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Trump Index: 6 Companies Linked to Trump’s Cabinet Worth Watching Trump Index: 6 Companies Linked to Trump’s Cabinet Worth Watching President Donald Trump’s cabinet is often referred to as “The Avengers,” with each member being accomplished in their field of expertise. Trump’s cabinet has an overwhelming number of successful businessmen and businesswomen who were leaders in the business world prior to entering the government. Many of them are linked to publicly traded companies. If one were to put together a “Trump Index” of companies linked to his cabinet, these six would be constituents worth watching. Donald Trump: President of the United States Donald Trump, the 45th and 47th President of the United States, formed the Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:) from the SPAC reverse merger. It operates the social media platform Truth Social with the intent of enabling free speech. It also has TV streaming platforms, TMTG+ and TMTG News, which have very little information. The company reported Q3 losses of $19.2 million and $673 million in cash and investments with no debt. It earned $1 million in revenue and $4.7 million in interest income. Elon Musk: Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) The world’s richest man is no stranger to the spotlight. Elon Musk is the CEO of Tesla (NASDAQ:), the largest and most profitable electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer in the United States. He was also a co-founder of digital payments platform PayPal (NASDAQ:). Musk also owns Twitter and founded SpaceX and Starlink, a satellite-based high-speed internet provider. Musk also co-founded Solar City and Neuralink. Musk was appointed to the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, where he plans to cut up to $2 trillion of government spending. Vivek Ramaswamy: Former DOGE, Running for Ohio Governor Former CEO and founder of Roivant Sciences (NASDAQ:), Vivek Ramaswamy, gained mainstream exposure during his 2024 U.S. Presidential candidacy. The “Roi” refers to the return on investment in the company’s name. The medical sector biotech was funded partially by the QVT (his former hedge fund), DE Shaw, and many other hedge funds. Roivant acquired patents for undeveloped medicines from larger pharmaceutical companies to bring them to market. Ramaswamy stepped down as CEO in January 2021 but still retained a 7.17% stake in the company. Ramaswamy also stepped down from DOGE to pursue a run for Ohio Governor in 2026. Chris Wright: Department of Energy As a nominee to head the Department of Energy, Chris Wright was the founder and CEO of Denver-based oil and gas company Liberty Energy (NYSE:). The company provides hydraulic fracturing (fracking) services to onshore oil and gas production companies. Wright’s experience in fracking embodies President Trump’s “Drill baby, drill” initiatives. LBRT stock is up 11.71% year-to-day (YTD) as of Jan. 24, 2025. Jared Isaacman: Head of NASA Shift4 Payments (NYSE:) is an integrated payments processing solutions company primarily operating in the hospitality industry with over a 30% market share of the nation’s restaurants and hotels using the platform. It was founded by Jared Isaacman, who is President Trump’s nominee to head NASA. Isaacman was a high school dropout who left to join an IT consulting job at a payment processing firm at just 16. He left to start up a rival firm in his basement with a $10,000 check from his grandfather as seed money. The company would eventually grow to become Shift4. Isaacman took up piloting to avoid burnout and set the world record for the fastest time flying around the world in under 62 hours in a Cessna Citation CJ2 in 2009. Isaacman’s net worth rose to $1.8 billion at the time of his nomination. Linda McMahon: U.S. Department of Education As former co-founder and CEO of sports entertainment leader WWE owned by TKO Group Holdings (NYSE:), Linda McMahon was chosen by President Trump to run the Department of Education (DOE). McMahon was instrumental in helping the WWE grow into a mainstream phenomenon. She was also the former head of the Small Business Administration. Trump has previously pledged to abolish the DOE during his presidential campaign. McMahon would be instrumental in Trump’s goal of shifting educational oversight back to the states. Original Post Source link #Trump #Index #Companies #Linked #Trumps #Cabinet #Worth #Watching Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

As RFK Jr. prepares for Senate confirmation hearing, here’s where he stands on vaccines, food dyes As RFK Jr. prepares for Senate confirmation hearing, here’s where he stands on vaccines, food dyes Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to go before the Senate on Wednesday in his confirmation hearing to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under President Donald Trump. Kennedy has frequently promoted views at odds with the consensus of public health researchers and the mainstream scientific community, including falsely claiming that certain vaccines cause autism and calling for fluoride to be removed from drinking water, claiming it harms adolescent development. The environmental attorney has vowed to crack down on dyes in the food industry and has called for restrictions on ultra-processed foods. MORE: RFK Jr. wants to regulate farms and food, but may face GOP opposition During a charity dinner last year in New York City, Trump pledged Kennedy would “go wild on health” and that Kennedy “wants healthy people, he wants healthy food.” Here’s a look at where Kennedy stands on several health issues: PHOTO: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, speaks during a meeting at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 9, 2025. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP, FILE) Questioning vaccine safety Although Kennedy has denied he is “anti-vaccine” and has said his children have been vaccinated, he has promoted views on vaccines that experts have refuted. During a 2023 interview on Fox News, Kennedy said he believes autism comes from vaccines, a myth born from a now-debunked paper from the U.K. in 1998 that claimed the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine caused autism. The paper has since been discredited by health experts, retracted from the journal in which it was published, and its primary author, Andrew Wakefield, lost his medical license after the paper was discredited and an investigation found he had acted “dishonestly and irresponsibly” in conducting his research. More than a dozen high-quality studies have since found no evidence of a link between childhood vaccines and autism. Kennedy has also spread what the medical community has considered to be vaccine misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, falsely claiming the COVID-19 vaccine is dangerous. During a December 2021 Louisiana House of Representatives meeting discussing a proposal to require schoolchildren to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, Kennedy falsely called the vaccine the “deadliest vaccine ever made.” PHOTO: Stock photo of a woman getting Covid-19 vaccine. (D3sign/Getty Images) In the same year, Kennedy petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revoke its authorization of all COVID-19 vaccines. The FDA denied the petition three months later. Health officials say COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective following clinical trials that involved tens of thousands of people, and have since helped save millions of lives. Removing artificial dyes from foods Kennedy has been vocal about his opposition to artificial dyes, calling for them to be removed from foods and beverages. “The first thing I’d do isn’t going to cost you anything because I’m just gonna tell the cereal companies: Take all the dyes out of their food,” about actions he’d take as a member of the Trump administration, according to a social media post from the non-profit Children’s Health Defense, of which Kennedy is a founder. Kennedy has frequently cited Froot Loops as an example of a food with potentially harmful dyes, saying the version of the Kellogg’s cereal sold abroad is healthier and has fewer ingredients compared to the U.S. version. MORE: Doctors worried RFK Jr. will tout vaccine-skeptic views after he is picked for HHS secretary Kellogg’s has insisted its products are safe for consumption, saying the ingredients meet the federal standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Kennedy was wrong about the number of ingredients — ********* Froot Loops have 17 ingredients compared to 16 in the U.S. However, the two cereals differ when it comes to the use of dyes. American Froot Loops contain artificial food dyes such as Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 1 while ********* Froot Loops are colored with concentrated watermelon juice and blueberry juice. A 2018 report from New York University and the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Council on Environmental Health and Climate Change found artificial food colors may affect children’s behavior and exacerbate symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Recently the FDA said it was moving to ban the use of Red 3 dye in food products, beverages and ingested drugs, in response to a 2022 petition from health groups and activists. Processed foods and chronic disease Kennedy has criticized the U.S. food industry and the proliferation of ultra-processed foods, blaming them as one reason for the rise of chronic disease in the U.S. “Hundreds of these chemicals are now banned in Europe, but they’re ubiquitous in American processed foods,” he said during a September 2024 roundtable discussion on health led by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc. “We are literally poisoning our children systematically for profit.” PHOTO: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human Services walks to a meeting with Sen. Bernie Sander in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Jan. 8, 2025, in Washington. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) A 2021 joint study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of São Paolo in Brazil found that people who consumed more calories from ultra-processed foods had lower scores on tests measuring cardiovascular health. Kennedy has also railed against seed oils, calling them “one of the driving causes of the obesity epidemic” and has called on fast food restaurants to fry their products with animal fats instead. Seed oils contain certain types of healthy fats that are good for the heart when used in moderation, decades of research shows. Claims that fluoride affects children’s development In an interview with NPR in November, Kennedy doubled down on his promise that the Trump administration will recommend that local governments remove fluoride from their water supplies. He has claimed that fluoride in drinking water affects children’s neurological development and that other countries that have removed fluoride from their water supplies have not seen an increase in cavities. Some health professionals have expressed concerns about excessive fluoride intake and potential toxicity. However, high-quality studies show fluoride prevents cavities and repairs damage to teeth caused by bacteria in the mouth. Fluoride also replaces minerals lost from teeth due to acid breakdown, according to the CDC. ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud and Anne Flaherty contributed to this report. As RFK Jr. prepares for Senate confirmation hearing, here’s where he stands on vaccines, food dyes originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Source link #RFK #prepares #Senate #confirmation #hearing #heres #stands #vaccines #food #dyes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

REITs at a 24-Year Low Could Signal a Market Shift REITs at a 24-Year Low Could Signal a Market Shift Despite boasting a dividend yield thrice that of the index, REIT total returns (i.e. including dividends reinvested) have lagged significantly behind stocks. Since peaking in 2007, REITs have basically been in an 18-year relative bear market vs the — placing them at a 24-year low vs stocks, and marking a major deviation from the long-term up-trend. REITs last suffered such underperformance in the late80s/early90s in the wake of the commercial real estate bust, and then again fell behind in the late-90’s as the dot com bubble frenzy saw this “old-economy” sector shunned. But history rhymes, we just saw a 10-15% drawdown in commercial real estate following the 2022/23 rates and inflation shock (the drawdown is more than 20% in real CPI-adjusted terms). And we are in the middle of another tech stock ***** (which again has seen old economy sectors like REITs being left behind). Eventually, tech stocks will top (maybe already have?!), and commercial real estate prices have already stabilized and stopped falling. So things could soon be turning up for REIT relative performance. Probably the last ingredient would be lower interest rates. Dwell on that for a second: REIT relative returns would benefit from a top in tech and lower yields (to trigger rotation) — that’s basically a defensive setup. So aside from offering a much better yield than stocks (you get paid to wait), it’s also effectively a defensive position at a time when risks are rising. I will say though, they’re not without risks, the latest surge in bond yields saw REITs relinquish their rate-cut-rally gains from last year, so the sector remains at risk should interest rates surge out of control (and that is a tail risk). But I would say the greater, more likely, and more damaging risk would be an unwind in tech stocks. Given that REITs still see the deeply negative surveyed sentiment, record low ETF asset allocations (contrarian signs), oversold technicals, cheap relative value, and may serve as a tech-top hedge; I would say they are worth another look. Key point: REITs may be set for a relative return rebound. Concepts – Relative Risk in Equities A quick highlight/refresher — the below table is from “How to Use Value Signals for Global Equities“. It highlights how to think in 2-dimensions when it comes to stock market returns and valuations. Most commentators talk about the absolute return and risk situation (is the market overvalued vs history? Is the outlook for stocks to go up or down?) — but fewer speak about relative risk and return (how does this asset/sector/stock compare to that asset/market? will this one outperform vs that one? what other information can we decipher from this relative performance trend?). When it comes to sector analysis like what we looked at today, relative valuations and relative returns can not only highlight interesting opportunities (e.g. REITs as an alternative hedge/defensive position), but also give clues to the stage of the market cycle (e.g. think about the chart above how extreme and divergent from trend it got at the peak of the dot com bubble). REITs relative returns may be giving us important clues on the stage of the market cycle right now. So a highly relevant chart + concept for today’s market. Original Post Source link #REITs #24Year #Signal #Market #Shift Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Garmin users say smartwatches have stopped working Garmin users say smartwatches have stopped working Tom Gerken Technology reporter Garmin Smartwatch firm Garmin is facing a backlash after customers complained their devices were not working. Some users reported seeing a blue triangle when they tried to turn on their watch, while others were stuck on its start-up screen. Garmin’s Fenix 8 smartwatches, which retail for just under £1,000, are some of the devices to have issues – however not all watches are affected by the outage. The firm said on its website that it was aware of the issue affecting some of its users. The BBC has approached it for further comment. Customers have taken to social media to express their frustration at their smartwatches not working properly and what many see as the company’s slow response. Garmin has offered a potential solution to the problem, involving resetting the device and connecting to a Garmin app. But it concedes that this alone may not solve the problem, and in that case it is advising people to factory reset their device. Some people on social media have claimed that even after a factory reset, they are unable to get their smartwatch to function properly. “Their instructions don’t fix it and Garmin are silent,” one person said in a post on X. And Absolute Radio DJ Leona Graham is one of the people to share their frustrations online, along with footage of the blue triangle. Allow Twitter content?This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read and before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Accept and continue According to Garmin’s website, the issues are affecting the following devices: Approach WatchEdge Cycling ComputersEpix Watch Fenix WatchForerunner WatchInstinct Series WatchVivoactive 4 and 5Venu 3 and 3S The firm has yet to give a reason for the issues, though some experts have speculated it is a result of the device being unable to communicate with GPS properly due to a bad update. And despite its update to its support page, a lack of communication on social media has landed Garmin in hot water with its users. “You should really prioritize your current customers and the ongoing issue with many watches,” said one person, while another called it “unbelievable” that the firm had not yet outlined the cause of the issue. “Stop burying your heads in the sand, these watches don’t come cheap,” they said on Wednesday morning. Source link #Garmin #users #smartwatches #stopped #working Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ZIRA enhances comms business process platform ZIRA enhances comms business process platform ZIRA Group, a provider of modular business support systems (BSS) for communications services, has launched AI Telco Platform to allow users to take advantage of BSS data to generate valuable insights, streamline operations, optimise pricing and adapt to market trends. ZIRA Group was founded more than 28 years ago, and the company believes that it has continuously evolved to meet changing industry requirements, with the new solution focusing on business process improvements. In operation, the ZIRA AI Telco Platform is engineered to convert BSS data into predictive and actionable insights to enable proactive decision-making. It can be customised to support new and existing use cases, while meeting the specific forecasting and business intelligence needs of companies such as communications service providers (CSPs), which the company said can use the technology to deliver bespoke customer offerings based on real-time analytics. It also integrates with IT infrastructures and BSS solutions via an API or database, enabling users to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) at scale. The platform’s predictive analytics capabilities combine predictive AI for “accurate forecasting with a generative AI agent that delivers actionable insights” across the organisation. From a wholesale perspective, CSPs can use the platform to optimise routes, pricing and traffic volumes in real-time, as well as to protect margins, prevent service disruptions and ensure a “seamless” customer experience. The platform is attributed with the ability to forecast supplier prices accurately up to six months in advance. Offering a rationale for the product’s development and introduction, ZIRA Group chief product officer Amir Turalić noted that the comms industry was beginning to see the adoption of AI and machine learning tools across networks and infrastructures, but until now there hadn’t been a viable solution for the BSS layer. “[Companies] need access to data and insights that will help them to make smarter decisions and be more responsive to changing market conditions. Traditional analytics tools have struggled to handle complexities, especially in real-time when a small percentage change can impact wholesale revenues significantly,” he said. “The ZIRA AI Telco Platform’s forecasting capabilities help CSPs to manage capacity, pricing and traffic fluctuations, removing risk and uncertainty. Likewise, it analyses huge volumes of complex network and billing data to better inform decision-making and help…to identify new opportunities. The platform is constantly evolving and we’re already working with…customers on live projects to support new use cases.” The launch of the product coincides with the unveiling of a new brand identity for ZIRA Group, created to reflect its transformation from a family-owned business into a “global technology leader, inspired by its focus on innovation and delivering customer-centric solutions”. Group CEO Emir Bukvić added: “Our aim has always been to deliver seamless, integrated solutions that empower organisations to achieve more with less, combining efficiency with exceptional user experiences. The rebranded ZIRA Group is a new entity that builds on our experience and reputation. “Our new brand is more aligned with our digital first propositions, and the size and scope of the company as we expand into new territories. We’re now equipped to support [providers] in every category, from fibre broadband providers to MNOs and satellite communication companies. Regardless of our growth, we will maintain our core values of trust, empowerment and customer-centricity.” Source link #ZIRA #enhances #comms #business #process #platform Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Six Nations 2025: Antoine Dupont returns to captain France against Wales Six Nations 2025: Antoine Dupont returns to captain France against Wales France: Thomas Ramos; Theo Attissogbe, Pierre-Louis Barrassi, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Romaine Ntamack, Antoine Dupont (capt); Jean-Baptiste Gros, Peato Mauvaka, Uini Atonio, Alexandre Roumat, Emmanuel Meafou, Francois Cros, Paul Boudehent, Gregory Alldritt Replacements: Julien Marchand, Cyril Baille, Georges-Henri Colombe, Hugo Auradou, Mickael Guillard, Oscar Jegou, Nolann Le Garrec, Emilien Gailleton. Source link #Nations #Antoine #Dupont #returns #captain #France #Wales Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Jackson Barrett: Usman Khawaja’s day-one century stakes claim for spot as spin specialist in sub-continent Jackson Barrett: Usman Khawaja’s day-one century stakes claim for spot as spin specialist in sub-continent Usman Khawaja’s day-one century in Galle stakes a claim the opener could be Australia’s best option to tour India in 2027 — if he is up for it — as a 40-year-old, writes Jackson Barrett. Source link #Jackson #Barrett #Usman #Khawajas #dayone #century #stakes #claim #spot #spin #specialist #subcontinent Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rupee ends little changed, focus turns to Fed policy decision Rupee ends little changed, focus turns to Fed policy decision By Jaspreet Kalra MUMBAI (Reuters) – The Indian rupee closed nearly flat on Wednesday after facing pressure early in the session, which was countered by dollar sales by state-run banks and as traders awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision. The rupee closed at 86.54 against the U.S. dollar, barely changed from its close at 86.5225 in the previous session. While dollar demand related to month-end importer payments and the maturity of positions in the non-deliverable forwards market hurt the rupee in the first-half of the session, the currency was supported by dollar sales by state-run banks, traders said. The dollar index rose 0.1% to 108.1 on Wednesday, while most Asian markets were shut for local holidays. So far in January, the rupee has declined more than 1% and is the worst performer among major Asian currencies due to persistent outflows and uncertainty about the U.S. President’s approach to trade tariffs. Foreign investors have sold nearly $9 billion of local stocks and bonds, on a net basis, this month. The BSE Sensex and Nifty 50, India’s benchmark equity indexes, are on a four-month losing streak, set for their worst such run in 23 years as weak earnings, foreign outflows and economic uncertainty have taken the wind out of the sails of a market that hit record highs just four months back. The rupee is likely to consolidate in the 86.30-86.70 band if inflows don’t resume on a net basis, a trader at a foreign bank said, assuming the central bank continues to curb volatility. While the Fed is widely expected to keep rates unchanged later in the day, investors will keep a close eye on commentary from Chair Jerome Powell. “Despite the slightly lower-than-expected inflation in December, the strength of the jobs market should keep Chair Jerome Powell’s communication on the cautious side,” ING Bank said in a note. (Reporting by Jaspreet Kalra; Editing by Sonia Cheema) Source link #Rupee #ends #changed #focus #turns #Fed #policy #decision Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tyres burned, embassies attacked in DR Congo’s Kinshasa protests – Al Jazeera English Tyres burned, embassies attacked in DR Congo’s Kinshasa protests – Al Jazeera English Tyres burned, embassies attacked in DR Congo’s Kinshasa protests Al Jazeera EnglishRwanda does a Putin in Congo The EconomistM23 rebels expand their control in east Congo as Rwanda’s Kagame joins calls for ceasefire The HillCongo’s M23 rebels take control of Goma airport, embassies attacked in capital ReutersThe situation concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo – Security Council, 9853rd meeting Welcome to the United Nations Source link #Tyres #burned #embassies #attacked #Congos #Kinshasa #protests #Jazeera #English Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MSI says its RTX 5090s won’t ship until February 6, after Nvidia warns on stock levels – and I’m starting to worry that buying a next-gen GPU will be a seriously uphill struggle MSI says its RTX 5090s won’t ship until February 6, after Nvidia warns on stock levels – and I’m starting to worry that buying a next-gen GPU will be a seriously uphill struggle MSI’s US store will only have RTX 5090s on pre-order come launch day While the flagship GPU can be bought on January 30, it won’t ship until February 6 This is happening against a backdrop of broader worries about stock levels, which Nvidia has also just warned on MSI’s RTX 5090 graphics cards that’ll be sold through its own store won’t be made available to buy on the official release date of January 30 – rather, these GPUs will be up for pre-order on that day (tomorrow), but not shipped until a week later. As per information shared by a representative of MSI on Discord, as discovered by VideoCardz, the RTX 5090 will only be available for pre-order on January 30, whereas the RTX 5080 will be purchasable and ship on the same day. RTX 5090 models from the official MSI store in the US won’t ship until February 6, we’re told. The MSI rep said they couldn’t talk with any surety about the situation with other retailers, but did confirm that those other retailers would have at least some stock of MSI’s RTX 5090 models (as you’d hope). VideoCardz further points out that a PC builder in the US (StinceBuilt) is also saying that MSI’s RTX 5090 graphics cards have been pushed back to a launch of February 6. Clearly, this must be due to being short on stock of the RTX 5090, and it mirrors what we heard from MSI China already, namely that the initial supply of the Blackwell flagship GPU will be tight and limited. On top of this, an Nvidia employee (on its official forums) also recently indicated that “stock-outs may happen” with the RTX 5090 and 5080 graphics cards. (Image credit: Future) Analysis: The consuming GPU gloom Unfortunately, this is another in a fair old string of rumors about the RTX 5090 being very short on stock when the flagship GPU first launches. We can’t say anything for sure, with all this being unofficial chatter via the grapevine – even if some nuggets are from representatives of companies in the know, such as MSI here. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. If you want an RTX 5090, then, the situation is looking very shaky indeed, and the odds of you getting one tomorrow, on the official launch day, seem extremely slim. If not actually impossible going by what is said by MSI here (well, you can order a flagship GPU, to be fair, but you won’t get it for a week). This is perhaps why some people have taken extreme measures such as camping out in queues in front of retailers already, in the hope of securing their RTX 5090. More folks will be after the RTX 5080, mind you, which is far more reasonably priced (relatively speaking). And there has been some better news about that GPU in terms of stock, though it still sounds rather thin on the ground, and the level of demand will likely mean that this Blackwell graphics card also sells out in a flash. The additional worry with the RTX 5080 is that pricing for third-party graphics cards will be inflated well above MSRP in the main, for many models, though we’ll have to see if that pans out. All in all, it’s difficult to be even remotely optimistic about the chances of getting an RTX 5090 in particular, but also an RTX 5080, especially given the recent comments from Nvidia, and now MSI. With scenarios like these, scalpers are, of course, rubbing their hands together with glee at the potential price-gouging profits to be made – which inevitably adds to the difficulty of the average gamer trying to secure a shiny new GPU. It’s hard not to be disappointed by all this, and I’m certainly struggling to avoid becoming overly gloomy in my outlook with Nvidia’s imminent GPUs. It’s not even the RTX 5080 I’m primarily looking at as a graphics card upgrade, although any hope I might grab this as my next GPU has been pretty much dampened by the talk of potential price hikes over MSRP and stock difficulties. My real worry is that the noises being made around stock extend to the RTX 5070 (and its Ti sibling), the mid-range models I’m really looking at (including rumors that it could be delayed to March). As I said, fighting the gloom feels like an uphill struggle right now, but I just have to keep reminding myself that it’ll only be a matter of time before the stock situation settles down, if it does play out badly with the RTX 5070 at launch. Right? Or, I’m looking at an AMD RX 9070, which is where the thinking of a number of PC gamers may be heading, I suspect… You might also like… Source link #MSI #RTX #5090s #wont #ship #February #Nvidia #warns #stock #levels #starting #worry #buying #nextgen #GPU #uphill #struggle Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

WH Smith high street sales fall amid talks to sell stores WH Smith high street sales fall amid talks to sell stores WH Smith has revealed a drop in High Street sales amid talks of selling 500 of its *** shops. Its High Street sales fell 6% in the 21 weeks to January 25, covering the key Christmas *******, down 3% on the previous year. The company already has plans to close 17 *** stores in 2025, having closed 14 during the past financial year. But despite struggles on the High Street, WH Smith saw a boost from its travel arm, saying its travel business “delivered another excellent performance”, with plans to expand in the US. Carl Cowling, group chief executive said: “The group is in a strong position, and while there is some economic uncertainty, we are confident of another year of good growth in 2025.” The historic *** business, which was established 233 years ago, confirmed it had held talks at the weekend regarding the possibility of selling its High Street stores, which employ about 5,000 people, to focus on its travel retail business, which operates from airports, train stations and hospitals. It told the BBC that the post offices within 195 of its shops would remain should the ***** of that part of its business goes ahead. The travel retail business side of WH Smith now accounts for more than 85% of its profit and operates 1,200 stores across 32 countries. The company said in its latest results that it planned to open more stores in US airports. “In North America, we have seen a notable shift in like-for-like revenue growth, up 3%, as a result of the actions we have taken to enhance our ranges and introduce new categories,” Mr Cowling said. He announced that the retailer has “won” contracts for eight stores at Orlando airport in Florida, on top of four more stores at Portland airport in Oregon and has plans for 60 stores in total in the US. Back in the ***, the retailer said it left the Christmas trading ******* on track to deliver its target of full year cost savings of £11m. Analysts have predicted its High Street business could be sold for £100m or more in the coming months. Reports have suggested private equity suitors are eyeing a deal to take control of the retailer’s shops. Source link #Smith #high #street #sales #fall #talks #sell #stores Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

As RFK Jr. faces U.S. Senate, questions linger about a measles outbreak in Samoa, half a world away As RFK Jr. faces U.S. Senate, questions linger about a measles outbreak in Samoa, half a world away As U.S. senators grill Robert F. Kennedy Jr. this week, President Trump’s pick to run the Department of Health and Human Services is expected to face sharp questions about his actions in an island nation half a world away. Kennedy’s 2019 visit to Samoa has recently brought fresh attention to his history of activism focused on raising questions about the safety and effectiveness of the measles vaccine — because his trip came just months before a devastating measles outbreak that claimed 83 lives, many of them young children. “It was very sad,” Dr. Take Naseri, Samoa’s health chief at the time, told CBS News. “It’s one of those things you don’t want to revisit.” Kennedy has maintained that he had “nothing to do” with the people of Samoa resisting vaccines. “I had nothing to do with people not vaccinating in Samoa,” he said in an interview with documentary producer Scott Hamilton Kennedy. “I never told anyone not to vaccinate.” But some of Kennedy‘s critics assert he bears a measure of responsibility for the outbreak and that he leveraged the tragedy to promote false claims about the vaccine. Democrats have seized on the episode, even sponsoring advertising that calls out his visit. What happened in Samoa? Years before Kennedy trained his focus on vaccine issues in Samoa, the small Pacific island nation had been experiencing low vaccination rates. Medical professionals attributed this to a shortage of doctors and nurses as well as demographic shifts, with more people moving to cities and away from social structures that helped promote childhood vaccinations. By 2017, only about half of 1-year-old Samoan children were fully vaccinated — far below the 95% coverage needed to prevent community spread and a steep drop from earlier rates that had reportedly reached 90%. The situation took a tragic turn in July 2018 when two nurses mistakenly combined an expired muscle relaxant with MMR vaccine doses instead of sterile water, leading to the deaths of two children. The nurses were charged with manslaughter, and the government responded by suspending the national vaccination program for 10 months. Vaccination rates for children dropped to 31%. Naseri, the former Samoan health chief, told CBS News that the government had struggled to implement an effective vaccine program. He said the mishandling of the vaccine and its tragic consequences “was the last straw.” “It created more hesitancy,” Naseri said. Mistrust in vaccines spread across the island like a virus. At the time, even the prime minister issued a statement on Facebook alleging that his grandson had been injured by a vaccine. The temporary suspension of vaccinations corresponded with a growing distrust in modern medicine. “I would rather treat them at home with old-fashioned herbal medicines than taking them to see a doctor,” one mother told local reporters at the time. “Since children died from these vaccines, I don’t trust any medication from the hospital.” Patricia Stinchfield, a nurse practitioner and past president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, said she had been monitoring the Samoan vaccine crisis even before the measles outbreak struck. She says the immunization rates had dropped so low the situation was “a ticking time bomb.” It was in the midst of that “perfect storm,” Stinchfield said, that Kennedy arrived in Samoa in the summer of 2019. Kennedy has said the purpose of his visit was to pitch a health surveillance system, and that the vaccination pause in 2018 was an opportunity to naturally study an unvaccinated population. His trip was coordinated by a local anti-vaccine advocate known for spreading medical misinformation online. Dr. Naseri told CBS News he met briefly with Kennedy but their conversation focused on environmental and vaccine safety issues. In August 2019, two months after Kenendy’s visit, an infected traveler from New Zealand arrived in Samoa and the deadly measles virus began its spread. The government officially declared an outbreak on Oct. 16 and a month later declared a state of emergency. It wasn’t until early December that the Samoan government conceded it had mishandled immunizations and launched an aggressive vaccination campaign, making the shots mandatory. Dr. Naseri said that delayed response may have contributed to the high infection and death rates. But finally, the country shut down for two days to allow health workers to vaccinate people at home, quickly achieving 90% coverage. Hundreds of medical professionals from around the world responded and traveled to Samoa to help with the vaccination efforts. A nurse from Hawaii helps with MMR vaccinations on Dec. 6, 2019 in Apia, Samoa. The vaccination campaign helped end a measles outbreak that killed 83 people, mostly children. / Getty Images “The government needed the political will, and the international community backed us up,” Naseri said. CBS News visited Samoa during that response and met one parent named Paulo Puelua, who said the measles outbreak took hold of his family in an instant, killing three of his five children. Their mother Fa’oso was so distraught that she had been sleeping on her children’s grave, set up in the family’s front yard according to Samoan tradition. She told CBS News she felt it was her only way to be close to them now. Looking back, officials told CBS News they believe the outbreak’s high death toll resulted from multiple factors, including widespread malnutrition, reliance on traditional medicine, and an overwhelmed health care system. In rural Samoa, many families share a single sleeping space, making transmission easier, and nearly a quarter of the population lives in poverty, further complicating treatment. Controversy about RFK Jr.’s role Dr. Paul Offit is a vaccine specialist and co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine. He’s also director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He’s been a frequent critic of Kennedy’s and believes the nominee for health secretary deserves harsh judgment for how the outbreak unfolded. Offit says Kennedy had been posting about the two deaths before it was understood what had happened, and blamed the MMR vaccine. When that turned out not to be the case, Kennedy did not correct that false assertion. “If he was any kind of man, which he isn’t, he should go back to Samoa and apologize to every one of the families where a child died,” Offit said. “He’s a famous man who goes there and meets with anti-vaccine activists. He gives them credence by going there.” CBS News reached out to Kennedy for comment through the organization he led until last month, Children’s Health Defense, and did not receive a reply. The group has previously denied his visit played any role in the outbreak. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, arrives for meetings on Capitol Hill on Dec. 16, 2024, / Getty Images In interviews, Samoan health officials told CBS News they believe Kennedy’s actions were unlikely to have directly influenced what occurred. “It is well documented that RFK Jnr’s visit to Samoa in 2019 coincided with increased anti-vaccine sentiment, particularly among certain groups,” the Samoan Health Ministry said in a statement. “However, there is no conclusive evidence that his visit directly contributed to the decline in vaccination rates or the subsequent measles outbreak.” But in the midst of the island’s state of emergency, Kennedy sent a letter to the Samoan prime minister suggesting a defective vaccine may have been responsible for causing infections — a theory that has been debunked. “It is critical that the Samoan Health Ministry determine, scientifically, if the outbreak was caused by inadequate vaccine coverage or alternatively, by a defective vaccine,” Kennedy wrote in the Nov. 19, 2019 letter. Kennedy’s letter partly leans on an idea that appears to have originated from misinformation widely spread on social media during a 2014-2015 measles outbreak at Disneyland that inaccurately said that measles originating from the vaccine had been identified. Stinchfield says this is impossible based on the weakened nature of the virus in the vaccine. In very rare cases people may exhibit symptoms similar to those associated with measles but no cases have ever been documented of measles being spread as a result. After the Samoan infections, critics say Kennedy downplayed the outbreak’s severity in blog posts and continued to suggest that the vaccine itself was responsible for the high death rate. He was joined by Del Bigtree, a prominent anti-vaccine activist and Kennedy ally, in pushing conspiracy theories surrounding the outbreak. Stinchfield says the claims they pushed remained unsupported by evidence. And eventually, the Samoan government stopped listening. Samoa has since achieved high vaccination rates and the World Health Organization says the country has reported no measles cases since 2020. However, vaccine hesitancy remains a challenge globally, with anti-vaccine activists continuing to spread fear and misinformation. Samoa’s Health Ministry says it remains concerned about “the global spread of vaccine misinformation and the potential consequences of RFK Jnr.’s influence, particularly if he assumes a leadership role in public health policy. The spread of anti-vaccine narratives has already contributed to outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases in multiple countries, reversing decades of progress in immunization efforts.” Stinchfield said she believes misinformation spread by Kennedy and others — in Samoa, and during the years since — remains acutely dangerous. “Their modus operandi is to take a little kernel of truth and spin it around and confuse people, spin it at a time where the fear is already so high,” she said. “That is disinformation, a weapon that will harm people, harm children.” Source link #RFK #faces #U.S #Senate #questions #linger #measles #outbreak #Samoa #world Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

*** finance minister backs expansion of London’s Heathrow Airport *** finance minister backs expansion of London’s Heathrow Airport British Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft spotted flying on final approach over the roofs of the houses of Myrtle avenue for landing at London Heathrow Airport LHR in the ***. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images U.K. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves on Wednesday unveiled plans to deliver a shot in the arm for the country’s ailing economy, signaling she backs the long-delayed expansion of one of the world’s busiest airports. In a major growth speech in Oxfordshire, Reeves said that a third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport was “badly needed,” adding it would boost investment, support economic expansion and could create as many as 100,000 jobs. Reeves said “low growth is not our destiny. But growth will not come without a fight.” She promised to go “further and faster” to fulfil what she’s called her “number one priority” of kickstarting the U.K.’s economy. The ruling center-left Labour Party has repeatedly pledged to prioritize economic growth, with Reeves last week telling reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that this mission is more important to the government than its net-zero emissions target. Supporters of a third runway at Heathrow say it would better connect the U.K. to long-haul destinations, boost trade, jobs and, ultimately, economic growth. Environmental campaign groups, meanwhile, have sharply criticized the expansion plans at Europe’s busiest hub, saying economic growth can be achieved without undermining the country’s climate targets. Reeves described net zero as the “industrial opportunity of the 21st century,” saying there is no trade off between economic growth and the energy transition. The Treasury has also reportedly been considering a second runway at London’s Gatwick Airport and increased capacity at Luton Airport. Britain’s economic output returned to growth in November last year, although the expansion was weaker-than-expected at just 0.1%. A report published last year found that the U.K.’s net-zero economy, which spans sectors including renewables and green finance, expanded by 9% in 2023 — in sharp contrast to the meager growth seen in the wider economy. “The green economy is growing fast, and with greater government support it could expand even quicker. It needn’t be a question of growth or the environment when we can have both — especially when the green economy is outpacing other sectors,” Rosie Downes, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth, said in a statement. ‘No easy routes’ to growth Rachel Reeves, *** Finance Minister, speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box outside the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 22, 2025. Gerry Miller | CNBC The finance minister has come under sustained pressure since unveiling the Treasury’s spending and taxation plans last fall, which centered on increasing the tax burden on British businesses. The package has drawn widespread criticism from industry leaders over the impact on investment, jobs and economic growth. Reeves has defended that tough measures were necessary to achieve economic stability and that there was “no alternative.” She has also said tax rises on businesses would be a one-off, telling the Confederation of British Industry last November that she was “not coming back with more borrowing or more taxes.” Gareth Davies, shadow finance minister and lawmaker of the Conservatives, told CNBC Wednesday that the opposition party supported pro-growth agenda, but that tax announcements in the Autumn Budget had damaged business confidence and deterred investment. “We would support any pro-growth, deregulation – that’s absolutely critical for any economic growth in our country – but you can’t have that at the same time as anti-growth tax policies, which is what this Labour government has introduced since it came to power, and particularly in the Budget,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe.” “But the broad principle is that we do want more infrastructure in our economy and our country, and that this will boost growth, so let’s see what the announcements are today,” he said, ahead of Reeves’ speech. Source link #finance #minister #backs #expansion #Londons #Heathrow #Airport Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Oregano, the Quintessential Ancient Greek Herb Oregano, the Quintessential Ancient Greek Herb Oregano plant. Credit: H. Zell/Wikimedia Commons/CC-BY-SA-3.0 Ancient Greeks knew a thing or two when it came to herbs, and oregano is one that they simply could not do without. They cherished the ancient herb thousands of years ago for its wide range of medicinal, superstitious, and culinary properties – and Greeks still use oregano today for many of the same benefits. Oregano brings good luck Back in ancient Greece, the tasty herb was thought to bring good luck and good health, but it also symbolized joy. This herb is known as the “brilliant joy of the mountain” and is still just as prominent in Greek cuisine and life as it was in ancient times. It is said that the word “oregano” may have derived from two Greek words: “oros” (mountain) and “ganos” (joyful brilliance). The story goes that the Greek herb is the creation of none other than Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Apparently, the Greek goddess created and grew the ancient herb high in her mountain-top garden on Mount Olympus, and made it a symbol of happiness and joy for everyone throughout the ancient lands. In a beautiful acknowledgment of this ancient belief, even crowns worn by couples getting married were, and sometimes still are, made from the joyful herb! Greeks plant oregano to ward off evil In ancient times, Greeks would plant oregano around their homes in hopes of warding off evil spirits. It is even believed that ancient Greeks would wear a wreath of oregano on their head during sleep to encourage psychic dreams! Nowadays, people in Greece still consciously or unconsciously follow many of the ancient beliefs when it comes to the ancient herb. For example, Greeks still plant oregano in pots and in their gardens to help ward off evil spirits and negative energy. Also, some still believe that oregano is a purifying herb, and if you put some under your pillow, it will ensure that you have sweet dreams. Hippocrates and the surprising medicinal benefits of oregano This ancient and august herb was also considered a source of great healing to the ancient Greeks. After all, it was Hippocrates who said “Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food.” Hippocrates even applied oregano oil to treat skin infections from psoriasis and cuts, and he used it to cure stomachaches. The herb was often steeped in hot water to create tea. With the addition of some honey, this was ancient Greeks’ cure for coughs, colds, and asthma. Made into a juice-like substance which was much more potent than tea, it was even used to cure tonsillitis. Now we know that Hippocrates was actually spot-on. Nowadays, scientists have discovered that oregano oil has antibiotic and antioxidant properties. Greek oregano is thought to be one of the healthiest and best of the oregano varieties in the entire world. This is because Greek oregano has high concentrations of carvacrol and thymol — which have powerful antioxidant and *******-fighting properties. These substances can even help lower blood pressure! Oregano and Greek food Of course, oregano plays a major role in Greek cuisine today, just as it did in ancient times. It finds its way into many Greek dishes, from the most basic traditional horiatiki (Greek salad) to topping fish dishes and french fries. Thanks to the ancient Romans, the ancient herb made its way out of Greece and is now a flavorful and healthy addition to cuisines around the world. Source link #Oregano #Quintessential #Ancient #Greek #Herb Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hegseth cutting Milley’s security detail, eyes stripping him of star Hegseth cutting Milley’s security detail, eyes stripping him of star Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is set to announce the immediate rescission of the personal security detail and security clearance for former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Army Gen. Mark Milley, several news outlets report. The Trump administration is also aiming to get Milley demoted in retirement. Hegseth is expected to direct the Pentagon’s new acting Inspector General to conduct a review board to see if enough evidence exists for the four-star general to be stripped of a star based on his actions to “undermine the chain of command” during President Trump’s first term, multiple senior administration officials told Fox News, which first reported on the plan. Additionally, a second portrait of Milley inside the Pentagon will be removed as soon as Tuesday night. That portrait sits in the Army’s Marshall Corridor on the third floor and honors Milley’s service as a former chief-of-staff of the Army. The first portrait of him, which was removed just hours after President Trump was sworn into his second term on Jan. 20, depicted his time as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Taking down both Milley portraits means there will be no more imagery of him inside the Pentagon. Defense Department officials declined to comment on the potential directives, and the White House did not respond to a request for comment. Trump and Milley have long had an acrimonious relationship, starting in Trump’s first term, when Milley apologized for accompanying Trump for a photo opportunity at Lafayette Square near the White House in 2020 during racial justice unrest in the nation’s Capitol. Later, in the final days of Trump’s first term, Milley reportedly reassured ******** officials there would be no threat to China without Trump’s knowledge amid fears of instability within the White House. The incident infuriated Trump to the point that he posted on Truth Social that Milley was “treasonous,” suggesting he be executed. Since then, Trump has often vowed to take revenge against his enemies, naming Milley often as one such foe. But Trump might be hard-pressed to stick Milley with any criminal charges, as the retired general was given a preemptive pardon issued by former President Biden on Jan. 20, his last day in office. Milley – who in public and private has reportedly called Trump unintelligent and a “fascist to the core” – had been assigned personal security details since 2020 when Iran vowed revenge for the Trump-ordered drone strike killing of Iranian military officer Qasem Soleimani. The removal of Milley’s security detail follows Trump’s decision last week to also end protective security details for his former national security adviser John Bolton, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his onetime deputy Brian Hook. Milley served as Joint Chiefs chairman from 2019 to 2023 under both Trump and Biden and Army chief of staff from 2015 to 2019 under President Obama and Trump. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Source link #Hegseth #cutting #Milleys #security #detail #eyes #stripping #star Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia’s RTX 5080 might be only slightly faster than the RTX 4080 Super without DLSS, if this leaked review is genuine Nvidia’s RTX 5080 might be only slightly faster than the RTX 4080 Super without DLSS, if this leaked review is genuine An early review from Igor’sLAB suggests the RTX 5080 might be slightly faster than the RTX 4080 Super Results stem from tests at a 1440p resolution max settings, with no RT or DLSS Reviews will go live today We’re just hours away from the review embargo lifting on Nvidia’s RTX 5080 Founders Edition GPU, and a leaked review may have just given us an eleventh-hour look at what to expect from the card – and it’s not quite what many have anticipated. As reported by VideoCardz, multiple Redditors spotted an early review of the RTX 5080 from Igor’sLAB, that reveals only a slight performance boost for the GPU against the previous generation’s RTX 4080 Super – it’s reportedly only 8.3% faster on average without using ray tracing (which is very demanding on hardware) or DLSS based on performance tests in several games, including Cyberpunk 2077. It’s important to note that most of these performance analyses were done at 1440p (or at least, that’s what Redditors managed to screenshot before the review was taken down), which won’t give us a true idea of the new GPU’s performance capabilities compared to running tests at 4K resolution. In other words, it’s a little early to pass significant judgment on Team Green’s efforts here. These suspected minor performance improvements over the RTX 4080 Super are most prominently on display in Horizon: Zero Dawn Remastered – at a 1440p resolution on ultra graphics settings with DLSS disabled, the RTX 5080 maintained an average of 156.3 fps against the RTX 4080 Super’s 154.3 fps, a truly measly 1.3% performance increase. If these results are accurate and consistent with other real-world tests once the review embargo officially drops later today, there may be little reason to make the jump from an RTX 4080 Super to an RTX 5080. (Image credit: Guerrilla Games) Let’s wait for more real-world performance tests… Now, it would be naive of me to draw conclusions about the RTX 5080 without having seen more performance tests (especially at resolutions above 1440p), and this whoopsie from Igor’s also doesn’t show what impact the newly-upgraded DLSS 4 has on both GPUs. I won’t consider Frame Generation to be a major factor in judging any significant differences, as the new Multi-Frame Generation feature is exclusive to RTX 5000 series GPUs, so chances are frame rates will be much higher than the RTX 4080 Super’s anyway once Nvidia’s AI-powered tools are factored in. What I can say is that if DLSS 4 pushes the 5080’s frame rates above and beyond the RTX 4080 Super’s, especially if it does a better job of handling additional graphics settings like ray tracing, then it will be a different narrative. The close frame rate averages based on the leaked review aren’t necessarily pleasing for many to see, and considering the $999 / £979 / AU$2,019 MSRP, it could be hard to justify since the RTX 4080 Super’s MSRP is the same – and it’ll likely get cheaper once the 5080 arrives. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Personally (as an RTX 4080 Super user), I’m planning to be very patient to see exactly what benefits this potential upgrade path could offer me – hopefully, it’s worth justifying at my beloved ultrawide resolutions. You may also like… Source link #Nvidias #RTX #slightly #faster #RTX #Super #DLSS #leaked #review #genuine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Review – Accolade Sports Collection (PS5) | WayTooManyGames Review – Accolade Sports Collection (PS5) | WayTooManyGames WTMG’s Leo Faria: “What we have here is a completely functional, somewhat well-remastered and feature-filled collection of sports titles that, sadly, just haven’t aged well at all. Between the ultra dated controls, poor framerate on the ones aiming for a faux-3D effect, or lack of appealing licenses, Accolade Sports Collection is more of an interesting novelty and a way to preserve some lesser-known games to a future generation, than an actual digital sports library worth your time. I appreciate the intent behind it, but those games just aren’t very interesting.” Source link #Review #Accolade #Sports #Collection #PS5 #WayTooManyGames Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*** finance minister backs expansion of London’s Heathrow Airport *** finance minister backs expansion of London’s Heathrow Airport British Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft spotted flying on final approach over the roofs of the houses of Myrtle avenue for landing at London Heathrow Airport LHR in the ***. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images U.K. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves on Wednesday unveiled plans to deliver a shot in the arm for the country’s ailing economy, signaling she backs the long-delayed expansion of one of the world’s busiest airports. In a major growth speech in Oxfordshire, Reeves said that a third runway at London’s Heathrow Airport was “badly needed,” adding it would boost investment, support economic expansion and could create as many as 100,000 jobs. Reeves said “low growth is not our destiny. But growth will not come without a fight.” She promised to go “further and faster” to fulfil what she’s called her “number one priority” of kickstarting the U.K.’s economy. The ruling center-left Labour Party has repeatedly pledged to prioritize economic growth, with Reeves last week telling reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that this mission is more important to the government than its net-zero emissions target. Supporters of a third runway at Heathrow say it would better connect the U.K. to long-haul destinations, boost trade, jobs and, ultimately, economic growth. Environmental campaign groups, meanwhile, have sharply criticized the expansion plans at Europe’s busiest hub, saying economic growth can be achieved without undermining the country’s climate targets. Reeves described net zero as the “industrial opportunity of the 21st century,” saying there is no trade off between economic growth and the energy transition. The Treasury has also reportedly been considering a second runway at London’s Gatwick Airport and increased capacity at Luton Airport. Britain’s economic output returned to growth in November last year, although the expansion was weaker-than-expected at just 0.1%. A report published last year found that the U.K.’s net-zero economy, which spans sectors including renewables and green finance, expanded by 9% in 2023 — in sharp contrast to the meager growth seen in the wider economy. “The green economy is growing fast, and with greater government support it could expand even quicker. It needn’t be a question of growth or the environment when we can have both — especially when the green economy is outpacing other sectors,” Rosie Downes, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth, said in a statement. ‘No easy routes’ to growth Rachel Reeves, *** Finance Minister, speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box outside the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 22, 2025. Gerry Miller | CNBC The finance minister has come under sustained pressure since unveiling the Treasury’s spending and taxation plans last fall, which centered on increasing the tax burden on British businesses. The package has drawn widespread criticism from industry leaders over the impact on investment, jobs and economic growth. Reeves has defended that tough measures were necessary to achieve economic stability and that there was “no alternative.” She has also said tax rises on businesses would be a one-off, telling the Confederation of British Industry last November that she was “not coming back with more borrowing or more taxes.” Gareth Davies, shadow finance minister and lawmaker of the Conservatives, told CNBC Wednesday that the opposition party supported pro-growth agenda, but that tax announcements in the Autumn Budget had damaged business confidence and deterred investment. “We would support any pro-growth, deregulation – that’s absolutely critical for any economic growth in our country – but you can’t have that at the same time as anti-growth tax policies, which is what this Labour government has introduced since it came to power, and particularly in the Budget,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe.” “But the broad principle is that we do want more infrastructure in our economy and our country, and that this will boost growth, so let’s see what the announcements are today,” he said, ahead of Reeves’ speech. Source link #finance #minister #backs #expansion #Londons #Heathrow #Airport Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The adventure-RPG “Tails of Iron 2” is now available for PC and consoles The adventure-RPG “Tails of Iron 2” is now available for PC and consoles “The US-based indie games publisher United Label and Manchester-based (the ***) indie games developer Odd Bug Studio, are today very happy and excited to announce that their adventure-RPG “Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter”, is now available for PC (via Steam) and consoles (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and the Nintendo Switch) via digital stores.” – Jonas Ek, TGG. Source link #adventureRPG #Tails #Iron #consoles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NVIDIA Shares Rebound 9% as Former Intel CEO Dismisses AI Panic – Yahoo Finance NVIDIA Shares Rebound 9% as Former Intel CEO Dismisses AI Panic – Yahoo Finance NVIDIA Shares Rebound 9% as Former Intel CEO Dismisses AI Panic Yahoo FinanceChina’s DeepSeek faces questions over claims after shaking up global tech Al Jazeera EnglishWhat is DeepSeek and why is it disrupting the AI sector? ReutersNvidia is in danger of losing its monopoly-like margins The EconomistDeepSeek Shows Meta’s A.I. Strategy Is Working The New York Times Source link #NVIDIA #Shares #Rebound #Intel #CEO #Dismisses #Panic #Yahoo #Finance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Mute House Review Silent Fear | TheSixthAxis The Mute House Review Silent Fear | TheSixthAxis TSA writes:The Mute House is one of the most faithful survival horror experiences currently available and is highly recommended for fans of the genre. Source link #Mute #House #Review #Silent #Fear #TheSixthAxis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

United Utilities to increase water bills by 32% over five years United Utilities to increase water bills by 32% over five years PA Media United Utilities supplies millions of households in the north-west of England Household water bills for millions of customers will rise by 32% over the next five years, United Utilities (UU) has announced. The water company, which supplies Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cumbria, most of Cheshire and parts of Derbyshire, said the increase had been negotiated in December with the regulator Ofwat as part of its price review. Household bills will initially rise by an average of £86 from April. Water companies have said they needed to increase bills to fund infrastructure projects designed to reduce pollution incidents. ‘Investment’ Over the next five years, the average annual rise in bills will be £31. Ofwat explained, however, that water companies were expected to hike tariffs more in the first 12 months of the five-year *******. Additionally, the scheduled increases do not include inflation, which means actual bills will likely rise even more. UU also announced it would raise dividend payouts to shareholders in line with inflation. Chief executive Louise Beardmore said the increased bills would raise £13bn to invest in water infrastructure projects across the north-west of England. She said this would be the “largest investment in water and wastewater infrastructure in over 100 years”. Ms Beardmore also pledged to provide £525m in financial support to approximately one-in-six households across the region during the next five years. ‘Legal obligations’ On Tuesday the Environment Agency (EA) announced it had secured a commitment from water companies to better tackle pollution. Its Water Industry National Environment Programme sets out more than 24,000 actions that water companies must take over the next five years to meet their environmental legal obligations. The EA said this equated to £22.1bn of investment, and had been factored into negotiations about bill increase negotiations. It said the investment would help protect future water supplies, boost natural habitats and biodiversity, and improve the quality of drinking water for consumers. Source link #United #Utilities #increase #water #bills #years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fortnite’s Leaked Wrestlers Season Suggests a WWE Takeover and James Bond Could Be Part of the Action Fortnite’s Leaked Wrestlers Season Suggests a WWE Takeover and James Bond Could Be Part of the Action Fortnite featured a tower defense looter shooter gameplay loop prior to the battle royale mode’s explosive growth in popularity during Chapter 1. Since then, the game has collaborated with hundreds of popular characters, including Rick Sanchez, Captain America, John Wick, and many more. As the current season, Chapter 6 Season 1, has its own offerings, there doesn’t appear to be any indication that these crossover sprees will stop. Fortnite has become the home of collaborations. | Credit: Epic Games. In light of Epic Games’ ongoing addition of well-known IPs to its game, a number of fans have expressed their preferences for future characters. , According to a recent leak, the addition of James Bond 007 to Fortnite in a future season may be the result of popular demand. Not only that, fans might be surprised with the theme of the new season as well. Fortnite‘s Chapter 6 Season 2 theme might be “Wrestlers & Gear,” which could feature James Bond Players might get a James Bond skin in Fortnite. | Credit: Activision. Massively popular Fortnite leaker ShiinaBR has stated that Fortnite will release a James Bond skin in Chapter 6 Season 2. The same source claimed that Epic is also working on adding a “bunch of wrestlers” along with wrestler-themed gear, speculating that this content drop “looks like a season.” The skin might be featured to help promote some major releases, as the upcoming James Bond film and IO Interactive’s Project 007 are reportedly in development. RUMOR: JAMES BOND SKIN & WRESTLERS SEASON The leaker who mentioned Sabrina Carpenter also said that a James Bond skin is coming to Fortnite. They also mentioned Wrestlers & Gear which “looks like a season” (via @Shpeshal_Nick) pic.twitter.com/xDdThgLwTf — Shiina (@ShiinaBR) January 28, 2025 Although a James Bond skin might eventually be added to Fortnite, it’s not clear which version of the character will be featured. Actors Daniel Craig, Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, and others have all portrayed James Bond, changing his look over time. It’s also crucial to remember that the character’s owner, the Broccoli family, is fiercely protective of him, and it might take some time before the backstage legalities surrounding the skin’s release are resolved. Fans may not be surprised to see James Bond in the game at some point, considering his popularity across several generations. These details should be taken with a pinch of salt, as the James Bond skin is currently only a rumor. The action movie hero could be dropped at any time because Epic Games keeps adding new skins to Fortnite. Sabrina Carpenter is reportedly becoming the next Fortnite Festival Concernt artist What about going to a Sabrina Carpenter concert in Fortnite? | Credit: YouTube/@Sabrina Carpenter. All the previously said rumors were originally boosted by XboxEra co-founder Nick “Shpeshal Nick” Baker and then reshared by ShiinaBR. In the past, Shpeshal Nick has denied being a data miner and stated that he obtained information from an unnamed source with a “unique angle” on information gathering. What Shpeshal Nick first proposed may have more merit now that ShiinaBR has released its own statement regarding the James Bond skin and the wrestling season. And it seems Shpeshal Nick has other surprises for us as well. He has claimed that once Fortnite Festival‘s ongoing Hatsune Miku collab is done, the game will then collaborate with Sabrina Carpenter in a new season. On January 27, Nick posted a screenshot of a conversation he had with an unidentified source in August 2024, who said that a Sabrina Carpenter festival was being planned. The pop star’s involvement in Epic’s popular game would continue with the rumored Sabrina Carpenter festival. A number of Fortnite emotes that were for ***** from mid-October to early November 2024 were previously given to Carpenter. In the fall of 2024, her songs Feather and Espresso were also included in the list of Jam Tracks for the battle royale game. As of early 2025, they can still be purchased for 500 V-Bucks each. Although the truth of these claims is still up for debate, Nick has a strong history of leaking information about Fortnite, having accurately foreseen the game’s partnerships with well-known properties like The Boys and The Pirates of the Caribbean. Source link #Fortnites #Leaked #Wrestlers #Season #Suggests #WWE #Takeover #James #Bond #Part #Action Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Well-connected people trying to stop solar park being built’ ‘Well-connected people trying to stop solar park being built’ Dave Harvey Business and Environment Correspondent, BBC West Kelly Morgan Wiltshire Political Reporter Solar park divides villagers & heightens emotion as consultation continues People living in some of Britain’s most picturesque villages have been divided by plans for a one of the biggest solar parks in the country. Developers want to build solar panels on 2,000 acres of farmland near Malmesbury in the Cotswolds, producing enough energy for 115,000 homes. Rosie Clark is one of hundreds of local campaigners who believes it will “decimate the local area”. But supporters of the scheme, including the former mayor of Malmesbury Lesley Bennett, accused opponents of being “well-connected people” whose leaflets are “full of mistakes”. The government wants to quadruple the amount of solar power generated in the ***. But wherever developers propose new solar farms, opposition springs up. The former mayor of Malmesbury Lesley Bennett said the area “needs clean energy” Rosie Clark lives in a stone cottage surrounded by Cotswold fields and hedgerows in Wiltshire. She is worried there could be more than “a million panels which will be as high as a double-decker bus”. The developers have not confirmed exact numbers, but have said it would be ‘no more than 700,000 panels’. “It will completely swamp nine local villages,” Ms Clark said. “We are in an area of outstanding national beauty. It will decimate the local area, which relies a lot on tourism.” The campaign to block the new solar farm has nearly 1,000 supporters Meanwhile, Lesley Bennett is one of a few people who will speak up for the solar scheme. “It’s nimbyism, it’s perfect nimbyism,” she said. “We need clean energy. We need to be energy independent.” The campaign to Stop Lime Down is well organised. Hundreds of people have been signed up, leaflets printed, there are signs everywhere in these north Wiltshire villages. But Mrs Bennett thinks there are many silent solar supporters, who dare not speak up. “It’s a few well-connected rich people who’ve created a brilliant campaign,” she says. “But it’s an illusion. This leaflet is full of mistakes.” Campaigners are well aware the odds are against them. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has already approved several big solar schemes, just as big as Lime Down. Mr Miliband wants to quadruple the ***’s solar power generation capacity, which he says will “make the *** a clean energy superpower”. Ms Clark said she is “all for wind and solar energy”, just not on farmland. “We should not be using agricultural land and destroying our future food security for solar panels,” she said. The solar park will cover 2000 acres of land, half of which will be used for environmental improvements Mrs Bennett highlighted that only half of the 2,000 acres (878 hectares) proposed for development would have solar panels or related buildings on. The developers, Island Green Power, have allocated 47% of the land for environmental purposes. Mrs Bennett said that solar fields have always worked alongside nature. She said: “You can have sheep on there, you can have wildlife on there, they put in beehives and ponds and all sorts.” The company’s first public consultation ran into serious opposition. Their own report found that 88% of local people were opposed to their plans. Now the developers, Island Green Power, said they have listened and learned. Will Threllfall, senior project development manager, said he was ‘really grateful’ to everyone who responded. A well-organised local campaign is trying to stop the solar development The new proposals they are now consulting on include changes, he said, which will make the solar panels less visible and less intrusive. But they remain committed to the basic plan, with 878 hectares ( 2170 acres) in the scheme, of which 53% is either solar panels or related infrastructure. Mr Threlfall said: “Projects like Lime Down Solar are vital to enabling the transition from fossil fuel to low carbon energy, and we’re committed to delivering a scheme that makes a meaningful contribution to both local and national energy needs.” The formal public consultation will run until 19 March 2025. After that, the company will submit a planning application which will in the end be decided by the Secretary of State. The scheme is considered too big to be judged by a local council alone. Source link #Wellconnected #people #stop #solar #park #built Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered launches February 14 – reveals new Flyby Camera Maker Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered launches February 14 – reveals new Flyby Camera Maker 25 years ago, we were shocked with the image of Lara Croft hanging from a cliff inside an Egyptian tomb, as the credits rolled on Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation. It’s time for Tomb Raider players to re-experience the next remastered chapters of Lara Croft’s darkest adventures. Source link #Tomb #Raider #IVVI #Remastered #launches #February #reveals #Flyby #Camera #Maker Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]