassemble the fragments, and the attack can ****** the system. Volumetric. These DoS attacks use all the bandwidth available to reach network resources. To do this, attackers must direct a high volume of network traffic to the victim’s systems. Volumetric DoS attacks flood a victim’s devices with network packets using UDP or Internet Control Message Protocol. These protocols require little overhead to generate large volumes of traffic, while at the same time, the victim’s network devices are overwhelmed with network packets trying to process the incoming malicious datagrams. What is DDoS and how does it compare to DoS? Many high-profile DoS attacks are actually distributed attacks, meaning the attack traffic comes from multiple attack systems. DoS attacks originating from one source or IP address can be easier to counter because defenders can block network traffic from the offending source. Attacks from multiple attacking systems are far more difficult to detect and defend against. It can be difficult to differentiate legitimate traffic from malicious traffic and filter out malicious packets when they’re being sent from IP addresses seemingly located all over the internet. In a DDoS attack, the attacker might use computers or other network-connected devices that have been infected by malware and made part of a botnet. DDoS attacks use command-and-control servers (C&C servers) to control the botnets that are part of the attack. The C&C servers dictate what kind of attack to launch, what types of data to transmit, and what systems or network connectivity resources to target with the attack. History of denial-of-service attacks DoS attacks on internet-connected systems have a long history that arguably started with the Robert Morris worm attack in 1988. In that attack, Morris, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, released a self-reproducing piece of malware — a worm — that quickly spread through the internet and triggered buffer overflows and DoS attacks on the affected systems. Those connected to the internet at the time were mostly research and academic institutions, but it was estimated that as many as 10% of the 60,000 systems in the U.S. were affected. Damage was estimated to be as high as $10 million, according to the U.S. General Accounting Office, now known as the Government Accountability Office. Prosecuted under the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, Morris was sentenced to 400 community service hours and three years’ probation. He was also fined $10,000. DoS and DDoS attacks have become common since then. Some recent attacks include the following: Multiple-target Rapid Reset attack. In 2023, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cloudflare and Google all experienced record-breaking DDoS attacks from an army of small botnets using new attack methods. They exploited an HTTP/2 feature for request cancellation, overwhelming servers with a flush of opening and closing streams. Google. In October 2020, Google experienced a UDP amplification attack sourced from several ******** ISPs — the largest bandwidth cyberattack it had ever experienced. The attack included a multinetwork spoof of 180,000 Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, DNS and Connectionless Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (CLDAP) servers, triggering an overwhelming deluge of responses. AWS. In the AWS Shield Threat Landscape Report Q1 2020, the cloud service provider said it mitigated one of the largest DDoS attacks it had ever seen in February 2020. It was 44% larger than anything AWS had ever encountered. The volume of the attack was 2.3 terabytes per second, and it used a type of UDP vector known as a CLDAP reflection. Amazon said it used its AWS Shield to counter the attack. An email security gateway can help organizations protect against cyberattacks. Learn what features to look for, what the leading providers offer, and tips for avoiding email security threats. Source link #denialofservice #DoS #attack Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Avowed – All Totem Of Defiance Pieces And Locations Avowed – All Totem Of Defiance Pieces And Locations In each region of Avowed you can find and assemble a totem which provides a number of passive bonuses when activated. In the Emerald Stair region, you can assemble the Totem of Defiance, by finding the Totem Base and the six additional missing pieces. You can find a note that provides one-sentence clues to the pieces’ locations from a vendor in Fior mes Ivérno, but that won’t place markers on the map. Fortunately, we have the locations shown in detail below. Once you have your totem pieces, you can assemble the totem at camp and activate it for the passive stats. The totem pieces can be collected in any order. Totem Base The Totem Base cane be found int he Shrine to Skaen. The Totem Base can be found in the Shrine to Skaen, located in the western part of Emerald Stair. Start at the Rock Arch Beacon fast travel point and head towards the ledge north of Delemgan Glade, and head towards some ruins further west. The Totem Base is at the top of these ruins. Once you reach them, climb to the top to find the Totem Base. The Totem Base is on an altar. Obsidian Prayer Beads This totem piece can be found at the end of The Delemgan Cache. The Obsidian Prayer Beads can be found in The Delemgan Glade, which is in the westernmost part of Emerald Stair. Head all the way into the ruins until you reach a circular arena area, which will be on the west side of the river you see on the map. Climb up the tree trunk and follow the path to the ledge. Head to the western part of the arena and there will be a large tree trunk growing into some rocks, climb up the tree onto the rocks and hook a left to follow the short path to a ledge, where the beads are. The Obsidian Prayer Beads are on this ledge overlooking the arena-like area. Idol of Violent Rebellion This totem piece is found in the eastern part of Emerald Stair. The Idol of Violent Rebellion can be found on top of the Ranger Headquarters, which can be found in the eastern part of the Emerald Stair, southeast of the Rolling Crags. On the south side of the tower, use the crates in this image to reach the first ladder. Climbing the tower is pretty simple once you get started, following a series of ledges to jump to and ladders to climb, but to get started, you will need to head to the south side of the tower and use some pots in wooden crates to jump up to the first ladder. The totem piece is on the top of the Ranger Headquarters. Effigy Necklace This totem piece is inside Naku Tedek. The Effigy Necklace is located inside Naku Tedek, which can be found in the southwest corner of the Emerald Stair. Once inside, head forward past the large Adra and down the stairs behind. Use an electric grenade or Giatta to open the door. When you reach the bottom, there will be a door to the left, which is locked by an electrical box next to it. Use an ice grenade or spell to create a platform to cross. Open the door and inside you need to freeze the water in the room and jump on it onto a large branch. The totem piece is on the ledge above. The Effigy Necklace can be found on this table on the ledge. Idol of Secret Hatred The Idol of Secret Hatred is inside the Ancient Grotto. The Idol of Secret Hatred is located in the southwest part of the Emerald Stair, inside the Ancient Grotto. Once inside, head forward until you reach the large open room with Godless ruins and large pillars. On the left side of the room, there is a path leading down. Head down the stairs in the left part of this image. Down there, you will find a room with some poison water and a ledge across the room. Jump from platform to platform to reach the ledge. Use the broken platforms to jump to the other side. Once you climb up the ledge, you will see a skeleton in an orange glowing cave. Head to the right, and when you reach a split in the path, go left and crouch into the small hole in the rock formation. Head through this small opening to reach the totem. Follow the path to a small cave, with another skeleton at the back of the room, where the totem piece will be. The totem is in a small cave at the end of the tunnel. Idol of Covert Plots The Idol of Covert Plots is in the northwest of Emerald Stair. The Idol of Covert Plots can be found in the Grim Wetlands in the northwest part of Emerald Stair. A bit west of the Grim Wetlands Party Camp is a small locked building, inside of which the totem piece can be found. From the cliff, jump the broken bridge and enter the building through the hole. To get inside, you must enter through a hole in the roof, which can be reached by approaching the building from the west. Once inside, it’s on the altar on the ground floor. The totem piece is on an altar on the ground floor. Sacrificial Dagger The dagger is on the back of the third building from the left. The Sacrificial Dagger can be found stuck to the ********* of a building in the Abandoned Farms region. Walk around the back of the building and the dagger will be holding a note to the door. The dagger will be stabbed into the note on the wall. Obsidian is no stranger to crafting compelling RPGs. For more help on the team’s latest effort, use our Avowed guides hub. Source link #Avowed #Totem #Defiance #Pieces #Locations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Ubisoft Doubles Down On Open-World And Live-Service Games Ubisoft Doubles Down On Open-World And Live-Service Games As part of Ubisoft’s earnings report, the company discussed what kinds of games it wants to focus on going forward–and these include open-world action adventure titles and games-as-a-service projects. Ubisoft executive Frederick Duguet said on an earnings call that the company has been “investing significantly” in recent times on a “big pipeline” of its two main product categories. These are the aforementioned open-world action adventure and games-as-a-service genres. “That’s what we want to deliver year after year,” the executive said. Ubisoft focusing on big open-world games and live-service titles is nothing new for the company. However, historically, Ubisoft had a more diverse lineup of games spanning multiple different genres and formats. And not every live-service project has worked out for Ubisoft, as the company launched and shut down games like XDefiant and Hyper Scape relatively quickly. The pirate game Skull & Bones is still up and running but hasn’t exactly broken through to become a hit. Duguet went on to list off some of Ubisoft’s upcoming projects that have been announced so far, including Assassin’s Creed Shadows and more ongoing updates for Rainbow Six Siege, Anno 117: Pax Romana, and The Division Resurgence. The executive said the company will share more details about other upcoming games around May, which is when Ubisoft will release its next earnings report. That’s also around when many game companies open the floodgates for gaming news throughout the summer season after various shows and events. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. Assassin’s Creed Shadows: Story Trailer Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter Whatever Ubisoft has coming–and the company hasn’t said much about its future title slate–Duguet said the company has a “strong pipeline for the future years.” It is expected that Ubisoft would speak in this manner. Duguet was responding to a question about the company’s future outlook, and presenting it in a rosy and robust manner is normal behavior for an executive speaking to analysts. Regarding Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the game is coming this March and preorder numbers are tracking in line with those of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Ubisoft said. Odyssey was the second most successful entry in the entire Assassin’s Creed franchise, according to Ubisoft, though it didn’t say by what metric. In other news, Ubisoft is in the midst of a cost-reduction program that has resulted in layoffs and studio closures. CEO Yves Guillemot said these changes were “difficult but necessary.” Additionally, Ubisoft is undergoing a “formal review process” for helping to turn its business around, with one potential scenario being a deal of some type with Tencent. Guillemot said of negotiations about the company’s future, “We are convinced there are different potential paths to achieve this ambition.” Source link #Ubisoft #Doubles #OpenWorld #LiveService #Games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The Cockroach Portfolio: A Defensive 5-ETF Combo That Survives Anything The Cockroach Portfolio: A Defensive 5-ETF Combo That Survives Anything In 2014, I tried killing a cockroach in my ******* student dorm during undergrad. I was surprised—and slightly disgusted—by how resilient the thing was. That’s actually where I first learned about the concept of anti-fragility—the idea that some things don’t just survive stress and volatility but actually get stronger from it. Sorry, Nassim Taleb, I never actually read The ****** Swan Anyway, this one incident gave me the inspiration for what I call “The Cockroach Portfolio”—a five-ETF combo that absolutely smokes both the and the 60/40 portfolio on a risk-adjusted basis. Unlike many so-called defensive strategies, this portfolio doesn’t rely on expensive hedges with negative carry like put options or futures. There’s no need to constantly bleed capital for protection—this allocation naturally mitigates downside risk through diversification across uncorrelated assets. Here’s a look at each individual component, why I selected it, and how it all works together, using ETFs from State Street (NYSE:) Global Advisors and BlackRock (NYSE:) iShares. The 60% stock allocation We’re not going broad-based equities for this. Instead, we’re splitting the 60% stock allocation three ways—20% each into these sector-specific ETFs, all of which charge a low 0.09% expense ratio: The Health Care Select Sector SPDR® Fund (NYSE:) The Utilities Select Sector SPDR® Fund (NYSE:) The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR® Fund (NYSE:) Each of these draws from the S&P 500, so you’re already benefiting from the index’s earnings quality, liquidity, and size screen. But I’ve picked them for a reason—they’re the three most defensive sectors. Historically, during market downturns, recessions, and crashes, these sectors tend to have lower drawdowns than the broader market and, on average, lower volatility (standard deviation). Health care, utilities, and consumer staples have structurally inelastic demand: People need healthcare, regardless of economic conditions. They need electricity, water, and gas to function. They need household essentials like soap, toothpaste, and food. This means that even when the economy tanks, these companies keep making money, and their stocks tend to hold up better. Beta confirms this. XLV has a beta of 0.64, XLP is at 0.57, and XLU is 0.74. A beta of 1.0 means a stock or ETF moves in sync with the overall market. A beta below 1.0 means it moves less than the market, reducing volatility. These ETFs, on average, fluctuate less than the S&P 500, which means smaller swings. My goal here isn’t to chase big gains—it’s to minimize deep, prolonged losses that take years to recover from. If you can avoid huge drawdowns, you don’t need massive gains just to break even. The 20% bond allocation The 20% bond component is simple:iShares U.S. Treasury Bond ETF (NYSE:)with a 0.05% expense ratio. Bonds are here for one reason—diversification. They have a low to negative correlation with stocks, meaning they tend to zig when equities zag. While stock returns are driven by earnings and market sentiment, bonds move based on credit and interest rates. That makes them a different risk-return driver, helping smooth out volatility. Why GOVT? It offers straightforward exposure to U.S. Treasuries across maturities from 1 to 30 years by tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury Core Bond Index. I’m not looking to make a call on the yield curve or time interest rates—I just want exposure to Treasuries as a safety play. GOVT sits in a Goldilocks zone with moderate rate sensitivity (5.76-year duration) and currently has a 4.42% average yield to maturity, which is the expected total return if the ETF holds all its bonds to maturity. Why Treasury bonds specifically? I don’t want credit risk in this portfolio. Corporate bonds don’t offer the same flight-to-safety benefit during downturns, so I’m sticking with Treasuries. Unless the U.S. government defaults, Treasury bonds are as safe as it gets. The 20% gold allocation The last 20% of the portfolio is going into the shiny, heavy metal that Roman legionaries were paid with and that you can now buy at Costco—gold. I know the usual arguments: it produces no cash flow, it’s all speculation, and so on. I don’t care. What matters is that gold has low correlation to both stocks and bonds, making it a third diversifier in those rare but painful moments when both asset classes fall together—like in 2022. Gold also has structural characteristics that make it a great safe-haven asset. It can’t be debased like fiat currency, is hoarded by central banks, and has a long history as a store of value. The problem with holding gold in a portfolio is that physical metal is hard to rebalance. Storage, dealer spreads, and security are all a hassle. That’s why I’m going with an ETF instead. I like SPDR Gold MiniShares (NYSE:). It has a 0.1% expense ratio, is well-capitalized with $10.2 billion in AUM, and offers a simple, efficient way to own gold without the logistics headache. Putting it together This portfolio is very easy to manage. Just buy each of these five ETFs at 20% each, rebalance quarterly, and reinvest all dividends. That’s it. I know some of you just look at the chart, so don’t glaze over the figures. Yes, in terms of total returns, from 1992-09-28 to 2025-02-06, the Cockroach Portfolio lags behind the S&P 500 (10.63%) and the 60/40 portfolio (8.36%), with an 8.28% CAGR. The table presents key metrics like CAGR, max drawdown, volatility, Sharpe ratio, Sortino ratio, and Beta. The chart illustrates portfolio value growth from 1995 to 2025, showing the S&P 500’s higher returns but greater volatility, while the Cockroach Portfolio and 60/40 portfolio demonstrate more stable growth. But on a risk-adjusted basis, it smokes both. The Sharpe ratio comes in at 0.65, well ahead of the S&P 500 at 0.51 and 60/40 at 0.57. Volatility was significantly lower, with an annualized 9.21% standard deviation—half that of the S&P 500 (18.32%) and lower than the 60/40 portfolio at 10.92%. Most remarkable is the maximum drawdown during the height of the 2008 financial crisis. The Cockroach Portfolio lost 22.16%—less than half of the S&P 500’s -55.26% and well below the 60/40 portfolio’s -35.97%. The graph highlights the S&P 500’s deeper drawdowns compared to the Cockroach Portfolio and the 60/40 allocation, demonstrating the latter two’s reduced volatility and better downside protection. Younger investors with high risk tolerance will probably scoff at this. Older investors or those who truly understand risk will appreciate it. Source link #Cockroach #Portfolio #Defensive #5ETF #Combo #Survives Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump orders up a plan for more tariffs, even as inflation heats up – CNN Trump orders up a plan for more tariffs, even as inflation heats up – CNN Trump orders up a plan for more tariffs, even as inflation heats up CNNWhat to know about Trump’s reciprocal tariff threat AxiosTrump Administration Live Updates: Latest News on Tariffs, RFK Jr. and More The New York Times Source link #Trump #orders #plan #tariffs #inflation #heats #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

EA College Football 26 Could Offer ******* Payouts To Players EA College Football 26 Could Offer ******* Payouts To Players Earlier this year, EA officially announced that EA College Football 26 was in development for release this summer. Last year, EA offered high-profile college football players $600 each for the right to use their names, images, and likenesses in EA College Football 25. But if a new sports representative company is successful, EA may have to pay a significantly higher amount to include those players in EA College Football 26. As reported by Yahoo Sports, Pathway Sports and Entertainment is making aggressive inroads by pursuing the elite players in college football. The company has offered players $1,500 upfront for their NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) rights in addition to royalty pay that has yet to be fleshed out. Over 450 students at Alabama, Illinois, Georgia, Texas Tech, Wisconsin, and Oregon have already taken the deal, and Pathway has even grander ambitions. Pathway is currently sending representatives to colleges across the nation with the desire to sign every football player who is on a scholarship program. There are approximately 11,000 players who have scholarships, and it would take more than $17 million to sign them all at the currently offered rate. However, the report suggests that the total payout may exceed $20 million when factoring in “ambassador payments” for certain students. “The overall vision is for athletes to make more money than we saw in the first year of the video game,” said Pathway co-founder Casey Schwab in a statement. “We are creating mutual value here. This is a good thing for athletic directors, coaches, and schools because they are trying to create legit opportunities for their players. These are legitimate.” EA doesn’t have any involvement with Pathway at this point. But if Pathway can sign up all or most of the athletes that EA wants to get for EA College Football 26, then the video game publisher will either have to agree to a new deal or go without the star players who helped make the franchise into one of EA Sports’ top-sellers. Source link #College #Football #Offer #******* #Payouts #Players Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Watch the moment a man is swallowed by humpback whale Watch the moment a man is swallowed by humpback whale A humpback whale briefly trapped a kayaker in its mouth off Chilean Patagonia before quickly releasing him unharmed. Adrián Simancas was kayaking with his father, Dell Simancas, when the massive whale suddenly surfaced, trapping the young man and his yellow kayak in its mouth for a few seconds before letting him go. Dell, just meters away, captured the moment on video while encouraging his son to stay calm. “I thought it had eaten me and swallowed me”, Adrián said. Source link #Watch #moment #man #swallowed #humpback #whale Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Avowed: Dawnshore Cartographer Location For Mapping The Living Lands Avowed: Dawnshore Cartographer Location For Mapping The Living Lands One of the earlier side quests you can take on in Avowed is called “Mapping the Living Lands.” You accept this quest from Sanza in Paradis once you get through the first couple of story missions. Sanza employs a cartographer named Geirmund who has gone missing somewhere in Dawnshore and he tasks you with finding him, or whatever is left of him. Unfortunately, unlike other side quests in Avowed, Mapping the Living Lands gives you no quest marker on the map, so you have little idea of where to look for the cartographer. While you can stumble about for a bit trying to find Geirmund on your own, you can also look at the guide below to make things far easier on yourself. Dawnshore Cartographer’s location in Avowed The only piece of information Sanza gives you about Geirmund’s location is to the east of Paradis near a cave. While that might be helpful if you’ve already explored a large chunk of Dawnshore, that vague description likely means nothing to you if your map is still mostly fogged out. To make your trek simpler, you can see the general area of the Dawnshore Cartographer in the map screenshot below: The quest marker for the Dawnshore Cartographer in Mapping the Living Lands As you can see, the area of the Dawnshore cartographer is right above the Usher’s Hand region, which is a brief walk east of Paradis’ walls. If you go directly to Usher’s Hand, though, you’ll be met with a tall cliff you need to climb to reach the cartographer’s actual location. Inside the quest area, the exact location of Geirmund is right in the center near the God’s Gate fast travel beacon. Geirmund is lying on the ground, dead, next to a large stone column. Right beside Geirmund’s body is the quest item called “Geirmund’s Map,” which you need to pick up to progress the Mapping the Living Lands quest in Avowed. Geirmund’s map location in Avowed With Geirmund’s Map in hand, return to Sanza in Paradis and give him the bad news about his cartographer. While Geirmund is dead, there are other cartographers out in the Living Lands that you can find as you explore more maps in Avowed. Those are also a part of the Mapping the Living Lands quest, but you can’t unlock them until you reach the other maps in the game. Obsidian is no stranger to crafting compelling RPGs. For more help on the team’s latest effort, use our Avowed guides hub. Source link #Avowed #Dawnshore #Cartographer #Location #Mapping #Living #Lands Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Swiatek beats Rybakina to race into Qatar Open semis Swiatek beats Rybakina to race into Qatar Open semis Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek has overcome Elena Rybakina 6-2 7-5 to reach the semi-finals of the Qatar Open, while Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova defeated American sixth seed Jessica Pegula. In what was a repeat of last year’s final on Thursday, second seed Swiatek swept through the opening set, breaking Kazakhstan fifth seed Ryabkina’s first service game to lead 2-0 and broke again to wrap up the set. Rybakina, who discovered on Wednesday that the WTA had decided to uphold a ban against her former coach Stefano Vukov following an investigation into a potential breach of its code of conduct, recovered to break in the opening game of the second set. Swiatek, playing with real intensity, hit back to level at 4-4 and with Rybakina serving to force a tiebreaker, the Pole made the decisive break. “I’m super happy and super proud of myself because playing against Elena is never easy,” Swiatek said. “At the beginning of the second set, I felt like she increased her levels. I needed to do that too in order to come back.” Rybakina came into the tie with a 4-3 lead in their head-to-head record, but it is Swiatek who will face the winner between Tunisian Ons Jabeur and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. Pegula, US Open finalist last year, won the opening set, but in-form Alexandrova, who had already beaten top seed and world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the second round, stormed back to win 4-6 6-1 6-1. Alexandrova, now on an eight-match winning streak, will meet either Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk or American Amanda Anisimova in the semi-final. “I’m really happy with the way I’m playing right now,” Alexandrova said. “I want to keep it going as long as possible, no matter what.” Source link #Swiatek #beats #Rybakina #race #Qatar #Open #semis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Borderlands 4 Coming in September Raises Huge Questions About GTA 6 Release Window Borderlands 4 Coming in September Raises Huge Questions About GTA 6 Release Window For those who have been waiting more than a decade for Rockstar to be finally done with GTA 6, there’s some bad news. Owned by parent company Take-Two Interactive, both the Grand Theft Auto franchise and the Borderlands series come under the same umbrella, and a confirmed release timeline for Borderlands 4 has fans worrying if GTA 6 might be delayed. Borderlands 4 will be released near GTA 6 | Gearbox Software While it is true that the upcoming Rockstar title will arguably be the biggest release of the decade, netizens are still wondering why the head studio would decide to place the latest Borderlands title’s release in September, close to GTA 6‘s promised release in fall 2025. Borderlands 4 and GTA 6 to release near each other: What is Take-Two thinking? GTA 6 is the most anticipated game of all time | Rockstar Games It would remain foolish of any game studio out there to release any of their games even anywhere near the release of GTA 6, which is exactly why the decision to release Borderlands 4 in September, according to the latest State of Play event, has left everyone confused. These studios are particularly known for focusing on maximum profits, so what would cause them to release two of their biggest launches right next to each other? Many would see it as a cause to panic, as the rumors of a delay to the release of the next GTA are already spreading like wildfire and making rounds on the internet in recent times. Moreover, Rockstar Games has gone dead silent ever since they released the anticipated game’s trailer more than a year ago, which is not much assurance for the fans. While it almost seems inevitable at this point, a delay to GTA 6 would cause a big but expected blow to fans’ expectations of getting to play the one game they have waited years for. If a delay is not in the cards, then Take-Two’s plan to release Borderlands 4 could possibly be the biggest gamble of all time. Releasing two big titles together and its consequences Take-Two is making a big gamble in the fall of 2025 | Rockstar Games Historically, whenever there has been a similar clash of release dates in the industry, one game has always suffered more than the other sales and players-wise. Even the CEO of Take-Two, Strauss Zelnick, said in an interview via Variety that it’s ‘unnecessary’ to stack up huge releases at the same time, making the studio’s latest decision seem hypocritical. However, releasing Borderlands 4 just near, or even just before, GTA 6 could turn out to be the best-calculated risk of all time. As discussed earlier, nearly every other studio out there will be holding back any major releases till the hype for the next Grand Theft Auto dies down. This ultimately opens up a small slot in the industry for a game to entertain these fans while they wait for GTA 6. It’s very possible that Take-Two saw this opportunity and is most potentially going for it, while also keeping their biggest release of the decade on the track at the same time. Source link #Borderlands #Coming #September #Raises #Huge #Questions #GTA #Release #Window Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US attorney resigns after being ordered to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Adams US attorney resigns after being ordered to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Adams NEW YORK (AP) — The top federal prosecutor in Manhattan resigned Thursday after being ordered by the Justice Department to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Danielle Sassoon, a Republican who was interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced her resignation in an email to her staff, and the move was confirmed by a spokesperson for the office. Only days earlier, a senior official in Republican President Donald Trump’s Justice Department had directed New York prosecutors to scrap the case against the Democratic mayor, who was accused of accepting ******** campaign contributions and bribes of free or discounted travel from people who wanted to buy his influence. 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. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove said in a memo Monday that the case should be dismissed so Adams could aid Trump’s immigration crackdown and campaign for reelection free from facing criminal charges. The primary is four months away and Adams has multiple challengers. Bove had directed that be done as soon as “practicable,” but there have been no public statements or actions by the prosecution team. On Wednesday, the new U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi, said she would “look into” why the case had yet to be dismissed. As of Thursday afternoon, the charges against Adams remained in place. He has pleaded not guilty. In the email to her staff, Sassoon did not give a reason for her resignation. In the note, the contents of which were obtained by The Associated Press, she said she had just submitted her resignation to Bondi. “As I told her, it has been my greatest honor to represent the United States and to pursue justice as a prosecutor in the Southern District of New York,” Sassoon wrote. A Justice Department official told the AP that department officials did not ask Sassoon to resign. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss the personnel matter and spoke on condition of anonymity. The department declined public comment on Sassoon’s exit. A message seeking comment was left for Adams’ attorney, Alex Spiro. A spokesperson for the mayor did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The government’s decision to end the Adams case because of political considerations, rather than the strength or weakness of the evidence, alarmed some career prosecutors who said it was a departure from long-standing norms. The directive from Bove, a former Trump personal lawyer, was all the more remarkable because Bove had been a longtime prosecutor and supervisor in the Southern District and because department leaders are historically reluctant to intervene in cases where charges have been brought — particularly in an office as prestigious as that U.S. attorney’s office. Bove’s memo also steered clear of any legal basis for the dismissal despite decades of department tradition dictating that charging decisions are to be guided by facts, evidence and the law. Sassoon, a former clerk for the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, was not the prosecutor who brought the case against Adams last year. That was then-U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who stepped down after Trump’s election victory in November. Sassoon had only been tapped to serve as acting U.S. attorney on Jan. 21, the day after Trump took office. Her role was intended to be temporary. Trump in November nominated Jay Clayton, the former chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, to the post, an appointment that must be confirmed by the Senate. That has not happened yet. The Southern District of New York is among the largest and most prominent prosecutor’s offices in the U.S., with a long track record of tackling Wall Street malfeasance, political corruption and international terrorism. It has a tradition of independence from Washington, something that has earned it the nickname “the sovereign district.” During Trump’s first term, the office prosecuted both the president’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and his strategic adviser, Steve Bannon, in separate cases. Cohen pleaded guilty to tax evasion and campaign finance charges. Trump ended the federal fraud case against Bannon by pardoning him, though nearly identical charges were then brought by state prosecutors. This is the second Justice Department tussle in five years between Washington and New York officials to result in a dramatic leadership turnover. In 2020, William Barr, who served as one of Trump’s attorneys general during his first term pushed out Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan, in a surprise nighttime announcement. Berman initially refused to resign his position, creating a brief standoff with Barr, but did so after an assurance that his investigations into allies of Trump would not be disturbed. Sassoon joined the U.S. attorney’s office in 2016. In 2023 she helped lead the fraud prosecution of Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX. More recently, she had served as the office’s co-chief of criminal appeals. Adams was indicted in September on charges that while he worked as Brooklyn borough president, he accepted over $100,000 in ******** campaign contributions and lavish travel perks such as expensive flight upgrades, luxury hotel stays and even a trip to a bathhouse. The indictment said a Turkish official who helped facilitate the trips then leaned on Adams for favors, including asking him to lobby the Fire Department to let a newly constructed, 36-story diplomatic building open in time for a planned visit by Turkey’s president. Prosecutors said they had proof that Adams personally directed political aides to solicit foreign donations and disguise them to help the campaign qualify for a city program that provides a generous, publicly-funded match for small dollar donations. Under federal law, foreign nationals are banned from contributing to U.S. election campaigns. As recently as Jan. 6, prosecutors had indicated their investigation remained active, writing in court papers that they continued to “uncover additional criminal conduct by Adams.” Bove said in his memo that Justice Department officials in Washington hadn’t evaluated the evidence in the case before deciding it should be dropped — at least until after the mayoral election in November. But he criticized “recent public actions” by Williams that he said had “threatened the integrity of the proceedings, including by increasing prejudicial pretrial publicity.” Williams hasn’t spoken publicly about the Adams case since his resignation, but wrote an editorial decrying corruption in politics. Federal agents had also been investigating other senior Adams aides. It was unclear what will happen to that side of the probe. __ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington contributed to this report. Source link #attorney #resigns #ordered #drop #corruption #charges #York #City #Mayor #Adams Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Two Point Museum Release Date, Pricing, Platforms, and PC System Requirements Two Point Museum Release Date, Pricing, Platforms, and PC System Requirements Profchaos4d ago (Edited 4d ago ) Also the fact that the vast majority of Xbox gamers have digital only consoles out of a population two and a half times smaller than PlayStations install base and 4 times smaller than the switches sealed it’s fate almost no one is doing a physical edition for Xbox unless it’s a AAA release. Looking at other projects the recent croc remaster was announced as physical for switch and PS same as tomb raider trilogy and pretty much everything Capcom. We’re lucky Xbox has anything physical anymore things don’t look good for Xbox physical and I doubt they will have a disc drive next generation Source link #Point #Museum #Release #Date #Pricing #Platforms #System #Requirements Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mourinho’s Fenerbahce impress in Europa League playoff Mourinho’s Fenerbahce impress in Europa League playoff Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce might have only just squeezed into the Europa League knockout playoff round but they’ve already moved to the brink of the round of 16. The Istanbul side dominated to beat Anderlecht 3-0 on Thursday and take a comprehensive lead to Belgium for the second leg next week. Two of Mourinho’s former clubs, Porto and Roma, were also playing each other later on Thursday in Europe’s second-tier competition. Fenerbahce only just reached the playoffs by placing 24th in the new format — the last qualification place, and on a tiebreaker of goal difference. They took the lead in the 11th minute after Anderlecht failed to clear a corner and the ball was put back to the area where Yusuf Akcicek nodded it on for Dusan Tadic to head into the net. Edin Dzeko then doubled his team’s advantage shortly before halftime following good work from Filip Kostic down the left flank. Dzeko’s initial shot was blocked by Anderlecht defender Lucas Hey but the veteran Bosnian forward fired home the rebound. Youssef En-Nesyri added a third with a powerful header in the 57th minute and Fenerbahce missed several chances to extend their advantage. Notably, Yusuf Akcicek’s header was deflected onto the post — it would have been the 19-year-old’s first career goal, after recording his first-ever assist in the first half. Elsewhere, Ajax won 2-0 at Union Saint-Gilloise, with 16-year-old Jorthy Mokio netting his side’s second goal. Mokio scored in the 71st minute. A corner was cleared but only as far as the Belgium Under-21 international on the edge of the area and he volleyed it in for his first senior goal for Ajax. Mokio, aged 16 years and 350 days, became the youngest player to score in a knockout stage match in the Europa League, after Christian Rasmussen had netted the opener just before the hour. Real Sociedad won 2-1 at Midtjylland, while Ferencvaros beat Viktoria Plzen 1-0. Source link #Mourinhos #Fenerbahce #impress #Europa #League #playoff Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Play Finds a Way with PlayStation Portal Play Finds a Way with PlayStation Portal Let play run wild and free with the PlayStation Portal remote player. With a handheld gateway to your PS5® console*, amazing play is no longer confined to the same four walls. Continue enjoying your favourite PS5 games as you move throughout your house, garden and beyond. Feel the power of PlayStation® in the palm of your hand with support for immersive DualSense® controller features**. And take in silky-smooth gameplay at up to 60fps through the remote player’s expansive 8″ 1080p resolution display***. Source link #Play #Finds #PlayStation #Portal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

S&P 500 Remains on Track for 6400-6500 S&P 500 Remains on Track for 6400-6500 Using the Elliott Wave Principle (EWP), we have been successfully tracking the most likely path forward for the over several months. Although there are many ways to navigate the markets and to each their own, we find the EWP to be the most reliable and accurate. Namely, already in November last year, we “Wave-iii to reach at least SPX6060, Wave-iv should bottom around SPX5725, and Wave-v can reach at least SPX6260.” (Red) W-iii topped December 6 at $6099, and W-iv bottomed out on January 13 at SPX5773. See Figure 1 below. Continuing along this path, we in our previous update that the index should ideally top around $6125-6150 for a (green) W-1/a, drop to $5930-6000 for a (green) W-2/b, and then start a rally to $6300-6365 for green W-3/c. Fast-forward: The index peaked at $6128 on January 24. Thanks to two debacles (DeepSeek and Tariffs), it dropped in a complex pattern called an expanded flat in EWP terms, to $5923 by February 3. Now, it trades in the $6080s once again. See Figure 1 below. Thus, with an accuracy of around ±2%, we continue to reliably anticipate using the EWP where the index should top and bottom well ahead of time. Of course, we cannot know the exact path the market will take, as the daily price action is the least reliable. Still, foreseeing the most crucial top and bottom zones well ahead of time and before most is invaluable. Therefore, our preferred view remains the same, as the market has not invalidated it. The index should now be in the grey W-iii of the green W-3/c, ideally to ~$6285, followed by the grey W-iv and W-v, at $6175 and ~$6365, respectively. At that latter level, the market can decide if the red W-v has topped or wants to tag on one last (green) W-4, 5 sequence. Besides, the index is A) above all our warning levels for the Bulls, and B) above its rising 10-day simple moving average (d SMA), which is above the rising 20d SMA > 50d SMA > Ichimoku Cloud > 200d SMA. Thus the chart is in a 100% Bullish trend and as such we must keep our Bullish stance until proven otherwise. What would that be? A break below the 3rd (orange) warning level -The February 3 low- at $6003 for starters, but ultimately, the January 13 low at $5773 remains the Bull-Bear line in the sand. If the market decides to move below these levels, our preferred EW count is wrong. But that’s our alternative, our insurance, we trade the preferred path using the. Thus, our Elliott Wave analysis provides specific levels to watch. How the market reacts to those combined with the structure of that reaction will tell us how to adjust if needed, aka “all we can do is anticipate, monitor, and adjust if necessary.” Currently, our preferred EW count remains on track. We’re simply monitoring its progress to see if it aligns with the market’s price action. If yes, stay long and keep monitoring. If not, adjust and take appropriate trading action. However, please note that once the $6300+ region has been reached, a much larger correction, if not an outright multi-year Bear market, can start. Source link #Remains #Track Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Idaho Murders Suspect Bryan Kohberger ‘Could Walk Free’ Due To Bombshell DNA Evidence Idaho Murders Suspect Bryan Kohberger ‘Could Walk Free’ Due To Bombshell DNA Evidence The defense lawyers for Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger are optimistic that newly uncovered DNA evidence will help prove his innocence. The genetic materials were found on a handrail at the home where the crime was committed, while the other was discovered on a glove. Bryan Kohberger is accused of fatally stabbing University of Idaho students Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin at their off-campus in Moscow, Idaho. DNA Evidence Not Belonging To The Suspect Was Found At The Crime Scene MEGA In the wake of the fatal stabbing of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, Bryan Kohberger was identified as the main suspect by prosecutors and charged with four counts of first-degree *******. He was also charged with a count of felony burglary over breaking into the Moscow off-campus home where the University of Idaho students lived. However, what seemed like an open-and-shut case took a new twist with the discovery of DNA from two other males at the crime scene, per the Idaho Statesman. One genetic sample was found on a handrail in the home, while the other was discovered on a glove just outside the same residence. Both pieces of evidence were blood-related, and their owners have yet to be identified. Given the discovery, Kohberger’s lawyer, Anne Taylor, argued at a hearing last month that the unidentified DNA might prove that Kohberger did not fatally stab the four students. She also pointed out that police failed to disclose the unidentified blood samples when they sought a warrant to arrest Kohberger. Bryan Kohberger’s Legal Team Faced A Pushback From The Case Judge Ada County Sheriff’s Office/MEGA Unfortunately for Kohberger, his DNA was found on a leather sheath for a fixed-blade knife found in the bed of the stabbing victim. As a result, when Kohberger’s legal team requested a Franks hearing to contest multiple search warrants and the evidence collected by authorities, they faced resistance from the presiding judge, Steven Hippler. “How does that, even if disclosed, preclude a finding of probable cause when there’s a DNA match between the DNA on the sheath and Mr. Kohberger?” the judge asked Taylor. “Isn’t that probable cause every day and twice on Sunday?” In response, Taylor told Hippler that probable cause shouldn’t be considered in a vacuum and that his ruling on the matter could have broader implications for the entire criminal justice system. Experts Say Defense Will Try To ‘Muddy The Waters’ At Trial With The New DNA Evidence MEGA Whether or not Hippler grants a Franks hearing, the defense introducing the new DNA evidence has given a hint at the strategy they intend to use during the trial. According to criminal defense attorney Edwina Elcox, they will likely use the unidentified genetic materials to try to “muddy the waters,” thereby creating reasonable doubt in the mind of the jury. “That evidence could be any variety of things: It could be something, or it could be a lot of things that are nothing,” Elcox told the outlet. “There’s at least something to be made of it, and it’s better than having nothing as a defense.” Elcox went on to say that regardless of the defense’s best effort, they would find it challenging to explain to jurors about the knife sheath DNA. “That’s the thing that squarely puts [Kohberger] there,” she added. “The magnitude of that evidence to the state’s case is critical, and cannot be understated.” One Of The Victims’ Dad Claimed The ******* Suspect Was Being Given Special Treatment ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA Steve Goncalves, a parent of one of the victims, opened up to Fox News in 2023 on his belief that the ******* suspect was being given preferential treatment while awaiting trial. He received alleged information that Kohberger had privileges like special food and internet access in jail. Goncalves said, “I’ve been told that his privileges before the trial, like having five suits, access to video and a computer, and getting special vegan meals, are like nothing we’ve seen in Idaho’s history.” The father of the victim, Kaylee, added that he “personally saw” the moment when the police “decided not to handcuff” Kohberger during a court hearing. Bryan Kohberger’s Trial Is Set For August MEGA Kohberger’s trial is set for August this year and will take place in Idaho’s capital, Boise. It was initially meant to be held in Moscow, Idaho, where the killings occurred, but was moved due to his defense claiming that he would not get a fair trial there. First, the 30-year-old will be tried to determine his guilt or innocence regarding the charges against him. Afterward, there will be another trial to determine whether he should receive the death penalty if he is found guilty. Due to the trial potentially having two phases, it is expected to last until November. Jury selection is set to begin in late July after all pretrial motions have concluded. In the meantime, he has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held without bail until his trial date. Source link #Idaho #Murders #Suspect #Bryan #Kohberger #Walk #Free #Due #Bombshell #DNA #Evidence Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Avowed – All Totem Of Revelations Pieces And Locations Avowed – All Totem Of Revelations Pieces And Locations Each region in Avowed is home to a totem you can find the pieces to and assemble, offering special passive bonuses when activated at camp. In Shatterscarp you can find the Totem of Revelations, with its six pieces and Totem Base scattered throughout the area. You can purchase a note with one-sentence hints and the names of each piece from the barkeep in Thirdborn, but it won’t add markers to the map. The totem pieces can be found in any order. Totem Base The Shrine to Wael is in the southwest part of Shatterscarp. The Totem Base can be found in the Shrine to Wael in the southwest region of Scatterscarp. It’s inside a cave, which you must follow a path into. Wrap around the southern part of the shrine to find the entrance to the cave. Start here on the cliff overlooking the ocean and jump down the path of rocks. Follow this tunnel to find the cave. Wrap around the back cliffside to find an entrance into a pink flowing cave. There aren’t any branching paths here, so just keep moving forward until you reach the cave interior, where the Totem Base can be found on an altar. The Totem Base is inside the Shrine of Wael cave. Ruby Eye The Ruby Eye is also in the Shrine to Wael. From the Shrine to Wael cave, where you found the Totem Base, turn to the part of the cave to the right of the altar, where there are some pink glowing rocks leading to a small cave path. Head inside. Follow the pink stones to a small tunnel leading to the Ruby Eye. Follow the path and you will find a person, Ward of the Eye, standing next to the Ruby Eye. You can grab the piece or speak with the ward who will give it to you if you are cooperative. The Ruby Eye can be grabbed off the ground or given to you by the ward. Amethyst Eye This piece can be found in the southeast part of the Ancient Lakebed. The Amethyst Eye can be found in the eastern part of the Ancient Lakebed. Head into the lake bed and look for a cave formation on the eastern part. Under there will be a woman and a bunch of graves; the Amethyst Eye is on a rock near the graves. The Amethyst Eye is on this rock next to the graves. Topaz Eye The Topaz Eye is located in Leviathan’s Hollow. The Topaz Eye can be found in the Leviathan’s Hollow, between the Sulfur Mines Basecamp and the Naku Kubel Approach in the northern part of Scatterscarp. You’ll start by heading into the giant skull cave and swimming under the water. Go inside the mouth and underwater to reach the interior area. When you emerge, head up to the ruins straight ahead of you and jump to the top of the building using the scaffolding to the left of it. Head up to the top of the building shown above and down the stairs behind it. On the top of the ruins, there are stairs heading into a small cave, with a person’s body next to a table, the Topaz Eye is on the table. The Topaz Eye is on this table, next to a side quest item. Emerald Eye The Emerald Eye is located in Shark’s Teeth ruins, in northern part. In Shark’s Teeth in the northwest region, start at the Sharks Teeth Party Camp. Turn to the southeast and you’ll spot a small statue with scaffolding around it. The totem piece is on top of the statue shown here. The Emerald Eye is on the top; just climb up to it. The Emerald Eye is on top of this partially built statue. Agate Eye The Agate Eye is in the Sand Sea Ruins, but not in the dungeon of the same name. The Agate Eye can be found in the Sand Sea Ruins, specifically the ruins above the dungeon of the same name. To get inside, start north of the ruins and use the ruins there to climb towards the top. North of the ruins, use the bits of ruins and scaffolding to get on top of the main circular building. Once inside, jump down to the middle floor of the main circular building and follow the hallway to find the Agate Eye on a table. The Agate eye is on a table on the second floor of the main ruins. Sapphire Eye The Sapphire Eye is located in the small Oasis water in the southeast corner of Shatterscarp. The Sapphire Eye can be found in the southeast section of the map in the Sand Sea Oasis. It’s located next to a skeleton in the water, just swim down to it. Swim down to find the eye near a skeleton in the small pond. Obsidian is no stranger to crafting compelling RPGs. For more help on the team’s latest effort, use our Avowed guides hub. Source link #Avowed #Totem #Revelations #Pieces #Locations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Prosecutor quits after refusing DOJ order to toss case Prosecutor quits after refusing DOJ order to toss case Danielle Sassoon, assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, exits court in New York, US, on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. Stephanie Keith | Bloomberg | Getty Images A top federal prosecutor in New York and a senior Department of Justice official resigned Thursday after refusing a DOJ order to dismiss the pending criminal case against Mayor Eric Adams. Danielle Sassoon, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, was the first to refuse to toss the case against Adams, who was indicted last fall, NBC News reported. After Sassoon refused, the matter was reassigned to the acting head of the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section, who also refused to dismiss the case and then quit, NBC reported. The criminal case against Adams has not been dismissed as of Thursday afternoon. Adams was indicted in September by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on charges related to alleged bribery, fraud and a decade-long campaign contribution scheme. On Monday, Emil Bove, a top-ranking DOJ official and former criminal defense lawyer for President Donald Trump, ordered Sassoon to dismiss the case against Adams. “Moments ago, I submitted my resignation to the attorney general,” Sassoon told SDNY staff in an email, according to an official cited by NBC. “As I told her, it has been my greatest honor to represent the United States and to pursue justice as a prosecutor in the Southern District of New York. It has been a privilege to be your colleague, and I will be watching with pride as you continue your service to the United States.” This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates. Source link #Prosecutor #quits #refusing #DOJ #order #toss #case Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Captain America 4 Already Has the Answer Captain America 4 Already Has the Answer With Marvel Rivals taking the hero shooter genre by storm, NetEase Games has proven they know how to make superheroes feel powerful and unique. From Storm’s weather manipulation to Iron Man’s high-tech arsenal, each hero brings something special to the battlefield. So many heroes, so few who actually enjoy taking damage. | Image Credit: NetEase Games But there’s one glaring issue that’s becoming harder to ignore: the severe shortage of Vanguard heroes. While Duelists are practically falling over each other to deal damage (18 and counting!), the tank roster is looking thinner than Bruce Banner before his morning coffee. And with The Thing’s upcoming arrival barely moving the needle, it’s time to look elsewhere for beefy additions. Speaking of which, Captain America: Brave New World has now introduced a certain crimson-colored powerhouse who could be exactly what Marvel Rivals needs. Sure, the early reviews might be mixed, but there’s one element everyone seems to agree on: Harrison Ford’s Red Hulk is a force to be reckoned with. A tank shortage that even the Hulk can’t fill The current roster of Vanguards in Marvel Rivals reads like a “who’s who” of Marvel’s heaviest hitters. You’ve got your Hulk, your Venom, even good ol’ Groot. But eight tanks versus eighteen damage dealers? That’s more unbalanced than Thanos’ jewelry collection. The Thing’s upcoming addition with the mid-season update will help, but let’s be honest—we need more than just a rock-hard exterior and “It’s clobbering time!” voice lines to fix this disparity. The game desperately needs tanks that bring unique mechanics to the table, not just different flavors of “hit things really hard.” And that’s where our crimson friend comes in. Red Hulk isn’t just another gamma-powered bruiser. His heat-based abilities and tactical military mind could bring something entirely new to the Vanguard roster. Imagine a tank who could not only soak up damage but also turn that absorbed energy into devastating area-denial attacks. Bringing the heat to Marvel Rivals Ross’s idea of a heated argument is a bit more literal. | Image Credit: Marvel Entertainment/YouTube Here’s where things get spicy—literally. Unlike his green counterpart who just gets stronger with rage, Red Hulk gets hotter. We’re talking “melt-Spider-Man’s-webbing” hot. And this unique characteristic could translate into a fascinating kit for Marvel Rivals. Picture this: A primary attack called “Superheated Punch” that generates extreme heat with each hit. Stack enough of these on a single target, and they’ll feel the true meaning of “managed anger management.” Follow that up with a diving charge attack that spreads these heat stacks to multiple targets, and suddenly you’ve got yourself a tank that can control both single targets and crowds. That’s not all! Thanks to his military background, Ross could have a “Tactical Charge” ability that lets him climb walls and make mid-air course corrections—perfect for positioning and battlefield control. And don’t get us started on his passive “Thermal Absorption” that stores heat for one massive gamma-powered release. The cherry on top? An ultimate ability called “Gamma Furnace” that overheats his body, drastically increasing attack power and requiring fewer heat stacks for bonus damage. Plus, it could buff nearby allies’ damage output, making Red Hulk a true team player. NetEase Games already has a template with Bruce Banner’s Hulk, meaning they could focus on making Ross feel distinct while still maintaining that satisfying (but balanced) “unstoppable force” feeling that makes playing tanks so enjoyable (and challenging). And with his unique heat mechanics and tactical options, he’d bring something entirely new to the Vanguard roster. What do you think about Red Hulk potentially joining the Marvel Rivals roster? How would you tweak his abilities? Share your ideas in the comments below! Source link #Captain #America #Answer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees announced; 4 artists of color among them – NJ.com Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees announced; 4 artists of color among them – NJ.com Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees announced; 4 artists of color among them NJ.comChubby Checker, Phish and Outkast Among Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees The New York TimesThe White Stripes nominated again for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame WDIV ClickOnDetroitBilly Idol Was ‘Knocked Down’ by His Rock Hall Nomination Vulture Source link #Rock #amp #Roll #Hall #Fame #nominees #announced #artists #color #among #NJ.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Assassin's Creed Shadows Tech Q&A Assassin's Creed Shadows Tech Q&A As the first Assassin’s Creed game to release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC only, the development team put a lot of effort into their new Anvil engine to fully leverage the latest hardware capabilities, setting new technical standards for the series. Source link #Assassin039s #Creed #Shadows #Tech #QampA Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Leaders set for Munich Security Conference as world order in danger of crumbling Leaders set for Munich Security Conference as world order in danger of crumbling Frank Gardner Security Correspondent Reuters JD Vance has arrived in Munich for the conference and is expected to lay out the US plan for Ukraine The US Vice President, JD Vance, Ukraine’s President Zelensky and up to 60 other world leaders and decision-makers are due to convene in Munich over the next three days for the annual Munich Security Conference (MSC). For nearly two decades now I have been attending and covering this event for the BBC and I cannot think of a year when there has been so much at stake in terms of global security. A senior and highly experienced Western official said this week “this is the most dangerous and contested time I have ever known in my career”. Why? Put simply, the current world security order – the catchily named International Rules-based Order – is in danger of crumbling. Some would argue this is already happening. The end of consensus When President Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago it was widely condemned by much – although not all – of the world. Nato, the EU and the West in general reached an extraordinary level of unity in coming together to help Ukraine defend itself, without getting drawn into direct conflict with Russia. Barring some demurring from Slovakia and Hungary, there was a general consensus that Putin’s invasion must be seen to fail or Nato itself would be critically weakened while Russia would eventually be tempted to invade another neighbouring country, such as Estonia. It was often said that Ukraine should be given whatever it took and for as long as it took in order to secure a lasting peace from a position of strength. Not any more. President Trump has effectively pulled the rug out from Ukraine’s negotiating position by conceding, via his Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, that restoring Ukraine’s territory to where it was before the first Russian invasion in 2014 is simply “not realistic”. The US has also dashed Kyiv’s hopes of joining Nato, a key ambition of President Zelensky, and ruled out sending US troops to help protect its borders from the next time Russia decides to invade. An even greater shock has come with the news that President Trump held an apparently cordial 90-minute phone call with President Putin, thus abruptly ending the West’s three-year freeze in talking to the Russian leader that has been in place since the time of the invasion. EPA Ukraine’s hopes of joining Nato have been dashed by the US Over the next 72 hours we will be hearing in Munich from President Trump’s team here in Munich what the details of their plan for Ukraine will be. Some of it is still to be worked out after his envoy, retired US Army General Keith Kellogg, travels to Kyiv next week. But for now, Nato’s unity is badly dented as clearly there is a wide difference of opinion over Ukraine between Washington and Europe. One wants the war to end as quickly as possible, even if it means conceding to many of Moscow’s demands. The other still believed, at least until this week, that with Russia losing around a thousand battlefield casualties a day and its economy facing dire long-term problems the best way to win a lasting peace would be to keep up the pressure on Moscow until it its army was exhausted and it agreed to peace terms more favourable to Ukraine. That won’t be happening now. Worrying cracks in Nato For the Nato alliance, now in its 76th year, there are other worrying cracks starting to appear which will also come in for discussion here at the Munich Security Conference. Last month President Trump announced he wanted to “buy” Greenland, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark. When Denmark’s Prime Minister Frederiksson assured her population that “Greenland is not for *****” there followed what was called a “horrendous” phone call from Donald Trump who has not ruled out the use of force to take Greenland. The idea of one Nato country threatening to seize part of another Nato country’s territory would have been unthinkable up until now. In Greenland’s case there is no justification for it on security grounds since there are more US troops on Greenland than Danish and Copenhagen is happy to agree ways to boost mutual defence for the island. But even if nothing ever comes of this idea, and most of Scandinavia is dearly hoping that is the case, in some respects the damage has already been done. The message has gone out from the leader of the free world that its OK to threaten your neighbours by force if you want their territory. “It may be,” says Lord Kim Darroch, the former *** national security adviser and British Ambassador to Washington, “that Trump’s threat of economic measures against Nato ally Denmark, and his refusal to rule out military action against them, are just negotiating tactics. But even if nothing comes from it, it’s done great damage. It’s another signal of Trump’s disdain for Nato. And it will be interpreted in Moscow and Beijing as a message that they have a free hand in Ukraine and Taiwan respectively”. Washington’s European allies will be looking for some reassurance here in Munich that that is not the case. But President Trump is already well on the way to reshaping America’s role in the world and the indications are he is unlikely to be listening to any complaints coming from Europe. Source link #Leaders #set #Munich #Security #Conference #world #order #danger #crumbling Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]