Pelican Press

Why quantum computers are being held back by geopolitical tussles Why quantum computers are being held back by geopolitical tussles Both China and the US are aiming to pull ahead with quantum computing Shutterstock/Niphon Subsri Quantum computers were once nothing more than a plaything for physicists, but as their capabilities have grown, so too has the attention from governments. The US, China and European nations are all racing to develop these exotic machines, while carefully balancing national security needs with commercial opportunities. But have they got the balance right? The first nation to develop a sufficiently powerful quantum computer will be able to crack many encryption algorithms in use today and gain access to the rest of the world’s… Source link #quantum #computers #held #geopolitical #tussles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Watch out for this unexpected tax hit from your municipal bonds Watch out for this unexpected tax hit from your municipal bonds As tax season revs up, investors might be on the hook for reporting – and paying – obligations on their tax-free municipal bonds. Investors are likely gathering the documents they need to file their 2024 tax returns, which are due on April 15. It was a big year for income-generating investments , even as the Federal Reserve trimmed interest rates three times. That means investors are finding themselves on the hook for taxes on interest income as their certificates of deposit, money market funds and high-yield savings accounts offered annual percentage yields exceeding 4%. Municipal bond investors aren’t necessarily spared from tax-season hurdles even as the income from these issues is generally free of federal income taxes (and state taxes if the investor resides in the issuing state). When the Fed was on its rate-hiking cycle in 2022 and 2023, bond prices – including munis – tumbled. Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions. Investors who stepped in to buy up the cheap muni issues got a good deal at the time, but they could be subject to reporting requirements and tax payments each year. “One of the rules with municipal bond discounts is that you have to pick up that spread in income every year, and it can be taxable even if it’s coming from a tax-exempt bond,” said Tim Steffen, certified public accountant and director of advanced planning, private wealth management at Baird. “This isn’t an issue if you’re in a bond fund or a bond ETF, but if you buy individual bonds, you have to be aware of these things.” The de minimis rule When investors buy municipal bonds at a discount to their par value – the amount that the issuer will repay at maturity – tax consequences may arise. If this discount is less than 0.25% of the par value, multiplied by the number of years to maturity, then the discount is taxed like a capital gain . That means it’s subject to rates of 0%, 15% or 20%, depending on the taxable income of the investor. However, if the discount is equal to or greater than 0.25% of par value, times the number of years to maturity, then it is treated like ordinary income . Those rates can be as high as 37%. Consider an investor who buys a 10-year municipal bond with a par value of $10,000, but it’s trading at $9,500. The $500 discount is what is taxable. Most investors opt to pay the tax incrementally each year, but some may do it at maturity, according to Cooper Howard, fixed income strategist at the Schwab Center for Financial Research. Investors should work with their tax professional to find out what works best for them. “If it’s below par, that raises kind of a yellow flag of ‘I gotta look at this a little further,'” Howard said. Other tax hiccups for munis Municipal bonds can also present other tax surprises for investors. For starters, retirees will find that their municipal bond income is counted toward their modified adjusted gross income – the calculation that’s used to determine how much they pay in monthly premiums for Medicare Part B and prescription coverage. In 2025, individuals who file tax returns with modified adjusted gross income that’s $106,000 or less ($212,000 or less for joint filers) will have to pay monthly Part B premiums of $185. Those with income exceeding those income thresholds will have to pay more, with the highest bracket of taxpayers with income exceeding $500,000 (or $750,000 for joint filers) on the hook for Part B premiums of $628.90 per month. Investors who snap up taxable municipal bonds will also find themselves on the hook for levies. Howard estimates that these issues account for about 10% of muni bond market. They generally offer higher yields to compensate for the fact that their interest income is taxable on the state and federal levels. “That detail is listed in the offering statement, and it should be upfront when the individual buys the bond,” Howard said, noting that taxable munis may make sense for investors in low tax brackets and for those who want to hold munis in tax-advantaged accounts like an individual retirement account. “You can get a muni that’s high credit quality, pays higher interest than comparable bonds, and you’re sheltered from the income tax because it’s in an IRA,” he said. Source link #Watch #unexpected #tax #hit #municipal #bonds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

More Than PlayStation 5, GTA 6 Releasing Early on Consoles Could Help Boost Xbox Series X Sales More Than PlayStation 5, GTA 6 Releasing Early on Consoles Could Help Boost Xbox Series X Sales To say that Grand Theft Auto 6 is one of the most anticipated video game launches of the past few years would be an understatement – Rockstar Games is banking a lot on the game to succeed, and perhaps the entire video game industry as a whole as well. Console sales have been rather lackluster this generation (with the sole exception of the Nintendo Switch), and the Xbox Series X/S has seen even worse projections – especially with Microsoft’s recent moves and discontinuation of exclusive titles. GTA 6 could in turn massively help boost the sales of these consoles, when taking into consideration its planned console-only release. GTA 6 could massively boost console sales GTA 6 is likely to boost the sales of Xbox consoles | Image Credit: Rockstar Games It is no secret that this generation’s console sales have been massively underperforming, with the Xbox Series X/S being the worst performer. A lot of factors can be attributed to this, but in particular, Microsoft’s disappointing first-party lineup and move toward making everything multiplatform is likely to blame. Regardless, with GTA 6 the console could have a golden goose on its hands – after all, GTA 6 won’t launch for PCs until late next year, which gives all consoles some much-needed breathing room. Players who would otherwise simply buy the game on PC might find themselves tempted to purchase a console version to play early instead. This includes the Xbox Series X console too, which coupled with Game Pass makes for a rather tempting deal. The Xbox Series X is most certainly capable of delivering an optimal GTA 6 experience, but how the massively underpowered Series S will fare remains in question. Speaking to IGN in a recent interview, Take-Two’s Strauss Zeinick responded with a non-answer, admitting that while they do not target simultaneous, multi-platform releases, there is always a chance for the game to move to another platform down the line. With regard to others in our lineup, we don’t always go across all platforms simultaneously. Historically, Rockstar has started with some platforms and then historically moved to other platforms. Elaborating on their current strategy of sticking to consoles only for the moment, Strauss explained that a console-only launch would likely ‘push’ players into buying a new console for the first time. GTA 6 could push potential buyers into purchasing a current-gen console | Image Credit: Rockstar Games After all, there still do exist a lot of last-gen console users who have been rather reluctant to make the jump. When you have a big title in the market and we have many of them coming, historically that has sold consoles. Strauss also ended the interview on an optimistic note, targeting a 2025 launch. A PC release is still on the cards, but at a later date GTA 6 will release on PCs, but when? | Image Credit: Rockstar Games A PC release is definitely in the works, and Take-Two’s refusal to deny the same is all we need to know. After all, PC ports sell, and gatekeeping a title as big as GTA 6 would not be a smart financial decision. All that remains to be seen is when the game would launch for PCs – which could extend well beyond 2026, given the developmental hurdles faced in modern video game ports. Either way, it is better to delay a game than to rush it out in an incomplete state, which is sadly the case for most modern PC ports of today. Source link #PlayStation #GTA #Releasing #Early #Consoles #Boost #Xbox #Series #Sales Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Fossil proteins may soon reveal how we’re related to Australopithecus Fossil proteins may soon reveal how we’re related to Australopithecus Reconstruction of Lucy, the most famous skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis MLouisphotography/Alamy This is an extract from Our Human Story, our newsletter about the revolution in archaeology. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every month. Whenever we think about the process of evolution, there’s a risk of falling into the trap of telling stories. Human minds are prone to interpret the world in terms of stories: it’s just one of our biases, along with the one that causes us to see faces in clouds and on pieces of toast. So we always have to be… Source link #Fossil #proteins #reveal #related #Australopithecus Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple’s Studio Display is $300 off right now Apple’s Studio Display is $300 off right now The Apple Studio Display is available with a discount of $300 from Amazon. This discount applies to all versions, so prices range from $1,300 to $2,000. For the uninitiated, the Studio Display is available with a standard glass design or a nano-texture glass design that helps reduce reflections. There’s also a model with both a tilt and height-adjustable stand. The cheapest version, at $1,300, is the standard glass with a tilt-adjustable stand or a VESA mount. The Studio Display made our list of the best monitors, and this is particularly true for Mac users. The 27-inch screen boasts a 5K resolution with a max refresh rate of 60Hz. It has several useful connection options, including a trio of USB-C ports. The monitor also includes built-in speakers and a 12-megapixel camera that keeps the subject constantly in frame, thanks to Apple’s Center Stage software. Apple This is a discount of 19 percent for the standard glass model. $1,300 at Amazon We called out the display’s excellent build quality in our official review. We also appreciated the bright screen, up to 600 nits, and the accurate color reproduction. The speakers are excellent, as is the three-mic array that accompanies the webcam. The webcam itself, however, is a bit on the dull side. So what’s the downside? At the end of the day, this is just another IPS LED display with a relatively low refresh rate and single-zone backlighting. Today’s discount makes Apple’s extreme pricing on this unit a bit more palatable, but $1,300 (at minimum) is still a pretty big investment for a monitor. The add-ons are also extremely pricey. It costs a whopping $400 to add a height-adjustable stand and $300 for that nano-texture glass coating. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Source link #Apples #Studio #Display Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Cybersecurity experts fear Elon Musk’s DOGE may enable quantum hackers Cybersecurity experts fear Elon Musk’s DOGE may enable quantum hackers Elon Musk heads the Trump administration’s government efficiency task force, DOGE Ken Cedeno/UPI/Shutterstock Cybersecurity experts are racing to preserve vital documents produced by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a government agency charged with developing standards for a range of fields including quantum-proof encryption, after fears they could be lost as part of Elon Musk’s “government efficiency” drive. Musk heads a task force called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is not a government department but was created by an executive order from US President Donald Trump with the stated aim of “modernizing Federal technology… Source link #Cybersecurity #experts #fear #Elon #Musks #DOGE #enable #quantum #hackers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gaza ceasefire could end if ****** doesn’t release hostages: Netanyahu – National Gaza ceasefire could end if ****** doesn’t release hostages: Netanyahu – National Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday threatened to withdraw from the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and resume its fight against ****** if the militant group does not go ahead with the next scheduled release of hostages on Saturday. ****** said Monday — and reiterated Tuesday — that it planned to delay the release of three more hostages after accusing Israel of failing to meet the terms of the ceasefire, including by not allowing enough tents and other aid into Gaza. U.S. President Donald Trump has emboldened Israel to call for the release of even more remaining hostages on Saturday, but it wasn’t immediately clear whether Netanyahu’s threat referred to the release of all remaining hostages in Gaza, or just the three scheduled for release on Saturday. Earlier Tuesday, an Israeli official said Netanyahu ordered the army to add more troops in and around the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu also ordered officials “to prepare for every scenario if ****** doesn’t release our hostages this Saturday,” according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a private meeting. Story continues below advertisement Israel had signaled Monday it planned to reinforce defenses along the Gaza border. The all-scenario plan was announced during a four-hour meeting between Netanyahu and his Security Cabinet that focused on ******’ threat, which risks jeopardizing the three-week-old ceasefire. 1:24 Israel’s army withdraws from central Gaza, leaves behind trail of destruction So far, ****** has released 21 hostages in a series of exchanges for hundreds of ************ prisoners. 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. President Donald Trump has said Israel should cancel the entire ceasefire if all of the roughly 70 hostages aren’t freed by Saturday. ****** brushed off his threat on Tuesday, doubling down on its claim that Israel has violated the ceasefire and warned that it would only continue releasing hostages if all parties adhered to the ceasefire. Trump is hosting Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday as he escalates pressure on the Arab nation to take in refugees from Gaza — perhaps permanently — as part of his audacious plan to remake the Middle East. Trending Now ‘Cold, callous’: Ex-Ontario fire captain who murdered wife handed life sentence Trudeau says Canada will push back on ‘unacceptable’ U.S. tariffs Story continues below advertisement Palestinians and the international community have seethed over Trump’s recent comments that any Palestinians potentially expelled from Gaza would not have a right to return. 6:38 Could the temporary Israel-****** ceasefire end the war? During the first six-week phase of the ceasefire, ****** committed to freeing 33 hostages captured in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, while Israel said it would release nearly 2,000 ************ prisoners. The sides have carried out five swaps since Jan. 19. The conflict could resume in early March if no agreement is reached on the more complicated second phase of the ceasefire, which calls for the return of all remaining hostages and an indefinite extension of the truce. But if Israel resumes the conflict, it will face a drastically different battlefield. After forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to evacuate to southern Gaza in the early stages of the conflict, Israel allowed many of those displaced people to return to what is left of their homes, posing a new challenge to its ability to move ground troops through the territory. More on World More videos &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #Gaza #ceasefire #****** #doesnt #release #hostages #Netanyahu #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Powell predicts a time when mortgages are impossible to get in parts of US Powell predicts a time when mortgages are impossible to get in parts of US The growing crisis in the insurance industry may make it hard to get a mortgage in parts of the country in the coming decades, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said on Tuesday. “If you fast-foward 10 or 15 years, there are going to be regions of the country where you can’t get a mortgage,” he said during his semiannual testimony to Congress, noting that banks and insurance companies have been pulling out of coastal and fire-prone areas they deem too high risk. Insurers have been canceling policies across the country as climate change intensifies natural disasters, saddling them with multibillion-dollar losses. State Farm, for example, canceled thousands of policies in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles months before it was devastated by wildfires. Because mortgage lenders typically require homeowners insurance as a condition of making a loan, prospective buyers with few alternatives are increasingly purchasing coverage from state-designed insurers of last resort, which can have higher premiums and skimpier coverage than traditional alternatives. Banks and insurers won’t keep making loans or providing coverage when faced with evidence of disasters, Powell said in response to a question from Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith. Questions about high housing costs came up repeatedly throughout Powell’s testimony. The Fed chair reiterated that interest rate normalization may help buyers in the years ahead, but much of the problems with affordability boil down to a lack of supply, an issue outside of the Fed’s purview. Read more: 2025 housing market — Is this a good time to buy a house? “There’s a short-term problem that will go away in the coming years, but there’s a longer-term problem with housing affordability, and that’s going to be something that’s not within our authorities or powers to affect,” Powell said in response to a question from Sen. Ruben Gallego. Even if rates do fall, Powell said it’s “not obvious” that lower rates would slow housing inflation because demand would likely rise. “It would unlock people’s low mortgages, but that creates both a buyer and a seller,” Powell said. “It’s not clear that that would be something that would drive down housing inflation.” When asked about the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Powell said that the government’s backing of the mortgage giants “does hold down mortgage rates.” He said releasing them from conservatorship was ultimately a question for Congress, adding that “putting housing finance back in the private sector has some appeal over the longer run.” Story Continues Source link #Powell #predicts #time #mortgages #impossible #parts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hellblade 2 Could Come To PS5 “Pretty Soon”, It’s Claimed Hellblade 2 Could Come To PS5 “Pretty Soon”, It’s Claimed · · February 11, 2025 Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 could be on its way to PlayStation 5 (PS5) sooner rather than later. According to a tease posted on social media by Windows Central’s Jez Corden, the Xbox console exclusive is likely one of the next first-party Xbox games to come to competing consoles. In a reply to a user on Twitter who questioned “if” the game will come, Corden gave a more definitive tease of the possibility. “Not if, “when!” and when is pretty soon from what I’ve been hearing,” he said. PODCAST: GTA 6 Still On Track For 2025: Insider Gaming Weekly Podcast The plan to bring more Xbox games to PlayStation—and even Nintendo Switch—is something that Microsoft has been actively discussing for some time now. As sales of Xbox hardware continue to drop, the company is looking at all avenues to increase its gaming revenue moving forward. The most recent Xbox exclusive to be announced for PS5 is Forza Horizon 5, which is set to launch this spring on the platform. Also coming in the spring is Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The latest rumors claim that Bethesda’s newest game is looking at an April release. Sony announced on Tuesday its first PlayStation State of Play for the year will take place on February 12. Whether or not an announcement for Hellblade 2 or other Xbox titles on PS5 will be part of the 40+ minute show remains to be seen. Do you want to see Hellblade 2 come to PS5? Let us know down below, and join more discussions in the official Insider Gaming forums. For more Insider Gaming, find out what game soon-to-be former president of Insomniac Games Ted Price pitched to PlayStation that was never approved and check out what Balatro developer LocalThunk said about the game’s next major update. 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 #Hellblade #PS5 #Pretty #Claimed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lemokey L5 HE 8K Review: The most customizable 75-percent? Lemokey L5 HE 8K Review: The most customizable 75-percent? Lemokey, the gaming division of the popular mechanical keyboard company Keychron, makes minimalist gaming keyboards with exceptional specs at a relatively affordable price. (And yes, most of the keyboards are Keychron designs reskinned with 1,000 Hz polling rates, though recently Keychron has been launching gaming-adjacent keyboards under its main brand, such as the Keychron Q1 HE.) But today, we have something different: the Lemokey L5 HE 8K. The L5 is a gasket- or top-mounted 75-percent mechanical keyboard featuring magnetic Hall Effect switches, a beefy aluminum construction, and, of course, an ultra low-latency 8,000 Hz polling rate. It’s not the cheapest board, however, with a starting price of $199 — it’s got a lot to prove if it wants a spot on our list of best gaming keyboards, so let’s take a look. Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Switches Magnetic Switch Lighting 22 types of RGB backlighting options Onboard Storage 3 profiles Media Keys Rotary knob Connectivity USB Type A Cable 6-feet, braided Additional Ports 0 Keycaps Double-shot PBT Software Lemokey Launcher Dimensions (LxWxH) 12 x 6 x 1.5 inches / 304.8 x 152.4 x 38.1 mm Weight 4.2 lbs / 1,905g MSRP / Price at time of release $199 Release Date Feb. 11, 2025 Design of the Lemokey L5 HE 8k The Lemokey L5 8K HE is a mechanical gaming keyboard with a 75-percent layout, which means it has arrow keys, function keys, and a line of three navigation keys, plus a rotary knob. It comes in two mounting options — top or gasket mount, both of which are included in the box. It’s available in an array of colors such as Cyber (****** and green), Dark Master (****** and red) and Dawn Master (white and brown), all of which cost $199. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Lemokey) In 2025, it seems like almost every peripheral company is making gasket-mounted boards, so I was more excited to hear about the L5’s top-mount option. That said, the L5’s main draw are its switches, which are magnetic — similar to those in the Wooting Two HE or the Corsair K70 Core RGB. Also, for its gaming audience, the board features an 8,000 Hz polling rate — guaranteeing you the fastest response rate you can currently find on the market. Just when you thought that I was done listing this board’s features, I was not. In addition to the 8,000 Hz polling rate, there’s all the tech that you get with magnetic switches: adjustable actuation point, Rapid Trigger, and Dynamic Keystrokes, which let you assign up to four actions on a single key, which trigger at different levels (two on the down stroke, and two on the up stroke). With all of that tech out of the way, let’s talk about the L5’s construction. The keyboard features a beefy CNC aluminum body and switch plate, giving it some heft — I’m confident it won’t break if accidentally dropped. Like almost all 75-percent mechanical planks, the board comes with a rotary knob that’s adjustable via Lemokey’s software or QMK / VIA. The board measures 12 inches (304.8mm) wide by 6 inches (152.4mm) deep, and is 1.5 inches (38.1mm) thick. It weighs a hefty 4.2 pounds (1,905g). (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The included keycaps are double-shot PBT, but they don’t have the grippy texture most PBT keycaps have — not necessarily a bad thing, but if you like PBT keycaps’ texture, these aren’t the keycaps for you. Our review model came in Cyber, which features a green bottom case and a ****** top plate, with ****** shine-through keycaps and translucent accent keys. I do wish Lemokey shipped this option with both regular modifier keys and the translucent ones, as they’re a bit polarizing and the board looks a little strange if the back lighting is not set to certain colors. You can, of course, buy new keycaps, but you shouldn’t have to. The keyboard features a USB-C port on the left side along the top, as well as a switch that lets you switch between PC and Mac mode. It comes pre-configured with some shortcuts — for example, you can change the backlighting configurations using Fn + Q / E, but you’ll find more customization options if you use Lemokey’s Lemokey Launcher to configure the board. Typing and Gaming Experience (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The switches are unlike any other Hall Effect switch I’ve used. For starters, they have a round stem, which provides more structure and reduces stem wobble (similar to Kailh’s box switches). They also feel like true mechanical keyboard switches — the thing that has always deterred me from magnetic keyboards is the feeling. Magnetic switches are often very smooth and clearly, but I usually feel like they’re a little too snappy. However, if you told me that this keyboard’s switches were standard MX mechanical switches, I’d believe you. (Image credit: Lemokey) The L5 arrives in its gasket-mounted configuration with silicone socks installed. It comes with silicone strips and sockets for gasket-mounting, as well as silicone beans for top-mounting. I tried all four configurations and my favorite ended up being the top-mount: I don’t love bounce on a gaming keyboard. That said, the L5 isn’t as bouncy in its gasket-mounted configuration as other gasket-mounted boards, such as the Mode Designs Mode Eighty. While each bottom-out is much more firm on the top-mount configuration than on the gasket-mount configurations, the top-mount just felt more like a gaming keyboard (most gaming keyboards are tray-mounted). My game of choice for testing this board was Marvel Rivals, which is one of the more popular competitive games on the market — and this is supposed to be a highly-competitive keyboard. I had zero issues with gaming — the switches were incredibly smooth but didn’t carry that snappy effect that most magnetic switches have, and the 8,000 Hz polling rate made for zero latency. I’m sure this keyboard could be an extra-competitive weapon if you take the time to dial-in actuation points and tune the various magnetic switch features, such as Rapid Trigger and Dynamic Keystrokes. While some of these features seem a bit niche, they can definitely be useful in the right hands. I could never adjust to Dynamic Keystrokes, but I have a buddy who plays Satisfactory like it’s his job and utilizes said feature on his Corsair K70 Core RGB. Software of the Lemokey L5 HE 8K Magnetic switch keyboards rely quite a bit on software for their various features. The L5 comes with Lemokey Launcher, which is web-based, and lets you remap keys, customize the backlighting, record macros, and adjust the keyboard’s magnetic switch features (Rapid Trigger and Dynamic Keystroke, as well as Snap Action and Gamepad Analog). It’s dense but not too complicated, and you’ll need it for the magnetic features. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The only downside is that it’s web-based, so you need to be connected to the internet to use it — which is pretty ridiculous considering this is just a keyboard. Plus, it’s a bit concerning that you have to rely on Keychron/Lemokey keeping this software up so you can reprogram your keyboard. Luckily, you can also configure many of the keyboard’s features using QMK / VIA, the open-source firmware / software used by most enthusiast mechanical keyboards. Bottom Line I really enjoyed the Lemokey L5 HE 8K — it definitely bridges the gap (successfully!) between gaming keyboards and enthusiast keyboards. It’s a little steep at $199, but it’s built like a tank and highly adjustable, both hardware- and software-wise. I am a little sick of the 75-percent size, however — there have been several 75-percent magnetic switch gaming keyboards released recently, including Keychron’s own Q1 HE, the Arbiter Studio Polar 75 Pro, and the Meletrix Boog75, though none of those feature 8,000 Hz polling rates. I’d love to see Lemokey capitalize on this board by making TKL and full-size variants so it can really be the ultimate gaming keyboard. They have the build and switches down, so the ingredients are already there! Source link #Lemokey #Review #customizable #75percent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Consumer price report expected to show inflation isn’t going away Consumer price report expected to show inflation isn’t going away Cartons of eggs are displayed at a grocery store with a warning that limits will be placed on purchases as bird flu continues to affect the egg industry on Feb. 10, 2025 in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images The January consumer price index report is likely to tell a familiar story: Another month, another expected miss for inflation as it relates to the Federal Reserve’s goal, with concerns aplenty about what happens from here. So instead of looking for hope from the headline readings, which aren’t expected to change much from December, markets will pore through the details for trends that could shed some hope that the Fed eventually will be able to start lowering rates again. “Inflation is stuck above target, with risks skewed to the upside, activity is strong, and the labor market appears to have stabilized around full employment,” Bank of America economist Stephen Juneau said in a note. “If our January CPI forecast is correct, the case for the Fed to stay on hold will strengthen further.” Bank of America is one of the most pessimistic voices on Wall Street in terms of expecting further Fed easing. In fact, the bank’s economists believe the Fed will stay on hold for the rest of the year — and beyond — as inflation holds higher, the labor market remains strong and the economy generally stays out of the kind of trouble that would necessitate rate cuts. Traders otherwise figure the Fed to approve a quarter percentage point reduction in July and then stay put, according to CME Group data. More immediately, Bank of America’s forecast pretty much meshes with the Dow Jones outlook for January CPI: a monthly increase of 0.3% for the all-items index and a 12-month inflation rate of 2.9%, the latter same as December. Excluding food and energy, the respective core readings are projected at 0.3% and 3.1%, the annual mark just a notch down from the 3.2% reading in December. From a details standpoint, increases are likely to be driven by rises in car prices and auto insurance as well as communications, according to Goldman Sachs. The firm expects only moderate downward pressure from airfares and, importantly, the rent-related categories that make up about one-third of the CPI weighting and have been largely responsible for inflation holding above the Fed’s 2% goal. Things only get more complicated from here. Optimism despite tariff concerns While economists expect a good share of disinflation from some key categories, President Donald Trump’s tariffs could act as an inflationary counterweight. “Going forward, we see further disinflation in the pipeline over the next year from rebalancing in the auto, housing rental, and labor markets, but an offset from an escalation in tariff policy,” Goldman economists said in a note. There’s been some good news lately, though. While the University of Michigan’s consumer survey showed a surprising bump in inflation expectations, other measures indicate the outlook is actually softening. The National Federation of Independent Business survey for January showed that just 18% of the small business gauge reported inflation as being their biggest issue, the lowest level since November 2021. Also, the Cleveland Fed’s first-quarter Survey of Firms’ Inflation Expectations showed that CEOs and other top executives see CPI to run at a 3.2% rate over the next 12 months. While that’s well above the 2% standard, it is a sharp drop from the 3.8% in the fourth quarter. Amid the conflicting information, the Fed is expected to stay put. Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Tuesday said the central bank is in no rush to cut rates further, while Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack noted the persistence of inflation that could be exacerbated by tariffs as reason to stay put. “While monetary policy needs to be forward-looking in nature, forecasts are no substitute for realizations. Or as they might have put it in Jerry Maguire, ‘show me the low inflation,'” Hammack said. Source link #Consumer #price #report #expected #show #inflation #isnt Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Content Scaling in Elder Scrolls Online is a Dilemma That Zenimax May Never Overcome Because of a Simple Reason Content Scaling in Elder Scrolls Online is a Dilemma That Zenimax May Never Overcome Because of a Simple Reason It’s been over 10 years since Elder Scrolls Online was released for both PC and console, and Zenimax’s open-world MMORPG has become quite the success story. Expanding upon the already existing, detailed Elder Scrolls universe, ESO has a lot to offer for both newcomers and veterans alike. A major sore point for its player base has, however, been content scaling or difficulty across certain sections of the game. Many of these parts feel rushed and unbalanced, which makes playing through it more of a hurdle than anything else. Elder Scrolls Online players want a dynamic content difficulty slider A dynamic difficulty slider would greatly benefit ESO | Image Credit: Zenimax Online Studios A thread on the official Elder Scrolls Online forum has gained a lot of traction as of late, with a vocal section of players demanding a sort of dynamic difficulty slider to the already existing Overland Content. This content can generally be categorized as being easy and not too well thought out – with higher levels of difficulty simply juicing up the enemy’s health bar instead of making any meaningful improvements, such as more aggressive, smarter AI. So just doubling their health and/or damage would be very boring and not satisfying. A doubled HP/damage output from mobs is simply not engaging enough, and players have been wanting some meaningful changes for a while now. To this extent, many have suggested a personal difficulty slider of sorts, which dynamically adjusts content difficulty to player level. Tailoring quests to both newcomers and veterans is key | image Credit: Zenimax Online Studios Let me turn up my difficulty so I take more damage and do less damage, but so I can still group with people who don’t change their difficulty. Doing so would eliminate the need to tailor quests around both newcomers and veterans, instead scaling off directly on player level – providing an optimal experience throughout. This would also let players band together and take on quests irrespective of their individual levels. I’m not opposed to OPTIONAL harder overland as long as there are NO extra rewards Another thing to consider would be leaving the harder quests as entirely optional, and without rewards. This would let players who want a challenge go through these stages, without forcing those who are looking for a more casual experience to participate as well. After all, the game as a whole feels too easy at times, and overleveled players have a hard time not steamrolling through content. While the number of players who return back to old quests and redo them for a challenge are admittedly small (but vocal), they still make an important section of the ESO community, and having more options always helps. Zenimax is likely to never solve this dilemma Zenimax is unlikely to ever solve this ‘issue’ | Image Credit: Zenimax Online Studios While this issue has been plaguing ESO for a while now, developers Zenimax Online Studios will likely never address this issue, at least in a meaningful way. For starters, this would require a massive overhaul of the game’s code and existing playable sections, which would be too much of an uphill task. Secondly, there is some genuine reasoning behind the same – after all, game balance is a tricky affair, and not everyone would appreciate these changes. Zenimax cannot afford to alienate a large section of its player base in favor of some niche demand. A suitable compromise would be perhaps to not lock the game’s best rewards behind Overworld content, and instead have the Overwold deliver challenge-based medals instead. Source link #Content #Scaling #Elder #Scrolls #Online #Dilemma #Zenimax #Overcome #Simple #Reason Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kanye West’s Swastika T-Shirt Website Removed Following Backlash – Rolling Stone Kanye West’s Swastika T-Shirt Website Removed Following Backlash – Rolling Stone Kanye West’s Swastika T-Shirt Website Removed Following Backlash Rolling StoneYe Advertised Website Selling T-Shirts With Swastikas in Super Bowl Commercial The New York TimesKanye West’s Bizarre Super Bowl Ad: Shot on an iPhone While Sitting in a Dentist Chair VarietyKanye’s ‘Yeezy’ Site Shut Down For Selling Swastika Shirts Yahoo Source link #Kanye #Wests #Swastika #TShirt #Website #Removed #Backlash #Rolling #Stone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

TMNT: Splintered Fate – Casey Jones & The Junkyard Jam DLC Review | COGconnected TMNT: Splintered Fate – Casey Jones & The Junkyard Jam DLC Review | COGconnected Casey Jones & The Junkyard Jam is an excellent excuse to jump back into TMNT: Splintered Fate for a few more runs. Source link #TMNT #Splintered #Fate #Casey #Jones #amp #Junkyard #Jam #DLC #Review #COGconnected Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Governor Of Illinois Is Trolling Donald Trump By Renaming The Great Lakes The Governor Of Illinois Is Trolling Donald Trump By Renaming The Great Lakes Hello! If you haven’t checked Google Maps recently, then you are probably unaware that Google has officially changed the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America.” Google Yep, it’s real. Fox Well, the governor of Illinois had an important announcement regarding his own renaming of long-established geographical places: ABC 7 Chicago/ tiktok.com First off, Gov. Pritzker announced he would be renaming Lake Michigan to Lake Illinois. Don’t worry, he has already forwarded the declaration to Google. Given how quickly they responded to the Gulf of America situation, I expect this to be resolved soon. In lieu of Trump wanting to “buy” Greenland, Gov. Pritzker also announced that Illinois would be annexing Green Bay, Wisconsin. And just when you thought he went too far, he says he has an announcement about the Mississippi River next week. Well, people are enthusiastic about the changes! Undefined Undefined / Getty Images/iStockphoto “THAT’S MY GOVERNOR!!!!! WE HAVE YOUR BACK,” this person said. “Lake Illinois?! What a genius idea. The world needs more people like him,” another person said. And this person suggested he go one step further and change Wisconsin to “North Illinois” and Michigan to “East Illinois.” But not everyone is so happy about the changes, mainly people from Wisconsin and Michigan. Peterhermesfurian / Getty Images “We Michiganders would like a word…” this person asked. “Nope I’m from Michigan! It stays Lake Michigan,” another person chimed in. And this person pointed out, “Why Lake Illinois y’all own like 10% of it?” I guess we’ll have to see what Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says about it. Source link #Governor #Illinois #Trolling #Donald #Trump #Renaming #Great #Lakes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump renews insistence that the U.S. can control, redevelop Gaza Trump renews insistence that the U.S. can control, redevelop Gaza President Donald Trump hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday and renewed his insistence that Gaza could be emptied of all residents, controlled by the U.S. and redeveloped as a tourist area — a plan that could likely only work if the Arab nation agrees to accept more refugees. Trump and Abdullah met in the Oval Office, where the president suggested he wouldn’t withhold U.S. aid to Jordan or other Arab nations like Egypt if they don’t agree to dramatically increase the number of people from Gaza they take in. “I don’t have to threaten that. I do believe we’re above that,” Trump said. That contradicted the Republican president previously suggesting that holding back aid from Washington was a possibility. Abdullah was asked repeatedly about Trump’s audacious plan to remake the Middle East, but didn’t make substantive comments on it, nor the idea that his country could accept large numbers of new refugees from Gaza. “I finally see somebody that can take us across the finish line to bring stability, peace and prosperity to all of us in the region,” the king said in his statement at the top of the meeting. In comments to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump also repeated suggestions that the U.S. could come to control Gaza, but he said that it wouldn’t require committing American funds. He also said that would be possible, “Under the U.S. authority,” without elaborating what that actually was. “We’re not going to buy anything. We’re going to have it,” Trump said of U.S. control in Gaza. He suggested that the redeveloped area could have new hotels, office buildings and houses, “and we’ll make it exciting.” “I can tell you about real estate. They’re going to be in love with it,” Trump, who built a New York real estate empire that catapulted him to fame, said of Gaza’s residents, while also insisting that he personally would not be involved in development. Additionally, Trump used the meeting to renew his suggestions that a tenuous ceasefire between ****** and Israel could be canceled if ****** doesn’t release all of the remaining hostages it is holding by midday on Saturday. Trump first made that suggestion on Monday, though he insisted then that the ultimate decision lies with Israel. “I don’t think they’re going to make the deadline, personally,” Trump said of ******. “They want to play tough guy. We’ll see how tough they are.” The king’s visit is happening at a perilous moment for the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza. ****** is accusing Israel of violating the truce and said it is pausing future releases of hostages captured in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly proposed the U.S. take control of Gaza and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East,” with Palestinians in the war-torn territory pushed into neighboring nations with no right of return. Trump’s Tuesday comments contradicted his Monday suggestions that, if necessary, he would withhold U.S. funding from Jordan and Egypt — longtime U.S. allies and among the top recipients of its foreign aid — as a means of persuading them to accept additional Palestinians from Gaza. Jordan is home to more than 2 million Palestinians and, along with other Arab states, has flatly rejected Trump’s plan to relocate civilians from Gaza. Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, said last week that his country’s opposition to Trump’s idea was “firm and unwavering.” Besides concerns about jeopardizing the long-held goals of a two-state solution to the Israel-************ conflict, Egypt and Jordan have privately raised security concerns about welcoming large numbers of additional refugees into their countries even temporarily. The king is also meeting with top Trump administration officials during his visit, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as a bipartisan group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. He is the third foreign leader to hold an in-person meeting with Trump since his Jan. 20 inauguration. Trump announced his ideas for resettling Palestinians from Gaza and taking ownership of the territory for the U.S. during a press conference last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The president initially didn’t rule out deploying U.S. troops to help secure Gaza but at the same time insisted no U.S. funds would go to pay for the reconstruction of the territory, raising fundamental questions about the nature of his plan. After Trump’s initial comments, Rubio and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted that Trump only wanted Palestinians relocated from Gaza “temporarily” and sought an “interim” ******* to allow for debris removal, the disposal of unexploded ordnance and reconstruction. But asked in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier that aired Monday if Palestinians in Gaza would have a right to return to the territory under his plan, he replied, “No, they wouldn’t.” Source link #Trump #renews #insistence #U.S #control #redevelop #Gaza Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

FIS shares plunge on Q4 2024 earnings FIS shares plunge on Q4 2024 earnings Lori Moffett | Bloomberg | Getty Images Shares of Fidelity National Information Services plunged the most since 2023 on Tuesday after the company reported quarterly earnings that fell short of Wall Street estimates and issued a disappointing forecast. The stock dropped 12% as of afternoon trading, heading for its biggest drop since March 2023. Here’s how the company did, compared to analysts’ consensus estimates from LSEG: Earnings per share: $1.40 adjusted vs. $1.36 expected Revenue: $2.6 billion vs. $2.63 billion expected Revenue at the fintech company increased 3.5% from $2.51 billion a year earlier, FIS said in a statement on Tuesday. Net income jumped almost fivefold to $304 million, or 56 cents a share, from $62 million, or 10 cents a share, a year earlier. FIS said revenue in the current quarter will be between $2.49 billion and $2.51 billion, and sales for the full year will be $10.44 billion to $10.5 billion. Analysts were expecting revenue for the first quarter of $2.56 billion and for the year of $10.6 billion. On the earnings call, CEO Stephanie Ferris said the company missed its own estimates for growth in 2024 “due to some one-time items.” She said that “growth in new sales” and stronger relations with clients “leave us confident in further acceleration in 2025.” FIS said new sales of digital solutions increased 70% year-over-year in 2024. Stock Chart IconStock chart icon FIS shares fall on revenue miss The company raised its share repurchase goal from $800 million to $1.2 billion as part of its commitment to return excess cash to shareholders. Separately on Tuesday, FIS announced a new partnership with online lender Affirm, to offer a debit service to its banking clients. Through the arrangement, any bank that partners with FIS will be able to provide its own version of the Affirm Card without asking customers to adopt a new piece of plastic. WATCH: Affirm shares spike Source link #FIS #shares #plunge #earnings Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump renews insistence that the U.S. can control, redevelop Gaza Trump renews insistence that the U.S. can control, redevelop Gaza President Donald Trump hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday and renewed his insistence that Gaza could be emptied of all residents, controlled by the U.S. and redeveloped as a tourist area — a plan that could likely only work if the Arab nation agrees to accept more refugees. Trump and Abdullah met in the Oval Office, where the president suggested he wouldn’t withhold U.S. aid to Jordan or other Arab nations like Egypt if they don’t agree to dramatically increase the number of people from Gaza they take in. “I don’t have to threaten that. I do believe we’re above that,” Trump said. That contradicted the Republican president previously suggesting that holding back aid from Washington was a possibility. Abdullah was asked repeatedly about Trump’s audacious plan to remake the Middle East, but didn’t make substantive comments on it, nor the idea that his country could accept large numbers of new refugees from Gaza. “I finally see somebody that can take us across the finish line to bring stability, peace and prosperity to all of us in the region,” the king said in his statement at the top of the meeting. In comments to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump also repeated suggestions that the U.S. could come to control Gaza, but he said that it wouldn’t require committing American funds. He also said that would be possible, “Under the U.S. authority,” without elaborating what that actually was. “We’re not going to buy anything. We’re going to have it,” Trump said of U.S. control in Gaza. He suggested that the redeveloped area could have new hotels, office buildings and houses, “and we’ll make it exciting.” “I can tell you about real estate. They’re going to be in love with it,” Trump, who built a New York real estate empire that catapulted him to fame, said of Gaza’s residents, while also insisting that he personally would not be involved in development. Additionally, Trump used the meeting to renew his suggestions that a tenuous ceasefire between ****** and Israel could be canceled if ****** doesn’t release all of the remaining hostages it is holding by midday on Saturday. Trump first made that suggestion on Monday, though he insisted then that the ultimate decision lies with Israel. “I don’t think they’re going to make the deadline, personally,” Trump said of ******. “They want to play tough guy. We’ll see how tough they are.” The king’s visit is happening at a perilous moment for the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza. ****** is accusing Israel of violating the truce and said it is pausing future releases of hostages captured in its Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly proposed the U.S. take control of Gaza and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East,” with Palestinians in the war-torn territory pushed into neighboring nations with no right of return. Trump’s Tuesday comments contradicted his Monday suggestions that, if necessary, he would withhold U.S. funding from Jordan and Egypt — longtime U.S. allies and among the top recipients of its foreign aid — as a means of persuading them to accept additional Palestinians from Gaza. Jordan is home to more than 2 million Palestinians and, along with other Arab states, has flatly rejected Trump’s plan to relocate civilians from Gaza. Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, said last week that his country’s opposition to Trump’s idea was “firm and unwavering.” Besides concerns about jeopardizing the long-held goals of a two-state solution to the Israel-************ conflict, Egypt and Jordan have privately raised security concerns about welcoming large numbers of additional refugees into their countries even temporarily. The king is also meeting with top Trump administration officials during his visit, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security adviser Mike Waltz, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as a bipartisan group of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. He is the third foreign leader to hold an in-person meeting with Trump since his Jan. 20 inauguration. Trump announced his ideas for resettling Palestinians from Gaza and taking ownership of the territory for the U.S. during a press conference last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The president initially didn’t rule out deploying U.S. troops to help secure Gaza but at the same time insisted no U.S. funds would go to pay for the reconstruction of the territory, raising fundamental questions about the nature of his plan. After Trump’s initial comments, Rubio and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted that Trump only wanted Palestinians relocated from Gaza “temporarily” and sought an “interim” ******* to allow for debris removal, the disposal of unexploded ordnance and reconstruction. But asked in an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier that aired Monday if Palestinians in Gaza would have a right to return to the territory under his plan, he replied, “No, they wouldn’t.” Source link #Trump #renews #insistence #U.S #control #redevelop #Gaza Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 21 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral – Spaceflight Now Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 21 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral – Spaceflight Now Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 21 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Spaceflight NowWatch: SpaceX Falcon 9 blazes across the night sky with Starlink mission BBC.comSpaceX Rocket Delivers Twilight Show After Liftoff From Vandenberg NoozhawkSpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites to orbit from California (video, photos) Space.comSpaceX Launch Rescheduled for Monday Afternoon Santa Barbara Edhat Source link #Live #coverage #SpaceX #launch #Starlink #satellites #Falcon #rocket #Cape #Canaveral #Spaceflight Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

GTA 6: With PC Driving “40% of overall sales”, Rockstar Needs to Stop Sucking Up to Sony and Not Repeat the ****** Myth: Wukong Mistake GTA 6: With PC Driving “40% of overall sales”, Rockstar Needs to Stop Sucking Up to Sony and Not Repeat the ****** Myth: Wukong Mistake It’s a no-brainer that GTA 6 is right now the most anticipated gaming title in the whole gaming world. Since the first trailer of the game in December 2023, there hasn’t been any solid update regarding the game. Fans even started worrying that there might be a delay in releasing the game, skipping the previously slated release window of fall 2025. GTA 6 is going to be released in 2025 on consoles. | Credit: Rockstar Games. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has confirmed that there’s no possibility of any delay and the company is sticking to its original release window. However, that release window will only quench the thirst of the console fans as there is no confirmed release window for PC. And this might be pretty concerning. When will GTA 6 be available on PC? Fans of Rockstar have pointed out the studio’s past reluctance to release previous games on PC on the same day as consoles, as well as its tense relationship with the modding community over time. Some had hoped, however, that a game as popular as Grand Theft Auto 6 would mark a change in the studio’s tendency toward PC gaming. Zelnick once told IGN that a PC version of a particular game can generate 40% of the overall sales, and with GTA 6, this percentage can go even higher. Now, the CEO himself is missing this point by skipping the PC launch in 2025. However, a former Rockstar animator Mike York explained the reason for launching the PC version after hitting the game on consoles as the company wanted “to prioritize what sells.” Also launching a PC version of any game is far more complicated than the console ones, as a PC consists of a vast number of hardware configurations as compared to a console’s given hardware. And Rockstar doesn’t want to hurry to release the game before making it completely perfect. But even if that is the case, Zelnick’s company will clearly miss out on an early burst of sales, which he previously assumed. Big Rockstar games eventually make their way to PC, but it’s still unclear how long PC players will have to wait for what might turn out to be one of the greatest games ever made. It appears likely that PC gamers won’t be able to play Grand Theft Auto 6 until 2026 at the latest, given Take-Two’s continued confidence in the game’s fall 2025 release window. The rumored deal between Sony and Rockstar Games GTA 6 might get delayed on PC. | Credit: Rockstar Games. According to Gamerant, a well-known rumor purports to provide information about a significant marketing deal that Grand Theft Auto 6 will enter into with Sony and the PlayStation platform. The upcoming game may be a key component of Sony’s marketing strategy for the upcoming PlayStation hardware, and this deal is said to give Sony and PlayStation priority with the game’s major marketing as it approaches release. Grand Theft Auto 6 may eventually be included with PS5 Pro consoles as a result of this rumored marketing agreement, which would be the ideal inducement for new players or fans who are ready to upgrade to more powerful hardware. It appears to be the ideal moment for Sony to make this kind of audacious deal, even though these rumors have not yet been verified. A similar thing happened with ****** Myth: Wukong as well. Although the game was available on PC and the PS5 from day one of its release, the game hasn’t been released on Xbox yet. There were many controversies regarding the capability of the Series S to run the Game Science RPG, but that wasn’t the actual case. Who knows, Sony might have tied its knot with ****** Myth: Wukong as well. And if it is the real scenario, then there is no certainty on when we are going to see GTA 6 on PCs. Source link #GTA #Driving #sales #Rockstar #Stop #Sucking #Sony #Repeat #****** #Myth #Wukong #Mistake Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Armed police at apartment block Armed police at apartment block Andrew Barton BBC News, Yorkshire BBC Police have closed roads in Sheffield city centre as the incident continues Armed police are conducting a major operation in Sheffield following reports of a man with weapons in an apartment building. Officers were called to the Gateway building on Broad Street at about 19:00 GMT on Monday. About 10 police vehicles and ambulances remain at the scene. South Yorkshire Police said specialist officers continued to negotiate with the man. There is ongoing travel disruption in and around the city, with several routes gridlocked, as officers divert traffic away from the incident. BBC/Oli Constable Armed police on a balcony and inside the building on Broad Street In a social media update the force said: “Those within the building where the property is have been evacuated and those within the neighbouring buildings have been asked to stay indoors while officers conduct their work.” About 80 Gateway residents were evacuated from the building to the nearby Ponds Forge sports centre, with some saying they had been given very little information. Erin, who was evacuated at about 20:30 GMT on Monday, said: “We’ve literally got the clothes we’re standing in and our phones.” Sheffield incident: What we know so far Sam Edwards, 31, said he called the police after a “commotion on the floor above”. “The chap living up there started emptying the contents of his flat onto our outdoor terrace and he then tried to set it alight,” he said. “The police turned up, shortly after there was armed response telling us all to leave, which was quite alarming.” Mr Edwards said the atmosphere among the evacuees was “pretty dire”. He added: “We’ve tried to keep our spirits up because people are upset and concerned about what’s gone on. “It’s people’s homes and possessions and there’s a lot of anxiety, but we’ve just tried to be there for one another and ride it through as best we can. It’s a bizarre situation.” Mr Edwards said staff at the sports centre had been “very pleasant” and had kept residents refreshed with teas and coffees, while air mattresses were delivered to the venue at around 04:00 GMT. People near the scene speak to BBC Radio Sheffield A Sheffield Hallam University spokesperson said the incident was affecting students in the Pinnacles student accommodation building They said the campus was open as usual, with the university “actively working to support those students directly impacted”. Meanwhile, Several key routes around Sheffield city centre remain gridlocked. Vehicles heading to the city from the east are seeing the longest delays and closures, with the closed Park Square roundabout a major route into Sheffield. Police said Sheffield Parkway, between Park Square roundabout and Derek Dooley Way, would remain shut with motorists advised to find an alternative route. There was also severe disruption to the tram services in the area, they said. BBC/Xanthe Palmer At one point around 100 emergency services personnel were thought to be at the incident Source link #Armed #police #apartment #block Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Bumrah ruled out of Champions Trophy due to back injury Bumrah ruled out of Champions Trophy due to back injury India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy after failing to recover from a lower back injury in time for the tournament. Bumrah, the highest wicket-taker in the recent Test series with Australia which India lost 3-1, had back spasms during the final Test in Sydney last month, which also ruled him out of the current white-ball series with England. His absence will be a major blow to India, with the 31-year-old widely considered one of the best all-format fast bowlers in the sport. “Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury. The men’s selection committee has named Harshit Rana as Bumrah’s replacement,” the Indian cricket board (BCCI) announced on Tuesday. Rana has played two ODIs, both of which came against England this month, picking up four wickets. The BCCI added that spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who took 14 wickets in a five-match T20 series against England in January and February, would replace batter Yashasvi Jaiswal. India are in Group A in the Champions Trophy and play Bangladesh, defending champions and rivals Pakistan and New Zealand. INDIA CHAMPIONS TROPHY SQUAD: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill (vice capt), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja. Source link #Bumrah #ruled #Champions #Trophy #due #injury Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo Could Have Been Bought By This Unexpected Company, Activision Founder Says Nintendo Could Have Been Bought By This Unexpected Company, Activision Founder Says According to Activision founder Bobby Kotick, Berkshire Hathaway’s Charlie Munger was at one point in time interested in buying Nintendo, or at least interested in exploring the idea of buying Nintendo. Kotick said on the Grit podcast that Munger was not a fan of video games, but saw an opportunity to potentially make a bid for Nintendo. Munger is said to have floated the idea of spending some of Berkshire’s immense holdings on making moves in the video game space. One of Munger’s ideas, apparently, was to buy Nintendo. “He goes, ‘You know, I was looking at a couple other companies in your sector. I think if we bought yours, we should buy that company Nintendo, too,'” Kotick recalled. “He said, ‘Have you guys looked at it? I was like, ‘Yeah.’ It was trading [at the time] at like 13 billion, with 7 billion in cash. He goes, ‘You know, I don’t think anything is gonna go really bad before I’m dead, and then if it goes bad after I’m dead, they’ll just chalk it up to the folly of an 82-year-old, so you don’t have to be so concerned about disappointing me.” This came about at a time when the French conglomerate Vivendi was forced to sell its stake in Activision, and Berkshire Hathaway was in the mix to buy it. That didn’t happen, though, as Activision ultimately bought itself back from Vivendi. During one of his weekly Friday lunches with Munger, Kotick asked for advice on how to structure a buyback from Vivendi. It was at this time that Munger reportedly said he wanted to fund the buyback. When he got up to go to the bathroom, Activision’s Brian Kelly said to Kotick that if Munger–an adept investor–wanted to buy the stake, then he and Kotick should want that as well. And that’s eventually what happened. “He didn’t like the business [of video games],” Kotick said of Munger. “He thought it was a step removed from gambling. He’s like, ‘You know, you’re preying off people’s addictions.’ And I was like, ‘I’m not. I’m actually giving them joy and fun, and if you ever tried a video game, you’d see that.’ He always had this… little bit of an aversion.” Of course, Berkshire did not buy Nintendo. As for Munger, he passed away in 2023 at the age of 99. Berkshire Hathaway currently has more than $325 billion in cash and could theoretically try to buy pretty much any company on the open market, but it has not signaled any intent to buy a video game company. Microsoft also tried to buy Nintendo More than 20 years ago, Microsoft tried to buy Nintendo. Then-CEO Steve Ballmer sent staff to Japan to broach the idea, and the team apparently got laughed out of the room. Berkshire did make a very big investment in the video game space in 2022, when it bought almost 15 million shares of Activision Blizzard just before Microsoft announced its intention to buy the company. Berkshire paid an average of about $66.50 per share, and that price surged tremendously after Microsoft announced its plans to buy Activision Blizzard. The deal was ultimately approved at $95 per share, so Berkshire no doubt made a very big profit on the investment. Game Pass issues Also in the interview, Kotick discussed Microsoft’s blockbuster $75.4 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard, saying he and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella “got the deal done in three days.” Of course, it took more than a year for regulatory approval, but the framework was apparently decided in just 72 hours. The only disagreement Kotick and Nadella had around the deal focused on Microsoft’s vision for Game Pass. Kotick mentioned how World of Warcraft has been successful with its $15/month subscription cost, and that’s just for one game. “Why would I put that into a Game Pass?” Kotick said. “I said to these guys, ‘Why trade our flexible business models where you can do what’s actually in the best interest of the customer.’ I didn’t believe in that. But the beauty if you’re Microsoft… you can take that bet.” Kotick is not the only higher-up who has questioned the economic realities of Game Pass, as companies like Devolver Digital have spoken critically of the service since day one. Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick has also discussed why launching new games in Game Pass makes no sense for the company. There are examples, too, of Game Pass actually helping to drive game sales outside the subscription, and Doom creator John Romero just recently said Game Pass doesn’t hurt companies. Microsoft itself previously acknowledged that Game Pass can, in some cases, cannibalize game sales–but not in every case. Source link #Nintendo #Bought #Unexpected #Company #Activision #Founder Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

How did Wylie ISD students do? How did Wylie ISD students do? Wylie ISD’s academic performance during 2023-2024 exceeded the state’s standards, but district officials are eager to improve their already high scores. At the WISD School Board meeting Monday, a hearing was held to inform the public and discuss the data. Terry Hagler, assistant superintendent of curriculum, presented the 2024 Texas Academic Performance Report at the meeting. The Texas Education Agency annually develops the report for each school and district across the state. The collected data highlights students’ academic performance on state assessments and separates student demographics to further analyze success rates and trends. The 2024 TAPR shows STAAR assessment data by grade level, subject and scores — approaches, meets and masters — compared to the previous school year at district, regional and state levels. Wylie Independent School District administration building on Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene on Aug. 28. “I stand before you with a smile on my face because I can share all the successes of our students and our teachers,” Hagler said, “but also we always know there is room for improvement, and we know there are things that we need to work on.” According to the report, all tested grade levels and subjects exceeded the state standards for the approaches level on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, In the eyes of the state, the approaches level is equivalent to pass or fail, Hagler said. If a student achieves approaches, they pass the test but will need intervention the next school year to be successful at the next grade level. STAAR results: Abilene ISD experiences decline in student reading and math scores To help students who failed the STAAR or end-of-course exam, principals have placed the students in accelerated instruction to get extra help so they can pass the next year’s state assessment, Hagler said. Wylie ISD’s 2024 Texas Academic Performance Report signifies great success across all tested grade levels for STAAR and end of course assessments. The state performance standard for the approaches level for all grades and all tested subjects is 75%. Wylie ISD surpassed the standard with a score of 87%. Despite the district’s scores being high compared to the regional and state standards, Hagler said they did see scores decrease in certain areas — specifically math. Comparing scores from the 2023 school year to the 2024 school year shows a drop in success rates. “Is that a red flag? I would say no, but it’s something we need to pay attention to,” Hagler said. “There’s places that we need to work, and the one thing that sticks out to me are math scores.” Across the state and nation, student scores in math have been dropping, and there are noticeable gaps since the pandemic, Hagler said. Hagler assured the School Board that the campuses have worked together to form a plan of action to combat the concerning areas. To improve math scores, Hagler said they purchased and implemented a program called IXL Learning at the junior high level to help with intervention and accelerated instruction. The district has also purchased curriculum through Lowman Education that will be taught to teachers with tested grade levels during professional development work days in preparation for the STAAR and EOCs. Hagler also shared the district’s College, Career and Military Readiness scores of graduating seniors with the School Board. Looking at the results for the 2022-2023 CCMR scores, Hagler said they are not where they want to be. The 2022-2023 state standard for CCMR is 76.3%. Wylie ISD graduates scored 72%. Wylie ISD Superintendent Joey Light congratulates a Wylie High School graduate in this May 24 Reporter-News file photo. The district saw a 2 percent drop from the previous year, 2021-2022. “I’m going to tell you that achieving 72% is not even an easy task, and it is not due to a lack of effort,” Hagler said. The college ready standards are where the district needs the most improvement, Hagler said. For the district to earn credit for college readiness, students must take college assessments like the ACT, SAT or Texas Success Initiative assessments. To encourage students to take those assessments, WISD has began offering in-school testing days and offering one district paid college entrance test per student, Wylie High School principal Reagan Berry said. They are also looking to offer more dual credit course and industry-based certifications to prepare students for college or careers after graduation, Berry said. Abilene principal selected as new district administrator UPDATED: Abilene ********* investigators seek driver of vehicle spotted leaving scene This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: STAAR results: How did Wylie ISD students do? Source link #Wylie #ISD #students Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ys Memoire: The Oath In Felghana’s Collectible Edition Gets Nice Discount For Switch Ys Memoire: The Oath In Felghana’s Collectible Edition Gets Nice Discount For Switch Fans of Nihon Falcom’s classic action-RPG franchise Ys can grab the latest physical release at a discount right now. Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana – D1 Refined Edition launched in January for $60 on Nintendo Switch and PS5, but Amazon and Walmart have dropped the price of the Switch edition to $48. It’s unclear when the 20% discount will expire, but physical editions of Ys games rarely received discounts. And just like other Ys games, the launch version of The Oath in Felghana comes in an oversized display box with a handful of collectibles. $48 (was $60) for Nintendo Switch The Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana Refined Edition includes a physical copy of the classic action-RPG for Nintendo Switch or PS5 as well as a handful of physical extras inside the oversized box shown above. Here’s what you get: Base game Acrylic keychain Diorama set Four postcards Soundtrack on CD Microfiber cloth Only the Switch version is eligible for the discount, but the PS5 edition is in stock for $60 at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. Check out all of the extras in the image below. Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana Refined Edition There’s an interesting history behind this Ys release, as it was first released under the title of Ys III: Wanderers from Ys in 1989. It was remade as Ys: The Oath in Felghana for PSP in 2005. The remake was ported to PC in 2012, and now it has been remastered for Nintendo Switch and PS5. The Oath in Felghana completely overhauled Ys III, and this new edition adds quality-of-life enhancements like Turbo mode, optional new character illustrations throughout the game, and voice acting for protagonist Adol Christin. The latest release features three different iterations of the original soundtrack, all remastered in high-quality audio. Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana follows the adventurous hero Adol and his companion Dogi as they return to Felghana after an eight-year journey. The lands are now filled with deadly monsters and a greedy overlord rules over the suffering residents. While Dogi leaves to seeks help from his former master, Adol stays on to assist the locals and quickly finds himself caught in the middle of new conspiracies and ancient legacies. $60 The latest mainline entry in the series, Ys X: Nordics, released in October. The physical Deluxe Edition is available for $60 for PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. It comes bundled with a mini art book and digital soundtrack. Source link #Memoire #Oath #Felghanas #Collectible #Edition #Nice #Discount #Switch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]