Pelican Press

Todd Howard is a Visionary for What He Refuses to Do With Fallout as Donald Trump’s Win Re-Enforces That Todd Howard is a Visionary for What He Refuses to Do With Fallout as Donald Trump’s Win Re-Enforces That Todd Howard is adamant about his opinion about not changing the game in a way that might become a possibility due to Donald Trump’s win. Fallout will keep its integrity intact under Howard’s command. Image Credit: Bethesda Howard has made it very clear that the game will maintain its integrity going forward. He refuses to change the core of the game, which is why he is considered to be a visionary. Fallout Will Not Be Changed Under Howard’s Command Howard seems to be taking Bethesda in the right direction. Image Credit: Bethesda Fallout has always been set in the ******* States. The game explores the country’s imperialistic tendencies in a detailed sense. However, things seem to be looking a little tense ever since Trump got re-elected due to his right-wing policies. But Howard refuses to bow down to what he might be told to do. He is adamant that the game will still be set in America, as has been the case since the first installation of the game in 1997. During an interview with Kinda Funny Games, Howard talked about his vision for the game going forward. He said. And so, for us, right now, it’s okay to acknowledge some of those other areas, but our plans are to predominately keep it in the US. I don’t feel the need to answer… It’s okay to leave mystery or questions: ‘What’s happening in Europe?’ What’s happening here?’ The worst thing you can do to mysterious lands is to remove the mystery. Fans have been curious for a while as to what might have happened to the rest of the world ever since the dawn of the apocalypse in the world of the game. The ******* to know more about the lore of the game has enabled fans to create a new fan-made game that is set in London, titled Fallout: London. Fallout: London Reveals Why A Game Set Outside America Will Not Do It Any Good Fallout: London worked only because it was fan-made. Image Credit: Bethesda Given that the fan-made game set in London managed to generate a lot of hype, it still lacked the necessary essence that makes Fallout games special. Todd Howard wants to keep the soul of the game intact; fan-made titles set outside America are more than welcome, but a title by Bethesda will not work in its favor. Something felt missing in the game; it lacked the aesthetics that Fallout games are known for. The dystopian ********* soil does the game well, since that is where it all began. Howard is big on not revealing some of the secrets and mysteries of the game since he is of the opinion that a little mystery about Fallout’s world does the game well. By cutting players off from the rest of the world, Howard manages to create a feeling of being trapped. What do you think about it? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Todd #Howard #Visionary #Refuses #Fallout #Donald #Trumps #Win #ReEnforces Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Leaked All You Need to Know Concerns and Delights Helldivers 2 Players Leaked All You Need to Know Concerns and Delights Helldivers 2 Players A leaked “All you need to know” segment has upset the Helldivers 2 players. You can also find out what rhymes with Liberty! Source link #Leaked #Concerns #Delights #Helldivers #Players Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

John Fetterman says Democrats need to stop ‘freaking out’ over everything Trump does John Fetterman says Democrats need to stop ‘freaking out’ over everything Trump does In the closing weeks of the presidential campaign, Sen. John Fetterman did something different than other Democrats. He went on Joe Rogan’s podcast, a show Democrats had been urging Vice President Kamala Harris to do — and the kind of appearance Democrats feel their candidates need to get more comfortable making in the current media environment. But Fetterman, who built a blunt, says-what-he-means brand, said Democratic setbacks in 2024 had more to do with unpopular positions progressives promoted than any lack of communication from the party’s center-left establishment. “It’s not even what you might say as a candidate,” Fetterman said in an interview, adding “all of the very hard-left, kind of ‘woke’ things” Republicans used in advertising this year “are unloaded on the backs of all of us in purple states, and we’re paying for all of the things that our colleagues might say in these hard blue kinds of districts.” That’s part of Fetterman’s broader post-election message for his party. Moving forward, he says, Democrats can’t get wrapped up in “freaking out” over every controversial move Trump makes, adding that has proven to be a losing formula for the party and its brand. He was speaking after Trump selected former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., for attorney general and just before he tapped Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his pick to run the Department of Health and Human Services. “I’ve said this before, it’s like, clutch those pearls ******* and scold louder — that’s not going to win,” Fetterman, D-Pa., said. “And that’s been demonstrated in this cycle.” In the interview, Fetterman detailed his thoughts on this month’s election, how he’s readying for his party’s life in the wilderness and whether he has interest in seeking the presidency in 2028. The following transcript has been edited for length and clarity. NBC NEWS: As you’re looking in the rearview mirror a little bit at the 2024 election, do you think Democrats need to change how they talk to voters? Or was what happened last week really something that came down to policy choices or people being upset over inflation, immigration, you name it? FETTERMAN: When the election comes down to a handful of states — and I said this — it’s never going to be about money, because we had much more money than they had. And it’s not going to be about obscure white paper policies and about nuance. I pointed out there were two very incredibly unique situations, and one of them was the ************** [attempt]. Now think about when that’s happened in ********* history, of course, Lincoln and Kennedy and Reagan. But this never happened when it’s the year of an election and when the individual survived. And he responded in a very distinctive way of “******, ******, ******,” and it created very powerful kind of imagery. And I felt, “Hey, that’s definitely going to make things even more difficult.” And then [Elon] Musk. Surrogates are common in our business, but someone like that is different, and I’ve maintained that he can move the needle, and I do believe he did … that’s why we’ve lost two of our colleagues in the House, and we’ve lost every row office statewide, as well. And now the race is so close for my colleague and friend Bob Casey, and now that’s in the recount. I knew the border was going to be a real issue for our party … wanting a secure border and realizing that it was out of control, that doesn’t mean you’re a xenophobe or you’re ******* or anything. It’s just, we need a secure border. NBC NEWS: Jumping off of that, was the result, whether you’re thinking about in Pennsylvania or nationally, was this essentially inevitable or was there anything you think Democrats could have done differently and this could have gone the other way? FETTERMAN: I’ve asked that question a lot. It’s like, was it ever a winnable cycle? And I mean, who knows. But I’ve always maintained, just like in the last three cycles, that it’s going to be incredibly close, that’s a fact. And it was a coin toss in 2016 and it was a coin toss of some sort in 2020 and if anything happened in our cycle here in ’24, it felt more like a message that people had a choice, and it was very clear, and that gut check vote, and convincingly it put down on their side. … If you look at the emoji for the slot machine, and you could see it — 7-7-7, that means it’s a jackpot. And they just got the 7-7-7. You got the House. *****. They have the Senate. *****. They’ve got the presidency. And the real jackpot is they have the Supreme Court. And now here’s where we are. If that’s what you want, then you better buckle up, because here’s where we are, and it’s going to be a four-year ride, at least for two years, until there’s an inevitable level of backlash and they lose the House. NBC NEWS: You got a lot of attention for going on Joe Rogan’s show in the last week of the campaign. I feel like we’ve gone through three presidential cycles in a row where the Democratic strategy, particularly as it relates to media, is, play it safe, don’t make any mistakes, don’t give your opponents any ammunition they could use against you. But in this modern media environment, do you think that Democrats going forward have to be willing to take more risks and really develop a media strategy that is more about going into places that might be less friendly? FETTERMAN: It’s not even what you might say as a candidate. It might be other of our colleagues from your deep-blue districts will say those kinds of things, and then it’s like they weaponize that, and they use that against you. For all of the very hard-left, kind of “woke” things [Republicans] loaded up into the clips … are unloaded on the backs of all of us in purple states, and we’re paying for all of the things that our colleagues might say in these hard blue kinds of districts. And that’s the business that we’re in. We can’t forget that anything you say is immediately going to be nationalized, and that it’s going to be weaponized in these kinds of states. So it’s not so much what we say or our own views, it’s what the most extreme in our party say and project that’s going to get weaponized, and it’s undeniable that’s happened. NBC NEWS: Well, then do you feel as if some members of the Democratic Party, who might not agree with some of the more extreme things that get said, have been afraid to fully confront them, out of ***** of offending some part of the electorate? And is that changing? FETTERMAN: I’m not going to pander. I’m just saying it’s like, “Hey just remember, all of the safe positions in your district, or those things you say, those will be weaponized on the backs [of] the purple states and colleagues that have to defend that. It’s like, they are running your record [in] some of these purple states, as well. And that’s the concern. It’s not a criticism so much as it’s just, that’s the reality. NBC NEWS: What is your biggest concern moving forward, and what’s kind of the biggest thing that you think Democrats need to address? FETTERMAN: It’s like he’s the guy with the laser pointer, and we’re going to be the cat chasing around here or there. “He did that. Can you believe [it]? I can’t believe he appointed so and so.” And like, I’m not going to be that. I’m not that guy. I’m not that Democrat. Because we knew that’s what’s going to happen. And, like, Gaetz was the ultimate troll. That’s got to be candy for him to have and watch everybody get triggered. I’ve said this before, it’s like, clutch those pearls ******* and scold louder, that’s not going to win. And that’s been demonstrated in this cycle. NBC NEWS: You brought up Gaetz and you said that there was kind of a “****-tier” trolling element to this. Do you think among Democrats — FETTERMAN: I mean, yes. 100%. It’s like, I know he has no respect on the *********** side as well, too. So it was just like an opportunity … and that’s the thing. If you’re already exhausted, freaking out, and it’s not even Thanksgiving, then you really ought to pace yourselves. Because he hasn’t even been inaugurated yet. So you really have to chill out, and you’re going to have to be more discerning or discriminate on what’s going to freak you out or what’s just trolling. Because it’s not the weather, it’s the climate now for the next four years. NBC NEWS: So to bounce off that, has there been a conversation among Democrats that’s essentially what you’re talking about? FETTERMAN: We just had one, literally. I emerged from a caucus lunch for that. They have … it’s undeniable, the 7-7-7 that you America voted for is here. And if you think The Onion buying Infowars is, you know, like, OK. Would I rather have the control of the House, Senate and the presidency or, well, you know, the Onion bought Infowars. Well, ***** *****. ***** *****. NBC NEWS: To put a finer point on this: Democrats now are viewing this as, look, we can’t be freaking out about every individual thing that happens, like we’ve got to be measured? FETTERMAN: That’s what I’m saying. Unless you don’t, you are going to be the cat, and he’ll be the guy with the laser pointer, and you’re going to be chasing it around the whole room. And again, I don’t understand why people just, they think freaking out [matters]. And I don’t understand. And if the ***** burns really mattered, you know, here we wouldn’t be. NBC NEWS: You mentioned Musk and his role in Pennsylvania. One of the biggest things Trump’s announced so far is this advisory committee that Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are going to be running to look at making significant cuts to federal spending and to the federal bureaucracy. How do you think Democrats should handle this development? And what do you think that group is ultimately going to do? FETTERMAN: Here’s the truth, the only governing force that can stop or temper that [is] going to be the bravest Republicans in the House or in the Senate. It’s not going to us because we won’t have the votes. We don’t have the votes. We’re in the *********. It’s going to come down to how much craziness, how much absurdity will the Republicans in the House or the Senate want to jam up or not. And that’s a fact because of what happened in 2024. We don’t have the votes and they even have enough throwaway votes. NBC NEWS: Looking at your home county, Allegheny, one of the only urban areas in the country where Kamala Harris actually expanded on her share of the vote compared to Biden in 2020. This is completely against all the trends that have happened nationally. What is going on in the Pittsburgh area that caused the election results there to be different than in so many other places? FETTERMAN: We have a lot of pride in our history about labor and about what really works … and so I’m not surprised to know that. … I really want to talk about this, I called them out and I’ll do this again, because now we know the margin. To every individual that chose to throw away their votes for the Greens — [65,000] people threw their vote away on the Greens. I assume that they thought that those people were going to project their values, because that is more than twice the size of the margin that might be what cost somebody like Bob Casey and that just installed Dave McCormick for the next six years. So I’m here to call them out and it’s like, congratulations, and you own that. (Editor’s note: NBC News has not yet projected a winner in the Pennsylvania Senate race, which is in the middle of a recount at the moment.) NBC NEWS: Have you spoken with McCormick at all? Do you think he’s someone you can work with? FETTERMAN: I have not. I don’t have any personal animus. But I push back. Counting every vote, that’s not controversial. And it’s a recount. … that’s the law. And then when the law gets triggered and that gets used, then, hey, we’ve just got to wait and we know where we’re at. But it’s undeniable. It’s 26,000 votes. And how many people threw away their votes for Greens? And imagine just like what they’ve done for [Hillary] Clinton in ‘16, you’ve turned around, you never learned your lesson. And look at what you possibly may have cost people that are most likely to have your kinds of values. NBC NEWS: Could Kamala Harris have done anything different that you think might have changed the results? FETTERMAN: I’ll never be in that place. I mean, it’s been a pleasure to campaign with her across my state. And I’m not going to be part of like the piling on or the “you should’ves.” I’m not going to ****** on anybody at this point. NBC NEWS: Obviously it’s early, but when you think about 2028, would you have any interest in running for president? FETTERMAN: Nah. I would say this to anyone, never get high on your own supply. And I don’t know who I’m referencing. But, yeah. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Source link #John #Fetterman #Democrats #stop #freaking #Trump Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Who knew what and when? Who knew what and when? Getty Images Former Post Office boss Paula Vennells’ appearance at the inquiry was greatly anticipated After months of evidence, the Post Office Inquiry heard from its final witnesses this week. Closing statements will follow next month before inquiry chair Sir Wyn Williams publishes his final report next year. Much of the evidence centred around who knew what and when, so what did we learn from the key players? And what questions still need to be answered? What did Paula Vennells know about IT problems? Key moments from Paula Vennells’ three days of questioning at Post Office inquiry Paula Vennells was the chief executive of the Post Office from 2012 to 2019. Her appearance before the inquiry, over three days in May, was hotly anticipated. The key questions were: what did she know about problems with Horizon, and when did she find out about them? In the end, we got plenty of tears, as she appeared to repeatedly wilt under probing questioning, but few concrete answers. There was a great deal she claimed she couldn’t remember, and even more she said she had never been told. “You are not responsible for everything that happens underneath you. You have to rely on the advice of internal and external experts,” she argued. A lawyer for the sub-postmasters accused her of living in “a cloud of denial”. The inquiry’s own lead counsel asked sardonically whether she was “the unluckiest CEO in history”. There were lots of questions about whether she had been more focused on protecting the Post Office brand than its people, with her attitude towards press coverage placed under a harsh spotlight. We saw scathing text messages from Dame Moya Greene, the former head of Royal Mail, which cast doubt on Ms Vennells’ honesty. But amid all the tears and apologies, there were few certainties. Yet those three days of awkward testimony, and a 775-page witness statement, will still provide plenty of food for thought for Sir Wyn as he prepares his report. When did Fujitsu know about issues with expert witness?Getty Images Few people played a more pivotal role than Gareth Jenkins in the Post Office scandal. The senior engineer from Fujitsu helped build the flawed Horizon system and provided expert evidence in several court cases testifying that the system was robust. In July 2013 the Post Office received bombshell legal advice that Mr Jenkins was “in plain breach of his duty as an expert witness”, and this put the Post Office “in breach of its duty as a prosecutor”. After this the Post Office paused its prosecutions and decided to replace Mr Jenkins as an expert witness. Which Fujitsu executives knew about this? When asked at the inquiry, former Fujitsu chief executive Duncan Tait said he had never recalled being told of any issues with Mr Jenkins. However, a Post Office briefing from November 2013 seen by the BBC suggests that Post Office executives did plan to raise the issue of Gareth Jenkins with him, and a subsequent meeting had been planned between Fujitsu and the Post Office to discuss finding “an independent expert to give evidence about the Horizon system”. If Fujitsu executives knew about concerns over Mr Jenkins’ past evidence, it raises serious questions about why Fujitsu used Mr Jenkins in the 2019 Bates v Post Office trial. Although he never appeared as an expert witness, he provided behind-the-scenes technical support and information to other witnesses. How much did politicians know?Getty Images Kemi Badenoch claimed civil servants gave her the “vanilla view of what’s going on” How much did politicians in positions of power know about what was going on at the Post Office? Not enough, most have told the inquiry. Several said they weren’t given a true picture by the Post Office executives they met with, or by civil servants. Former Minster Jo Swinson told the inquiry she has since found out what was really happening during her time in power and realised it was “actually the opposite of what I was being told”. New ************* leader Kemi Badenoch complained that when she was business secretary she was given the “vanilla view of what’s going on” from civil servants. Another theme that has emerged is that people weren’t in their roles long enough, and weren’t given proper handovers. Ministers would come into their posts without a knowledge of the Horizon issues – and just as they were beginning to grasp them, an election or a reshuffle would intervene and they would leave the role. One of the barristers representing sub-postmasters pointed to the problems caused by this “revolving door of ministers”, as he listed the eight business secretaries in the last five years alone. Every politician who came to the inquiry had reasons why they weren’t to blame for not doing more during their time in power. But they couldn’t claim they were totally oblivious – there were campaigners and MPs pleading with them to push the Post Office for answers on Horizon. As Jo Swinson said in her evidence: “I have asked myself why did I not push *******?” What next for Horizon and the Post Office? The inquiry has also been investigating the here and now. But what needs to change to prevent this scandal from happening again? Horizon is still in branches. This week, we learned there are 16 bugs in the system right now. The ********* boss of Fujitsu said he was “very worried” about any extension to a project that should have been retired long ago. He even refused to confirm if it was able to produce reliable accounts. However, in an extraordinary admission, Paul Patterson revealed the Post Office contacted him as he was heading into the inquiry room to ask if they could use it for another four years. Sir Wyn has also been asking witnesses about how the Post Office should be run, and even if it is worth saving at all. The new boss jumped the **** somewhat by announcing his plans this week. Nigel Railton said they are all about putting sub-postmasters at the “heart” of the business. It could involve job cuts and branch closures. The problem? One: sub-postmasters have heard this before. Two: money. These plans are dependent on government cash. Replacing Horizon will be particularly expensive. Post Office bosses say they have had “positive” discussions with the government. But, as the saying goes, talk is cheap. Kemi Badenoch warned the inquiry that the organisation will always lose out if it has to compete with the NHS or schools for funding. What the inquiry says about the future could be just as consequential as what it says about the past. Reporting by Theo Leggett, Nalini Sivathasan, Tom Beal and Peter Ruddick Source link #knew Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China megaport paves way into ****** America as wary US looks on China megaport paves way into ****** America as wary US looks on Reuters Peru’s new megaport is ********-built As the world waits to see how the return of Donald Trump will reshape relations between Washington and Beijing, China has just taken decisive action to entrench its position in ****** America. Trump won the US presidential election on a platform that promised tariffs as high as 60% on ********-made goods. Further south, though, a new China-backed megaport has the potential to create whole new trade routes that will bypass North America entirely. President Xi Jinping himself attended the inauguration of the Chancay port on the Peruvian coast this week, an indication of just how seriously China takes the development. Xi was in Peru for the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Forum (Apec). But all eyes were on Chancay and what it says about China’s growing assertiveness in a region that the US has traditionally seen as its sphere of influence. As seasoned observers see it, Washington is now paying the price for years of indifference towards its neighbours and their needs. “The US has been absent from ****** America for so long, and China has moved in so rapidly, that things have really reconfigured in the past decade,” says Monica de Bolle, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. “You have got the backyard of America engaging directly with China,” she tells the BBC. “That’s going to be problematic.” Reuters China’s Cosco Shipping has exclusive rights to operate the megaport Even before it opened, the $3.5bn (£2.75bn) project, masterminded by China’s state-owned Cosco Shipping, had already turned a once-sleepy Peruvian fishing town into a logistical powerhouse set to transform the country’s economy. China’s official ********** Party newspaper, the People’s Daily, called it “a vindication of China-Peru win-win co-operation”. Peru’s President Dina Boluarte was similarly enthusiastic, describing the megaport as a “nerve centre” that would provide “a point of connection to access the gigantic ****** market”. But the implications go far beyond the fortunes of one small Andean nation. Once Chancay is fully up and running, goods from Chile, Ecuador, Colombia and even Brazil are expected to pass through it on their way to Shanghai and other ****** ports. China already has considerable appetite for the region’s exports, including Brazilian soybeans and Chilean copper. Now this new port will be able to handle larger ships, as well as cutting shipping times from 35 to 23 days. However, the new port will favour imports as well as exports. As signs grow that an influx of cheap ******** goods bought online may be undermining domestic industry, Chile and Brazil have scrapped tax exemptions for individual customers on low-value foreign purchases. Reuters Brazilian soybeans and other commodities can now reach China more swiftly As nervous US military hawks have pointed out, if Chancay can accommodate ultra-large container vessels, it can also handle ******** warships. The most strident warnings have come from Gen Laura Richardson, who has just retired as chief of US Southern Command, which covers ****** America and the Caribbean. She has accused China of “playing the ‘long game’ with its development of dual-use sites and facilities throughout the region”, adding that those sites could serve as “points of future multi-domain access for the [People’s Liberation Army] and strategic naval chokepoints”. Reuters The US fears Peru’s new megaport could end up hosting ******** warships Even if that prospect never materialises, there is a strong perception that the US is losing ground in ****** America as China forges ahead with its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Outgoing US President Joe Biden was among the leaders at the Apec summit, on his first and last visit to South America during his four-year term. Media commentators remarked that he cut a diminished figure next to China’s Xi. Prof Álvaro Méndez, director of the Global South Unit at the London School of Economics, points out that while the US was taking ****** America for granted, Xi was visiting the region regularly and cultivating good relations. “The bar has been set so low by the US that China only has to be a little bit better to get through the door,” he says. Of course, ****** America is not the only part of the world targeted by the BRI. Since 2023, China’s unprecedented infrastructure splurge has pumped money into nearly 150 countries worldwide. The results have not always been beneficial, with many projects left unfinished, while many developing countries that signed up for Beijing’s largesse have found themselves burdened with debt as a result. Even so, left-wing and right-wing governments alike have cast aside their initial suspicions of China, because “their interests are aligned” with those of Beijing, says the Peterson Institute’s Ms de Bolle: “They have lowered their guard out of sheer necessity.” Reuters The Apec summit in Peru has highlighted the complex relations between the US, China and ****** America Ms de Bolle says the US is right to feel threatened by this turn of events, since Beijing has now established “a very strong foothold” in the region at a time when president-elect Trump wants to “rein in” China. “I think we will finally start to see the US putting pressure on ****** America because of China,” she says, adding that most countries want to stay on the right side of both big powers. “The region doesn’t have to choose unless it’s put in a position where they are forced to, and that would be very *****.” Looking ahead, South ********* countries such as Peru, Chile and Colombia would be vulnerable to pressure because of the bilateral free trade agreements they have with the US, which Trump could seek to renegotiate or even tear up. They will be watching keenly to see what happens to the ******* States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is up for review in July 2026, but will be subject to negotiations during 2025. Whatever happens, Prof Méndez of the LSE feels that the region needs more co-operation. “It shouldn’t be that all roads lead to Beijing or to Washington. ****** America has to find a more strategic way, it needs a coherent regional strategy,” he says, pointing to the difficulty of getting 33 countries to agree a ****** approach. Eric Farnsworth, vice-president at the Washington-based Council of the Americas, feels that there is still much goodwill towards the US in ****** America, but the region’s “massive needs” are not being met by its northern neighbour. “The US needs to up its game in the region, because people would choose it if there was a meaningful alternative to China,” he tells the BBC. Unlike many others, he sees some rays of hope from the incoming Trump administration, especially with the appointment of Marco Rubio as secretary of state. “Rubio has a real sense of a need to engage economically with the Western Hemisphere in a way that we just haven’t done for a number of years,” he says. But for successive US leaders, ****** America has been seen primarily in terms of ******** migration and ******** drugs. And with Trump fixated on plans to deport record numbers of immigrants, there is little indication that the US will change tack any time soon. Like the rest of the world, ****** America is bracing itself for a bumpy four years – and if the US and China start a full-blown trade war, the region stands to get caught in the crossfire. Source link #China #megaport #paves #****** #America #wary Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

LEGO Horizon Adventures Sees Worst Ever Steam Launch for Sony with Just 602 Peak CCU LEGO Horizon Adventures Sees Worst Ever Steam Launch for Sony with Just 602 Peak CCU LEGO Horizon Adventures combines the creative, family-friendly fun of LEGO games with the open-world exploration and action of the Horizon series. Set in a vibrant, blocky world where LEGO aesthetics meet post-apocalyptic landscapes, this crossover title promises something unique for fans of both franchises. We played through LEGO Horizon Adventures to assess whether it truly delivers on its ambitious concept. Source link #LEGO #Horizon #Adventures #Sees #Worst #Steam #Launch #Sony #Peak #CCU Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Minister attends NI-Belarus match despite government guidance Minister attends NI-Belarus match despite government guidance BBC Minister Lyons seen attending the match on Friday evening Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has attended Northern Ireland’s game against Belarus despite *** government guidance that the game shouldn’t go ahead. BBC News NI approached the Department for Communities (DfC) on Wednesday to ask if the minister would be attending but they have not responded. The *** has sanctions in place against Belarus due to the country’s support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. BBC News NI understands the government is “disappointed” Uefa is allowing the match at Windsor Park in south Belfast to go ahead – however in spite of this it granted visas to Belarusian players and staff. Commenting after the game on social media, Lyons said: “Great result for Northern Ireland this evening.” Allow Twitter content?This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read and before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Accept and continue Uefa told the BBC that Belarus was not permitted to host matches, but it did not comment on its position on the country playing games elsewhere. The Irish Football Association has not responded to requests for comment. Belarus has been banned from taking part in other international sporting competitions including the Olympics and Paralympics. Pacemaker BBC News NI has approached the Department for Communities and the Executive Office for comment In Uefa competitions its football team have been playing their “home” matches at neutral venues, such as Hungary where Northern Ireland played them in October. There had been some uncertainty around whether or not the match would be allowed to be played in the *** or if the Belarusian players would be granted visas. Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill previously said it would be “unfair” if the match was moved. Getty Images Belarus last played at Windsor Park in 2019 A source told BBC News NI that it was the *** government’s “unequivocal position that there should be no Russian or Belarusian representation in international sport. We have issued guidance to our domestic sports bodies to that effect”. “We are disappointed that Uefa has now followed this approach and has allowed Belarusian teams to participate in international competition,” they said. “The decision to allow the participation of Belarus in Uefa competitions and to play the fixture in Northern Ireland is a matter for Uefa and the Irish Football Association.” KREMLIN POOL The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of the Russian President Vladamir ****** The previous ************* government signed a pledge with a number of other countries agreeing that Belarusian footballers should be banned from competing in other countries. The pledge says that “athletes selected by Russia and Belarus, administrators and teams representing the Russian or Belarusian state should be banned from competing in other countries, including those representing bodies, cities or brands that are effectively representing Russia or Belarus, such as major football clubs”. The pledge was signed by the then Culture and Sport Secretary Nadine Dorries. Jack Chambers, a junior minister in the Irish government, signed on behalf of the Republic of Ireland. In 2023, 100 members of the ********* parliament wrote to Uefa asking that Belarus be expelled from their tournaments due to its human rights record. Uefa did not respond directly to any of the issues raised but pointed the BBC to a statement it released in March 2022 about the issue. “All Belarusian clubs and national teams competing in UEFA competitions will be required to play their home matches at neutral venues with immediate effect,” it said. “Furthermore, no spectators shall attend matches in which the teams from Belarus feature as host. “The Uefa executive committee will convene further extraordinary meetings, on a regular ongoing basis where required, to reassess the legal and factual situation as it evolves and adopt further decisions as necessary.” Why are there sanctions against Belarus? A close ally of Russian President Vladimir ******, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s administration has become increasingly reliant on Russia for economic, political and military support in recent years. Lukashenko has hosted Russian forces and allowed them to use Belarus as a staging ground. ****** backed Lukashenko after he claimed a disputed election victory in 2020, sparking mass protests that almost ousted him from power. The scale of the protests were unprecedented for Belarus with more than 100,000 packing into central Minsk, the capital, for four consecutive Sundays after the election. Europe’s longest-serving ruler, Lukashenko took office in 1994 during the chaos caused by the collapse of the ******* Union in 1991. Often described as Europe’s “last dictator”, he has tried to preserve elements of ******* communism. Much of manufacturing has remained under state control, and main media channels have been loyal to the government. At the same time, Lukashenko has tried to style himself as a tough nationalist with a direct manner, defending his country from harmful foreign influences, and a guarantor of stability. BBC News NI has approached the Department for Communities and the Executive Office for comment. Source link #Minister #attends #NIBelarus #match #government #guidance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Your video game consoles could get much more expensive soon Your video game consoles could get much more expensive soon Giovanni Colantonio / Digital Trends People have a lot of questions about what a second Donald Trump presidential administration will look like, and one of the big concerns surrounds proposed tariffs on foreign imports, with larger ones targeted for China. If these are passed, it could signal a big change in how video game hardware and software is manufactured and could lead to increased costs for players. Digital Trends spoke to analysts about the potential impact that tariffs could have on tech like game consoles. As of this writing, the proposal is to implement a 10% or 20% tariff on all imports, but a specific 60% tariff on ******** imports. Some analysts we reached out to declined to comment on the impact of the tariffs because while Trump has discussed a plan, it hasn’t gone into effect and might not. Others, like Serkan Toto of ********* games industry consulting firm Kantan, warned that consumers could be the ones paying the cost if plans go into effect. “The effects would be devastating for game fans,” Toto tells Digital Trends. “China would not pay for this, the U.S. consumer would.” Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming According to an October report from the Consumer Technology Association (the organization that runs CES annually), tariff increases on just PC peripherals, video games, and other electronics like smartphones would “reduce ********* consumers’ spending power by $90 billion.” Since a lot of the products in the video game and electronics industries are manufactured in China, the tariffs would impact most, if not all, products people could buy. In terms of specifics, the CTA says video game console prices would go up by 40%. Toto estimates that the PlayStation 5 could cost $800 instead of $500, “and the price of the typical $70 game would jump to $112.” The last time then-President Trump imposed 25% tariffs on ******** imports, GPU prices were expected to skyrocket, with something like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 going from $699 to $874 before sales tax. Digital Trends It’s likely you’re thinking about the Nintendo Switch successor in this hypothetical. While the tariffs wouldn’t impact the production or supply lines in terms of stock of consoles, which happened during the pandemic, it’ll still cost more for users to buy once it releases, whenever that happens. Even beyond PC components or video game consoles, the National Retail Foundation says that the proposed tariffs would cost Americans “between $46 billion and $78 billion per year.” The Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates that amounts to around $2,600 per year per *********. But again, these tariffs might not go into effect in this form (something will likely be implemented considering Trump imposed tariffs during his last term through executive action and doubled down on it during his campaign). Plus, there is a lot companies can do to ****** back. According to CBS News, many companies are already looking to move manufacturing out of China. There’s also the possibility that there could be exceptions on certain products. Toto provided an example: “Trump will know that iPhones, for example, are made in China and India. Will Americans really appreciate an iPhone suddenly costing $1,600 instead of $1,000?” The last time Trump implemented tariffs, the CTA also partnered with the big three console manufacturers — Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo — to successfully oppose them and force the administration to create exemptions for popular tech. So, it’s not a done deal for video game consumers, who already dealing with increasingly expensive consoles and games. Source link #video #game #consoles #expensive Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ireland survive Argentina comeback to claim narrow win Ireland survive Argentina comeback to claim narrow win Ireland have survived a fierce second half comeback from Argentina to narrowly defeat the Pumas 22-19 at the Aviva Stadium and just about bounce back from last week’s disappointing loss to New Zealand. Ireland led 22-9 at half-time after ruthlessly punishing an early Argentina yellow card with two tries in the first seven minutes from Jack Crowley and Mack Hansen. Joe McCarthy added a third after Tomas Albornoz had kept the visitors in touch. But a very different Argentina side emerged after half-time with Juan Cruz Mallia slicing the hosts open with the try of the game. Albornoz cut the lead to just three points as the Irish errors of a week ago began to creep back in. But the hosts composed themselves, in no small part thanks to an impressive debut off the bench from 21-year-old flyhalf Sam Prendergast. The hosts then hung on at the ****** to avoid back-to-back defeats for the first time since 2021. Source link #Ireland #survive #Argentina #comeback #claim #narrow #win Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ADL’s report on ******* Steam Community posts prompts a letter from Virginia senator ADL’s report on ******* Steam Community posts prompts a letter from Virginia senator A damning report from the published Thursday on the “unprecedented” amount of ******* and violent content on Steam Community has prompted a US Senator to take action. In a letter spotted by , Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) asked Valve CEO Gabe Newell how he and his company are addressing the issue. “My concern is elevated by the fact that Steam is the largest single online gaming digital distribution and social networking platform in the world with over 100 million unique user accounts and a user base similar in scale to that of the ‘traditional social media and social network platforms,’” Warner wrote. The senator also cited Steam’s online conduct policy that states users may not “upload or post ******** or inappropriate content [including] [real] or disturbing depictions of *********” or “harass other users or Steam personnel.” “Valve must bring its content moderation practices in line with industry standards or face more intense scrutiny from the federal government for its complicity in allowing hate groups to congregate and engage in activities that undoubtedly puts Americans at risk,” Warner writes. Congress doesn’t have the ability to take action on Valve or any platform except to shine light on the problem through letters and committee hearings. overturned two state laws in June that prevented government officials from communicating with social media companies about objectionable content. This also isn’t the first time that Congress has raised concerns with Valve about extremist and ******* content created by users or players in one of its products. sent a letter to Newell in 2023 to express concerns about players posting and spouting ******* language in Valve’s multiplayer online arena game Dota 2. We reached out to Valve for comment. We will update this story if we receive a statement or reactions from Valve. Source link #ADLs #report #******* #Steam #Community #posts #prompts #letter #Virginia #senator Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Who’s To Say That The $17 Billion Chain Might Not Eventually Make Its Way To Chipotle’s Levels’ ‘Who’s To Say That The $17 Billion Chain Might Not Eventually Make Its Way To Chipotle’s Levels’ We recently compiled a list of the Jim Cramer’s Best Performers List: Top 10 Stocks. In this article, we are going to take a look at where CAVA Group, Inc. (NYSE:CAVA) stands against the other stocks on Jim Cramer’s list of best performers list. On Wednesday’s **** Money episode, Jim Cramer took a deep ***** into ten stocks, each worth over $1 billion, that have seen significant growth this year. While acknowledging that many of these stocks are speculative, he emphasized that they still hold potential as smart investments. Cramer suggested that when looking back on this year, two trends will stand out: a steady rise in the S&P 500, and a series of moves that initially seemed almost magical, but were grounded in reality. Cramer also reflected on the common investment approach of sticking with index funds, noting that it is a popular strategy because it requires minimal effort. But, according to him, simply parking your money in an index fund might not be the best way to maximize returns. Instead, he argued that investors should consider individual stocks with unique characteristics, many of which are speculative since they offer opportunities for much larger gains. Cramer criticized the tendency among experts to dismiss individual stock investments beyond index funds, saying: “Far too often we become snobs when we talk stocks. So many experts think that if you venture past the index, you could fall off some sort of intellectual cliff. It makes any gains null and void. It’s as if the huge swath of points you could have gained simply don’t count. But that, people, is nonsense.” READ ALSO Jim Cramer on Microsoft and Other Stocks and 10 Stocks on Jim Cramer’s Radar During Wednesday’s episode, Cramer highlighted several stocks that have surged by over 200% this year, choosing to focus only on those with a market cap of more than $1 billion. He did clarify, however, that he was not endorsing these stocks, especially given how much they have already appreciated. Instead, his point was that speculative stocks, despite their volatility, have a valid place in an investment portfolio. While they come with risks, a small stake in one of these stocks could outperform a much larger investment in an index fund. For Cramer, it is not about avoiding speculative stocks altogether, but recognizing their potential when balanced alongside more stable investments like index funds. Cramer wrapped up by stressing the importance of considering these high-flying, speculative stocks and said: “The bottom line: Let’s remember this list of frothy stocks and think of them the next time you’re about to ignore a stock for being too speculative because these names are often the epitome of speculating wisely, which can be the key for terrific long-term performance, of course, only when melded with index funds.” Story Continues Our Methodology For this article, we compiled a list of 10 stocks that were discussed by Jim Cramer during the episode of **** Money on November 13 and listed the stocks in the order that Cramer mentioned them. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here). A close-up image of a colorful salad platter with toppings and dressings. On Wednesday, Cramer discussed CAVA Group, Inc. (NYSE:CAVA) being accessible and its recently released third-quarter earnings report. “The second smallest gainer in this group of just hallowed stocks is the most salient and that’s Cava Group, which reported last night. This casual dining chain aspires to be the Mediterranean version of Chipotle. It’s up over 242% for the year, including today’s 1.5% gain. At one point, it was up so much more because the same-store sales were up 18% and Wall Street was only looking for 12.4%. The best thing about Cava is this one was indeed accessible. Many of you have eaten there and enjoyed it. CAVA Group (NYSE:CAVA) is a leading player in the fast-casual dining sector, operating a growing network of Mediterranean-inspired restaurants across the ******* States. The company has made significant strides in expanding its footprint, as evidenced by its impressive financial performance for the third quarter. During the quarter, its same-store sales surged by 18%, driven largely by a nearly 13% increase in customer traffic. This growth contributed to a 39% rise in total revenue, which reached $241.5 million for the quarter. The success at the unit level is also noteworthy, with average unit volumes improving from $2.6 million to $2.8 million, reflecting a rise in the amount of business individual restaurants are generating. At the same time, the restaurant-level profit margin stood at 25.6%. The company saw a substantial increase in net income, which nearly tripled from $6.8 million to $18 million. Diluted EPS also saw a significant jump, rising from $0.06 to $0.15. CAVA Group’s (NYSE:CAVA) expansion strategy continues to gain momentum, with CEO Brett Schulman emphasizing the company’s growth in both new and existing markets. During the earnings call, Schulman mentioned that the company added 11 new locations in Q3, marking a continuation of its nationwide expansion. Overall CAVA ranks 2nd on Jim Cramer’s list of the best performing stocks. While we acknowledge the potential of CAVA as an investment, our conviction ***** in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CAVA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Source link #Whos #Billion #Chain #Eventually #Chipotles #Levels Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

You Can Buy Avowed With WoW Gold–Here’s How You Can Buy Avowed With WoW Gold–Here’s How Avowed, the upcoming RPG from Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds developer Obsidian, will launch on Battle.net, and players can buy it with World of Warcraft’s in-game currency, gold. Games on Battle.net can be purchased with Gold, and at the current rates, you’ll need around 1.4 million gold to buy Avowed’s $70 edition on Battle.net, according to PC Gamer. IGN explained the convoluted process of how it works, but it boils down to how WoW Tokens can be exchanged for a balance credit on Battle.net. WoW Tokens are available for $20, and these can be re-sold through WoW’s in-game auction house in exchange for gold. That gold can then be exchanged for $15 worth of Battle.net balance after Blizzard’s $5 cut. With the Battle.net balance, you can buy anything from the Battle.net store, including Avowed when it releases in February 2025. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. Avowed Refreshes The Fantasy Action Genre | GameSpot Preview | gamescom 2024 Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter WoW Token prices fluctuate, but as of November 15, one WoW Token equals 269,433 gold. A total of five WoW Tokens would be necessary to buy the least-expensive version of Avowed, for a total of about 1.4 million gold. This is a pretty roundabout method of buying a game like Avowed, but it is possible, at least in theory. Avowed launching on Battle.net caught some people by surprise, but it isn’t totally strange, as Microsoft now owns Battle.net by way of its purchase of Activision Blizzard. The game’s $70 standard edition and $90 digital premium edition (which comes with five-day early access) will both be available on Battle.net. Alternatively, Avowed will launch on Xbox Game Pass for Ultimate subscribers. Avowed was originally set to launch in 2024 before being delayed to 2025. The delay wasn’t for quality reasons, however, but came down to scheduling it to help Game Pass. Source link #Buy #Avowed #WoW #GoldHeres Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Paul, Tyson ****** breaks record for biggest non-Vegas boxing gate Paul, Tyson ****** breaks record for biggest non-Vegas boxing gate (L-R) Mike Tyson, Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul pose onstage during the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Boxing match press conference at Texas Live! in Arlington, Texas, on May 16, 2024. Cooper Neill | Getty Images The highly anticipated boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson has already secured its place in the record books. The ******’s promoter, Most Valuable Promotions, which is co-owned by Paul, told CNBC it expects more than 70,000 people to be in attendance to the Friday night bout at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Dallas Cowboys’ stadium has a seating capacity of 80,000. The gate receipts alone have brought in $17.8 million in revenue, the promoter said. That makes it the biggest boxing gate in history outside of Nevada. The previous record was $9 million in gate receipts for the 2021 ****** between Canelo Álvarez and Billy Joe Saunders at AT&T Stadium. MVP said the gate is also higher than any non-Las Vegas UFC ******, other than Conor McGregor versus Eddie Alvarez in New York City in 2016. The ****** between Paul, a 27-year-old YouTube influencer-turned-boxer and Tyson, a 58-year-old boxing legend, will air Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix, free to subscribers. The event will also feature one of the most anticipated women’s boxing rematches in history: undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor versus unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano. Netflix has upward of 283 million paid memberships in more than 190 countries. The bout will also be a test for the streamer as it ventures deeper into the sports space and as boxing sidesteps the pay-per-view model. “Numbers don’t lie,” Paul said Wednesday at a press conference for the ******. “People want to see this and that’s an amazing accomplishment. … This is a statement that we had the biggest live gate outside of Vegas in U.S. boxing history.” Tickets for the ****** on Friday range on StubHub from about $58 to $1,500. MVP has also sold higher-end packages, including a $2 million VIP experience that comes with ringside seats. The promotions company says its 375 VIP seats have officially sold out. For comparison, Vegas’ biggest ****** in history took place in 2015 between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. That ****** took in more than $72 million in tickets, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Paul #Tyson #****** #breaks #record #biggest #nonVegas #boxing #gate Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Elden Ring’s Brutally Gorgeous Unreal Engine 5 Remaster Proves a Potential Revival of Another Cursed Hidetaka Miyazaki Game is Possible Elden Ring’s Brutally Gorgeous Unreal Engine 5 Remaster Proves a Potential Revival of Another Cursed Hidetaka Miyazaki Game is Possible We’ll start this one by addressing what’s most obvious – Elden Ring is already one of the most visually breathtaking games of this generation that will not require a remake or remaster for at least a decade. The Tarnished entering the Ancient Ruins of Rauh – Image Credit: FromSoftware. However, when it comes to sheer fidelity, the game undoubtedly needs polish. So, when one fan decided to pay tribute to Hidetaka Miyazaki’s masterpiece in Unreal Engine 5, it simply left us mesmerized and wishing that one day, Bloodborne would receive treatment of a similar kind. Konariin’s Cerulean Sanctum Is a Stunning Tribute to Elden Ring’s Masterful World The Tarnished exploring the Gravesite Plain – Image Credit: FromSoftware. Now, we know how that Bloodborne bit sounds, but let’s focus on the UE5 tribute first. As such, Elden Ring’s world design stands as one of the most meticulously crafted, with its vast, sprawling topography balancing breathtaking scenery with unfathomable verticality and hidden pathways. Miyazaki’s level design genius, though, ***** in how it guides players without overwhelming them with markers, using only the Erdtree and distant landmarks to pull you in. Well, except for that one plateau in the southwest of Liurnia. That said, however, when up close and personal with everything in the game, you realize that Elden Ring isn’t absolutely perfect. Its visual brilliance relies on clever tricks to mask limitations, like low-resolution textures that are often hidden by the sheer scale of its environments and camera work. This, though, brings us to the work of an up-and-coming YouTuber, Konariin, who, with his tribute, showed us a version of Elden Ring that can stun even on a micro level. His rendition of the game, inspired primarily by Shadow of the Erdtree and aptly named the “Cerulean Sanctum,” manages to capture its ethereal beauty with painstaking attention to detail. Thanks to Nanite technology, enhanced lighting, richer textures, and UE5’s advanced rendering capabilities, this rendition reaches breathtaking new heights, giving us a glimpse of what Elden Ring could look like in a more future-proof engine. For the guy to spend hundreds of hours creating this, the dedication displayed by a single FromSoftware fan with this work isn’t just technically impressive—it’s a deeply passionate project that, for our money, channels the very essence of FromSoftware’s world design. So, keeping all that in mind, be sure to check out Konariin on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel. His video goes much more in-depth on the process and is most certainly worth a watch. His next work inspired by Arcane should give you a solid enough reason to keep an eye on his growing YouTube channel. Bloodborne Deserves Better, and a Fan-Reimagining in Unreal Engine 5 Might Just Be What We Need The Hunter using the Holy Moonlight Sword – Image Credit: FromSoftware. Sigh—then there’s Bloodborne. Look, at this point, the game’s situation has become almost comical—stuck on the PS4, locked to 30 FPS, and entirely ignored by Sony despite its massive fanbase. It’s an IP with the potential to rake in serious cash, yet Sony refuses to move on it. There’s a stagnation within this game’s community that has already driven a few to the brink of insanity. We’ve seen a demake for the PS1, an entire emulator built just to run it on PC with countless unofficial patches, and even spin-offs like Nightmare Kart. Why are we mentioning all this? Well, if Sony doesn’t act now—get Bluepoint or some other developer on the case—it feels inevitable that someone else will. Specifically, what we envision is another fan like Konariin—just slightly more insane—taking Bloodborne into Unreal Engine 5. When you think about it, it’s not a project that’s too hard to envision either. For all we know, someone already has that running in some shape or form but simply refuses to show it to the world due to legal issues. Not only that, UE5’s tools could bring Yharnam’s Gothic architecture, eerie atmosphere, eldritch horrors and visceral combat to life in a way that even ShadPS4 is yet to be able to with its own mods and patches. Plus, with the game’s passionate community, a UE5 remake or remaster feels more like a “when” than an “if.” Would it be legally questionable? Yes. But would it be a step towards preserving and enhancing Bloodborne? Absolutely. More importantly, would we wholeheartedly support it? We **** on this hill. With all that said, what do you think about this and Konariin’s project? Should Sony finally give Bloodborne the love it deserves, or are fan projects the only way forward? Let us know in the comments below! Source link #Elden #Rings #Brutally #Gorgeous #Unreal #Engine #Remaster #Proves #Potential #Revival #Cursed #Hidetaka #Miyazaki #Game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NASA tests new AI chatbot to make sense of complex data NASA tests new AI chatbot to make sense of complex data Using its Earth-observing satellites, NASA has collected huge amounts of highly complex data about our planet over the years to track climate change, monitor wildfires, and plenty more besides. But making sense of it all, and bringing it to the masses, is a challenging endeavor. Until now, that is. Harnessing the power of generative AI, NASA has teamed up with Microsoft to create Earth Copilot, a new AI-powered chat tool specifically designed to simplify how users access complex geospatial satellite imagery and data, potentially unlocking new insights and discoveries. While only a limited number of researchers and scientists can currently make sense of the data, Earth Copilot will bring it to an almost unlimited audience, with curious folks able to probe the tool with questions for an exchange that’s conversational in tone, similar to how you might already use ChatGPT or other similar generative-AI chat tools. Microsoft suggests that users might simply ask questions like: “What was the impact of Hurricane Ian in Sanibel Island?” or, “How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect air quality in the U.S.?” Earth Copilot will then ***** into the relevant data sets before offering an answer that should be relatively easy to digest. “NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems Program is responsible for collecting an incredible variety of data from spaceborne sensors and instruments,” Microsoft said in an article introducing Earth Copilot. “This data spans everything from atmospheric conditions to land cover changes, ocean temperatures, and more. However, the sheer scale and complexity of this information can be overwhelming. For many, finding and extracting insights requires navigating technical interfaces, understanding data formats, and mastering the intricacies of geospatial analysis — specialized skills that very few nontechnical users possess. AI could streamline this process, reducing time to gain insights from Earth’s data to a matter of seconds.” Currently, Earth Copilot is being tested by NASA scientists and researchers to ensure its safety and reliability. The next step will be to integrate it into NASA’s Visualization, Exploration, and Data Analysis (VEDA) platform, which makes it easier for users to search, discover, and analyze data related to Earth science. Source link #NASA #tests #chatbot #sense #complex #data Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Space stocks rally on ‘Trump-Elon trade,’ analysts say Space stocks rally on ‘Trump-Elon trade,’ analysts say A hot ***** test of an Archimedes engine, which powers the company’s Neutron rocket. Rocket Lab This past week saw several pure-play space stocks rally, with leaders up as much as 20% or more, in part driven by what sector analysts said is a “Trump-Elon trade,” a nod to the relationship between President-elect Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. “I don’t think anyone can underplay the potential catalyst that I don’t think many people were talking about before: the most important human in the history of the space industry having the ear of the president-elect, who in his past term found space important enough to create a separate branch of the military,” Andrew Chanin, CEO of ProcureAM, which runs the UFO space-focused ETF, told CNBC. Just this week saw Rocket Lab up 41%, Intuitive Machines up 28%, Spire Global up 26%, Planet Labs up 16%, Redwire up 15% and AST SpaceMobile up 10%. Those gains were partly catalyzed by third-quarter results and individual updates, such as Rocket Lab’s progress on Neutron or Spire’s ***** of its maritime business to remove debt. But there’s a broader market sentiment that’s driving these stocks too, said Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Andres Sheppard, who has buy ratings on Rocket Lab, Redwire and Intuitive Machines. “I think there’s definitely a risk-on, post-Trump-win rally that’s being reflected in this industry,” Sheppard told CNBC. Back out even further to take a year-to-date perspective, and this week’s top-performing space stocks have broken out of a post-SPAC malaise to triple or even quadruple in 2024. “Space has been one of the been one of the best outperformers in the market this year for a handful of these names,” Sheppard said. “We’re seeing a big increase in investor inbounds,” he continued. “We’re getting calls and emails from institutional investors, which are finally starting to realize that this market is only going to continue to accelerate. It’s only going to continue to proliferate because of national security, because of the Artemis program to get the U.S. astronauts back on the moon, because of Elon [Musk]’s ambitious goals of getting to Mars.” Read more CNBC space news Sheppard emphasized that Musk’s company SpaceX being privately held means investors are turning to other companies to get exposure to the space sector. Similarly, ProcureAM’s Chanin believes SpaceX’s dominant position in rocket launches and satellite broadband actually helps companies that have spacecraft looking for a ride to orbit. “They all benefit from the lower cost of accessing space,” Chanin said. Notably, this week has also seen a bifurcation between pure-play space stocks. Newer companies that have gone public in the past few years climbed while older “legacy” players slid – such as EchoStar and Viasat, both down over 10% this week. Alex King, CEO of Cestrian Capital Research, said that gap represents a changing of the guard between the generations of space companies. “The need for any of those legacy businesses is declining. … What you’re seeing in space, I think, is a slower evolution of what happens in tech, where it happens really quickly, which is low cost always wins in the end,” King said. “I think there’s an element of the market working out which of these companies are here to stay and which aren’t,” King added. Despite the huge year-to-date gains by the top space performers, Sheppard doesn’t see the sector slowing down any time soon. “The overall sentiment has been very bullish and continues to be bullish, despite the outperformance,” Sheppard said. That aligns with the views of Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck, who said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call this week that he expects the incoming Trump administration’s “very strong focus on space” to keep up the industry’s momentum. “When space wins, Rocket Lab wins,” Beck said. Source link #Space #stocks #rally #TrumpElon #trade #analysts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Complete Guide to Maximize Your Dragon Quest III HD-2D Experience A Complete Guide to Maximize Your Dragon Quest III HD-2D Experience The Outerhaven writes: The iconic third entry in the Dragon Quest series has now been remade in the HD 2D engine. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is the best way to play Dragon Quest III. It looks beautiful, sounds amazing, and is an extremely satisfying game to complete. Source link #Complete #Guide #Maximize #Dragon #Quest #III #HD2D #Experience Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Corsair just spilled the beans on next-gen GPU requirements Corsair just spilled the beans on next-gen GPU requirements Sometimes, news about next-gen GPUs comes from unlikely sources — today is one of those days. Corsair just spoke about its power supply units (PSUs) and cooling solutions in relation to the future of some of the upcoming best graphics cards. It turns out that Nvidia’s RTX 50-series may not be that much more power-hungry than the current-gen cards, but there’s more than just Nvidia to consider here. Although unexpected, Corsair’s statement sounds like good news. The company doesn’t talk about any new solutions. In fact, Corsair seems to confirm that the power supply units (PSUs) we use today will still work fine for next-gen cards — provided the wattage is sufficient. “The latest graphics cards now require a 12V-2×6 GPU power connector, a standard we expect will continue with next-gen GPUs,” said Corsair. Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming On the other hand, the company admits that there could be a rise in power requirements: “Next-generation high-end graphics cards could demand even more power than current models, which can draw up to 450 watts. Factoring in high-end CPUs and other power-hungry components, this points to an increased need for higher wattage PSUs.” This means that we could see a more power-hungry RTX 5090, but still, the connector can only handle up to 600 watts — so that’s the limit. Corsair There’s been a lot of talk about the power requirements for next-gen GPUs, although that may be too broad a statement. In reality, the speculation is mostly centered around Nvidia, namely its flagship RTX 5090. AMD and Intel, while also set to launch RDNA 4 and Battlemage, are unlikely to release enthusiast-level cards that need serious cooling and consume lots of power. Nvidia, however, is almost certainly pushing for the high end. We’ve seen claims that the RTX 5090 will require 600 watts of power — that’s 150W more than its predecessor. We’ve also seen reputable leakers say that the entire lineup will see an increase in power consumption. However, some of the claims were a bit too wild to be real, such as the speculation that the RTX 5090 might use not one, but two 12V-2×6 power connectors. Corsair doesn’t seem to imply that any of these outlandish claims are true, which is good news. If Nvidia sticks to the 12V-2×6 power connector, then we’re guaranteed to have the RTX 5090 with a power requirement of under 600 watts. Although Corsair doesn’t mention Nvidia by name, it’s unlikely that either AMD or Intel will have cards that need nearly as much power. However, they might still use the same power connector — we’ll have to wait and see. Source link #Corsair #spilled #beans #nextgen #GPU #requirements Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I felt enormous guilt, says ex-MP in honeytrap scandal I felt enormous guilt, says ex-MP in honeytrap scandal Watch: Ex-MP William Wragg on being a victim of catfishing Warning: This story contains references to ******** It was 4am one morning in April and William Wragg was at home in his cottage on the edge of the Peak District, unable to sleep. “I really was having very dark thoughts,” he tells me in his first broadcast interview about his involvement in Parliament’s “honeytrap” scandal. At the time, Wragg was a ************* MP and a few days earlier he had admitted to a journalist that he had shared the phone numbers of fellow politicians with someone he had met on a dating app. Since the story was published, photographers had been camping outside his parents’ home. “I drove around to my parents’ house and said to them: ‘I need to go to hospital’,” he recalls. That night his mother took him to the local accident and emergency unit. He was stooping as he leant on the front desk. “Have you got a bad back?” the receptionist asked cheerily. “No,” he replied. “I’m suicidal.” ‘Charlie’ Wragg had been one of dozens of victims of an individual who adopted the identities of ‘Charlie’ and ‘Abi’ and sent flirtatious texts to politicians, journalists and advisers. Unlike others who had received messages unsolicited, he had been the one to initiate contact with ‘Charlie’ on the gay dating app Grindr. “I was quite lonely to be honest,” Wragg says. “It was an evening at the end of January. I was back at my flat in London following a day at Westminster, and I was just on my blank online profile. And I saw his profile and messaged to say hello.” ‘Charlie’ seemed to know a lot about the world of *** politics and soon the conversation moved to WhatsApp. Wragg thought this might be the start of a relationship. “I was actually very flattered because he was an attractive guy,” Wragg says. “And he had a manner in the conversation that was assertive, but slightly ******. That’s an attractive quality too.” Within hours the men had exchanged ****** photos. “Was that wise?” I ask. “Obviously it wasn’t,” Wragg replies. “But when you’re in the moment it wasn’t a consideration. I know that might sound ridiculous, people think how ******* can you be? But we’re all human. We all have those desires. I’m as fallible as the next person.” The pair spoke on the phone two or three times but when they arranged a date at a pub near Parliament, Wragg was stood up. “It didn’t materialise obviously, because as it transpired he wasn’t real. But I didn’t know that at the time,” he says. “And I didn’t hear from him until the next day. He was incredibly apologetic. I thought OK, he’s just had a bad day at work.” ‘I felt a threat’ The nature of this apparently fledgling romantic relationship soon took a darker turn when ‘Charlie’ asked Wragg to send him the phone numbers of other men who worked in Parliament. “He said ‘you’ve got two minutes to send me these numbers’. And that’s when it, as far as I was concerned, turned a bit weird.” Was he being blackmailed? “I don’t know,” he says. “There was never anything that was explicit to say that, but I certainly felt a threat.” Wragg also concedes that amidst the intoxication of possible romance he felt “a sense of wanting to please” ‘Charlie’. He ended up handing over around a dozen phone numbers, including for a number of MPs. At the time, then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Wragg was right to apologise, while minister Mel Stride called his actions “exceptionally inappropriate and ill-advised”. I point out his actions made the situation worse, resulting in others also becoming victims. “Yeah and that is why I felt guilt,” he replies. “That’s why I felt so, so sorry and shameful.” ‘Charlie’ also told a few of the men he messaged in Westminster that he was a former researcher for Wragg. He asked the MP to lie and say this was true. Wragg agreed. “That is what I feel the most regret for,” he tells me. “Because it’s deceitful.” Wragg started to have panic attacks. “I remember one evening getting back to my flat in London, waking my flatmates up because I was just in a complete state,” he says. “I was shouting, crying, swearing, had this anger, and I didn’t know why. They were concerned but I couldn’t explain to them what it was.” ‘My stomach dropped’ Police had first been made aware of a catfisher targeting people involved in *** politics in late 2023, but the news began to emerge more widely in April, after a story was published on the Politico news website. Catfishing involves setting up a fake online identity to trick and control others. Wragg was on a train when he saw the article. “My stomach just dropped,” he says. “I thought gosh this must have so much to do with the person I’ve been interacting with.” Approached by a journalist from the Times, Wragg admitted chatting with someone on an app who subsequently asked him for the numbers of others. He apologised for his “weakness”, resigned the ************* whip and stood down from his posts on two parliamentary committees. He had already announced he would not stand in the next general election. “When I found out some of the things that had been going on, I just felt enormous guilt, enormous remorse,” he tells me. “My mood just plummeted.” Wragg had struggled with his mental health in the past and had already stopped taking his antidepressants, which he considers a factor in the suicidal thoughts which led him to be admitted to hospital. The Westminster catfishing operation was sophisticated, and had been under way for many months before Wragg became involved. But he concedes that his actions led to friends and colleagues also becoming victims. Wragg says he feels “great regret” and has “sought to apologise”, adding: “I hope I can explain it in the context of the almost sense of control, the influence this person had over me.” However, one former MP who believes his number was passed on by Wragg told the BBC: “None of us to my recollection have ever received an apology from Will… It might be an idea for him to apologise to those he dropped in the dirt.” Contrary to some early speculation, police have said they do not think any other foreign state was involved. In June a member of the Labour Party in his mid-20s was arrested in London on suspicion of harassment and offences under the Online Safety Act. He has been bailed until late November. Getty Images William Wragg was the MP for Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester Seven months on from the height of the scandal, Wragg has left the world of Westminster behind. He is much happier, he says, but still talks of the “shame” he feels and the “havoc” the catfisher wrought. “I have no bitterness or anger left in me,” he says, when I ask how he feels about the catfisher. “Because I felt so wretched and awful in myself.” He believes they were motivated by ******* kicks and by the power they held over others. “My only wish for them is not to do it any more,” he says. “And to understand that impersonating or pretending to be somebody… it’s not victimless. It is very real and its psychological impact is particularly strong.” Wragg hopes by speaking out he may help others to spot the signs of catfishing, and report it. ActionFraud has received almost 7,500 reports of dating scams so far this year. “It’s a source of great shame that my time in Parliament ended in this way,” he says. On his final day as an MP, Wragg had a consultation with a psychologist, which he jokes is “a fitting summation” of his nine years in the Commons. “They have two mental health beds available at any one time for members of Parliament. And it’s surprising how often they’re occupied.” The trauma of recent months has undoubtedly damaged his interest in dating. Does he think he’ll find love? “I hope so, yes,” he says. “But I’m being a bit more guarded at the moment.” If you’ve been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via BBC Action Line Source link #felt #enormous #guilt #exMP #honeytrap #scandal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*********’s Creed Infinity has a new name and no microtransactions *********’s Creed Infinity has a new name and no microtransactions Ubisoft Ubisoft quietly confirmed new details on *********’s Creed Infinity, a hub that’s set to launch alongside *********’s Creed Shadows, on the franchise’s official Reddit on Friday. It not only revealed that Animus Hub would be the official name, but that the rewards would be free. The post was in response to a datamined ***** (since taken down via DMCA request) that purportedly revealed a lot of information about the Animus Hub and how it would integrate with *********’s Creed Shadows. Along with revealing the new name, we learned that the Animus Hub would include a battle pass with cosmetics that can be purchased with Isu Coins, the in-game currency. This led to people assuming that there would be microtransactions involved. *********’s Creed Reddit community manager Ubi_Waldo called the rumors “inaccurate,” but did confirm the Animus Hub name. Ubi_Waldo clarified that while there will be rewards in the hub, they’d be “entirely free.” “There are no paid subscriptions or paid battle pass featured in the Animus Hub,” the post read. There’s been some confusion around what the Animus Hub would actually be. *********’s Creed Infinity was always a code name, so we expected that to change, but Ubisoft announced it as part of a “cross-studio, collaborative structure” between Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Quebec that’s led by veterans from the *********’s Creed franchise. Was it a new game? Was it just the name for the team? Either way, Ubisoft seemed to be putting the weight of *********’s Creed’s future on its shoulders. Then, a Bloomberg report claimed that Infinity would be a “massive online platform that evolves over time.” It would apparently contain multiple settings that would change as the franchise moved forward. That was also vague. Maybe it was a live-service title, but as we found out in a later IGN interview, it’s just a hub that will host all the *********’s Creed games starting with *********’s Creed Shadows. It’s like a launcher, but with an Animus interface that will tell its separate story — hence the new name. However, in 2022, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said that Animus Hub would not be free to play. We’ll have to wait to see the final result when Shadows launches on February 14, 2025. Source link #Assassins #Creed #Infinity #microtransactions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple hid one of the best features of the M4 MacBook Pro Apple hid one of the best features of the M4 MacBook Pro Apple’s new M4 MacBook Pro is great. It earned a rare Editors’ Choice badge in our M4 MacBook Pro review, and it’s cemented itself as one of the best laptops you can buy. Even with so much going for it, Apple hid one of the most exciting developments it made with its new range of laptops — the use of quantum dot technology. Like the last few generations of MacBook Pro displays, the M4 range is using a mini-LED backlight. There’s no tandem OLED like we saw on the iPad Pro earlier this year. However, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), Apple added a layer of quantum dots to the M4 MacBook Pro. This, according to the display expert, offers better ****** gamut and motion performance compared to the solution Apple previously used. Big Apple display news, they have adopted quantum dots for the first time. The latest MacBook Pro’s (M4) use a quantum dot (QD) film rather than a red KSF phosphor film. In the past, Apple went with the KSF solution due to better efficiency and lack of cadmium (Cd), but the… pic.twitter.com/5olq9lEHs9 — Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) November 14, 2024 We have a deep ***** on how quantum dot tech works, but in short, they’re a layer of phosphorescent crystals that sit between the backlight and the ****** filter of a display. This layer allows pure white light to hit the ****** filter — LED backlights don’t produce perfect white — by mixing blue, green, and red primaries that quantum dots produce when exposed to light. This not only gives you more accurate and vibrant colors, but it also improves brightness, as the ****** filter doesn’t need to correct the errors of the backlight. Young says Apple previously used a “KSF solution,” referring to KSF phosphor powder, which is used in wide-gamut displays like the MacBook Pro to help produce the wider gamut — see the sharp red spike in the post above. With quantum dots, the MacBook Pro is able to provide much more consistent ****** coverage. There are a lot of holdouts for an OLED MacBook Pro, and that was a point of contention we mentioned in our review. However, the inclusion of quantum dots significantly improves the ****** quality of the M4 MacBook Pro, even if it’s unable to match the heights of a true OLED display. In addition, Apple isn’t charging a premium for the new inclusion — you’ll find the quantum dots regardless of if you spend the extra $150 for the nano-texture display option. Source link #Apple #hid #features #MacBook #Pro Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Which car brands sponsor Australia’s sporting teams? Which car brands sponsor Australia’s sporting teams? Carmakers have been using sport to promote their brands for decades, but which marques are sponsoring which teams and codes? Source link #car #brands #sponsor #Australias #sporting #teams Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The suddenly hot Bluesky says it won’t train AI on your posts The suddenly hot Bluesky says it won’t train AI on your posts Bluesky, which has surged in the days following the US election, said on Friday that it won’t train on its users’ posts for generative AI. The declaration stands in stark contrast to the AI training policies of X (Twitter) and Meta’s Threads. Probably not coincidentally, Bluesky’s announcement came the same day X’s new terms of service, allowing third-party partners to train on user posts, went into effect. “A number of artists and creators have made their home on Bluesky, and we hear their concerns with other platforms training on their data,” Bluesky posted (via The Verge) on Friday. “We do not use any of your content to train generative AI, and have no intention of doing so.” In a follow-up post, the decentralized social platform clarified that it does use AI to help with content moderation. “Bluesky uses AI internally to assist in content moderation, which helps us triage posts and shield human moderators from harmful content,” the company posted. Bluesky also added that it uses AI in the algorithms powering its Discover feed. “None of these are Gen AI systems trained on user content,” Bluesky stressed. The Verge points out that Bluesky’s robots.txt (the policy that dictates what outside parties can scrape from a website) doesn’t prevent OpenAI, Google or other leading GenAI companies from crawling its data. The company justified that potential ***** by pointing to the platform’s open and public nature. “Just as robots.txt files don’t always prevent outside companies from crawling those sites, the same applies here,” spokesperson Emily Liu told The Verge. “That said, we’d like to do our part to ensure that outside orgs respect user consent and are actively discussing within the team on how to achieve this.” Although Bluesky is still the underdog in a race with X and Threads, the platform has picked up steam after the US election. It passed the 15 million user threshold on Wednesday after adding more than a million in the past week. A report from web analytics company SimilarWeb noted that the signup surge coincided with a spike in X deactivations. It found that “more than 115,000 US web visitors deactivated their [X] accounts” on November 7, “more than on any previous day of Elon Musk’s tenure.” In parallel, “web traffic and daily active users for Bluesky increased dramatically in the week before the election, and then again after election day.” Source link #suddenly #hot #Bluesky #wont #train #posts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Wi-Fi 8 is coming, but it will not outperform Wi-Fi 7 speeds Wi-Fi 8 is coming, but it will not outperform Wi-Fi 7 speeds In a departure from the traditional pursuit of faster speeds, Wi-Fi 8 is expected to shift away from that aspect and more toward stability, reliability, and efficient spectrum usage. As per a white paper published by MediaTek, Wi-Fi 8 will be based on the IEEE 802.11bn standard, which introduces Ultra-High Reliability (UHR) as its defining feature. Unlike its predecessors, which emphasized peak throughput, Wi-Fi 8 is expected to prioritize effective throughput — the consistent speeds users experience in everyday environments. While the theoretical maximum bandwidth of Wi-Fi 8 ******** similar to that of Wi-Fi 7 at 23Gbps, actual performance will focus on maintaining stable connections in real-world scenarios. Wi-Fi 8 is also said to introduce several key technologies designed to improve coordination between devices and access points: • Coordinated Spatial Reuse (Co-SR): This feature enhances signal management by allowing access points (APs) to coordinate power output. MediaTek’s trials suggest Co-SR could increase system throughput by 15% to 25%, reducing interference and optimizing performance in mesh networks. • Coordinated Beamforming (Co-BF): Expanding on earlier Wi-Fi innovations, Co-BF enables APs to steer signals precisely toward intended devices while avoiding interference. This advancement is particularly beneficial in crowded environments and can improve throughput by 20% to 50% in mesh setups. • Dynamic Sub-Channel Operation (DSO): DSO dynamically assigns bandwidth to devices based on their capabilities and needs. This technology can push throughput up to 80% higher, ensuring faster data transfer for more advanced devices. • Improved Modulation Coding Schemes (MCS): By introducing finer gradations in MCS levels, Wi-Fi 8 reduces abrupt drops in speed as devices move, improving transmission rates by 5% to 30%. Wi-Fi 8 will also redefine how client devices, like laptops or smartphones, interact with multiple APs. Unlike earlier generations that operated on single channels, Wi-Fi 8 will optimize mesh networks to provide seamless connectivity across various frequencies and APs, improving overall user experience. Before we get too excited, it is important to know that Wi-Fi standards take years to develop, and Wi-Fi 8 is no exception. The first Wi-Fi 8 products are anticipated to launch in early 2028, with the final approval expected by the end of the same year. Many of the best laptops and best routers, for example, are just now beginning to integrate Wi-Fi 7, whereas some are still using Wi-Fi 6E. From what we can speculate, Wi-Fi 8 is going to represent a shift in wireless technology’s evolution, moving away from the race for ever-higher speeds to focus on consistent, reliable performance. Notably, this approach mirrors trends in other tech sectors, like CPUs prioritizing power efficiency over clock speeds. Source link #WiFi #coming #outperform #WiFi #speeds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

McDonald’s to invest over $100 million in E.coli outbreak recovery McDonald’s to invest over $100 million in E.coli outbreak recovery A Quarter Pounder with cheese, fries and a drink arranged at a McDonald’s restaurant in El Sobrante, California, on Oct. 23, 2024. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images In the wake of last month’s E. coli outbreak tied to McDonald’s slivered onions, the fast food giant said it will invest over $100 million to boost restaurant sales and speed up the recovery at impacted franchisees. Of that total, $65 million will be invested into supporting owners who have lost business, targeting those in the hardest-hit states. Approximately $35 million will be invested traffic-driving programs, including marketing efforts, according to a memo to owners and employees viewed by CNBC. McDonald’s will also be driving “local recovery plans for highly impacted markets” with more details to come in the weeks ahead, the memo said. “We have navigated a complex and fast changing situation, moved at an unmatched pace, and showed the true character of our brand through unwavering dedication to the safety and well-being of our customers. As we enter the ‘Recovery’ phase, we will continue to uphold our commitment to do the right thing,” said the memo from McDonald’s Chief Impact Officer Michael Gonda and Chief Marketing & Customer Experience Officer Tariq Hassan. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg earlier reported the recovery investments. During the company’s most recent earnings call last month, Chief Financial Officer Ian Borden told investors that daily sales and traffic turned negative immediately following a Centers for ******** Control and Prevention announcement that linked the E. coli outbreak to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. But the company doesn’t expect the situation to have a material impact on its business, executives said. This week the company completed the return of Quarter Pounder burgers, with slivered onions, to all restaurant menus nationwide after temporarily removing the menu item from some locations, according to the memo to franchisees. On Wednesday, the CDC issued its latest update on the outbreak, which now includes a total of 104 cases, 37 hospitalizations and one ****** across 14 states. The same day the Food and ***** Administration said in a statement that “there does not appear to be a continued food safety concern related to this outbreak at McDonald’s restaurants.” Source link #McDonalds #invest #million #E.coli #outbreak #recovery Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]