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Riot’s Stance on Removing Free Hextech Chests in League of Legends Because “It was not sustainable for League in the long term” Riot’s Stance on Removing Free Hextech Chests in League of Legends Because “It was not sustainable for League in the long term” The League of Legends community is in an uproar, and for once, it’s not about a broken champion or questionable balance changes. This time, Riot Games has taken aim at players’ wallets by removing one of the game’s most beloved features: free Hextech Chests. Free stuff in League? In this economy? laughs in Riot. | Image Credit: Riot Games After weeks of radio silence and mounting player frustration, Riot has finally broken their silence on the matter. In a recent dev update, they’ve attempted to explain their reasoning behind this controversial decision— though their explanation might leave you wondering if they’ve been spending too much time in the bot lane. Riot defends their stance on free Hextech Chests “The chest rewards were way too good to last forever.” | Image Credit: Riot Games The removal of free Hextech Chests from League of Legends wasn’t just some random decision made during a particularly spicy team meeting. According to Head of League Studio Andrei “Meddler” Van Roon, it was a calculated move to address what Riot saw as an unsustainable system: Over time, though, free chests unintentionally became the primary way to unlock skins and an increasing number of players ended up with substantial skin collections for free. That might sound reasonable on paper, but tell that to the player who just hit their tenth mastery 7 champion with nothing to show for it. Meddler went on to acknowledge the obvious: That did lead to a great player experience, but it was not sustainable for League in the long term. The community’s response? Well, one particularly spicy tweet managed to “ratio” Riot Games‘ own announcement: In this Dev Update @RiotPabro and @RiotMeddler explain why we removed free Hextech Chests and talk more about the thinking behind the change. They also talk about some improvements to the Battle Pass and skins, as well as an update on Swiftplay, information about Arena’s return,… pic.twitter.com/M2jutlRZ4H — League of Legends (@LeagueOfLegends) February 7, 2025 The game is falling into a pit, and you’re doing nothing to prevent it; in fact, you’re contributing to it with every decision you make. Free Hextech Chests removed, mediocre Battle Passes, terrible skin quality, overpriced skins, Mythic Essence now being “premium,” gacha system,… — League of Legends Leaks & News (@LeagueOfLeaks) February 7, 2025 Executive Producer Paul “Pabro” Bellezza tried to soften the blow by explaining their middle-ground approach: We didn’t want to go all the way back to the early days of League, with no skins earned with play time at all, but we also realized we couldn’t continue giving away as many as we were. But players aren’t buying it: You really can’t afford giving hextech chests??? That’s a total joke… — HAKAN ¹⁴³ (@InfjHakan) February 7, 2025 Riot’s attempt at damage control hasn’t exactly put out the fire. Instead, they’ve proposed “improvements” to the battle pass system, including better visual effects on battle pass skins and the promise that these skins will now unlock their respective champions. For players who’ve been hoarding their last remaining free chests like dragon gold, these consolation prizes feel more like salt in the wound than actual compensation. The community isn’t buying what Riot’s selling Players showing their appreciation for Riot’s ‘sustainable’ decision. | Image Credit: Riot Games The backlash hasn’t just been loud—it’s been nuclear. Players are calling out what they see as corporate doublespeak, with many pointing to League of Legends’ massive profits as evidence that the “sustainability” argument doesn’t hold water: Translation: We saw Wuthering Waves, Azur Lane, and Mihoyo’s five different gacha games, and our shareholders just couldn’t help themselves force us to implement a ******* gacha system to cash in as well. Now we have to convince the playerbase it was done for sustainability. — SongEternal (@SongEternal_off) February 7, 2025 The timing of this change, coinciding with the rise of gacha games in the market, hasn’t gone unnoticed by the community. Players are drawing their own conclusions about Riot’s true motivations, and they’re not pretty: Congradulations! This video has successfully convinced me that your company, due to excessive greed, is NOT worth spending money on! Thank you for helping no longer help pay league’s bills! — TwitchyAnimation (@FishPrison) February 7, 2025 It’s worth noting that while Riot claims this move is about “ensuring the sustainable long-term health of League,” players are quick to point out that the game managed just fine for eight years with the free chest system in place. In fact, those were some of League’s most profitable years. The community’s verdict seems clear: this isn’t about sustainability—it’s about squeezing more money out of an already profitable game. And players aren’t afraid to vote with their wallets. What do you think about Riot’s explanation for removing free Hextech Chests in League of Legends? Are they making the right call for the game’s future, or is this just another case of corporate greed? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Source link #Riots #Stance #Removing #Free #Hextech #Chests #League #Legends #sustainable #League #long #term Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Record bets expected on Super Bowl — one stock in particular may win Record bets expected on Super Bowl — one stock in particular may win The 59th Super Bowl this Sunday is expected to attract a record number of betting dollars to legal sports gambling platforms, and that may boost shares of Caesars Entertainment , according to Bank of America. After all, the game’s being played at the 76,500-seat Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. BofA analyst Shaun Kelley cited data from the American Gaming Association in a Friday research report that forecasts sports betters in the U.S. will legally wager a record about $1.4 billion on Sunday’s game. The 2025 Super Bowl features the third-straight appearance by the Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning champs, and is a rematch of Super Bowl 57 with the Philadelphia Eagles. For the second year in a row, viewer interest in the game is piqued by Taylor Swift’s planned attendance and her relationship with Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce. BofA noted that Swift’s attendance last year led to 7% more viewers tuning into Super Bowl 2024 from the year before. Sports books have leaned into her appearance and are offering special promotions that capitalize on Swift and Kelce. BofA is particularly optimistic on Caesars Entertainment given that the game is taking place at the stadium it paid to name, and that Caesars will be prominently displayed on television and is likely to promote its online sportsbook signup deals. CZR 1Y mountain Caesars Entertainment shares over the past year “Since the game is being held at the Caesars Superdome, the Caesars brand will likely get a lot of airtime, and the newly renovated New Orleans casino should benefit from increased activity around the game,” Kelley said. BofA’s buy rating and $54 per share forecast on Caesars stock implies 51% upside for Caesars stock from Friday’s $35.72 close. Nearly three quarters of analysts surveyed by FactSet rate Caesars the equivalent of a buy, and their consensus price target call for roughly 39% upside over the next 12 months. Shares have badly lagged the market over the past year, sliding 17%, although they’ve recently rebounded, climbing 8% over the past month. But Caesars Entertainment isn’t the only online gambling stock analysts are keeping an eye on ahead of the Super Bowl. Needham analyst Bernie McTernan listed DraftKings as a potential beneficiary as well, pointing to the company’s “King of the End Zone” betting promotion as a catalyst. In fact, DraftKings drove FanDuel operator Flutter Entertainment to introduce a similar incentive. Needham rates DraftKings a buy alongside a $60 per share price target, equating to about 42% upside from Friday’s close of Thursday’s $42.28. DKNG 1Y mountain DraftKings stock. “For Super Bowl promos, we are seeing more jackpot promos with others following DKNG’s King of the Court/King of the Endzone,” McTernan said. “Also, DKNG has been offering ‘happy hour’ promotions aimed at driving activity days ahead of the game.” Source link #Record #bets #expected #Super #Bowl #stock #win Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Current Playstation Network Outage Has an Eerie Resemblance to the Infamous 2011 Hack Current Playstation Network Outage Has an Eerie Resemblance to the Infamous 2011 Hack The ongoing PlayStation Network outage has been causing quite a stir across social media, with many taking to the internet in droves to express their frustrations. For almost four hours all PSN services have been down due to an outage across the world. This means that services like gaming, PlayStation Store, PlayStation Direct, PlayStation Video, and account management cannot be accessed at this time. PlayStation Network is going through a server outage. | Credit: PlayStation. Anyone who tries to attempt to access these services will run into issues, making it inaccessible to play online games or contact PSN friends. With the service still out, the community has made its way to Reddit to respond to the inability to play their PS4 and PS5 games this Friday night. This ongoing outage also shed light on the disastrous 2011 situation as well PlayStation Network faced a similar situation. PlayStation Network is currently down PlayStation has yet to deliver any feasible solution to this matter. | Credit: PlayStation. PlayStation Network provides PlayStation users with online services. PSN gives users access to the PlayStation digital store, and the ability to make profiles, share content, and the ability to play games online with friends. Despite the fact that many PlayStation users love to use some or all of these features every day, many are presently unable to do so. A rundown of the affected services can be found on the PSN Service Status page. Issues are currently occurring with PlayStation Video, PlayStation Store, PlayStation Direct, gaming and social, and account management. Users of the PS4 and PS5 seem to be among the platforms affected by the service outage. It is important to note that Downdector began receiving reports of problems at approximately 6 PM EST, even though the PSN Service page stated that the outage started at 7 PM EST. In light of this, users have been enduring issues for a considerable amount of time. Users of the PSN services are understandably frustrated by this news. It is currently unclear when things will start to return to normal, even though Sony is working on a solution. Hopefully, those who are having problems will soon be able to resume using the internet. The current outage reminded us of 2011 PlayStation Network’s current outage has brought back painful memories of the 2011 PSN hack, which caused the service to go down for weeks. Nowadays, it is extremely uncommon to come across someone without a console that is online. In 2011, a severe server outage happened. | Credit: PlayStation. Having said that, with so many people depending on a console for a variety of services, online functionality has practically become even more crucial. Xbox and PlayStation are multipurpose entertainment devices rather than merely gaming consoles. In 2011, a disastrous event occurred. When PS3 users logged on in April 2011, they discovered that PSN was no longer available. This outage lasted for hours, days, weeks, and almost a month, but it wasn’t immediately cause for concern. As it happens, the PlayStation Network was compromised during this *******, and the system was unavailable from late April to mid-May 2011. Over 77 million accounts were compromised during that stressful *******, and personal data—possibly including passwords, credit card numbers, and addresses—was taken. It was unpleasant, and some gamers stopped trusting PlayStation as a result. PlayStation greeted players with free games like Infamous when the outage ended, but players were still worried that this kind of thing might occur again. The current 2025 PSN outage is already bringing back unpleasant memories, even though nothing nearly as serious as the 2011 PSN hack has occurred since. In 2011, a lot of people couldn’t play games or purchase new ones. There’s no need to worry just yet because PlayStation is aware of the problem and hasn’t even raised the possibility of a hack or any other serious cause for the outage. Nevertheless, the PSN outage has angered PlayStation fans, who are reminded of the agonizing days of the 2011 outage. Source link #Current #Playstation #Network #Outage #Eerie #Resemblance #Infamous #Hack Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Freed Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi's British family 'very emotional' – BBC.com Freed Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi's British family 'very emotional' – BBC.com Freed Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi’s British family ‘very emotional’ BBC.comIsraeli hostages and ************ prisoners freed as Israel condemns frail appearance of captives CNNHostage czar says Israel has raised objections with mediators over condition on released hostages The Times of IsraelHamas Expected to Release 3 More Israeli Hostages: Live Updates The New York TimesReleased ************ prisoners greeted in Ramallah BBC.com Source link #Freed #Israeli #hostage #Eli #Sharabi039s #British #family #039very #emotional039 #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I’m 31, make $48K/year and can only afford to invest $120 per month. Can I build real wealth in America? I’m 31, make $48K/year and can only afford to invest $120 per month. Can I build real wealth in America? I’m 31, make $48K/year and can only afford to invest $120 per month. Can I even build real wealth in America with such measly contributions? It seems as if it’s getting more difficult for the average American to know how much to invest after covering their costs of living. However, it’s still possible to invest even if it’s just a few hundred dollars per month. Imagine a 31-year-old named Ariel, for example, who has an annual salary of $48,000 and allocates $120 to investing into the S&P 500 per month. Ariel doubts that her contributions will be effective in building long lasting wealth, but she’s noticed that more money is accumulating without her doing anything other than consistently investing $120 per month. She plans to keep up with this plan for the next 10 years without changing the initial amount. The 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances conducted by the Federal Reserve showed those younger than 35 years old have $68,650 invested in stocks on average, but the median stock holdings was much lower at $12,000. The average and median stock holdings balance increases with age: 35 to 44 years old: $195,400 average; $30,000 median 45 to 54 years old: $374,810 average; $68,650 median 55 to 64 years old: $740,110 average; $111,000 median 65 to 74 years old: $838,470 average; $160,000 median 75 years old or older: $1,005,160 average; $119,500 median This tells us that the national average of $68,650 for people under 35 years old is likely skewed higher by a small percentage of people who have more money to invest while they’re younger or are in higher-paying jobs later on in their careers. Read more: 82% of Americans are missing out on a savings account that pays over 10 times the national average If Ariel keeps up with her investment plan of $120 per month, or $1,440 a year, until she’s 41 years old, she will have invested $14,400 without accounting for any returns. If Ariel continues to keep up the habit of consistently investing every month but decides to increase the amount to $200 per month for the next 10 years, then she will have invested $24,000 – which is $10,000 more simply by investing an additional $80 per month. However, there are alternative methods for Ariel or anyone else looking to build wealth if it’s impossible to increase the initial investment amount or cut back on other living expenses. Story Continues Regardless of how much is invested per month, the most important aspect is to be consistent enough to collect interest because compound interest earns money without an individual even touching it. Here are some tips on where and how to best invest $120 per month: Decide how much risk to take. Although Ariel decided to invest in an exchange-traded fund, there are bonds, treasury bills, mutual funds, and treasury notes – all of these have varying interest rates, but there’s a higher chance of losing money when there’s a higher expectation on returns, as with investing in stocks. Decide where to invest. To make the most of investing $120 per month over a longer ******* of time, Ariel can choose different avenues, like putting a quarter into bonds and the rest in the S&P 500. Automate investments. Apps and banks such as have specific functions that automatically transfers funds and on a predetermined schedule. This helps to reduce thinking and increases accountability because a certain amount every month has to be invested. The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas also has a list of educational resources people can refer to when determining where they want to put their investments. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Source link #48Kyear #afford #invest #month #build #real #wealth #America Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, February 9 (game #343) NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, February 9 (game #343) Looking for a different day? A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing ‘today’s game’ while others are playing ‘yesterday’s’. If you’re looking for Saturday’s puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, February 8 (game #342). Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints. Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc’s Wordle today page for the original viral word game. SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers. NYT Strands today (game #343) – hint #1 – today’s theme What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands? • Today’s NYT Strands theme is… We are the champions! NYT Strands today (game #343) – hint #2 – clue words Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system. PORT SPORT ***** SACK PURSE WOOL NYT Strands today (game #343) – hint #3 – spangram What is a hint for today’s spangram? • The final game NYT Strands today (game #343) – hint #4 – spangram position What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches? First side: left, 4th row Last side: right, 4th row Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM. NYT Strands today (game #343) – the answers (Image credit: New York Times) The answers to today’s Strands, game #343, are… PARTY TROPHY TACKLES TOUCHDOWNS COMMERCIALS SPANGRAM: SUPERBOWL My rating: Easy My score: 1 hint The world will be watching when Super Bowl 59 kicks off in New Orleans on Sunday, and unlike any other sporting event on the planet a large proportion of those watching will be tuning in for the half-time show. Or to count the multiple shots of Taylor Swift in the stands (the most dangerous drinking game of the Super Bowl is to take a drink every time the cameras pan in her direction). Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Away from the pitch the most incredible element to those outside the US is the commercials and the money spent to secure a coveted spot, making it the pinnacle of the advertising calendar as well as the sporting one. It’s not hard to see why companies pay so much. 30 years on and I still think of frogs whenever I see a can of Budweiser. Also, tangent, spangrams that end in the middle of the puzzle — not a fan. How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below. Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 8 February, game #342) WORKING HOUNDS HERDING TOYS TERRIERS SPORTING SPANGRAM: DOG GROUP What is NYT Strands? Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile. I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day. Source link #NYT #Strands #hints #answers #Sunday #February #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Nvidia is compelling ahead of earnings, Bank of America says Nvidia is compelling ahead of earnings, Bank of America says There’s still plenty of stocks to buy ahead of earnings, according to Bank of America. The firm named several companies it says are “compelling” such as Nvidia. The other buy-rated stocks include: JD.com, Block and Toronto-Dominon. Toronto-Dominion Toronto-Dominion Bank was recently upgraded to buy from neutral by analyst Ebrahim Poonawala. The ********* bank had been under scrutiny for failing to properly maintain its anti-money-laundering unit, but Poonawala said the company is turning a corner following a series of fines and penalties imposed by the U.S. Department of Justice. New CEO Raymond Chun took the helm on Feb. 1, bolstering Poonawala’s confidence in the stock. He expects the new executive will help drive the franchise “toward improved profitability,” he wrote. Shares are up 8% this year and remain attractive, he said. “We believe the stock is more than adequately discounting downside risks, while giving little credit for improved execution,” Poonawala wrote. Toronto-Dominion will report earnings in late February. JD.com The China-based e-commerce company really is firing on all cylinders, according to analyst Joyce Ju and team. JD shares are up almost 75% over the past year with plenty more room to run, the firm says. “Direct sales revenues are estimated to grow 10.5% YoY, driven by 10.6% growth in electronic and home appliances sales and 10.3% growth in general merchandise sales,” she wrote. Further, Ju estimates that other services revenue like logistics will be markedly higher. The firm likes JD’s direct sales model as well as its third-party marketplace capabilities. “JD.com should grow moderately faster than the industry average off a lower base, driven by diversification of product categories and expansion in business models,” she wrote. JD is scheduled to report earnings in early March. Block Analyst Jason Kupferberg is standing by Block this year as a slew of positive metrics shows the fintech payment company is extremely well positioned. “We are bullish on [Block’s] full-fledged dual-sided ecosystem,” he wrote referring to its financial apps, Cash App and Square. The latter is primarily used by businesses. The firm says the stock is just not getting enough credit from investors. “[Block’s] combination of top-line growth and profitability (best among large-caps) is underappreciated in our view…,” he added. Kupferberg acknowledged the company’s Feb. 20 earnings report might not be a significant event for the stock as shares are up almost 25% over the last 12 months. Still, the firm says it sees more upside ahead. Nvidia “Expect Q4 eps call to reassure on CY25 outlook. Reiterate Buy, top pick ahead of NVDA’s FQ4’25 (Jan) earnings call scheduled for 26-Feb. We expect modest beat/inline sales guidance and lower GM in FQ1 (Apr) given Blackwell product transition/China restrictions.” Block “[ Block ]’s combination of top-line growth and profitability (best among large-caps) is underappreciated in our view, and as a US-centric re-acceleration story, we believe shares can outperform in ’25. … .We are bullish on [Block’s] full-fledged dual-sided ecosystem. We believe the stock is not being given enough credit for the general resilience the business has shown to date as well as its opex discipline.” Toronto-Dominion “We are upgrading our rating on (Toronto-Dominion) TD Bank-TD to Buy from Neutral on increased confidence that new leadership under CEO Raymond Chun can fix the US AML issues while driving the franchise toward improved profitability relative to our current forecast. … .We believe the stock is more than adequately discounting downside risks, while giving little credit for improved execution.” JD.com “Direct sales revenues are estimated to grow 10.5% YoY, driven by 10.6% growth in electronic and home appliances sales and 10.3% growth in general merchandise sales. … .JD.com should grow moderately faster than the industry average off a lower base, driven by diversification of product categories and expansion in business models.” Source link #Nvidia #compelling #ahead #earnings #Bank #America Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Judge bars Trump from putting 2,700 additional USAID workers on leave – The Washington Post Judge bars Trump from putting 2,700 additional USAID workers on leave – The Washington Post Judge bars Trump from putting 2,700 additional USAID workers on leave The Washington PostJudge temporarily suspends Trump’s plan to put USAID workers on leave CNNTrump and Musk Bring Vast Aid Machinery to a Halt in Africa The New York Times Source link #Judge #bars #Trump #putting #additional #USAID #workers #leave #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Released ************ prisoners greeted in Ramallah Released ************ prisoners greeted in Ramallah Some 180 prisoners are being freed in exchange for three Israeli hostages. Source link #Released #************ #prisoners #greeted #Ramallah Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Is Fortnite Down on PlayStation? Fortnite PSN Servers Explained Is Fortnite Down on PlayStation? Fortnite PSN Servers Explained Fortnite requires operational servers and a stable wifi connection, and not everything always goes swimmingly. If you’re unable to enter the battle royale before getting a chance to get eliminated, we’re here to update you on the status of the Fortnite servers on PlayStation. It’s hard to believe online multiplayer never used to exist, with so many games tailored toward multiplayer, online co-op, and more now. Fortnite has proven to be one of the stalwarts of the modern era and Epic’s free-to-play online title has evolved into something *******. It’s a cultural and multi-media phenomenon and continues to retain its outrageous popularity. Even Fortnite can have issues though. If the servers are down for you, read on for an explanation. Are Fortnite Servers Down Right Now? There’s no dropping in for anyone. Credit to Epic Games The Fortnite servers are currently down on PlayStation due to ongoing maintenance—and there’s no knowing when the servers will be back online. The PSN servers went down on February 8, and a worldwide outage ensued. Unfortunately, no one fully knows why PSN is down, and PlayStation hasn’t issued any proper statement outside of a single post on X: “We are aware some users might be currently experiencing issues with PSN.” Gamers everywhere are understandably furious, as it does mean all PSN services are down. I can confirm Epic’s servers are working, meaning any users on Xbox, Switch, PC, and other platforms can play the battle royale shooter without a hitch. It’s not Fortnite either, as any game requiring some sort of online connection or connection to the PlayStation Network is suffering too. Fortnite, Call of Duty, Marvel Rivals, Overwatch, and many other big-time titles are going to mourn a lack of PlayStation players until the PSN outage is rectified. We are doing our best to monitor the situation. Keep checking back for further updates as we try to find out when Fortnite servers are coming back online for PlayStation users. I can only imagine the frustration the PlayStation servers being down has caused. Are you hoping Sony compensates you for this maintenance issue? We’ll have to wait and see how long it remains a problem for. Keep yourself busy in the meantime by checking out news of Fortnite DC collabs, and an upcoming Jujutsu Kaisen crossover offering new skins. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Fortnite #PlayStation #Fortnite #PSN #Servers #Explained Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

More than 30 missing in Sichuan with ‘all out rescue’ launched More than 30 missing in Sichuan with ‘all out rescue’ launched Laura Bicker China Correspondent BBC At least 30 people have been reported missing after a landslide in south-western China, according to ******** state media. The landslide struck Jinping village in Sichuan province at 11:50 local time (03:50 GMT) burying 10 houses and trapping several residents. Two people were rescued. A command centre has been set up at the scene according to a statement by the county’s emergency management bureau. China’s President Xi Jinping has ordered an “all-out” rescue of those trapped. Hundreds of emergency workers are searching for survivors, according to a statement from China’s Ministry of Emergency Management. President Xi has ordered authorities to do “everything possible to search and rescue missing people, minimise casualties and properly handle the aftermath”, according to the official Xinhua state news agency. ******** Premier Li Qiang asked for an investigation and inspection of potential geological hazard risks in nearby areas. Li also said residents who were under threat should be evacuated to prevent another disaster, the AP news agency reports, citing Xinhua. Fifty million yuan ($6.9m; £5.5m) has been allocated from central government funds to repair infrastructure and public services, AP adds. Source link #missing #Sichuan #rescue #launched Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Australia close in on a series win over Sri Lanka Australia close in on a series win over Sri Lanka AUSTRALIA V SRI LANKA Day three of the second Warne-Muralidaran Trophy Test match in Galle, Sri Lanka. SCORE: Sri Lanka 257, 8-211, Australia 414 SUMMARY: Anything but an *********** win on day four would be a big shock, despite a topsy-turvy third day in Galle. Australia found themselves bamboozled by the new ball early on, with off-spinner Prabath Jayasuriya (5-151) dismissing Alex Carey (156) and Steve Smith (131) as the tourists lost 7-84 before lunch. Australia kept Sri Lanka at arm’s length in the second session as Nathan Lyon (3-80) and Matt Kuhnemann (4-52) had them in knots, the hosts slipping to 4-81 on the tough deck. But Angelo Mathews (76) and Kusal Mendis (48no) partnered in a defiant 70-run stand that gave Sri Lanka the lead, before Lyon broke the all-important partnership. At stumps, Sri Lanka were 54 runs ahead with only two wickets in hand as Australia prepared for a second dig early on day four. THE MOMENT: Sri Lanka would have been daring to dream of a boilover when Kusal and Mathews were slapping the *********** bowlers around, particularly given even a chase of around 150 would have been tough work for Australia on a Galle pitch playing tricks. But when Mathews swept Lyon to a diving Beau Webster in the deep, Sri Lanka were down to only one out-and-out batter and vulnerable to a late onslaught. They lost two more wickets before stumps. THE PLAYER: Left-armer Kuhnemann again proved vital for Australia and had immediate impact bowling opener Pathum Nissanka (8) in his first over. He then got rid of Dimuth Karunaratne, caught behind in his final Test innings, and continued an unhappy series for captain Dhanjaya de Silva, who clipped to Smith for a stunning low catch in the slips. It’s easy to forget a dislocated thumb had threatened Kuhnemann’s ability to tour only a matter of weeks ago. THE STAT: Lyon became only the third *********** to take 550 Test wickets when Dinesh Chandimal (12) hit him to a diving Webster after lunch. He joins Shane Warne (708) and Glenn McGrath (563) among seven Test players to reach the mark, and is all but certain to pass McGrath by the end of the year. Source link #Australia #close #series #win #Sri #Lanka Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Becton Dickinson aims to split off biosciences unit, as Starboard calls for the same Becton Dickinson aims to split off biosciences unit, as Starboard calls for the same Pavlo Gonchar | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Company: Becton Dickinson and Co (BDX) Business: Becton Dickinson develops, manufactures and sells medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products for health-care institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmaceutical industry and the public worldwide. Stock Market Value: ~$66.65B ($229.85 per share) Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Becton Dickinson shares in the past 12 months Activist: Starboard Value Ownership: ~0.70% Average Cost: n/a Activist Commentary: Starboard is a very successful activist investor and has extensive experience helping companies focus on operational efficiency and margin improvement. Starboard also has significant experience with its strategic activism. In 57 prior campaigns where it had a strategic thesis, the firm had a 32.96% return versus 14.61% for the Russell 2000 during the same *******. Additionally, Starboard has initiated activist campaigns at 24 prior health-care companies and its average return on these situations is 17.65% versus an average of 9.57% for the Russell 2000 during the same time periods. What’s happening On Feb. 3, Starboard announced it has taken a position in Becton Dickinson and called for the separation of its life sciences division. Days later, on Feb. 5, the company shared its intent to separate its biosciences and diagnostics solutions business. Behind the scenes Becton Dickinson (BDX) is a global medical technology company comprised of essentially two businesses: (i) MedTech, which consists of the BD Medical (medication delivery and management solutions, advanced monitoring and pharmaceutical systems) and BD Interventional (products for vascular, urology, oncology and surgical specialties) and (ii) BD Life Sciences, which provides products for the collection and transport of diagnostics specimens as well as instruments and reagent systems to detect a range of infectious diseases. Within MedTech, BDX is the market leader in the infusion pumps and prefilled syringes businesses, a position which has been supercharged by the growth in popularity of GLP-1s. These two businesses have historically been similar in size, but MedTech has been growing faster and now accounts for $15.1 billion of revenue and $6.7 billion of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization versus Life Sciences contributing $5.2 billion of revenue and $2.0 billion of EBITDA. The problem here is simple and straightforward: The company operates two distinct businesses that are at different stages with different growth rates and valuation multiples and no real reason to be under the same roof. The MedTech business has a higher growth rate (mid-single digits) than Life Sciences (low-single digits) but a lower valuation multiple (13-times to 14-times) than Life Sciences (upward of 20-times) because MedTech is assessed as a rule of 40 company – that is, its growth rate plus its operating margins should equal or exceed 40. Life Sciences is seen as more structurally stable and immune to things like cyclicality, and it has reduced exposure to reimbursement pressure. Additionally, the presence of major industry players like Thermo Fisher and Danaher give the Life Sciences business a little consolidation value that slightly boosts its valuation multiple. This is not always a problem, but in BDX’s case, the entire company is trading at 16.8-times EBITDA, closer to the value of its least valuable part. As Starboard has recommended, spinning off or selling the Life Sciences business is a simple solution to a simple problem. The short-term value creation here is straightforward. If separated, the Medtech Business should get a 13-times to 14-times EBITDA valuation based on its growth, while Life Sciences should get a valuation north of 20-times. This alone would result in a valuation north of $110 billion at the low end of the multiple range. But there is additional value creation that could be attained after separation. The ability to better motivate management with the success of their own division and expand the universe of potential investors to two pure-play businesses are just the table stakes in a separation. The real value comes from two separate management teams being able to better focus on and devote resources to their own businesses. In the case of BDX, that could lead to margin improvement through the integration of acquisitions that were somewhat neglected as part of a ******* company. There have been reports of a $30 billion valuation price for the Life Sciences business. This is a valuation slightly below the expected 20-times EBITDA multiple we think it could receive. We expect that is because BDX may retain some parts of the Life Sciences business that synergize with MedTech. This is not always a problem, but in BDX’s case, the entire company is trading at 16.8-times EBITDA, closer to the value of its least valuable part. As Starboard has recommended, spinning off or selling the Life Sciences business is a simple solution to a simple problem. The short-term value creation here is straightforward. If separated, the Medtech Business should get a 13-times to 14-times EBITDA valuation based on its growth, while Life Sciences should get a valuation north of 20-times. This alone would result in a valuation north of $110 billion at the low end of the multiple range. But there is additional value creation that could be attained after separation. The ability to better motivate management with the success of their own division and expand the universe of potential investors to two pure-play businesses are just the table stakes in a separation. The real value comes from two separate management teams being able to better focus on and devote resources to their own businesses. In the case of BDX, that could lead to margin improvement through the integration of acquisitions that were somewhat neglected as part of a ******* company. There have been reports of a $30 billion valuation price for the Life Sciences business. This is a valuation slightly below the expected 20-times EBITDA multiple we think it could receive. We expect that is because BDX may retain some parts of the Life Sciences business that synergize with MedTech. Starboard is known as a very diligent, tenacious and committed activist investor that will do whatever is necessary to create value for its investors and other shareholders. When the firm wants board seats, it generally gets board seats. But that is not the case here. Starboard’s “activist” skills might be wasted or not needed here as it appears that in this case, the firm is pushing an open door rather than breaking one down. BDX has already acknowledged this issue and announced that it is considering the divesture of its Life Sciences segment. Whether this is because the company has been considering this anyway or because it heard Starboard loud and clear is irrelevant. Starboard is the type of activist that does not care who gets the credit, as long as the best decisions are made for shareholders. Ken Squire is the founder and president of 13D Monitor, an institutional research service on shareholder activism, and the founder and portfolio manager of the 13D Activist Fund, a mutual fund that invests in a portfolio of activist 13D investments. Source link #Becton #Dickinson #aims #split #biosciences #unit #Starboard #calls Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Judge blocks Musk team access to Treasury Department records – BBC.com Judge blocks Musk team access to Treasury Department records – BBC.com Judge blocks Musk team access to Treasury Department records BBC.comJudge Halts DOGE Access to Treasury Payment Systems The New York TimesWhy privacy laws are the tip of the legal spear against Musk and Trump CNNHere Are All The Major Lawsuits Against Trump And Musk—As 19 States Sue Over DOGE’s Treasury Access ForbesTreasury was warned DOGE access to payments marked an ‘insider threat’ The Washington Post Source link #Judge #blocks #Musk #team #access #Treasury #Department #records #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Laura Kuenssberg: Angela Rayner and Keir Starmer want more housing Laura Kuenssberg: Angela Rayner and Keir Starmer want more housing Laura KuenssbergPresenter, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg•@bbclaurakBBC “We’ve been looking forward to this fight since the morning after the election,” said a senior government source, almost with glee, about the government’s changes to planning. Ministers are prepared to take on political rivals who don’t want to accept the governments new housing targets; to prove to the country that Labour really does want more people to own a home, for more voters to have access to a safe, warm, permanent house within this parliament. A blizzard of statistics show just how tough it is to buy a home if you can theoretically afford it, or how hard it can be to find decent accommodation if you struggle to make ends meet. Just this week, house prices hit a record high, according to the Halifax, one of the biggest mortgage lenders. Twenty years ago a family might have expected to buy a house worth roughly four times their annual income – now it might be eight times what they earn, which means the proportion of the population that rents rather than owns has nearly doubled in two decades. The numbers of families struggling to find a stable home has gone up massively too. More than 159,000 children in England alone are homeless without a permanent address – a record high. The housing benefit bill to support those who can’t completely pay their own way is about £20bn and rising, a massive price tag for the taxpayer. In other words, this affects us all. Sir Keir Starmer has shouted about building homes since his opposition days, trying out the line “we are the builders” at his party’s conference in 2023 and repeating it since. Sources in the sector welcome Labour’s concentration and ambition on housing and contrast it with the “negative” relationship with the previous government. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who will be on our show tomorrow, is praised for properly talking to, and listening to, the industry. “It’s brilliant to have a government that wants to fix the market – it’s pretty broken,” a housing leader said. Even a senior Conservative applauded Sir Keir and Rayner’s focus on housing and the return of targets for local councils to build: “She is right to bring back mandatory targets and we were wrong to get rid of them.” Some question whether the government’s approach is radical enough, but it is busy introducing measures it hopes will help the sector meet what sources describe as a “stretching” target to build 1.5 million new homes by the end of their term in office, in 2029. Ministers are trying to change the planning rules in a planning bill coming next month, bring back targets for councils, speed up building of big housing developments, and a new taskforce hopes to create new towns. The political message you’ll hear regularly not just from Rayner on housing, but from the prime minister on nuclear reactors and the Chancellor Rachel Reeves on Heathrow is: “The answer can’t always be no.” This intention – to build, not block – is one thing. Making it real is different altogether. Countless ministers have told us they are changing the planning rules and nobody in the industry, or indeed in the opposition, would tell you that planning isn’t a big part of the problem. But look at what’s actually happened in recent times – in the run up to the election, when Labour seemed on their way back to power, the number of planning approvals hit the lowest level in a decade. Since Labour moved into No 10 the number of sites approved for development has continued to fall. And while ******** the drum for building, the government has also put up stamp duty for first-time buyers, and tightened rules for private landlords to improve the quality of homes for renters. Whether you approve of those changes or not, ministers are trying to encourage builders in one direction, yet increasing the costs for buyers and builders in the other. Whatever Labour say about planning “in other parts of the universe they are making it really expensive for builders to build”, another housing source says. PA Media Labour aims to build 370,000 new homes in England each year to meet its pledge of 1.5 million homes over five years And changing planning has its limitations. If councils can’t make up the acute shortages of planning officers actually to process applications, then tweaking the rules will have a limited effect. Housing associations who are charged with building social housing are also stretched for cash. They have been given, perhaps rightly, new demands to improve the standard of homes they provide, but that doesn’t come cheap. If they aren’t feeling flush enough to sign up to affordable homes in new developments, builders who are required to build affordable homes as part of their projects can’t go ahead. “Thousands of affordable homes are on hold,” an industry source tells me, “and that means tens of thousands of new homes are on hold too.” And even if everything else was fixed, are there enough builders to lay the bricks or enough plumbers to lay the pipes? An industry insider told me: “There was a big belief in govt that if you pulled the planning lever, everything would flow, but you can’t just pull one lever and expect everything to work,” while another said: “Labour has got fixated thinking planning is the answer to all.” Listen to Sir Keir, and in a weird echo of Boris Johnson, he is saying enough of the naysaying, this is a priority and his government will do everything to make it happen. Perhaps. Yet bear in mind two inescapable truths. The first truth is that housing is a market, so it’s fortunes or failures are completely connected to what else is going on in the economy. Many members of the public are stretched financially and appetite for risk is low, manifesting in huge challenges for first-time buyers getting access to cash. It’s a challenge, too, for big builders: you might not shed a tear for the these huge property companies but as a source says: “A baker won’t bake a loaf of bread unless he knows someone is going to buy it – the economy is so uncertain you have to wonder if builders will take the risk to buy land, and then build with an uncertain return three or four years down the line.” The second truth is that for all its talk of “change, change, change”, Labour does not seem to have the appetite or resolve to transform how the housing sector works in any dramatic way. They are not proposing, for example, councils directly funding projects that get diggers on site. There is no suggestion of a massive underwriting of lenders like George Osborne’s Help to Buy, no hint of a Margaret Thatcher-style Right to Buy of the 1980s, nor a Clement Atlee-style council house building programme from after the World War Two. In other words, a source said, everything they are doing is version of what has been tried before, while another said: “It’s kind of up to the market, they are leaving it mainly in its hands.” EPA Angela Rayner has been praised for properly talking to, and listening to, the industry There is a huge opportunity for the government to change people’s lives for the better if they can make it easier to buy houses, and improve access to decent homes for people who can’t afford to buy. And you can’t question ministers’ desire to make a difference during their time in office. But wanting something to happen and making it happen is not the same. A government source told me: “Imagine, if in the end we know there’ll be kids who grow up in houses that exist because we made the change.” A laudable aim, but the scale of the ambition is, some argue, not matched by the willingness for truly bold action. Ministers tell you until they’re blue in the face that they will build more homes and solve the housing crisis. But this government is quickly discovering it can’t stand in Whitehall and just shout: “Let it be so.” BBC InDepth is the home on the website and app for the best analysis, with fresh perspectives that challenge assumptions and deep reporting on the biggest issues of the day. And we showcase thought-provoking content from across BBC Sounds and iPlayer too. You can send us your feedback on the InDepth section by clicking on the button below. Source link #Laura #Kuenssberg #Angela #Rayner #Keir #Starmer #housing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Victorian voters set to have to wait to find out results of decide in two tight by-elections Victorian voters set to have to wait to find out results of decide in two tight by-elections Voters in two Victorian by-elections will have to wait until at least Sunday to find out who has won. Voters in Werribee and Prahran took to the polls on Saturday following the resignation of their respective MPs. As of 11pm on Saturday, both races remained too close to call. In the Melbourne inner-south seat of Prahran, Liberal candidate Rachel Westaway maintained a 51.6 per cent to 48.4 per cent lead over the Greens’ Angelica Di Camillo. Further west in the seat of Werribee, Labor’s John Lister held a slim lead of 53 per cent to 47 per cent over the Liberal’s Steve Murphy. Despite leading the race the current margin is an eight-point swing away Labor compared to 2022. Speaking on Saturday night while counting was ongoing, Mr Lister said the vote was extremely tight. “We knew it was going to be a close count, but this might be longer than we expected,” he said. “This was never going to be an easy election, and I was never going to take it for granted.” Labor is battling to hold onto a seat it has held since 1979. Despite winning it in 2022 with more than 60 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote, Labor is facing a tough challenge. Former State Minister Tim Pallas announced his retirement in December sparking the by-election. Voters in Prahran have been forced back to the polls following the resignation of former-Greens member Sam Hibbins. Mr Hibbins was forced to resign in October after admitting an affair with a staff member. The seat has been held by the Greens since 2014. An environmental engineer, Ms Di Camillo is hoping to continue on the Greens’ grip on the seat, but faces a tough challenge from the Liberal party’s Rachel Westaway, while Labor declined to run a candidate. Source link #Victorian #voters #set #wait #find #results #decide #tight #byelections Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stuck stock market is worried about economic growth as Trump’s tariffs dominate headlines Stuck stock market is worried about economic growth as Trump’s tariffs dominate headlines The stock market is rather calm but can’t seem to relax. In a noisy and fast-shifting news environment, stocks were quietly flattish last week from point to point, even after Friday’s almost 1% drop, which extends a sideways three-month range during which the S & P 500 has traded no more than 3% above or below its closing level from the day after the U.S. election. The index has been sticky near the 6,000 level, caught between the opposing currents of a deeply split market, in which stocks and sectors are moving their own way rather than as a bloc. Helps explain why the CBOE S & P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) has been testing its recent floor near 15 in recent weeks. Is this action best understood as resilience, fatigue or confusion? A bit of each, most likely. The market action suggests investors are comforted by a sturdy economic starting point and the consensus will not easily surrender their faith in a “growth-friendly” policy mix to come. Yet day to day, the many-forked path of policy-setting involving tariffs, immigration crackdowns, executive-branch program curbs and, eventually, a tax-and-spending package has sapped market confidence in an imminent economic acceleration. Many of the textbook “Trump trades” pricing in a strong growth impulse driving a higher-nominal-growth economy have largely unwound. The small-cap Russell 2000 has rolled back to mid-October levels. And as shown here, the beloved industrial sector has also slid back relative to the broader market. The selective nature of the tape is also visible in the waning proportion of large stocks that remain in a technical uptrend. This chart from Strategas Research shows the percentage of such stocks slipped just below 60%, lowest in more than a year. It’s a testament to the market’s recent knack for clockwork rotations and the constant aggression of small retail traders ( detailed here last week ) that the index has stayed within a couple of percent of record highs even as broad momentum is lacking and so many individual stocks consolidate. It’s tough to deny that the clench-and-release of tariff threats is the proximate mover of tactical trading flows and the public mood. The S & P 500 low for last week came less than an hour after Monday’s opening bell, when 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico were freshly imposed. A 3% multi-day relief rally from there eventually took the S & P 500 to a high right at 6,100 – upside resistance unless and until proven otherwise – on Friday morning. That was just before the University of Michigan consumer survey showed a big jump in one-year inflation expectations, almost certainly tied to tariff fears, with stocks legging lower still after President Trump vowed “reciprocal tariffs” on countries now imposing duties on U.S. goods. Stocks fell 1% from there into the weekly close. ‘Growth scare’ Still, beyond the daily games of headline pinball, investors as a group understand, or should, that whatever ultimate tariffs are or aren’t imposed will likely not be the deciding factor in whether the economic expansion and bull market persist. The trade balance in goods isn’t crucially important to the trajectory of the entire U.S. economy in a given year. A tariff conflict, rather, is treated by the market as a “war of choice” that might have positive eventual objectives but in the here and now threatens to throw sand in the gears of commerce and kick dust into the eyes of CEOs and capital allocators. More tangibly, an aggressive tariff war could be one more thing inviting the sort of “growth scare” the markets have come to consider a possibility. Friday’s job number , 145,000 for January, was light at the headline level though broadly “fine” given upward payroll revisions for prior months, weather disruptions and a dip in the unemployment rate. But along with a sluggish hiring rate from the JOLTS survey and tepid employment gains outside of services and the public sector, it suggests a low-velocity, steady-state labor market. 3Fourteen Research co-founder Warren Pies has been on “growth scare” alert for a while now, seeing a hobbled housing sector, interest-rate-constrained consumers and reduced fiscal liquidity — potentially exacerbated by a Federal Reserve unwilling to ease further given tariff effects on inflation. He also notes that in the years following a 20%-plus gain in the S & P 500, payments for capital gains the following spring tend to unsettle the stock market by early in the second quarter. This is all swirling around a market that came into 2025 priced for good things to happen, with investor expectations high, making it tough for reality to surprise pleasantly. Earnings growth in aggregate has been strong, with the usual rate of outperformance against forecasts. Barclays strategist Venu Krishna calculates that “the median miss (-3.3%) among companies that printed below-consensus EPS was not much worse than recent quarters. Despite this, the share price reactions have been notably worse, with average post-print move in reaction to an EPS miss nearly [one percentage point] lower than the long-term average.” Krishna adds that revisions to estimates for first-quarter profits outside of the tech sector are running a percentage point weaker than the historical norm, concluding that “we think markets will find plenty to nitpick by the end of this reporting season.” Magnificent 7 underperformance Alphabet shedding 9% and Amazon losing 4% last week after solid results but subdued guidance and radically increased capital-spending plans could be called nitpicks. The Magnificent 7 giants of the Nasdaq as a group have underperformed the S & P 500 by six percentage points since just before the Fed’s “hawkish rate cut” Dec. 19. And so, the market so far has indeed grown less beholden to those names- just as the vociferous consensus has insisted would happen for many months – though the overall index is flat since then. The crowd calling for a more inclusive market like to insist that stocks outside those seven dominant tech leaders look considerably less expensive. Yes and no. While there is a decent gap between the forward price/earnings ratio of the top seven and the “other 493,” in absolute terms the rest of the market trades at a 19 multiple, above most periods in history. This is why the call for a broadening of earnings growth is crucial to the 2024 bull case for the rank and file of the market. Of course, as they say, valuation is a weighing machine with little to say about what comes next, while stocks on a shorter frame are a voting machine. And right now, the most active retail-trading voters continue to bombard the market with aggressive buying in their favorite momentum names. Dollar volume in retail favorite Palantir Technologies shares on Friday was almost double that in Apple , a company with 13-times its market value, on no fresh news aside from Palantir’s torrid stock-price momentum itself, which carried the stock up 38% for the week and 370% over the past year. JPMorgan equity-trading analysts calculated that retail-trader sentiment on Wednesday was the highest the desk ever recorded, based on flow metrics, even “higher than the peak of the meme mania in 2021.” In the immediate term, JPMorgan says, the market tends to perform well on average following such extremes in retail buying over the next two weeks, after which the signal loses any value. Source link #Stuck #stock #market #worried #economic #growth #Trumps #tariffs #dominate #headlines Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** frees three hostages as Israelis concerned by their frail appearance – CNN ****** frees three hostages as Israelis concerned by their frail appearance – CNN ****** frees three hostages as Israelis concerned by their frail appearance CNNReleased ************ prisoners hug friends and family as they arrive in Beitunia, West Bank Yahoo! VoicesHamas Expected to Release 3 More Israeli Hostages: Live Updates The New York TimesHamas frees three hostages, Israel begins releasing Palestinians ReutersWho are the ************ prisoners released in exchange for Israeli hostages? The Associated Press Source link #****** #frees #hostages #Israelis #concerned #frail #appearance #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How triple Israeli hostage release unfolded How triple Israeli hostage release unfolded Three more Israeli hostages have returned to Israel after being released by ******. Eli Sharabi, 52, Ohad Ben Ami, 56, and Or Levy, 34, were handed over to the Red-Cross in a highly-staged event in the Deir al-Balah area. They were all taken captive during the 7 October attacks and have been held in Gaza for 16 months. In exchange, Israel has begun to free some 180 ************ prisoners held in Israeli jails. The releases are taking place as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and ****** which came into force on 19 January. Read the latest on this story here. Source link #triple #Israeli #hostage #release #unfolded Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Nvidia is compelling ahead of earnings, Bank of America says Nvidia is compelling ahead of earnings, Bank of America says There’s still plenty of stocks to buy ahead of earnings, according to Bank of America. The firm named several companies it says are “compelling” such as Nvidia. The other buy-rated stocks include: JD.com, Block and Toronto-Dominon. Toronto-Dominion Toronto-Dominion Bank was recently upgraded to buy from neutral by analyst Ebrahim Poonawala. The ********* bank had been under scrutiny for failing to properly maintain its anti-money-laundering unit, but Poonawala said the company is turning a corner following a series of fines and penalties imposed by the U.S. Department of Justice. New CEO Raymond Chun took the helm on Feb. 1, bolstering Poonawala’s confidence in the stock. He expects the new executive will help drive the franchise “toward improved profitability,” he wrote. Shares are up 8% this year and remain attractive, he said. “We believe the stock is more than adequately discounting downside risks, while giving little credit for improved execution,” Poonawala wrote. Toronto-Dominion will report earnings in late February. JD.com The China-based e-commerce company really is firing on all cylinders, according to analyst Joyce Ju and team. JD shares are up almost 75% over the past year with plenty more room to run, the firm says. “Direct sales revenues are estimated to grow 10.5% YoY, driven by 10.6% growth in electronic and home appliances sales and 10.3% growth in general merchandise sales,” she wrote. Further, Ju estimates that other services revenue like logistics will be markedly higher. The firm likes JD’s direct sales model as well as its third-party marketplace capabilities. “JD.com should grow moderately faster than the industry average off a lower base, driven by diversification of product categories and expansion in business models,” she wrote. JD is scheduled to report earnings in early March. Block Analyst Jason Kupferberg is standing by Block this year as a slew of positive metrics shows the fintech payment company is extremely well positioned. “We are bullish on [Block’s] full-fledged dual-sided ecosystem,” he wrote referring to its financial apps, Cash App and Square. The latter is primarily used by businesses. The firm says the stock is just not getting enough credit from investors. “[Block’s] combination of top-line growth and profitability (best among large-caps) is underappreciated in our view…,” he added. Kupferberg acknowledged the company’s Feb. 20 earnings report might not be a significant event for the stock as shares are up almost 25% over the last 12 months. Still, the firm says it sees more upside ahead. Nvidia “Expect Q4 eps call to reassure on CY25 outlook. Reiterate Buy, top pick ahead of NVDA’s FQ4’25 (Jan) earnings call scheduled for 26-Feb. We expect modest beat/inline sales guidance and lower GM in FQ1 (Apr) given Blackwell product transition/China restrictions.” Block “[ Block ]’s combination of top-line growth and profitability (best among large-caps) is underappreciated in our view, and as a US-centric re-acceleration story, we believe shares can outperform in ’25. … .We are bullish on [Block’s] full-fledged dual-sided ecosystem. We believe the stock is not being given enough credit for the general resilience the business has shown to date as well as its opex discipline.” Toronto-Dominion “We are upgrading our rating on (Toronto-Dominion) TD Bank-TD to Buy from Neutral on increased confidence that new leadership under CEO Raymond Chun can fix the US AML issues while driving the franchise toward improved profitability relative to our current forecast. … .We believe the stock is more than adequately discounting downside risks, while giving little credit for improved execution.” JD.com “Direct sales revenues are estimated to grow 10.5% YoY, driven by 10.6% growth in electronic and home appliances sales and 10.3% growth in general merchandise sales. … .JD.com should grow moderately faster than the industry average off a lower base, driven by diversification of product categories and expansion in business models.” Source link #Nvidia #compelling #ahead #earnings #Bank #America Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Measles outbreak expands in West Texas around county with low vaccination rate – CNN Measles outbreak expands in West Texas around county with low vaccination rate – CNN Measles outbreak expands in West Texas around county with low vaccination rate CNNTexas confirms measles outbreak as Georgia reports more cases University of Minnesota Twin CitiesMeasles Outbreak Mounts Among Children in One of Texas’ Least Vaccinated Counties Kaiser Health NewsTexas health authorities report 10 cases of measles in Gaines County KCBDTexas County Reports Measles Outbreak Among Unvaccinated Children U.S. News & World Report Source link #Measles #outbreak #expands #West #Texas #county #vaccination #rate #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Becton Dickinson aims to split off biosciences unit, as Starboard calls for the same Becton Dickinson aims to split off biosciences unit, as Starboard calls for the same Pavlo Gonchar | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Company: Becton Dickinson and Co (BDX) Business: Becton Dickinson develops, manufactures and sells medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products for health-care institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmaceutical industry and the public worldwide. Stock Market Value: ~$66.65B ($229.85 per share) Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Becton Dickinson shares in the past 12 months Activist: Starboard Value Ownership: ~0.70% Average Cost: n/a Activist Commentary: Starboard is a very successful activist investor and has extensive experience helping companies focus on operational efficiency and margin improvement. Starboard also has significant experience with its strategic activism. In 57 prior campaigns where it had a strategic thesis, the firm had a 32.96% return versus 14.61% for the Russell 2000 during the same *******. Additionally, Starboard has initiated activist campaigns at 24 prior health-care companies and its average return on these situations is 17.65% versus an average of 9.57% for the Russell 2000 during the same time periods. What’s happening On Feb. 3, Starboard announced it has taken a position in Becton Dickinson and called for the separation of its life sciences division. Days later, on Feb. 5, the company shared its intent to separate its biosciences and diagnostics solutions business. Behind the scenes Becton Dickinson (BDX) is a global medical technology company comprised of essentially two businesses: (i) MedTech, which consists of the BD Medical (medication delivery and management solutions, advanced monitoring and pharmaceutical systems) and BD Interventional (products for vascular, urology, oncology and surgical specialties) and (ii) BD Life Sciences, which provides products for the collection and transport of diagnostics specimens as well as instruments and reagent systems to detect a range of infectious diseases. Within MedTech, BDX is the market leader in the infusion pumps and prefilled syringes businesses, a position which has been supercharged by the growth in popularity of GLP-1s. These two businesses have historically been similar in size, but MedTech has been growing faster and now accounts for $15.1 billion of revenue and $6.7 billion of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization versus Life Sciences contributing $5.2 billion of revenue and $2.0 billion of EBITDA. The problem here is simple and straightforward: The company operates two distinct businesses that are at different stages with different growth rates and valuation multiples and no real reason to be under the same roof. The MedTech business has a higher growth rate (mid-single digits) than Life Sciences (low-single digits) but a lower valuation multiple (13-times to 14-times) than Life Sciences (upward of 20-times) because MedTech is assessed as a rule of 40 company – that is, its growth rate plus its operating margins should equal or exceed 40. Life Sciences is seen as more structurally stable and immune to things like cyclicality, and it has reduced exposure to reimbursement pressure. Additionally, the presence of major industry players like Thermo Fisher and Danaher give the Life Sciences business a little consolidation value that slightly boosts its valuation multiple. This is not always a problem, but in BDX’s case, the entire company is trading at 16.8-times EBITDA, closer to the value of its least valuable part. As Starboard has recommended, spinning off or selling the Life Sciences business is a simple solution to a simple problem. The short-term value creation here is straightforward. If separated, the Medtech Business should get a 13-times to 14-times EBITDA valuation based on its growth, while Life Sciences should get a valuation north of 20-times. This alone would result in a valuation north of $110 billion at the low end of the multiple range. But there is additional value creation that could be attained after separation. The ability to better motivate management with the success of their own division and expand the universe of potential investors to two pure-play businesses are just the table stakes in a separation. The real value comes from two separate management teams being able to better focus on and devote resources to their own businesses. In the case of BDX, that could lead to margin improvement through the integration of acquisitions that were somewhat neglected as part of a ******* company. There have been reports of a $30 billion valuation price for the Life Sciences business. This is a valuation slightly below the expected 20-times EBITDA multiple we think it could receive. We expect that is because BDX may retain some parts of the Life Sciences business that synergize with MedTech. This is not always a problem, but in BDX’s case, the entire company is trading at 16.8-times EBITDA, closer to the value of its least valuable part. As Starboard has recommended, spinning off or selling the Life Sciences business is a simple solution to a simple problem. The short-term value creation here is straightforward. If separated, the Medtech Business should get a 13-times to 14-times EBITDA valuation based on its growth, while Life Sciences should get a valuation north of 20-times. This alone would result in a valuation north of $110 billion at the low end of the multiple range. But there is additional value creation that could be attained after separation. The ability to better motivate management with the success of their own division and expand the universe of potential investors to two pure-play businesses are just the table stakes in a separation. The real value comes from two separate management teams being able to better focus on and devote resources to their own businesses. In the case of BDX, that could lead to margin improvement through the integration of acquisitions that were somewhat neglected as part of a ******* company. There have been reports of a $30 billion valuation price for the Life Sciences business. This is a valuation slightly below the expected 20-times EBITDA multiple we think it could receive. We expect that is because BDX may retain some parts of the Life Sciences business that synergize with MedTech. Starboard is known as a very diligent, tenacious and committed activist investor that will do whatever is necessary to create value for its investors and other shareholders. When the firm wants board seats, it generally gets board seats. But that is not the case here. Starboard’s “activist” skills might be wasted or not needed here as it appears that in this case, the firm is pushing an open door rather than breaking one down. BDX has already acknowledged this issue and announced that it is considering the divesture of its Life Sciences segment. Whether this is because the company has been considering this anyway or because it heard Starboard loud and clear is irrelevant. Starboard is the type of activist that does not care who gets the credit, as long as the best decisions are made for shareholders. Ken Squire is the founder and president of 13D Monitor, an institutional research service on shareholder activism, and the founder and portfolio manager of the 13D Activist Fund, a mutual fund that invests in a portfolio of activist 13D investments. Source link #Becton #Dickinson #aims #split #biosciences #unit #Starboard #calls Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Why the Odds of an Asteroid Striking Earth in 2032 Keep Going Up (and Down) – The New York Times Why the Odds of an Asteroid Striking Earth in 2032 Keep Going Up (and Down) – The New York Times Why the Odds of an Asteroid Striking Earth in 2032 Keep Going Up (and Down) The New York TimesNewly discovered asteroid now has a slightly higher risk of hitting Earth CNNScientists taking ‘active measures’ for asteroid with slight chance of hitting earth. USA TODAYScientists closely monitoring so-called “city-killer” asteroid CBS NewsChance of 2032 asteroid strike have increased. Why scientists say not to worry Detroit Free Press Source link #Odds #Asteroid #Striking #Earth #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

'They're inviting a movement to the main stage': Kendrick Lamar's road to the Super Bowl – BBC.com 'They're inviting a movement to the main stage': Kendrick Lamar's road to the Super Bowl – BBC.com ‘They’re inviting a movement to the main stage’: Kendrick Lamar’s road to the Super Bowl BBC.comWho Is Performing At The 2025 Super Bowl? Every Artist Confirmed So Far ForbesYou can actually stream the Super Bowl free. Here’s how to watch. The Washington PostKendrick Lamar vows to keep his passion for storytelling at the Super Bowl halftime show The Associated PressKendrick Lamar Talks ‘Biggest Misconceptions’ About Him While Giving Timothée Chalamet a Ride in His GNX Billboard Source link #039They039re #inviting #movement #main #stage039 #Kendrick #Lamar039s #road #Super #Bowl #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why is PSN Down? How Long is it Down For? Why is PSN Down? How Long is it Down For? PlayStation Network being down is a catastrophic issue for the company and players. Millions of users (myself included) are subscribed to PSN and use PlayStation services regularly. But PSN is down, so let’s look into why this and how long the outage is expected to last. I still fondly remember the great PlayStation Network outage of 2011. From April 20 to May 14, the community could not use PSN services. This meant no online play, messaging friends, or buying games using the PlayStation Store. It was an awful time, and I wanted to play Call of Duty and Battlefield with my friends. Déjà vu has struck again in 2025. On February 8, PSN suddenly went down without notice, and it’s been off ever since. Why is PlayStation Network Down Right Now? Not again. Credit to PlayStation The only thing any of us have been told so far is Sony is “currently experiencing issues” with its PlayStation Network service. A closer look at the PSN server status tells us “Some services are experiencing issues,” and this applies to all PSN media: Account Management, Gaming and Social, PlayStation Video, PlayStation Social, and PlayStation Direct. The Ask PlayStation X page posted a single message saying “We are aware some users might be currently experiencing issues with PSN,” on February 8, and has neglected to comment since. PlayStation further cemented this mystery by having its main X page repost the Ask PlayStation message to its 42 million followers on the platform—but provide no statement itself. Sony nor PlayStation have commented on the issue. Like PSN right now, we are all in the dark, and the community is understandably getting frustrated at the lack of updates. With the likes of ****** Ops 6 getting a free weekend and Double XP to boot, many gamers were probably looking forward to kicking back over the weekend and enjoying some gaming. When is PSN Coming Back Online? We still don’t know when PSN is coming back online, and there are zero updates or hints as to when. I wish I could give you more information, and we are doing our best to get the latest on the outage. Keep checking back as we intend to inform you as soon as we can. Furthermore, we have a separate page letting you know the latest on PlayStation Network being down. Stay tuned for updates as we hope and pray PSN comes back online sooner rather than later. How badly is the PSN outage affecting you? Did you have plans? Are you hoping Sony compensates the community for this inconvenience? Get involved in the comments below. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #PSN #Long Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]