Pelican Press

Candidate for NJ governor’s fundraising tactic confuses some donors Candidate for NJ governor’s fundraising tactic confuses some donors Margaret McLendon, a retiree from Georgia, didn’t recall ever hearing the name Bill Spadea, a Republican candidate for governor in New Jersey. So McLendon, 85, was surprised to learn from a reporter that she donated six times to Spadea’s campaign since October, for a total of $590. ”I don’t understand it,” McLendon, who’s had a long career in Georgia’s Division of Family & Children Services, said in a phone interview. “It bothers me a lot. I don’t remember him … t’s my personal money and my funds are limited. In fact, I’m totally out right now.” Similarly, Laurie Daiger, a 73-year-old who lives in Washington state, was confused when asked why she donated 20-plus times over the last year — an aggregate of more than $1,000 — to Elect Common Sense, a PAC closely associated with Spadea. She only remembered donating to President Donald Trump’s campaign, not the New Jersey-based group that she had never heard of. It wasn’t until after POLITICO contacted her that Daiger discovered she had spent more than $4,000 on political donations to various campaigns, leading her to cancel her credit card. “It made me feel like I don’t trust human beings anymore,” she said. “It’s so dirty and rotten to do that.” POLITICO got in touch with more than a dozen frequent small-dollar donors on the campaign finance reports of Spadea and Elect Common Sense, many of whom were listed as retirees and as living outside of New Jersey. Of those donors to the campaign, just two were aware that they were frequently making donations to Spadea. What many of the donors POLITICO contacted had in common was that they wanted to help Trump, and that their donations were processed through WinRed, a fundraising platform that is commonly used by Republican candidates for office. Some fundraising tactics employed by Spadea’s campaign could lead to confusion for donors: Solicitations that do not mention him as a candidate until the fine print at the bottom, and automatic recurring donations. The strategy was made famous by Trump several years ago and has been used by candidates on both sides of the aisle, such as Gov. Gavin Newsom in California. Hundreds of individual donors from New Jersey and across the country have contributed to Spadea and his affiliated group. While many donors are intentional with their actions, it is difficult to know just how many are unaware they have been making these donations. Spadea’s campaign did not directly respond to questions about his fundraising methods but said the donations show his pro-Trump message is resonating with voters. Every dollar counts in the crowded race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy this year, especially for Republicans who are expected to be at a financial disadvantage to Democrats come the general election. It’s not unusual for donors to contribute to a campaign from outside of the state they reside in, as campaigns solicit donations from donors who gave to related causes and campaigns. In order to appeal to those out-of-state donors, a fundraising plea may invoke a more national message, and might not even mention the candidate in question. It is not an ******** tactic, but it could be “very, very confusing to donors,” said GOP digital strategist Eric Wilson. Email and fundraising solicitations from Spadea’s campaign and PAC also show a key difference from those sent out by other Republican and Democratic candidates for governor of New Jersey. For some appeals, when donors make a contribution, the default is to make it recurring. A box is automatically checked to charge them that amount monthly. (His campaign and PAC website, unlike some of the email and text solicitations, do not automatically check the box for recurring donations.) “KEEP THIS BOX CHECKED,” reads one Spadea fundraising appeal from last month that doesn’t mention the candidate himself, but promotes first lady Melania Trump and has respondents fill out a poll about her. “The BEST way to make an impact is to MAKE YOUR DONATION MONTHLY!” Only when donors get to the bottom of the solicitation does it say the contribution will benefit Spadea for governor. “I know he’s a Republican running for office, and he was running to help Trump,” said Tom Conrad, an 81-year-old retired CPA from Indiana who donated almost 20 times to Spadea’s campaign. Another donor was vaguely aware of Spadea but had not intended to donate to his campaign nearly three dozen times. “That’s amazing that I gave 34 times. I better stop that,” said Roger Hahn, an 84-year-old retiree from Omaha, Nebraska, who at first did not recall Spadea’s name. Others, like McLendon, had no idea who he was or why they donated to him. Political operatives have been fighting over automatic recurring donations for years. Some have raised concerns that donors, especially older individuals who may not be as digitally literate, might not be aware that they are donating more than once. Defenders of the practice argue that donors are able to opt out whenever they want — and note that it is a powerful tool to raise more money. A 2021 report from The New York Times found that Trump’s 2020 campaign used this recurring tactic, leading to donors unwittingly paying large sums of money. Following that article, Democratic attorneys general launched an investigation into WinRed and Democratic counterpart ActBlue for its “inherently misleading” pre-checked recurring donation boxes. WinRed sought to block that investigation, which a federal court denied in 2023, giving Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison the green light to proceed. ActBlue has since required campaigns to include “an explicit ask for a recurring contribution immediately before the donor clicks the link to give” if they want to use pre-set recurring donations. “Having a recurring donation box is a really important setting and strategy for campaigns because it helps supporters sustain a campaign,” Wilson, the strategist, said. “But it’s important that you are communicating that really clearly to your donors and supporters, because one, it doesn’t set up a good relationship if someone is surprised that they’re contributing to you, and two, it causes real damage to your fundraising program, because you get dinged with chargebacks and complaints.” Mike Hahn, an adviser who oversees the Spadea campaign’s digital fundraising program, said the campaign is “humbled by the amount of support that Bill has from around the country.” “Donors are contributing because Bill’s pro-Trump, conservative message is resonating with them on a national scale. The Spadea campaign follows industry best practices for online fundraising,” Hahn said. “Given the fact that prior to Bill, New Jersey Republicans have had a laughable online fundraising presence, I’m not surprised that this is new to other candidates.” Elizabeth Nader, chair of Elect Common Sense, did not respond to a phone message. Chris Russell, a strategist for primary opponent Jack Ciattarelli, in a statement called Spadea “a phony and a fraud.” “It’s not surprising these folks are mad at being ripped off, especially when they learn that he has a history of putting fundraising dollars directly into his own pocket,” Russell said, referring to a Spadea nonprofit, the Common Sense Club, that reported paying him $65,000 before he became a candidate. Some of the Spadea donors weren’t upset even if they didn’t recognize him as a candidate or realize that they were giving him multiple donations. Mikell Thorne, a 77-year-old in Indiana who has donated more than $200 to Spadea’s campaign, told POLITICO he didn’t know about his donations, but was alright with them because Spadea is a Republican. Three PAC donors POLITICO spoke with said that they weren’t too familiar with the group’s mission, but noted they make a lot of donations to Republican entities. “I have no idea. I spent a lot of money in a lot of places,” said Donald Krom, an 87-year-old from Pennsylvania who donated to the PAC. Elect Common Sense raised $934,000 in 2024, according to its year-end report filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. Its mission, according to its website, is to provide “support and financial backing to elect like-minded, Common Sense candidates in New Jersey from School Board to Governor.“ But virtually all of the money it raised in 2024 went to its own operating expenses, especially fundraising. About $62,000 — roughly 7 percent of its 2024 spending — went to candidates or political organizations. During a debate Tuesday night, Spadea touted the PAC’s small-dollar fundraising as a sign of grassroots support. “I started a group called Elect Common Sense. And Elect Common Sense raised $1 million in 10 months and our average donation was $11.14 per person,” he said. Spadea has raised more than $1 million for his gubernatorial bid, and could benefit partially from the state’s matching public funds program (although Ciattarelli is seeking to block him from those funds). The first round of matching funds was released late last month; Spadea has not yet filed for the program. The other major Republican gubernatorial candidates who have filed campaign finance reports — Ciattarelli and state Sen. Jon Bramnick, both of whom have outraised Spadea — do not have the same extent of out-of-state repeat small-dollar donations as Spadea and his PAC. And Ciattarelli fundraising emails reviewed by POLITICO did not have pre-checked boxes to make recurring donations. POLITICO reached out to a random sample of several retired small-dollar Ciattarelli donors who had given more than once and heard back from three, all of whom were aware of who Ciattarelli was and that they were donating to him. “Oh yeah. Are you kidding? I love that man,” said Rosemarie Betts, a 71-year-old retired university administrator from Somerdale, New Jersey, who has given Ciattarelli about $200 in numerous small donations. “He sent out a donation [solicitation] through WinRed or whatever the heck it’s called. I said ‘You know, I’m going to start donating.’ Then I decided to start donating monthly to him.” Joseph Pupino, an 80-year-old retired lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department who lives in Dumont, also said he was aware that he had made more than one donation to Ciattarelli, and was even familiar with some relatively obscure aspects of New Jersey’s campaign finance law. Bramnick said his campaign does not even include boxes to make donations recurring on his fundraising appeals. Source link #Candidate #governors #fundraising #tactic #confuses #donors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fortnite leak reveals details about upcoming event Fortnite leak reveals details about upcoming event The end of Fortnite Chapter 6 – Season 1 is less than two weeks away, and the latest leak reveals details about a season-ending event. Source link #Fortnite #leak #reveals #details #upcoming #event Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What happened when Donald Trump imposed steel tariffs in 2018 – Financial Times What happened when Donald Trump imposed steel tariffs in 2018 – Financial Times What happened when Donald Trump imposed steel tariffs in 2018 Financial TimesChina Is at the Heart of Trump Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum The New York TimesTrump will slap 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports USA TODAYMorning Bid: Tariff pains? Dr Copper will see you now Reuters.comLive updates: Trump eyes an array of new tariffs with far-reaching effects on global trade The Washington Post Source link #happened #Donald #Trump #imposed #steel #tariffs #Financial #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Family ‘devastated’ at loss of fighter Family ‘devastated’ at loss of fighter Mark Simpson and Holly Fleck BBC News NI Pacemaker Cousin Julieanne Acciaressi and aunt Georgina Ivors spoke at the Ulster Hall The family of the boxer who died a week after a title fight in Belfast has said they “loved John” and are “just devastated”. Speaking at the Ulster Hall, where a book of condolence has opened in tribute to the 28-year-old boxer, his aunt Georgina Ivors said: “The people are just amazing and we’re very touched.” The family also thanked the staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. His cousin, Julieanne Acciaressi, said: “He fought hard all week and they were fantastic.” ‘Don’t blame anybody’ Mr Cooney’s manager Mark Dunlop said he “can’t blame anybody” Speaking to BBC News NI, Mark Dunlop, Mr Cooney’s manager said he “can’t blame anybody” and Mr Cooney’s family “don’t blame anybody”. “They loved their son and they came up here to support him,” he added. “Its devastating, its just surreal that we are coming here to pay our respects to a guy that was like a family member to me. “Really we shouldn’t be here mourning him, we should really be celebrating him,” Mr Dunlop said.. “John knew the dangers, the family know the dangers… everyone involved in boxing know that it carries a risk “But if you look at the worldwide boxing scene, the number of fatalities is minute”. “I have been involved in boxing for 40 years at every level, and for this to come to our door, and when I say ‘our’ I’m talking about the people of Belfast… it is just devastating.” Mr Dunlop said he will remember Mr Cooney for his “cheeky smile”, his “dedication” and how he “lived” for the sport. “It will take me my lifetime to forget him, he is now up there with the greats,” he added. Getty Images Mr Cooney passed away a week after a title fight in Belfast Northern Ireland’s Sports Minister Gordon Lyons described what had happened as a “tragic event”. He paid tribute to Cooney on the floor of the Stormont Assembly, saying his thoughts were with his friends, family and all those in the boxing world who knew and loved him. “I want to commend the medical team at the Ulster Hall and all of the staff at the Royal Victoria Hospital for their work,” he added. A book of condolence is open at The Ulster Hall until 21:00 GMT on Monday The Irish boxer suffered an intracranial haemorrhage and had surgery to relieve pressure on his brain following the bout at the Ulster Hall. Galway man Cooney was assessed by the medical team in the ring before being taken out on a stretcher and transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. The contest was stopped in the ninth round in what was Cooney’s first defence of his Celtic super-featherweight title. ‘Credit to the sport’ Former double WBO European champion Conrad Cummings said Cooney’s fellow boxers were “absolutely devastated” by his death. “It’s a big blow to the boxing community and he’ll be remembered greatly for the champ that he was,” he said. A statement from the Ulster Hall, said: “We’re sending heartfelt condolences to John Cooney’s family and friends and the wider boxing community.” Belfast boxer Anto Cacace, the IBF world super-featherweight champion, told BBC News NI that Cooney was a “credit to the sport of boxing”. “He was an up-and-coming star on the Irish and British boxing scene with talent in abundance.” The governing body of professional boxing in the ***, the British Boxing Board of Control said it was “deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of John Cooney”. Tributes were also paid from Cooney’s native city. In a statement, Galway Amateur Boxing Association said the announcement of his death was “the worst possible news” following a “torturous week” in hospital. The book of condolence will remain open until 21:00 GMT on Monday Source link #Family #devastated #loss #fighter Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pick up two Blink Mini security cameras for only $38 Pick up two Blink Mini security cameras for only $38 Last month, a pack of two Blink Mini 2 security cameras was $40, down from $80. They’re currently 46 percent off at $38, meaning you get two for less than the price of one. These are also the latest model, offering advantages previous iterations don’t have. The Blink Mini 2 security camera captures live video in 1080p HD, and there’s also a night HD view. If you have a Blink Subscription Plan, you can stream continuously for 90 minutes. The plan is sold separately, of course, but this package comes with a 30-day free trial to let you have a taste of these extra features. The subscription also grants access to more features like motion detection alerts and clip-saving. You can even send clips to others later. Blink Pick up two Blink Mini security cameras for only $38. It’s pretty much a buy one, get one free deal. $38 at Amazon The newest model comes with a spotlight for improved night visibility and has a wider field of view, 143 degrees up from 110 degrees that the original Blink Mini has. It’s also compatible with Amazon’s Alexa, allowing you to see what’s going on outside with just a few words. Source link #Pick #Blink #Mini #security #cameras Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

More rain for flood-hit region but relief in sight More rain for flood-hit region but relief in sight Relief is finally in sight for flood-hit regions in northern Australia with heavy rainfall set to ease. However some communities face days and possibly weeks in isolation due to floodwaters. Record rainfall has lashed the north Queensland coast, claiming two lives and forcing hundreds to evacuate. The threat has now moved inland with a severe weather warning spanning Innisfail down to Ayr pushing west into Gulf Country. Six hourly rainfall totals of up to 180mm have been forecast with up to 300mm over 24 hours through to Tuesday. The drenched region will receive some respite from Wednesday as a tropical low moves east off the Townsville coast. “The good news is this rainfall is expected to ease,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Matt Collopy said. “So we will see a clearing trend in the rainfall during Wednesday and Thursday as the monsoon trough contracts north over Cape York Peninsula.” But it may be some time before some regions recover from extensive flooding. At least six communities near the Gulf of Carpentaria are already cut off by floodwaters, with critical supplies unable to reach sodden locals via road. The local mayor expected residents to be stranded for some time, with planes and helicopters set to help resupply remote towns. “There’s six communities in the Gulf that rely on that transport corridor and that’s all going to be shut for some time into the future,” Etheridge Shire’s Barry Hughes told AAP. Totals of more than 1500mm have been recorded between Cardwell and Townsville over 10 days, ensuring February rainfall records have already been broken for some regions. “This has been a very prolonged heavy rainfall event for northern Queensland and the risk of dangerous and life threatening flash flooding continues through to Tuesday,” Mr Collopy said. Ingham, north of Townsville, was one of the worst hit by the wet weather that has lashed the region in the past fortnight. Flooding claimed the lives of two women and completely isolated the community, with power cut and food supplies dwindling at one stage. But power is set to be restored to every Ingham household by Monday night with a critical link – the Ollera Creek Bridge – set to be reopened to general traffic on Tuesday after collapsing in floodwaters. Meanwhile, a severe weather warning is in place in the country’s southeast covering Gippsland, Victoria and NSW’s south coast with widespread heavy rainfall in coming days. Severe storms are likely on Tuesday across far eastern Victoria and NSW’s southeast and northern inland with a risk of heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hail. And Western Australia is at risk of a cyclone forming off the northwest Kimberly coast. It is set to be named Tropical Cyclone Zelia. Source link #rain #floodhit #region #relief #sight Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Take-Two CEO Talks GTA 6 Not Coming To PC At Launch Take-Two CEO Talks GTA 6 Not Coming To PC At Launch Grand Theft Auto (GTA 6) is likely coming to PC, it’s just a matter of when. In a new interview with IGN, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked about the game coming to the platform and the decision to not launch on what he calls an “important part” of the business. In the interview, Zelnick says, usually, Take-Two’s strategy has not been to release on all platforms at once. Instead, he says, it would start with a console or two before branching out. With GTA 6, that plan appears to be no different as there is a focus on moving more PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series systems with the game’s release. “When you have a big title in the market and we have many of them coming, historically that has sold consoles,” Zelnick said while also mentioning that it’s not always the case to not release on all platforms at once. He pointed to Civilization 7 as an example of a full multi-platform release that includes PC and Nintendo Switch. PODCAST: GTA 6 Still On Track For 2025: Insider Gaming Weekly Podcast Regarding PC launches, specifically, Zelnick says that the company knows how big the market it. According to the Take-Two boss, PC versions of a game can result in up to 40% of a game’s total sales. It’s not something that’s lost on him. “We have seen PC become a much more and more important part of what used to be a console business, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see that trend continue,” he said. GTA 6 is currently scheduled to launch this fall on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The latest update on the game still being on track sent Take-Two stock to an all-time high. When do you think GTA 6 will come to PC? Let us know in the comments or on our new community forum! For more information from Insider Gaming, read about Sony turning down the Resistance 4 pitch. Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #TakeTwo #CEO #Talks #GTA #Coming #Launch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Not So Brilliant,’ Says Mark Cuban As Nearly $7 Million In Taxpayer Money Flows To Elon Musk’s Doge In Just 2 Weeks ‘Not So Brilliant,’ Says Mark Cuban As Nearly $7 Million In Taxpayer Money Flows To Elon Musk’s Doge In Just 2 Weeks ‘Not So Brilliant,’ Says Mark Cuban As Nearly $7 Million In Taxpayer Money Flows To Elon Musk’s Doge In Just 2 Weeks Billionaire investor Mark Cuban recently had a lot to say about the Department of Government Efficiency and its recent initiatives. Cuban initially speculated that Elon Musk’s team might have been pulling data from USAspending.gov—a public database tracking federal spending—then presenting it as if they had uncovered wasteful expenses themselves. At first, he found the move “brilliant,” even comparing it to Donald Trump’s tactics, saying, “Fooled me. Very Trump like too.” But his opinion quickly changed. “Not so brilliant,” Cuban wrote in a follow-up post on Bluesky, responding to criticism that DOGE had burned through nearly $7 million in taxpayer funds in just a week. A Roll Call article that Cuban shared reported that money was allocated for “Software Modernization Initiative.” Don’t Miss: As a House Democratic aide explained to the outlet, the DOGE is getting money “to perform work on the agencies’ behalf and using their money to pay for it.” DOGE was established under a Trump executive order, replacing the U.S. Digital Service and giving Musk authority over government-wide IT upgrades and spending reviews. But critics argue that it does much more—giving Musk access to sensitive government data in his quest to shut down federal programs. According to data made public by the Office of Management and Budget, the funding—$6.75 million so far—came in two chunks: $750,000 on Jan. 27 $6 million on Jan. 30 Trending: Nancy Pelosi Invested $5 Million In An AI Company Last Year — Here’s How You Can Invest In Multiple Pre-IPO AI Startups With Just $1,000 A notable change in DOGE’s funding structure is that it now has its own Treasury account, independent of the Information Technology Oversight and Reform budget. A White House official claimed this was just a continuation of funds previously allocated to the U.S. Digital Service. However, the lack of transparency around how DOGE is using the money has raised concerns. Meanwhile, top Democrats, including Senate ********* Leader Chuck Schumer and House ********* Leader Hakeem Jeffries, are working on legislation to block Musk’s access to federal data. Story Continues Source link #Brilliant #Mark #Cuban #Million #Taxpayer #Money #Flows #Elon #Musks #Doge #Weeks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Controversial land law in court challenge Controversial land law in court challenge A legal challenge against a controversial new land seizure law at the centre of a row with US President Donald Trump has been filed by the Democratic Alliance (DA), which is part of South Africa’s coalition government. The Expropriation Act allows for private land to be seized by the government without compensation in certain cases. Trump has frozen foreign aid to the country as a result, alleging that land is being confiscated already. The government, which is made up of 10 parties led by the African National Congress (ANC), said the US president’s actions were based on “a campaign of misinformation and propaganda aimed at misrepresenting our great nation”. The ANC was forced into a power-sharing deal last year after losing its parliamentary majority, for the first time in three decades, in May’s general election. The DA, which is the coalition’s second largest party, has called the Expropriation Act unconstitutional, arguing that no democratic government should be given powers to seize property without compensation. It said that South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa signed it into law against its advice. Land ownership has long been a contentious issue in South Africa, with most private farmland owned by white people 30 years after the end of the racist system of apartheid. There have been continuous calls for the government to address land reform and deal with the past injustices of racial segregation. But in its argument against the Expropriation Act, the majority-white DA says that the apartheid government used similar powers to remove native communities from their land, and that it wants to protect property rights for all South Africans. “This history teaches us that true redress requires protecting property rights, ensuring that no government is ever given unchecked expropriation powers ever again,” the party said in a statement. In a statement last week, the DA said that it was deeply concerned about the threat by Trump to halt funding. The ANC said no land has been seized without compensation and added this would only happen in exceptional circumstances, such as if land was needed for public use and all other avenues to acquire the land had been exhausted. Trump’s executive order over the weekend freezing aid said the US “cannot support the government of South Africa’s commission of rights violations in its country”. It also as long as South Africa “continues these unjust and immoral practices” then the US will not provide aid or assistance. The White House said Washington will also formulate a plan to resettle South African farmers and their families as refugees. It said US officials will take steps to prioritise humanitarian relief, including admission and resettlement through the United States Refugee Admissions Program for Afrikaners in South Africa, who are mostly white descendants of early Dutch and French settlers. President Ramaphosa has said he will send envoys to various countries to explain the government’s recent policy changes, including the Expropriation Act. Source link #Controversial #land #law #court #challenge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

New York metro transit systems add on-demand sign language interpreters New York metro transit systems add on-demand sign language interpreters It’s a classic New York experience. You’re riding the subway to work, and suddenly the train stops. The lights go off, and you seem to be trapped between stations in a tunnel. For many New Yorkers, hardened over years of bad weather, prevalent trash and cohabitation with rats, this is just another recurring event that’s made less nerve-wracking by experience. But for Jarrod Musano, being stuck on a southbound 6 train that had lost power, there was little relief. Musano was born deaf, and the audio-only announcements were of no help. Musano couldn’t see anything in the darkness, and had to rely on gauging the amount of panic in his surroundings. “I knew if it were serious, people would be moving quickly,” he recalled of the incident. Musano’s experience reflects one of many ways people who have disabilities and, more specifically, who are hard of hearing, have difficulty when using public transportation. Musano is the CEO of Convo, a company that was founded in 2009 and connects people with sign language interpreters on demand. Today, the company is announcing a partnership with the New York Transit Authority, New Jersey Transit and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey that brings its service to area airports, trains and other major transit hubs. This includes the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) subway system, the Long Island Rail Road and NJTransit. Through this partnership, QR codes will be placed at various locations across those systems, and scanning them will launch Convo’s web app through a browser. The user will be asked to grant access to their microphone and camera, and they’ll then be connected to a real-time sign language interpreter on their devices. This, of course, requires that people have mobile phones or tablets with working internet connections, which might not always be reliable. It’s worth noting, though, that the MTA has been adding Wi-Fi coverage to subway stations across its network. Plus, many of these QR codes are placed at customer service booths, which have gadgets on hand that could provide access. Convo and its partners had been conducting pilot tests at Penn Station, Times Square and the Port Authority terminal for months, and said in a press release that in general, users reported “feelings of empowerment, inclusion and newfound confidence in interacting with transit staff.” The company added that 44 out of 47 users were able to successfully access the service during the pilot. There are a number of reasons using a sign language interpreter would be more effective and efficient than, say, typing messages on your phone and handing them to another person to read. First, for many deaf individuals, sign language is their native language, and it would be more intuitive to express themselves that way than to type in English. Sign language also has different syntax than English. A sign language interpreter can also help translate as a deaf person is signing and also while a person with hearing is speaking, which can reduce frustration and time spent handing a phone back and forth. It can feel comforting and reassuring to have an interpreter available that understands what you’re communicating, and since they are likely to be fairly familiar with the situation, the interpreter could also help share information they already know from context and experience. I went to look for these QR codes when I was at Moynihan Train Hall (an extension of Penn Station) this weekend, and once I spotted the first one at a ticketing counter at the LIRR service area, I started noticing them all over. I counted five of the little green squares in total, and after scanning one, I was brought to Convo’s page on my browser, which displayed an explanation and tips for better service. I didn’t want to waste an interpreter’s time, so I stopped after that. I do have to point out that as a T-Mobile user, I frequently lose my signal in Moynihan Train Hall and have to use the station’s public Wi-Fi, which in my experience has unreliable speeds. That’s one of the challenges Convo will have to contend with and work on as the service reaches more people. “As we deploy this out to the MTA, we’re going to learn the types of behaviors, the types of requests, the types of challenges that we’re going to face,” Musano said when I asked if languages other than American Sign Language would be supported. For now, ASL is the default, though Convo wouldn’t have to stretch too hard to find interpreters for British Sign Language and others. In fact, Convo already works with major networks in countries like Australia and the ***, with Musano saying it has partnerships with British Airlines, Aer Lingus, the British railway and more. Convo’s service in the New York and New Jersey transit systems is free, and its app Convo Now provides 20 free minutes per month to all users who need sign language interpreters. Source link #York #metro #transit #systems #add #ondemand #sign #language #interpreters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Aftershocks hit Santorini and surrounding islands Aftershocks hit Santorini and surrounding islands Three more earthquakes have occurred near the Greek island of Santorini. Residents of neighbouring Amorgos are remaining on high alert after Monday’s tremors, which followed a moderate 5.0 magnitude earthquake between the islands on Sunday evening. The area has been rocked by seismic activity for the last two weeks, and experts have not ruled out a major earthquake. A state of emergency will remain in place on Santorini until at least 3 March. Sunday’s quake was preceded by three smaller ones of more than 4.0 magnitude, while the three on Monday morning were also more than 4.0 on the Richter scale. Inspections found no damage to buildings in Santorini or Amorgos. No injuries have been reported as a result of the earthquakes, which have numbered in the thousands since 26 January, but more than 11,000 people have left the islands. Schools will remain closed on Santorini, Amorgos and several other islands on Monday and Tuesday. A team of the Special Disaster Response Unit has set off for Amorgos from Patras with a special earthquake rescue vehicle, and technical teams are expected to inspect the electricity network on the island. Kostas Papazachos, a professor of seismology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, told broadcaster ERT that the authorities had to allow for the situation to continue for most or all of February. “Let’s hope that we will slowly move towards a gradual de-escalation,” he said. “We will have to be a little patient and see. Let’s hope that after a couple of weeks the phenomenon will start to subside.” He said the possibility of a major earthquake had not been completely ruled out. The strongest quake so far was a 5.2 magnitude on Thursday. 6.0 and above is considered severe. Greece is one of Europe’s most earthquake-prone countries, but scientists are puzzled by the current “clusters” of quakes which have not been linked to a major shock. Meanwhile the cruise ship Viking Star, with 893 passengers and 470 crew, docked at the port of Souda in Crete early on Monday morning. It was due to be the first cruise ship of the season in Santorini. The ship changed its route mainly to avoid cable car overcrowding in Santorini during the seismic activity. Source link #Aftershocks #hit #Santorini #surrounding #islands Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Natural England clears clouds with machine learning Natural England clears clouds with machine learning Living England is among the latest batch of artificial intelligence (AI) projects listed as part of the government’s drive to showcase the uses of AI and open data in the public sector. Run by Natural England, the project uses satellite imagery, field data records and other geospatial data to create a national habitat map of England. Rather than the manual surveys of the past, Living England uses AI to track changes to habitats more efficiently, which the government said will speed up decisions around planning and land use while better protecting nature. Living England demonstrates how combining multiple datasets with human observations improves the accuracy of machine learning. The datasets include satellite data from Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s space programme. The project, which began in 2016, is funded by the Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) through the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) programme. The European Space Agency (ESA) and European Union (EU) Copernicus Sentinel-2 programme provides imagery of the Earth’s surface at a spatial resolution varying from 10m to 60m. As an optical satellite, the land surface is often obscured by cloud and its appearance modified by cloud shadow, both of which reduce the quality of the imagery used as input for habitat modelling. Cloud and cloud shadow need to be removed prior to modelling to produce cloud-free mosaic images of the land surface for use in modelling. To achieve this, data collected by surveyors on the ground is correlated with satellite data from the Sentinel-2 programme using machine learning techniques to identify clouds. Living England also makes use of the Environment Agency’s National LIDAR Programme, which provides high spatial resolution (1m) topographic data. Other datasets include climatic data from the Met Office’s HadUK gridded climate product, geology and soils datasets from the British Geographical Survey, Cranfield NATMAP soilscapes, and Ordnance Survey datasets. Our Living England project is harnessing the power of AI to inform and support planning decisions far more efficiently Sallie Bailey, Natural England Commenting on the project, Natural England’s chief scientist, Sallie Bailey, said: “Nature restoration, development and economic growth are not opposing forces – they can and must work together to create a sustainable future for people and wildlife. “Our Living England project is harnessing the power of AI to inform and support planning decisions far more efficiently. This means we can make the biggest impact for nature recovery while helping to deliver the new homes and infrastructure the country needs.” The government has published an AI Playbook, with case studies and best practices, which it hopes can offer the public sector guiding principles on how to build AI to help their organisations fix services for citizens and support its ambition to transform public services with AI. Technology secretary Peter Kyle said: “The publication of our AI Playbook today comes with a call to arms for tech specialists across the public sector – use the guidance we are sharing to put AI to work in your organisations at whiplash speed, so we can repair our broken public services together.” As well as Living England, the government has provided 13 other examples of how AI and algorithmic tools are used to speed up decision-making and improve public services. These include the use of AI to improve weather predictions and in maintaining high standards at MOT testing centres. Source link #Natural #England #clears #clouds #machine #learning Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fit-again Djokovic sets sights on 100th title in Doha Fit-again Djokovic sets sights on 100th title in Doha Novak Djokovic has almost fully recovered from the injury that ended his *********** Open campaign and is aiming to lift a 100th singles title at this month’s Qatar Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion retired due to a hamstring injury in his semi-final against Alexander Zverev last month. The world No.7 was booed by the crowd at Melbourne Park and responded by posting a photo of an MRI scan taken of his left hamstring with the caption: “Thought I’d leave this here for all the sports injury ‘experts’ out there”. He also withdrew from Serbia’s Davis Cup first-round qualifying tie, in which they lost to Denmark. “There is no more rupture in the muscle, the injury is almost 100 per cent healed,” Djokovic, 37, told Montenegrin daily newspaper Vijesti in an interview published on Monday. “I have the green light from the medical team to be able to train, to be able to prepare. The tournament in Doha is scheduled for a week now, so I am sticking to the schedule. Thank God, I managed to recover quickly. “I have had a few more injuries lately than I did in the first 15 years of my career. That probably comes with age, but my body still listens to me, the flame and desire for achievement and new achievements still burns in me.” At the February 17-22 Qatar Open, Djokovic will be hoping to become only the third man to win 100 singles titles on the tour in the professional era after Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103). The Serbian, whose 99th title came in August with his victory at the Paris Olympics, came closest to winning his 100th at the Shanghai Masters where he was beaten by world No.1 Jannik Sinner in the final in October. “I hope that the 100th trophy can come already in Doha, I’ve been chasing it for a long time, since October last year, but about that – it will come when it’s supposed to come,” said the 37-year-old, who won the title in Doha in 2016 and 2017. “I know it will come, we’ll see when and where.” Source link #Fitagain #Djokovic #sets #sights #100th #title #Doha Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta Week Extended Due To PSN Outage Monster Hunter Wilds Open Beta Week Extended Due To PSN Outage Capcom has announced that it is extending the second open beta test for Monster Hunter Wilds on all platforms as a result of PlayStation Network being down this past weekend. In a statement, Capcom said, “Hunters, we’re pleased to confirm that due to the PlayStation Network outage that occurred during the first week of OBT2, we’re extending the second week of OBT2 by +24 hours on all platforms!” The second weekend of the open beta test will start at the normal time, February 13 at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET. However, the open beta’s end time has been extended by a full 24 hours, meaning that it will now ends on February 18 at 6:59 PM PT / 9:59 PM ET. Hunters, we’re pleased to confirm that due to the PlayStation Network outage that occurred during the first week of OBT2, we’re extending the second week of OBT2 by +24 hours on all platforms! New *******: Feb. 13, 7pm PT / Feb. 14, 3am GMT – Feb. 17, 6:59 pm PT / Feb. 18, 2:59… pic.twitter.com/i0jTHjYHyx — Monster Hunter (@monsterhunter) February 10, 2025 This upcoming session will have the same content as the session this past weekend. Players will be able to hunt game’s flagship monster the Arkveld, also known as the White Wraith. Players will also be able to access the training area, as well as create a private lobbies in order to hunt with specific people. Online single player mode will be available too, which allows players to play solo without joining a lobby. Characters created in the open beta tests can be carried over to the full version of the game once it releases on February 28, 2025 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. There will be a day-one patch to implement PS5 Pro support, and for more on the PC version, be sure to check out the new system-benchmark test first. Last Friday, February 7, PSN went down for nearly 24 hours and Sony stated that it was due to an “operational issue.” For compensation, Sony gave all PlayStation Plus members an additional five days of service. Source link #Monster #Hunter #Wilds #Open #Beta #Week #Extended #Due #PSN #Outage Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Central Florida music teacher arrested for enticing minors in online sex acts, records show Central Florida music teacher arrested for enticing minors in online sex acts, records show Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways A Central Florida middle school music teacher has been arrested on federal charges for enticing children to perform sex acts online, according to court records. WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS Orange County Public Schools confirmed the teacher’s identity as Italo Brett Bonini. Bonini was a music teacher at Hunters Creek Middle School. Read: 9 Investigates: Central Florida woman faces homelessness as Social Security delays disability payout On Feb. 4, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by Maryland State Police regarding Brett Bonini after they discovered a conversation on Discord between Bonini and a minor. The court documents state that Bonini made contact with an 8-year-old boy and a 6-year-old boy in Maryland and enticed them to perform sex acts in front of a computer, sometimes with each other. Read: Deltona’s mayor went to the inauguration on the taxpayers’ dime According to the federal affidavit, when questioned, Bonini told federal investigators, “I fell into temptation that I should not have. I’m not a sick individual; I made a mistake.” The Orange County School District provided Channel 9 with the following statement: While the district does not comment on employee matters, Hunters Creek Middle School families were notified that an employee was placed on administrative leave after an arrest was reported. The individual will not return to campus during the investigation. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Source link #Central #Florida #music #teacher #arrested #enticing #minors #online #sex #acts #records #show Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Avowed Will Feature Multiple Graphics Modes On Xbox Series X, Including A 40 FPS Balanced Mode Avowed Will Feature Multiple Graphics Modes On Xbox Series X, Including A 40 FPS Balanced Mode Richard Bailey Jr. of The Koalition writes: Thanks to great titles like Dynasty Warriors: Origins and Sniper Elite: Resistance, January was a solid month for video game releases. This month will turn everything up a notch as several heavy-hitter releases are expected to keep us busy. Monster Hunter Wilds leads the charge and will be joined by several other notable highlights. Here’s our list of 6 upcoming games worth checking out this month. Source link #Avowed #Feature #Multiple #Graphics #Modes #Xbox #Series #Including #FPS #Balanced #Mode Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sony Reveals Compensation For All PS Plus Players After PSN Outage – Forbes Sony Reveals Compensation For All PS Plus Players After PSN Outage – Forbes Sony Reveals Compensation For All PS Plus Players After PSN Outage ForbesPlayStation Servers Down For 20 Hours—But Some Players Say They’re Back Online ForbesSony’s PlayStation Network reports major global outage CNNPSN outage live update — Sony issues apology and make-good offer Tom’s GuideSony explains massive PSN outage and details compensation – but many PlayStation gamers are still unhappy TechRadar Source link #Sony #Reveals #Compensation #Players #PSN #Outage #Forbes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Methods 5: The Last Stage brings the visual novel series to a thrilling conclusion Methods 5: The Last Stage brings the visual novel series to a thrilling conclusion Erabit Studios’ Method series has its fifth and final instalment out now Enter the sixth and final stage to discover new challenges Also experience the DLC chapter Methods: The Illusion Murders If you’ve been looking for something new to add to your “to-play” list, and you’re a fan of visual novels, then you’re in luck because Erabit Studios’ Methods series now has its fifth instalment live on the iOS App Store and Google Play! And in this final entry things are only going to get more complicated. But first, what is Methods? In this story 100 detectives face down a series of criminal masterminds, attempting to solve crimes committed by them in an organised competition. The grand prize for either side? $1m, and for the detective the opportunity of a lifetime, for the criminal a chance at parole no matter how severe their crimes. With all this on the line Methods nonetheless takes a more lighthearted approach to the topic with some stylish artwork and visual flair reminiscent of something like Danganronpa. It also won’t stretch your brain power too much, as each crime is based on simple observation and the answering of multiple choice questions as you explore the scenes of each crime. The final problem Methods 5: The Last Stage brings us to the close of the Methods story as the final detective enters the sixth stage, it also adds in the new DLC Methods: The Illusion Murders as a bonus. While the episodic format may be a bit ho-hum to some of you, I’ve no doubt there are plenty who’ve been following the Methods series closely and are excited to see how it concludes. In the meantime of course there’s a whole host of other brain-teasers out there to give your mind a workout. Why not check them out in our list of the top 25 best puzzle games for iOS and Android? Or maybe you’d rather check out some of our tech reviews? Like our latest look at the DOOGE S200? Source link #Methods #Stage #brings #visual #series #thrilling #conclusion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Snow expected this week in central Indiana. Here’s the latest predictions Snow expected this week in central Indiana. Here’s the latest predictions Expect snow to come back to central Indiana ahead of Valentine’s Day. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) Indianapolis, there are two snow events they’re monitoring this week. The southern parts of central Indiana will see snow first on Tuesday, with up to 1 inch of the white stuff expected throughout the day along a line that includes Bedford and Seymour. Bloomington up through Shelbyville could see roughly 1/2 an inch of snow. Indianapolis can expect to see snow starting Wednesday afternoon and going into Wednesday night, but exactly how much remains “a wide range of outcomes,” NWS posted on X. “We don’t have any winter advisories or warnings (yet),” NWS Indianapolis meteorologist Andrew White told IndyStar early Monday. “But it’s something we’ll be thinking ahead to if we’re looking at more snow.” The greatest threat for ice accumulation is currently along the I-69 corridor, whereas the greatest snowfall totals are likely to occur over NW portions of central Indiana. The weather is expected to remain cold through Valentine’s weekend. National Weather Service forecast for Indianapolis Weather: Thunder and freezing rain possible for Indianapolis as ice storm targets Midwest, Northeast Monday: The high is 38 degrees. Expect a mix of clouds and sun during the morning that will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. Monday Night: The low will be near 30 degrees. Expect cloudy skies. Tuesday: The high will go back to 38 degrees. Expect cloudy skies. Tuesday Night: The low is 28 degrees. Expect cloudy skies. Wednesday: The high will be 34 degrees. Expect the weather to be cloudy with rain developing later in the day. There’s a 90% chance for rain. Wednesday Night: The low will be near 20 degrees. NWS Indianapolis will be watching for a potential winter storm. Expect cloudy skies with light freezing rain in the evening. Thursday: The high will be 24 degrees. Expect cloudy skies early that will become partly cloudy later in the day. Thursday Night: The low will be around 10 degrees. Expect clear to partly cloudy skies. Friday, Valentine’s Day: The high will be 32 degrees. Expect a mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. Friday Night: The low will be 28 degrees. Expect cloudy skies with occasional rain after midnight. There’s a 70% chance of rain. Saturday: The high will be 42 degrees. Expect rainfall nearing a quarter of an inch. There’s an 80% chance of rain. Saturday Night: The low will be 22 degrees. Expect rain and snow in the evening transitioning to snow showers late. There’s a 70% chance of snow and you can expect about one inch of it. Watches, warnings and advisories Freezing rain advisory: If a region will receive less than one-quarter of an inch of ice. Freezing rain warning: if a region will receive a quarter of an inch or more of ice. NWS will place a winter weather advisory when the weather is wintry but does not showcase any other severe weather elements. For example, if the NWS expects light amounts of precipitation or snow that could cause slick driving conditions. A winter weather watch will be alert if the NWS determines that conditions could indicate a winter storm is expected to hit a region. Severe weather conditions that meteorologists might highlight are heavy snow, sleet or freezing rain, which could cause significant impacts to travel. The NWS will alert a winter storm warning if meteorologists believe weather conditions will be significantly severe and expect hazardous conditions to hit an area. In the case of ice storms, the NWS will alert an ice storm warning if meteorologists expect ice accumulation of 1/4 inch or more on all surfaces. The NWS notes that these criteria are just one component when determining if a regional NWS station should issue watches, warnings and advisories. The NWS also looks at the timing, impacts and duration of an event in addition to criteria for making its decision. ***** Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at **********@*****.tld and follow her on X, formally Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis weather | Snow in forecast this week. The latest predictions Source link #Snow #expected #week #central #Indiana #Heres #latest #predictions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Sugoro Quest: Dice Heroes review – ChristCenteredGamer Sugoro Quest: Dice Heroes review – ChristCenteredGamer CCG writes – “Overall, I enjoyed this game, albeit its interface is tedious and it has a high random chance element that may annoy casual gamers. Technically, it’s sound if with a dated user interface. Morally, it has some minor concerning elements but nothing an older child on up couldn’t handle. Given its low price, it’s certainly worth getting if you have nostalgia for an old-school RPG game.” Source link #Sugoro #Quest #Dice #Heroes #review #ChristCenteredGamer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump says he has directed US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing rising cost – The Associated Press Trump says he has directed US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing rising cost – The Associated Press Trump says he has directed US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing rising cost The Associated PressTrump Orders Treasury to Halt Minting New Pennies to Cut Waste The New York TimesTrump takes aim at ‘wasteful’ government spending by ordering end to penny production CNBCThe Penny Debate: Does Making Cents Make No Sense? TIMETrump instructs Treasury to halt penny production CNN Source link #Trump #directed #Treasury #stop #minting #pennies #citing #rising #cost #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Relic’s strategy following its ***** split includes ‘smaller-scale’ games and ‘reimaginings’ of classics Relic’s strategy following its ***** split includes ‘smaller-scale’ games and ‘reimaginings’ of classics Relic Entertainment has detailed its new business strategy following last year’s split from former owner *****. Last March, the Japanese firm announced that it was selling Vancouver, Canada-based Relic to a holding company to be newly established by the *** investment firm Emona Capital LLP, enabling it to become an independently-run development studio. Relic, which specializes in real-time strategy franchises like Company of Heroes, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War and Homeworld, said on Monday that it plans to focus on three key areas going forward. It intends to deepen its commitment to existing titles, including Company of Heroes 3, with new DLC and updates. In addition to continuing to develop the larger, complex strategy titles the studio is known for, the company will also “actively pursue the development and publishing of smaller-scope, in-house games”. Thirdly, it plans to reimagine some of its classic games for modern audiences. “This may include re-releases, remasters, or brand-new franchise experiences that capture the spirit of the originals while appealing to a new generation of players,” the studio said. “Relic Entertainment has always been a studio defined by its resilience and passion for creating unforgettable gaming experiences,” said Relic CEO Justin Dowdeswell. “This new chapter marks a significant milestone for us. “By embracing independence and focusing on our core strengths, we are confident in our ability to deliver innovative, high-quality games that will resonate with players around the world. The future of Relic Entertainment is bright, and we are excited to embark on this new journey.” Speaking to Game Developer, Dowdeswell said the new strategy won’t lead to redundancies and that the studio is on “much better footing” after making layoffs following last year’s split from *****. Discussing the studio’s plans for smaller-scale games, he said: “We’re looking to operate with smaller teams on shorter timeframes, which means likely getting a game in market roughly in the 1-2 year range. Budget costs will vary depending on scope, but these titles will have a notably smaller budget than the big Relic RTS games we will continue to work on.” Source link #Relics #strategy #***** #split #includes #smallerscale #games #reimaginings #classics Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Buy Nvidia for a trade into earnings later this month, says Evercore ISI Buy Nvidia for a trade into earnings later this month, says Evercore ISI Nvidia is set to report earnings in just over two weeks, and one firm is getting bullish despite the stock’s recent losses in the wake of developments from ******** artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek. On Monday, Evercore ISI added the chip giant to its tactical outperform list in the lead-up to the company’s results due out after the bell on Feb. 26. The firm has a $190 price target on the name, which implies more than 46% upside from Friday’s close. The stock has taken a hit in the wake of DeepSeek’s low-cost, open-source model stoking fears around spending and competition in the AI space, which led at one point to a loss in market cap of nearly $600 billion — the biggest one-day loss for any U.S. company in history. In the past month, it has underperformed the S & P 500 with a decline of more than 1%. NVDA 1M mountain NVDA, 1-month While Evercore ISI said that investors are concerned that DeepSeek’s developments would lower AI demand, the firm doesn’t think that’s the case. “Consensus amongst the AI community is that DeepSeek cost improvements are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, and that lower cost/compute cycle or cost/token likely translates to increased demand for those tokens, which likely manifests in more accurate larger parameter models and/or an acceleration in the development of ‘multi-mode’ models that train on images and videos,” the firm’s analysts wrote in a note to clients on Sunday. Investors have also raised concerns that the move from DeepSeek shifts AI compute-cycles away from Nvidia’s graphics processing units (GPUs) and instead toward custom chips known as ASICs, or application-specific integrated circuits. Although Evercore ISI said ASICs will be impactful for high-volume internal workloads, the firm expects that external workloads – such as Amazon Web Services’ cloud infrastructure – will “remain dominated” by Nvidia. “NVDA remains the platform of choice for hyperscalers’ customers, the robustness of its software ecosystem and breadth of its development community put it 5-10 years ahead of anything else in the market,” the analysts added. Moreover, Evercore ISI noted that there’s worry among investors about possible shipment delays for Nvidia’s Blackwell chips. And although that could lead some hyperscalers to “likely push some purchases from NVDA,” the firm revealed that demand for the company’s GPUs is “still outstripping supply.” Evercore ISI’s bullish stance on the stock joins the majority of analysts on Wall Street with a similar view. According to LSEG data, 57 out of 63 analysts have a strong buy or buy rating, while only six have a neutral stance. Nvidia also has a consensus target of around $172, reflecting more than 32% upside potential. Nvidia shares rose more than 3% on the heels of the tactical call. Source link #Buy #Nvidia #trade #earnings #month #Evercore #ISI Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Third federal judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order Third federal judge blocks Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order Washington — A federal judge in New Hampshire on Monday blocked President Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, becoming the third judge to do so amid more than half a dozen legal challenges to the president’s directive. U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante said at the end of a brief hearing that he would grant the request for a preliminary injunction sought by New Hampshire Indonesian Community Support, LULAC and Make the Road New York. The three groups filed the first federal lawsuit challenging Mr. Trump’s executive order, which he signed on his first day in office. “The plaintiff has made the required showing to get a preliminary injunction,” Laplante, appointed by President George W. Bush, said. He is expected to issue a written decision explaining his reasoning by Tuesday. Laplante’s order comes on the heels of two others issued by federal judges in Washington and Maryland last week that barred enforcement of Mr. Trump’s birthright citizenship order nationwide. The Justice Department has appealed one of those decisions, from U.S. District Judge John Coughenour, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. At least eight lawsuits have been filed in courts nationwide challenging Mr. Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship, which came as part of a long-promised crackdown on immigration. His executive order denies U.S. citizenship to children born to mothers who are in the country unlawfully or temporarily on visas, and whose fathers are neither citizens nor lawful residents. In the hearing before Laplante, Cody Wofsy, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union who argued on behalf of the immigrant-rights groups, said Mr. Trump’s order is a “fundamental attack” on the Constitution and is “straightforwardly ********” under Supreme Court precedent. But Drew Ensign, a Justice Department lawyer, said Mr. Trump was well within his authority to eliminate birthright citizenship. The president’s order states that no federal agency shall issue or accept government documents recognizing children covered by the directive who are born on or after Feb. 19. 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 #federal #judge #blocks #Trumps #birthright #citizenship #executive #order Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Archbishop of York ‘wrong person’ to lead reform, says bishop Archbishop of York ‘wrong person’ to lead reform, says bishop Diocese of Newcastle Bishop of Newcastle Helen-Ann Hartley said Stephen Cottrell should resign over his handling of a ******* abuse case Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell is the “wrong person” to bring much-needed reform to the Church of England, the Bishop of Newcastle has told the BBC. Helen-Ann Hartley has repeated her call for Mr Cottrell to resign after he faced criticism last year for his handling of a ******* abuse case. On Monday, Mr Cottrell will lead a meeting of the General Synod – the Church’s governing body – which will discuss changes to safeguarding measures. Mr Cottrell has stepped in as head of the Church while it looks for a replacement for Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who stood down last year after a report criticised his and the Church’s handling of the prolific child abuser John Smyth. Bishop Hartley was the first senior member of the clergy to call for Mr Welby’s resignation after the report into the Smyth case was published. She said she is now viewed as a troublemaker by some of her colleagues in the clergy, with one branding her as the “Bishop of Negativity”. “I think that’s really sad,” she said, adding that she believed others may have joined her in speaking out if “fear” had not stopped them. The synod is expected to hold significant discussions about safeguarding measures this week, after the Church faced criticism for its handling of child abuse spanning decades in a scathing report last year. Also known as the Church’s parliament, the General Synod meets up to three times a year to debate and pass measures governing how the Church works. It is made up of 478 members who are elected every five years. Past General Synod meetings have had major repercussions. In 2008, it voted to ordain women as bishops, and many recent meetings have included discussion of same-sex marriages. Victims and survivors of abuse, along with several members of the clergy, have called for safeguarding reform, and the subject has been placed on this week’s synod agenda. The Archbishop of York has pledged to do all he can to bring about independent scrutiny of safeguarding, and he used his Christmas Day sermon to say the Church must be “changed”. But Bishop Hartley said Mr Cottrell was not the right man to oversee the process. “I do not think that it’s appropriate for the Archbishop of York to be in post, and certainly to be leading change that the Church needs at this time,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Mr Cottrell came under fire in December after a BBC investigation revealed he had allowed priest David Tudor to remain in post despite knowing he had been barred from being alone with children by the Church and had paid compensation to a ******* abuse victim. “To allow Tudor to remain in post, I do find abhorrent,” Bishop Hartley said. She also criticised Mr Cottrell reportedly praising Tudor as a “Rolls Royce priest” despite knowing about the settlement. Since the BBC investigation was first published, Mr Cottrell has said he is “deeply sorry” that action could not be taken earlier, but that was the situation he inherited. Tudor was banned from ministry last year. Mr Cottrell also said he “regrets any upset or distress caused by previous comments”. On Monday, a spokesperson for Mr Cottrell said he “is committed to the work of securing independent scrutiny of safeguarding, the changing of culture and the revisiting of policies in light of learning and critical examination of the Church of England”. “This will be achieved through committed action undertaken consistently. It will not be achieved overnight,” they added. PA Media Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell has temporarily taken over as head of the Church of England while a new Archbishop of Canterbury is selected Bishop of Leicester Martyn Snow told the BBC there are “unanswered questions” about Mr Cottrell’s handling of the Tudor case, but that he does not believe the archbishop should resign. “I believe that we need to trust the process with the review, wait until the full facts are there and then decisions can be made,” he said. Mr Cottrell will “feed in” to the conversations around safeguarding, but the General Synod will “make the final decision on it”, he added. Bishop Snow said he was “desperately sad” to hear that Bishop Hartley feels isolated after her calls for archbishops to resign. “She’s been very courageous in the things that she’s said. I don’t necessarily agree with everything that she’s said. But as I say I long for the day when we can renew our friendship,” he said. The General Synod has discussed safeguarding measures before. A 2024 report by child safety expert Professor Alexis Jay found that the Church of England’s safeguarding measures fell below the standards expected of secular organisations. This report was discussed at the General Synod in February last year, and Mr Cottrell welcomed its “wisdom, expertise and meticulous proposals” at the time. But after the fallout from Smyth case last year, survivors of abuse in the Church have said more needs to be done. Bishop Hartley said she is optimistic that the discussions that will take place this week in the synod can make a difference to how cases of child abuse are dealt with in the future. A spokesperson for the Church of England said the synod will decide between “two proposed models that significantly strengthen the independence of safeguarding structures” this week. “We recognise the deep and lasting impact of abuse and are committed to ensuring that safeguarding in the Church is independent, transparent, and accountable,” they added. The Church’s lead safeguarding bishop, Joanne Grenfell, said the synod will give “deep and detailed attention” to different safeguarding models. Bishop Snow also hopes the meeting will allow progress on the “hugely challenging” area of same-sex marriage. “There are still challenges but I remain hopeful we will imagine a new future together,” he said. Source link #Archbishop #York #wrong #person #lead #reform #bishop Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]