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Senate confirms Trump’s nominee Pam Bondi as attorney general Senate confirms Trump’s nominee Pam Bondi as attorney general Pam Bondi, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, testifies at a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 15, 2025. Elizabeth Frantz | Reuters The Republican-led U.S. Senate confirmed Pam Bondi as the new U.S. attorney general on Tuesday, propelling one of President Donald Trump‘s staunchest political allies to the top perch of American law enforcement. The 54-46 vote to confirm of the former Florida state attorney general will help Trump solidify his control over the U.S. Justice Department, which has recently seen sweeping cuts targeting prosecutors and FBI agents who investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by the president’s supporters. Democratic Senator John Fetterman joined all 53 Republicans in voting for Bondi. Bondi, 59, vowed to maintain the department’s independence during a confirmation hearing last month, telling lawmakers she will not inject politics into criminal or civil investigations. But lawmakers continue to harbor concerns about whether she will resist potentially improper or ******** orders from Trump, after the firings of dozens of prosecutors who pursued criminal charges against him. After entering office on Jan. 20, Trump signed an executive order blasting what he called the “weaponizing” of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies and ordered the attorney general to “review the activities of all departments and agencies exercising civil or criminal enforcement authority.” Bondi, who spent decades as a prosecutor, represented Trump during his first impeachment trial. She has also echoed some of his false claims about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. The incoming attorney general holds a stake in Trump’s media company, the Trump Media and Technology Group, according to financial disclosures she filed with the Office of Government Ethics. Bondi was Trump’s second pick for the top U.S. law enforcement job. His first choice, former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, resigned from Congress and withdrew his name from consideration just before a House of Representatives ethics report found that he had paid women for sex and drugs and obstructed Congress. Gaetz so far is the only Trump cabinet nominee to end his bid for the office. Senate committees on Tuesday advanced the nominations of two of Trump’s most controversial nominees, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the nation’s top health official and Tulsi Gabbard to serve as its top spy. Source link #Senate #confirms #Trumps #nominee #Pam #Bondi #attorney #general Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Blake Lively’s Texas Drop ‘Em Moves Reveal Larger ‘It Ends With Us’ Trial Strategy For Next Year – Deadline Blake Lively’s Texas Drop ‘Em Moves Reveal Larger ‘It Ends With Us’ Trial Strategy For Next Year – Deadline Blake Lively’s Texas Drop ‘Em Moves Reveal Larger ‘It Ends With Us’ Trial Strategy For Next Year DeadlineBlake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuit: messages expose alleged lies, threats and intimate secrets Fox News‘It Ends With Us’ Costars Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni: Who’s Really Going to Win Amid Lawsuits? (Exclusive) Us WeeklyJustin Baldoni Vs. Blake Lively Feud Explained: Judge Threatens To Move Up ‘It Ends With Us’ Trial Date ForbesLawyers for Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni get a reality check from federal judge The Associated Press Source link #Blake #Livelys #Texas #Drop #Moves #Reveal #Larger #Ends #Trial #Strategy #Year #Deadline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Phone bans in schools don’t help grades or health, study suggests Phone bans in schools don’t help grades or health, study suggests Getty Images Banning phones in schools is not linked to pupils getting higher grades or having better mental wellbeing, the first study of its kind suggests. Students’ sleep, classroom behaviour, exercise or how long they spend on their phones overall also seems to be no different for schools with phone bans and schools without, the academics found. But they did find that spending longer on smartphones and social media in general was linked with worse results for all of those measures. The first study in the world to look at school phone rules alongside measures of pupil health and education feeds into a fierce debate that has played out in homes and schools in recent years. Dr Victoria Goodyear, the study’s lead author, told the BBC the findings are not “against” smartphone bans in schools, but “what we’re suggesting is that those bans in isolation are not enough to tackle the negative impacts”. She said the “focus” now needs to be on reducing how much time students spent on their phones, adding: “We need to do more than just ban phones in schools.” The University of Birmingham’s findings, peer-reviewed and published by the Lancet’s journal for European health policy, compared 1,227 students and the rules their 30 different secondary schools had for smartphone use at break and lunchtimes. The schools were chosen from a sample of 1,341 mainstream state schools in England. The paper says schools restricting smartphone use did not seem to be seeing their intended improvements on health, wellbeing and focus in lessons. But the research did find a link between more time on phones and social media, and worse mental wellbeing and mental health, less physical activity, poorer sleep, lower grades and more disruptive classroom behaviour. The study used the internationally recognised Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale to determine participants’ wellbeing. It also looked at students’ anxiety and depression levels. It asked form teachers about whether their students were on target, below or above target in English and maths. ‘On their phones all the time’ Charlie got his first smartphone in Year 8 – but a strictly enforced ban meant he wasn’t allowed to bring it with him until he started sixth form. Anyone caught with a smartphone in the lower school at Twyford school, west London, has it confiscated for the rest of the term, which senior staff say is such an “unpopular” punishment that it works as a strong deterrent. Charlie says the smartphone ban “forces you to hang out and chat with your friends”. Now in Year 13, he thinks the ban in lower school has “probably” helped him to spend less time scrolling social media – but says lots of his friends are still “on their phones all the time”. Branwen Jeffreys / BBC Charlie’s school did not let him bring a smartphone in until sixth form Colin Crehan, head at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Small Heath, Birmingham, feels a “moral obligation” to help students learn to use their phones in a “safe and controlled space”. He says phone-related issues, such as devices being a distraction from learning, are “miniscule” because his students value the “freedom” they have been given to use them at break and lunch. “It’s such a pivotal part of their lives outside of school. For [teachers to] then go into the realms of restricting that within school, we’re ultimately going to set ourselves up for a battle which we’re not going to win,” he adds. But students at other schools where phones are banned have told BBC News they have seen benefits like less bullying and better social skills – factors not included in the University of Birmingham study. Its authors said more research was needed in this area to draw any links. Ysgol Aberconwy, in Conwy, changed rules recently so that students’ phones are locked inside magnetic pouches unless a teacher unlocks them for use during class. The school cites research suggesting rising loneliness at school, and the suggestion that time on social media is linked to lower life satisfaction for some children. Georgie, 15, says before the rule change, the atmosphere at school “was quite aggressive”. “There was a lot of fights, and people would just pull out their phone and start filming it. A lot of people would get quite upset,” she said. Now, Georgie feels arguments do not escalate so much or as often. “People have got closer, because they’re talking face-to-face,” she said. It is a change Georgie’s sister Charlotte, 12, found “reassuring” to hear about, as she started Year 7. Head teacher Ian Gerrard says while bullying hasn’t been “completely eradicated”, the pouches have created “a safe space within school” where students “don’t need to worry about those things”. Hope Rhodes/BBC News Georgie (R) says her phone is “very addictive, especially if you go on TikTok. I find myself just scrolling and scrolling, and then before I know it it’s been half an hour” Despite the lack of clear-cut evidence, Georgie’s mother Sarah says she “absolutely” supports Aberconwy’s policy. She says she has found it tough not to be able to message her children during exam time. “It would be nice to be able to sometimes communicate with them to be able to say, ‘has everything gone all right?'” she said. Other schools have found that parents wanting contact with children to be a sticking point when introducing new rules around phones. Within a few weeks of The Fulham Boys School in west London bringing in a “brick” phones-only policy in September, students were “over it”, head teacher David Smith says – but “teething problems” came from parents worried about their children travelling across the capital without apps to help them. One student recently got on a bus going in the wrong direction, and ended up at the other end of the line to his home neighbourhood – without a smartphone on him to check a map or call home. The Fulham Boys School David Smith says it was “a bit of fun” to see students arrive back to school in September, standing outside the school gates and taking “10 minutes to send a text” as they worked out how to use their new brick phones, which can only be used for calls and basic text messages The Fulham Boys School Mr Smith (left) says the rule extends to school trips – so pupils spend an 18-hour coach journey to France on brick phones, in December The study may intensify the debate around whether under-16s should be stopped from having smartphones altogether. Some schools say it is down to parents to act. The Conservative Party is among those pressing the government to tighten up restrictions within schools. Labour has previously said the answer could lie with a social media ban for under-16s like in Australia. Responding to the University of Birmingham study, a government official said teachers already had “clear guidance” to manage phone use in a way that worked for their schools. The Online Safety Act, which will soon come into effect, would protect young people from harmful content and ensure they had an age-appropriate experience online. “More robust evidence is needed to reach clear conclusions on the impact of smartphones on children, which is why we have launched our own research, led by the University of Cambridge, into the impact of social media on children’s overall wellbeing,” the official added. Additional reporting by Branwen Jeffreys and Hope Rhodes. Source link #Phone #bans #schools #dont #grades #health #study #suggests Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Banksy fan badger wins hearts in wildlife photo competition Banksy fan badger wins hearts in wildlife photo competition Maddie Molloy BBC Climate & Science Ian Wood A badger appearing to admire a Banksy – of a badger – has won the Natural History Museum’s 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award. Captured on a quiet road in St Leonards-on-Sea, England by British photographer Ian Wood, the badger appears to glance up at a graffiti version of itself designed by the mysterious artist. Ian had noticed badgers emerging from a nearby den to forage for food scraps left out for foxes. “I spent the best part of two years photographing them, and this particular photo came about as an idea. I thought it’d be fun to put the graffiti there and see if I could get a badger walking underneath it,” he told the BBC. Ian sees a deeper message in his photo around the controversial subject of badger culling. Badger culling has been used to contain bovine tuberculosis but will end in England within five years as part of a shift in the fight against the disease, the government said last year. Ian called badger culling “a national disgrace” and said: “I would swap this award immediately for the government to rescind all existing badger culling licenses.” The 25 nominated images for this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award received a record-breaking 76,000 votes from wildlife photography and nature fans worldwide. In addition to the winning image, four other finalists were highly commended. All five images will be displayed online and at London’s Natural History Museum until 29 June. Spiked by David Northall (***)David Northall / Wildlife Photographer of the Year A bloodied but determined honey badger pursues a Cape porcupine in Botswana. After a quick retreat to lick its wounds, the badger returned to finish the job and dragged the porcupine back to its den. Whiteout by Michel d’Oultremont (Belgium)Michel d’Oultremont / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Look very closely – can you see the stoat? It sits proudly in the snow, blending seamlessly with its surroundings in this snowy scene from Belgium. Michel d’Oultremont had been on the hunt for stoats in the snow for years, fascinated by how they disappear into the white landscape. After covering himself in a white camouflage net, he got his shot when a curious stoat popped out of its snowy den to check out its territory before heading out to hunt. Edge of Night by Jess Findlay (Canada)Jess Findlay / Wildlife Photographer of the Year In this stunning shot, a barn owl flies out of an old barn to hunt in the fields near Vancouver. Jess Findlay spent several nights quietly observing the owl to learn its habits and set up an invisible beam that would trigger a flash when it took off. With a slow shutter speed to capture the surrounding light, everything came together perfectly on the tenth night as the owl made its move. Earth and Sky by Francisco Negroni (Chile)Francisco Negroni / Wildlife Photographer of the Year This amazing shot shows a double lenticular cloud lit up by the lava from the Villarrica volcano in Chile. Francisco Negroni visits the volcano often to monitor its activity, never knowing what to expect. On this particular trip, after 10 nights he captured the intense glow of the erupting lava lighting up the sky in a fiery, surreal display. The stunning images that were also nominated Mark Williams / Wildlife Photographer of the Year British/********* photographer Mark Williams documents a beluga whale exfoliating its skin in the Arctic. Hundreds gather in these safe waters, away from predatory orcas, socialising and shedding old skin Sue Flood / Wildlife Photographer of the Year British photographer Sue Flood frames a Weddell seal resting on an ice floe in Antarctica. Using a long lens, she avoids disturbing the slumbering giant, which relies on blubber to survive the icy waters Aaron Baggenstos / Wildlife Photographer of the Year American photographer Aaron Baggenstos photographs a puma standing tall in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park. A conservation movement helped reduce conflict with local sheep farmers, offering hope for coexistence Arvind Ramamurthy / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Indian photographer Arvind Ramamurthy captures an Indian wolf pack pausing mid-play in Bhigwan. As their habitat shrinks, conservation offers hope for these resilient predators to make a comeback Bence Máté / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Hungarian photographer, Bence Máté watches a European roller ambush a little owl in Kiskunság National Park. Spending 27 days in a hide, he captures this fleeting moment of territorial defence Brad Leue / Wildlife Photographer of the Year *********** photographer Brad Leue captures floodwaters surging into Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in Australia. Photographing from a helicopter in strong winds, he documents this once-in-a-decade natural event Carlo D’Aurizio / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Italian photographer Carlo D’Aurizio discovered a surreal collage of dead butterflies floating in a stream in Italy. It was not what he expected to find and still has no explanation of why the insects died Devon Pradhuman / Wildlife Photographer of the Year American photographer Devon Pradhuman captures four grey wolves crossing a snowy aspen grove in Yellowstone. Christian Brinkmann / Wildlife Photographer of the Year ******* photographer Christian Brinkmann silhouettes a Eurasian blackbird against Münster’s fairground lights Erlend Haarberg / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Norwegian photographer Erlend Haarberg shows a polar bear cub attempting an underwater attack on a northern fulmar. Though unsuccessful, this playful practice is vital for learning to hunt Ivan Ivanek / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Czech photographer Ivan Ivanek captures a rare moment between red-shanked douc langurs in Sơn Trà Peninsula in Vietnam. Critically endangered, these primates are threatened by habitat loss and hunting Jose Fragozo / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Portuguese photographer Jose Fragozo captures a cheetah cub hissing while waiting to be sold. Victim to ******** wildlife trafficking, this cub was later rescued and taken to safety Michael Forsberg / Wildlife Photographer of the Year American photographer Michael Forsberg captured a disguised biologist approaching an endangered whooping crane to check the bird’s health and change a broken transmitter Noam Kortler / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Israeli photographer Noam Kortler captures a decorator crab perched on a sea squirt in Komodo Nora Milligan / Wildlife Photographer of the Year American photographer Nora Milligan captures a thoughtful moment as a chimpanzee in Loango National Park pauses and looks down at its family Piotr Naskrecki / Wildlife Photographer of the Year Polish photographer Piotr Naskrecki documents a rare four-toed sengi foraging in Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique. Skittish by nature, the tiny mammal follows the same trails daily, searching for insects Samuel Bloch / Wildlife Photographer of the Year French photographer Samuel Bloch captures a northern giant petrel nesting in a rātā tree forest on Enderby Island, New Zealand. Used to vast open oceans, this seabird’s presence in dense woodland was a rare sight Savannah Rose / Wildlife Photographer of the Year American photographer Savannah Rose documents a beaver dramatically smacking its tail in Jackson, Wyoming. This is a defensive behaviour that warns family members of newcomers Vincent Premel / Wildlife Photographer of the Year French photographer Vincent Premel photographs a Surinam golden-eyed tree frog calling for a mate, a call that is so powerful it can be heard hundreds of metres away ******* Burger van Schalkwyk / Wildlife Photographer of the Year South African photographer ******* Burger van Schalkwyk captures a giant ground gecko standing up to a pale chanting goshawk. Despite its brave fight, the gecko had no chance of survival Source link #Banksy #fan #badger #wins #hearts #wildlife #photo #competition Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Lidia Thorpe crashes pro-nuclear press conference fronted by ex Miss America winner Grace Stanke Lidia Thorpe crashes pro-nuclear press conference fronted by ex Miss America winner Grace Stanke The firebrand senator crashed a press conference fronted by former Miss America winner Grace Stanke who called for bipartisan support on nuclear energy. Source link #Lidia #Thorpe #crashes #pronuclear #press #conference #fronted #America #winner #Grace #Stanke Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia’s Modernized Nuclear Battlecruiser Finally Powers Up Its Reactors: Report Russia’s Modernized Nuclear Battlecruiser Finally Powers Up Its Reactors: Report The hugely delayed effort to return the Russian Navy’s nuclear-powered battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov to service is finally yielding some tangible results, according to Russian reports. Russian state media states that the 28,000-ton battlecruiser’s two nuclear reactors are now online, with claims that the warship should go back to sea for trials starting this summer. It remains to be seen whether that timeline proves anywhere remotely accurate, with the warship’s return to service having been delayed multiple times in the past. “Last Sunday, the second nuclear reactor was physically launched on the Admiral Nakhimov cruiser,” an unnamed source in Russia’s defense-industrial complex told the state-run TASS news agency. The same outlet reports that the warship’s first reactor went online at the end of December 2024. A July 20, 2024, satellite image from the berth at Sevmash shipyard shows the Admiral Nakhimov in the water, but with much work still to be done before it can start sea trials. Google Earth “The consecutive physical launch of the cruiser’s two reactors demonstrates the readiness of the entire nuclear powerplant of the ship for operation in all modes,” TASS reported today, noting that the Admiral Nakhimov is currently in the Sevmash shipyard in the port city of Severodvinsk on the White Sea. First launched in 1986, the Admiral Nakhimov is part of the class of warships known in Russia as the Project 11442, which is codenamed Kirov class by NATO. In its modernized form, the battlecruiser has the revised designation Project 11442M. Admiral Nakhimov, which was originally named Kalinin, photographed in around 1991, just three years after being commissioned into service. DoD For years, the Admiral Nakhimov was in dry dock undergoing a deep refit, with the original promise being that the warship would eventually emerge as basically new, with a whole range of new weapons and sensors. While those ambitions have been scaled back, adding another Kirov class vessel to the Russian Navy would be a powerful statement, both in terms of capabilities and, more significantly, prestige. Currently, the Russian Navy operates a single Kirov class battlecruiser, the Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great), which serves with the Northern Fleet having undergone only minor modernization. As a result, it still relies primarily on its Soviet-era weapons and sensors. At one time, it was planned that the Pyotr Veliky would undergo the same in-depth rework as the Admiral Nakhimov, once the work on the latter had been completed. The status of those plans is now very uncertain, with reports that the Russian Navy may retire the battlecruiser altogether and concentrate on the Admiral Ushakov. #NavalNews SEVMASH shipyard continues upgrading the Project 11442/Kirov class heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov (ex. Kalinin) to Project 11442M mod. I wonder when (and if) this decades long upgrade saga will end.Video released in November 2022 by SEVMASH. pic.twitter.com/T2zqFxDaNn — Saturnax ���� ���� ���� (@Saturnax1) December 12, 2022 Two earlier hulls, the Admiral Ushakov and the Admiral Lazarev have been out of service for many years and have since been consigned to scrap. While there have been many interruptions to the effort to get the Admiral Nakhimov back to operational status — not least the turmoil as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — it should be recalled that this was never going to be a straightforward undertaking. The Admiral Nakhimov seen in the the Sevmash shipyard in 2017, totally stripped and with a green and red base coat applied. YouTube screencap After all, the Admiral Nakhimov had sat idle for over a decade in the frigid White Sea, with work only really starting to progress in 2014. Since then, the planned delivery date has also been pushed back repeatedly. Originally the project was going to be completed around 2018. Then it was pushed back to 2019, and then 2020. As of 2017, TASS was reporting that work on the battlecruiser should be completed by 2021. Then, in 2021, it was reported that the warship wouldn’t return to service before 2023, while in 2022 the Sevmash shipyard stated that service re-entry had now been pushed back to 2024. It’s certainly not the case that the shipyard has been idle, however. Previous images from Severodvinsk have shown huge portions of the warship entirely gutted, with the expectation that they will accommodate new weapons and sensors. The ambition of thoroughly remodeling the battlecruiser has certainly been evident, although it remains to be seen exactly how thorough this has been, once the warship finally goes back to sea. The Admiral Nakhimov surrounded by scaffolding, in the the Sevmash shipyard in 2017. YouTube screencap Originally, the refit was set to provide the Admiral Nakhimov with no fewer than 174 vertical launch tubes — which would provide it with more than any other surface combatant or submarine in the world. Plans called for 80 of these tubes to accommodate various modern Russian cruise missiles, including the subsonic Kalibr, the supersonic Oniks, and supposedly the hypersonic Zircon. The former location of the Granit (SS-N-19 Shipwreck) missile farm in the hull of the Admiral Nakhimov during its refit. Now, vertical launch cells should fill the space where 20 angled Granit launch tubes were previously found. YouTube screencap As far as Russia has claimed, Zircon has to date only been deployed on Russian Navy Admiral Gorshkov class frigates, although there is compelling evidence that the missile has also been combat tested in Ukraine. Previously, there were public announcements that the Kirov class would be the first operational launch platform for the hypersonic weapon, although any such plans would have been superseded by the delays with the modernization of the Admiral Nakhimov. Meanwhile, for air defense, other tubes would reportedly be filled with surface-to-air missiles associated with the S-300FM Fort system, derived from the land-based S-300 system. While these were part of the previous armament, they would have been bolstered by eight Pantsir-M combined gun/missile systems for short-range air defense. Other reports in the past have suggested that missiles from the land-based S-400 air defense system may be incorporated, as a further evolution of the S-300FM, which would provide a more robust anti-ballistic missile capability. Alongside these new weapons, the Admiral Nakhimov was at one time set to have almost every item of combat-related equipment replaced with more modern successors as part of a wide-ranging systems overhaul. A video gives some idea as to how extensive the work on the Admiral Nakhimov has been (starts at 4:45): If the Admiral Nakhimov does emerge with the promised full set of new weapons and sensors — and that’s a big question — it will provide the Russian Navy with its most powerful surface combatant. The modernized warship — together with the less-capable Pyotr Veliky — will then be available as the centerpieces of Russian flotillas. Their value will be greater since the prospect of the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov returning to service — at least, any time soon — remains unclear. With the Russian Defense Ministry meanwhile prioritizing the war in Ukraine, as well as modernization of the strategic arsenal, the Russian Navy may well consider itself lucky to be able to put a major surface combatant into service, albeit a reworked one. This is especially relevant since plans to develop a new class of ‘super-destroyer’ have long since been shelved, with current construction programs focusing on more modest frigates and corvettes, as well as new-generation submarines. A model of the Project 23560 Lider class nuclear-powered destroyer, work on which appears to have been suspended indefinitely. Artem Tkachenko via Wikimedia It’s worth noting that the Kirov class represents the last nuclear-powered surface combatant in service anywhere in the world, with the U.S. Navy having retired the last of its nuclear-powered cruisers in the 1990s, primarily on cost grounds. Once again, whatever the final configuration of the Admiral Nakhimov once it returns to service, this impressive warship will be a very significant symbol of Russian naval power and one that could potentially serve for many more years to come. Contact the author: *****@*****.tld Source link #Russias #Modernized #Nuclear #Battlecruiser #Finally #Powers #Reactors #Report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alphabet shares sink after cloud growth stalls and spending surges – Financial Times Alphabet shares sink after cloud growth stalls and spending surges – Financial Times Alphabet shares sink after cloud growth stalls and spending surges Financial TimesAlphabet shares drop as much as 9% on revenue miss, soaring AI investments CNBCGoogle whiffed on cloud, but what’s happening in search is the real area to keep an eye on FortuneGoogle Parent Alphabet’s Stock Slides as Cloud Revenue Disappoints InvestopediaAlphabet Slides After Cloud Sales Fall Short of Expectations Bloomberg Source link #Alphabet #shares #sink #cloud #growth #stalls #spending #surges #Financial #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Check Out This New Book That Chronicles The Rise Of Nvidia Check Out This New Book That Chronicles The Rise Of Nvidia Nvidia has come a long way since its founding in 1993. What started as a small company designing graphics cards has transformed into a tech behemoth with a market cap of nearly $3 trillion. If you’re interested in the history of the brand and its technology, you’ll want to check out the new book The Nvidia Way. The book is available now at Amazon, and even getting a small discount down to $29.75 (was $32). $29.75 (was $32) Written by Bloomberg columnist Tae Kim, the Nvidia Way is a 272-page hardcover book that offers an all-encompassing account of one of the world’s wealthiest tech brands, starting with the story of its founding to an overview of the chipmaker’s recent expansion into AI. Amazon picked The Nvidia Way as one of the best nonfiction books of the month, so give it a look if you’re seeking your next deep read. Speaking of Nvidia, the company just launched its RTX 50-Series GPUs last week. They’re incredibly hard to find, but restocks are frequently happening at most of the big retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. If you’re interested in the GPUs, take a look at our RTX 50-Series Restock Guide, which highlights the most likely places you’ll find one in stock. If you’re looking for additional reading material to pair with The Nvidia Way, Chip War is a solid choice. Published in 2022, it takes an expansive view of the chip-making marketplace and how it’s quickly become one of the most profitable industries on the planet–and how multiple countries are in a frantic battle to outsmart the competition. It’s currently on ***** for $22.33 (was $32). Looking for even more tech- and business-centric books? Here’s a few others worth considering. More Tech and Business Book Deals Source link #Check #Book #Chronicles #Rise #Nvidia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

India looks on nervously as Trump wields tariff threat India looks on nervously as Trump wields tariff threat Last week India further slashed import duties on motorcycles, cutting tariffs on heavyweight bikes with engines above 1,600cc from 50% to 30% and smaller ones from 50% to 40%. A pre-emptive move designed to further smoothen the entry of Harley Davidsons into India – and, Delhi hopes, ward off any threat of tariffs. US motorcycle exports to India were worth $3m last year. Donald Trump has marked his return to the White House by brandishing trade measures against America’s neighbours and allies as well as its big rival China. India hopes it is ahead of the game – but will its tariff cuts satisfy Trump, or is trade action still on the table? “Canada and Mexico are literally two arms of the US. If he has acted against them, he could easily act against India too,” says Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Delhi-based think tank Global Trade Research Institute (GTRI). In their phone conversation late last month, the US president pressed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to buy more US arms and for there to be a fairer trade balance, keeping the pressure on. And during his first term, Trump fixated on India’s steep tariffs. He repeatedly slammed the then 100% duty on Harleys as “unacceptable”, making it a rallying point in his crusade against what he saw as unfair trade practices. In the past he repeatedly branded India a “tariff king” and a “big abuser” of trade ties. India enjoys a trade surplus with the US, its top trading partner. Bilateral trade crossed $190bn (£150bn) in 2023. Merchandise exports to US have surged 40% to $123bn since 2018, while services trade grew 22% to reach $66bn. Meanwhile, US exports to India stood at $70bn. But beyond bikes, India has zeroed out import taxes on satellite ground installations, benefiting US exporters who supplied $92m worth in 2023. Tariffs on synthetic flavouring essences dropped from 100% to 20% ($21m in US exports last year), while duties on fish hydrolysate for aquatic feed fell from 15% to 5% ($35m in US exports in 2024). India also scrapped tariffs on select waste and scrap items, a category where US exports amounted to $2.5bn last year. Top US exports to India in 2023 included crude oil and petroleum products ($14bn), LNG, coal, medical devices, scientific instruments, scrap metals, turbojets, computers and almonds. “While Trump has criticised India’s tariff policies, the latest reductions signal a policy shift that could enhance US exports across various sectors,” says Mr Srivastava. “With key tariff cuts on technology, automobiles, industrial and waste imports, India appears to be taking steps towards facilitating trade even as the global trade environment remains tense.” Meanwhile India’s exports span a diverse range – from textiles, pharmaceuticals and engineering goods to petroleum oils, machinery and cut diamonds. It also ships smartphones, auto parts, shrimp, gold jewellery, footwear and iron and steel, making it a key player in global trade. “This diverse range of products reflects India’s broad export base and its strong trade relationship with the US,” says Mr Srivastava. India was once among the world’s most protectionist economies. In the 1970s, American political scientist Joseph Grieco described it as having one of the “most restrictive, cumbersome… regimes regulating foreign direct investments”. This inward-looking approach led to a steady decline in India’s export share of global trade, from 2.42% in 1948 to just 0.51% by 1991. As Aseema Sinha, author of Globalizing India: How Global Rules and Markets are Shaping India’s Rise to Power, observed, this ******* was marked by “a self-driven industrialisation drive, export pessimism, and suspicion of global alliances”. India finally opened up in the 1990s and 2000s, cutting average tariffs from 80% in 1990 to 13% in 2008. But after Modi launched his “Make in India” policy to boost manufacturing in India tariffs have climbed again to about 18% – higher than those set by other Asian nations such as China, South Korea, Indonesia and Thailand. Trade expert Biswajit Dhar believes India is now a prime target under Trump’s “America First” policy, which seeks reciprocal action against high import taxes and reassesses trade with large US deficits. Agricultural market access remains a sticking point for the US, he says. India dropped retaliatory tariffs on US-made almonds, apples, chickpeas, lentils and walnuts in 2023, but Trump will likely demand more. However, India may hold firm given domestic political sensitivity around farming. “This is where we will drive a hard bargain, and problems could arise,” cautions Mr Dhar. That said, India’s strategic ties with the US – as a Quad member countering China – could help ease friction. India’s willingness to accept the deportation of undocumented Indian migrants in the US without pushing back has also sent a positive signal, Mr Dhar notes. Experts also point to Modi’s warm personal rapport with Trump as an advantage. Some clarity will come when the Indian prime minister visits the White House – this month, according to some reports – at Trump’s invitation. Source link #India #nervously #Trump #wields #tariff #threat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PlayStation State of Play Coming February 14, Rumor Suggests PlayStation State of Play Coming February 14, Rumor Suggests · · February 5, 2025 There’s yet another rumor suggesting that the next PlayStation State of Play is coming this month. This one, however, has a date tied to the claim. According to PH Brazil, PlayStation is set to host its next State of Play on Friday, February 14. His claims back up prior ones from Nate the Hate of an event happening in February. As far as what the State of Play would include, that wasn’t hinted at. There are rumors of more Xbox games making their way to the PlayStation 5, so it could be the time for some announcements on that front. PlayStation’s last State of Play took place in September 2024. That event included games like Astro Bot, Sonic X Shadow Generations, Palworld, and Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. In total, they held four in 2024, with the first happening on January 31. Insider Gaming has reached out to Sony for comment on these growing rumors. Should a response be received, this story will be updated accordingly. What would you like to see at the next PlayStation State of Play? 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 #PlayStation #State #Play #Coming #February #Rumor #Suggests Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Clear failings’ found in NHS care of triple killer ‘Clear failings’ found in NHS care of triple killer Asha Patel BBC News, Nottingham Nottinghamshire Police Valdo Calocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, was given a hospital order in January 2024 after admitting manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility A major review into the NHS care and treatment of a paranoid schizophrenic who killed three people in Nottingham has identified numerous failings that show “the system got it wrong”. Valdo Calocane stabbed to death students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, and 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates on 13 June 2023. The case, which resulted in Calocane being sentenced to a hospital order in January 2024, sparked a number of reviews including the mental health ********* review, commissioned by NHS England. The victims’ families said the report’s findings – published on Wednesday – required a judge-led public inquiry, which Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously committed to, “to be held as soon as possible”. In response, the government repeated its commitment to an inquiry into the attacks, with work ongoing to establish its scope. The NHS said it had taken the decision to publish the report in full, in line with the wishes of the families, and “given the level of detail already in the public domain”. The independent review, by Theemis Consulting, looked into the treatment given to Calocane by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust prior to the killings, as well as the interactions the NHS had with other agencies involved in his care. The key findings of the report include: Calocane’s risk “was not fully understood, managed, documented or communicated”There were missed opportunities to take more assertive action towards Calocane’s careThe voice of Calocane’s family “was not effectively considered to support the dynamic evaluation of risk” during his treatmentOther patients under the care of the same trust, some of whom had been discharged, had also perpetrated acts of “serious violence” across 15 incidents between 2019 and 2023Calocane had no contact with mental health services or his GP for about nine months prior to the killingsSupplied Ian Coates, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar died on 13 June 2023 The review is one of many to have taken place following the killings. This includes the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is looking into both Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire Police. A review into the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) found while prosecutors had been right to accept Calocane’s pleas of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility, they could have handled the case better. And in May, a judge ruled Calocane’s sentence was not unduly lenient. In a statement, the victims’ families said a statutory public inquiry should happen “as soon as possible”, examining this case as well as “wider failings in the care, treatment and sectioning of those with mental illnesses”. “It is the first duty of the government to keep its citizens safe – it is now clear that the previous government failed Grace, Barnaby and Ian in that duty,” the statement added. “There are grave questions to be answered about how multiple organisations failed to respond to the risk he posed; allowing him to roam the streets and kill three innocent people.” Footage shows timeline of attacks and killer’s arrest Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the government had worked with NHS England to ensure the report was published in full. “Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” he said. “The findings will help to support an inquiry into this attack and we’ll set out the next steps as this develops.” He added he had called for all the recommendations made in a previous Care Quality Commission (CQC) report into the case to be implemented across the country. The new report also sets out the contact Calocane had with mental health services before he killed Mr Webber, Ms O’Malley-Kumar and Mr Coates, and then stole Mr Coates’s van before driving it into three pedestrians – Wayne Birkett, Marcin Gawronski and Sharon Miller – all of whom were seriously injured. The report states the former University of Nottingham student first came into contact with mental health services on 24 May 2020, when he was 28, when he was arrested for criminal damage to a neighbour’s flat. It was documented that Calocane’s behaviour was an episode of psychosis brought on by the stress of course work and a forthcoming exam, coupled with a lack of sleep. Shortly after returning to his home, Calocane again tried to gain access to a neighbour’s flat. His neighbour was so frightened that she jumped from a first-floor window, sustaining back injuries which required surgery. Calocane was then detained for the first time under section 2 of the Mental Health Act, which meant he could be kept in hospital against his will for up to 28 days – known as a “section”. Subsequent contacts with services saw him labelled as having paranoid schizophrenia. PA Media Voicing their anger outside Nottingham Crown Court in January 2024, the victims’ families said they were “let down” by the police and Crown Prosecution Service After about a month in hospital, Calocane was sent home with reviews expected from the community crisis team and the early intervention in psychosis (EIP) service. He was initially called by the crisis team. The contact was a phone call rather than a face-to-face appointment “because of Covid-19 restrictions at the time”. His family expressed concerns because they felt he could “play down his symptoms” over the phone. In July 2020, Calocane was admitted to hospital for a second time after forcibly entering a neighbour’s flat. He was sectioned again, this time under section 3 of the Mental Health Act, which allows for a longer hospital stay of up to six months. According to medical records shared by Calocane’s family with BBC Panorama, while Calocane was ill in hospital, a psychiatrist observed that “there seems to be no insight or remorse and the danger is that this will happen again and perhaps Valdo will end up killing someone”. Two weeks after this entry was made, Calocane was discharged from Highbury Hospital. According to the report, his family “felt this was a real missed opportunity to fully understand [Calocane’s] diagnosis, risk and to get to grips with a treatment plan that [Calocane] was concordant with”. Three months before his third hospital admission in August 2021, Calocane’s family again reported concerns over his mental health. ‘Not liking needles’ At the end of August, his care co-ordinator visited him at home with a colleague, noting that he was no longer taking his medication and had no intention of continuing treatment. A month later, the report said he had “significantly assaulted” police officers who attended in support for a Mental Health Act assessment. On a number of occasions, his care co-ordinator had suggested the use of depot medication – which releases slowly over time meaning patients need to administer medications less frequently. But, the report said, the inpatient teams were trying to treat him “in the least restrictive way”, and took on board his reasons for not wanting to take injectable depot medication, “which included him not liking needles”. After multiple missed appointments, in January 2022, officials contemplated discharging Calocane from the EIP service due to a lack of engagement. But the following day, the EIP learned Calocane had trapped two housemates in their flat, which resulted in the police being called. He was assessed under the Mental Health Act, but not detained. Calocane’s mother Celeste and brother Elias say there were a series of missed opportunities over three years to prevent the tragedy Calocane was admitted to hospital at the end of January 2022 for almost a month – his fourth hospital admission. After being discharged, it was noted that none of Calocane’s care providers should visit him at home alone because of his “history of violence and aggression”. Calocane then missed a few appointments to collect his medication over the coming months, and a new care co-ordinator tried to contact him multiple times. After these failed attempts, a decision was taken in September 2022 to discharge Calocane from the EIP service to his GP. The report said “opportunities to assertively try to reach out to [Calocane] when he disengaged from services were limited” because of pressures in the team. “Due to multiple factors, including workload, the discharge system did not function as intended,” the report said. It added there was no contact between Calocane and mental health services, or his GP, for roughly nine months from this time until the killings. ‘Watershed moment’ Dr Jessica Sokolov, regional medical director at NHS England (Midlands), said: “It’s clear the system got it wrong, including the NHS, and the consequences of when this happens can be devastating. “This is not acceptable, and I unreservedly apologise to the families of victims on behalf of the NHS and the organisations involved in delivering care to Valdo Calocane before this incident took place.” Claire Murdoch, NHS England’s national mental health director, added: “Nationally, we have asked every mental health trust to review these findings and set out action plans for how they treat and engage with people who have a serious mental illness, including how they work with other agencies such as the police. “And we’ve instructed trusts not to discharge people if they do not attend appointments.” Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of mental health charity Sane, said the publication of the review “should act as a watershed moment revealing the truth and honouring the needs of the families of victims of homicides by people with mental illness or disorder”. “We have been involved in and supported the families of both victims and perpetrators in over 100 such inquiries in the last 30 years,” Ms Wallace said. “Today’s findings expose the same flaws and fault lines that have resulted in tragedies, yet little seems to have changed: basic failings of communication, inadequacies in assessing risk, and in over half the cases we analysed, not heeding the warnings of families or those close to the patient. As in this case, it is too often cited that it was the individual’s choice to ‘disengage with services’ as a reason for the lack of effective follow-up and care.” PA Media The attacks caused shock across Nottingham and beyond In a statement, Calocane’s family said: “We wish to express once again how deeply sorry we are for this horrific tragedy, and the immeasurable pain Valdo’s actions have caused to so many involved. To all of the victims, their families and friends, we truly are sorry. “The report confirms what we and many others have known for a while: the mental healthcare system is in crisis and in need of immediate intervention, which we believe must come from the government. It is not enough to say that the NHS failed; we must be honest in recognising that the NHS has been set up for failure, and cannot be left to fix itself on its own. “There are good people in mental healthcare, including in this case as well, and front-line staff need our help more than our condemnation. We maintain that the only way to prevent future tragedies like this is to properly resource mental healthcare throughout the ***, so that workers have the right tools to do their jobs properly.” The chief executive of the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Ifti Majid, added: “We apologise unreservedly for the opportunities we missed in the care of Valdo Calocane and accept the Theemis report in its entirety including its findings and recommendations. “We are making clear progress with a trust-wide plan, which is already delivering key improvements in areas such as risk assessment and discharge processes.” Analysis By Rob Sissons, BBC East Midlands health correspondent The latest health report doesn’t tell us much we didn’t already know from the investigation carried out by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rapid review. The key themes are the same – risk assessments that weren’t robust enough and communication between teams within the mental health trust was not extensive enough. The chief executive of the organisation, Ifti Majid, once again apologised to the victims’ families. Asked about accountability, he said the trust would be investigating whether anyone should be facing disciplinary action as a result of the latest report. The health investigations into the Calocane case are likely to have far-reaching implications. The report calls for a national debate about how to manage people like Calocane and provides plenty of food for thought for policymakers to come up with more answers. More on the Nottingham attacks case Source link #Clear #failings #NHS #care #triple #killer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pokemon Go Unova Tour In LA Will Go On, But Refunds Are Being Offered Pokemon Go Unova Tour In LA Will Go On, But Refunds Are Being Offered During the first week of the Los Angeles wildfires, Niantic assured fans that its Pokemon Go Unova Tour – Los Angeles event will go on as scheduled. Nearly a month later, that’s still the plan. However, Niantic is also extending a refund offer to ticket holders who won’t be able to make the event. Niantic shared the news on the official Pokemon Go site, and added that players who choose to take the refund can make the request via in-app support through February 23. The Pokemon Go: Unova Tour – Los Angeles will be held at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena on February 21-23. There will also be citywide gameplay in Los Angeles and Orange County. The event will also mark the Pokemon Go debut of ****** Kyurem and White Kyurem ahead of their global rollout on March 1. Niantic recently announced the rest of the Pokemon Go events for February, as well as what’s planned before the global Pokemon Go Tour: Unova event on March 1-2. In other Pokemon news outside of the mobile game, the Japanese mob is reportedly using Pokemon cards to launder money, while a former US postal worker recently pled guilty to stealing $100,000 worth of Pokemon cards and other collectibles. And one Pokemon TCG Pocket Player in Japan appears to have spent a ridiculous amount of money on the game’s virtual cards. Source link #Pokemon #Unova #Tour #Refunds #Offered Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pro-Life, Pro-Family Movements Find Ally in White House but Struggle Post-Roe Pro-Life, Pro-Family Movements Find Ally in White House but Struggle Post-Roe WASHINGTON, DC – The pro-life and pro-family movements have their roots in the ****** and in the founding documents of our nation. However, through the years, the traditional family and the right to life itself has come under attack. There are negative forces that callously seek to abort children and aggressively seek to dismantle the traditional family, which would break down the very foundation the Founding Fathers relied upon: God, families, and country. Americans who support family values say they are fighting an ideological and even a spiritual war against forces seeking to destroy the traditional family. Their message is simply families are the building blocks of a great nation, pointing to God’s mandate to be fruitful and multiply. Vice President JD Vance echoed that sentiment during the recent March For Life. “I want more babies in the United States of America. I want more happy children in our country, and I want beautiful young men and women who are eager to welcome them into the world and eager to raise them,” he told the huge crowd. PHOTO: Young pro-life protestors at the annual March for Life, walk from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court, Jan. 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Ashley Hayek, the executive director of America First Works, agrees. “I have five children. I would say six might be my work, to be quite honest. And I’m a proud Marine wife, and I’m really grateful for my husband and all he does to support me. And you know, I think what this says is that the left has really overplayed their hands. And when I was growing up, I was told that women should be able to shatter glass ceilings and have opportunities and have a seat at the table,” she said. Hayek’s company is a pro-family organization that is grateful for President Trump standing with the movement. He delivered his support via a video address at the March For Life saying, “We will work to offer a loving hand to new mothers and young families, and we will support adoption and foster care. We will protect women and vulnerable children.” PHOTO: Demonstrators march at the the March for Life in Washington, DC on January 24, 2025. (Photo by Annabelle Gordon/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images) Some leaders, however, are concerned about the future of their movement. It has some political challenges following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council explains, “The pro-family, pro-life movement is, quite frankly, I think trying to get its footing right. The Roe decision, the overturn of Roe, the Dobbs’ decision, frankly, is one of the things we prayed about, we worked for, but then when it came, we said, ‘Wow, this happened.'” PHOTO: People participating in the annual March for Life, walk from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court, Jan. 24, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) “What happened is Donald Trump appointed pro-life justices. But you know, we have to realize where the real authority comes from. It comes from heaven. And as that happened, we’ve seen since then, the 2022 midterm elections, where actually we had 11 governors run on very strong pro-life platforms, and they won. Now Congress, kind of getting their footing on the issue, not able to talk about it, didn’t do as well as some thought. And as a result, Donald Trump moved away from that issue in the 2024 election,” he said. Perkins believes in order to turn that around, more church leaders will need to stand on biblical authority in addressing the issue with political and cultural leaders, especially those taking critical roles within the Trump administration. “This is a different administration than it was in 2016 and I would be dishonest if I didn’t say I have some reservations. I have some reservations.” Putting families first is a top priority in the new playbook to make America stronger. Delano Squires of the Heritage Foundation is focused on fighting the culture war on the unborn and traditional families. “We’re talking about a movement that encourages men and women to come together in Holy Matrimony according to a traditional biblical definition of what marriage is; one man, one woman for one lifetime, committed to one another and all the children they raise together,” he said. “And with that definition then we can go out into the marketplace of ideas and talk about what that means. Some may be adjustments to the tax code, you know child tax credit. Some of that may be more flexible work hours for parents.” Vice President Vance says the Trump Administration is focused on helping families. “Now, it should be easier to raise a family, easier to find a good job, easier to build a home to raise that family in, easier to save up and purchase a good stroller, a crib for a nursery. We need a culture that celebrates life at all stages, one that recognizes and truly believes that the benchmark of national success is not our GDP number or our stock market, but whether people feel that they can raise thriving and healthy families in our country,” Vance said. Those who stand for pro-life and pro-family will tell you that life is precious. They add, life is a gift from God that begins from the moment of conception. We are all fearfully and wonderfully made and God cares about the institution of family. He instructs them to be fruitful and multiply, to love each other, and to teach their children right from wrong. Those instructions are the building blocks of great families and great nations. In fact, the Founding Fathers believed the greatness of our nation does not begin with our government but begins in the homes of our people where the family must be strong in faith, hope, and love in order to build a great nation. ***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.*** Source link #ProLife #ProFamily #Movements #Find #Ally #White #House #Struggle #PostRoe Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Two men arrested over anti-Semitic graffiti across Perth Two men arrested over anti-Semitic graffiti across Perth Two men in their 20s have been arrested in relation to anti-Semitic graffiti incidents across Perth over the weekend. Source link #men #arrested #antiSemitic #graffiti #Perth Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Miami Beach Warns Spring Breakers to Stay Away Miami Beach Warns Spring Breakers to Stay Away The city of Miami Beach released a public service announcement warning young people not to come to town for spring break. If they do, they’ll face a bunch of rules and regulations. That includes parking tickets, curfews, security checkpoints and DUI enforcement. The clever public service announcement took the form of a reality show, and is a reaction to the chaotic scenes of spring breakers descending on Miami Beach in the past. Source link #Miami #Beach #Warns #Spring #Breakers #Stay Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Senate votes to confirm Pam Bondi as attorney general – CNN Senate votes to confirm Pam Bondi as attorney general – CNN Senate votes to confirm Pam Bondi as attorney general CNNSenate Confirms Pam Bondi as Attorney General The New York TimesSenate vote on Pam Bondi as US attorney general could put Trump ally at Justice Department’s helm The Associated PressPam Bondi confirmed as attorney general in 54-46 vote CBS NewsPam Bondi wins Senate confirmation despite fierce Dem opposition Axios Source link #Senate #votes #confirm #Pam #Bondi #attorney #general #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Battle for Insignia Financial is now a three-way race as Brookfield enters the fray Battle for Insignia Financial is now a three-way race as Brookfield enters the fray Brookfield has thrown its hat in the ring to create a three-way race for wealth manager Insignia Financial. Source link #Battle #Insignia #Financial #threeway #race #Brookfield #enters #fray Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

iPhones Get Their First-Ever Porn App, and Apple Is Not Happy iPhones Get Their First-Ever Porn App, and Apple Is Not Happy Apple has had no choice but to approve a ************ app for the first time ever, thanks to an overhaul of app store rules in Europe. But it wants you to know it’s not happy about it. The issue isn’t just the prurient content. Apple says the door has been opened to easier access for malware. “We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids,” said an Apple spokesperson in a statement. “This app and others like it will undermine consumer trust and confidence in our ecosystem that we have worked for more than a decade to make the best in the world.” The app, Hot Tub, is not available on Apple’s own iOS App Store, but can be downloaded via the third-party AltStore, which can only be accessed on iPhones in Europe. Following the introduction of the Digital Markets Act, the EU demanded last January that Apple open up its famously closed iOS ecosystem to allow iPhone owners access to alternative app stores and apps. AltStore launched on iOS three months later, allowing iPhone users in Europe access to a third-party app store for the first time, and initially required a subscription fee. That was until Epic Games, one of the companies that has fought Apple on its app store rules over the years, provided AltStore with a grant to offset the costs of providing its alternative shop front on iOS. One of the apps now available is Hot Tub, which features content from the controversial site Porn Hub. The risk of malware on iPhones Apple approved the Hot Tub app (it has no other choice, according to EU rules), but the company really wants you to know that it does not actually endorse it — a crucial difference that both Hot Tub and AltStore have not made clear in their marketing materials. “Contrary to the false statements made by the marketplace developer, we certainly do not approve of this app and would never offer it in our App Store,” said the Apple spokesperson. “The truth is that we are required by the European Commission to allow it to be distributed by marketplace operators like AltStore and Epic who may not share our concerns for user safety.” Apple is right to be concerned about its reputation among iPhone users, says IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo. Beyond the risk of children being able to easily access porn, there is a wider safety risk posed by apps that aren’t subject to the same level of rigorous scrutiny Apple uses to determine which apps should be allowed on its own App Store. This opens it up to the risk of malware finding its way onto iPhones — a threat that Apple has long been able to minimize by maintaining control over the iOS app ecosystem. People whose iPhones end up riddled with malware are unlikely to know or even care whose fault it is, and point the finger at Apple, says Jeronimo. The company’s challenge, and its stated priority, is to try to keep users as safe as possible while implementing the changes demanded by European regulators. It’s a tricky tightrope for the company to walk. “What we are seeing, and what we will see is that at the end of the day, that regulation will put consumers at risk,” said Jeronimo. The European Commission has long talked a big game about its motivation for cracking down on big US tech companies primarily being to improve the experience for European consumers. The benefit of third-party app stores is that they’ll supposedly increase consumer choice, but many, including Apple, believe the associated safety risks aren’t worth the trade-off. “There’s absolutely no benefit, apart from a few companies that will distribute their apps and gain some business,” said Jeronimo. The arrival of Hot Tub on the AltStore is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s inevitable that more such apps, which may pose a variety of problems and risks, will follow. Source link #iPhones #FirstEver #Porn #App #Apple #Happy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Democrats threaten to obstruct Trump's agenda over Musk's DOGE efforts – ABC News Democrats threaten to obstruct Trump's agenda over Musk's DOGE efforts – ABC News Democrats threaten to obstruct Trump’s agenda over Musk’s DOGE efforts ABC NewsThe Constitutional Crisis Is Here The AtlanticDemocrats confront limits of their power in bid to stop Trump and Musk The Associated Press Source link #Democrats #threaten #obstruct #Trump039s #agenda #Musk039s #DOGE #efforts #ABC #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Barbie maker Mattel warns Trump tariffs may drive up prices Barbie maker Mattel warns Trump tariffs may drive up prices Toy making giant Mattel says it may increase its prices in the US to make up for the impact of tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. It comes after the US President imposed 10% tariffs on all imports from China, where just under 40% of the firm’s production is based. On top of potential price increases, the maker of Barbie and Hot Wheels says it could have to implement changes to its supply chain. Consumer and business groups in the US have warned that the tariffs may disrupt supply chains and lead to higher prices. “Guidance includes the anticipated impact of new US tariffs… announced on February 1st, and mitigating actions we plan to take, including leveraging the strength of our supply chain, and potential pricing,” Mattel said in its quarterly report. The toy industry has been facing slower sales in 2024, as a higher cost of living meant shoppers had less cash to spend on toys. Despite this, Mattel’s shares jumped by 10% in extended trading in New York, after the company forecast better profits for next year than had been expected by Wall Street analysts. Over the weekend the head of International at the US Chamber of Commerce, John Murphy, said Trump’s tariff plan will only “raise prices for American families and upend supply chains”. This week, the US president paused plans to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico but went ahead with levies on ********-made goods. Source link #Barbie #maker #Mattel #warns #Trump #tariffs #drive #prices Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Wednesday’s big stock stories: What’s likely to move the market in the next trading session Wednesday’s big stock stories: What’s likely to move the market in the next trading session Stocks rose on Tuesday as traders looked past the Trump tariffs shake-up. Here’s what CNBC is watching going into Wednesday. Source link #Wednesdays #big #stock #stories #Whats #move #market #trading #session Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Senate confirms Pam Bondi as US attorney general Senate confirms Pam Bondi as US attorney general The US Senate has confirmed Pam Bondi as US attorney general, giving longtime Trump ally power to reshape the Justice Department. Source link #Senate #confirms #Pam #Bondi #attorney #general Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump crypto czar David Sacks says priority is stablecoin legislation Trump crypto czar David Sacks says priority is stablecoin legislation AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks speaks with President Donald J Trump as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House on Jan. 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. Jabin Botsford | The Washington Post | Getty Images As David Sacks, the newly appointed White House AI and crypto czar, collaborates with lawmakers on potential regulations for digital assets, one of the first things they’ll be focused on is stablecoins. “They are very committed to moving legislation through the House and the Senate this year in order to provide that clear regulatory framework that the digital assets ecosystem needs to sustain innovation in the United States,” Sacks said on CNBC’s “Closing Bell Over Time” on Tuesday. “Moving legislation through Congress takes time, but I think this is something we could do in the next six months.” Earlier in the day, Sacks joined leaders of the House and Senate committees for banking and finance for a press conference to talk about their early objectives for crypto policy, with the help of the SEC. It was part of a busy day in Washington for regulators and key players on Capitol Hill and in Trump’s White House to announce next steps in their digital currency plans. “I look forward to working with each of you in creating a golden age in digital assets,” Sacks said at the press event. He was flanked by Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), chairman of the Senate Banking committee, Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.), chair of the House Financial Services Committee, and Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), who heads the Senate Agriculture Committee. The leaders said their first priority is supporting a stablecoin bill introduced by Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), who has proposed new rules for stablecoins to create a “clear regulatory framework” for their use. Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to a real-world asset, such as the U.S. dollar. Stablecoins have been gaining popularity but mostly overseas. Lawmakers are now promoting U.S.-based stablecoin issuance, reinforcing the dollar’s dominance through digital finance. Supporters like Sacks say such a move could drive trillions of dollars in new demand for the dollar and help lower long-term interest rates. David Sacks, U.S. President Donald Trump’s AI and Crypto Czar, listens to President Trump signs a series of executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House on January 23, 2025 in Washington, DC. Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images Sacks on Tuesday told CNBC that a top agenda item for his new task force is evaluating “the feasibility of a bitcoin reserve,” an idea President Donald Trump suggested during his campaign. Sacks noted that the president asked his digital assets working group to study “whether it’s feasible to create either a bitcoin reserve or some sort of digital asset stockpile.” He clarified that they “haven’t committed yet to doing it, but it’s one of the first things” they’ll be considering. Also on Tuesday, the SEC made a major shift in its approach to digital asset regulation. Under new leadership, the agency announced it would open its doors to meetings with anyone interested in discussing crypto, an effort to show a clear contrast to former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, who emerged as an antagonist to the industry. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, now leading the agency’s newly established Crypto Task Force, published a statement titled The Journey Begins. She said the idea is to create more transparent and predictable regulations, removing legal ambiguity and unnecessary roadblocks. “The Task Force is working to help create a regulatory framework that both achieves the Commission’s important regulatory objectives — including protecting investors — and preserves industry’s ability to offer products and services,” Peirce wrote. Priorities include clarifying which crypto assets fall under securities laws, crafting a path for token issuers to gain regulatory approval and ensuring compliance measures don’t stifle innovation. The group will also examine crypto lending, staking, exchange-traded products, and cross-border regulations. Peirce stressed that while the SEC aims to foster industry growth, it will not tolerate fraud. The SEC said it’s actively soliciting input from the public. Firms and individuals can submit written feedback or request meetings with the task force. Tuesday’s press conference was the first major policy event led by Sacks, who was named to the post in December. While he lacks direct control over regulatory agencies or congressional funding, Sacks’ close ties to the White House and Elon Musk have positioned him as a key figure in the administration. In June, Sacks, previously a Trump critic, hosted a fundraiser at his Pacific Heights mansion that raised $12 million for the Republican leader’s presidential campaign. Sacks was in Washington, D.C., for the inauguration last month and attended the Crypto Ball, surrounded by industry leaders and policymakers. He declared at the event that, “The war on crypto is over.” During Trump’s first week in office, Sacks stood alongside the president in the Oval Office as he signed an executive order on digital assets. WATCH: Bringing people from tech industry to Washington is a positive Source link #Trump #crypto #czar #David #Sacks #priority #stablecoin #legislation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

More Than 17,000 Pounds of Sausage Have Been Recalled—Here’s What to Know More Than 17,000 Pounds of Sausage Have Been Recalled—Here’s What to Know The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has announced that 17,720 pounds of DJ’s Boudain sausage link products are being recalled due to the possible contamination with foreign materials. The notice cites the specific presence of “pieces of a pen” in the meat products and urges consumers not to eat any of it. The FSIS has provided a list of the products named in the recall, which can be found here, as well as images of each individual label. The fresh and frozen boudain sausage link products were produced on January 23, 2025 and bear the establishment number “EST. 13246” inside of the USDA mark of inspection. These products were shipped to distributors, restaurant and retail locations across Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & more in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter The contamination was discovered thanks to a consumer complaint which detailed the discovery of a piece of a pen while eating the Original Boudain sausage links product. So far, only one report of oral injury associated with consumption of this product has been filed, and the FSIS has received no additional reports of injury or illness as of yet. Those who do find themselves concerned about an injury should always first seek help from a medical professional. While the recall is still ongoing, the FSIS is concerned that some of the products may be in “consumers’, retailers’, and restaurants’ refrigerators or freezers.” Consumers are urged not to eat these products, and rather throw them away or return to where they were purchased for a refund. Related: Popular Recalled Chocolate Brand Now Classified As ‘Deadly’—Here’s What to Know The FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to ensure the health and safety of consumers, and claims in the recall notice that a detailed retail distribution list will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls. Additionally, those with further questions or concerns related to this product recall can contact Jonathan Wallace, Vice President of Operations at DJ’s Boudain, LLC, at 409-842-0558 ext. 111 or *****@*****.tld. For future notice, anyone with food safety questions can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline toll-free at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854), or send a question via email to *****@*****.tld. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitory System for reporting problems with a meat, poultry or egg product can also be accessed 24 hours a day at [Hidden Content]. Up Next: Related: Walmart’s Recall On This Grocery Essential Has Just Been Updated to Be ‘Deadly’—Here’s What to Know Source link #Pounds #Sausage #RecalledHeres Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Final Remains Recovered From Plane ****** Over the Potomac – The New York Times Final Remains Recovered From Plane ****** Over the Potomac – The New York Times Final Remains Recovered From Plane ****** Over the Potomac The New York TimesOfficials confirm all 67 victims in DC midair ****** recovered from Potomac River Fox NewsBodies of all victims have been recovered from river where jet collided with ****** Hawk CNNFriends say Army captain killed in midair collision was a ‘brilliant and fearless’ patriot The Associated Press Source link #Final #Remains #Recovered #Plane #****** #Potomac #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]