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How to Increase Happiness in Civilization 7 How to Increase Happiness in Civilization 7 Civilization 7 is a game full of various currencies and mechanics that you need to manage all at once. Even with the best tips and tricks to help you out, knowing how to keep all your plates spinning is a major learning curve with new additions like Ages and Influence to keep in mind. Happiness is back from Civilization 5, but reworked and influenced by different things. If your population gets too unhappy, you will be hit with many debuffs that could cost you the game. Here are the ways you can be a great Leader and keep all your people happy in Civilization 7. How to increase Happiness Image used with permission by copyright holder Happiness is one of the primary resources attached to all your towns and cities alongside food, gold, and Influence. It behaves more like gold than anything else because there are things you will do that cost Happiness, but also ways in which you can generate more. The key is to always produce more Happiness than you spend. There are multiple settlements that give you Happiness, which you will see when expanding any town or city on the map by the smiley face icon. Beyond those, building things like Wonders and researching civics or traditions can also give you a buff to Happiness. You lose Happiness by building certain other structures. You can see when highlighting any new construction how much Happiness it will cost to make (if any). Also, placing new advisors on a tile will cost some Happiness every turn. Keep in mind that it is your total Happiness that is most important. You can have one town or city that is in the negative, but if you have another that is producing enough to keep you in the positive, you are in the clear. It could be wise to dedicate one or more cities to generating a ton of Happiness so others can sacrifice it in favor of other resources. If you keep your Happiness up, you will eventually be rewarded with a celebration that lets you pick between two temporary perks to things like science or building speeds. On the other hand, falling into negative Happiness will give you a debuff called the Consequences of Unhappiness. Source link #Increase #Happiness #Civilization Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pokemon Developer Unveils New RPG Called Pandoland, Coming Out In April Pokemon Developer Unveils New RPG Called Pandoland, Coming Out In April Game Freak, best known for developing the Pokemon franchise, is working on a new smartphone RPG named Pandoland. The title is slated to arrive in late April, with pre-registration available now on iOS and Android. Signing up can net you diamonds that can equate to 100 gacha pulls. Pandoland is described as a casual-adventure RPG, seeing players search for treasures and explore dungeons. There are apparently over 500 characters and items to collect, and building a team of companions helps with exploration. The official trailer for the game–seen below–showcases a blocky art style as a group of characters set sail on the open seas aboard a ship. The boat passes by different islands and even a giant squid. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. 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 Now Playing: PANDOLAND | Official Reveal Trailer This isn’t the only game cooking at Game Freak that has nothing to do with Pokemon. In 2023, the developer revealed Project Bloom, a new action-adventure game that’s supposed to be “bold and tonally different” from the company’s past catalog. Game Freak is partnering with Private Division on Project Bloom, which previously was part of Take-Two Interactive. However, Private Division was reportedly sold to an unknown buyer late last year, and it’s unknown if this could affect the game. Meanwhile, Game Freak is also busy with Pokemon Legends Z-A, which is planned to launch on Switch this year. Pokemon Legends Z-A is set in Lumiose City, a hub first introduced to the franchise with Pokemon X and Y. There has been no official mention of the game possibly coming to Switch 2 at this point. However, Pokemon Day (February 27) is later this month and usually accompanied by a Pokemon Presents livestream, so it’s a possibility we could learn more then. Source link #Pokemon #Developer #Unveils #RPG #Called #Pandoland #Coming #April Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China will likely reduce purchase of chipmaking tools this year as homegrown toolmakers ramp up China will likely reduce purchase of chipmaking tools this year as homegrown toolmakers ramp up ******** entities have led the purchase of chipmaking tools for several years now. Still, this year’s wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) sales to ******** chipmakers will drop because of sanctions and overcapacity, according to a Reuters report citing a TechInsights webinar. According to TechInsights, China’s investment in semiconductor manufacturing tools is set to drop from $41 billion in 2024 to $38 billion, a 6% reduction. In recent years, much of China’s investments were driven by stockpiling, as companies sought to secure tools before additional U.S. restrictions took effect. The upcoming downturn is attributed to tighter U.S. export restrictions and an oversupply of chips. While a $3 billion drop is significant, a $38 billion spending means that China will remain the world’s largest market for wafer fabrication equipment, followed by Taiwan, South Korea, and the U.S. In 2023, ******** companies purchased $36.6 billion worth of WFE, billings to South Korean companies totaled $16.94 billion, and Taiwanese entities procured semiconductor production tools worth $19.62 billion. In contrast, according to SEMI, American chipmakers trailed with $12.05 billion. Although U.S. sanctions have limited China’s access to advanced semiconductor production technologies (particularly those used for AI and supercomputers), China has made significant strides in mature-node chips, ramping production and gaining ground on American and Taiwanese competitors. This segment includes older but widely used process technologies, such as 28nm, 45nm, 90nm, and 130nm. While this expansion has strengthened China’s position on the market, SMIC recently warned of potential oversupply risks, which could impact profitability as demand for consumer electronics — where many of the chips produced on mature nodes are used — is weak these days. It should be noted that analysts and market observers from outside of China primarily track sales of Western tools to the People’s Republic. Meanwhile, foreigners have relatively limited visibility on what is happening with domestic wafer fabrication equipment suppliers. The latter have grown their sales and market share in 2024 to record levels. Companies like AMEC and Naura, which specialize in etching and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) tools, produce world-class equipment and are on track to push aside such giants as Applied Materials, KLA, and Lam Research in China. However, China still struggles with key weaknesses in semiconductor production as domestic chipmakers remain heavily dependent on foreign suppliers for lithography machines. Currently, they purchase tools from companies like ASML, Canon, and Nikon as Shanghai Micro Electronics Equipment (SMEE) can only make litho tools good enough for process technologies of 90nm and thicker (even though it planned to deliver its first 28nm-capable scanner in 2023). China also lags in testing and assembly equipment. In 2023, domestic companies supplied only 17% of testing tools and 10% of assembly machines used in the country, according to TechInsights. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. While China will reduce its purchases of chipmaking tools in 2025, it will still be the biggest buyer of such equipment. This is because it is rapidly building fabs specializing in mature process technologies. Once these fabs are equipped, they will have formidable production capacity and likely flood the market with simplistic chips like display driver ICs (DDICs) and power management ICs (PMICs), which will hit companies from other regions hard. Source link #China #reduce #purchase #chipmaking #tools #year #homegrown #toolmakers #ramp Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Menus and Margins: Restaurant Stocks in Play Over the Back Half of Earnings Season Menus and Margins: Restaurant Stocks in Play Over the Back Half of Earnings Season Chili’s is back, baby: Brinker International EAT has been on a hot streak. US Foods and Shake Shack SHAK issued preliminary results last month, and both report full Q4 numbers this week and next. Overall, the consumer keeps spending, but winners and losers emerge. One of the most gangbuster earnings reports so far this season didn’t come from a flashy AI name or one of the mega-cap tech stars. No, it was from the owner of that humble family-eating establishment just down the street. Brinker International Inc (NYSE:) reported blowout Q2 2025 numbers. The company that runs the Chili’s and Maggiano’s brands recorded non-GAAP EPS of $2.80 in the quarter ending December 25, 2024, which soared past Wall Street’s consensus estimate. Revenue of $1.35 billion was a +26% year-on-year comparison, also topping expectations. Digging into the report, its Chili’s brand posted a 31.4% annual sales jump, which is almost hard to fathom for a family-friendly restaurant. Shares soared by 16.3% in the session that followed, and EAT is now scarfing up the competition’s lunch, it seems. The stock is up more than 300% from the start of 2024. Improved Restaurant Spending Trends But that’s just one company, one story. Broader restaurant industry trends are not as sanguine. According to BofA Global Research and Bloomberg Second Measure credit and debit card data, US restaurant spending ended 2024 on a whimper with a –3.6% annual slump. January appears a bit better at –0.9%, but that includes a positive seasonal shift around the New Year’s holiday. The BofA numbers point to strength in full-service restaurants, such as those operated by Brinker, but softer sales among some fast-casual chains. And while we don’t have data specific to breakfast joints, the increasing cost of eggs, coffee, and oranges could be squeezing your favorite diner. The Right Recipe Mixes in Tech, Automation, and a Customer-First Focus For Brinker, the Chili’s brand was likely able to achieve such strong same-restaurant sales thanks to a myriad of factors. CEO Kevin Hochman noted operational improvements on the conference call, including simplified menus, enhanced food quality, and strategic marketing campaigns like the “Triple Dipper” appetizer initiative (sounds scrumptious). The management team also called out successful automation investments and kitchen technology, such as TurboChef ovens, which helped to streamline operations and improve guest experiences. So, EAT’s excellent quarter can be partly attributed to tech. Trends in the restaurant industry tell us a lot about the consumer and their willingness to spend on discretionary categories. Data from OpenTable suggests that there may be a modest acceleration in away-from-home food spending. As of early February, the weekly change in seated diners from online reservations was up 5% from a year earlier, and up from –8% in mid-January. High Steaks: Fourth-Quarter Results on the Menu On the earnings docket, we’ll hear from a slew of restaurant and food companies in the next few weeks. The likes of (NYSE:), (NASDAQ:), (NYSE:), and (NYSE:) have already posted results, but quarterly figures from US Foods (USFD) Wendy’s (WEN), Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ:), Shake Shack Inc (NYSE:) (SHAK), Texas Roadhouse (NASDAQ:), Domino’s (DPZ), Bloomin Brands (BLMN), Cracker Barrel (NASDAQ:), Papa Johns (PZZA), and Cava (CAVA) are all due out by early March. US Foods: An Under-the-Radar Recent Winner On that list, USFD reported preliminary earnings results back on January 13. The $17 billion market cap Food Distributors industry firm, within the Consumer Staples sector, reaffirmed its fiscal year 2024 guidance. Supporting the restaurant industry, US Foods partners with approximately 250,000 restaurant locations and food service operators. Ahead of its presentation at the January ICR Conference, the company guided to annual sales of $37.7-$38.0 billion, about in line with consensus, and adjusted diluted EPS in the range of $3.05-$3.15 versus $3.12 consensus. That would be a mid-single-digit top-line growth rate, not especially impressive on its own, but USFD shares have gone on a bullish binge, up 40% in the six months ending February 5. The rally comes despite tariff fears and a strong . Looking ahead, US Foods has a confirmed Q4 2024 earnings date of Thursday, February 13 BMO with a conference call at 9 a.m. ET. After affirming guidance earlier this month within its preliminary report, this high-momentum stock could be one to watch. Burgers, Fries, Shakes…and Profits? While USFD may fly under investors’ radars, Shake Shack has become a household name in certain areas of the country. With just a $5 billion market cap, the New York-based Consumer Discretionary stock, like EAT and USFD, has outperformed the since the beginning of 2024. SHAK had negative operating earnings from 2020 through 2022, but EPS growth has improved markedly; the street expects a more than doubling of its annual per-share earnings when it issues results on Thursday, February 20 BMO. On January 13, also ahead of the ICR Conference, the company served up a 2024 business update and refreshed long-term targets. SHAK’s preliminary numbers pointed to same-store (I mean, Shack) sales growth of 4.3% in Q4 with total revenue rising by 14.8%. Margins were particularly impressive with the fast-casual chain; the preliminary noted an expansion of almost 300 basis points compared to the previous year while adjusted EBITDA grew 48%. Shake Shack is staking claims across the country with 43 new Shacks opened in FY 2024, and it aims to have 1500 restaurants operating “over time.” Despite beefy growth visions, SHAK shares have shaken the bulls’ psyche lately. The stock is down from its all-time high just shy of $140 last December to between $113 and $125 ahead of its full Q4 report next week. The Bottom Line The restaurant space has been a volatile arena for investors in the last several years. Post-COVID spending was a boon, but then high inflation, including soaring wage growth in the services sector, was tough on operators. Today, with steadier cost pressures, new challenges emerge as competition heats up in the kitchen. AI and tech have been helpful for recent winners, while the constant threat of tariffs looms. We’ll be able to link the narratives as more chains report over the weeks ahead. Source link #Menus #Margins #Restaurant #Stocks #Play #Earnings #Season Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

U.S. sending nonviolent, “low-risk” migrants to Guantanamo, despite vow to detain “the worst” there U.S. sending nonviolent, “low-risk” migrants to Guantanamo, despite vow to detain “the worst” there Washington — While the Trump administration has highlighted transfers of dangerous criminals and suspected gang members to Guantanamo Bay, it is also sending nonviolent, “low-risk” migrant detainees who lack serious criminal records or any at all, according to two U.S. officials and internal government documents. When he ordered officials to convert facilities inside the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, into a large-scale immigration detention site late last month, President Trump said it would house the “worst” migrants and “provide additional detention space for high-priority criminal aliens.” Administration officials have since touted military flights to Guantanamo that they said have transported migrants in the U.S. illegally who have also committed violent crimes like ******* and *****, as well as alleged members of Tren de Aragua, the infamous gang that originated in Venezuelan prisons. Internal documents and interviews with U.S. officials indicate the administration has sent migrant criminals and alleged gang members to Guantanamo, detaining them in the post-9/11 maximum-security prison that also houses, in a separate section, more than a dozen terrorism suspects. But in addition to sending those with criminal records or suspected or known gang ties — classified as “high-risk” detainees — U.S. officials have also transported migrants deemed to be “low-risk” to Guantanamo, according to the government documents obtained by CBS News. More low-risk migrants are expected to be transported on Wednesday, alongside high-risk detainees, the documents show. Federal immigration authorities define low-risk detainees as migrants who face deportation because they are in the U.S. illegally but who have not been arrested or convicted of violent offenses or other serious crimes, government guidelines show. U.S. officials said they could include migrants who lack any criminal record but have been ordered deported because of civil immigration violations, like entering the country without proper documents. While the high-risk migrants have been detained in cells at Guantanamo’s maximum-security prison, the low-risk detainees have been placed in a barrack-like facility known as the Migrant Operations Center that includes rooms with restrooms, according to the documents and one of the U.S. officials, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. The State Department has traditionally used the Migrant Operations Center to house asylum-seekers intercepted at sea by the U.S. Coast Guard, while they wait to be resettled in third countries. Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment. The department oversees the ICE officials who have legal custody over the migrant detainees at Guantanamo. In two weeks, officials have made some progress in operationalizing Mr. Trump’s instructions to establish the facilities needed to detain as many as 30,000 unauthorized migrants at the base in Guantanamo, a 45-square mile stretch of Cuban land that the U.S. has leased for over a century. Over the past week, U.S. service members at the base have been erecting tents to house migrant detainees beyond the prison and Migrant Operations Center, both of which have limited capacities. A photo released by the Pentagon shows tents being erected to house migrants at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba on Feb. 6, 2025. U.S. Navy / AFN Guantanamo Bay Public Affairs Officials have also been meeting the administration’s goal of transporting groups of detainees to the base daily, sending six consecutive military flights over the past six days. The flights, however, have only carried up to 15 detainees each, due to limits on how many can be transported at one time once they reach the base. As of late Tuesday, nearly 100 unauthorized migrants were being held at Guantanamo, all of them adults from Venezuela, one of the U.S. officials said. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said recently the detainees will be held there until they can be deported, but it’s unclear when that could happen. In recent years, Venezuela’s repressive government has generally rejected American deportation flights, citing the economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. Under a recently brokered agreement with the Trump administration, Venezuela sent two planes to the Texas border earlier this week to pick nearly 200 of its citizens who were in U.S. immigration custody and transport them back to Venezuela. But similar flights to Guantanamo have not been announced. While some Republican lawmakers have praised the Trump administration for using Guantanamo to hold migrant detainees, the effort has alarmed pro-immigrant civil rights groups. They have accused the administration of using the naval base as a “legal ****** hole” to hold migrants “incommunicado,” demanding that the detainees be given access to lawyers. While the transportation of low-risk migrants to Guantanamo undermines statements from Trump officials that the facility would be used to house “the worst of the worst,” it also reinforces a message the administration has communicated repeatedly: no one who is in the U.S. illegally will be shielded from detention and deportation, even if they lack criminal histories. Eleanor Watson contributed to this report. More Camilo Montoya-Galvez Camilo Montoya-Galvez is the immigration reporter at CBS News. Based in Washington, he covers immigration policy and politics. Source link #U.S #sending #nonviolent #lowrisk #migrants #Guantanamo #vow #detain #worst Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

USAID watchdog fired after report on Trump’s bid to dismantle agency – National USAID watchdog fired after report on Trump’s bid to dismantle agency – National The inspector general for the U.S. Agency for International Development was fired on Tuesday, a USAID official said, a day after his office published a report critical of the Trump administration’s effort to eliminate the agency. Paul Martin had served as the agency’s inspector general, a position requiring U.S. Senate confirmation, since December 2023. The USAID official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said Martin was “removed from his position.” Martin was informed by an email from Trent Morse, deputy director of the Office of Presidential Personnel. Morse told Martin that his position as USAID inspector general was terminated “effective immediately,” a copy of the email showed. No reason was provided. The White House did not have any comment. 2:02 ********* ****-AIDS charity loses funding, under pressure as USAID gets gutted The inspector general’s office on Monday released a report that said the Trump administration’s move to dismantle USAID has crippled its ability to conduct oversight of unspent aid worth $8.2 billion. Story continues below advertisement The report said staff cuts and stop-work orders have made it difficult to ensure taxpayer-funded aid would end up in the hands of those intended. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Hundreds of USAID programs across the globe representing billions of dollars of U.S. assistance came to a halt after U.S. President Donald Trump on January 20 ordered a freeze on most U.S. foreign aid, saying he wanted to ensure it was aligned with his “America First” policy. Trending Now Trump threatens ********* cars with tariffs up to 100% New Brunswick border town reacts to Trump’s 51st state comments More on World More videos Trump on Tuesday called USAID “incompetent and corrupt,” as he tasked billionaire Elon Musk with scaling down the agency, which had more than 10,000 staff at home and overseas before all but just over 600 were put on leave or fired. The Trump administration last week took steps to put most of USAID’s workforce on administrative leave, but the move was blocked by a judge on Friday. In fiscal year 2023, the United States disbursed $72 billion of aid worldwide on initiatives including women’s health in conflict zones, clean water access, ****/AIDS treatments, energy security and anti-corruption work. It provided 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations in 2024. The funding, less than 1% of the U.S. federal budget, has historically been justified as instrumental to Washington’s efforts to build alliances around the world, reinforce diplomacy and counter the influence of adversaries such as China and Russia in the developing world. Story continues below advertisement –Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Jasper Ward; Additional reporting by Nandita Bose; Editing by Cynthia Osterman Source link #USAID #watchdog #fired #report #Trumps #bid #dismantle #agency #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Alters Has Been Delayed Again By 11 Bit Stdios The Alters Has Been Delayed Again By 11 Bit Stdios The Alters has been delayed once again by 11 Bit Studios. The announcement comes via a post on social media on Wednesday morning. In the post online, the game’s official account said that the planned release for Q1 2025 has been pushed to later in the year. An exact window, however, wasn’t given. “While we recognize that this may not be the update you were hoping for, this additional time is being dedicated to further refining mission parameters and ensuring that all essential systems meet Ally Corp’s uncompromising standards,” the statement reads. “Furthermore, it is also allowing us to integrate new enhancements into Project Dolly, ensuring that your eventual deployment is more exciting and rewarding than originally projected.” They continued: “This additional time will allow us to ensure that every aspect of Project Dolly operates at peak efficiency, leading to an outcome that benefits both the organization and, of course, yourself.” For those unfamiliar with the game, The Alters is a “emotional sci-fi game with a unique blend of survival, adventure, and base-building elements.” Players have to work to create alternate versions of the main character Jan Dolski in order to escape a hostile planet after he was left as the lone survivor of a space expedition. The game was announced back in June 2022. When it does finally release, The Alters will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. It will also be available via Xbox Game Pass. What do you make of The Alters being delayed to later this year? Let us know down below, and join more discussions in the official Insider Gaming forums. For more Insider Gaming, check out what classic Call of Duty game is scheduled to come to Xbox Game Pass in the coming months And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Alters #Delayed #Bit #Stdios Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Here’s the inflation breakdown for January 2025 — in one chart Here’s the inflation breakdown for January 2025 — in one chart A grocery store worker rearranges items in the depleted egg section on Jan. 23, 2025 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Inflation jumped in January on the back of higher prices for consumer staples like groceries and energy. Economists worry inflation has become entrenched above the Federal Reserve’s target, even as President Donald Trump’s policies around tariffs and immigration threaten to exacerbate it. The consumer price index, an inflation gauge, rose 3% for the 12 months ending in January, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. The January reading is up from 2.9% in December. It marks the fourth consecutive month of increases in the annual inflation rate, when it was at 2.4% in September. “It feels like everything that could go wrong in this report did go wrong,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s. That said, he cautioned that one month of data doesn’t necessarily make a trend. It would be wise to see a few more inflation reports before ringing alarm bells, he explained. “I’d send off a yellow flare,” Zandi said. “I wouldn’t send off more than one, and certainly wouldn’t [yet] send off a red flare.” Broad disinflation appears to be over The consumer price index, or CPI, measures how quickly prices rise or fall for a basket of goods and services, from haircuts to coffee, clothing and concert tickets. CPI inflation has declined significantly from its pandemic-era high of 9.1% in June 2022. However, it remains above the Federal Reserve’s target. The central bank aims for a 2% annual rate over the long term. To get there, economists say inflation readings from month to month should be around 0.2%. “Inflation has now been around these rates for some time and clearly isn’t coming down decisively any more,” Paul Ashworth, chief North America economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a note Wednesday. The apparent end to the broad ******* of disinflation in the U.S. is largely a function of the economy’s and labor market’s strength, putting businesses in a position to raise prices more aggressively, Zandi said. ‘The egg shock is enormous’ Price increases were “strong” almost across the board in January, in categories like groceries, gasoline, prescription drugs, vehicle insurance and repair, airline tickets and hotel room rates, Zandi said. The only major category with a decline was apparel, he said. Grocery prices jumped by 0.5% from December to January, up from a 0.3% monthly rise from November to December, according to the BLS. More from Personal Finance: Wholesale egg prices have ‘blown way past’ record highs A Roth IRA offers a ‘longer runway for tax-free investing’ ‘Keep your hands off our Social Security,’ lawmakers warn Egg prices soared by 15% just from December to January, according to CPI data. They’re up 53% in the past year, largely due to supply shortages created by a deadly bird flu outbreak, economists said. “The egg shock is enormous,” said Joe Seydl, senior markets economist at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. That shock filters through to other grocery items tied to eggs, such as baked goods, economists said. There’s also a substitution effect: Consumers may opt to switch to other proteins like beef if bird flu drives up the price of eggs and chicken, Seydl said. Coffee prices have also strengthened amid climate-related issues in the world’s coffee-growing regions, Zandi said. The price of instant coffee, for example, is up about 7% in the past year, according to CPI. Gasoline prices were up about 2% from December to January, a reflection of higher oil prices. Fuel oil was up about 6% during the month. Elevated prices for gasoline and diesel can filter through to other areas of the economy, like food, due to higher transport costs for distributors, economists said. ‘Through the worst’ of housing inflation Inflation for both rent and “owners’ equivalent rent” (which measures the price at which a homeowner could rent their residence) stayed level for the month, at 0.3%. Shelter inflation was 4.4% over the past year, the smallest 12-month increase since January 2022. “We’re increasingly confident we’re through the worst of the shelter inflation,” Seydl said. Tariffs would likely raise inflation Meanwhile, Americans are bracing for potentially higher inflation amid expectations that Trump will impose broad tariffs on trading partners, which generally raise prices for consumers. Economists expect Trump’s policy priorities like mass deportations and tax cuts would also be inflationary. Deportations may limit labor supply at a time of low U.S. unemployment, putting upward pressure on wages, while tax cuts may fuel spending if consumers have more money, they said. “We continue to believe that the Trump Administration’s trade, fiscal and immigration policy agenda would be mildly inflationary,” Bank of America economists wrote in a note on Monday. That inflationary impact would likely play out in the second half of 2025, though that timeline could move forward if additional tariffs take effect in the next few weeks, the note said. Tariff threat already impacting auto prices Tariffs already seem to be buoying prices for automobiles by boosting short-term demand, Seydl said. The annual inflation rate for new vehicles has drifted upward since October, though remains low around 0%. “The evidence is becoming much broader about consumers trying to purchase ahead of tariffs,” Seydl said. “I think it’s probably the biggest driver of auto inflation.” Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, for example, as soon as next month. He also signed an order Monday that would impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum on March 4. Most major automakers rely heavily on imports from other countries, including Mexico, to meet demand from U.S. consumers. Ford Motor CEO Jim Farley said Tuesday that Trump’s tariff policy is causing “chaos” for the U.S. auto industry. For now, evidence suggests the behavior of consumers frontloading their purchases is “very concentrated” in the auto market, Seydl said. But it could broaden to other categories like consumer electronics and appliances, for example, he said. A 10% additional tariff on all imports from China took effect on Feb. 4. The bulk of what China exports to the U.S. is consumer goods such as apparel, toys and electronics. Source link #Heres #inflation #breakdown #January #chart Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

8 inspectors general fired by Trump file lawsuit challenging dismissals 8 inspectors general fired by Trump file lawsuit challenging dismissals Trump fires at least 15 inspectors general President Trump’s executive actions and inspectors general firings spark debate 02:38 Washington — A group of eight former internal government watchdogs who were fired by President Trump filed a lawsuit Wednesday challenging their terminations. The legal challenge, brought in federal district court in Washington, D.C, argues that their firings violate federal laws that were enacted to protect inspectors general from interference with their duties. One of those laws, passed in 2022, requires a president to give Congress 30 days notice about the planned removal of an inspector general. The former inspectors general involved in the lawsuit worked at the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, State, Education, Agriculture and Labor, as well as the Small Business Administration. Mr. Trump fired the internal government watchdogs just days into his second term, and they were notified through a two-line email from the Office of Presidential Personnel. This is a developing story Melissa Quinn Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Source link #inspectors #general #fired #Trump #file #lawsuit #challenging #dismissals Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gill smashes ton as India sweep England in ODI series Gill smashes ton as India sweep England in ODI series India have completed a 3-0 series sweep against outclassed England after Shubman Gill’s fluent hundred, helped by some incisive bowling, secured their victory by 142 runs in the final one-day international in Ahmedabad. Gill smashed 112 to help India rack up 356 before being all out in exactly 50 overs in Wednesday’s clash, though a ******* total looked on the cards when they were cruising at 2-226 in the 35th over. England could then not capitalise on their flying start and were bowled out for 214 in 34.2 overs as India got a major boost ahead of the Champions Trophy later this month. For England, though, it has been a trying time, with India having also won the preceding T20 series between the sides 4-1. To make things worse leading into the Champions Trophy, England’s key opener Ben Duckett is now a serious injury concern after having tweaked his groin during the India innings. “When we came into the series, we knew there will be many challenges that we will have to face but we came out pretty well. Very pleased,” India captain Rohit Sharma said at the presentation ceremony “Whatever was thrown at us, we responded pretty well throughout the series.” Asked to bat, the hosts lost Rohit in the second over but Gill forged century-plus partnerships with Virat Kohli (52) and Shreyas Iyer (78) to lay the foundation for a big total. Rohit fell to Mark Wood after making one but Kohli showed signs of form ahead of the Champions Trophy with a run-a-ball fifty. Adil Rashid (4-64) eventually dismissed Kohli, caught behind, but Gill and Iyer milked the English attack with ease. Gill needed 95 ****** to bring up his seventh ODI hundred, which he reached with a four off Wood. Rashid also ended Gill’s knock when the opener attempted a cross-batted shot, only to miss the ball that crashed onto his stumps. Iyer fell to a wayward ball from the leg-spinner which he tickled down the leg side to be caught behind, while KL Rahul departed after a cameo of 40. The stage looked set for India to launch an onslaught but England fought back with the ball to deny them a late flourish. Duckett, who was limping after incurring his injury in the field, still led England’s reply and quickly hit Arshdeep Singh for four fours in a row. But Arshdeep recovered to exact revenge by removing England openers Duckett (34) and Phil Salt (23), deceiving both with slower deliveries. Axar Patel began with a maiden over as India not only stemmed the boundary flow but also struck back with their spinners. Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Tom Banton, whose breezy 38 included two reverse-hit sixes, but England still had Joe Root (24) to bat around. Root looked comfortable too but his innings was cut short when he dragged an Axar delivery onto his stumps. Seamer Harshit Rana removed England captain Jos Buttler (six) and the dangerous Harry Brook (19) in successive overs to derail England’s chase. Gus Atkinson made a defiant 38 before being the last wicket to fall. “To be honest, we have been outplayed by a fantastic team,” Buttler said. “We were going to have to play really well to chase that down. We got off to a great start but… we need to extend that and take the game longer.” Source link #Gill #smashes #ton #India #sweep #England #ODI #series Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Crysis 4 is ‘on hold’ and its director has left as Crytek says it’s laying off 15% of its staff Crysis 4 is ‘on hold’ and its director has left as Crytek says it’s laying off 15% of its staff Crytek has announced that Crysis 4 is “on hold” as it plans to lay off 15% of its staff (around 60 people) to stay “financially sustainable”. In a statement posted on its official X account, the company said the layoffs were necessary because of the current state of the industry. “Like so many of our peers, we aren’t immune to the complex, unfavorable market dynamics that have hit our industry these past several years,” it wrote. “It pains us greatly to share today that we must lay off an estimated 15% of our around 400 employees. The layoffs affect development teams and shared services. This has not been an easy decision to make, as we deeply appreciate the hard work of our talented teams.” Crytek‘s announcement also reveals that it decided during Q3 last year to put development of Crysis 4 “on hold”, and that it has “been trying to shift developers over to Hunt: Showdown 1896″. Crytek announced in January 2022 that the fourth Crysis game was in development, and later that year recruited Hitman 3 game director Mattias Engström to lead development on the game. Engström’s LinkedIn page shows that he left Crytek in November 2024 – presumably after Crysis 4 development was put “on hold” – and rejoined Hitman studio IO Interactive as a principal game designer. pic.twitter.com/zJzGroAIex — Crytek (@Crytek) February 12, 2025 In its statement, the studio added: “While Hunt: Showdown 1896 is still growing, Crytek cannot continue as before and remain financially sustainable. “Even after ongoing efforts to reduce costs and cut operating expenses, we have determined that layoffs are inevitable to move forward. Crytek will offer affected employees severance packages and career assistance services.” Stating that it “firmly believes in the future of Crytek”, the company says the plan is to now “continue to expand and evolve Hunt: Showdown 1896 with great content and drive our strategy for our engine CryEngine”. Source link #Crysis #hold #director #left #Crytek #laying #staff Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

South of Midnight Preview [Capsule Computers] South of Midnight Preview [Capsule Computers] Travis Bruno of Capsule Computers writes: “Throughout our own world there have always been various myths, legends, and forms of magic that take on unique forms thanks to their origins and many of these elements have been explored in media and games before, but one that doesn’t seem to appear very often is that of the Deep South. In fact, outside of a certain Disney movie and some smaller less likely remembered films of the past, even games rarely, if at all, touched upon the myths and legends of the Deep South. That is until Compulsion Games revealed that their next game, following their creation of We Happy Few and Contrast, would be South of Midnight, a title set in a gothic version of the Deep South that would be steeped in its myths and lore, all uniquely stylized and presented as if in stop-motion. Many wondered just how well this would translate into gameplay and now that we’ve been able to play through close to an hour of a chapter set shortly into the game, we’ve gotten a small taste of what to expect.” Source link #South #Midnight #Preview #Capsule #Computers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Morgan Stanley says buy Tesla to play AI’s transformation of manufacturing Morgan Stanley says buy Tesla to play AI’s transformation of manufacturing Tesla is best positioned to benefit from the transformation of U.S. manufacturing by artificial intelligence merging with physical machines, according to Morgan Stanley. The U.S. manufacturing base has declined from 28% of the U.S. economy in 1953 to just 10% today, an all-time low. But AI is tailwind for domestic manufacturing that will bring down costs, analysts led by Adam Jonas told clients in a Wednesday note. “The opportunity is compounded by 25 years of US Manufacturing under-investment creating conditions for growth and exciting new alpha-generating ideas,” Jonas said. Tesla is the most diversified company developing physical AI or intelligent machines, the analyst said. Shares of the electric vehicle manufacturer have tumbled more than 17% this year. But Morgan Stanley has reiterated its buy rating with a $430 stock price target, suggesting a 31% increase from current levels. The bank has a bull case in which shares more than double to $800. “A few years into the not-too-distant future will reveal machines that do different things, that are designed, supplied and manufactured differently … spawning business models and industry structures that may bear precious little resemblance to the legacy we experience today,” Jonas said. Source link #Morgan #Stanley #buy #Tesla #play #AIs #transformation #manufacturing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

House Republicans release budget plan, with trillions in tax and spending cuts House Republicans release budget plan, with trillions in tax and spending cuts Speaker Johnson on timeline for budget Speaker Johnson on timeline for budget plan as Senate Republicans move on own proposal 05:43 Washington — House Republicans released a budget resolution on Wednesday, laying a foundation for advancing President Trump’s agenda on border security, defense, energy and tax priorities, despite momentum around a competing proposal in the Senate. The budget proposal says that the House Ways and Means Committee can pursue up to $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, and sets a goal of cutting mandatory spending by $2 trillion. It would also increase the debt ceiling by $4 trillion. The long-awaited budget resolution comes as congressional leaders have been pursuing a massive legislative package under the budget reconciliation process that would enact Mr. Trump’s agenda, including resources to bolster border security, extend some of the 2017 tax cuts, incentivize domestic manufacturing and invest in American energy, while working to trim government programs and address the debt limit. In the House, the process has faced delays amid intraparty disagreement on how to proceed. And the stalled progress in the lower chamber has prompted the Senate to move ahead with its own proposal in recent days. This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Kaia Hubbard Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C. Source link #House #Republicans #release #budget #plan #trillions #tax #spending #cuts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Egypt to present ‘vision’ to rebuild Gaza without displacement Egypt to present ‘vision’ to rebuild Gaza without displacement Anadolu Almost 70% of the buildings in Gaza are estimated to be damaged or destroyed Egypt has said it is working on a “comprehensive vision” for the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza Strip that guarantees Palestinians the right to stay on their land, unlike the proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump. The Egyptian foreign ministry said it hoped to co-operate with the Trump administration to reach “a just settlement of the ************ cause”. It followed Trump’s meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah on Tuesday, where he doubled down on his plan for the US to take over Gaza and permanently move the two million Palestinians living there to Jordan, Egypt and other locations. Abdullah said every Arab state rejected the idea, and that Egypt would present an alternative. The UN has warned that any forced displacement of the territory’s population would be ******** under international law and “tantamount to ethnic cleansing”. It comes amid growing concern that the fighting in Gaza could resume, after Israel’s prime minister warned ****** it would end the ceasefire if the ************ armed group “does not return our hostages by Saturday”. Benjamin Netanyahu issued the ultimatum after ****** said it was postponing freeing more hostages until further notice, claiming Israel had violated the terms of the ceasefire deal. Watch: Trump doubles down on Gaza takeover plan in meeting with Jordan’s King Sitting alongside King Abdullah at the White House on Tuesday, Trump said there had been “great progress” on his proposal to take over Gaza. “With the United States being in control of that piece of land… you can have stability in the Middle East for the first time,” he told reporters. “And the Palestinians, or the people that live now in Gaza, will be living beautifully in another location.” When pressed by the reporters to comment on the plan to force the Palestinians to relocate to Jordan, King Abdullah said: “We have to keep in mind that there is a plan from Egypt and the Arab countries.” Later, the king wrote on X that he had “reiterated Jordan’s steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank” during the meeting, adding: “This is the unified Arab position.” Trump had said before the meeting that he could “conceivably” halt aid to Jordan and Egypt if they refused to co-operate with his plan and take in displaced Gazans. Not long after the king’s remarks, Egypt’s foreign ministry said it hoped to co-operate with the Trump administration to reach “a just settlement of the ************ cause”. “In this context, Egypt affirms its intention to present a comprehensive vision for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, in a manner that ensures the ************ people stay on their land, and in line with the legitimate and legal rights of this people,” it added, without giving any details. President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi also told Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in a phone call on Tuesday that the reconstruction of Gaza must happen “without displacing Palestinians”, his office said. It was not immediately clear when Egypt would present its alternative Gaza plan. Cairo is due to host an emergency Arab summit to discuss the “serious” developments for Palestinians on 27 February, while King Abdullah said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had invited Arab leaders to Riyadh at an unspecified date. Sisi was also given an open invitation by Trump to visit the White House during a phone call earlier this month. However, Egyptian security sources told Reuters news agency on Wednesday that Sisi would not travel to Washington if the agenda included Trump’s plan. EPA ************ factions held a protest against Donald Trump’s plan in Gaza City on Wednesday Abeer Barakat, a ************ teacher in Gaza City, told the BBC she believed Trump’s plan was “impossible to achieve” but that it had infuriated people. “We worry that Jordan and Egypt are going to bend from Trump’s threats,” she said. Palestinians fear a repeat of the Nakba – the Arabic word for “catastrophe” – when hundreds of thousands fled or were driven from their homes before and during the war that followed the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Many of those refugees ended up in Gaza, where they and their descendants make up three quarters of the population. Another 900,000 registered refugees live in the occupied West Bank, while 3.4 million others live in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, according to the UN. Asked by reporters on Monday if the US would force Palestinians to leave Gaza, Trump replied that “they’re all going to want to leave”. He also said in an interview that Gazans would have no right of return because he was “talking about building a permanent place for them”. The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy ****** in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. More than 48,220 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s ******-run health ministry. Most of Gaza’s population has also been displaced multiple times, almost 70% of buildings are estimated to be damaged or destroyed, the healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed, and there are shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter. Source link #Egypt #present #vision #rebuild #Gaza #displacement Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Want to use ChatGPT Deep Research for free? Sam Altman confirms how often you’ll be able to use the new AI agent Want to use ChatGPT Deep Research for free? Sam Altman confirms how often you’ll be able to use the new AI agent OpenAI Deep Research is coming to Plus and free tier users CEO Sam Altman has all-but-confirmed Plus users will get 10 uses a month and free tier users will get two uses a month The release date of Deep Research outside of ChatGPT Pro is still TBD OpenAI’s new AI agent, Deep Research, will be coming to ChatGPT Plus and Free users shortly, and now we know just how many times a month you’ll be able to use the research analyst. Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, shared the info on X, all-but-confirming that Plus users ($20/month) will get to use Deep Research 10 times per month while free users will be able to use it two times per month. Not only that, Altman also hinted at a future increase in the usage on Plus and free tiers by saying they have the “intent to scale these up over time.” ChatGPT Deep Research launched at the start of February and is currently only available to ChatGPT Pro users to the tune of $200/month. The AI agent is an incredible tool that OpenAI says can “accomplish in tens of minutes what would take a human many hours.” With the ability to do work for you, by simply asking the AI tool to conduct research and report its findings, Deep Research is an absolute game-changer for productivity and it’s incredible that we’re going to be getting access to its power for free. i think we are going to initially offer 10 uses per month for chatgpt plus and 2 per month in the free tier, with the intent to scale these up over time.it probably is worth $1000 a month to some users but i’m excited to see what everyone does with it! [Hidden Content] 12, 2025 $1000 a month in value? Altman’s announcement was in response to an X user who said, “ok, OpenAI Deep Research is worth probably $1000 a month to me. This is utterly transformative to how my brain engages with the world. I’m beyond in love and a little in awe.” To which Altman responded, “It probably is worth $1000 a month to some users but I’m excited to see what everyone does with it!” Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. We’re yet to try Deep Research ourselves, but considering the examples shown on OpenAI’s website, this new AI agent could completely revolutionize the way we interact with AI. OpenAI’s website says, “Deep research is OpenAI’s next agent that can do work for you independently – you give it a prompt, and ChatGPT will find, analyze, and synthesize hundreds of online sources to create a comprehensive report at the level of a research analyst.” That may sound like a professional tool, just for professional use, but some of the examples which you can read about in my article, 3 reasons why I can’t wait to use OpenAI Deep Research, showcase just how useful this tool could be for everyone, not just those using it for work. While Altman has confirmed Deep Research will come to Plus and free tiers, we still don’t have a timeframe on when that will be. Here’s hoping it’s sooner rather than later. You may also like Source link #ChatGPT #Deep #Research #free #Sam #Altman #confirms #youll #agent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Elden Ring Nightreign feels like a PS3 multiplayer game in the best way Elden Ring Nightreign feels like a PS3 multiplayer game in the best way Table of Contents Table of Contents Where we droppin’ boys Adapting to change In a night full of surprises at the Game Awards 2024, Elden Ring Nightreign may have been the biggest shocker of them all. FromSoftware built its reputation on the fabled Dark Souls series and single-player games. While games like Elden Ring and Bloodborne include co-op, the studio has never taken its award-winning formula into full-on multiplayer territory. That changes on May 30. Digital Trends spent four hours playing Elden Ring Nightreign ahead of its release date reveal. FromSoftware’s latest borrows elements from various genres like battle royale and roguelikes to create a unique experience that’s more than the sum of its parts. The already established systems have been retooled to fit a multiplayer experience, and the newly introduced ones still complement it. It feels like the kind of multiplayer extra that was attached to so many PS3 and Xbox 360 games in their era, but in the best way possible. Where we droppin’ boys The objective in Elden Ring Nightreign is to survive three days. There’s exploration to be done, loot to be found, and bosses to be slain during that time. At the start of a session, players have the choice between eight classes, but I was only given four in the demo: Wylder, Duchess, Guardian, and Recluse. That batch includes your typical melee character focused on being an all-rounder, a speedy glass cannon, and a tank. Most of these are straightforward as they solely rely on physical hits. The Recluse, a primary magic user, is definitely the most difficult one to adjust to of that crop. I had to learn how to conserve my MP, and restoration is hard to come by. Plus, I had to be more reliant on enemy weapon drops, just in case I couldn’t cast spells anymore and needed a backup. Playing as the Recluse definitely has its benefits, as it has huge damage potential, but managing MP is a challenge. Gameplay allows for up to three people to participate at a time, and thankfully, there are no class restrictions or limits. You can pull up with a squad of three Guardians if you’d like. Your party then drops into The Lands Between on some mystical birds, Neightreign’s version of the Fortnite Battle Bus. In fact, there’s a wall of fire that closes gradually during the day, and once it transitions to night, the ring creates an arena for your party to fight the boss in. Bandai Namco In one instance, my party was fighting a mini boss in an underground cavern, but the fire closed in on us mid-battle. We had no choice but to abandon the encounter and escape so that we wouldn’t suffer continuous damage. Players have to be tactical in how much time they spend exploring the different dungeons and castles in search of loot. Traversal in Nightreign is significantly faster than you’d expect from your average FromSoftware game. characters run like Usain Bolt in comparison to Elden Ring, and there is absolutely no fall damage whatsoever. They can even grab onto ledges and climb hills. Despite those major changes, the combat feels much the same. It’s a reminder that Elden Ring’s gameplay was always more fast-paced than players may have realized; everything has just been sped up to adapt to Nightreign’s new multiplayer systems. Adapting to change That’s not the only big change to Elden Ring’s formula. Nightreign simplifies much of FromSoftware’s level up and death systems. Instead of picking which stats to increase at a Site of Grace, stats grow depending on character class. For example, Guardians will always have a higher HP stat than other classes, and Recluses will always have lower HP stats. This helps streamline the Nightreign experience by decreasing the mental tax of deciding which stats to increase. As a side effect of that, players no longer drop Runes upon dying. Instead, there are no consequences whatsoever for dying during the day. There’s an evil catch, of course: die during the night, in the middle of a boss fight, and lose a level. It’s fascinating to see how much a level or two can really mean the difference between life and death in Nightreign. This adds an incredible amount of tension during boss fights and players need to try their hardest to stay alive. Though that’s a harsh punishment, Nightreign is surprisingly forgiving too. Downed allies can be revived by continuously hitting them. This means that the more powerful a character is, the faster they’ll be able to get allies back on their feet. It’s a clever inversion that really fits the unforgiving setting of Elden Ring. Bandai Namco Thankfully, the trademark difficulty that Elden Ring is known for is still intact. The boss I faced off against during my first night was the Centipede ****** from the first Dark Souls game. That foe wasn’t terribly difficult, especially with a group of three, but the boss of the second night was absolutely brutal. The Tree Sentinel from Elden Ring appeared with three other henchmen. Not only did the hulking beast deal ungodly amounts of damage, but his henchmen actually had two health bars — one for their horses and one for themselves. My party was eventually overwhelmed and wiped out. At the end of our run, we received relics that we could attach to our characters to get bonuses such as increased attack power or burn damage. This roguelike element makes it feel like our time wasn’t wasted even though we failed. Unfortunately, my group never made it to the third night. Not only was the Tree Sentinel horrifyingly difficult, but we ran into connection issues that caused teammates to drop out suddenly. Every time it happened, we were forced to exit the game and start our run all over since it was pointless to carry on with just two people. It was a total buzzkill. That shouldn’t be a problem for launch, though. While this demo didn’t let players rejoin the session, Bandai Namco said that the final build will allow players to do so. If Elden Ring Nightreign can iron out its connection issues, there’s real potential here. It brings me back to the era of obligatory multiplayer game modes that you’d find in Mass Effect 3 or The Last of Us during the PS3 era. Not all of them made sense, but it sometimes produced some creative gems that earned them a loyal player base. Nightreign feels like one of those better ideas because it knows exactly what it’s doing. It has smartly taken Elden Ring’s existing ideas and fit them into a multiplayer mold while retaining what made the game so beloved in the first place. That already feels like a winning recipe. Elden Ring Nightreign launches on May 30 PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Source link #Elden #Ring #Nightreign #feels #PS3 #multiplayer #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Senior Ukraine security figure exposed as Russian ‘rat’ Senior Ukraine security figure exposed as Russian ‘rat’ Security Service of Ukraine Ukraine’s intelligence boss Vasyl Malyuk (R) was personally involved in investigating the suspected agent A senior figure in Ukraine’s intelligence service (SBU) has been arrested on suspicion of working as a Russian agent. The service did not name the man, who it said was chief of staff of its anti-terrorism centre, but Ukrainian media quoting sources in the SBU say he is Col Dmytro Kozyura. Local media showed him handcuffed while being arrested by SBU head Vasyl Malyuk. A statement said there were at least 14 instances in which the suspect, who it described as a “rat”, had collected and transmitted information to Russia. The SBU said the investigation involved audio and video monitoring, as well as gaining access to mobile phones and computers. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine has announced numerous operations to expose Russian agents on its soil. Malyuk had been personally involved in the investigation into the suspect and headed the operation to arrest him, the SBU statement said, adding that he reported directly on its progress to President Volodymyr Zelensky. It said Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) recruited him in Vienna in 2018. He was “mothballed” for several years and his handlers only resumed contact with him last December. “Thanks to encrypted programme bookmarks, we got into the traitor’s gadgets – mobile terminals, computers,” Malyuk said in a video statement posted on the SBU website. “We basically lived with him, conducted audio and video monitoring. In the process of all this, we managed to efficiently document the collection and transmission of relevant information by the traitor to the enemy.” Malyuk added the SBU had been feeding Moscow disinformation during the course of the investigation. “The self-cleansing of the SBU continues. No matter how the enemy tries to penetrate our ranks… he will not be able to do it successfully. Because we detect them in a timely manner, document them and detain them.” Source link #Senior #Ukraine #security #figure #exposed #Russian #rat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro is $200 off at Amazon The 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro is $200 off at Amazon The MacBook Pro is certainly not a necessity for everyone and the steep price ensures that (I downgraded to an Air, myself, a few years ago). But, every once in a while, a ***** makes the superior laptop seem worth it. Right now is one of those times, with the new 14-inch MacBook Pro available for $1,400, down from $1,599. The ***** comes courtesy of a 10 percent off discount and an additional $39 coupon on the product page (just remember to click it before heading to check out). The 14-inch MacBook Pro has 16GB of memory and 512GB SSD storage in either Space ****** or Silver. Apple Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro came out late last year and scored a solid 92 in our review. This rating — along with naming the device our pick for best MacBook for creatives — comes thanks to perks such as it fast M4 chips. It also has an exceptionally long battery life, bright display and Sharp 12MP Center Stage webcam. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Source link #14inch #MacBook #Pro #Amazon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

India vs England: Hosts wrap up 3-0 ODI series win with 142-run thrashing in Ahmedabad India vs England: Hosts wrap up 3-0 ODI series win with 142-run thrashing in Ahmedabad England’s batting across this tour has been disappointing. Across the eight matches they have been bowled out six times and lost nine wickets in the other two. Duckett and Salt put on 60 for the opening wicket in another encouraging partnership, before the former skewed Arshdeep into the air. Salt continued but was again dismissed tamely as he looked to upper cut over the ring fielders in exploiting the powerplay. Joe Root and Banton, who was playing his first ODI for England since August 2020, got England into a decent position at 126-2 but from there it was a familiar story. The spin of Kuldeep had Banton caught behind, before Root was bowled by Axar Patel. India returned to pace as Harshit forced Jos Buttler and Harry Brook to play onto their stumps. From there it was a matter of when England lost, rather than if, and Liam Livingstone advanced past Washington Sundar in another tame dismissal. There are familiar questions for England to answer. One that is not going away is how they can improve against spin with 42 wickets lost at an average of 17.6 across this tour. How long England occupy the crease is another issue. Since the start of 2022 they have lost a wicket every 29.8 ******, which is the second lowest among Test-playing nations. With 10 days until their next game, there is work to do and quickly. Source link #India #England #Hosts #wrap #ODI #series #win #142run #thrashing #Ahmedabad Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Evo Awards Schedule Includes A Fatal Fury Tease And Some Very Specific Awards Evo Awards Schedule Includes A Fatal Fury Tease And Some Very Specific Awards Evo has been producing some of the largest fighting game tournaments in the world, but now the organization is putting on an event of a different kind. The Evo Awards are set for February 15, and today the Evo team has released the full schedule of what’s in store for the ceremony. The festivities begin at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET with the Evo Awards Pre-Show on the official Evo YouTube and Twitch channels, hosted by Steve “TastySteve” Scott and Rob “Hollywood RobTV” Burney. The pre-show will include interviews from the “Arcade Carpet,” as well as a Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 Tournament Of Champions featuring Justin Wong, Michael “IFC Yipes” Mendoza, Sanford Kelly, and Duc Do. The Evo 2025 game lineup The awards ceremony will begin at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET, and along with the 22 announced award categories, will feature updates on multiple fighting games–with Granblue Fantasy Versus, Fatal Fury: City Of The Wolves, and Under-Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes among the titles confirmed to appear. The ceremony will also feature the next three inductees into the Evo Hall Of Fame, with pro fighting game veterans Hajime “Tokido” Taniguchi, John Choi, and Alex Valle set to follow last year’s inaugural inductees Daigo Umehara and Justin Wong. The full list of categories and nominees for the 2025 Evo Awards is below. The flagship Evo tournament, meanwhile, will take place August 1-3 in Las Vegas, while international events in Japan and France are scheduled for May and October respectively. Best Pop Off Hayao NoahtheProdigy Nitro AK Punk FGC Content of the Year Tekken 8 Tutorials Marvel vs Capcom 2 Streams Sajam Tekken Slam Will It Kill? Trash Talk Podcast FGC Meme of the Year The Wazzler Hand Heart & Thumbs Up Hayao Does The Splits Let’s Go Gambling Attacks IRL Comeback of the Year Hayao Arslan Ash G_Conceptz SonicFox, Yagami Match of the Year Award Punk vs Big Bird Hayao vs FrankieBFG Xiao Hai vs Kusanagi Nitro vs Tatuma Arslan Ash vs ATIF Best On-Air Duo IFCYipeS + Sajam RIP + Tasty Steve Sajam + Tasty Steve Justin Wong + IFCYipeS Vicious + Justin Wong Best Commentary That is a Worthless Button! This Could Be Game…And It Is Arslan’s Gonna Do It! He’s So Close! He’s So Close, Steve! That Could Be an Evo-Losing Anti Air Break His Guard! Best Custom Hardware C.O.M.B.O. Extension Buttons Snack Box Micro MPress Nano Custom Claiomh Solais Arcade Stick Haute Pad T-Series Best FGC Cosplay Chonibu MSValentine Chiba Josui Onesaya Kryrayne Best Dressed Tasty Steve Logan Sama Vicious Hollywood RobTV IFCYipeS Best Button of the Year Dragunov Ignition Switch (QCF+4) Luke Crouching Medium Punch, Dash Light Attack Johnny Cage Forward 3 Ken Crouching Medium Kick Tech of the Year Pro KO Leverless SWORL Arcade Controller Hit Box Ultra Sapphire Leverless Controller LVL Controller Marketing Campaign of the Year Evo + SFG + Tekken 8 Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves X Cristiano Ronaldo 2XKO Street Fighter 6 Season 2 East Coast Throwdown Commercial Fighting Game Release of the Year Tekken 8 Street Fighter 6 Season 2 DLC Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Series Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes Rivals of Aether II They’ve Got Next EnzoTheHokage Booce NoahtheProdigy KingReyJr Blaz Best FGC Local Tatakai Tuesday NLBC Abou Dojo FGC Meetups Ozimeme Invitational of the Year Red Bull Kumite Sajam Tekken Slam Crazy Raccoon Cup Red Bull Golden Letters Topanga Championship 5 Best Online Series CasaBunch TNS Online Saltmine League The Kolosseum Can Opener Content Creator of the Year Sajam Justin Wong Brian_F Broski Diaphone Commentator of the Year IFCYipeS Tasty Steve Sajam Rynge Vicious Player of the Year Punk Arslan Ash MenaRD Xiao Hai Nitro Moment of the Year Punk Wins Street Fighter 6 at Evo Hayao “Moment 38” Xiao Hai Wins Esports World Cup Lilypichu vs Harada at Evo Showcase MenaRD Wins His First Evo Source link #Evo #Awards #Schedule #Includes #Fatal #Fury #Tease #Specific #Awards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lyft shares sink 9% on underwhelming fourth-quarter results Lyft shares sink 9% on underwhelming fourth-quarter results Lyft shares shed more than 9% after the ride-sharing app reported lackluster fourth-quarter results and offered weak bookings guidance as it lowers prices to keep up with competition. The company reported revenues of $1.55 billion, versus the $1.56 billion expected by analysts polled by LSEG. Bookings, which measures the charges posed to customers for rides and services, came in at $4.28 billion, behind a $4.32 billion FactSet estimate. “I think what the future holds is great, because it’s a huge market, and we’re doing a great job,” CEO David Risher told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Wednesday. “We got to figure out how to get the traders on the bus.” Lyft also said it anticipates a slowdown in gross bookings as it grapples with a lower pricing environment. The company expects bookings to range between $4.05 billion and $4.20 billion, versus a $4.24 billion FactSet forecast. During the earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Erin Brewer said the company lowered prices and used discounts in the end of the year to keep up with the market. Ongoing pricing headwinds could lead to a low single-digit percentage point impact on gross bookings, she added. Brewer also said that the end of its partnership with Delta Air Lines will weigh on rides and gross bookings in the 1% to 2% range during the second quarter. During the fourth quarter, Lyft also recorded 24.7 million active riders, ahead of the 24.6 million StreetAccount estimate. Alongside the results, the company announced a $500-million share repurchase plan and said it aims to roll out its Mobileye-powered taxis as soon as 2026 in Dallas. Source link #Lyft #shares #sink #underwhelming #fourthquarter #results Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Citigroup Analysts Are Betting Big on These 3 Stocks—Should You? Citigroup Analysts Are Betting Big on These 3 Stocks—Should You? Retail investors can really benefit from following the recent developments coming out of Wall Street, especially during volatile market times like these, which President Trump’s recent trade tariffs have sparked. In all the uncertainty about what might happen to the United States economy, markets have lost track of what’s essential. Fundamentals always pay as long as investors can pick the right stocks and pay a reasonable price for them. This is why today’s list of upgrades from Citigroup (NYSE:) analysts is essential: Investors can reverse engineer some of the decisions behind these boosts and understand where and why the upside potential is in today’s uncertain market. This list includes names like Chipotle ******** Grill (NYSE:) for exposure into the consumer discretionary sector or financial technology platform PayPal Holdings (NASDAQ:) to allow investors to ride the new business activity wave. Finally, as a net exporter commanding interest from economists and other analysts, there is construction sector supplier Caterpillar (NYSE:). 1. Analysts Aren’t Alone in Their Chipotle Optimism Now that the stock trades at only 83% of its 52-week high, Chipotle has become a target for optimism reiteration and a buy for some institutional investors today. As of February 2025, those at Charles Schwab Investment Management decided to boost their holdings in Chipotle stock by 3.5%. While this may not sound like much on a percentage basis, it was enough to bring the group’s net holdings to a high of $511.9 million today, another bullish factor for retail investors to lean on when building their buying thesis. Of course, this buying activity did not come alone, as Citigroup analysts also reiterated their bullish view. These analysts started the month of February by reiterating their buy rating on Citigroup stock and placing a $70 a share valuation on it. This target would call for a new 52-week high for Chipotle and a net upside of as much as 22.3% from today’s low level. Considering the company’s financials show a gross profit margin of 40.5% today, investors can rest assured that Chipotle has enough pricing power in the market and enough of its share to cushion an economic cycle change brought on by tariffs. 2. PayPal’s Dip Won’t Last After a recent decline, PayPal stock has shown Wall Street analysts that it is still worth a second look. In their recent quarterly earnings results, investors can note that the company grew its active accounts to 434 million, or 2%, over the past 12 months, which also drove payment volume higher by 7%. With this added activity, PayPal generated up to $8.3 billion in revenue, or 4% growth for the year. Given this, it is hard to see a scenario where the stock keeps trading this low, which is why analysts from Citigroup felt comfortable keeping their buy rating for it as of February 2025. Not only did they keep this rating, but they now see PayPal stock’s valuation at $98 per share, a new 52-week high that would call for a net rally of 26.8% from where it has fallen to today. Backing this belief and optimistic view for PayPal is the Wall Street forecast for earnings per share (EPS) for the third quarter this year. Analysts see PayPal generating up to $1.31 in EPS, a net growth rate of 10% from today’s $1.19 in EPS. Knowing that EPS growth typically drives stock price performance, investors can see a scenario where PayPal easily meets Citigroup analysts’ current view. 3. Short Sellers Know Caterpillar Stock Is a Bad Bet As of the past month alone, a clear sign of bearish capitulation can be spotted by investors, as Caterpillar stock’s short interest declined by as much as 8% during this *******. The reason short sellers aren’t willing to stick to their bearish views is twofold. First, Goldman Sachs analysts recommended exporting stocks in their 2025 macro outlook report, which makes sense given the upcoming trade tariffs. Second, it looks like Wall Street agrees with this view, as Citigroup analysts decided to also reiterate their buy rating for this stock. Being on a streak, their $430 per share price target would mean yet another 52-week high for today’s list of upgrades and a potential upside of 18.2% from where the stock trades today, not usual for a company the size of Caterpillar. There is also another gauge investors can look to for this company’s rally, which is coming through valuations. Because Caterpillar trades at a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of up to 9.0x today, it commands a steep premium to the rest of the industrial sector’s 4.5x average. Seasoned investors will see this as a positive since the market is always willing to pay premiums for the stock it expects will outperform the industry and broader markets. Original Post Source link #Citigroup #Analysts #Betting #Big #StocksShould Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Keir Starmer pledges to close loophole that let Gazan family settle in *** Keir Starmer pledges to close loophole that let Gazan family settle in *** Becky Morton Political reporter Watch: Sir Keir Starmer says immigration “legal loophole” needs closing The government is working to close a loophole which allowed a ************ family the right to live in the ***, after they originally applied through a scheme designed for Ukrainians. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch raised the case during Prime Minister’s Questions, saying it was “completely wrong”. In response Sir Keir Starmer said he agreed, adding that “it should be Parliament that makes the rules on immigration”. The family of six, whose home in Gaza was destroyed by an air strike, applied to join the father’s brother in the *** using the Ukraine Family Scheme. The application was refused in May last year, after the Home Office concluded the requirements of the scheme were not met. The family’s initial appeal was dismissed by a first-tier immigration tribunal judge in September. But following a hearing in January, a further appeal has been allowed by upper tribunal judges on the grounds of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to a family life. Badenoch said the decision “cannot be allowed to stand” and asked the prime minister whether the government was planning to appeal. She added: “We cannot be in a situation where we allow enormous numbers of people to exploit our laws in this way.” In response, Sir Keir said: “It should be Parliament that makes the rules on immigration. “It should be the government that makes the policy, that is the principle, and the home secretary is already looking at the legal loophole which we need to close in this particular case.” Badenoch repeatedly pressed the PM over whether he would appeal the case and change the law. Batting away her questions, Sir Keir insisted he had already made clear the home secretary was working on closing the loophole. He added: “She complains about scripted answers and questions, her script doesn’t allow her to listen to the answer. “She asked me if we’re going to change the law and close the loophole in question one, I said yes. She asked me again in question two, and I said yes. She asked me again in question three, it’s still yes.” When questioned after the session, the prime minister’s official spokesman did not specify what the “loophole” that needed closing was. Judge’s ruling Badenoch also urged the PM to back her call to make it harder for people to get British citizenship. Referring to the brother the ************ family had applied to join, she said: “This case has arisen because a ************ came to the *** from Gaza in 2007, he is now a British citizen. “This is precisely why we need to break the conveyor belt from arriving in the ***, to acquiring indefinite leave to remain, and then a British passport, and now a right to bring six family members here as well.” Sir Keir accused Badenoch of presiding over record levels of immigration when the Conservatives were in power. “It was a one nation experiment in open borders, and she was the cheerleader, she was the one campaigning for more people to come,” he added. The family had applied unsuccessfully to come to the *** under the Ukraine Family Scheme, which closed last February. However, the upper tribunal judge in their appeal case concluded there were “very compelling or exceptional circumstances” meaning they should be allowed the right to live in the ***. In his judgement, he said the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains “exceptionally dangerous” and “dire”. He added that the youngest children – now aged seven and nine – are “at a high risk of death or serious injury on a daily basis” and that it is “overwhelmingly” in their best interests to be in a safe or safer environment together with their parents and siblings. The *** currently has schemes for some Afghans, Ukrainians and people from Hong Kong to come to the *** but no route for Palestinians. Some Labour MPs have argued the government should create more legal routes for asylum seekers to settle in the *** to deter people from crossing the Channel in small boats. However, this did not form part of the government’s Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which is focused on cracking down on people-smuggling gangs. Source link #Keir #Starmer #pledges #close #loophole #Gazan #family #settle Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New Fallout Season 2 Leaked Set Photos Show More Signs Of New Vegas Visit New Fallout Season 2 Leaked Set Photos Show More Signs Of New Vegas Visit It’s not a risky bet to wager that Fallout Season 2 will take place–at least somewhat–in New Vegas. As more evidence for that setting, two new leaked photos showcase billboards featuring a couple of locations from the destination: Rita’s Cafe and the Atomic Wrangler. On X, an account called Fallout Films shared the leaked set photos for the Prime Video show’s sophomore season. The pictures supposedly come from North Hollywood in California and also feature bombed-out cars from what looks like the 1950s. More Fallout season 2 leaked set photos! Looking just as detailed as S1 and I love it. ( North Hollywood) Credit b2bzx and jissyloo. pic.twitter.com/BEnYYLuVV1 — Fallout Films (@FilmsFallout) February 11, 2025 Earlier this month, a leaked Fallout Season 2 picture of Dinky the T-Rex also teased a trip to New Vegas. The giant dinosaur is a roadside attraction in Fallout: New Vegas and also houses a sniper’s nest. So it’s possible there could be a deadly encounter in the Prime TV show with Dinky. Walton Goggins, who portrays The Ghoul, believes Fallout Season 2 “blows [Season 1] out of the water,” adding that he “can’t wait for people to see it.” Keep in mind, though, that Amazon hasn’t revealed a premiere date yet for the sophomore season. There will be some new cast members when Fallout returns. For instance, Macaulay Culkin is joining the series as a “crazy genius-type character,” while Kumail Nanjiani is also reportedly coming aboard in an unspecified role. Along with New Vegas, Fallout Season 2 could introduce Deathclaws. They are a large and dangerous horned monster in the video game franchise, engineered by the US military. For more, check out GameSpot’s Fallout review. Source link #Fallout #Season #Leaked #Set #Photos #Show #Signs #Vegas #Visit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]