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‘This is insane s—‘: Bill Gates criticizes Elon Musk for far-right support – National ‘This is insane s—‘: Bill Gates criticizes Elon Musk for far-right support – National Bill Gates has criticized fellow billionaire Elon Musk for his involvement in the politics of other countries, including Germany and the U.K. “It’s really insane that he can destabilize the political situations in countries,” Gates, 69, said in an interview with The Times of London. “I think in the US foreigners aren’t allowed to give money; other countries maybe should adopt safeguards to make sure super-rich foreigners aren’t distorting their elections.” Musk, the co-lead of a newly created Department of Government Efficiency, donated millions of dollars to helping U.S. President Donald Trump get elected. On Saturday, Musk, 53, made a surprise virtual appearance during Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) election campaign event and spoke in support of the far-right party. The Tesla CEO told the crowd they should be “optimistic” and “excited” about Germany’s future, adding, “I hope your people unite and strongly support AfD.” Story continues below advertisement 2:44 Elon Musk calls for Germans to ‘move beyond’ Nazi guilt at far-right rally Earlier this month, Musk advised the U.K.’s right-wing Reform Party to dump its leader, Nigel Farage, and called for the removal of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He also posted an online poll for his 210 million followers on the proposition: “America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government.” Gates addressed Musk’s recent political opinions in his interview. “You want to promote the right wing but say Nigel Farage is not right wing enough… I mean, this is insane s–t,” Gates told the newspaper. “You are for the AfD [in Germany]. We can all overreach. If someone is super-smart, and he is, they should think how they can help out. But this is populist stirring.” Story continues below advertisement Musk has been very vocal about a series of cases that rocked towns in northern England, where groups of men were tried for grooming and abusing dozens of girls. The cases have been used by far-right activists to link child abuse to immigration, and to accuse politicians of covering up the “grooming gangs” out of a fear of appearing racist. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. “It’s difficult to understand why someone who has a car factory in both China and in Germany, whose rocket business is ultra-dependent on relationships with sovereign nations and who is busy cutting $2 trillion in US government expenses and running five companies, is obsessing about this grooming story in the ***. I’m like, what?” Gates said. 7:45 Trump’s billionaire buddies could be the answer to Canada’s trade tariff woes, expert says Trending Now Canada must take ‘responsibility’ for its sovereignty, defence chief says ‘Heil Tesla’: Elon Musk’s salute projected onto carmaker’s factory in Germany During his interview, Gates also shared details about a three-hour dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in December 2024, calling the encounter “pretty constructive.” “It was quite an engaging conversation where he listened to me talk about **** and the need to stay generous and to innovate to get a cure,” Gates said. “I talked a lot about polio and energy and nuclear, and he wasn’t dismissive. Story continues below advertisement “Well, he is the most powerful person in the world and his decision over whether to consider changing **** funding alone would make the trip worth it, or to encourage Pakistan and Afghanistan to take polio eradication seriously.” Gates said that during Trump’s first term, he met with him more times than he met with Joe Biden during his time in the White House. “I had a lot of times when I would go to the White House and they would say, ‘We think you are going to see President Biden today,’ but six times in a row it didn’t happen,” Gates said. He said Trump “has a lot of ability to help me” and he needs to “stay close.” “There is so much up in the air with him — is he going to deport nine million or one million? Is he going to have 60 per cent tariffs or 5 per cent? Is he going to fund infectious disease innovation or end it? I need to stay close. Whoever gets to enthuse President Trump about the right things, that is God’s work.” Musk has not responded to Gates’ comments as of this writing. —With files from The Associated Press More on World More videos &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #insane #Bill #Gates #criticizes #Elon #Musk #farright #support #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******* national team cyclists hurt in road accident ******* national team cyclists hurt in road accident Six members of the ******* track cycling team were injured, some of them seriously, when they were hit by a car on Mallorca, the ******* Cycling Association has reported. The team members were taken to a hospital on the Spanish holiday island. Some of them suffered bone fractures, but none was in critical condition. The six injured cyclists include former under-23 European champion Tobias Buck-Gramcko and Benjamin Boos, third in the world championships, and Max-David Briese and Moritz Augenstein, all members of the ******* endurance team. The accident occurred on Monday morning near the Palma de Mallorca airport and not far from the team’s quarters. According to the report from the cycling association, the driver of the car is 89 years old and failed to see the group before running into them head-on. Team trainer Lucas Schadlich, who was in the accompanying car, witnessed the accident. The next major event is the European Track Cycling Championships in Heusden Zolder in Belgium next month. Local newspaper Ultima Hora reported that the driver had tested negative for alcohol and drugs. He is reported to have told police he had been distracted at the time of the accident and did not see the group. Source link #******* #national #team #cyclists #hurt #road #accident Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why market panic over China’s DeepSeek is ‘overblown,’ analysts say Why market panic over China’s DeepSeek is ‘overblown,’ analysts say Don’t jump off the Nvidia bandwagon just yet. China’s AI startup DeepSeek triggered a tech sell-off today as investors panicked over fears of a cheaper open-source large language model, raising concerns about the US’s AI dominance. The tech-heavy Nasdaq (^IXIC) closed down 3%, with Nvidia (NVDA) leading the decline. The chip giant’s stock plummeted 16.9%, erasing a record $589 billion from its market cap. That sent a ripple across the broader technology sector. Chip stocks including Broadcom (AVGO), Lam Research (LRCX), KLA (KLAC), and Marvell (MRVL) fell Monday, while Magnificent Seven members Microsoft (MSFT) and Alphabet (GOOGL) dropped 2% and 4%, respectively. The fall adds pressure for the group ahead of fourth quarter earnings. Wall Street is already expecting the group’s profit growth to fall to 22% in the fourth quarter, its slowest rate in nearly two years, amid renewed focus on capital expenditures. Watch: Nvidia rout highlights ‘concentration risk’ in markets But the panic-selling may be overdone, according to top analysts. Bernstein’s Stacy Rasgon characterized the market’s reaction as “overblown,” telling me the development of DeepSeek doesn’t spell out “doomsday for AI infrastructure.” “I am not of the belief that we’re anywhere close to the cap on compute needs for artificial intelligence,” Rasgon said. “I’m of the belief that if you’re freeing up compute capacity, it likely gets absorbed … We’re going to need innovations like this if you’re going to be able to keep things going.” Futurum’s chief strategist Daniel Newman echoed this sentiment. He said a more efficient model like DeepSeek will expand AI use, citing an economics concept called the Jevons Paradox. “The market is completely missing this one,” Newman warned. “If we can use compute more efficiently … the companies that we’re saying aren’t driving enough revenue will be able to build their models cheaper. They’ll be able to create solutions with less overhead expense, and they’re going to drive more EPS.” The idea of the Jevons Paradox was also cited by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who tweeted that as AI gets more efficient, its use will skyrocket. “Spending is still continuing to accelerate … I don’t think that this has to stop that,” Rasgon added. And it’s perhaps that sentiment that helped alleviate some of Wall Street’s initial panic as Big Tech names including Microsoft closed well off their lows of the session, while Amazon and Meta finished Monday up 0.3% and 1.9%. Story Continues For the broader market, Principal Asset Management’s chief global strategist Seema Shah downplayed correction fears, telling me she still sees a “constructive” macro environment. “I don’t think we’re at a point where we can start talking about correction territory … The economic environment is still very constructive for earnings across most sectors,” Shah told me on Yahoo Finance’s Morning Brief. “If DeepSeek is everything they’re saying, this is ultimately positive for productivity around the world for all sectors … it certainly isn’t the end of the story of the US exceptionalism and productivity.” The Nasdaq closed Monday down 3%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) dropped 1.5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) reversed earlier losses, ending up 0.65%. Seana Smith is an anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow Smith on X @SeanaNSmith. Tips on deals, mergers, activist situations, or anything else? Email *****@*****.tld. Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Source link #market #panic #Chinas #DeepSeek #overblown #analysts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

It could have been a lot worse. Why some investors were buying during tech rout It could have been a lot worse. Why some investors were buying during tech rout The tech rout spurred by the emergence of ******** AI startup DeepSeek could have been a lot worse, if some investors didn’t view the selloff as a buying opportunity. Stocks struggled during Monday’s session. The S & P 500 slid 1.5%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 3%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average — which has more exposure to companies tied to the real economy than they do to tech — was the outperformer, up 0.7%. But that wasn’t nearly as bad as what the selloff could’ve been. At one point during the session, the S & P 500 and Nasdaq were down 2.3% and 3.8%, respectively. The 30-stock Dow was off by nearly 400 points, or 0.9%. Wall Street’s fear gauge — the CBOE Volatility Index — spiked above the 20 handle earlier in the session, but then fell back around 18 as the day wore on. A reading above 20 implies an elevated level of volatility in the market. .VIX 1D mountain VIX In spite of the initial reaction, more investors came to view some of the buzz around DeepSeek — with its cheaper, competitive AI model casting doubt on the money U.S. megacaps are spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure — as an overreaction. They say that the open source model will drive down costs for hyperscalers, which could benefit the large and well-capitalized companies. Apple and Meta , for example, were trading higher Monday, possibly a sign investors expect lower AI costs will improve the bottom lines for the businesses. “What they showed was, we can take an open source model, we can make it available and drive down costs like we did with the internet. Because, right now, what we have with AI is centralized, it’s closed, it’s more expensive, and there are a few players,” Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research, told CNBC’s “Money Movers” on Monday. “And in the open source model, like the Internet, it was decentralized, more players, cheaper and available to everybody. And that’s a good thing in general for AI.” “So, once the market digests that and realizes that China is not as far ahead as what the American companies are, they’ll realize that, ‘Hey, the West is still ahead.’ And of course, we’ll see the stabilization,” Wang continued. Similarly, Deepwater Asset Management’s Gene Munster said he expects the market is “overreacting” to DeepSeek’s success, saying investors are underestimating the need for an AI infrastructure buildout. “Most likely, the DeepSeek ‘breakthrough’ represents some step forward in chip architecture. It’s unclear if it’s a 5% or 500% improvement,” Munster wrote on X. “What’s being missed today is if there is a more efficient way to train models, it could increase the level of investment to build AI infrastructure given the prospects of reaching artificial general intelligence are more achievable.” ‘Pick your spots’ That could present a buying opportunity in a number of megacaps, which took a major hit Monday after the DeepSeek news gained traction over the weekend just ahead of their earnings results this week and next. Micosoft and Tesla are down more than 2% each. Both companies post earnings Wednesday. “It looks like, to me, actually, a buying opportunity,” Constellation Research’s Wang said. “A lot of these companies are basically duopolies in their marketplace. There really is no competition at the moment, and this outside, external force is only going to push more exponential efficiency.” Louis Navellier, founder of Navellier & Associates, also wrote to investors: “This feels like a buying opportunity.” “It’s all about the reset of AI cost expectations affecting the companies involved in building out the NVIDIA-based systems,” Navellier wrote. “The DeepSeek solution appears to be primarily a clever software solution to AI learning, rather than something that makes existing AI systems obsolete in some way. It would seem likely that the new software shortcuts can be employed by the American AI systems to make them even more powerful.” Still, other investors are urging caution as analysts review the new AI model to understand its implications, as they wait for a better entry point into equities. Nvidia , for example, tumbled 16.9% Monday , but also dipped below its 200-day moving average for the first time in two years — signaling a deterioration in the long-term upward trend in the stock. Hightower Advisors’ Stephanie Link said she would take the day to choose her positions, favoring Amazon and Broadcom herself for their diversified business separate from the AI theme. “Today, I get the reactions,” Link said. “Let it settle, and you pick your spots.” Source link #lot #worse #investors #buying #tech #rout Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

DOJ fires Jack Smith prosecution officials DOJ fires Jack Smith prosecution officials James McHenry testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill July 31, 2018 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images The Department of Justice on Monday fired a number of officials involved in the now-terminated federal criminal prosecutions of President Donald Trump by former special counsel Jack Smith. The firings come a week after Trump was sworn in for a second, non-consecutive term in the White House. “Today, Acting Attorney General James McHenry terminated the employment of a number of DOJ officials who played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump,” a DOJ official told NBC News. “In light of their actions, the Acting Attorney General does not trust these officials to assist in faithfully implementing the President’s agenda,” that official said. “This action is consistent with the mission of ending the weaponization of government.” The number and names of the fired officials were not disclosed. Fox News reported earlier Monday that McHenry had fired more than a dozen officials who worked on Smith’s team in its prosecutions of Trump. Smith had filed criminal charges against Trump in two separate cases: one in federal district court in Washington, D.C., the second federal district court in South Florida. In the D.C. case, Trump was accused of crimes related to his attempt to reverse his loss to former President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Trump was charged in the Florida case with crimes connected to his retention of classified government documents after he left the White House in January 2021, and his efforts to prevent government officials from recovering those records from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach. This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates. Source link #DOJ #fires #Jack #Smith #prosecution #officials Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Chicago ICE operation: Dr. Phil questions detainee – FOX 32 Chicago Chicago ICE operation: Dr. Phil questions detainee – FOX 32 Chicago Chicago ICE operation: Dr. Phil questions detainee FOX 32 ChicagoDr. Phil joins ICE team and border czar Tom Homan for Chicago deportation operations Fox NewsChicago immigration raids today: ICE agents make arrests in city, suburbs with Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan in town ABC7 ChicagoEditorial: Really, Dr. Phil? Oprah’s celebrity doctor debases himself in the very city that made him a star. Chicago Tribune Source link #Chicago #ICE #operation #Phil #questions #detainee #FOX #Chicago Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Can Trump and Starmer Have a Special Relationship? Can Trump and Starmer Have a Special Relationship? Plus, the rise of a ******** artificial intelligence firm plunges US shares. Source link #Trump #Starmer #Special #Relationship Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A Massive 4K Blu-Ray Collection Compiling All Six Lord of the Rings And Hobbit Films Launching In March A Massive 4K Blu-Ray Collection Compiling All Six Lord of the Rings And Hobbit Films Launching In March Fans of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies can soon own all six movies in a single box set thanks to the upcoming The Middle-earth Six-Film Collection, which launches on March 18. The massive collection will include theatrical and extended cuts of all six movies in 4K and Blu-ray, plus a smattering of bonus features, making this ideal for anyone who wants to add the full saga to their collection. Preorders are available for $210 at Amazon. $210 | Releases March 18 The Middle-earth Six-Film Collection is a massive 30-disc box set that includes 4K UHD and Blu-ray versions of all six of Peter Jackson’s film adaptations of author J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy novels, including: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Theatrical and Extended Cuts of each film are included, as well as commentary tracks for each Extended Edition. The collection also includes download codes for digital versions of each film. Preordering at Amazon locks you in for the retailer’s preorder price guarantee, so if the price changes between now and release, you’ll only pay the lowest price. Amazon does not charge for preorders until the order ships. The Middle-earth Six-Film Collection looks to be a great way to get the entire Peter Jackson Middle-earth saga in one package. However, if you don’t feel like waiting until March 18, it’s not the only option. If you’re just looking to grab The Lord of the Rings trilogy by itself, you can grab The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Theatrical & Extended Cuts 4K Collection for $69 at Amazon (was $90). Collectors will also want to check out the recently-released Fellowship of the Ring Steelbook Edition that’s available for $35 at Walmart, which includes the first film and a special edition steelbook case with unique cover art. As for the latest movie in the Lord of the Rings universe, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim anime arrive on Blu-ray on February 18, and preorders are available now. Lord of the Rings fans who want a more interactive Middle-earth experience will also want to check out the recently launched Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring Trick-Taking Game that’s now available for $25. Amazon also has deals on several other official Lord of the Rings card games and board games, such as the Journeys in Middle-earth miniatures wargame, Lord of the Rings: The Card Game, and the Lord of the Rings Adventure Book. Lego fans can also pick up the new Tower of Barad-dur set, which is a whopping 5,471-piece display featuring minifigures of Sauron, Frodo, Sam, Gollum, The Mouth of Sauron, and five Orcs. Lord of the Rings Board Games and Lego Sets And for those who are looking to read J.R.R. Tolkien’s original novels, the new 2024 hardcover collector’s editions of The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, and The Silmarillion are on ***** at Amazon as well. The Lord of the Rings Collector’s Edition Novels Source link #Massive #BluRay #Collection #Compiling #Lord #Rings #Hobbit #Films #Launching #March Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

U.S. CDC told to stop working with WHO ahead of formal withdrawal – National U.S. CDC told to stop working with WHO ahead of formal withdrawal – National U.S. public health officials have been told to stop working with the World Health Organization, effective immediately. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, John Nkengasong, sent a memo to senior leaders at the agency on Sunday night telling them that all agency staff who work with the WHO must immediately stop their collaborations and “await further guidance.” Experts said the sudden stoppage was a surprise and would set back work on investigating and trying to stop outbreaks of Marburg virus and mpox in Africa, as well as brewing threats from around the world. It also comes as health authorities around the world are monitoring bird flu outbreaks among U.S. livestock. The Associated Press viewed a copy of Nkengasong’s memo, which said the stop-work policy applied to “all CDC staff engaging with WHO through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements or other means — in person or virtual.” It also says CDC staff are not allowed to visit WHO offices. Story continues below advertisement President Trump last week issued an executive order to begin the process of withdrawing the U.S. from WHO, but that did not take immediate effect. Leaving WHO requires the approval of Congress and that the U.S. meets its financial obligations for the current fiscal year. The U.S. also must provide a one-year notice. 2:12 Health Matters: Suspected Marburg outbreak kills 8 in Tanzania His administration also told federal health agencies to stop most communications with the public through at least the end of the month. Trending Now Tariff uncertainty hangs over Bank of Canada’s 1st rate decision of 2025 ‘Heil Tesla’: Elon Musk’s salute projected onto carmaker’s factory in Germany Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. “Stopping communications and meetings with WHO is a big problem,” said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a University of Southern California public health expert who collaborates with WHO on work against ********* transmitted infections. “People thought there would be a slow withdrawal. This has really caught everyone with their pants down,” said Klausner, who said he learned of it from someone at CDC. Story continues below advertisement “Talking to WHO is a two-way street,” he added, noting that WHO and U.S. health officials benefit from each other’s expertise. The collaboration allows the U.S. to learn about new tests and treatments as well as about emerging outbreaks — information “which can help us protect Americans abroad and at home.” A U.S. health official, who was not authorized to talk about the memo and spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the stoppage. A WHO spokesperson referred questions about the withdrawal to U.S. officials. Officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. More on Health More videos &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #U.S #CDC #told #stop #working #ahead #formal #withdrawal #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Israeli hostages killed by ******: Government confirm eight Israelis set for release in first phase are dead Israeli hostages killed by ******: Government confirm eight Israelis set for release in first phase are dead Israel has confirmed that eight hostages who were due to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement have been confirmed dead, killed by ******. ****** shared a list with Israel over the weekend confirming names and the status of Israeli hostages that were to be released after the ceasefire commenced on January 19. “The list from ****** matches Israel’s intelligence, so I can share with you that eight have been killed by ******,” Israeli Government spokesman David Mencer said, without identifying the victims. “The families have been informed of the situation of their relatives.” Israel believes ****** is holding around 80 hostages, with just over 50 of those believed to be alive. So far seven female Israeli hostages have been released by ******. The confirmation of death comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secured the early release of additional hostages on Sunday, with six people set to be returned across Thursday and Saturday. The release, which will see civilian Arbel Yehud, soldier Adam Berger and an additional hostage released, will now include three additional hostages after ****** “backtracked”, bringing forward additional releases. Mr Netanyahu’s office said: ”Following the conducting of vigorous and determined negotiations led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ****** has backtracked and will carry out an additional phase of releasing hostages this Thursday.” The scheduled release of Ms Yehud comes after the ************ Islamic ****** group posted a video on social media late on Monday showing proof of life. It is believed Ms Yehud is reading from a supplied script in the video. If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings. To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. Source link #Israeli #hostages #killed #****** #Government #confirm #Israelis #set #release #phase #dead Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Amazon taps Whole Foods CEO to oversee grocery business Amazon taps Whole Foods CEO to oversee grocery business Whole Foods Market CEO Jason Buechel speaks onstage during the 2023 Concordia Annual Summit. Leigh Vogel | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Amazon has tapped Whole Foods CEO Jason Buechel to oversee its sprawling grocery business, the company announced Monday. Doug Herrington, the company’s worldwide retail chief, wrote in a memo to employees posted to Amazon’s site that Buechel will “take on an expanded responsibility leading Worldwide Grocery Stores” while continuing to lead Whole Foods. Amazon acquired the upscale grocer for $13.7 billion in 2017. Amazon’s grocery business was previously overseen by Tony Hoggett. Hoggett left Amazon last October to join Wondery, a food delivery startup led by serial entrepreneur Marc Lore. In the new role, Buechel will oversee not only Whole Foods, but also Amazon’s larger grocery business, which includes its line of Fresh supermarkets, Go cashierless stores and online grocery service. Buechel will also join Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s S-Team, a tight-knight group of over a dozen senior executives from almost all areas of Amazon’s business, such as retail, cloud computing, advertising and operations. Amazon has long been determined to cement itself as a grocery determination for shoppers. Since acquiring Whole Foods, it has launched its own chain of Fresh supermarkets, and it’s taken steps to unify its online and brick-and-mortar grocery operations while appealing to a broader swath of consumers. The company has further tweaked its grocery division in recent years by shuttering some Fresh and Go stores, as well as removing its pricey and elaborate cashierless checkout system from its Fresh stores. Source link #Amazon #taps #Foods #CEO #oversee #grocery #business Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Walgreens-Sycamore deal falls through, ‘mostly dead’: Report Walgreens-Sycamore deal falls through, ‘mostly dead’: Report Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) stock is falling in Monday’s afternoon trading following reports that its potential privatization deal with Sycamore Partners has collapsed. According to CNBC, talks between the two parties are now “mostly dead,” ending speculation about the pharmacy giant’s private takeover. Market Domination hosts Julie Hyman and Josh Lipton analyze the implications of this failed deal. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination here. This post was written by Angel Smith Source link #WalgreensSycamore #deal #falls #dead #Report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Raptors’ Barnes named East player of the week Raptors’ Barnes named East player of the week By Staff The ********* Press Posted January 27, 2025 4:15 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Toronto Raptors guard/forward Scottie Barnes was named the Eastern Conference player of the week by the NBA on Monday. Barnes averaged 22 points, 9.7 rebounds, six assists and 1.7 steals as the Raptors posted a 3-0 record last week. Related Videos 1:32 Toronto Raptors players surprise students in Kahnawake Previous Video Next Video He shot .468 (22-47) from the field, scored 20 or more points twice and recorded two double-doubles. Story continues below advertisement Barnes is averaging career highs of 20.1 points, 6.5 assists and 1.5 steals, along with 8.1 rebounds, in 32 games this season. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. He is the 12th player in franchise history to earn player of the week honours. Trending Now ‘Heil Tesla’: Elon Musk’s salute projected onto carmaker’s factory in Germany ‘An extra punch’: Storm to bring blizzard-like conditions to Ontario, Quebec The Raptors were set to return to action Monday against the visiting New Orleans Pelicans. This report by The ********* Press was first published Jan. 27, 2025. &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #Raptors #Barnes #named #East #player #week Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Meta Quest Pro 2 could be back from the dead (yet again), and Quest 4 is reportedly in the works Meta Quest Pro 2 could be back from the dead (yet again), and Quest 4 is reportedly in the works Leaks tease that the Meta Quest 4 and Pro 2 are in development Meta Quest Pro 2 has reportedly been canceled twice previously No release date or specs details right now The third time might really be the charm, folks. Despite reports that two separate Meta Quest Pro 2 prototypes were canceled mid-development, Meta is reportedly having another crack at its high-end offering, according to insider sources – and less surprisingly, it’s apparently working on a Meta Quest 4, too. This comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who, in his latest newsletter, cited insider sources familiar with Meta’s XR plans, with these insiders revealing that these two Quest headsets were in the works – alongside a few Meta smart glasses we’ve reported on previously such as one with a display that could land later this year. While leaks should be taken with a pinch of salt (unofficial info can always change, especially with Meta, who we’ve seen cancel in-development projects previously), the Meta Quest 4 being in the works shouldn’t be much of a shocker. While the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S aren’t quite matching the standout success of the wildly popular Meta Quest 2, they are still doing well for themselves – per the Meta Quest phone app’s Christmas day success and the Quest 3’s growing popularity in the Steam Hardware Survey (it’s up to 20.14% of all headsets used, behind only the Quest 2 at 34.21%). (Image credit: Meta) What’s more interesting, is that a Meta Quest Pro 2 could be on the way. Gurman doesn’t go into specifics but says that Meta is working on “a new high-end model that could eventually become a successor to the Quest Pro mixed-reality headset.” Not much else is known, but Gurman could be referring to a previously teased Meta prototype that was potentially set to replace the two canceled Quest Pro 2 prototypes we’d heard about: Puffin. For context, back in July 2023, we reported that the Meta Quest Pro 2 had been canceled – or, more specifically, that the prototype many believed would develop into being the Quest Pro 2 (to use Meta’s semantic language) had been shelved. Things went quiet until 2024 when, in February, there was buzz that Meta and LG could partner on a high-end headset with OLED displays to rival the Apple Vision Pro. However, our initial excitement turned to disappointment fairly swiftly. In May, there was talk that the LG partnership was off, followed by reports in August that the OLED Quest pro 2 Project – codenamed La Jolla – had kicked the bucket. Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth again clarified that technically, the Quest Pro 2 wasn’t canceled, just a prototype, but it didn’t dispel the sense that the Quest Pro line was doomed. That is until we heard about Puffin, a third prototype XR device, which Gurman could be referring to in his report. Puffin was leaked back in 2024 when we heard about the La Jolla cancellation, and it offers us a completely different concept for a headset – a lightweight (110g) glasses-looking device for VR and MR rather than AR like other specs. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Ar glasses, like Orion, are the future (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) What I like about the Puffin leak is it plays into Meta’s promise of what its Pro-line should be – a look at the future of XR. While I love VR headsets, the clear industry trend is that glasses are the next stage of evolution for this field – even if, at first, they’ll be less capable to account for weight and size restrictions. Puffin, with a design that isn’t trying to be like regular glasses – and so could get away with design decisions like putting a battery puck in your pocket like the Apple Vision Pro or having a bulkier frame – could focus on function over fashion, and in-keeping with the Quest Pro’s promise show us where accessible XR tech could be in a few years by giving us a glimpse via a prosumer product that won’t be the cheapest. We’ll obviously have to wait and see what Meta has up its sleeve, as it could be that Puffin and the Quest Pro 2 are distinct gadgets, but I seriously hope they aren’t. While I liked the original Quest Pro at launch, it didn’t get the software support it craved and ended up being too mundane of an upgrade – resulting in it being outclassed too quickly. Puffin sounds like a far more engaging proposition with a unique design that could give the Quest Pro 2 the staying power it desperately needs. You might also like Source link #Meta #Quest #Pro #dead #Quest #reportedly #works Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

DOJ fires officials involved in Trump prosecutions DOJ fires officials involved in Trump prosecutions James McHenry testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill July 31, 2018 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images The Department of Justice on Monday fired a number of officials involved in the now-terminated federal prosecutions of President Donald Trump. The firings come a week after Trump was sworn in for a second, non-consecutive term in the White House. “Today, Acting Attorney General James McHenry terminated the employment of a number of DOJ officials who played a significant role in prosecuting President Trump,” a DOJ official told NBC News. “In light of their actions, the Acting Attorney General does not trust these officials to assist in faithfully implementing the President’s agenda,” that official said. “This action is consistent with the mission of ending the weaponization of government.” Fox News earlier Monday reported that McHenry had fired more than a dozen officials who worked on special counsel Jack Smith’s team in its prosecutions of Trump. This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates. Source link #DOJ #fires #officials #involved #Trump #prosecutions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia sheds almost $600 billion in market cap, biggest drop ever Nvidia sheds almost $600 billion in market cap, biggest drop ever Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang holds a Blackwell GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU (L) and a RTX 5000 laptop as he delivers a keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada on January 6, 2025. Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images Nvidia lost close to $600 billion in market cap on Monday, the biggest drop for any company on a single day in U.S. history. The chipmaker’s stock price plummeted 17% to close at $118.58. It was Nvidia’s worst day on the market since March 16, 2020, which was early in the Covid pandemic. After surpassing Apple last week to become the most valuable publicly traded company, Nvidia’s drop on Monday led a 3.1% slide in the tech-heavy Nasdaq. The selloff was sparked by concerns that ******** artificial intelligence lab DeepSeek is presenting increased competition in the global AI battle. Late last month, DeepSeek unveiled a free, open-source large language model that it says took only two months and less than $6 million to build, using reduced-capability chips from Nvidia, called H800s. Nvidia’s graphics processing units (GPUs) dominate the market for AI data center chips in the U.S., with tech giants like Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon spending billions of dollars on the processors to train and run their AI models. Analysts at Cantor wrote in a report on Monday that the release of DeepSeek’s latest technology has caused “great angst as to the impact for compute demand, and therefore, fears of peak spending on GPUs.” The analysts, who recommend buying Nvidia shares, said they “think this view is farthest from the truth,” and that advancements in AI will most likely lead to “the AI industry wanting more compute, not less.” But after Nvidia’s huge run-up — the stock soared 239% in 2023 and 171% last year — the market is on edge about any possible pullback in spending. Broadcom, the other big U.S. chipmaker to see giant valuation gains from AI, fell 17% on Monday, pulling its market cap down by $200 billion. Data center companies reliant on Nvidia’s GPUs for their hardware sales saw big selloffs as well. Dell, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Super Micro Computer dropped at least 5.8%. Oracle, a part of President Donald Trump’s latest AI initiative, fell 14%. For Nvidia, the loss was more than double the $279 billion drop the company saw in September, which was the biggest one-day market value loss in history at the time, unseating Meta’s $232 billion loss in 2022. Before that, the steepest drop was $182 billion by Apple in 2020. Nvidia’s decline is more than double the market cap of Coca-Cola and Chevron and exceeds the market value of both Oracle and Netflix. CEO Jensen Huang’s net worth also took a massive hit, declining roughly $21 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaires list. The move demoted Huang to 17th on the richest-person list. The sudden excitement around DeepSeek over the weekend pushed its app past OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the most-downloaded free app in the U.S. on Apple’s App Store. The model’s development comes despite a slew of recent curbs on U.S. chip exports to China. Venture capitalist David Sacks, who was tapped by Trump to be the White House’s AI and crypto czar, wrote on X that DeepSeek’s model “shows that the AI race will be very competitive” and that Trump was right to rescind President Joe Biden’s executive order last week on AI safety. “I’m confident in the U.S. but we can’t be complacent,” Sacks wrote. Nvidia is now the third most-valuable public company, behind Apple and Microsoft. WATCH: CNBC’s full interview with Bernstein’s Stacy Rasgon Source link #Nvidia #sheds #billion #market #cap #biggest #drop Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

U.S. CDC told to stop working with WHO ahead of formal withdrawal – National U.S. CDC told to stop working with WHO ahead of formal withdrawal – National U.S. public health officials have been told to stop working with the World Health Organization, effective immediately. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, John Nkengasong, sent a memo to senior leaders at the agency on Sunday night telling them that all agency staff who work with the WHO must immediately stop their collaborations and “await further guidance.” Experts said the sudden stoppage was a surprise and would set back work on investigating and trying to stop outbreaks of Marburg virus and mpox in Africa, as well as brewing threats from around the world. It also comes as health authorities around the world are monitoring bird flu outbreaks among U.S. livestock. The Associated Press viewed a copy of Nkengasong’s memo, which said the stop-work policy applied to “all CDC staff engaging with WHO through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements or other means — in person or virtual.” It also says CDC staff are not allowed to visit WHO offices. Story continues below advertisement President Trump last week issued an executive order to begin the process of withdrawing the U.S. from WHO, but that did not take immediate effect. Leaving WHO requires the approval of Congress and that the U.S. meets its financial obligations for the current fiscal year. The U.S. also must provide a one-year notice. 2:12 Health Matters: Suspected Marburg outbreak kills 8 in Tanzania His administration also told federal health agencies to stop most communications with the public through at least the end of the month. Trending Now Tariff uncertainty hangs over Bank of Canada’s 1st rate decision of 2025 ‘Heil Tesla’: Elon Musk’s salute projected onto carmaker’s factory in Germany Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. “Stopping communications and meetings with WHO is a big problem,” said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a University of Southern California public health expert who collaborates with WHO on work against ********* transmitted infections. “People thought there would be a slow withdrawal. This has really caught everyone with their pants down,” said Klausner, who said he learned of it from someone at CDC. Story continues below advertisement “Talking to WHO is a two-way street,” he added, noting that WHO and U.S. health officials benefit from each other’s expertise. The collaboration allows the U.S. to learn about new tests and treatments as well as about emerging outbreaks — information “which can help us protect Americans abroad and at home.” A U.S. health official, who was not authorized to talk about the memo and spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the stoppage. A WHO spokesperson referred questions about the withdrawal to U.S. officials. Officials at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. More on Health More videos &copy 2025 The ********* Press Source link #U.S #CDC #told #stop #working #ahead #formal #withdrawal #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Katy Perry Teases Lifetimes Tour and Suggests Wearing 'Sensible Shoes' (Exclusive) – PEOPLE Katy Perry Teases Lifetimes Tour and Suggests Wearing 'Sensible Shoes' (Exclusive) – PEOPLE Katy Perry Teases Lifetimes Tour and Suggests Wearing ‘Sensible Shoes’ (Exclusive) PEOPLEPop star Katy Perry to perform in Tampa this summer. Here’s what to know Yahoo EntertainmentKaty Perry set to perform at Ball Arena in 2025 FOX 31 DenverKaty Perry reveals her 2025 tour will feature deep cuts, ‘special section’ that changes USA TODAY Source link #Katy #Perry #Teases #Lifetimes #Tour #Suggests #Wearing #039Sensible #Shoes039 #Exclusive #PEOPLE Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Three buys for the sell-off, including an AI play, from Nancy Tengler Three buys for the sell-off, including an AI play, from Nancy Tengler Broadcom may still be positioned for gains in 2025 despite its latest pullback, according to money manager Nancy Tengler of Laffer Tengler Investments. The firm’s chief executive officer and chief investment officer joined CNBC’s ” Power Lunch ” on Monday to offer her take on the chipmaker, as well as a pair of other market movers. Here is what Tengler, a professional investor since the late 1980s, said during the segment’s “Three-Stock Lunch.” Broadcom Broadcom shares slumped 17% Monday on the heels of ******** startup DeepSeek raising concern over U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence . But Tengler is sticking with Broadcom in 2025, saying the company has “had a very powerful capital allocation plan.” Notably, she also cited CEO Hock Tan’s recent remarks that the total market opportunity for Broadcom’s AI chips and parts for AI networking could bring in $60 billion to $90 billion a year by 2027. “I don’t think DeepSeek changes that,” Tengler said. “I think you’re getting an opportunity to buy in at much lower levels and then get paid to wait.” On top of that, Broadcom raised its quarterly dividend 11% to 59 cents per share last month. “You’re just going to continue to get paid to wait as the company continues to evolve,” Tengler added. Goldman Sachs Fewer regulations of business under President Donald Trump’s administration could benefit Goldman Sachs , Tengler said. “Even if the Trump administration 2.0 doesn’t get to 15% corporate tax rates, at 18% it adds 4% to S & P earnings,” she continued. In the absence of an aggressive Federal Trade Commission challenging deals, Goldman will benefit from a rise in mergers and acquisition activity, Tengler said. Tengler also believes Goldman is in its “early innings,” given that it’s incorporating the use of AI in areas of investment banking. Last week, the bank officially rolled out its generative AI assistant to bankers, traders and asset managers. While Goldman shares moved about 1% lower Monday, they’ve risen more than 10% this month, putting the stock on pace for its third monthly advance in the past four. Spotify Spotify , which Tengler called a “recession-proof name,” pared early losses to move marginally higher Monday. That led the stock to extend its latest advance to five consecutive days. “[CEO] Daniel Ek said 2024 was the year of monetization – they did just that, generated earnings, and now we’ve got 58% earnings growth off of albeit low numbers this year,” Tengler said. Spotify is on pace to rise more than 14% in January. Source link #buys #selloff #including #play #Nancy #Tengler Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Is China’s AI tool as good as it seems? Is China’s AI tool as good as it seems? Reuters DeepSeek, a ******** AI-chatbot app which launched last week, has sparked chaos in the US markets and raised questions about the future of America’s AI dominance. The BBC takes a look at how the app works. DeepSeek looks and feels like any other chatbot, though it leans towards being overly chatty. Just as with OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini, you open the app (or website) and ask it questions about anything, and it does its best to give you a response. It gives long answers and will not be drawn on expressing an opinion, however directly it is asked for one. The chatbot often begins its response by saying the topic is “highly subjective” – whether that is politics (is Donald Trump a good US president?) or soft drinks (which is more tasty, Pepsi or Coke?). It wouldn’t even commit to saying whether or not it was better than OpenAI’s rival artificial intelligence (AI) assistant ChatGPT, but it did weigh up the pros and cons of both – ChatGPT did exactly the same, and even used very similar language. DeepSeek says it was trained on data up to October 2023, and while the app seems to have access to current information such as today’s date, the website version does not. That is not dissimilar to earlier versions of ChatGPT and is probably a similar attempt at safeguarding – to stop the chatbot spewing out misinformation pumped onto the web in real time. It can be quite fast in its responses, but is currently groaning under the weight of so many people rushing to try it out as it has gone viral. But there is one area in which it is nothing like its US rival – DeepSeek censors itself when it comes to questions about subjects banned in China. DeepSeek Sometimes it begins a response, which then disappears from the screen and is replaced by “let’s talk about something else”. One obviously taboo subject is the 1989 protests in Tiananmen Square which ended with 200 civilians being killed by the military according to the ******** government – other estimates have ranged from hundreds to many thousands. But DeepSeek will not answer any questions about it, or even more broadly about what happened in China on that day. US-developed ChatGPT, by comparison, does not hold back in its answers about Tiananmen Square. Kayla Blomquist, a researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute and director of the Oxford China Policy Lab, says “relatively speaking” the ******** government has been “hands off” with the app. “I would say there’s a shift as we’ve seen an announcement in huge investment from the central government just in the last week – so that is probably going to signal a change moving forward.” DeepSeek DeepSeek comes with the same caveats as any other chatbots regarding accuracy, and has the look and feel of more established US AI assistants already used by millions. For many – especially those who do not subscribe to top-tier services – it probably feels pretty much the same. Imagine a mathematical problem, in which the true answer runs to 32 decimal places but the shortened version runs to eight. It’s not quite as good – but for most people, that won’t matter. It may be the case it has managed to cut costs and compute, but we do know that it is built at least in part on the shoulders of the giants: it uses Nvidia chips – albeit older, cheaper versions – and utilises Meta’s open-source Llama architecture, as well as AliBaba’s equivalent Qwen. “I think this absolutely challenges the idea of monetisation strategies that a lot of leading US AI firms have had,” said Ms Blomquist. “It is pointing to potential methods of model development that are much less compute and resource-intensive that would potentially signal a shift in paradigm, although that’s unconfirmed and remains to be seen. “We’ll see what the next couple of months bring.” Source link #Chinas #tool #good Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xbox Series S Parity Clause Is Staying Put, Phil Spencer Says Xbox Series S Parity Clause Is Staying Put, Phil Spencer Says The Xbox Series S has faced its share of criticism, but Microsoft isn’t pivoting away from the console. In fact, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer believes the Series S is part of what helps differentiate Microsoft in the market. The apparent clause at Microsoft that mandates developers support both Series X and Series S for games coming to the platform is not going to change, he said. Speaking to Destin Legarie, Spencer said Microsoft has a “real advantage” right now thanks to the Series S because some of the most popular new platforms, including Steam Deck and ROG Ally, are more in line with the power and performance specs of the Series S. “When we look at something like a Steam Deck or a ROG Ally, we’ve got this Xbox Series S version of the game that’s more tailored to the device specs of a lot of devices that are getting introduced right now. I think that helps us,” he said, going on to specifically mention the Nintendo Switch 2 as well. For what it’s worth, Spencer separately told GamerTag Radio that he’s been in contact with Nintendo’s president and plans to put Xbox games on Switch 2. Asked directly if Microsoft could remove or amend the apparent “parity clause” between Xbox Series X and S, Spencer said (via VGC), “In a way, I think about it almost exactly the opposite way right now.” There has been ongoing commentary regarding the performance differences between the Series X and Series S. Quite a few game developers from across the industry have commented on the challenges that getting games to run on the lower-powered system present. In the case of Baldur’s Gate 3, issues with the Series S edition held back the game’s overall release on Xbox. Stalker 2 developer GSC Game World, meanwhile, said it originally believed bringing the game to Series S was “impossible” due to the technical limitations of the console. Concerns exist about how GTA 6 might run on the Series S, but Take-Two isn’t worried. More recently, the developers of ****** Myth: Wukong said the Xbox port delay is due to the Series S. In regards to sales volume, the Series S had outsold the Series X in the US since the systems debuted in 2020, but that’s no longer the case, as the Series X now accounts for 51% of all Series X and S consoles sold stateside. The Series S was more widely available than the Series X during 2020-2022 due to supply-chain issues amidst the pandemic, and this was one of the elements that played a role in the Series S jumping out to an early lead over its more expensive and more powerful sibling. By the end of the Series X|S generation, however, Microsoft believes the Series S will outperform the Series X due to its lower price. Spencer said in the interview that he believes the Series S is an important part of Microsoft’s hardware offerings, saying it’s no slouch and can handle new games capably. “The scalability of engines today allows [games] to scale from ray trace-enabled, multi-thousand dollar graphics on desktop PCs all the way through to a handheld, battery-powered device. So for me, Xbox Series S has been helpful in our portfolio,” he said. “I’m playing Indiana Jones on the S and it looks great. It’s definitely capable of playing current-generation games in a great way.” The Xbox Series S has been important for Microsoft and will continue to be an “important design point” for Microsoft’s teams going forward, Spencer said. Also during his chat, Spencer discussed the possibility of Starfield coming to PS5, while in a separate interview he talked about Microsoft’s desire to “win” in the hardware market. Source link #Xbox #Series #Parity #Clause #Staying #Put #Phil #Spencer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Motoring body drives push for road safety ratings Motoring body drives push for road safety ratings Safety ratings on roads should be brought in by the federal government to guide major road funding decisions, the *********** Automobile Association says. Source link #Motoring #body #drives #push #road #safety #ratings Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Valve needs to rethink the Deck Verified program Valve needs to rethink the Deck Verified program Table of Contents Table of Contents The times, they are a- Some simple fixes The Steam Deck Verified program was a good start, but it’s time to move on. Valve separates compatibility with the Steam Deck into four buckets. You have Verified games, which have a green check mark for Valve’s seal of approval, and you have Playable games, which would normally get a Verified badge had it not been for some small issues (i.e. small text or invoking the on-screen keyboard). Those are the two categories you gravitate toward. Then, there are Unsupported games, which have what Valve sees as a game-breaking issue, such as the use of anti-cheat software that doesn’t work properly on Linux. And finally, Unknown games, which Valve just doesn’t know anything about — there are a lot of games on Steam. Valve lays out four criteria to earn a Verified badge, which you can see below. Jacob ****** / Digital Trends Something that isn’t included here but does show up on Verified games is this line: “This game’s default graphics configuration performs well on Steam Deck.” Valve has taken some flack for that, particularly with problematic games on the Steam Deck like The Last of Us Part One and No Rest for the Wicked. But overall, this has been a good system. Get your weekly teardown of the tech behind PC gaming It’s not perfect, but it’s a good shorthand for quickly knowing if a game will work or not. If you want to go deeper, websites like ProtonDB are fantastic, but the Deck Verified program still has its place. I know, at a glance, that I can play Marvel Rivals on my Steam Deck, but I can’t play Apex Legends. That’s helpful, albeit far from perfect. But handhelds are changing, as are games, and it’s time for the Deck Verified program to change along with them. The times, they are a- Luke Larsen / Digital Trends The most obvious sign of that is the Lenovo Legion Go S that comes with SteamOS installed. This handheld is set to launch in a few short months, it’s officially licensed by Valve, and it shows the same Deck Verified badges that the Steam Deck does. That doesn’t make a lot of sense. The Steam Deck and the Lenovo Legion Go S have two different chips in them, and presumably with a decently large performance gap between them — read my Steam Deck versus ROG Ally comparison for more on that. The idea of something being verified for the Steam Deck kind of falls apart when we’re not talking about the Steam Deck. That’s just one device, but Valve says it plans to release SteamOS more broadly into beta before Lenovo’s handheld releases. It’s just a beta release, so bugs, performance issues, and other problems are expected. But Valve clearly has ambitions for SteamOS beyond one device, and third-party versions of Valve’s open-source operating system, such as Bazzite, are becoming increasingly popular. I’m all for that expansion, but the more devices that use SteamOS, the less helpful the Deck Verified program becomes. The expansion of SteamOS is so exciting because there are handhelds that are more powerful than the Steam Deck. I don’t really want to spend $800 on an ROG Ally X if I can get the same experience on a Steam Deck OLED for $650. But the ROG Ally X is more powerful, and capable of running more demanding games, which justifies the extra cost. Hardware is meeting the demands of games, but the Deck Verified program can’t come along for the ride. Jacob ****** / Digital Trends Maybe you can squeeze another Final Fantasy VII Rebirth or Cyberpunk 2077 under the Deck Verified badge, but anyone who’s played these games on the Steam Deck can tell you that the system is at its limit. As time goes on, we’ll see more games like Stalker 2, Warhammer 40K: Darktide, and Silent Hill 2 that are Unsupported simply because they’re too demanding to run on the Steam Deck. Valve was able to use this system for three years, but I don’t think it can survive another three. If you’re not onboard yet, think about the Steam Deck 2. Valve says it’ll release a sequel to the Steam Deck when it feels there’s a “generational leap in compute without sacrificing battery life.” When that happens, will we have a system where some games are Verified but others, like Silent Hill 2, are only Verified for the Steam Deck 2? I don’t want to deal with that. I already went through the whole New Nintendo 3DS fiasco — Valve can do better. Some simple fixes I’m not here to just complain. I have some ideas, too. And thankfully, they wouldn’t drastically change the Deck Verified program all while making it a lot more useful as SteamOS (and handhelds more broadly) scale up. First, performance can’t be part of the equation. Valve’s official criteria don’t specifically call out performance, but performance is still a part of the program. Games that are too demanding won’t be Verified. It’s time for Valve to draw a line in the sand on performance as we see different handhelds that are using different screens and different hardware configurations. The program should tackle if the game works on SteamOS, or if it doesn’t; that’s the only long-term solution without chasing new performance targets every few years. Jacob ****** / Digital Trends In its place, Valve should use its strongest asset: the Steam community. There are a lot of ways Valve could go about this. Maybe there are some dropdowns in game reviews that show if the player used a handheld or not, and what handheld they used. And, maybe you can filter those reviews so you can easily find them instead of scanning the first few that pop up and hoping for something helpful. That helps players, and it even helps developers, as you can filter out performance-related issues on handhelds — I remember quite a bit of vitriol about No Rest for the Wicked at launch related to Steam Deck performance issues. Valve could also have them in a separate area, maybe with suggestions from users on how to get the best performance. That’s one of the draws of ProtonDB, after all. If Valve wanted to maintain its open-source approach to software, it might even be able to integrate ProtonDB into the Deck Verified program — there are already ways to do that through the Deck Tools software. Beyond filtering out performance, the Deck Verified program needs more specifics about what constitutes an Unsupported game. Right now, the range is fairly large, from games that flat-out won’t work to titles that will work — and work well — with some inconvenient setup. For example, Batman: Arkham Asylum is Unsupported, but it works fine. You need to manually tap the launcher, and sleeping your handheld during gameplay can boot you back to the main menu if you’re connected to Wi-Fi. That’s significantly different than something like Apex Legends which won’t work due to its anti-cheat software. I don’t want Valve to endlessly add more badges to the Deck Verified program, but one additional segment of games that work with significant workarounds would be welcome, particularly for older games like Arkham Asylum that aren’t likely to see an update. Once again, Valve could leverage its community or point users toward ProtonDB if they want more information on the workarounds. Valve won’t ever make the Deck Verified program perfect. Trying to create a simple program to tackle support that’s inherently complex is bound to have contradictions and oversights. However, the Deck Verified program can still be significantly better than it is now. And with the rising tide of SteamOS, it’s time to make those changes. Source link #Valve #rethink #Deck #Verified #program Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Woman arrested for ‘wearing wigs and disguises’ to take *** citizenship tests for multiple people Woman arrested for ‘wearing wigs and disguises’ to take *** citizenship tests for multiple people A woman has been accused of taking British citizenship tests for at least 14 people while allegedly wearing wigs and disguises. The Home Office said a 61-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of fraudulently completing Life in the *** tests in an attempt to fraudulently obtain leave to remain for more than a dozen applicants. The arrest comes after Home Office investigators executed a warrant at a home in Enfield, north London, on 27 January where they uncovered a stash of false documents and an array of wigs suspected to have been used by the woman to trick interviewers. The Home Office released images of the suspect wearing wigs she was alleged to have used to take the tests, as well as CCTV of the suspect taking part in an interview. CCTV of the alleged suspect taking part in an interview (Home Office) The woman, who has not been named, is alleged to have completed the tests across centres in the *** between 1 June 2022 and 14 August 2023, disguising herself and doctoring ID documents to evade detection. The Life in the *** Test is a requirement for anyone seeking to obtain indefinite leave to remain or naturalisation as a British citizen. It consists of 24 questions aimed at proving the applicant has sufficient knowledge of British values, history and society. A Home Office spokesperson said: “Fraudsters completing the test for others could lead to people wrongly being granted the right to remain in the country without the proper due diligence, putting the public at risk. “This arrest represents one of the most prolific cases of this type of offending encountered by Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial investigators.” Immigration enforcement criminal and financial investigation inspector Phillip Parr added: “This operation is the result of a complex investigation by the criminal and financial investigation team. “This individual is believed to have orchestrated a pre-meditated plan to avoid detection, meticulously selecting disguises and test centre locations across the country to evade the authorities. “As with many criminals who commit this type of crime, we believe her motive was financial gain.” He said investigators have “put a stop to this dangerous scheme”. Source link #Woman #arrested #wearing #wigs #disguises #citizenship #tests #multiple #people Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Marvel Snap will return to app stores with a surprise gift from the devs Marvel Snap will return to app stores with a surprise gift from the devs Although restored to service shortly after the TikTok debacle first took it down, Marvel Snap still hasn’t returned to US app stores. Developer Second Dinner said it began the process of restoring the game to the Google Play Store yesterday, and expects the game to come back to the iOS App Store early next week. In addition to bringing the game back, the developers also have a welcome back package for players. Second Dinner shared a long post on X detailing what players can expect, along with the words “We can’t thank you all enough for being so patient with us through this downtime ordeal. Your outpouring of support to all of us at Second Dinner was heart and greatly appreciated.” — Second Dinner (@seconddinner) January 25, 2025 Please enable Javascript to view this content Marvel Snap was an unfortunate and unintended victim of the TikTok ban. Its original publisher is owned by ByteDance, and now Second Dinner says the team is seeking a new publisher for the game. The reward packages are meant as a thank you to all players, not just those in the United States. While the compensation packages are slightly higher for those in the US, non-US players are also set to receive a ton of items. Here’s the full list of rewards. For US-based players– US Downtime Package: Over Collection Level 500 2 Spotlight Keys 5000 Season Pass XP 4150 Credits 6200 Collector’s Tokens 1000 Gold 5 Gold Conquest Ticket 3 Infinite Conquest Ticket 4000 Conquest Medals 1 Mystery Variant 6 Premium Mystery Variants 1 Cosmic Red Border (Super Rare) 3 Cosmic Gold Border (Super Rare) 155 x5 Random Boosters Under Collection Level 500 6 Mystery Series 3 Cards 5000 Season Pass XP 7150 Credits 1000 Gold 1 Mystery Variant 6 Premium Mystery Variant 1 Cosmic Red Border (Super Rare) 3 Cosmic Gold Border (Super Rare) 155 x5 Random Boosters For non-US-based players– Global Gratitude Package: Over Collection Level 500 2 Spotlight Key 3000 Collector’s Tokens 1500 Credits 1 Mystery Variant 1 Premium Mystery Variant 1 Cosmic Gold Border (Super Rare) 1 Cosmic Red Border (Super Rare) 155 x3 Random Boosters Under Collection Level 500 6 Mystery Series 3 Cards 3000 Credits 1 Mystery Variant 1 Premium Mystery Variant 1 Cosmic Gold Border (Super Rare) 1 Cosmic Red Border (Super Rare) 155 x3 Random Boosters Second Dance says players can expect these items to be delivered to their inboxes sometime next week. Source link #Marvel #Snap #return #app #stores #surprise #gift #devs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]