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How child abuse victims shone a light on a dark and scary world How child abuse victims shone a light on a dark and scary world Paul O’Hare and Catriona Renton BBC Scotland News BBC The ground floor Glasgow flat where the abuse was carried out was boarded up after the police investigation A panic-stricken girl who became hysterical after waking from a nap sparked a police investigation that uncovered one Scotland’s biggest child abuse rings. During a series of interviews in the months that followed, the young victims shone a light on the horrific abuse they were subjected to in a squalid Glasgow drug den which they knew as the “beastie house”. The seven members of the gang who carried out the abuse have now been handed life-long restriction orders and custodial sentences ranging from eight to 20 years. This story mentions a number of people and places that cannot be identified in order to safeguard the children involved. Warning: This article contains details readers may find upsetting A middle-aged man was watching TV in his living room when he heard loud bangs and screams coming from upstairs. A young girl, who he had got to know through his work and church, had just woken from a nap and became hysterical when she was unable to open the door, screaming: “Get me out! Get me out!” His wife tried to calm the child, who eventually settled down after a drink of juice, but the couple were shaken by the experience. Later that night the man asked two older children if they had ever seen anything like it before. They said that they had – and started to reveal the first details of their harrowing ordeals. Spindrift Iain Owens is a former abattoir worker Police Scotland would eventually pursue more than 1,000 lines of inquiry in what was one of the largest prosecutions of a child abuse ring in Scotland. The complex investigation – known as Operation Woodwhite – unearthed graphic accounts of attempted *******, violence, ******* assault and ***** dating back to 2012. Seven drug users – Iain Owens, 45; Elaine Lannery, 39; Lesley Williams, 42; Paul Brannan, 41; Scott Forbes, 50; Barry Watson, 47, and John Clark, 49 – were found guilty of ********* abusing the three children. The victims were all under the age of 13 at the time. During the nine-week trial in 2023, the jury at the High Court in Glasgow heard evidence of “***** nights”. Some of the attacks were filmed and money changed hands among the gang. Detectives said the levels of depravity were “extremely rare” and that the victims suffered “unimaginable abuse”. The three children had been known to the authorities since July 2018, when they were added to Glasgow City Council’s child protection register. But it would be almost two years later before the full horror of their existence became clear. Spindrift Paul Brannan and Lesley Williams were members of the seven-strong gang One was a girl who was said to run wild in her community in the north of the city. She was described as gaunt, with dark rings under her eyes and the worst case of head lice an expert had seen in her 30-year career. Another child, a boy, was said to be pencil-thin and malnourished. The trial heard him described as a “ruffian” and a “street waif” who never stood still. Both children frequented a public building which they began to treat as a sanctuary. It was there that they met the middle-aged man who became a key witness in the case. He said the children came into the building up to three times a week for food and also frequented another public building which had a club facility. The club’s Christmas hamper raffle was secretly rigged to make sure that the children would have some food over the festive *******. The staff also used their own money to fulfil the boy’s wish to have a birthday party the following year. Spindrift John Clark (left) and Barry Watson denied the charges in the seven-page indictment The children had already been placed on the child protection register and were the subject of regular social services meetings, especially after an allegation of physical abuse was made in June 2019. But the chilling truth of what they endured in a dingy ground floor flat remained a secret until the young girl’s hysterical reaction on 21 March 2020. Later that evening, the two eldest children sat down with the man and his wife and began to detail what had happened to them at the hands of the gang. They said the girl was frequently locked in a cupboard with a box that was full of spiders, and described how she would violently scream and kick at the door from inside for help. During the subsequent trial the court was shown two recorded videos of the girl being interviewed, while sitting beside her Peppa Pig toy, in 2020 and 2021. She said the cupboard was “dark and scary” and had bugs in it. The child added: “That is why it is called the beastie house.” Spindrift Elaine Lannery pictured during the trial at the High Court in Glasgow The children went on to describe how the girl was put in an oven and had the door closed behind her. She was also locked in a fridge and put in the freezer after the trays had been removed. Another child adjusted the temperature so it was not too cold for her. On other occasions she was hung by her clothes from a nail in the kitchen for up to 10 minutes. After being told these distressing details, the man emailed Police Scotland to report his concerns in the early hours of the following morning. Officers then asked him to keep a detailed journal of what the children were saying. He later told the court he had been “driven by his principles and conscience” to help the youngsters. In the weeks that followed the initial abuse disclosure, other details gradually emerged of the girl’s traumatic young life. She revealed that she was forced to eat dog food, which made her sick. Forbes was dubbed Scott the Cameraman by the children The trial also heard that the girl was ****** by members of the gang while she was still young enough to wear a nappy. She later told police: “It’s not nice when people laugh at you when you are hurting.” By August 2020 officers had a full picture of the astonishing web of abuse, including allegations of witchcraft that were later dropped. The highly-sensitive case presented a major challenge to detectives as it hinged on the evidence of the children, with mental health experts consulted before they were interviewed by officers. As well as the graphic testimonies, officers gathered medical evidence and co-ordinated detailed forensic searches at several properties. Two of the gang were also picked out following an identity parade. Everyone working on the inquiry was offered support due to the traumatic nature of the evidence, from detectives to the typists tasked with transcribing interviews. Police were able to establish that the older boy and girl were also subjected to savage beatings as well as ******* violence. During a series of 15 video interviews with the boy – carried out between 2019 and 2020 – he described how the paedophile gang would arrive at the same time, like it was planned. The boy, who had scratches and bruises nearly everywhere on his body, said the children had been punched and struck with pans until they were knocked unconscious. They were also forced to consume alcohol and drugs and to sniff a powder that the boy said left him feeling “weird and dizzy”. One of his tormentors even made him deliver ******** and heroin to another gang member. A woman who knew him at the time told the trial that the boy had initially been a very bubbly child and a “cheeky, happy type of character”. But she saw a change in him as he became “hyper vigilant” and “almost withdrawn at points”. ‘Scary and confusing world’ Of all the evidence the jury heard, the accounts of ******* abuse were the most harrowing. The boy described how one girl was ****** by some of the group as others watched. He also recalled an incident where the “beep” of a timer was used to signal that one attack was to stop and another to start. The boy said there had been “giggling and laughing” among those involved, and that he was encouraged to have sex with the girl as the gang looked on. A fourth child was listed in one of the 21 charges on which the jury returned verdicts, but she was not physically or ********* abused. In her closing speech, prosecutor Kath Harper said the children had become desensitised and were forced to inhabit a “scary and confusing world”. But over a series of interviews, captured on film, they courageously shone a light on the darkness they inhabited for so long. The children are now receiving extensive support to rebuild their lives and Det Supt Nicola Kilbane hopes their story will inspire other victims of abuse. She said: “The bravery of the children cannot be under emphasised.” If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via the BBC Action Line. Source link #child #abuse #victims #shone #light #dark #scary #world Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Ukraine replaces commander, says Russian drones downed Ukraine replaces commander, says Russian drones downed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has replaced the commander of the eastern front, the most heated battlefield of the Ukraine war, after Russian forces captured another strategic town there. Brigadier-General Andriy Hnatov was replaced as the battlefield commander in the east by Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi, overall commander of ground forces, who will keep his previous duties. Hnatov was given a role overseeing training and communications. In his nightly video address late on Sunday, Zelenskiy said the aim was to strengthen the command of troops in the Donetsk region. Donetsk, a battlefield since 2014 and one of four provinces Russia claims to have annexed since its 2022 full-scale invasion, has been the main focus of fighting for more than a year. The Ukrainian military confirmed on Monday that it had withdrawn from the Donetsk region town of Velyka Novosilka, a day after Russia said it had captured it. Viktor Trehubov, a military spokesman for Ukraine’s eastern front, confirmed that Russian troops had entered the town but said fighting continued on the outskirts. Russian forces have been slowly but steadily advancing in eastern Ukraine for more than a year in relentless ground combat that has caused massive military losses on both sides. Ukraine, for its part, has managed to capture and hold a pocket of territory inside Russia over the past six months. The new eastern commander, Drapatyi, 42, is well respected in the army, where he is credited with stopping a Russian offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region last year. Ukrainian forces halted Russia’s initial assault on the capital Kyiv after Russia’s invasion in 2022 and achieved several big successes recapturing territory during the first year of the war. But they have largely been on the defensive since the failure of a major counterattack in mid-2023. Ukrainian analysts estimate Russia captured about 3000 square km of territory last year. With the war approaching its three-year mark in February, Ukraine is outmanned on the battlefield and its troops are exhausted. The government tried to address the issue by lowering the mobilisation age to 25 from 27 and introducing tougher rules for those evading the call-up. But it has so far resisted foreign urgings to lower the mobilisation age further to boost manpower. Trehubov, the eastern forces spokesman, said that the logistics hub of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region remained the main Russian target. About 7000 people are believed to remain inside Pokrovsk, which had about 60,000 residents before the invasion. “The Pokrovsk direction accounts for at least half of all combat clashes, there is a lot of fighting there. It is the most active direction,” Trehubov told Ukrainian TV. “They are trying to bypass the city, cut the supply lines and drive our troops out of the city.” Ukrainian air defences downed 57 out of 104 drones launched by Russia overnight, the air force said on Monday, with officials saying infrastructure was hit in several regions. The air force said that 39 drones were “lost,” in reference to Ukraine’s use of electronic warfare to redirect Russian drones. The military said Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Ivano-Frankivsk and Kyiv regions were affected by the attack. “Infrastructure facilities, apartment blocks and private houses were damaged. Preliminary reports of no casualties,” it said on Telegram. Governors of Sumy, Ivano-Frankivsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions confirmed that drones hit “critical infrastructure” but gave no further details. The Russian defence ministry said in a statement its drones struck the infrastructure of Ukrainian military airfields, production workshops and storage facilities for unmanned aerial vehicles in 149 areas. Reuters cannot independently confirm the statements. Source link #Ukraine #replaces #commander #Russian #drones #downed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PUBG Mobile touts results of its Conservancy Event with 750k square feet of land protected PUBG Mobile touts results of its Conservancy Event with 750k square feet of land protected PUBG Mobile is touting the results of its Conservancy Event from its Play for Green Initiative Players have helped protect a whopping 750k square foot of land 20 million players participated in the Run for Green event When it comes to protecting the planet gaming has proven to be a surprisingly resourceful means of doing so. Despite the amount of energy and resources that goes into our favourite consoles, mobiles and computers the dedication of players has also helped raise money and protect the planet, as PUBG Mobile have been eager to point out as they showcase the results of their recent conservation campaign. PUBG Mobile’s Play for Green campaign saw players exploring the ruins of Erangel in two distinct maps to showcase the effects of climate change. Meanwhile, the Run for Green event saw players sprint a combined distance of 4.8 billion kilometres, which translated into tangible real-world benefits by protecting 750k square feet of vital ecosystems located in Pakistan, Indonesia and Brazil. While it’s a lot harder to measure the less empirical data that PUBG Mobile boasts about, namely encouraging conversations around climate change, there’s no doubt that those dedicated fans amongst you have certainly made a real difference. Greened up It’s clear that whatever else you can say about it, PUBG Mobile’s conservation efforts have had an impact. Their win at the 2024 Playing for the Planet awards for the Play for Green initiative is a testament to that. I’m not sure just how well it has actually resonated with players, however, but I think that the combination of events and exclusive digital goodies that help translate to real-world conservation efforts is a smart way of doing so. I also do have to give praise where it’s due for the attempts to actually make this an educational event to some extent too. So while most were just there for the goodies, I’m sure at least some of you learned something as a result. Speaking of which, if you want to hear us discuss a little bit about PUBG Mobile and a lot more about mobile gaming in general why not check in on the latest instalment of the Pocket Gamer Podcast? Source link #PUBG #Mobile #touts #results #Conservancy #Event #750k #square #feet #land #protected Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

James Carville Predicts Donald Trump Will ‘Punch Himself Out’ If Democrats Do This James Carville Predicts Donald Trump Will ‘Punch Himself Out’ If Democrats Do This Patience will ultimately be a virtue for Democrats when it comes to tackling President Donald Trump, argued longtime Democratic strategist James Carville. Democrats have to learn to let the returning POTUS “punch himself out,” Carville told guest host Katie Phang on Friday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “The Beat.” “Remember Muhammad Ali and his rope-a-dope?” Carville asked, referring to the late, legendary boxer’s tactic of taking punches to wear his opponent down before delivering a devastating response. Ali would “just go to it the first six or seven rounds and then you come in and you measure up and then you start launching bombs,” said Carville. It is “hard to sit here and just look” as Trump floods the zone but “you just got to keep bobbing and weaving, bobbing and weaving and then, in due course, you’re going to be able to come in,” said Carville. Watch here: Related… Source link #James #Carville #Predicts #Donald #Trump #Punch #Democrats Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Habitable planets could have formed at the dawn of the universe Habitable planets could have formed at the dawn of the universe Illustration of an exoplanet in the early universe Darryl Fonseka/Alamy Conditions in the early universe might have enabled rocky planets with water to form much earlier than anticipated, potentially allowing life to begin sooner too. Astrophysicists studying the early universe think planet formation didn’t begin in earnest until supernovae had released enough heavy elements to form planetesimals, the building blocks of rocky planets, around stars. Our sun and its planets arose when the universe was about 9 billion years old, and the oldest known planet developed 1 billion years into the life of the universe. Source link #Habitable #planets #formed #dawn #universe Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

DeepSeek's 'cheap' ******** AI chatbot sparks tech stock selloff – BBC.com DeepSeek's 'cheap' ******** AI chatbot sparks tech stock selloff – BBC.com DeepSeek’s ‘cheap’ ******** AI chatbot sparks tech stock selloff BBC.comStocks Markets Fall Sharply as Investors Worry About China’s AI Advances The New York TimesNvidia, Broadcom, Microsoft and Tesla fall premarket; AT&T rises Investing.comNvidia, TSMC, ASML Among Tech Stocks Sinking on DeepSeek Threat InvestopediaStock market today: Nasdaq futures tank, Dow tumbles 350 points as AI fears rock tech stocks Yahoo Finance Source link #DeepSeek039s #039cheap039 #******** #chatbot #sparks #tech #stock #selloff #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Shiney Row XL bully owner jailed for man’s attack death Shiney Row XL bully owner jailed for man’s attack death PA Media Christopher Bell admitted owning a dangerously out of control dog The owner of an XL bully dog which chased and killed a man has been jailed for three years. Ian Langley, 54, was mauled in Shiney Row, near Sunderland, on 3 October 2023, and died in hospital from “catastrophic” neck injuries. Christopher Bell, 45, admitted being the owner of a dog which caused injury leading to death while dangerously out of control in a public place. Bell’s dog, an 18-month-old American XL bully called Titan which had a history of attacking other dogs, was shot dead by police at the scene of the attack. Shortly before 19:00 BST on 3 October 2023, Mr Langley, who came from Liverpool and was known in the area as “Scouse”, threw a stone at Bell’s Maple Terrace home and smashed a window, prosecutor Jolyon Perks said. Bell ran out of the house and chased Mr Langley and his XL bully dogs Titan and Sapphire followed through the open front door, Mr Perks said. Titan overtook Bell and, after about 330ft (100m), dragged Mr Langley to the floor and clamped its jaws around Mr Langley’s neck, the court heard. ‘Just kill the dogs’ The dog “firmly resisted” all attempts to pull it away, Mr Perks said, and Mr Langley suffered “catastrophic injuries”. Bell was eventually able to remove Titan and took him home before returning to Mr Langley’s side and calling 999. Mr Langley was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle but was declared dead about two hours after the attack, the court heard. Armed police killed Titan at the scene, with Sapphire also later put down, the court heard. When officers arrived, Bell, now of De La Pole Avenue in Hull, told them to “just kill” the dogs, Mr Perks said. Source link #Shiney #Row #bully #owner #jailed #mans #attack #death Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Scots call up Aussie Masibaka for Six Nations opener Scots call up Aussie Masibaka for Six Nations opener West *********** Alex Masibaka has been summoned from the French second tier to join the injury-hit Scotland squad ahead of this weekend’s start to the Six Nations. The former Western Force back-rower is one of five players called up by the Scots ahead of Saturday’s visit of Italy. Masibaka has been called up after impressing in the French second flight with Soyaux-Angouleme, where he is on loan from Montpellier. The 23-year-old from Perth qualifies for Scotland through his Paisley-born mother. He could also have played for Fiji through his father. Euan Ferrie, Cameron Henderson, Ewan Johnson and Ollie Smith have also joined up with the squad. Scotland have suffered several injuries one of which ruled their Aussie-born captain Sione Tuipulotu out of the Six Nations. Source link #Scots #call #Aussie #Masibaka #Nations #opener Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Heavy Hail Falls In Hollywood Hills Heavy Hail Falls In Hollywood Hills Hail bounced off rooftops and covered roads in the Hollywood Hills Sunday as the area saw its first rainfall since wildfires ravaged parts of Los Angeles County. It was the most rainfall since April of last year, and it sent a mudflow into Palisades Drive, closing the road. Source link #Heavy #Hail #Falls #Hollywood #Hills Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump tariffs could raise prices on laptops, smartphones and AI Trump tariffs could raise prices on laptops, smartphones and AI Workers weld acid batteries at the Leoch International Technology Ltd. factory in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. Mauricio Palos | Bloomberg | Getty Images The world’s most valuable chipmaker and the world’s largest contract manufacturer for electronics announced in November that Foxconn was building a massive factory in Guadalajara, Mexico, to assemble Nvidia’s artificial intelligence servers. Starting in early 2025, Nvidia would start producing its hotly demanded GB200 NVL72 server racks in Mexico, the two companies said. That announcement reflects what could be at risk if President Donald Trump’s blanket tariffs go into effect. Trump is expected to reveal more details on which specific tariffs will be placed on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico on Saturday. With Apple, Microsoft and Tesla reporting their December quarter earnings this week, investors will want to know how Trump’s threats of blanket tariffs on the country’s top trading partners could affect their businesses. Those firms already grappled with proposed tariffs on consumer products from China in 2018, as well as China’s retaliation. But Trump’s proposed tariffs on electronics from Mexico would be a new wrinkle. That’s because many companies specifically expanded production in the country in a so-called nearshoring effort in response to Covid disruptions and the tariffs from the first Trump administration. “If we increase the tariffs on Mexico, it’s actually penalizing the companies that have been very progressive and trying to make great strides and restructure their supply chain,” said Richard Barnett, chief marketing officer of Supplyframe, a Siemens subsidiary that makes software which tracks electronics component prices and lead times. Electronic products imports from Mexico rose from $86 billion in 2019 to $103 billion in 2023, or about 18% of total electronics imports, according to the International Trade Commission. It’s the second-largest source for electronic products imports in the U.S. after China, which reported $146 billion in imports in 2023. In addition to Foxconn, ******** electronics manufacturers Lenovo and Hisense made splashy announcements in the past few years about building factories in Mexico. Flex, a Singapore-based contract manufacturer for gadgets and electronics, says it is the largest exporter in the ******** state of Jalisco. Trump may be looking to close a “loophole” where ******** companies can avoid tariffs on their end by expanding in Mexico, said Simon Geale, executive vice president of Proxima, a supply chain consultancy that’s part of Bain & Co. “If you look at ******** investment into Mexico, it has gone through the roof in the last three to five years,” Geale said. Even with Mexico’s growth, China is still the biggest source for electronics imports in the U.S. It accounts for 78% of production of smartphones, 87% of video game consoles and 79% of laptops, according to the trade group the Consumer Technology Association, or CTA. About a quarter of ******** imports were electronic products. While high-value and high-margin products like Nvidia’s GPUs are less sensitive to tariffs, many of the secondary parts needed to construct multibillion-dollar AI data centers — communications, storage and power management parts, for example — are vulnerable to price changes and import duties, Barnett said. Supplyframe’s price index shows a 6% year-over-year increase for electronic components in the fourth quarter of 2024, after Trump started threatening tariffs. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was asked about the potential impact of tariffs in November, shortly after Trump’s election victory. “Whatever the new administration decides, we’ll, of course, support the administration, and that’s our highest mandate. And then after that, we do the best we can and just as we always do,” Huang said at the time, adding that the company would comply with regulations. Foxconn did not respond to a request for comment, and Nvidia declined to comment. Raising prices Trade groups, academics and even the chief of the World Trade Organization warn that trade wars spurred by Trump’s tariffs could slow global commerce and raise prices for consumers. Analysts have said the Trump administration may be looking at the tariffs as a way to negotiate with other countries over issues such as drug trafficking and migration, although the president has denied this. “The four big implications of tariffs that I foresee are higher prices, fewer rate cuts from the Fed, slower growth and fewer new jobs,” said Brett House, professor of professional practice at Columbia Business School. It’s still unclear exactly how large the tariffs could be this time around. On the campaign trail, Trump talked about tariffs of up to 60% on China and 10% on all other imports. In his first week in office, Trump has backed off from the largest duties, discussing a 10% tariff across the board from Mexico and Canada and a 25% tariff on goods from China. A 60% tariff on China would be a huge blow to American consumers, according to a report by the CTA. Laptop and tablet prices might increase by 45%, video game consoles by as much as 40% and smartphones by as much as 26%. That’s a $213 increase in the average price of a smartphone, according to the CTA. “It’ll affect the unit sales, meaning that each product will go up in price significantly,” CTA CEO Gary Shapiro said. A key difference between these tariffs and the ones from 2018 is that Trump has threatened placing tariffs that could apply to all products, whereas the 2018 tariffs were targeted on specific product codes and categories, and companies could apply for waivers for their goods. Whether Trump follows through on placing tariffs across the board remains to be seen. The Washington Post reported earlier this month that the Trump administration is considering imposing fees only on certain sectors. Experts at Columbus Consulting, a consulting firm focused on retailers, say their clients have already shifted budgets to account for increased costs. The firm is recommending that clients hold off on drastic measures – such as moving production into other countries or aggressively stockpiling extra inventory in advance – until they know what exactly will go into effect. “We need to see the definition of what’s going to be tariffed and how much and when, and specifically which products,” said Jeff Gragg, managing partner at Columbus Consulting. “Until we get more specifics around it, overreacting can only put you in a dangerous position.” Attempts to mitigate tariff expenses can end up being costly, whether that’s the increased price of freight or the opportunity cost of tying up capital in inventory, Gragg said. Some firms will have to pass the costs on to consumers, he said. But the current uncertainty around import duties isn’t necessarily a sea change from the past few years. Some electronics still have tariffs on them from Trump’s first term. Semiconductors from China currently have a 50% tariff, for example. The Biden administration largely kept the import duty regime from the first Trump administration in place, giving firms a few years with less drastic changes, but many still had to grapple with import duties. “Supply chains thrive on predictability, and the only thing that’s predictable about Trump is that he’s going to be unpredictable,” Geale said. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Trump #tariffs #raise #prices #laptops #smartphones Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fed expected to pause rate cuts as it begins to weigh Trump policies – The Washington Post Fed expected to pause rate cuts as it begins to weigh Trump policies – The Washington Post Fed expected to pause rate cuts as it begins to weigh Trump policies The Washington PostThe Federal Reserve is likely to hold interest rates steady next week. Here’s what that means for your money CNBCFederal Reserve to keep rates on hold for ‘foreseeable future’, Pimco says Financial TimesFed Very Likely To Wait Until March For Next Interest Rate Cut, Maybe Longer ForbesAP Business SummaryBrief at 7:51 a.m. EST WDRB Source link #Fed #expected #pause #rate #cuts #begins #weigh #Trump #policies #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Glasgow child sex abuse gang given life sentences Glasgow child sex abuse gang given life sentences Catriona Renton BBC Scotland News BBC The seven members of one of Scotland’s biggest child sex abuse rings have been given life-long sentences which mean they may never be released. Three victims under the age of 13 were subjected to horrific ******* abuse and violence in a Glasgow drug den dubbed “the beastie house” over a seven-year *******. Police said the children had suffered “unimaginable abuse”, with the offences including *****, attempted ******* and assault. Iain Owens, 46; Elaine Lannery, 40; Lesley Williams, 43; Paul Brannan, 42; Scott Forbes, 51; Barry Watson, 48, and John Clark, 49, were all jailed for their part in the abuse and handed orders for lifelong restriction. They had denied the charges but were found guilty in November 2023 after a two-month trial at the High Court in Glasgow. Sentencing has been delayed until now because of delays in risk assessments which were ordered to help the judge, Lord Beckett, decide whether to impose the lifelong restriction orders. Warning: This article contains details readers may find upsetting Two girls and a boy were violently and ********* assaulted on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2019. The trial heard that the gang would hold “***** nights” and “dance and sex nights” in a squalid flat in Glasgow that was frequented by drug users. A girl was ****** by members of the gang while she was still young enough to wear a nappy. She described the flat as the “dark and scary beastie house” because she had been locked in a cupboard with a box that was full of spiders. The girl was also shut in an oven and a fridge and was forced to eat dog food. An older boy and girl were also subjected to savage beatings and ******* violence. Members of the gang also used Class A drugs in front of the children and caused them to consume alcohol and drugs. Spindrift/Police Scotland The people who were found guilty were: Top row, from left: Paul Brannan, John Clark, Scott Forbes, Barry Watson. Bottom row, from left: Iain Owens, Lesley Williams, Elaine Lannery and Marianne Gallagher, who was convicted of assault but cleared of all other charges The trial heard that the children first came into contact with social work in Glasgow in August 2017 and were deemed to be at risk in July 2018. But the allegations of violence and ******* abuse did not come to light until March 2020. Police were alerted by a man who had got to know the children. One of the victims became hysterical when she mistakenly thought she had been shut in a room. The man and his wife then documented details of what the children recalled happening at the hands of the gang. Jurors were also told Owens, Lannery, Williams, Watson, Clark and Forbes – who was known as Scott the Cameraman – all had previous convictions but none were for any type of sex crime. Owens, Lannery, Brannan and Williams were found guilty of attempted *******. Charges related to causing the children to take part in seances and witchcraft were dropped during the trial. Another woman, 40-year-old Marianne Gallagher, was convicted of one count of assault to injury but was cleared of all other charges. Her sentencing was initially deferred for 12 months for good behaviour and returned to court on 6 January this year. She was spared further punishment and admonished by Lord Beckett after he heard Gallagher had not offended over the last year. What is an order for lifelong restriction? Leading KC Tommy Ross said orders for lifelong restriction (OLRs) are reserved for the most serious court cases which do not involve *******. Before an order is imposed the subject must undergo an extensive risk assessment process, conducted by psychologists, which typically takes about 12 weeks. A judge then sets a minimum prison term – known as the punishment part – that the offender must serve before they are eligible to apply for parole. And, if granted parole, they are subject to recall back to prison in the event that they commit any new offences or breach the terms of their release. Mr Ross told BBC Scotland News: “Essentially when you get an order for lifelong restriction you will either be in prison or parole for the rest of your natural life.” In 2023/24 a total of 18 OLRs were imposed in courts across Scotland If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via the BBC Action Line. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts. Source link #Glasgow #child #sex #abuse #gang #life #sentences Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Monday’s biggest Wall Street calls like Nvidia Monday’s biggest Wall Street calls like Nvidia Here are Monday’s biggest calls on Wall Street: UBS upgrades Take-Two to buy from neutral UBS said in its upgrade of Take-Two that the game maker has an “unprecedented pipeline.” “We are upgrading shares from Neutral to Buy and raising our PT to $230. With increased conviction in GTA VI [Grand Theft Auto] demand and a robust lineup of other titles, we expect bookings, profits and FCF to inflect over the next two yrs, lowering leverage and freeing capital for accretive investments.” Stifel upgrades Portillo’s to buy from hold Stifel said it’s bullish on shares of the hot dog restaurant company. “The company has intensified efforts to address weak traffic trends while indicating a willingness to promote value more aggressively if needed. We also believe the board has become more engaged, and we are encouraged by the recent appointment of Jack Hartung.” KBW downgrades Freddie Mac & Fannie Mae to underperform from market perform KBW downgraded the government sponsored enterprise lenders on valuation. “The GSE [government sponsored enterprises] shares have increased sharply recently ( FNMA and FMCC are up +333% and +343%, respectively, since the day before the election and +436% and 515% since the beginning of 2024), and shares are now well above levels reached during Trump 1.0.” Goldman Sachs upgrades Twilio to buy from neutral Goldman said it’s bullish on the stock ahead of earnings and analyst day. “We are upgrading Twilio to Buy (from Neutral) with a PT of $185 (from $77) after the company’s 2025 Analyst Day and ahead of F4Q results (2/13).” Goldman Sachs reiterates Tesla as neutral Goldman said it likes Tesla’s Model Y refresh but that it’s sticking with its neutral rating. “We believe the new version offers several good enhancements. We also think that the refresh is relatively in line with investor expectations, as the upgrades are generally similar to what Tesla did with the Model 3.” Baird upgrades Titan Machinery to outperform from neutral Baird upgraded the machinery company following declining inventory. ” TITN underperformed the S & P by ~70% in 2024 as the stock steadily moved lower following significant guidance cuts and equipment margin compression as inventories ballooned and used equipment prices declined. Inventories drive stock performance, with TITN set to destock as CY2025 progresses which should catalyze the shares.” Morgan Stanley upgrades Exelixis to overweight from equal weight After a change in analyst coverage the firm upgraded the biotech company and says the valuation is “undemanding.” “We assume coverage of EXEL with an Overweight rating and a $40 price target.” Piper Sandler upgrades Qorvo to overweight from neutral Piper upgraded the semis company on reports of an activist investor involved. “We are upgrading shares of QRVO this morning based on the potential for improving fundamentals given Starboard’s involvement in the company.” Rosenblatt reiterates Apple as buy The firm is standing by the stock ahead of earnings later this week. “Expectations for Apple’s Dec. quarter are low, after 3rd party data suggesting a disappointing iPhone performance. But there are mitigating factors for the Dec. quarter fears, including lack of an earnings warning, and potential for services and other devices to make up some of the iPhone gap.” Telsey initiates Vital Farms as outperform Telsey said the food products company is well positioned. ” Vital Farms is a fast-growing, next-gen food company disrupting the traditional food ecosystem by developing high-quality products with elevated ethical standards.” Bernstein reiterates Microsoft as outperform Bernstein said the stock is well positioned ahead of earnings later this week. ” Microsoft is scheduled to report after the market closes on Wednesday, January 29th and investor interest in the quarter is much higher, we believe, than normal.” Jefferies reiterates Meta as a top pick Jefferies said the stock remains a top idea at the firm. “We are bullish on META’s position to monetize its traction in Gen AI with META.AI & Llama, seeing strong returns for these investments.” Jefferies reiterates Amazon as buy Jefferies is bullish ahead of Amazon earnings next week. “We expect a slight beat to Q4 based on solid holiday sales, AWS acceleration, improving Advertising, and margin support from continued operating efficiency gains. We see momentum continuing in ’25. AMZN remains a top pick for enterprise AI. Maintain Buy, $275 PT.” Bank of America downgrades D.R. Horton to neutral from buy The firm said it sees a “challenging backdrop” for the homebuilder. “Housing demand has moderated with higher rates and input costs are rising. We believe DHI is prudently adjusting to a more challenging backdrop (slowing starts and increased share repurchase), but we expect margin headwinds to persist through F2025.” Bank of America upgrades Travel & Leisure to buy from underperform Bank of America said travel demand is accelerating for the travel company. “We upgrade Travel + Leisure to Buy from Underperform on improving travel demand, relatively de-risked earnings and a lower rate environment beneficiary.” Melius initiates Marvell as buy Melius said the semis stock is the “next multi-hundred billion dollar AI semis company “Despite Marvell’s stock being up 108% since the start of 2024, there is more to go since there’s a shortage of semis names that can get really big from here – and we bet this company is the next one to do it on the back of the AI theme.” Cantor Fitzgerald reiterates Nvidia as overweight The firm said the release of ******** AI startup DeepSeek effect on Nvidia is overblown “Following release of DeepSeek’s V3 LLM [large language model], there has been great angst as to the impact for compute demand, and therefore, fears of peak spending on GPUs. … .We would be buyers of NVDA shares on any potential weakness.” Raymond James downgrades Ralph Lauren to market perform from outperform Raymond James downgraded the stock mainly on valuation. “We lower our rating to Market Perform from Outperform. Brand elevation and execution remain excellent under strong leadership and strategy. But RL’s significant stock rally and materially adverse changes to FX rates could limit upside to F2H25 and FY26 expectations.” Bank of America downgrades Bloomin’ Brands to underperform from neutral The firm said it sees “limited near term upside” for the owner of brands like Outback. “While the casual dining industry is notoriously slow growth, BLMN’s struggles have allowed chain competitors to expand their market share leads. The new management’s focus is rightly trained on reversing those traffic declines.” Source link #Mondays #biggest #Wall #Street #calls #Nvidia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump tariffs could raise prices on laptops, smartphones and AI Trump tariffs could raise prices on laptops, smartphones and AI Workers weld acid batteries at the Leoch International Technology Ltd. factory in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. Mauricio Palos | Bloomberg | Getty Images The world’s most valuable chipmaker and the world’s largest contract manufacturer for electronics announced in November that Foxconn was building a massive factory in Guadalajara, Mexico, to assemble Nvidia’s artificial intelligence servers. Starting in early 2025, Nvidia would start producing its hotly demanded GB200 NVL72 server racks in Mexico, the two companies said. That announcement reflects what could be at risk if President Donald Trump’s blanket tariffs go into effect. Trump is expected to reveal more details on which specific tariffs will be placed on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico on Saturday. With Apple, Microsoft and Tesla reporting their December quarter earnings this week, investors will want to know how Trump’s threats of blanket tariffs on the country’s top trading partners could affect their businesses. Those firms already grappled with proposed tariffs on consumer products from China in 2018, as well as China’s retaliation. But Trump’s proposed tariffs on electronics from Mexico would be a new wrinkle. That’s because many companies specifically expanded production in the country in a so-called nearshoring effort in response to Covid disruptions and the tariffs from the first Trump administration. “If we increase the tariffs on Mexico, it’s actually penalizing the companies that have been very progressive and trying to make great strides and restructure their supply chain,” said Richard Barnett, chief marketing officer of Supplyframe, a Siemens subsidiary that makes software which tracks electronics component prices and lead times. Electronic products imports from Mexico rose from $86 billion in 2019 to $103 billion in 2023, or about 18% of total electronics imports, according to the International Trade Commission. It’s the second-largest source for electronic products imports in the U.S. after China, which reported $146 billion in imports in 2023. In addition to Foxconn, ******** electronics manufacturers Lenovo and Hisense made splashy announcements in the past few years about building factories in Mexico. Flex, a Singapore-based contract manufacturer for gadgets and electronics, says it is the largest exporter in the ******** state of Jalisco. Trump may be looking to close a “loophole” where ******** companies can avoid tariffs on their end by expanding in Mexico, said Simon Geale, executive vice president of Proxima, a supply chain consultancy that’s part of Bain & Co. “If you look at ******** investment into Mexico, it has gone through the roof in the last three to five years,” Geale said. Even with Mexico’s growth, China is still the biggest source for electronics imports in the U.S. It accounts for 78% of production of smartphones, 87% of video game consoles and 79% of laptops, according to the trade group the Consumer Technology Association, or CTA. About a quarter of ******** imports were electronic products. While high-value and high-margin products like Nvidia’s GPUs are less sensitive to tariffs, many of the secondary parts needed to construct multibillion-dollar AI data centers — communications, storage and power management parts, for example — are vulnerable to price changes and import duties, Barnett said. Supplyframe’s price index shows a 6% year-over-year increase for electronic components in the fourth quarter of 2024, after Trump started threatening tariffs. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was asked about the potential impact of tariffs in November, shortly after Trump’s election victory. “Whatever the new administration decides, we’ll, of course, support the administration, and that’s our highest mandate. And then after that, we do the best we can and just as we always do,” Huang said at the time, adding that the company would comply with regulations. Foxconn did not respond to a request for comment, and Nvidia declined to comment. Raising prices Trade groups, academics and even the chief of the World Trade Organization warn that trade wars spurred by Trump’s tariffs could slow global commerce and raise prices for consumers. Analysts have said the Trump administration may be looking at the tariffs as a way to negotiate with other countries over issues such as drug trafficking and migration, although the president has denied this. “The four big implications of tariffs that I foresee are higher prices, fewer rate cuts from the Fed, slower growth and fewer new jobs,” said Brett House, professor of professional practice at Columbia Business School. It’s still unclear exactly how large the tariffs could be this time around. On the campaign trail, Trump talked about tariffs of up to 60% on China and 10% on all other imports. In his first week in office, Trump has backed off from the largest duties, discussing a 10% tariff across the board from Mexico and Canada and a 25% tariff on goods from China. A 60% tariff on China would be a huge blow to American consumers, according to a report by the CTA. Laptop and tablet prices might increase by 45%, video game consoles by as much as 40% and smartphones by as much as 26%. That’s a $213 increase in the average price of a smartphone, according to the CTA. “It’ll affect the unit sales, meaning that each product will go up in price significantly,” CTA CEO Gary Shapiro said. A key difference between these tariffs and the ones from 2018 is that Trump has threatened placing tariffs that could apply to all products, whereas the 2018 tariffs were targeted on specific product codes and categories, and companies could apply for waivers for their goods. Whether Trump follows through on placing tariffs across the board remains to be seen. The Washington Post reported earlier this month that the Trump administration is considering imposing fees only on certain sectors. Experts at Columbus Consulting, a consulting firm focused on retailers, say their clients have already shifted budgets to account for increased costs. The firm is recommending that clients hold off on drastic measures – such as moving production into other countries or aggressively stockpiling extra inventory in advance – until they know what exactly will go into effect. “We need to see the definition of what’s going to be tariffed and how much and when, and specifically which products,” said Jeff Gragg, managing partner at Columbus Consulting. “Until we get more specifics around it, overreacting can only put you in a dangerous position.” Attempts to mitigate tariff expenses can end up being costly, whether that’s the increased price of freight or the opportunity cost of tying up capital in inventory, Gragg said. Some firms will have to pass the costs on to consumers, he said. But the current uncertainty around import duties isn’t necessarily a sea change from the past few years. Some electronics still have tariffs on them from Trump’s first term. Semiconductors from China currently have a 50% tariff, for example. The Biden administration largely kept the import duty regime from the first Trump administration in place, giving firms a few years with less drastic changes, but many still had to grapple with import duties. “Supply chains thrive on predictability, and the only thing that’s predictable about Trump is that he’s going to be unpredictable,” Geale said. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Trump #tariffs #raise #prices #laptops #smartphones Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why Trump 2.0 feels so different already Why Trump 2.0 feels so different already It has been one week since President Donald Trump was sworn in for the second time. The past seven days have been, at best, disorienting, as the new administration has jackknifed the country to the right so fast that the centrifugal force already feels crushing. In that time, Trump acted on his promise to unleash a wave of executive actions to begin transforming the federal government in his image. After Trump’s win over then-Vice President Kamala Harris, many of the people I know felt numb or checked out, unable to contemplate what was coming. I told anyone who would listen that that feeling would change once the theoretical became practical and all the hypotheticals under discussion emerged into our new daily realty. A great wave of Americans have now checked back in at once — and the net effect is straining our collective mental capacity. So far, Trump has pardoned or commuted the sentences of nearly every Jan. 6 rioter, including those who assaulted the Capitol Police. He has launched the first salvo in his quest to end birthright citizenship as guaranteed under the 14th Amendment. He has rushed to cut off immigration options for people who have been — as Republicans so often put it — waiting in line for their turn, and he has moved to enact mass deportations of those already here legally. His administration has threatened federal workers who work to improve diversity, issued a freeze on the Justice Department’s civil rights investigations, paused wide swaths of critical health research and commanded state and local officials to cooperate with his anti-immigrant sweeps or face prosecution. Beyond the policy shifts, though, the overall feeling of Trump’s ascension is different this time. When he won in 2016, it was a surprise for virtually the entire country, the newly elected president included. Eight years ago, the narrow Electoral College win by this garish figure was seen as a likely fluke; the country’s economic anxiety had prompted a regretful mistake in selecting Trump (and let’s not forget, there was clear evidence of foreign interference). With the proverbial adrenaline pumping on the left, the backlash from the millions who hadn’t voted for him was immediate. The stumbles in his administration’s early days made his time as a national force feel like a frightening, but ultimately temporary, stumbling block in the nation’s progress. This time it was impossible not to see what was coming in the event of a Trump win. The investigations and court cases surrounding his final days in office had laid bare his willingness to discard the Constitution in favor of retaining power. The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 was there for anyone to read, no matter how many denials and disavowals the campaign issued. After years of seeing Trump in office and out, even as the haze of nostalgia settled over Americans’ collective memory, there was no pretense about his being “a changed man.” If anything, Trump leaned into being himself, to the delight of his supporters. If his first win felt like being sucker punched rounding a corner, the second feels like having seen the threat coming from a mile away and been powerless to avoid it. As a result, the country has shifted to accommodate his depredations this time around. “Trump’s cultural victory has lapped his political victory,” The New York Times’ Ezra Klein wrote recently, noting how the narrowness of the president’s victory over Harris doesn’t correlate to the deeper resentments it ostensibly tapped. “The election was close, but the vibes have been a rout. … In 2016, Trump felt like an emissary of the past; in 2025, he’s being greeted as a harbinger of the future.” That’s correct, but the “future” on offer is one of maximum regression to a darker past. The depth of the shift hit hardest for me in a quote from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt about Trump’s executive order on gender, which will affect trans and nonbinary Americans’ passports. “They can still apply to renew their passport — they just have to use their God-given sex, which was decided at birth,” Leavitt told NOTUS’ Oriana González. It was Leavitt’s use of “God-given sex” that threw me. Here was the chief spokesperson for the White House padding officially sanctioned bigotry with a religious justification. More concerning was the callousness with which she tossed it off, confident that it wouldn’t drive headlines or prompt any consequences for her. This last week’s flurry of action has been an extended flex of the MAGA movement’s newfound sense of dominance. Several people have compared the blitzkrieg underway to the “shock and awe” campaign launched against Iraq at the onset of the U.S. invasion in 2003. (We’re unfortunately seeing today’s elected Democrats showing a similar instinct to follow the tide, fearing further electoral losses instead of standing up for what is right.) What begins now, though, is the administration’s long, hard slog to make these changes stick as part of its campaign of domestic nation-building. MAGA can only succeed by convincing enough of the populace that the changes Trump is making are inevitable and everlasting. The first 100 days of an administration are about notching easy wins and deciding which tougher pushes to spend political capital on. But Trump is, as ever, burning through a pile of credit that far exceeds the collateral behind it. It’s a gambit that requires convincing anyone with the ability to push back on him that it won’t be worth checking his balance sheets. The sheer scope at which he is trying to act at once is a strategy designed for a sprint, not a marathon, in hopes of accomplishing as much as possible before anyone catches on that he’s spending beyond his political means. It is incumbent on his opponents not to let the present cacophony overwhelm their sense of purpose or focus. It may take longer to overcome the inertia many are feeling with the crashing down of that wave we all saw coming, to marshal enough resistance to reach critical mass. In the meantime, there are legal challenges being filed to counter Trump’s unlawfulness and mutual aid is being organized in communities across America. The fate of our country will not be decided in the span of a week. The biggest threat is mistaking the scale of this opening salvo for anything more than the opening of a much longer struggle. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Source link #Trump #feels Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Is a key ocean current system slowing down? A new study adds to the debate – The Washington Post Is a key ocean current system slowing down? A new study adds to the debate – The Washington Post Is a key ocean current system slowing down? A new study adds to the debate The Washington PostThe AMOC is slowing, it’s stable, it’s slowing, no, yes, … RealClimateCritical ocean current may be more stable than previously thought Earth.comDoomsday warning as major global system faces collapse in just 12 years Irish StarA study on the AMOC reveals that this critical ocean current has not decreased in the last 60 years Yourweather.co.*** Source link #key #ocean #current #system #slowing #study #adds #debate #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

John Swinney announces plan to bring down NHS waiting times John Swinney announces plan to bring down NHS waiting times Getty Images John Swinney says his government will harness new technologies to bring down waiting times NHS Scotland will deliver an extra 150,000 appointments and procedures in the coming year, First Minister John Swinney had pledged. The SNP leader announced plans to bring down waiting lists, tackle delayed discharge and make it easier to get GP appointments. He said the announcement “sets the NHS on a path of modernisation and renewal”. Opposition leaders accused the SNP of mismanaging the NHS, which has recorded record waiting times and delayed discharge figures in recent months. At a speech in Edinburgh, Swinney set out three priorities: to reduce immediate pressures in the NHS, shift the balance from acute services to the community and to use innovation to improve access to care. He acknowledged patients were not getting “the right care in the right place at the right time”, warning that waiting times and delayed discharge figures were the “canary in the coal mine”. The first minister said the extra 150,000 appointments and procedures would include 10,000 through “smarter working” at national treatment centres. He said hospitals would do an extra 9,500 cataract procedures, as well as 2,500 extra orthopaedic appointments and procedures, such as hip or knee replacements. PA Media NHS Scotland figures for waiting times and delayed discharge have reached record highs in recent months “In this way, we will create centres of excellence, places of expertise and specialisation, where we will be better placed to capitalise on the technological innovation and the potential of AI,” the SNP leader told an audience at Herriot Watt University. He vowed that ministers had listened to GPs and that a greater proportion of new NHS funding would go to primary and community care. “As much as possible, people who do not need to be in hospital will not go to hospital, protecting those acute services for those who absolutely need them,” the first minister said. He pledged £10.5m to improve GP capacity and “intervene earlier” in preventing illness. Swinney told the audience that specialist “frailty” staff wold be stationed in accident and emergency departments from the summer. “This will mean that frail patients, often older patients with complex needs, will bypass our busy A&Es, in order to receive the specialist care and support they need, whether in hospital or back at home,” he said. The government’s Hospital at Home scheme is also to be expanded to at least 2,000 beds by the end of 2026. “Without the need for any new bricks and mortar, the effective capacity of every single hospital in Scotland will be expanded,” the SNP leader said. ‘Smarter, better care’ Swinney said NHS Scotland’s Pharmacy First Service would be expanded “so that community pharmacies can treat a greater number of clinical conditions and prevent the need for a GP visit in the first place”. He also vowed that better use of data would improve efficiency in operating theatres and cut waiting times, while innovations in genetic testing would be used to deliver “smarter, better care”. And he said a digital dermatology service was being rolled out, while the NHS Digital Front Door app would be launched by the end of the year. The app will allow patients manage and contribute to their own health and care information online and interact with health and social care services. The Scottish government has made a series of commitments to tackle NHS backlogs since the pandemic. However, targets to “eradicate” long waits have been missed, with NHS waiting lists and delayed discharge figures hitting record highs. Audit Scotland said last month that “difficult decisions” might have to be made about whether the NHS can continue to provide some services. It called for urgent reform to cope with growing demand. The British Medical Association also warned the NHS would struggle to make it through another year without immediate action. PA Media Sandesh Gulhane has accused the government of incompetence Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Sandesh Gulhane said: “After 18 years of SNP incompetence our NHS is in full-on crisis mode. Patients and staff deserve more than empty rhetoric, they need action.” Scottish Labour accused the SNP of a series of failures, including wasted funding, workforce shortfalls and A&E waiting times. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “Under the SNP, nurses are treating patients in hospital corridors, ambulances are stuck outside A&E and social care is on its knees.” Unison, which represents more than 60,000 NHS Scotland staff, called for action from to bolster the workforce. The union’s co-lead for health Matt McLaughlin said: “The NHS has a staffing crisis. NHS workers need to know how the government will fill vacancies, improve pay, transform social care and give better patient care.” Source link #John #Swinney #announces #plan #bring #NHS #waiting #times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A convincing ****** iPhone SE 4 suggests the return of the notch A convincing ****** iPhone SE 4 suggests the return of the notch Calling all iPhone lovers: we might just have a full look at Apple’s iPhone SE 4 on our hands. X (formerly Twitter) user Majin Bu shared what Bu claims is the new iPhone SE 4. The leaker posted a video of the device from all angles and then four photos of both a ****** and white model from the back. There’s no guarantee that these posts aren’t just highlighting a well-done ****** unit — a version typically made for accessory manufacturers. But, if real, then there’s a few things we can glean. One of the most significant bits is that this iPhone SE 4 still has a notch. In 2022, Apple released its Dynamic Island design on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, foregoing the front camera’s notch for a more integrated appearance. The iPhone 15 and 16 also got the Dynamic Island but, despite rumors it would come to the next SE, this leak indicates the notch will remain. To view this content, you’ll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the “Content and social-media partners” setting to do so. One big change, however, on the iPhone SE 4 is a switch from the lightning port to a USB-C. New regulations mean this move is necessary for the device to be on ***** in the European Union. The posts also show a single rear camera, the same as previous iPhone SE phones. Again, most of this is just a possibility at the moment. The leaker has been wrong in the past, such as a 2022 prediction for an iPhone 15 Ultra with two front cameras. Source link #convincing #****** #iPhone #suggests #return #notch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tariff uncertainty hangs over Bank of Canada’s 1st rate decision of 2025 – National Tariff uncertainty hangs over Bank of Canada’s 1st rate decision of 2025 – National The Bank of Canada is being pulled in a few different directions ahead of its first interest rate decision of the year on Wednesday. On one hand, there are signs of trouble bubbling up in underlying inflation that could make an argument for keeping borrowing costs higher for longer. On the other: fears of a trade war with the United States. President Donald Trump has reiterated threats to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on ********* goods that could be set to take effect mere days after the central bank’s rate decision. “If Trump were to carry out those 25 per cent tariffs, and they were in place for some time, unfortunately a recession in Canada would be inevitable,” says Stephen Brown, deputy chief North America economist at Capital Economics. A trade blow like that would normally push the Bank of Canada towards steeper rate cuts in a bid to salvage economic growth. But dropping rates too quickly at a time when the loonie is already struggling risks fuelling more inflation on imports from south of the border. Story continues below advertisement 5:27 Looming Tariff Battle and Its Impact on Canadians What’s a central bank to do? Economists who spoke to Global News say they’re betting the Bank of Canada will go ahead with another cut to its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday, albeit a smaller one than in the central bank’s recent outings. Markets expect another cut The Bank of Canada’s benchmark interest rate broadly sets the cost of borrowing across the country and acts as a signal for rates ********* gets on key loans like home mortgages. Story continues below advertisement The central bank has cut its policy rate a total of 1.75 percentage points in five consecutive decisions, trimming by 50 basis points in October and December amid signs of weakness in the economy and growing fears that inflation could drop too far below the two per cent target. Get weekly money news Get expert insights, Q&A on markets, housing, inflation, and personal finance information delivered to you every Saturday. The policy rate now stands at 3.25 per cent, the top of what economists consider the “neutral range” where borrowing costs are neither stimulating nor restricting growth. More on Money More videos Money markets last week had priced in odds as high as 81 per cent of a quarter-point cut coming on Jan. 29, according to Reuters. After moving quickly to lower the rate in 2024, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem signalled after the most recent rate decision last month that monetary policymakers may adopt a more “gradual pace” of easing in 2025. Brown questions whether the Bank of Canada needed to move as quickly as it did in its most recent decisions amid signs the economy likely accelerated heading into the end of 2024 as previous rate cuts started to provide a pick-up in growth. Inflation has meanwhile remained largely under control, cooling to 1.8 per cent in December, thanks in no small part to Ottawa’s GST/HST “holiday.” But economists have noted the three-month moving averages of so-called “core inflation” are holding stubbornly above three per cent. Story continues below advertisement 1:53 Inflation slows ahead of Bank of Canada’s 1st interest rate decision of 2025 Cutting interest rates further right now also risks driving the already-weak loonie even lower amid expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will pause its own rate cuts this week. A weaker ********* dollar can also fuel inflation by making imports more expensive. Benjamin Reitzes, BMO’s managing director of ********* rates and macro strategist, says the inflation data alone does not make the argument for another interest rate cut at the Jan. 29 meeting. Trending Now ‘Heil Tesla’: Elon Musk’s salute projected onto carmaker’s factory in Germany Canada must take ‘responsibility’ for its sovereignty, defence chief says Tariff threats alone enough to do damage But then there’s the question of tariffs. Story continues below advertisement Reitzes notes that Trump doesn’t have to follow through on his tariff pledge for these threats to make a dent in Canada’s economy. Businesses are likely to slow their investment in Canada amid the uncertainty alone; the central bank’s own survey of firms released last week showed two in five expect negative impacts from Trump’s presidency. In short, Canada’s economy is expected to take a hit from Trump — how big that dent ends up being depends on whether the tariffs are implemented, how big they are and how long they stay in place, or if they remain just tough talk. Reites adds to the mix that, despite the talk of slowing the pace of easing, the Bank of Canada’s “bias” was still tilted towards further cuts. “You put all that together, it makes sense to cut rates 25 basis points … even if the inflation numbers maybe don’t point in that direction,” Reitzes says. Brown agrees that the Bank of Canada would likely “shrug off” concerns about inflation and a weaker loonie if tariffs were implemented. But he says it’s “certainly not a not a clear-cut decision” for the central bank this week. 1:50 Trump’s tariff threats to China could hit ********* wallets Where the Bank of Canada goes for the rest of 2025 is up in the air, though Reitzes and Brown both see the policy rate falling lower. Story continues below advertisement Each are pencilling in three more interest rate cuts this year to bring the policy rate down to 2.5 per cent, though Reitzes notes that rates will fall more sharply if tariffs are put in place. On the other hand, he says if the U.S. Fed cuts less than expected amid a resilient economy, the Bank of Canada may also limit how low it goes in 2025. The Bank of Canada will also release an updated monetary policy report — its first since Trump’s re-election — alongside the rate decision on Wednesday. &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Tariff #uncertainty #hangs #Bank #Canadas #1st #rate #decision #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WA’s smallest schools get $4.7 million funding boost WA’s smallest schools get $4.7 million funding boost WA’s smallest schools will get a funding boost this year in a bid to make sure their students are not disadvantaged because of their school’s size or location. Source link #smallest #schools #million #funding #boost Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth hit the most concurrent Steam players of any single-player Final Fantasy Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth hit the most concurrent Steam players of any single-player Final Fantasy The Steam version of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has hit more concurrent players than any other single-player Final Fantasy game on the platform. Rebirth was released on PC on January 23 and, according to data on SteamDB (as spotted by Eurogamer), hit a peak of 40,564 concurrent players over the weekend. This is higher than any other single-player Final Fantasy game has achieved on Steam, and is significantly higher than the previous leader, Final Fantasy 15 (which hit a concurrent peak of 29,498). It should be noted, however, that Rebirth’s numbers don’t give it the title of most concurrent users for any Final Fantasy game ever – it only counts for single-player games. Its peak still pales in comparison to that of long-running MMO Final Fantasy 14 Online, which hit a peak of more than 95,150 – more than double that of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth – following the release of its Endwalker expansion. Final Fantasy series – Top 10 peak concurrent Steam players Final Fantasy 14 Online (95,150) Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (40,564) Final Fantasy 15 (29,498) Final Fantasy 16 (27,508) Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade (13,803) Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (13,263) Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion (9,648) Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age (8,386) Final Fantasy 13 (8,320) Final Fantasy 9 (8,229) Square Enix previously said that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Final Fantasy 16 sales “did not meet expectations”, and that it planned to “shift to a multiplatform strategy” going forward. While Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth were released as exclusives on PS4 and PS5 respectively, they were eventually released on PC. Given Square Enix’s new multiplatform strategy and comments from Rebirth’s director saying he wants to see the trilogy appearing on more platforms like Xbox, it’s not yet clear if the third game in the trilogy will have a similar timed exclusivity window, because the terms of Square Enix and Sony‘s exclusivity deal for the third part remain unknown. Source link #Final #Fantasy #Rebirth #hit #concurrent #Steam #players #singleplayer #Final #Fantasy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Is Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) the Most Promising Growth Stock According to Wall Street Analysts? Is Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) the Most Promising Growth Stock According to Wall Street Analysts? We recently published a list of 12 Most Promising Growth Stocks According to Wall Street Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) stands against other most promising growth stocks according to Wall Street analysts. The new regulatory environment has the technology sector eyeing prominent growth opportunities in 2025 and beyond. Big Tech is set to release earnings next week and investors are excited to see how the group performed in the last quarter. On January 24, Dan Ives, managing director and global head of technology research at Wedbush Securities, appeared in an interview on Morning Brief at Yahoo Finance to share his 2025 outlook for the tech sector. Ives suggested that the Street is underestimating the potential of Big Tech and advises investors to “grab popcorn” for the earnings week ahead. He also shared his optimism towards the billion-dollar investments made by the group before 2025 and claimed that the “fourth industrial revolution” has just begun. He also suggested that AI spending by companies heavily depends on the use cases for the company, and emphasized the unique selling point for each of the names in mega-cap tech names. Ives stated that the ability to monetize stall bases has been the crucial factor driving the growth among tech names, which happens to mimic what the hyperscalers have done. Ives emphasized that investments in artificial intelligence are now going to play out on the consumer side and remained confident that Big Tech is a step ahead in terms of the AI journey to monetization. He believes that seeing the return on investment play out, the Street is underestimating the growth in the tech sector, not just for the earnings next week but for 2025 as a whole. He also suggested that the regulatory environment is drastically changing especially in favor of the autonomous vehicles market and expects a massive year ahead for the segment and stocks associated with self-driving technologies and autonomous vehicle driving. The year ahead looks super solid for companies in the growth sector, namely artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, biotechnology, fintech, and software. While most of it is because of the efforts made by these names over the past year, the promising regulatory environment is going to boost the position of these stocks significantly. We used Finviz to look for companies operating in growth sectors such as technology, financials (fintech), biotech, and communication services. We only focused on companies with a market cap of at least $2 billion. We then examined the analyst upside surrounding 25 stocks and picked the 12 stocks with the highest upside as of January 23, 2025. We have also included the hedge fund sentiment around each stock. Story Continues Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here). Is Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) the Most Promising Growth Stock According to Wall Street Analysts? A close up of a complex looking PCB board with several intergrated semiconductor parts. Analyst Upside as of January 23, 2025: 49% Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 107 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) is a semiconductor and IT company that produces accelerators capable of managing complex AI workloads. Over the past few months, AMD launched advanced processors for the next generation of PCs and high-performing computing solutions for the AI computing demand. For instance, on January 6, AMD announced the launch of its first commercial Dell PCs that run on its AI processors. The new processors offer improved efficiency, privacy, personalization, and connectivity coupled with cutting-edge AI compute and advanced business productivity tools. On January 22, Thomas O’Malley, an analyst at Barclays shared his stance on Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD). The analyst highlighted that the stock has been struggling for the past year. However, O’Malley believes that AMD’s investments in AI will allow the company to achieve year-over-year growth of a few billion dollars for MI series accelerators in 2025. He also added that the company will have to wait a little longer to garner opportunities for additional market share. Despite that, the analyst gives an overweight rating on the stock with a price target of $140, adding that the stock may potentially gain 12% in the coming months. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) attributes its growth to its data center products and ever-growing demand for its Ryzen PC processors. The company is emerging in the AI and technology sector as a leader in the production of accelerators and processors. Overall, AMD ranks 4th on our list of most promising growth stocks according to Wall Street analysts. While we acknowledge the potential of AMD to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that certain AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than AMD but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Source link #Advanced #Micro #Devices #AMD #Promising #Growth #Stock #Wall #Street #Analysts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

QXO Confirms Tender Offer to Take Over Beacon Roofing Supply – MarketWatch QXO Confirms Tender Offer to Take Over Beacon Roofing Supply – MarketWatch QXO Confirms Tender Offer to Take Over Beacon Roofing Supply MarketWatchQXO Launches $11 Billion Tender Offer to Acquire Beacon Roofing Supply for $124.25 Per Share in Cash Yahoo FinanceBrad Jacobs’ Strategic $11 Billion Bid for Beacon Roofing Supply – News and Statistics IndexBox, Inc.Beacon Roofing Stock Rises After Company Starts Looking For Buyers: Retail Neutral MSN Source link #QXO #Confirms #Tender #Offer #Beacon #Roofing #Supply #MarketWatch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rust Mobile gears up for a seven-day alpha test next month Rust Mobile gears up for a seven-day alpha test next month Rust Mobile will soon hold a closed alpha test sometime this February The test will be confidential, meaning little in the way of publicised photos or videos Save data won’t be carried over, and sign-ups are available via Discord When it comes to the multiplayer survival genre, few are as venerated as Rust. With its mix of rags-to-riches gameplay, wide-open warfare and constant battles to hold onto your ill-gotten gains, it’s no surprise that a hotly-anticipated mobile port has tongues wagging. And now, a lucky few will get their hands on Rust Mobile’s closed alpha test set to begin this February. Sign-ups for the the alpha test are available via the official Rust Discord, and the details are as you’d expect; save data won’t be carried over and in-app purchases won’t be made available. All in all, then this will represent the first hands-on experience you’ll have with Rust Mobile, if you’re lucky enough to get in that is. But don’t expect any widely-publicised screenshots or video from this test either, because Facepunch has also confirmed that this test will be private. And that also means you’ll need to sign an NDA for the sign-up portion, oh joy. Rusty I think that, like most people, I’m most curious about how things like in-app purchases and other payment models will be handled when it comes to Rust Mobile. Other releases like Ark: Ultimate Mobile Edition have managed to balance out their free content with access to further maps and other boons as a result of in-app purchases. Still, I’ve no doubt that this upcoming release will be eagerly awaited as it represents one of the biggest survival releases on PC finally hitting mobile, something sure to prompt a wave of interest from those of you looking to dominate and conquer as you go from simple stone tools to automatic weapons. Meanwhile, if enduring the worst the world can throw at you is your bag, why not try out some of our picks for our list of the top survival games for iOS and Android? Source link #Rust #Mobile #gears #sevenday #alpha #test #month Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Federal election: Labor claims savings for parents show plans to boost early education and care are working Federal election: Labor claims savings for parents show plans to boost early education and care are working Labor has seized on new data which shows childcare subsidies have saved *********** families as much as $2768 as proof its policies are providing cost-of-living relief as it moves towards its goal of universal child care. The Albanese Government said Education Department figures showed a family on an income of $120,000 a year paying the average quarterly fee for 30 hours child care a week had saved about $2768 since September, 2023. It follows new job figures that reveal workforce vacancy rates in the early education and care sector have dropped in the past 12 months — with internet vacancy rates down 22 per cent since December 2023 — after the Government committed to fund a 15 per cent wage increase over two years for ECEC workers. The nation’s biggest ECEC employer, Goodstart, said job applications had surged by 35 per cent on last year and expressions of interest were up 50 per cent. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said building Australia’s future was about more than bricks and mortar. “It’s about investing in people, especially our children and their future opportunities,” he said. “We want to make sure we are putting in place the building blocks for a universal childcare system, while providing immediate cost of living relief for families and educators now.” Education Minister Jason Clare said Labor had cut the cost of child care for more than one million families. “If we win the next election, we will build more centres where they are needed in the outer suburbs and the regions and guarantee every child who needs it three days of subsidised early education so they start school ready to learn,” he said. Source link #Federal #election #Labor #claims #savings #parents #show #plans #boost #early #education #care #working Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]