Pelican Press

1 dead, 5 injured in shooting at manufacturing facility in New Albany, Ohio – ABC News 1 dead, 5 injured in shooting at manufacturing facility in New Albany, Ohio – ABC News 1 dead, 5 injured in shooting at manufacturing facility in New Albany, Ohio ABC NewsOne dead, 5 injured New Albany manufacturer shooting NBC4 WCMH-TV’Active shooter situation’ at Ohio manufacturing plant leaves 1 dead, 5 injured: police Fox NewsAuthorities respond to active shooter situation at warehouse in New Albany: Live Coverage 10TV Source link #dead #injured #shooting #manufacturing #facility #Albany #Ohio #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A New Method Improves Kesterite Solar Cells, Making Them More Efficient A New Method Improves Kesterite Solar Cells, Making Them More Efficient Efforts to improve the efficiency of kesterite-based solar cells have shown progress, with researchers achieving a record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.4 percent. A new approach using hydrogen annealing has been applied to enhance carrier collection in Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) solar cells. This technique involves heating the material in a hydrogen-rich environment, which redistributes key elements and reduces energy losses. The findings indicate that hydrogen annealing could be a scalable method to enhance performance, making CZTS a viable option for tandem solar cells. Hydrogen Annealing Improves Carrier Collection According to a study published in Nature Energy, researchers at the University of New South Wales explored the impact of hydrogen annealing on CZTS solar cells. The process was found to redistribute sodium and oxygen within the material, reducing defects and enhancing carrier transport. Carrier recombination, a key challenge in CZTS cells, was mitigated, leading to improved efficiency. Kaiwen Sun, senior author of the study, told Tech Xplore that the aim was to develop a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for next-generation photovoltaics. He explained that hydrogen plays a crucial role in passivating defects near the absorber surface, leading to improved carrier collection. Potential for Wider Applications Beyond CZTS, hydrogen annealing has demonstrated promise in enhancing other thin-film solar cell materials, such as copper indium gallium selenide (*****). Researchers believe this technique could be applied to various photovoltaic technologies to improve efficiency while maintaining environmental benefits. Future work will focus on increasing the efficiency of CZTS solar cells beyond 15 percent while preserving their affordability and sustainability. Refinements in the annealing process and further material optimisations are expected to contribute to more efficient solar energy solutions. 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. FDA Approves Suzetrigine, First Non-Opioid Painkiller in Decades Budget 2025: Tech in Focus With Framework for GCCs, New ‘Fund of Funds’ for startups, CoE for AI Source link #Method #Improves #Kesterite #Solar #Cells #Making #Efficient Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dom Sheed’s devastating injury leaves West Coast little time to make inactive call Dom Sheed’s devastating injury leaves West Coast little time to make inactive call West Coast are now facing a race against the clock to decide whether or not they want to officially rule veteran Dom Sheed out for the season and add him to the inactive list. Source link #Dom #Sheeds #devastating #injury #leaves #West #Coast #time #inactive #call Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Marvel Future Fight’s February update is inspired by Captain America: Brave New World Marvel Future Fight’s February update is inspired by Captain America: Brave New World Sam Wilson and Red Hulk have received new uniforms Falcon (Joaquín Torres) and Leader are the new characters to join the fray New World Boss: Legend+ also added The February update for Marvel Future Fight is here, introducing new characters, powerful upgrades, and a challenging World Boss inspired by Marvel Studio’s upcoming movie, Captain America: Brave New World. This patch expands the roster with fresh faces and gives existing heroes new abilities to tackle the evolving threats in the Marvel universe. Naturally, Falcon (Sam Wilson) takes centre stage with a new uniform reflecting his role in Captain America: Brave New World and a Tier-4 advancement, enhancing his leadership abilities on the battlefield. Alongside him, Red Hulk has also received a new uniform, marking his rise to prominence as the president of a nation, adding depth to his character both in lore and combat performance. Accompanying the movie leads are two new characters, Falcon (Joaquín Torres) and Leader. Torres steps into the role of the second Falcon, bringing swift aerial combat skills and securing a Tier-3 Ultimate Skill right out of the gate. The Leader on the other hand, empowered by gamma radiation, uses his unparalleled intelligence to dominate with strategic prowess, also arriving as a Tier-3 hero. If you’re looking for a tougher challenge, the update introduces a new World Boss: Legend+, featuring the formidable duo of ****** Dwarf and Ebony Maw from the ****** Order. This challenge combines brute strength with sharp intellect, pushing you to adapt your strategies to overcome their combined power. Redeem these Marvel Future Fight codes to get yourself loads of freebies! The World Boss system has also received improvements to enhance gameplay flow and difficulty scaling. Finally, both Red Hulk and Red She-Hulk now have access to Potential Awakening and Transcendence, unlocking new layers of power for those who’ve invested in their development. Experience the thrill by downloading Marvel Future Fight now for free by clicking on your preferred link below. Visit the official website for more information. Source link #Marvel #Future #Fights #February #update #inspired #Captain #America #Brave #World Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Says U.S. Should Control Gaza Strip: Live Updates – The New York Times Trump Says U.S. Should Control Gaza Strip: Live Updates – The New York Times Trump Says U.S. Should Control Gaza Strip: Live Updates The New York TimesSaudi Arabia, in swift response to Trump, says no ties with Israel without ************ state ReutersCountering Trump, Saudi Arabia says no Israel normalization without ************ state The Times of IsraelLive updates: Saudi Arabia rejects Trump’s proposal to displace Palestinians, take over Gaza The Washington Post Source link #Trump #U.S #Control #Gaza #Strip #Live #Updates #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

META’s CTO Says The Metaverse Could be a ‘Legendary Misadventure’ as Total Loss Exceeds $60 Billion META’s CTO Says The Metaverse Could be a ‘Legendary Misadventure’ as Total Loss Exceeds $60 Billion A new report has released an internal memo from META’s CTO saying that 2025 could be a make-or-break year for the Metaverse. The memo, which was obtained by Business Insider reportedly originates from November 2024, where META’s CTO, Andrew “Boz” Bosworth told staff that 2025 is its “most critical” year for the Metaverse. In the memo Bosworth said, “”We need to drive sales, retention, and engagement across the board but especially in MR [Metaverse],” he said. He continued, “And Horizon Worlds on mobile absolutely has to break out for our long term plans to have a chance. If you don’t feel the weight of history on you then you aren’t paying attention. “This year likely determines whether this entire effort will go down as the work of visionaries or a legendary misadventure.” As reported by Business Insider, Meta’s Reality Labs reported a record $1.08 billion in revenue in Q4, however, it also had its biggest-ever quarterly loss of $4.97 billion. At the time of writing, the Meta Reality Labs division had accumulated a loss of $60 billion since 2020. To put things into perspective, the ENTIRE US video game industry spent $58.7 billion on games and hardware in 2024, a 1% decrease from 2023. The full memo to employee’s reads: 2025: The Year of Greatness Next year is going to be the most critical year in my 8 years at Reality Labs. We have the best portfolio of products we’ve ever had in market and are pushing our advantage by launching half a dozen more AI powered wearables. We need to drive sales, retention, and engagement across the board but especially in MR. And Horizon Worlds on mobile absolutely has to break out for our long term plans to have a chance. If you don’t feel the weight of history on you then you aren’t paying attention. This year likely determines whether this entire effort will go down as the work of visionaries or a legendary misadventure. I’ve been re-reading “Insanely Great,” Steven Levy’s history of the Macintosh computer. If you haven’t read it the book chronicles the incredible efforts of individuals working in teams of 1-3 to build a device that more than any other marked the consumer era of personal computing. What I find most fascinating about it is the way that even people who left the program on bad terms (it was not particularly well managed) speak about the work they did there with an immense sense of pride. There was a widespread cultural expectation, set by none other than a young Steve Jobs, that the work needed to be “insanely great.” On paper 2024 was our most successful year to date but we aren’t sitting around celebrating because know it isn’t enough. We haven’t actually made a dent in the world yet. The prize for good work is the opportunity to do great work. Greatness is our opportunity. We live in an incredible time of technological achievement and have placed ourselves at the center of it with our investments. There is a very good chance most of us will never get a chance like this again. Greatness is a choice. Many people have been at the precipice of opportunity and failed to achieve. For the most part they failed to even challenge themselves. You should be doing the best work of your career right now. You should be pushing yourself to grow where needed and doubling down on your strengths. When you look back on this time I want you to feel like you did everything in your power to make the most of it. You don’t need big teams to do great work. In fact, it may make it harder. One trend I’ve observed the last couple of years is that our smaller teams often go faster and achieve better results than our more generously funded teams. Not only that, they are much happier! In small teams there is no risk of falling into bad habits like design by committee. You should be so focused on results that being in a bunch of docs or meetings is too frustrating to bear. The path is clear. You don’t need to come up with a bunch of new ideas to do this great work. Most people in the organization just need to execute on the work laid out before them to succeed. It is about operational excellence. It is about master craftsmanship. It is about filling our products with “Give A Damn”. This is about having pride in our work. I will close with an Arnold Glasow quote: “Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.” 2025 is the year. Let’s be on fire. What do you think of the Metaverse? Do you think it can succeed with a $60 billion loss? Let us know on the Insider Gaming forum if you have any success. For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out everything we learned from the new Battlefield gameplay snippet SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #METAs #CTO #Metaverse #Legendary #Misadventure #Total #Loss #Exceeds #Billion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Labor commits $500,000 for Broome Port passenger terminal to boost tourism Labor commits $500,000 for Broome Port passenger terminal to boost tourism The Labor Government has committed $500,000 for the planning of a new passenger terminal for cruise ships at the Broome Port ahead of the State election in March Source link #Labor #commits #Broome #Port #passenger #terminal #boost #tourism Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Modern Love’ Podcast: He’s Gay. She’s Straight. They’re Newlyweds. ‘Modern Love’ Podcast: He’s Gay. She’s Straight. They’re Newlyweds. Jacob Hoff and Samantha Greenstone call their unlikely love “a soul connection.” Source link #Modern #Love #Podcast #Hes #Gay #Shes #Straight #Theyre #Newlyweds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

3 Stocks Estimated To Be Trading At Discounts Of Up To 42.6% 3 Stocks Estimated To Be Trading At Discounts Of Up To 42.6% In the midst of volatile global markets, characterized by fluctuating corporate earnings and competitive pressures in the AI sector, investors are keenly observing opportunities that may arise from recent developments. With central banks like the ECB reducing rates and the Fed maintaining its stance, market participants are considering stocks that might be trading below their intrinsic value. In this context, identifying undervalued stocks can offer potential advantages as they may provide a buffer against market turbulence while aligning with long-term investment strategies. Name Current Price Fair Value (Est) Discount (Est) Wistron (TWSE:3231) NT$102.00 NT$197.53 48.4% Alltop Technology (TPEX:3526) NT$270.50 NT$527.83 48.8% Decisive Dividend (TSXV:DE) CA$5.90 CA$11.79 50% Northwest Bancshares (NasdaqGS:NWBI) US$13.17 US$26.31 49.9% Emporiki Eisagogiki Aftokiniton Ditrohon kai Mihanon Thalassis Societe Anonyme (ATSE:MOTO) €2.72 €5.43 49.9% Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (OM:ERIC B) SEK83.22 SEK165.90 49.8% Spin Master (TSX:TOY) CA$30.23 CA$60.17 49.8% Coastal Financial (NasdaqGS:CCB) US$86.74 US$172.68 49.8% Equifax (NYSE:EFX) US$266.77 US$531.78 49.8% Facephi Biometria (BME:FACE) €2.23 €4.45 49.8% Click here to see the full list of 930 stocks from our Undervalued Stocks Based On Cash Flows screener. Let’s uncover some gems from our specialized screener. Overview: NBTM New Materials Group Co., Ltd. produces and sells powder metallurgy mechanical parts globally, with a market cap of CN¥10.61 billion. Operations: The company generates revenue from the production and ***** of powder metallurgy mechanical parts across international markets. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 42.6% NBTM New Materials Group, trading at CN¥18.33, is significantly undervalued with a fair value estimate of CN¥31.91. Despite its low dividend coverage by free cash flows, the company shows strong potential with earnings forecasted to grow 26.35% annually over the next three years, outpacing the ******** market average of 25.1%. However, debt coverage by operating cash flow remains a concern amidst robust revenue growth projections exceeding 20% per year. SHSE:600114 Discounted Cash Flow as at Feb 2025 Overview: Jiangxi Hongdu Aviation Industry Co., Ltd. operates in the aerospace sector, focusing on the manufacturing of aircraft and related products, with a market cap of CN¥22.04 billion. Story Continues Operations: The company generates its revenue of CN¥4.84 billion primarily from the production, processing, research and development, and services related to aviation products. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 37.3% Jiangxi Hongdu Aviation Industry, at CN¥32.11, is trading well below its fair value estimate of CN¥51.19, indicating significant undervaluation based on cash flows. Despite a forecasted low return on equity of 4% in three years, the company’s earnings are projected to grow substantially at 77% annually, surpassing market averages. Revenue growth is also expected to be robust at 33.6% per year, although recent profit margins have declined from last year’s figures. SHSE:600316 Discounted Cash Flow as at Feb 2025 Overview: Shenzhen Everwin Precision Technology Co., Ltd. operates in the precision manufacturing industry and has a market cap of CN¥25.24 billion. Operations: I’m sorry, but it seems that the revenue segment information is missing from the text you provided. If you can provide those details, I’d be happy to help summarize them for you. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 12.8% Shenzhen Everwin Precision Technology, priced at CN¥20.2, is trading below its estimated fair value of CN¥23.18, reflecting potential undervaluation based on cash flows. The company’s earnings are forecast to grow significantly at 26.1% annually, outpacing the market average of 25.1%. However, it carries a high level of debt and has a projected low return on equity of 17.2% in three years despite strong past earnings growth of 334.4%. SZSE:300115 Discounted Cash Flow as at Feb 2025 Access the full spectrum of 930 Undervalued Stocks Based On Cash Flows by clicking on this link. Got skin in the game with these stocks? Elevate how you manage them by using Simply Wall St’s portfolio, where intuitive tools await to help optimize your investment outcomes. Simply Wall St is your key to unlocking global market trends, a free user-friendly app for forward-thinking investors. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include SHSE:600114 SHSE:600316 and SZSE:300115. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email *****@*****.tld Source link #Stocks #Estimated #Trading #Discounts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meta to Show Labels for Ads That Have Been Significantly Edited Using AI Tools Meta to Show Labels for Ads That Have Been Significantly Edited Using AI Tools Meta announced a new transparency tool for its social media platforms on Monday. The company will now start showing labels indicating that an ad has used artificial intelligence (AI) tools to edit images or videos. This new AI label will be shown on all Meta platforms that display ads, including Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. These labels will either be shown in the three-dot menu next to the post or underneath the brand name — depending on how extreme the AI usage is. In a newsroom post, the social media giant detailed the new transparency tool. The company said that it began working on these labels last year, but now, it is implementing them more clearly so that users can be informed about the digital enhancements being shown. Meta said that these labels will appear on ads that have been created or edited using its in-house generative AI tools. However, the company did not mention whether the labels will appear on ads that use third-party AI tools to alter the content. These AI labels will appear in either of two places depending on the severity of AI usage — behind the three-dot menu or next to the “Sponsored” label. If an ad contains images or videos that have been “significantly edited using Meta’s AI tools,” it can appear in either of the places depending on the extent and enhancements made. However, if an ad uses an AI-generated photorealistic human, it will only show up next to the “Sponsored” label. Meta’s AI label will appear as “AI info”, which can be clicked to display additional information. On tapping the label, a bottom sheet appears that states the details of how the content was altered using AI. The page also includes a general description of generative AI. The social media giant added that it plans to share more information on its approach to labelling ad images made or edited with non-Meta generative AI tools. The company will add future transparency tools around AI after consulting experts, advertisers, policy stakeholders, and industry partners. Source link #Meta #Show #Labels #Ads #Significantly #Edited #Tools Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Book Review: ‘How the World Eats,’ by Julian Baggini Book Review: ‘How the World Eats,’ by Julian Baggini One of his frequent themes is that organic practices do not work well for all crops in all places, and have little chance of cranking out enough food for the whole planet, while high-tech intensive farming isn’t always as harmful as critics make it out to be. Nitrogen fertilizers derived from fossil fuels are anathema to environmentalists, but Baggini argues that synthetic fertilizers “could be produced indefinitely using renewable energy.” No-till agriculture, which relies on highly mechanized equipment for sowing seeds and applying pesticide, can make for healthier soil. Shades of gray like these don’t often creep into our conversations about modern food networks. It’s welcome to get a tour of the food world from a writer who is not in any camp except that of reason. At times Baggini’s evenhandedness can be tough on the reader, who has to slalom through pages on which nearly every sentence is staked with “but,” “still” or “however.” More seriously, some of his conclusions are striking in their blandness. After walking us through the commodity markets’ exploitation of those coffee and cacao workers, many of whom are essentially enslaved, he concludes: “A more equitable food world should be everyone’s goal, but realistic reform requires a fairer commodity market, not its abolition. That is easier said than done.” A high tolerance for nuance can be more helpful in tracing the shape of a problem than in figuring out solutions. Here is where the cosmic scope of Baggini’s project comes back to bite him. Describing child slavery, cultured meat, deforestation, caged chickens, gene editing and zoonotic disease outbreaks is one thing. Wrapping all of them — and much more — into what he calls “a theoretically coherent and conceptually clear whole” is something else entirely, and at times “How the World Eats” seems like a “Key to All Mythologies” written for people who buy fair-trade coffee beans. If one thread runs through all the networks Baggini invokes, invisibly molding and directing them, it’s power: corporate power, obviously, but also the power of governments, NGOs, commodities markets and throngs of consumers. He recognizes this, but never quite wrestles with it, though he does admit that “the question of where power lies in any system is always important.” As critiques of institutional forces go, this is not exactly Foucault. Baggini’s research into how the world works turns out to be more interesting than his reflections on what it all means. But for eaters with an appetite for facts, there is much to enjoy. The abstract ideas are meant to be the point, but it’s the concrete details that make “How the World Eats” absorbing. HOW THE WORLD EATS: A Global Food Philosophy | By Julian Baggini | Pegasus | 443 pp. | $30 Source link #Book #Review #World #Eats #Julian #Baggini Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gen Z workers are craving more in-person interaction: survey Gen Z workers are craving more in-person interaction: survey “They’re not looking to hide behind screens; they’re actively seeking opportunities to build interpersonal skills and meaningful professional relationships. This generation has a sophisticated understanding of when technology helps and when it hinders real connection,” says Freeman CEO Janet Dell. Hobo_018 | E+ | Getty Images Gen Z workers often get flak for the remote working trend, but a survey has found that they want more in-person interaction. Some 91% of Gen Z workers say it would be nice to have a balance between virtual and in-person opportunities to connect with others at their company and in their industry, according to a recent survey of 1,824 U.S. adults in white-collar jobs by Harris Poll on behalf of global events company Freeman. The youngest generation at work feels that connecting with people in person is valuable. The survey found that 91% of Gen Z also agree that in-person events are some of the best ways to build social and interpersonal skills. Most (89%) of Gen Z agree that relationships built during in-person events are critical to building professional confidence and 86% agree that attending in-person events is key to career development. A desire to improve their communication skills is partly why Gen Z workers are so keen to attend more in-person events. Many young people studied virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic and started their first jobs working remotely, which stalled some of their soft skills, such as networking and navigating interpersonal dynamics. Only around two in five Gen Zers surveyed expressed high confidence in networking with people in their industry or building strong business relationships. Meanwhile, 82% of Gen Z say they want to feel more comfortable expressing themselves and being with others in person, while 79% say it’s their goal to be able to interact with people more “in the real world.” And they’re blaming technology for their problems. Over two-thirds of Gen Z say tech has made them feel less connected and more isolated from others at their company and in their industry. Nearly 80% said companies focus more on tech to “connect to” people rather than fostering “in-person connections.” Overall, Gen Zers want to see their company allocate more spending on events to help them build stronger business relationships. Older generations have pinned the rise of remote work on Gen Z professionals, citing a lack of work ethic and discipline. British businessman Lord Alan Sugar, 77, recently said that young workers “just want to sit at home,” and that they need to come back to the office. “It’s small things, like interaction with your more mature colleagues, that will tell you how to do this, how to do that,” Lord Sugar told the BBC. “That is lacking in this work-from-home, zoom culture.” However, Freeman CEO Janet Dell told CNBC Make It via email that these sentiments have been proven untrue. “This research completely upends that narrative. The data shows Gen Z isn’t driving a purely digital revolution — they’re actually advocating for a more thoughtful integration of digital and face-to-face interactions,” Dell said. “They’re not looking to hide behind screens; they’re actively seeking opportunities to build interpersonal skills and meaningful professional relationships. This generation has a sophisticated understanding of when technology helps and when it hinders real connection,” Dell added. Source link #Gen #workers #craving #inperson #interaction #survey Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Steven Ogg Finally Made His Stance Clear on Hating Trevor From GTA 5 Debate Steven Ogg Finally Made His Stance Clear on Hating Trevor From GTA 5 Debate In the video game industry, Steven Ogg is most recognized for his voice acting as Trevor Philips, one of the three playable characters in GTA 5. One of the most adored characters in Grand Theft Auto 5 is Trevor, the game’s resident wildcard. Many fans have hoped that Trevor will return in the breathless speculation surrounding everything GTA 6. But so far, he hasn’t made any recordings. Trevor was one of the three main protagonists in GTA 5. | Credit: Rockstar Games. However, the unreal popularity of that lunatic character made his life centered on a single point, where his identity became Trevor and not Steven Ogg. Still, he never held any grudge toward this fan-favorite character of the last GTA title. Steven Ogg never hated Trevor or GTA 5 Steven Ogg thinks Trevor is a great character. | Credit: Rockstar Games. When GTA 5 came out, Ogg was a relatively unknown actor, but he soon gained notoriety. Anyone who had played Grand Theft Auto 5 could instantly recognize him thanks to his distinctive appearance and lavish portrayal of Trevor Phillips. People would see Trevor when he started to appear in other shows like The Walking Dead and Better Call Saul. As a result, people started referring to him as Trevor when they saw him in public, asking him to speak in character when he made cameos for other people, and more. Videos of him eventually surfaced that appeared to indicate he hated Trevor, GTA 5, or at the very least, the publicity that accompanied that project. However, that is not the case. In a podcast with actor Michael Rosenbaum, this is what Ogg stated: Everyone was saying ‘Oh he hates being called Trevor’ and it’s probably because I said to someone that my name’s not Trevor. I’m sure at some point I said ‘What are you fu**ing talking about?’ Then it became this thing that he hates Trevor, he hates GTA, don’t call him Trevor, he’ll freak out! He’s a great character, he’s awesome. Shawn and Ned, we’re friends and we were just doing a Comic-**** this past weekend. Those kinds of comments don’t bother me because I’m like, you don’t fu**ing know me. This is likely to have happened to many actors, particularly those who portrayed a single character that really took off and aren’t as well-known for their other roles. With GTA 5, Ogg’s career really took off, and he was expected to return as Trevor in a DLC and make appearances in various GTA Online updates, so he probably appreciates the role. When asked if he would play Trevor in Grand Theft Auto 6 again, Steven Ogg replied that he would, but only if he was killed off at the beginning of the game. This would be somewhat poetic and reminiscent of Trevor’s treatment of Johnny in Grand Theft Auto 4, but who knows if Rockstar intends to eliminate him? Will Trevor be seen in GTA 6? Trevor’s appearance in GTA 6 is highly unlikely. | Credit: Rockstar Games. As of now, we don’t have any idea if there will be any connections between the storylines of GTA 5 or GTA 6. But as the Grand Theft Auto franchise is renowned for bringing back old characters, it won’t be a surprise if the company does the same with Trevor as well. Even Steven Ogg himself wants Trevor to get killed at the very beginning of GTA 6 so that the fan-favorite character would get a befitting tribute. This is what Ogg said in an interview with Screen Rant: “I wish it would be fun if Trevor appeared in it just to be killed at the beginning. I think that would be cool because it also acknowledges the fans of like, ‘Hey, thank you.’ Pass the torch, stomp Trevor’s head in, and sort of put an end to that and allow a new generation to take over.“ While expressing his wish, Ogg makes a reference to Johnny Kleibitz. Kleibitz was a minor character from GTA 4: The Lost and the Damned DLC who made a small appearance during the introductory scene of Trevor in GTA 5, just to be killed by the latter on the spot. Bringing a huge character from the previous game would be a bit complicated for Rockstar as all the returning characters from the past were almost minor ones. According to Ogg as well, it doesn’t look like Trevor will return in GTA 6 by any means, so his pitch will remain just like that. However, this would have been a perfect way to bid adieu to this popular character who set the tone for the previous game. This idea of Ogg could have worked thematically with the plot of the upcoming game as well. Source link #Steven #Ogg #Finally #Stance #Clear #Hating #Trevor #GTA #Debate Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pub Stays in Britain: Food, Lodging and Hanging Out With Locals Pub Stays in Britain: Food, Lodging and Hanging Out With Locals To my right, two 70-something regulars at the Exhibition pub in York, England, peppered me with questions on American politics, taught me how to recognize a fresh pint of beer (it should leave a path of foam on the glass) and invited me next door for a curry at their favorite Indian restaurant. To my left, a middle-aged couple visiting from Manchester recommended the pub’s burger and identified the gaggle of college-age men in vintage golf attire — replete with tams and argyle prints — as playing “pub golf,” a drinking contest that involves hitting 18 pubs. This easy camaraderie was the byproduct of checking into a pub with accommodations. A pub stay offers the hotel-like convenience of on-site room and board with a bar-like following among the local community. Challenged by everything from inflation to remote work patterns, many pub owners say renting rooms is increasingly important to their survival. The British Beer and Pub Association estimates there are roughly 45,000 pubs across Britain, down about 2,000 pubs since 2019. The online platform I used to find the Exhibition, Stay in a Pub, lists more than 1,600 establishments with lodgings throughout Britain, which are searchable by facilities, activities and price (averaging 100 to 300 pounds a night, or roughly $125 to $375, usually including breakfast and taxes). Sophie Braybrooke, the chief executive of Stay in a Pub, describes a pub stay as more social than an Airbnb and less insular than a traditional bed and breakfast, with authentic British flair. “It’s easy to walk into a pub, **** someone’s dog and suddenly you’re in a conversation,” Ms. Braybrooke said. And in Britain, where many pubs with rooms are hundreds of years old, the establishment usually comes with a story — sometimes a ghost story. A long history Though it’s unknown how many pubs offer lodgings, stays in them have a long history. In 1577, according to Paul Jennings, a British historian and the author of “The Local: A History of the English Pub,” Queen Elizabeth I ordered a survey that divided drinking establishments into three categories: inns, which offered lodgings for people and their horses; taverns, devoted to serving wine; and alehouses. “Alehouses were everyday drinking places ordinary men and women went to,” Mr. Jennings said. “The ordinary alehouse evolved into the ‘public alehouse,’ then ‘public house,’ then ‘pub.’” By 1870, Britain had over 118,000 pubs, according to Mr. Jennings. Historically, pubs often provided lodgings for people who couldn’t afford inns. Over the years, the line dividing inns and pubs has blurred and many pubs have gone upscale. (The Oak & Poppy in London’s northwestern Hampstead area, for example, offers two stylish rooms that were recently priced at £400 a night.) A source for rural stays In 2013, Paul Nunny, who worked in brewing and founded a quality accreditation certification for pubs called Cask Marque, realized travelers who might enjoy pub stays had no easy way of finding establishments with rooms. He founded Stay in a Pub as a directory, which expanded with a robust website and a curated selection of pubs in 2019, just before the pandemic froze travel and shuttered pubs. Stay in a Pub isn’t the only resource. The website English Country Inns includes pub stays, and the Good Hotel Guide, which reviews hotels, maintains an “editor’s choice” list of pubs with lodgings. There are also pub hotel groups such as Fuller’s, which has 31 pubs with rooms across England. The brewery Young’s operates 40 pubs with rooms in London and southeast England. Some listings overlap with Stay in a Pub, which operates on a membership basis but features many nonmember pubs that are chosen for geographic diversity or acclaim. One Stay in a Pub member, the Bell in Ticehurst in East Sussex, about a two-hour drive south of London, dates to the 16th century and houses seven bedrooms (from £118). The pub’s quirky décor includes bowler hats used as lampshades. “We are quite remote,” said Rae Barnes, the reception and revenue manager of the Bell in Ticehurst. “People looking for something homey and friendly will go to Stay in a Pub if they’re not familiar with the area.” Downy beds, sloping floors Unfamiliar with much of the country, I used Stay in a Pub to book the Exhibition and the Swan Hotel on the River Thames in Staines, about a 15-minute taxi ride from London’s Heathrow Airport, and convenient to Windsor Castle. The Swan is named for the tradition of swan upping, historically an avian census conducted by the royal family on a stretch of the Thames. Since the 12th century, the monarchy has maintained the right to all mute swans — once a source of food, now a protected species — in the wilds of Britain. The ceremonial upping, which takes place annually in July, serves as a health inspection. Built in the 16th century, the three-story whitewashed pub, run by the Fuller’s hotel group, offers a historic setting for 15 refurbished rooms upstairs. My cozy room (£179), which had a downy bed, espresso machine, Bluetooth speaker and furnished balcony overlooking the river, testified to its age only in its sloping floor. After a late afternoon walk along the river, I joined local fans in the ground-level pub for a televised soccer match and a pint of Fuller’s Frontier lager (Fuller’s sold its brewing operation to Asahi, which continues to brew under the Fuller’s name, in 2019). When a large group of office colleagues thronged the bar, making it impossible to continue talking to the dog owner next to me, I moved to the neighboring dining room for a comforting meal of chicken with tarragon risotto (£16.50) as I watched the light dim on the Thames. Though I left too early for the full English breakfast (there’s also a plant-based version) included in my room rate, I appreciated the Swan’s one-stop appeal as a community magnet, quality restaurant and boutique hotel at one atmospheric address. Stays with a story In York, a stone’s throw from the Roman walls that ring the medieval center of the northern English city, the Exhibition’s story starts in 1702 when it was constructed as a private home. The rear beer garden and parking lot once hosted stables and servants’ quarters. It had been a pub for many years before Shuni Davies and her husband, Danny, bought it more than 40 years ago. They added the beer garden and food and gradually renovated two upper floors as their living quarters plus six rooms to rent. “The two floors were derelict with no windows and full of pigeons,” Ms. Davies said. Now the halls are filled with framed memorabilia, including a flyer listing “Rules of the Inn” from 1786. One of the rules: “Flintlocks, cudgels, daggers and swords to be handed to the Innkeeper for safekeeping.” Tidy, comfortable and soundproofed from the pub below, my room, named Victoria (£115), had a bed piled with pillows. In the morning, a generous complimentary breakfast — I chose poached eggs on avocado toast — was served in the conservatory that juts into the beer garden. I never sensed anything spectral, though Ms. Davies later told me that a former guest had once emerged from the shower to find all the paintings on the guest room’s walls taken down and leaning against the bed. “He ran down with just a towel around his waist,” she said, adding that she’s never been spooked at the Exhibition. “It’s got a warm and friendly feeling. Even the ghosts are friendly.” Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2025. Source link #Pub #Stays #Britain #Food #Lodging #Hanging #Locals Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Dark and Darker Mobile has just soft launched in the United States and Canada Dark and Darker Mobile has just soft launched in the United States and Canada The dungeon crawler has just soft launched in the US and Canada Hop into the medieval extraction adventure Global release planned in the second half of the year Dark and Darker Mobile is making its debut tonight, with a soft launch set for 7:00 pm ET in the US and Canada. Available now for free on both Android and iOS, this adaptation brings the core of the PC experience to your phone, while introducing new mechanics designed specifically for mobile. If you’re familiar with Dark and Darker, you’ll find the same mix of dungeon crawling and extraction-based survival. Escaping with your treasure is the goal, but the real challenge is surviving long enough to do it. You’ll be exploring dark, dangerous dungeons filled with monsters, traps, and rival adventurers eager to steal your hard-earned loot. What sets the mobile version apart are new features tailored for on-the-go play. AI-controlled Sidekicks will act as powerful companions for solo adventurers. There are also PvE-only and PvP-only dungeons, giving you more control over the type of encounters you face. For even greater challenges, endgame dungeons promise exclusive rewards for completing tougher battles. You’ll have a range of classes to choose from, each with distinct skills. The Wizard harnesses elemental magic for devastating attacks, while the Barbarian relies on brute force with heavy, two-handed weapons. The Cleric balances support and combat, providing healing when your party needs it most. Fighters excel in frontline roles with sword and shield, Rangers dominate from a distance with precise archery, and Rogues specialize in stealth, dealing lethal blows from the shadows. If you’ve just begun, be sure to redeem these Dark and Darker promo codes! Updates are also already in the works, including changes to the Darkswarm system, revised escape mechanics, and adjustments to dungeon structures to support party play. Class differentiation will also improve, with new combat mechanics and a broader range of weapons and skills in the works. Don’t worry if you’re outside North America and the wait won’t be long. A global release is set for the first half of this year. Get started now by downloading Dark and Darker Mobile by clicking on your preferred link below. Visit the official website for more information. Source link #Dark #Darker #Mobile #soft #launched #United #States #Canada Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

AI ‘godfather’ predicts another revolution in the tech in next five years | Artificial intelligence (AI) AI ‘godfather’ predicts another revolution in the tech in next five years | Artificial intelligence (AI) One of the “godfathers” of modern artificial intelligence has predicted a further revolution in the technology by the end of the decade, and says current systems are too limited to create domestic robots and fully automated cars. Yann LeCun, the chief AI scientist at Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, said new breakthroughs are needed in order for the systems to understand and interact with the physical world. LeCun spoke as one of seven engineers who were awarded the £500,000 Queen Elizabeth prize for engineering on Tuesday for their contributions to machine learning, a cornerstone of AI. Recent breakthroughs in the sector, led by the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot, have heightened expectations – and fears – of systems gaining human levels of intelligence. However, LeCun said there was some way to go before AIs matched humans or animals, with the current cutting-edge technology excelling at “manipulating language” but not at understanding the physical world. “There are still a lot of scientific and technological challenges ahead, and it’s very likely that there’s going to be yet another AI revolution over the next three to five years because of the limitation of current systems,” he said. “If we want eventually to build things like domestic robots and completely autonomous cars, we need systems to understand the real world.” LeCun is working on systems that attempt to “understand” physical reality by forming a model that can predict how the world behaves. On current progress in AI, he said: “We’re not talking about matching the level of humans yet. If we get a system that is as smart as a cat or a rat, that would be a victory.” However, LeCun’s fellow QEPrize winner and AI “godfather”, Yoshua Bengio, warned more progress was needed on the technology’s safety and called on next week’s global AI summit in Paris to grasp the issue. “I’d like to see the leaders of this world to better understand the magnitude of what we are doing, both in terms of the power we’re creating, which could be for good or be dangerous, and the risks that come with that power,” he said. In 2018, Bengio and LeCun shared the Turing award – seen as the equivalent of a Nobel prize for computing – with Geoffrey Hinton, who was also announced as a QEPrize winner on Tuesday. The award comes after AI pioneers won two Nobel prizes last year. They included Hinton – who shared the Nobel for physics with another recipient of this year’s QEPrize, the US physicist John Hopfield – and the Google DeepMind scientists among the winners of the chemistry prize. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we’ll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Machine learning is a core process in developing AIs. Instead of being instructed directly, computers “learn” by analysing data and then making informed decisions or predictions – such as what will be the next in a sequence of words. The other winners of the 2025 QEPrize are: Fei-Fei Li, the ********-American computer scientist who created ImageNet, a crucial dataset for training AIs to recognise objects; Jensen Huang, the chief executive of Nvidia, the lead maker of chips used in operating and training AI systems; and Bill Dally, the chief scientist at Nvidia. Patrick Vallance, the chair of the QEPrize foundation and the *** science minister, said the impact of machine learning was being felt across “industries, economies, and the planet”. The annual prize recognises engineers whose innovations have a “significant impact on billions of lives around the world”, he said. Source link #godfather #predicts #revolution #tech #years #Artificial #intelligence Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia counters AMD DeepSeek AI benchmarks, claims RTX 4090 is nearly 50% faster than 7900 XTX Nvidia counters AMD DeepSeek AI benchmarks, claims RTX 4090 is nearly 50% faster than 7900 XTX When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Nvidia After getting beaten by the Radeon RX 7900 XTX in DeepSeek AI benchmarks that AMD published, Nvidia has come back swinging, claiming its RTX 5090 and RTX 4090 GPUs are significantly faster than the RDNA 3 flagship. Nvidia countered in a blog post that the RTX 5090 is up to 2.2x faster than the RX 7900 XTX. Nvidia benchmarked the RTX 5090, RTX 4090, and RX 7900 XTX in three DeepSeek R1 AI model versions, using Distill Qwen 7b, Llama 8b, and Qwen 32b. Using the Qwen LLM with the 32b parameter, the RTX 5090 was allegedly 124% faster, and the RTX 4090 47% faster than the RX 7900 XTX. Using Llama 8b, the RTX 5090 was 106% faster, and the RTX 4090 was 47% faster than the RX 7900 XTX. Using Qwen 7b, the RTX 5090 was 103% quicker, and the RTX 4090 was 46% more performant than the RX 7900 XTX. Credit: Nvidia Nvidia’s results are a slap in the face to AMD’s own benchmarks featuring the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080. The RX 7900 XTX was faster than both Ada Lovelace GPUs except for one instance, where it was a few percent slower than the RTX 4090. The RX 7900 XTX was up to 113% quicker and 134% faster than the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080, respectively, according to AMD. Nvidia provides a significantly different picture with the RTX 4090, showing that the RTX 4090 is considerably faster than the RX 7900 XTX, not the other way around. The icing on the cake (for Nvidia) is that the RTX 5090 more than doubled the RTX 4090’s performance results, thoroughly crushing the RX 7900 XTX. This is a good reminder to take manufacturer-provided benchmark results with a pinch of salt. Nvidia’s results might not even be correct, but regardless, AMD and Nvidia provide results that contradict each other. DeepSeek R1 is a new AI model that has blown away the industry, providing competitive performance with the best AI models out there but requiring 11 times less computing power. DeepSeek’s incredible achievement was solely responsible for Nvidia losing nearly $600 billion in market capital in a single day. Source link #Nvidia #counters #AMD #DeepSeek #benchmarks #claims #RTX #faster #XTX Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NZBGet | TechRadar NZBGet | TechRadar NZBGet is a free, open-source NZB downloader known for its speed, lightweight design, and extensive configuration options. It’s compatible across desktops (Windows, Linux, Mac) and devices like NAS systems, routers, and media players, making it easy to integrate into nearly any setup. Docker images are also available for popular architectures, allowing for easy deployment across a wide range of systems. A browser-based interface makes it easy to manage and monitor downloads from any device. For advanced users, NZBGet has automation tools, including support for custom scripts, RSS filters, and RPC API for in-depth configuration to streamline large-scale downloads and automate much of the process. To access Usenet newsgroups with NZBGet, you’ll need a Usenet subscription. Check out our best Usenet provider guide for our recommended options. Features Wide compatibility: NZBGet isn’t limited to desktops—it also runs on NAS devices, routers, and media players, allowing it to run with nearly any setup. Docker images: Easily deploy NZBGet on a wide range of systems using Docker images for popular architectures. Browser-based interface: Manage NZBGet from any browser, making it easy to control downloads from your PC, phone, or tablet. Resource-efficient: NZBGet uses as little as 32MB of RAM, ideal for low-powered or older devices without compromising performance. Fast downloads with repair capabilities: Includes intelligent PAR (Parity) file verification and multi-core repair, quickly recovering incomplete files and minimizing download issues. Advanced automation: Supports custom automation through scripts, RSS filters, and an RPC API for full control over the download process. Actively maintained and updated: Regular updates bring new features and optimizations, making NZBGet one of the most modern and up-to-date NZB downloaders. (Image credit: NZBGet) Performance NZBGet is one of the fastest NZB downloaders available, performing well even on low-end hardware. It uses minimal resources, making it a solid choice for devices with limited processing power or memory, such as NAS devices, routers, and other low-power systems where efficiency is key. Features like multi-core repair and automatic retry handling ensure that downloads remain smooth and uninterrupted, even when dealing with incomplete or corrupt files. NZBGet can recover and repair these files in the background without requiring manual intervention. Installation and Setup The installation process is straightforward, with versions available for different platforms. On desktops, simply download and run the installer. Setting up on NAS devices or routers requires more technical knowledge, but the official NZBGet website has manuals to guide you through both installation and custom configuration. Once installed, NZBGet’s browser-based interface makes the initial setup quick and easy. Users can configure download folders, adjust server settings, and customize preferences. Adding Your Usenet Server Settings: To begin downloading, you’ll need to add your Usenet server settings. Here’s how to do it: Open NZBGet’s browser Interface: Open NZBGet in your web browser. Navigate to Settings: Click on the “Settings” button in the top menu, then go to ‘NEWS-SERVERS’. Add Server Information: In the “NEWS-SERVERS” enter your Usenet provider’s details, including the server address, port, and the username and password for your Usenet account. Test Connection: After entering the server information, click “Test Connection” to make sure NZBGet successfully connects to the Usenet server. Save Settings: Once the connection is successful, click “Save all changes” to store your server settings. (Image credit: NZBGet) Pricing NZBGet is free and open-source, with no costs or premium tiers. You can download the software directly from the official website or the NZBGet GitHub page. Support Extensive setup guides and documentation are available on the NZBGet website that covers installation, configuration, and troubleshooting. There is also an active NZBGet Discord channel where users can ask questions, share tips, and get support from the community. Final Verdict NZBGet is one of the best NZB downloaders, and it’s free. Beginners will appreciate its simple setup and interface, while intermediate and advanced users will like the customizability and automation capabilities. Whether you’re running it on a dedicated NAS, an older PC, or a low-powered device, NZBGet’s performance and flexibility make it a top choice. Source link #NZBGet #TechRadar Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Shutdown anxiety rises on Capitol Hill amid Trump chaos Shutdown anxiety rises on Capitol Hill amid Trump chaos The president in charge during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has returned to the White House, current government funding expires in less than six weeks — and on Capitol Hill, people are nervous. It’s not just President Donald Trump’s history of leading the country through a 35-day funding lapse that has lawmakers worried about his appetite for another one in March. It’s also that Trump’s actions in his first two weeks back in office are stifling bipartisan negotiations toward a funding deal as the president — and his “government efficiency” chief, Elon Musk — work to bulldoze the federal bureaucracy while freezing billions of dollars Congress already enacted and firing federal workers. “I don’t think anybody thinks a shutdown is a good thing. But the politics are such that we could certainly stumble into one without meaning to,” House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, said in a brief interview Tuesday. The new president’s truculent first days in office have created an especially unfavorable climate on Capitol Hill for landing any cross-party accord, whether that’s a “grand funding deal” ahead of the government shutdown deadline or an agreement to lift the debt limit to prevent the U.S. from defaulting on more than $36 trillion in loans in the coming months. While the Democratic leader in the House demands that Trump’s funding freeze be “choked off” as part of any funding agreement, Republican lawmakers say it will be Democrats who take the fall for causing a funding lapse if they hold that line. And so the shutdown blame game begins again. “The president issued an executive order to curb spending. I highly doubt Republicans are going to rescind that. I don’t see that happening,” Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), the chair of the House Republican Conference, said late Tuesday. “That’s on Dems if they want to shut it down.” Behind closed doors, Cole and Congress’ other three top appropriations are trying to strike a bipartisan deal on the first step toward funding the government by the March 14 deadline: One overall spending total for the military and another for non-defense programs. From there, it usually takes at least a month to negotiate and finalize the dozen individual funding bills. The clock is ticking fast. The exasperated Democrats sitting opposite Cole at the negotiating table say any good faith agreement with their GOP counterparts is meaningless if Trump disregards the will of Congress by using “impoundment” to withhold funding they pass into law. “If the White House is not going to honor an agreement and use impoundment, then it is hard to come to agreement,” Washington Sen. Patty Murray, the Senate’s top Democratic appropriator, said in a brief interview Tuesday. Democrats want Trump to unfreeze foreign aid and billions of dollars already promised to federal contractors and local governments, while also stopping Musk from dismantling agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development. They also want Trump to promise he will sign into law — and then actually follow — whatever bipartisan funding deal they might strike in the coming weeks, especially after he and Musk goaded GOP leaders into disavowing the December spending package all parties had previously approved. “We need assurances. That’s all I’m going to say,” Murray said. Congress’ four funding leaders — Murray and Cole, along with Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins and the House’s top Democratic appropriator, Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut — all praised each other’s efforts. “Everybody in the room of goodwill, wanted to move forward” is how DeLauro described the ongoing funding negotiations between the so-called “four corners.” But DeLauro is also wary. “Don’t tell me that all bets are off. That we’re going to come to a deal … and then all of a sudden Elon Musk or some other self-subscribed unchecked billionaire decides it’s not to his liking. Hell no.” Trump already learned lessons on the toll of a government shutdown in late 2018 and early 2019, when funding to parts of the federal government lapsed for five weeks while he faced off with Democrats in Congress over funding for the border wall. It was a fight Trump ended up losing. “I actually don’t think Donald Trump — having been through it — I don’t think he found it rewarding,” Sen. Kevin Cramer said Tuesday. “So I think he’s pretty serious about getting something done.” The North Dakota Republican also noted the other main factor at play: the current fury of lawmakers in the ********* party who have the power to tank a funding bill they don’t like given the narrow GOP majorities in both chambers. In the House, especially, are a number of fiscal conservatives who never vote for funding bills, no matter what. It means any funding bill will require Democratic support to pass. “God, I hope that doesn’t happen. I mean, I really don’t,” Cramer said of the prospects of a government shutdown in March. “The Democrats aren’t in much of a mood to help.” If top lawmakers can’t come to an agreement to keep the government funded, or if Trump bucks that deal, the new president would have some control over what federal efforts would continue beyond the March 14 deadline. Trying to stem some of the public impact of the partial government shutdown in 2019, his administration tapped into park entrance fees to keep national parks open, a move federal watchdogs found in violation of the law. With Musk empowered now to compel entire government offices to shed staff or shutter entirely, the stakes are higher for what a federal funding lapse could entail this time around. The effects are also, generally speaking, more difficult to quell the longer a government shutdown lasts, as benefit payments like SNAP food assistance are eventually withheld. “These things get worse and worse and worse the longer they go on,” said Bobby Kogan, who served during the Biden administration as adviser to the White House budget director. Kogan, who now works for the liberal Center for American Progress, said he is “skeptical of the idea that Trump will deliberately shut us down as another way to stop spending, because shutdowns are deeply unpopular.” But Trump’s funding freeze and unwillingness to abide by funding caps enacted two years ago under then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden create a “real risk.” Katherine Tully-McManus contributed to this report. Source link #Shutdown #anxiety #rises #Capitol #Hill #Trump #chaos Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

What is Cristiano Ronaldo at 40? – The Athletic What is Cristiano Ronaldo at 40? – The Athletic What is Cristiano Ronaldo at 40? The AthleticCristiano Ronaldo’s career on his 40th birthday ESPNCristiano Ronaldo at 40: FA Cup goals for Manchester United BBC.com’Football dreams & a business empire’ – Ronaldo’s relentless drive at 40 MSNCristiano Ronaldo at 40: Superstar admits ‘my friends tell me I have no life’ as he celebrates landmark birthd Daily Mail Source link #Cristiano #Ronaldo #Athletic Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google parent Alphabet’s earnings disappoint Wall Street amid stiff AI competition | Alphabet Google parent Alphabet’s earnings disappoint Wall Street amid stiff AI competition | Alphabet Shares of Google’s parent company Alphabet fell more than 6% after the company reported a slight miss in expected revenue on Tuesday. The company reported $96.5bn, compared with analyst expectations of $96.67 bn. The company surpassed investors’ expectations of $2.13 in earnings per share, however, with $2.15 in EPS. “Q4 was a strong quarter driven by our leadership in AI and momentum across the business,” Alphabet chief executive Sundar Pichai wrote in a statement. “We are building, testing, and launching products and models faster than ever, and making significant progress in compute and driving efficiencies.” The company reported $84bn in its services revenue, which includes Google search and YouTube ads and $12bn in Cloud revenues, a 30% increase year over year. As competition heats up in various sectors of Alphabet’s business, analysts will be looking for more details about a wide range of topics including the company’s AI spending, its Cloud revenue, and its ability to continue to bolster its search advantage against new and existing generative AI players such as China’s DeepSeek and OpenAI. The company’s revenue slowdown reflects the “challenging year” Google has had and 2025 might be the year that it loses its competitive edge, according to Emarketer senior analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf. “Although it’s still well insulated, Google’s advantages in search hinge on its ubiquity and entrenched consumer behavior,” Mitchell-Wolf said in a statement. This year “could be the year those advantages meaningfully erode as antitrust enforcement and open source AI models change the game. And Cloud’s disappointing results suggest that AI-powered momentum might be beginning to wane just as Google’s closed model strategy is called into question by DeepSeek.” Alphabet also said it plans to spend $75bn on capital expenditures in the next year, largely to build out its artificial intelligence capabilities and infrastructure. “Our results show the power of our differentiated full-stack approach to AI innovation and the continued strength of our core businesses,” Pichai wrote. “We are confident about the opportunities ahead, and to accelerate our progress, we expect to invest approximately $75 billion in capital expenditures in 2025.” Spending on building out AI infrastructure and development has continued to rise across the industry, and Alphabet is expected to be no exception. Meta said it planned to spend $65bn on AI infrastructure just in 2025. That’s partly why news of Deepseek’s AI model, which the company said they trained with just $5.6m, sparked investor panic in the US and erased $1tn from the stock market. But research firm SemiAnalysis now estimates that DeepSeek actually spent a total of almost $1.3bn. Analysts will be looking to hear how this has impacted the way Alphabet look at its own spending and monetizing its AI search features. skip past newsletter promotion A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion “It will be interesting how the rising costs of AI impact Alphabet’s roadmap for AI-integrated advertising, especially in light of DeepSeek’s revelation that they may have wasted tremendous money and energy,” said Nikhil Lai, senior analyst at Forrester. The company appears to also be opening the door to develop AI for more use cases, including for national security. Moments before the company reported its earnings, the company also removed its pledge not to use its AI technology for weapons, surveillance and technology that can “cause or are likely to cause overall harm”. In a blog post, Google’s head of AI, Demis Hassabis, and the company’s senior vice-president for technology and society, James Manyika, wrote that as global competition for AI leadership increases, the company believes “democracies should lead in AI development” which are guided by “freedom, equality, and respect for human rights”. “And we believe that companies, governments, and organizations sharing these values should work together to create AI that protects people, promotes global growth, and supports national security.” Analysts will also likely have questions about the Department of Justice case against the search giant, in which the tech giant suffered landmark loss. A judge found the company maintained a monopoly in general search and text advertising services. The justice department has suggested breaking up the company as a means to remedy this. China has also set its sights on Google. After the Trump administration announced it was imposing tariffs on China, China responded by announcing a range of measures including a new inquiry into whether Google violated the country’s anti-monopoly law. Source link #Google #parent #Alphabets #earnings #disappoint #Wall #Street #stiff #competition #Alphabet Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Paddler Amy Ralph able to compete after recovering prosthetic leg stolen from Bayswater beach Paddler Amy Ralph able to compete after recovering prosthetic leg stolen from Bayswater beach A WA para-canoe athlete whose prosthetic leg was stolen and then allegedly sold for ‘a can of coke and a pie’ is just relieved she will be able to compete interstate next week after the leg was recovered. Source link #Paddler #Amy #Ralph #compete #recovering #prosthetic #leg #stolen #Bayswater #beach Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Activists critical of Italian PM may have had their phones targeted by Paragon spyware, says WhatsApp | WhatsApp Activists critical of Italian PM may have had their phones targeted by Paragon spyware, says WhatsApp | WhatsApp The Italian founder of the NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans, who has been a vocal critic of Italy’s alleged complicity in abuses suffered by migrants in Libya, has revealed WhatsApp informed him his mobile phone was targeted by military-grade spyware made by the Israel-based company Paragon Solutions. Luca Casarini, an activist whose organisation is estimated to have saved 2,000 people crossing the Mediterranean to Italy, is the most high profile person to come forward since WhatsApp announced last week that 90 journalists and other members of civil society had probably had their phones compromised by a government client using Paragon’s spyware. The work of the three alleged targets to have come forward so far – Casarini, the journalist Francesco Cancellato, and the Sweden-based Libyan activist Husam El Gomati – have one thing in common: each has been critical of the prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. The Italian government has not responded to a request for comment on whether it is a client of Paragon. Like other spyware vendors, Paragon sells its spyware to government agencies, who are meant to use it to track criminals. The company has said it sells its spyware only to democratic countries. It has declined to comment on WhatsApp’s allegation that its spyware was used to target journalists and activists residing in two dozen countries, some within Europe. Under the Biden administration, Paragon agreed a $2m contract with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but the deal was put on hold after questions were raised about the arrangement’s compliance with an executive order that restricted the use of spyware by the federal government, in case its use represented a “significant counterintelligence or security risk”. The executive order has not been rescinded by the Trump administration. Neither Paragon nor ICE commented on the status of the contract. Paragon has a US office in Chantilly, Virginia. John Fleming, a former CIA veteran, is executive chair of Paragon US. For now, the focus is on Italy’s alleged use of the spyware. “It has become clear; Italy has a Paragon problem. Given the cases that have already quickly come forward, it’s time to ask: who was the customer? And how far do these cases go?,” said John Scott Railton, a senior researcher at the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, which tracks digital surveillance of civil society. A person close to Paragon declined to comment on the identify of its clients but said it “would not deny” that Italy was a client. Casarini has been a prominent activist figure in Italy for decades, but in an interview with the Guardian said his primary focus was now the maritime rescue NGO he founded in 2018. He was on a train heading to Bologna, he said, when he got a “ping” on his phone from WhatsApp. He joked that he initially wondered why Mark Zuckerberg – whose Meta owns WhatsApp – was messaging him. He was one of 90 people to get the alert that he had been targeted by an unknown assailant using military-grade spyware. When Paragon’s hacking software, which is called Graphite, successfully infects a phone, it can access all its information, including encrypted messages sent via Signal and WhatsApp. WhatsApp has said targets were added to chat groups and sent malicious PDFs. They did not need to click on anything to be infected, it would have happened automatically, experts say. “This is a war against solidarity, activism, against helping migrants,” he said, adding that he was already facing a trial for alleged “********” aid to migrants. While he was surprised at the severity of the alleged surveillance attempt against him, Casarini also expressed defiance. “I want that them to know that they can find me. But I can also find them. We can organize to defend ourselves, to protect ourselves against authoritarian activity,” he said. Recently, he has spoken out against the Italian government’s decision last month to allow a Libyan general accused of war crimes and wanted by the international criminal court, ****** Najim, to return home on an Italian secret service flight, in what critics have said was an attempt to shield alleged abuses committed in Libya in connection to the country’s migrant pact with Italy. WhatsApp has not publicly identified how long the targets may have been under surveillance. The targeting was discovered in December and was then shut down. Source link #Activists #critical #Italian #phones #targeted #Paragon #spyware #WhatsApp #WhatsApp Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Russians told not to panic over ‘gas cloud’ in city near plant struck by Ukraine Russians told not to panic over ‘gas cloud’ in city near plant struck by Ukraine MOSCOW (Reuters) – The governor of Russia’s Astrakhan region told residents not to panic on Wednesday after its main city, close to a huge gas chemical complex that was attacked by Ukrainian drones this week, was enveloped in a cloud of natural gas. Governor Igor Babushkin said the gas that people could smell was the result of work to restart production at the plant near the southern city of Astrakhan, which has a population of about 475,000 people. “Dear citizens, this morning the city was covered by a cloud of natural gas, which has a specific smell that appears after processing,” he wrote on Telegram. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. “Specialists are carrying out restoration work and have started to launch production this morning. Now the start-up and adjustment process is underway, including the launch of flare-burning.” He did not make clear which production was being restarted. Three industry sources told Reuters on Tuesday the Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant was likely to suspend motor fuel production for several months. Babushkin said some gas flares had been extinguished when the plant was shut down after the attack, and restarting them required a release of gas that was then “ignited, like on a household gas stove”. He said the weather service was predicting the gas cloud would move away from the city. “Natural gas is not hazardous to health in open spaces – in the near future the state of the atmospheric air will normalise,” he said. “I want to warn the residents of Astrakhan, in the coming days before the plant returns to its scheduled operating mode, such situations are possible. Do not panic!” Some Astrakhan residents responded with sarcastic comments on social media. “You see – natural gas isn’t dangerous. Breathe in deeply,” one person wrote. Another posted: “It’s 60 km from Aksaraisk (the plant’s location) to Astrakhan! And the smell is so strong. What about the villages that are closer to Aksaraisk?” The Astrakhan plant is among the world’s largest gas chemical complexes. It processed 1.8 million tons of stable gas condensate and produced 800,000 tons of gasoline, 600,000 tons of diesel and 300,000 tons of fuel oil in 2024, according to industry sources. (Reporting by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Source link #Russians #told #panic #gas #cloud #city #plant #struck #Ukraine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump outlines his plan for resettlement of Gazans after war Trump outlines his plan for resettlement of Gazans after war US president Donald Trump has outlined his vision for the future of Gaza, saying “I don’t think people should be going back” there. He suggested Palestinians should leave Gaza to be housed in parts of Jordan, Egypt and other nearby countries – “some place where they can live and not die”. The president was speaking during a visit from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who became the first foreign leader to visit Washington during Trump’s second term in office. Source link #Trump #outlines #plan #resettlement #Gazans #war Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]