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Starmer under fire amid row over cost of Chagos Islands deal Starmer under fire amid row over cost of Chagos Islands deal Sir Keir Starmer has come under fire at PMQs after Mauritius said the *** had agreed to change payment terms in its deal to hand it control of the Chagos Islands. It comes after Mauritian PM Navin Ramgoolam claimed the *** had now agreed to front-load the payments and change how they are calculated. The Conservative and Reform *** leaders both attacked Sir Keir over the cost of the deal, at a time when winter fuel payments to pensioners are being scaled back. But Sir Keir insisting it was required to secure the future of a ***-US military airbase on the largest island, Diego Garcia, which the *** is due to keep on a 99-year lease. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch told MPs: “Yesterday, we heard the government offered £18bn for Mauritius to take our territory in the Chagos Islands.” In response, the PM said: “This is a military base that is vital to our national security.” He later continued: “A number of years ago, the legal certainty of that base was thrown into doubt. Let me be clear and I’ll pick my words carefully, without legal certainty, the base cannot operate in practical terms as it should. “That is bad for our national security and it’s a gift to our adversaries.” The deal to cede sovereignty of the archipelago, known officially as the British Indian Ocean Territory, was announced last October after a deal was reached with former Mauritian leader Pravind Jugnauth. But he was swept from power in a general election a month later, and Ramgoolam, his replacement, has criticised the initial draft. The agreement has also been mired in uncertainty after Donald Trump’s re-election as US president, given several US Republicans have argued it could deliver a potential security boost to China. Mauritius says it was ready to sign a deal last month – but the *** asked to press the pause button to allow Trump to examine it first. The *** government has never confirmed the estimated cost of payments under the deal, but press reports have put the figure at £9bn. Speaking in the Mauritian Parliament on Tuesday, Ramgoolam said payments were due to be made in dollars and his predecessor had agreed the exchange rate would be fixed for the full 99 year-term of the lease. But he added he didn’t agree with this, and the British side had now agreed on a different approach to the calculations, without offering detail. Source link #Starmer #fire #row #cost #Chagos #Islands #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Saquon Barkley, ***** Ruth and the historic rival switches that changed sports history Saquon Barkley, ***** Ruth and the historic rival switches that changed sports history It’s hard enough when your favorite team’s best player leaves town. It’s even harder to watch that star player join a rival. And nothing in fandom compares to the pain of watching that star take the team you hate to heights your favorite club never reached. When a star jumps from one rival to another, it doesn’t just leave fans heartbroken and replica jerseys unwearable. And it doesn’t just alter the trajectories of the teams involved. Those rivalry switches can change an entire league. In the NFL, New York Giants fans have felt the sting of Saquon Barkley’s intra-division relocation with each Philadelphia Eagles win. Less than a year after leaving one NFC East team for another, Barkley has put together one of the best seasons for a running back in NFL history, and he has Philadelphia one win away from a championship. But Giants fans, you’re not alone. You can always call up fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Or the Boston Red Sox. Or Arsenal supporters across the Atlantic. Rivals acquiring each other’s key players have shaped the outcome for generations of fans. Here’s how some of those acquisitions went down, and how their ripple effects shaped entire leagues. NFL: How the Giants let Barkley slip away One to two million dollars. That was the gap the Giants and Barkley couldn’t bridge after eight months of negotiations despite both sides insisting they desired to reach a long-term agreement. Barkley rejected a three-year offer believed to be worth $37.5 million during the Giants’ bye week midway through the 2022 season. That set the stage for the protracted, failed negotiations during the 2023 offseason. The Giants reportedly increased their offer to $13 million per year early in the 2023 offseason, but Barkley again declined because the deal only included $19.5 million guaranteed. A team source said the Giants’ strongest offer before the franchise tag deadline included $23.5 million guaranteed. At that point, Barkley set his sights on Christian McCaffrey’s market-setting contract that carried a $16 million annual salary. Giants general manager Joe Schoen was in a sticky spot because quarterback Daniel Jones, who had just delivered a virtuoso performance in the franchise’s first playoff win in 11 years, was also a free agent. In Schoen’s ideal world, he would have extended Barkley early so he’d have the franchise tag as leverage in negotiations with Jones. A fan in a Giants jersey lowers an Eagles jersey for Saquon Barkley to sign. (Luke Hales / Getty Images) At a stalemate with Barkley, Schoen shifted his focus to Jones. The sides agreed to a four-year, $160 million extension minutes before the franchise tag deadline in March 2023. The Giants immediately slapped the tag on Barkley, locking in both players for at least one more season. The final attempts to reach a deal with Barkley came in July 2023. When they failed to agree on a long-term contract, Barkley was required to play on the one-year franchise tag for $10.1 million. A half-hearted holdout threat landed Barkley a revised deal with $909,000 in incentives before the start of training camp that was supposed to be a sign of goodwill. He didn’t come close to earning the incentives that were based on lofty personal production and team success. The expectation was that the sides would engage in another round of contentious negotiations during the offseason. But then the 2023 season concluded and there was no extension offer from the Giants before free agency. The Giants planned to let Barkley test the market and consider matching his best offer if it fit within their budget. The reality was, once they told Barkley to test the market, he was gone. Especially when the Pennsylvania native received a lucrative offer from the Eagles. Things couldn’t have worked out better for Barkley, who became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a regular season, before advancing to the Super Bowl after enduring years of losing in New York. Meanwhile, losing Barkley contributed to a disastrous season for the Giants, who tied for the worst record in the league at 3-14. That the Giants’ offseason saga was documented on “Hard Knocks” only added to the scrutiny. Co-owner John Mara’s angst about losing the face of the franchise was captured by his comment to Schoen, “I’m going to have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia.” There have been a lot of sleepless nights in New York as Barkley enjoys a dream season in Philadelphia. — Dan Duggan, Giants beat writer MLB: Who else but ***** Ruth? There are a few … The New York Yankees have won a few championships with star players who came directly from Boston, like Johnny Damon, Wade Boggs and, of course, ***** Ruth. But all of them took four years to win a title with the Yankees — and the Yankees had never won a pennant before acquiring Ruth, so there wasn’t much of a rivalry with the Red Sox at the time. Red Sox fans show their displeasure with Johnny Damon after the centerfielder left Boston for New York. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images) Reggie Jackson went from the Baltimore Orioles to the Yankees before the 1977 season, and though the franchises weren’t front-line rivals, they did battle for division supremacy. Roger Clemens made his name with the Red Sox and nearly pitched them to a title in 1986. He left Boston for a two-year, two-Cy Young interlude with Toronto, then joined a Bronx dynasty in progress. Clemens didn’t elevate the Yankees the way Barkley has the Eagles, though the pitcher helped keep the Yankees on top, with championships in 1999 and 2000. Those Yankees teams remain the last to win consecutive World Series. A more direct comparison to Barkley — though somewhat more obscure — might be Bruce Sutter, the Hall of Fame closer who was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the St. Louis Cardinals before the 1981 season. Sutter, who won a Cy Young Award with the hapless Cubs, immediately thrived with the rival Cardinals, making the All-Star team in 1981 and closing out Game 7 of the World Series the next October. But for long-term impact on what would become a fierce rivalry, nothing compares to The *****. The Red Sox dominated the first two decades of the American League, winning six pennants and five World Series. And had the New York (Baseball) Giants actually contested the 1904 Fall Classic — rather than decline to play — the Red Sox might have gone six-for-six. By contrast, the inept New York Highlanders weren’t yet known as the Yankees, and they weren’t yet known for donning iconic pinstripes, or for fielding winning teams. But they were known for employing a star first baseman named Hal Chase, who gained a rep for throwing games in exchange for cash considerations. Then the Red Sox sold Ruth to the Yankees in 1920. Four years later, the Yankees won the first of the franchise’s 27 world championships, while the Red Sox spent decades getting their hearts broken and lamenting a curse. — Tyler Kepner, national MLB writer NBA: Kevin Durant loses to the Warriors — then joins them Before stars joined forces in Oakland, the ones above had to align. Kevin Durant may have ended up with the Warriors in 2016, helping Golden State cement a dynasty, but first, every step had to go right. Had Klay Thompson not caught fire during Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals, which the Warriors once trailed 3-1 and eventually won in seven games, then Durant’s Thunder likely go to the NBA Finals — and Durant doesn’t end up with the Warriors a month later. Had the Warriors not let go of a 3-1 series lead themselves in the next round, relinquishing the advantage to LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers, then Durant signs somewhere else in free agency. The Warriors set a regular-season record with 73 wins in 2015-16. But they lost their last game. Durant’s arrival was to ensure that would not happen again. Thunder fans let Kevin Durant know how they felt when he returned to Oklahoma City for the first time as a Warriors player. (J Pat Carter / Getty Images) Had the NBA not opened up an unprecedented financial moment, then Durant would not have even had the option to sign with Golden State. An influx of new money stemming from the league’s fresh national television deal was set to kick in for the 2016-17 season, spiking the salary cap from $70 million to $94 million. Never before had the cap jumped so much from season to season — and it hasn’t happened since. Without that eccentricity, Golden State wouldn’t have had the space to sign Durant, who carried them to the next two titles. Had Stephen Curry not had ankle issues early in his career, then the Warriors wouldn’t have had the space, either. Curry, a two-time MVP at this point, was still on a team-friendly four-year contract, which he agreed to when his health was still in question. If he were making the max, the Warriors couldn’t have signed Durant. The Warriors already won a championship in 2015 and came one victory away from another the following spring. They won two more in 2017 and 2018 and could have won an extra with Durant in 2019 before he and Thompson both got hurt in the finals. They created one of the league’s greatest teams because every ounce of fortune, even the losses, went in their favor. And they got a couple of rings in the process. — Fred Katz, national NBA writer WNBA: Sylvia Fowles joins a Minnesota Lynx dynasty The WNBA’s three-decade history has been rife with stars joining forces and powerhouse teams assembling and fading. Like Candace Parker, who signed with her hometown Chicago Sky in 2021 and helped them win a title, starring as a secondary scoring threat. Or Breanna Stewart joining the New York Liberty in 2023, forming a superteam and getting the Liberty over the title hump in her second season. But Sylvia Fowles’ impact on the Minnesota Lynx in 2015 was tough to top. After seven dominant years as a perennial MVP candidate with the Sky, including leading Chicago to a WNBA Finals appearance in 2014, Fowles entered 2015 requesting a trade. She refused to sign a new deal and sat out the first half of the 2015 season as she looked to be dealt to one specific team. That deal finally materialized in late July, as Chicago sent her to the Lynx in a three-team deal. In Minnesota, she teamed up with reigning MVP Maya Moore and future Hall of Famers Seimone Augustus and Lindsay Whalen, who had already led Minnesota on title runs in 2011 and 2013. Sylvia Fowles won two championships after a trade to the Minnesota Lynx. (Hannah Foslien / Getty Images) Fowles injected her All-Defensive prowess immediately upon arrival, averaging 15.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in the regular season. She saved her finest works for the finals, leading Minnesota to a championship with three 20-point performances in the series, including a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double in the clinching Game 5. Much like Durant in Golden State, Fowles’ acquisition not only provided star-power punch, but also extended the franchise’s title window, turning a powerhouse team into a dynastic one. Fowles won Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 as Minnesota made another finals run, then took home MVP in 2017 as she helped Minnesota to its fourth championship in seven years. Soccer: Robin Van Persie trades Arsenal red for Manchester United red When it comes to soccer, especially in recent years, has there been a more transformational signing than Manchester United buying Robin van Persie from Arsenal in August 2012? Van Persie had been at Arsenal since the 2004-05 season, but had little to no success in terms of silverware. Yes, he won the FA Cup at the end of his first year in North London, but no other major honors followed. Having scored 132 goals in 278 games for Arsenal during a time when United and Chelsea were dominating the Premier League, he found it too difficult to resist when United manager Sir Alex Ferguson came calling. For a meager sum, at least in today’s world of transfers, of £24 million ($29.2 million at today’s rate), Van Persie altered how he is remembered in English football. The Dutch striker scored 26 top-flight goals and was arguably the club’s most important player, helping United win the Premier League in what turned out to be Ferguson’s final year in charge. Robin Van Persie and Sir Alex Ferguson pose after Van Persie joined from Arsenal. (Andrew Yates / AFP via Getty Images) Older examples include Rio Ferdinand, who was widely regarded as one of the best central defenders in England at the time, leaving Leeds United as a 23-year-old to join United in July 2002 for around £30 million ($37.2 million at today’s rate), where he went on to win his maiden league title in his first season at Old Trafford. Another defensive transfer that proved to be transformative for the player and club was Sol Campbell, who left Tottenham Hotspur to join Arsenal. Campbell played for nine years in Spurs’ first team and had one League Cup triumph to his name. In the five seasons he spent at Arsenal — Spurs’ fierce rivals — he won two FA Cups and two Premier Leagues, including the 2003-04 season when he was an integral part of the side that went through the whole top-flight campaign without losing a match on their way to the title. — Dan Sheldon, Manchester United correspondent F1: Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari … to be determined The full effects of Lewis Hamilton’s shock move from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025 are still to be felt, but it certainly has the potential to change Formula One history. Hamilton wrote his F1 legacy as a Mercedes driver. Since joining the team in 2013 from McLaren, who gave him a debut in 2007 and a first world championship win the following year, he’d enjoyed unparalleled levels of success. Six world championships in seven years made Hamilton F1’s statistical greatest of all time, tying Michael Schumacher’s record of seven titles (albeit with more race wins). Hamilton always intended to see out his career with Mercedes, saying in 2023 he wanted to be with the team “until the end of my days.” A new contract was agreed that summer, including an option that would take him to the end of 2025. Ferrari’s fans have already welcomed in Lewis Hamilton, but the effects of his move are to be determined. (Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images) But before the 2024 season had even started, Hamilton announced he would be leaving Mercedes to join Ferrari, once the bitter rival he fought against for world championships. The appeal of driving the famous red cars was too great for Hamilton to resist. He claimed racing for Ferrari had been a childhood dream, to the extent he’d even raced as Schumacher when playing F1 video games as a teenager. It is without a doubt the biggest and most shocking driver move in F1 history, and one that will define the final chapter of Hamilton’s career. Off the back of three difficult seasons with Mercedes, where the team struggled with its car and, through 2024, Hamilton trailed his teammate, Ferrari gives the chance for a fresh start. And fresh hope of a record eighth world championship, one he came within a lap of winning in 2021. The marketing impact of such a megastar partnership as Hamilton and Ferrari is enormous for F1. The first images of him at Ferrari’s factory quickly went viral, and Hamilton made an effort to endear himself to the tifosi, its fervent, loyal fans, who watched his first test on a cold January day. Once their rival, he is their new hero. Whether it is a success or a failure, Hamilton’s “last dance” with Ferrari is going to be a defining moment in F1’s history — and compelling to watch unfold. — Luke Smith, F1 writer (Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic. Photos: Bettmann Archive, Mitchell Leff / Getty Images) Source link #Saquon #Barkley #***** #Ruth #historic #rival #switches #changed #sports #history Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Uber opens waitlist for driverless Waymo rides in Austin Uber opens waitlist for driverless Waymo rides in Austin Uber app users in Austin can now get on an “interest list” for a chance to match with Waymo autonomous cabs, according to . The rides aren’t available yet, but they’re coming to a 37 square miles area of the city in “early 2025” according to Bloomberg. Uber once had self-driving ambitions of its own, but its “Advanced Technologies Group” to Aurora in 2020. Since then, it has slowly deepened its relationship with Waymo. Driverless cabs became available through the app to customers in Phoenix in 2023, and driverless spun up there in early 2024. Waymo, on the other hand, has kept some markets — like San Francisco, where driverless rides can only be booked through the Waymo One app — tightly guarded. This makes it somewhat surprising to see Waymo partnering with Uber exclusively in . Source link #Uber #opens #waitlist #driverless #Waymo #rides #Austin Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Woodside Energy: Australia has to sharpen up to win global trade battle, Meg O’Neill warns Woodside Energy: Australia has to sharpen up to win global trade battle, Meg O’Neill warns Woodside Energy boss Meg O’Neill has warned Donald Trump’s red tape slashing, pro-oil and gas agenda will siphon more investment offshore unless Australia gets its house in order. Source link #Woodside #Energy #Australia #sharpen #win #global #trade #battle #Meg #ONeill #warns Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

F1 teenager Kimi Antonelli just got his driver’s license — right on time to replace Lewis Hamilton F1 teenager Kimi Antonelli just got his driver’s license — right on time to replace Lewis Hamilton Andrea Kimi Antonelli was more nervous than he had been for some time. A racing driver’s career can often hinge on sliding doors moments such as these. The 18-year-old wasn’t trying to secure a Formula One drive. He completed that mission months ago when he signed with Mercedes to replace Lewis Hamilton. He was about to sit his driving test. Thirty minutes later, the Italian teenager beamed beneath his mop of curly hair and raised a thumb to the camera. He’d passed — first time, of course. There would be no need to squeeze in another test between the hectic travel demands of the F1 calendar. And the ‘honor’ of being an active F1 driver without a road license — once true of Max Verstappen, who debuted at age 17 — will not apply to Antonelli. It was an early dose of pressure handled well by the driver who will debut for Mercedes at the *********** Grand Prix on March 16, stepping into the cockpit vacated by Hamilton, a seven-time world champion 21 years Antonelli’s senior. Antonelli knows he cannot expect to emulate Hamilton’s 12-year run at Mercedes, which yielded six world championships and 84 race wins to become the most successful driver-team partnership in F1 history. But he is taking in all the support he can ahead of his debut season. “I’m the next Mercedes driver and I’m taking the seat of someone who made history in the sport, so it’s a big privilege,” Antonelli told The Athletic in an interview. “It’s a big responsibility, but I’ve got the right people around me.” Cars have always been a central part of Antonelli’s life. His father, Marco, watched how young Kimi played with toy cars and decided to take him go-karting at five. Kimi instantly fell in love with the sensation of speed. (Antonelli goes by his middle name, which has no connection to the 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen.) Yet Marco, who still races in sportscars with his own GT team, Antonelli Motorsport, which competes across Europe, was initially wary of pursuing it too seriously. He didn’t want Kimi to get hurt in what can be a ruthless world. “Sometimes motorsport can be cruel,” Antonelli said. “He was afraid that I would have been too hurt from disappointment, so he wanted to avoid that. But seeing that I really loved driving and really loved the sport, he decided to give it a go. He could see, without me really telling him, that I had the passion for motorsport.” That love was furthered by father-and-son Sundays spent watching F1 races together. While Antonelli would have grown up watching Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, his racing heroes are from much further back. His dad showed him the famous race between Gilles Villeneuve and Rene Arnoux at Dijon in 1979, regarded by many as the greatest on-track battle of all time, which gave him an appreciation of the sport’s history from a young age. “It was just amazing,” Antonelli said. “You see how different it was, compared to now, the safety, the cars. You also appreciate the way the drivers were still battling on track despite knowing that the cars were not as safe as today. They were still going for it and you really appreciate seeing those battles.” Villeneuve and Ayrton Senna emerged as Antonelli’s favorite drivers, in part thanks to their tenacious style on the track. “Ayrton is my hero, but Villeneuve, now I understand why my dad was such a big fan of him,” Antonelli said. “He was a lion on the track.” After first using 12 as his racing number in Formula Four, Antonelli chose it for his F1 debut season as a nod to Senna, who raced with 12 through the first four years of his career, including his first championship season in 1988. By coincidence, Villeneuve also raced with 12 in 1978 and 1979. While the history lessons Antonelli received as a child furthered his passion off the track, on the track, he quickly excelled, rising up the go-karting ladder. His progress put him on the radar of top talent scouts, among whom was Gwen Lagrue, Mercedes’ junior guru. This led to Antonelli meeting Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff at age 11 before signing to its young driver program at 13. It was Antonelli’s character as well as his ability that impressed Wolff. By the time he stepped up to single-seaters and continued winning everything he laid his hands upon, including both the Italian and ******* F4 titles in his first year before the Formula Regional title in 2023, it was clear the teenager had the makings of something special. In the long term, a place in the future Mercedes F1 lineup alongside George Russell has always been in the mind of the team’s management. It was just a matter of timing. When Hamilton, who many expected would end his career at Mercedes, revealed last January that he would be leaving for Ferrari in 2025, it took Wolff five minutes to decide Antonelli, then just 17, would be the man to replace him. “We have a great relationship, not only professionally, but also outside of the track,” Antonelli said of Wolff. “He’s a great guy, really supportive during great moments but also during difficult moments. I’m super happy to be with him. He’s been giving me a lot of help.” Wolff has even entrusted Antonelli with teaching his six-year-old son, Jack, how to go-kart. “He’s not bad, he’s been improving quite a lot,” Antonelli said. “Every test, he was getting better and better. It was nice to see.” Antonelli leaves his car after crashing during his first practice session, ahead of the Italian Grand Prix in 2024 (Gabriel Bouys / AFP via Getty Images) The one thing both Wolff and Mercedes have been eager to avoid is putting too much pressure or expectation on Antonelli. A ****** just minutes into his first F1 practice outing at Monza, one day before he was announced in the 2025 seat, was brushed off as part of the learning curve. Mercedes doesn’t expect an 18-year-old to replicate what Hamilton achieved. Debuting for such a high-profile team at such a young age is rare in F1. Typically, young drivers will get their first opportunity further down the grid to learn the ropes and make a name for themselves before proving they are ready for a top seat. Russell spent three years at Williams before getting the Mercedes drive. Red Bull initially placed Verstappen at its sister team, Toro Rosso, before promoting him during his second season. The one great, successful exception to the rule in recent F1 history is the man Antonelli will replace: Hamilton. He was given a McLaren seat for his debut season in 2007 and came within one point of winning the championship as a rookie. It’s an impossibly high bar, one there is no expectation for Antonelli to meet. Antonelli’s youth meant his step up to F1 required an extra degree of preparation. Alongside his Formula Two racing commitments last year, he conducted an extensive amount (just under 20 days) of private testing in old cars, with his pace impressing the engineering team. Antonelli was also able to embed himself with the Mercedes engineering crew at races through the second half of the season, getting to know the voices and faces he will lean upon through 2025. Antonelli feels a responsibility not only toward Mercedes but also toward his native Italy. While the nation has a rich, unparalleled history in motorsport, with Ferrari becoming a de facto national team, it has not produced a world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953 nor a grand prix winner since Giancarlo Fisichella’s last success in 2006 with Renault. “There’s a lot more hype around, of course, heading into next season,” Antonelli said. “Definitely, you feel a bit of responsibility because you know you’ve got Italy behind you. Everyone expects me to be successful, especially because I’ll be racing a Mercedes. “But it’s also really exciting. I cannot wait for next year to get started and also I cannot wait for my home race at Imola. I would love to see so many Italians cheering.” The swathes of red for Ferrari that typically cover the grandstands at Imola may well be interspersed with Mercedes’ silver and ****** this year. At Imola, Monza and beyond, the adjustment to fame will be hard for Antonelli to truly prepare for until it happens. He’s already getting recognized a lot more. Fans stopped him every few steps as he walked through Milan Malpensa airport last year off his flight from Heathrow; Antonelli graciously paused for selfies each time. He admitted it felt “a bit strange” to begin with, but he knows it’s part of the job. “When you get used to it, it’s normal.” Antonelli, 18, and Bearman, 19, will join the F1 grid this year. (Joe Portlock / Getty Images) Normal in F1, yes, but Antonelli is still a teenager — part of F1’s new wave of talent that has transformed the look and dramatically reduced the average age of the grid for 2025. Away from racing, he enjoys playing padel (the hobby of choice for much of the grid) and has already enjoyed some spirited matches with his new teammate, Russell. But he also likes to keep sharp by go-karting or even doing sim racing with his friends. An endearing element of Antonelli’s rise last year was his friendship with his F2 teammate Ollie Bearman, who will also graduate to F1 this year with Haas. Both racing for Prema, they made several fun social media videos together and struck up a good relationship away from the track. It’s something Antonelli hopes can be of help to them both as they make the leap to F1. “He’s a great guy, he’s quick,” Antonelli said of Bearman. “I’ve learned a lot from him. I’m happy to be sharing the grid with him next year. Because we’re going to be new next year, especially at the start, just the fact we’ve known each other and we’ve been racing together, it will help.” When it comes to handling the leap up to F1, Antonelli will look to all the support he can get. While he will be one of six full-season rookies on the F1 grid this year, he and Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, who already has 11 races to his name, are likely to draw the most attention for the fact they’re with front-running teams that won races last year. It makes the preparations for Antonelli all the more important. Mercedes will start 2025 trying to find the consistency it lacked for so much of last year. Russell will morph into the role of team leader following Hamilton’s departure, but for Antonelli, it’s all about getting the basics right and not letting the occasion over-awe him. “It’s going to be a big season ahead,” Antonelli said. Now, with his driver’s license, F1’s youngest driver is ready for anything. (Top photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images) Source link #teenager #Kimi #Antonelli #drivers #license #time #replace #Lewis #Hamilton Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Musk creates new power base in Washington with takeover of US agencies – Reuters Musk creates new power base in Washington with takeover of US agencies – Reuters Musk creates new power base in Washington with takeover of US agencies ReutersOpinion | Musk? Trump? Who Exactly Is Running the Federal Government? The New York Times’They’ve done their homework’: The unexpected power of Musk’s digital assault on Washington POLITICOElon Musk is crowning himself technoking of the federal government CNN Source link #Musk #creates #power #base #Washington #takeover #agencies #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Connections: hints and answers for Wednesday, February 5 NYT Connections: hints and answers for Wednesday, February 5 Table of Contents Table of Contents How to play Connections Hints for today’s Connections Today’s Connections answers NYT Connection FAQs Connections is one of the best puzzle games from the New York Times. The game tasks you with categorizing a pool of 16 words into four secret (for now) groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. The puzzle resets every night at midnight and each new puzzle has a varying degree of difficulty. Just like Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare your scores with friends. Some days are trickier than others — just like other NYT Games favorites The Mini and Strands. If you’re having a little trouble solving today’s puzzle, check out our Connections tips and tricks guide for some good strategies or check out the hints for today’s Connections puzzle below. And if you still can’t get it, we’ll tell you today’s answers at the very end. How to play Connections Connections is a daily game about finding common threads between words. Players must select four groups of four words without making more than three mistakes. Play now. pic.twitter.com/CqObVOqeUs — The New York Times (@nytimes) November 3, 2024 Please enable Javascript to view this content You can play Connections on the New York Times website or with the NYT Games app on iOS or Android. In Connections, you’ll be shown a grid containing 16 words — your objective is to organize these words into four sets of four by identifying the connections that link them. These sets could encompass concepts like titles of video game franchises, book series sequels, shades of red, names of chain restaurants, etc. There are generally words that seem like they could fit multiple themes, but there’s only one 100% correct answer. You’re able to shuffle the grid of words and rearrange them to help better see the potential connections. Each group is color-coded. The yellow group is the easiest to figure out, followed by the green, blue, and purple groups. Pick four words and hit Submit. If you’re correct, the four words will be removed from the grid and the theme connecting them will be revealed. Guess incorrectly and it’ll count as a mistake. You only have four mistakes available until the game ends. Hints for today’s Connections We can help you solve today’s Connection by telling you the four themes. If you need more assistance, we’ll also give you one word from each group below. Today’s themes PARTS OF A COMPENSATION PACKAGE INDICATION THINGS TO DO WITH A DECK OF CARDS WHAT “BILL” MIGHT REFER TO One-answer reveals PARTS OF A COMPENSATION PACKAGE – BONUS INDICATION – FLAG THINGS TO DO WITH A DECK OF CARDS – CUT WHAT “BILL” MIGHT REFER TO – BANKNOTE New York Times Today’s Connections answers Still no luck? That’s OK. This puzzle is designed to be difficult. If you just want to see today’s Connections answer, we’ve got you covered below: PARTS OF A COMPENSATION PACKAGE – BONUS, INSURANCE, SALARY, VACATION INDICATION – FLAG, GIVEAWAY, SIGN, TELL THINGS TO DO WITH A DECK OF CARDS – CUT, DEAL, FAN, SHUFFLE WHAT “BILL” MIGHT REFER TO – BANKNOTE, BEAK, INVOICE, WILLIAM Connections grids vary widely and change every day. If you couldn’t solve today’s puzzle, be sure to check back in tomorrow. NYT Connection FAQs What time does the Connections puzzle change? The puzzle changes daily at midnight local time. Who edits the NYT Connections game? Wyna Liu, who has been editing puzzles at The New York Times since 2020, edits Connections daily. “A few months ago, a new assignment crossed my desk: Create the game boards for Connections, a category matching game that had recently been greenlighted and was in search of an editor,” wrote Liu in an article explaining her process in June 2024. Most of my puzzle experience has been working with crosswords, and I was excited at the chance to try something different. I’ve enjoyed learning how puzzle editing plays out once a game is greenlighted, and seeing how our team fits into a larger ecosystem.” On the one-year anniversary of Connections launching earlier this year, Liu posted this TikTok about her favorite puzzles so far: Source link #NYT #Connections #hints #answers #Wednesday #February Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

President Trump sends first US migrant detainees to Guantanamo Bay President Trump sends first US migrant detainees to Guantanamo Bay The US has sent the first group of migrants to Guantanamo Bay since President Donald Trump announced plans to expand migrant detention at the base, officials say. A brief statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the detainees were part of the Tren de Aragua – a gang that originated in Venezuela’s prisons. Ten detainees were flown from the Fort Bliss Army base near the Texas border to the US Navy base in Cuba on Tuesday afternoon, the BBC’s US partner CBS News reported, citing multiple US officials. Last week, Trump ordered that an existing migrant detention facility at the base be expanded to hold some 30,000 people. He said that would double the US capacity to hold undocumented migrants. The move is part of Trump’s effort to crack down on undocumented migrants in the US after his return to office. He has promised arrests and mass deportations. In Tuesday’s brief statement, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said: “President Donald Trump has been very clear: Guantanamo Bay will hold the worst of the worst. That starts today.” The department published several photographs of the detainees being taken on board the plane. Two officials told CBS that the group was considered “high-threat”. Trump ordered that the Tren de Aragua be designated as a foreign terrorist organisation last month, as part of a directive targeting gangs and cartels. The existing facility – Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center (GMOC) – has been used by both Republican and Democrat administrations to house migrants for decades. It has principally held migrants picked up at sea. The expanded facility would be run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Trump’s border tsar Tom Homan said last week. Announcing his plan last week that the facility be expanded, Trump said: “Some of them (the migrants) are so bad we don’t even trust the countries to hold them, because we don’t want them coming back. “So we’re going to send them to Guantanamo… it’s a tough place to get out.” US military personnel travelled to Guantanamo Bay at the weekend to assemble tents to house migrants sent to the base, the New York Times and CNN reported. Last year, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) accused the US government of secretly holding migrants at the base in “inhumane” conditions indefinitely. The administration of Joe Biden, who was then president, responded that the location was “not a detention facility and none of the migrants there are detained”. The GMOC is separate to the military prison on Guantanamo which has, for years, held detainees taken into US custody after the 9/11 attacks. The Cuban government quickly condemned news of the immigration facility’s expansion last week, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel calling it “an act of brutality”. It has long considered Guantanamo Bay to be “occupied” and has denounced the existence of a US naval base on the island ever since Fidel Castro swept to power in 1959. Source link #President #Trump #sends #migrant #detainees #Guantanamo #Bay Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The Beats Studio Pro headphones are back on ***** for $180 The Beats Studio Pro headphones are back on ***** for $180 There’s a reason I didn’t pick up my first pair of over-ear headphones until last year: they’re expensive. But, that’s where nice sales come in handy. And, there’s a very nice ***** going on right now, with the Beats Studio Pro down to $180 from $350 — a 49 percent discount. It’s not as low as ****** Friday’s $160 deal, but the ***** is available on every model except the Earth color. The Beats Studio Pro came out in mid-2023 and got an 81 in our review. We were impressed with its improved sound quality over its predecessor, good transparency mode and solid voice performance. However, they’re not the most comfortable option and don’t have automatic pausing. Beats If you want over-ear headphones for even less money then check out the Beats Solo 4. They’re currently half off at $100 from $200. We gave them a 79 in our review, as they offer a boost in sound quality and up to 50 hours of battery life (10 more than the Beats Studio Pro). But, they’re also not the comfiest fit and again don’t offer automatic pausing. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice. Source link #Beats #Studio #Pro #headphones #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

NSW government announces new laws to crack down on hate crimes after increase in anti-Semitism NSW government announces new laws to crack down on hate crimes after increase in anti-Semitism Tough new hate laws, including two years jail for racial hatred offences, will be introduced in NSW following a shocking rise in anti-Semitism attacks. Premier Chris Minns says the government has acted following the recent escalation of graffiti, racial hatred and anti-Semitism in the community, which also included a fire attack on a childcare centre. “We have seen disgusting acts of racial hatred and anti-Semitism,” Mr Minns said. “These are strong new laws, and they need to be because these attacks have to stop. “NSW is a multicultural state, and these acts designed to intimidate and divide will not work.” Camera IconRecent anti-Semitic attacks included the Newtown Synagogue being grafittied with Nazi swastikas. NewsWire / Simon Bullard. Credit: News Corp Australia The Minns government will bring a suite of new measures to provide police additional powers and resources as it battles the rise of attacks on the Jewish community following the ****** terror attack on Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. Anyone found guilty of intentionally inciting racial hatred or displays a Nazi symbol on or near a synagogue will face two years imprisonment. Mr Minns said although the laws had been drafted following the recent anti-Semitic violence, they would apply to “anyone, preying on any person, of any religion”. “If you commit these acts, you will face severe penalties, and we make no apologies for that,” he said. Camera IconPrime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns visit the childcare centre in Maroubra that was firebombed in an anti-Semitic attack. NewsWire/ Julian Andrews Credit: News Corp Australia Attorney-General Michael Daley said the reforms would send a clear message to those hoping to disrupt the community by spreading hate. “Blocking access to places of worship, graffitiing sacred sites, or inciting hatred are wholly unacceptable behaviours that have no place in our society,” Mr Daley said. “These proposed changes strengthen penalties and expand police powers to maintain order across the community. “The Minns government is expanding the criminal law to send a clear message that inciting hatred is not just unacceptable it will soon be criminal.” The reforms will also amend the laws by making it an aggravated offence for creating graffiti on a place of worship. Anyone also found guilty of intentionally blocking access to a place of worship without reason or harassing, intimidating or threatening people trying to access the place of worship would be facing a maximum penalty of two years in jail. Camera IconPrivate homes have also been attacked. Executive Council of *********** Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin and his wife Vicki Ryvchin outside their former family home after it was targeted. NewsWire / John Appleyard Credit: News Corp AustraliaCamera IconNSW is introduced tough new hate crime laws following a rise in anti-Semitism attacks in the state. NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard Credit: News Corp Australia In addition to these strengthened laws, the Minns government is also increasing funding to support the NSW Police Force Engagement and Hate Crime Unit by $525,000. This will allow for boosted engagement and communications with the community, including additional synagogue and school visits. The NSW Local Government Social Cohesion Grants Program will also receive an extra $500,000 to support local governments address rising prevalence of hate crimes. The NSW Police Force previously launched Operation Shelter in October 2023 shortly after the ****** attack on Israel. More than 300 proactive patrols are conducted under Operation Shelter every day. These centre around significant sites such as places of worship. Resources from Traffic and Highway Patrol, the Regional Enforcement Squad, dog unit and Pol Air have also been brought in to help local police on the ground. Strike force Pearl has been established to investigates these hate crimes and doubled its full-time dedicated detectives from 20 to 40. Source link #NSW #government #announces #laws #crack #hate #crimes #increase #antiSemitism Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo Confirms Switch 2 Direct Start Time Nintendo Confirms Switch 2 Direct Start Time · · February 5, 2025 Nintendo has announced that the Nintendo Switch 2 direct will start at 9am ET/6am PT/2pm GMT on April 2, 2025. The date had been known since the console’s reveal, but the time wasn’t confirmed until February 5. Not much was said about the event by Nintendo aside from the company stating it will “share a closer look at Nintendo Switch 2”. It’s expected that full specs will be discussed as well as all of the consoles new core features. It could also be assumed that the first batch of Nintendo Switch 2 games will be revealed. Fans have already gotten a glimpse at Mario Kart 9 (name not confirmed) along with what could be a new feature for the next game in the franchise. RELATED: GALLERY: A Look At The Nintendo Switch 2 Console The release date and pricing of the console is also expected to be announced. Are you excited for the Nintendo Switch 2 direct? Let us know down below, and join more discussions in the official Insider Gaming forums. For more Insider Gaming, read our full review of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and read about the current plans for Apex Legends from EA. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Nintendo #Confirms #Switch #Direct #Start #Time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Skier is swept away by tumbling avalanche but survives thanks to airbag Skier is swept away by tumbling avalanche but survives thanks to airbag A skier is lucky to be alive after being swept away by an avalanche while skiing near Mont Blanc on January 29. Witness Morgan Akhourfi, 24, filmed the terrifying moment when the skier disappeared under the snow, tumbling 300 meters toward a 50-meter cliff. Despite the severity of the fall, the man survived after deploying his avalanche airbag, which helps keep the wearer near the surface of the snow. Rescue teams arrived within 20 minutes and airlifted the man, who was found conscious but in shock, with a broken leg and fractured ribs. Morgan, a skier from Chamonix, said he initially thought the man was dead. Source link #Skier #swept #tumbling #avalanche #survives #airbag Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Switch 2 price will ‘consider the affordability customers expect’ from Nintendo, says president Switch 2 price will ‘consider the affordability customers expect’ from Nintendo, says president The price of the Switch 2 hardware will take into account numerous factors, including Nintendo’s trademark affordability, its president has said. During a Q&A following Nintendo‘s Q3 financial results, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa was asked about the company’s thoughts on hardware pricing. Specifically, Furukawa was asked if there was any change to Nintendo’s stance on what constitutes an acceptable price point, given various global economic factors. Furukawa replied that not only does Nintendo have to take into account Japan’s increased inflation rate, it also has to consider that the exchange rate environment has changed considerably since the Switch launched in 2017. However, he noted that Nintendo also has to consider “the affordability that our customers expect from Nintendo products”, saying the company needs to take all these factors into account when considering the price of its products. Furukawa said it was taking all of the above into account when pricing Switch, but that it had nothing to announce at this time. He also said there are no plans to change the price of the original Switch at this time. Earlier this week Furukawa told Japanese press that Nintendo will put measures in place to prevent resellers from significantly impacting Nintendo Switch 2 launch supplies. Furukawa said Nintendo has made preparations based on its past experience and planned to prepare enough Switch 2 console inventory to meet demand. According to an earlier report, Nintendo had planned to launch Switch 2 in late 2024 but “priority was given to ensure the initial inventory of the successor console and a line-up of software titles at the time of its launch” in an attempt to avoid widespread reselling. Source link #Switch #price #affordability #customers #expect #Nintendo #president Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New Method Controls Synchronisation in Spin Hall Nano-Oscillators Using Spin Waves New Method Controls Synchronisation in Spin Hall Nano-Oscillators Using Spin Waves A recent breakthrough in spintronic technology has demonstrated how phase-tunable synchronisation can be achieved in spin Hall nano-oscillators (SHNOs). These nanoscale devices generate high-frequency microwave signals by converting direct current into spin wave auto-oscillations. The ability to control synchronisation between SHNOs is expected to improve applications in telecommunications, neuromorphic computing, and optimisation hardware. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden and Tohoku University in Japan, highlights the role of propagating spin waves in enabling phase information transfer between SHNOs. Phase Control Through Spin Waves According to the study published in Nature Physics, experimental evidence has confirmed that spin-wave-mediated mutual synchronisation between SHNOs is possible. Unlike earlier systems that relied on nearest-neighbor interactions, the use of propagating spin waves has allowed long-range, one-to-one coupling. Akash Kumar, the first author of the study, explained to Phys.org that this research was motivated by previous findings on propagating spin waves in SHNOs. The team utilised optimised thin-film materials, specifically W/CoFeB/MgO, to facilitate this coupling. Experimental Validation and Potential Applications The study’s findings were supported by electrical measurements and advanced microscopy techniques. High-frequency spectrum analysers were used to detect phase-tuned synchronisation, while phase-resolved Brillouin light scattering (μ-BLS) microscopy provided direct visualisation of oscillator phase alignment. Victor H. González, a graduate student and co-author of the study, confirmed the results through micromagnetic simulations. Kumar stated that the ability to transfer phase information between SHNOs has significant implications for Ising machines, which are used for combinatorial optimisation tasks. Future research will focus on scaling the system and incorporating voltage gating to enhance control and energy efficiency in spintronic devices. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Apple Tipped to Replace Long AppleCare+ Packages With Monthly and Annual Subscriptions OpenAI Introduces Deep Research in ChatGPT, an AI Agent That Can Conduct Multi-Step Research Source link #Method #Controls #Synchronisation #Spin #Hall #NanoOscillators #Spin #Waves Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alphabet shares fall 7% on revenue miss, heightened AI investments Alphabet shares fall 7% on revenue miss, heightened AI investments CEO of Alphabet and Google Sundar Pichai in Warsaw, Poland on March 29, 2022. Mateusz Wlodarczyk | Nurphoto | Getty Images Alphabet shares dropped more than 7% in the premarket Wednesday after the search giant fell short of Wall Street’s fourth-quarter revenue expectations and announced big spending plans for its ongoing artificial intelligence buildout. The company topped earnings estimates by 2 cents per share. Revenue came in at $96.47 billion, behind the $96.56 billion expected by LSEG. Alphabet’s revenue grew 12% overall from a year ago, while its YouTube advertising business, search business and services segment slowed year over year. Alphabet also said it plans to spend $75 billion on capital expenditures as it builds out its AI offerings and races against megacap rivals to build out data centers and new infrastructure. The figure was much higher than the $58.84 billion expected by Wall Street analysts, according to FactSet. Finance chief Anat Ashkenazi said the higher expenses will help “support the growth of our business across Google Services, Google Cloud and Google DeepMind.” She also said the spending will go toward “technical infrastructure, primarily for servers, followed by data centers and networking.” Read more CNBC reporting on AI The company expects capital expenditures to range between $16 billion and $18 billion. That was higher than the $14.3 billion estimate from FactSet. JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth highlighted costs, capex and cloud revenue as the “culprits” for the stock’s post-earnings performance. Bernstein’s Mark Shmulik also noted that this is the third quarter that the stock move connects to Google’s cloud segment. “If digital ad growth is akin to a long drive competition, then Google would be sitting comfortably here with strong Search and YouTube bombs down the fairway,” Shmulik said. “But as the game shifts to the AI putting green, there’s little room for error with a slight cloud miss, a whopping CAPEX guide up to $75B for 2025, and lack of actionable operating leverage commentary leaves Google 3- putting for bogey,” he added. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Alphabet #shares #fall #revenue #heightened #investments Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Root back in England ODI team for first time since 2023 Root back in England ODI team for first time since 2023 Joe Root is to make a comeback in England’s ODI team at 34, ready for his first appearance since the 2023 Cricket World Cup. The 34-year-old Root will bat at No.3 in the first match of the one-day international series against India in Nagpur on Thursday in his 172nd ODI appearance for England. One of the greatest batters of this generation, Root has been in brilliant form at Test level since relinquishing the captaincy two-and-a-half years ago, but has been in and out of the ODI team and hasn’t played a T20 international since 2019. “He’s one of the great players of the game in all formats and a vital part of ODI cricket for England for a long time,” captain Jos Buttler said on Wednesday. “I’m excited to see him in this phase of his career — look at what he’s done in Tests when he’s not had the captaincy. He’s back with that cheeky smile on his face and really enjoying his cricket. “I’m expecting him to do exactly the same in this environment. He’s got loads of experience in ODI cricket, which will be great for some of the guys who haven’t played as much in our group.” England are coming off a 4-1 loss to India in a T20 series in Brendon McCullum’s first matches as white-ball head coach. The three-match ODI series serves as preparation for the Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19 and will be played in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. Source link #Root #England #ODI #team #time Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

USPS suspends all packages from China, including e-commerce purchases USPS suspends all packages from China, including e-commerce purchases The United States Postal Service has temporarily stopped accepting inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong, and according to Wired, it’s already causing huge problems with e-commerce shipments to the US. USPS posted the notice on its website, announcing that the suspension will be in place “until further notice.” As Wired notes, the international parcel suspension is a direct result of the Trump administration’s order to end import tax exemption for small packages shipped into the US worth less than $800. The administration also imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on goods imported from China. The “de minimis” import tax exemption rule allows e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu to sell to customers in the US while keeping prices on their platforms low. It was originally intended to make it easier to send gifts stateside, but the US government has been considering removing or altering it in recent years due to the rise of e-commerce shipments. Now, the Trump administration has removed it completely, and so quickly, that shipping companies are apparently scrambling to find a way to get packages into the US. A ********* trucking company owner told Wired that his trucks were turned away at the border because they contained packages from China. The owner said that border control was “actually going through the trucks and randomly checking the packages.” He explained that it won’t be easy to sort packages to remove everything coming in from China, so this development would most likely cause delivery delays. According to US Customs, there were over 1.36 billion de minimis shipments to the US within the 2024 fiscal year. If the agency decides to hold all de minimis shipments at the border, that means they may have to process around 3.7 million packages a day to check how much import taxes and other additional fees the receiver or buyer has to pay. That could cause a massive backlog in shipments. A customs and trade management business executive told Wired that the government could choose to keep packages moving instead and to charge people for the fees retroactively. In the future, though, China’s e-commerce platforms could start adding those fees, along with the 10 percent tariff now required for ******** goods, to a customer’s total amount, making it more expensive to buy from websites like Shein and Temu. Source link #USPS #suspends #packages #China #including #ecommerce #purchases Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Latest Aerospike database update prioritizes performance Latest Aerospike database update prioritizes performance The latest Aerospike database update prioritizes performance efficiency. Version 8 of the vendor’s platform, generally available on Wednesday, adds support for online transaction processing (OLTP) applications with distributed ACID (atomicity, consistency, isolation and durability) transactions, also known as multi-object ACID transactions. OLTP applications are frequently used in industries such as banking, e-commerce and healthcare, in which transactions are common. However, as transaction volumes increase, some data management systems fail to meet workload needs and their performance decreases as demand scales. Distributed ACID transactions are a means of improving data management systems’ performance. Atomicity guarantees that all transactions succeed or fail completely. Consistency ensures that all data is stored accurately and uniformly. Isolation enables users to run workloads concurrently but separately so as not to cause overloads. Durability ensures that changes made by a transaction are permanent and won’t be lost even if there’s a system failure while a workload is running. Given that multi-object ACID transactions aim to improve database efficiency, which in turn helps reduce the compute power required to run workloads and the costs associated with cloud consumption, Aerospike’s update is significant, according to Stephen Catanzano, an analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group, now part of Omdia. “The update … means [Aerospike] can guarantee the highest level of data consistency while maintaining high performance and scalability,” he said. However, while new for Aerospike, distributed ACID transactions are neither new nor is Aerospike the first database vendor to provide such capabilities. For example, competitors MongoDB and Couchbase added support for distributed ACID transactions more than seven years ago. Based in Mountain View, Calif., Aerospike provides a multi-model database that supports document, key-value, graph and vector data types. In December, Aerospike upgraded its vector search and storage capabilities. Earlier in the year, the vendor raised $114 million in venture capital funding to finance development of capabilities that help customers develop generative AI tools. New capabilities Because of the volume of data needed to train AI models and applications, surging interest in generative AI development has illuminated the need for efficiency when running data workloads. While Aerospike’s update is not focused on AI but on transaction processing, the problems of performance and resulting costs at scale are similar. Just as AI requires large amounts of data to deliver accurate outputs, transactional data workloads now contain volumes beyond what traditional databases were built to handle, according to Srini Srinivasan, Aerospike’s founder and CTO. “Performance and efficiency have always been critical, but as applications scale, high-speed processing and strong consistency have become more pressing,” he said. To meet those needs, Aerospike and other databases need to evolve to provide both consistency and speed, Srinivasan continued. “The ability to maintain speed while adding strong consistency ensures businesses can operate at scale without sacrificing data integrity,” he said. Focusing on performance and data consistency is not new for database vendors such as Aerospike. In testing, Aerospike’s database has historically handled millions of single-record requests per second, whether volumes reach gigabytes or petabytes of data, according to the vendor. But single-record requests — a database operation that interacts with one specific record – are no longer enough because of the growing data needs of customers with large transaction workloads. Multi-object ACID transactions — transactions that simultaneously access or manipulate data related to multiple records — meet those needs, according to Catanzano. Unlike single-record requests, multi-object ACID transactions provide the atomicity and data consistency across large data workloads that are now needed. “Multi-object transactions are … critical for applications where multiple data points need to be updated all at once to prevent errors and maintain data integrity,” Catanzano said. In addition, multi-object ACID transactions are noteworthy because they enable transaction management at the database level, where data is easier to configure than at the application level, where transaction management otherwise takes place, he continued. Atomicity and data consistency are particularly critical to industries such as finance, gaming and fantasy sports that have high transaction volumes, according to Srinivasan. It is imperative in such industries that account balances are correct and each transaction is accurately processed without losing any data. “Distributed ACID transactions [enable] companies to build more sophisticated, reliable applications without burdening developers to manage consistency at the application level,” Srinivasan said. Regarding the impetus for adding distributed ACID transactions to support OLTP applications, customer demand played a significant part, according to Srinivasan In particular, reducing complexity and susceptibility to errors by managing transactions at the database level rather than the application level pushed Aerospike to update its platform. “It was driven by the needs of large-scale applications and customer demand across sectors,” Srinivasan said. “[The update] makes it easier for organizations to scale efficiently and meet their operational needs by bringing this functionality directly into the database with performance intact.” Looking ahead With Aerospike 8 now available, the vendor will continue to focus on improving the performance and scale of the database, according to Srinivasan. In addition, ensuring that cloud deployments perform properly across the major clouds — AWS, Alibaba, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure — is a priority. Lastly, as more enterprises invest in developing AI applications to detect fraud, provide recommendations and perform other tasks, Aerospike intends to add capabilities for powering AI and machine learning workloads, according to Srinivasan. “These priorities highlight our commitment to scaling our technology and business for the next phase of growth,” he said. Catanzano, meanwhile, suggested that a focus on ease of use and expanding its multi-model database capabilities to include more data models would be logical next steps for Aerospike. In addition, more transparency around Aerospike’s performance relative to its competitors could attract more customers. “Providing clear benchmarks and comparisons against specific competitors would strengthen their market position,” Catanzano said. Eric Avidon is a senior news writer for Informa TechTarget and a journalist with more than 25 years of experience. He covers analytics and data management. Source link #Latest #Aerospike #database #update #prioritizes #performance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Where is New Albany, Ohio? All about the community at the center of latest mass shooting Where is New Albany, Ohio? All about the community at the center of latest mass shooting It was chosen as the best suburb in America in 2015. Microsoft and other tech firms are building data centers there to the tune of $20 billion. And now, it’s making headlines for being the site of a mass shooting that killed one and wounded five. So where is New Albany, Ohio? Here’s what you should know about the community. Where is New Albany, Ohio? New Albany is a suburb of Columbus, just to the northeast of Ohio’s capital. It straddles the border of Franklin and Licking counties. According to its website, New Albany is home to 11,770 people and has a median household income of $200,001. Mass shooting at New Albany company kills 1, wounds 5 One person was killed and five were wounded at KDC/ONE, a company in the Licking County portion of New Albany, on Tuesday night. As of Wednesday morning, police say they are searching for Bruce Reginald Foster III, who is described as 6 feet tall and 175 pounds. “This is a heartbreaking and tragic situation,” New Albany Police Chief Greg Jones said in a statement. Knowlton Development Corporation, Inc. (“kdc/one”), says it is a global leader in providing value-added solutions to brands in the beauty, personal care, and home care categories. Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Google invest billions in New Albany data centers In October, Vantage Data Centers of Denver broke ground on a $2 billion data center campus in New Albany. It’s just the latest tech firm to put a data center in New Albany and central Ohio. Vantage joins Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Google, and DBT-DATA, among others. In all, the economic development agency One Columbus estimates that more than $20 billion is being invested in 40 data center campuses now planned or underway in New Albany and elsewhere in central Ohio, in addition to those already built. Business Insider named New Albany the best suburb in America In 2015, Business Insider put New Albany at the top of its annual list of the “Best 50 Suburbs in America.” The publication cited the 21-minute commute to Columbus, good schools, low crime, recreational and cultural activities, housing affordability and homeownership rates for the ranking. In another ranking, Stacker named New Albany Ohio’s richest town. According to Stacker’s data, the city’s median household income is $224,824—nearly 200% more than the national median income. More than half of New Albany’s households (nearly 57%) earn over $200,000, and the city’s unemployment rate is just 2.2%. The data also shows that less than 1% of families in the area have income below the poverty level. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Where is New Albany, Ohio? City at the center of latest mass shooting Source link #Albany #Ohio #community #center #latest #mass #shooting Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

EA Reacts To Dragon Age: The Veilguard Coming Up Short And Explains What Happened EA Reacts To Dragon Age: The Veilguard Coming Up Short And Explains What Happened Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to reach EA’s expectations, but why did the game–the newest entry in a storied, beloved RPG series from an esteemed developer in BioWare–come up short? Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson said during the company’s latest earnings call that The Veilguard’s underperformance is a reflection of the “evolving industry landscape.” “Historically, blockbuster storytelling has been the primary way our industry bought beloved IP to players,” he said. “The game’s financial performance highlights the evolving industry landscape and reinforces the importance of our actions to reallocate resources towards our most significant and highest potential opportunities.” Reading between the lines here, it sounds like the Dragon Age franchise is not going to be a centerpiece or focus of EA’s business focus going forward. Also during the earnings briefing, Wilson discussed EA’s approach to blockbuster games in general, saying the company takes a three-pronged approach. First, Wilson said the aim is to “create an authentic story experience for the core audience.” Second, Wilson said EA aims to make games with “innovative groundbreaking features.” And third, EA wants to “emphasize high-quality launches” for PC and console. Wilson went on to say that EA also aims to appeal beyond the “core” userbase by meeting the evolving demands of players. He said these players are now “increasingly” looking for games with “shared-world features” and “deeper engagement,” as well as strong narratives. For Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Wilson acknowledged that the game was reviewed positively by critics and fans alike. However, the executive admitted that the RPG, “did not resonate with a broad enough audience in this highly competitive market.” Following The Veilguard’s launch and underperformance, BioWare laid off staff and reassigned some developers to other teams inside EA. A smaller team at BioWare is now working on the next Mass Effect. In other EA news, the company continues to release more information about the next Battlefield game, with early testing to begin very soon. Source link #Reacts #Dragon #Age #Veilguard #Coming #Short #Explains #Happened Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google Photos for Android Gets New Grid Customisations to Reduce Clutter Google Photos for Android Gets New Grid Customisations to Reduce Clutter Google Photos for Android is receiving a new feature that offers users greater control over their grid view preferences. Previously, users could adjust the layout density by selecting between “Day,” “Month,” or a “Comfortable” view, and they also had the option to stack similar photos. Tapping on a stacked image tile allowed them to swipe through related photos in a carousel. With the new update, users can now further refine their experience by choosing to show or hide photos, GIFs, and videos from other apps. Google Photos Adds New Customisations to Reduce Clutter Google Photos for Android now offers new customisation options to help users make their photo grids more clutter-free. These were initially spotted by 9to5Google, however, Gadgets 360 was able to verify these changes. One of the new features is the ‘Show content from other apps‘ option, which includes two sub-options called ‘Only show backed-up content‘ and ‘Hide clutter from other apps.’ The new customisation options are rolling out with Google Photos version 7.14 for Android. Once available, users will see a ‘New! Keep your Photos view free of clutter from other apps‘ dialogue box right above the Memories carousel. To check if the update is available, users can try force-closing the app and reopening the overflow menu. The ‘Only show backed-up content‘ option shows photos from other apps than the native camera option that have been backed up or are waiting to be backed up. The other option that reads ‘Hide clutter from other apps,’ hides screenshots, GIFs, and memes once they are backed up. Further, Google introduced a ‘Customise by app‘ option that allows users to manage media from specific apps like Pinterest, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and more. For each app, users can choose between Show all, Hide clutter, or Hide all options, to allow them more granular control over what appears on the photo library in the Google Photos app. Source link #Google #Photos #Android #Grid #Customisations #Reduce #Clutter Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alphabet shares fall more than 7% on revenue miss, AI investment boost – CNBC Alphabet shares fall more than 7% on revenue miss, AI investment boost – CNBC Alphabet shares fall more than 7% on revenue miss, AI investment boost CNBCAlphabet stock price: Google shares fall over cloud performance and AI spending worries Fast CompanyWatch These AMD Stock Price Levels After Post-Earnings Plunge InvestopediaGoogle Misses As AI Spend Increases; Trade War Heats Up Forbes Source link #Alphabet #shares #fall #revenue #investment #boost #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

OverActive Media Reports Top Results From CDL Major in Madrid OverActive Media Reports Top Results From CDL Major in Madrid OverActive Media, the parent company behind the Call of Duty League’s Toronto Ultra, has published a statement following the recent Major tournament held in Madrid, Spain. In a press release, it was confirmed that Major I, the first sizeable tournament of the CDL 2025 season, was ‘the most successful Major (they) have ever hosted’. It was revealed that 80% of attendees at the venue in the Spanish city were from outside the country and that 12,000 people in total flocked to the Caja Mágica arena. ‘A Defining Moment’ OverActive Media’s CEO, Adam Adamou, explained in the press release: By bringing together top-tier talent, innovative strategies, and fresh ideas, we are strengthening our connections with fans while unlocking new revenue streams and growth opportunities. The energy in Madrid and the success of our acquisitions reaffirm our commitment to building a global esports company that entertains millions while creating sustainable growth. Call of Duty League Major I was the most successful Major we have ever hosted. We sold more than 12,000 tickets, with more than 80% traveling from outside Spain, driving tourism and significant economic impact for the local community. The energy in the arena, the intense competition, and the global engagement made this event a defining moment for the Call of Duty League and a clear statement on the sustainable growth of our esports presence in Europe. I had the pleasure of attending the CDL Major in Madrid and caught up with many of the best Call of Duty players in the world. I was able to sit down with Atlanta FaZe, the team that won the tournament after a gruelling Grand Final against the LA Thieves. The CDL Major I event was a boon to kickstart the latest competitive season. More than 233,000 consecutive viewers tuned in from around the world, and the showcase proved that Europe can be one of the most lucrative regions to host further Call of Duty events. This was the first CDL Major to take place in Europe in the history of the tournament. Next, the Call of Duty League will head back to the United States, with Major II taking place in Texas in March 2025. Later this year, in the summer, Toronto Ultra will host another CDL event – the Call of Duty League Championship tournament in Canada. Did you attend the CDL Major in Madrid? Let me know what you thought about the event on the Insider Gaming forum. For more Insider Gaming esports, check out the news that Adin Ross wants to build a crypto-backed GTA 6 RP server SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #OverActive #Media #Reports #Top #Results #CDL #Major #Madrid Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Google Photos for Android Gets New Grid Customisations to Reduce Clutter Google Photos for Android Gets New Grid Customisations to Reduce Clutter Google Photos for Android is receiving a new feature that offers users greater control over their grid view preferences. Previously, users could adjust the layout density by selecting between “Day,” “Month,” or a “Comfortable” view, and they also had the option to stack similar photos. Tapping on a stacked image tile allowed them to swipe through related photos in a carousel. With the new update, users can now further refine their experience by choosing to show or hide photos, GIFs, and videos from other apps. Google Photos Adds New Customisations to Reduce Clutter Google Photos for Android now offers new customisation options to help users make their photo grids more clutter-free. These were initially spotted by 9to5Google, however, Gadgets 360 was able to verify these changes. One of the new features is the ‘Show content from other apps‘ option, which includes two sub-options called ‘Only show backed-up content‘ and ‘Hide clutter from other apps.’ The new customisation options are rolling out with Google Photos version 7.14 for Android. Once available, users will see a ‘New! Keep your Photos view free of clutter from other apps‘ dialogue box right above the Memories carousel. To check if the update is available, users can try force-closing the app and reopening the overflow menu. The ‘Only show backed-up content‘ option shows photos from other apps than the native camera option that have been backed up or are waiting to be backed up. The other option that reads ‘Hide clutter from other apps,’ hides screenshots, GIFs, and memes once they are backed up. Further, Google introduced a ‘Customise by app‘ option that allows users to manage media from specific apps like Pinterest, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger and more. For each app, users can choose between Show all, Hide clutter, or Hide all options, to allow them more granular control over what appears on the photo library in the Google Photos app. Source link #Google #Photos #Android #Grid #Customisations #Reduce #Clutter Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Council shake-up sees elections delayed in nine areas Council shake-up sees elections delayed in nine areas Local elections in East Sussex, West Sussex, Essex, Thurrock, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Suffolk and Surrey will be delayed for one year to allow major reorganisations to take place, local government secretary Angela Rayner has said. Speaking to Parliament, Rayner said the postponement would pave the way for a “generational power shift from Whitehall to the town hall”. She said that holding elections for authorities that were due to be scrapped would be “an expensive and irresponsible waste of taxpayers’ money”. However, Conservative shadow minister Kevin Hollinrake said the “mass postponement” was a “worrying day for democracy”. The shake-up of local councils, announced by the government last year, will see smaller district councils merged with local country councils to create single bodies known as unitary authorities. The new bodies would represent populations of around 500,000. Source link #Council #shakeup #sees #elections #delayed #areas Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]