Pelican Press

Ambulance patients murdered in Haiti *******, MSF says Ambulance patients murdered in Haiti *******, MSF says Doctors’ charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) says at least two of its patients have been ******* in Haiti after police and vigilantes attacked their ambulance in the capital Port-au-Prince. The charity said its crews had been transporting three patients with gunshot wounds to a MSF hospital on Monday when they were stopped by authorities and forced to go instead to a public hospital. When they arrived, officers and “members of a self-defence group” attacked the vehicle, slashing its tyres and forcing occupants out through tear-gas. The wounded patients were then taken away from the hospital grounds where “at least two of them were *********”, the charity said. It is unclear from MSF’s statement the condition of the third patient. But the group said its ambulance staff were also assaulted in the incident by “law enforcement officers and members of a self-defence group”. MSF said staff were “violently attacked, insulted, tear-gassed, threatened with ******” and held ******** for more than four hours before being released. The motive behind the ******* is unclear. “The act is a shocking display of ********* and it seriously calls into question MSF’s ability to continue delivering essential care to the Haitian people,” said Christophe Garnier, the group’s head of mission in the country. MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders, is one of the last humanitarian non-government organisations (NGOs) still operating in Haiti, where violent chaos has gripped the capital. Since the ************** of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, armed gangs have seized power in many areas, leading to a spike in street ********* in the poorest country in the Americas. A UN Security Council briefing last month heard that ********* gangs had gained control of 85% of the capital. More than 3,600 people have been ******* in Haiti since January and more than 500,000 have had to leave their homes, according to the UN. The UN has sent an international policing operation to Haiti, largely made up of Kenyan police. The mission is said to have secured some key sites in the capital including the national hospital, seaport and airport. However, several US airlines suspended flights to the country this week after three planes were hit by gunfire approaching or departing the airport this week. A new prime minister was sworn into office in Haiti earlier this week. Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said his priority was “restoring security” in the country. Source link #Ambulance #patients #murdered #Haiti #******* #MSF Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Halo Had Emotional Punch Because It Underlined Quiet Tragedy Halo Had Emotional Punch Because It Underlined Quiet Tragedy Halo: The Master Chief Collection celebrated its 10-year anniversary on November 11, 2024. Below, take a look back at the quiet sense of loss that permeated throughout the main trilogy. Halo: Combat Evolved opens with waking up. Halo 3 concludes with falling asleep. Between is ******. It’s fun, of course. It’s in space and exaggerated: a holy war between Americanized space marines and zealot aliens who find a common ****** in the zombie “Flood.” I don’t want to pretend that Halo is anything other than a blockbuster FPS. Yet, there is something sad about it, isn’t there? The Halo rings themselves are all machines of ******: tools of mass eradication. But all have sunrises and sunsets, wildlife, plants, ecosystems, snowy mountains, and rocky deserts. They have the texture of life, albeit carved in with ancient tech that outlived its creators and resounding with the sound of gunfire. Master Chief wanders through it all. One man, no matter how great, enveloped in majesty and *******. The original trilogy, despite its massive scale and gigantic stakes, comes down to intimate tragedy: just a man and the ghost in his head. It’s hard to remember that Halo: Combat Evolved was stark and bare. Since its release, there have been multiple miniseries, a television show, an abandoned movie project, dozens of novels, and real-time-strategy spin-offs. It is a downright multimedia phenomenon (though not all of its projects have been successful, in terms of popularity or quality). It is a universe that has been thoroughly elaborated on, with many of its gaps plastered over. Nevertheless, Halo: Combat Evolved itself, despite a tie-in novel releasing just weeks before its launch, is uninterested in explaining things to you. You can gather from context clues what the alien “Covenant” is and what makes Master Chief “a Spartan,” but it’s hard if you aren’t paying attention. Every character you meet, except Master Chief and Cortana, presumably perish in the game’s explosive finale (though Sgt. Johnson and 343 Guilty Spark return in sequels). The game itself is snappy and quick, but the story is ponderous and exposition-heavy, without much opportunity for emotional investment. Halo: The Master Chief Collection Master Chief himself is not much of a character. He is stoic: a halfway point between silent protagonist and fleshed-out hero. He spits out one-liners and ****** bad guys, but not much else. Cortana is flirty and witty, and expressive in a way Master Chief is not, but there still isn’t a lot to her. She acts as a way to give the player context for what is happening. She has character in that expression, but doesn’t really have a psychology beyond that (at least not yet). So, most of Halo’s emotional space is taken up by its still-impressive combat and sometimes-transcendent level design. It has a lot of empty space, giving you walking time, and flying or driving back through places you’ve already been. That’s not all good. The Library is still, for my money, one of the most ********** levels in FPS history. Still, all that non-combat time offers beauty and melancholy. The game’s best moments, such as “The Silent Cartographer’s” sprawling set pieces (which stretch from a beach ******** to underground abysses) and “Halo’s” rambunctious road trip, offer interludes in Halo’s “natural” world. Drives between mission locations and firefights grant contemplation. Its level design lets you look up at the sky as much as run down your enemies. Halo is no nature walk, however. Its final set piece–an awkward but exhilarating drive across the spine of a capital ship–gets interrupted when Cortana calls in a transport for evac. It is immediately shot down. The set piece pauses in a strange, grieving breath. You hear the pilot’s dying words, then an **********. Cortana says, “She’s gone,” a beat passes, then she adds, “Calculating alternate escape route.” This moment is a complication in the escape: a reason to stretch the set piece just a little further. But that ****** hangs in the air. Master Chief will, once again, escape this alone. Halo 3 offers a parallel set piece: another driving escape across an exploding spaceship. This time, most of the Chief’s allies escape, but he stays behind. He and Cortana float in one half of a spaceship and he goes into cryosleep yet again. His last words are, “Wake me when you need me.” What else would you need him for but ********? It was inevitable that he would wake up again. But, absent any follow-ups, that fact is more dreadful than inspiring. The ****** finished with nothing to hope for but another one beginning. Narratively speaking, single-player Halo since Reach has been stuck. Halo 4, 5: Guardians, and Infinite are all soft franchise reboots. Ultimately, they have nothing close to the still-satisfying arc of the original games. Halo 4 picks up a few years after where Halo 3 left off, with Master Chief awakening once again from cryosleep. Guardians holds on to some of 4’s plot threads, but turns Cortana into a malevolent AI, setting her up to be the big bad of a sequel that never came. Infinite is a Force-Awakens-esque run at the original Halo, ending with the promise that the franchise will continue more or less how it began. In these games, the tragedies are grand and explicit. Across Infinite’s Halo ring, you’ll find audio logs with the words of the *****. Cortana cries when she ***** in Halo 4 and (disturbingly) quotes Virginia Woolf’s actual ******** note when she ***** again in Infinite. It’s cheap tragedy. In the Bungie games, with the exception of Reach, most of the main characters live. Cortana and the Arbeiter both make it to the end, though side characters like Miranda Keyes and Sergeant Johnson are less fortunate. Most deaths are of generalized populations, like the Brutes’ massacre of the Elites in Halo 2, or offscreen, like the ****** of Spartans. Master Chief carries a grief that is almost absent–historical even. Reach’s surface was already destroyed, “glassed” as the games put it. Chief does win the war, but the battle was lost before he could start. In contrast, Infinite wakes up Chief after hope is lost and then lets him blaze across the battlefield, triumphing over the enemies that every other Spartan could not defeat. In Infinite, he wins the battle with the promise that he’ll win the war too. It starts in tragedy, sure. But its ending is hopeful, for perhaps the first time in Halo, rife as it is with tragic endings and cliffhangers. This is necessarily not bad, but it does illustrate the limits of franchise storytelling. There must always be another ****** and it must still be empowering and fun, even if Chief is ever more world-weary. It means that future Halo games will likely never match Halo 3’s ending note: sleeping and waking up, with nothing but ****** to frame your days. Source link #Halo #Emotional #Punch #Underlined #Quiet #Tragedy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Millions of phones create most complete map ever of the ionosphere Millions of phones create most complete map ever of the ionosphere The ionosphere is part of Earth’s upper atmosphere Shutterstock/buradaki Data from millions of phones has helped produce the most complete map ever made of the ionosphere, part of Earth’s upper atmosphere. This could help us understand disturbances caused by geomagnetic storms and perhaps even improve GPS. “Smartphone-based measurements cover twice as much of the ionosphere as traditional scientific monitoring stations,” says Brian Williams at Google Research. “It’s like there is a scientific monitoring station in every city where there are phones.” Williams and his colleagues analysed data… Source link #Millions #phones #create #complete #map #ionosphere Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Buy now, pay later provider Klarna filed confidentially for U.S. IPO Buy now, pay later provider Klarna filed confidentially for U.S. IPO Buy now, pay later firms like Klarna and Block’s Afterpay could be about to face tougher rules in the U.K. Nikolas Kokovlis | Nurphoto | Getty Images Klarna, which is known for its popular buy now, pay later business, announced Wednesday that it’s confidentially filed IPO documents with the SEC. The Swedish payments company has yet to publicly file its IPO prospectus. The company said the offering would follow the SEC’s review process and is subject to market conditions. Analysts recently valued Klarna, which was founded in 2005, in the $15 billion range. At its peak during the pandemic-led surge in fintech stocks and e-commerce, the company had a valuation of $46 billion in a funding round led by SoftBank’s Vision Fund 2. But Klarna took an 85% haircut in its most recent primary fundraising round, in 2022, when the company raised money on a valuation of $6.7 billion. In addition to SoftBank, Klarna’s roster of shareholders includes Sequoia Capital and London-based firm Atomico. Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski previously told CNBC in an interview that unfavorable rules in Europe on employee stock options could risk the company losing talent to U.S. tech giants such as Google, Apple and Meta. Plans for an IPO have been in the works for some time. In a February interview with CNBC’s “Closing Bell,” Siemiatkowski said an IPO in 2024 was “not impossible.” Affirm, one of the company’s key competitors, went public in 2021 and is now valued at about $18 billion. In August, Klarna said it swung to a profit in the first half of the year. Klarna’s decision to go pursue a listing in the U.S. represents a major ***** to ********* stock exchanges, which have been trying to encourage local tech companies to list at home. The London Stock Exchange, for example, has made reforms to make the U.K. a more attractive market for tech companies to list, including the ability for founders to issue dual-class shares that enable entrepreneurs to maintain control over a company’s strategy and direction. Siemiatkowski hadn’t previously committed to listing in one market over another, and London was among the markets he was considering for Klarna’s IPO. However, in 2021 he said that the firm was more likely to list in the U.S. than the U.K., due in part to higher visibility. WATCH: Block and Affirm slide on earnings Source link #Buy #pay #provider #Klarna #filed #confidentially #U.S #IPO Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Thune wins contested race for Senate GOP leader Thune wins contested race for Senate GOP leader John Thune will lead the Senate *********** conference next term, winning a three-way election to succeed ********* Leader Mitch McConnell in a closed-door vote on Wednesday. The South Dakotan will take over in January at the turn of the new Congress, when Republicans are expected to control the government trifecta: the House, Senate and the presidency. And he’ll have some room to maneuver in his own chamber, with Republicans’ 53-seat majority, as the party considers wide-ranging legislation that would tackle tax cuts, immigration and energy policy. At 63, Thune, current GOP whip, is considered relatively young for leadership. Thune has not committed to imposing a term limit on the role of conference leader, meaning he’s well-positioned to hold the job for years to come. He is not up for reelection until 2028, and South Dakota is solidly red. Source link #Thune #wins #contested #race #Senate #GOP #leader Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How I played for England after having a ******* How I played for England after having a ******* Footballers Matt Crossen and Aaron Lucas speak to BBC Sport about representing England at the Cerebral Palsy World Cup in Spain. Source link #played #England #******* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Getty Museum’s Revealing Double Feature on Medieval Light and Astrology Getty Museum’s Revealing Double Feature on Medieval Light and Astrology The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles is inviting visitors to explore the intersection of science, art, and mysticism in the Middle Ages with two captivating exhibitions, Lumen: The Art and Science of Light and Rising Signs: The Medieval Science of Astrology. These exhibitions are part of the larger PST ART initiative, a regional collaboration that showcases the dialogue between art and science across more than 70 cultural institutions in Southern California. Lumen: The Art and Science of Light – A Journey Through Medieval Brilliance The J. Paul Getty Museum’s new exhibition, Lumen: The Art and Science of Light, shines a spotlight on the medieval era’s artistic and scientific fascination with light. Showcasing over 100 works, this collection features gilded manuscripts, celestial maps, and scientific instruments, illustrating how the era’s understanding of light informed both religious and cultural practices. Curators Kristen Collins and Nancy Turner crafted this exhibition as part of PST ART: Art & Science Collide, an ambitious Southern California initiative that unites over 70 institutions around themes blending artistic expression with scientific inquiry. Pentecost in a benedictional (detail), about 1030-40 CE. Tempera colors, gold, and ink on parchment, 9 1/8 x 6 5/16 in. Getty Museum, Ms. Ludwig VII 1 (83.MI.90), fols. 47v. (with permission Getty Museum) The exhibition traces the history of light from its earliest Western ********* studies through the 800–1600 AD *******, a time often called the “Long Middle Ages.” Scholars, influenced by ancient philosophers such as Aristotle and Ptolemy, engaged in detailed studies of astronomy, optics, and geometry, fueling innovations that shaped religious spaces and art. Exhibits include the Horologium Nocturnum, a medieval “night clock” that monks used for evening prayer and early astrolabes, which tracked celestial movements to plan religious observances and daily life activities. Astrolabe with a Geared Calendar, 1221 or 1222 CE. Muhammad b. Abi Bakr (Iranian, active 1200s CE) (History of Science Museum, University of Oxford, Inv. 48213 (Images © History of Science Museum, University of Oxford) Contemporary art installations enhance the display with works by modern artists like Helen Pashgian, E.V. Day, and Charles Ross. Day’s piece, Golden Rays (In Vitro), a striking fiber optic monofilament structure, mirrors the glowing rays seen in religious artworks, bridging medieval and modern interpretations of light. Another standout, Charles Ross’s Spectrum 14, uses prisms in a rotunda to project evolving rainbow patterns, illustrating how light changes with the earth’s rotation. Rising Signs: Medieval Astrology Unveiled Running concurrently from October 1, 2024, to January 5, 2025, Rising Signs: The Medieval Science of Astrology offers visitors a window into astrology’s integral role in medieval life. Curated by Larisa Grollemond, this exhibit explores astrology as both an ancient science and a cultural force with applications ranging from medicine to divination. The exhibition features manuscripts from the Getty’s collection and rare pieces on loan from the Getty Research Institute, presenting astrology as a serious field studied in universities and used in courts across medieval Europe. Astrological calendar manuscript pages: left, ‘May’, Right, ‘June’, late 1200s, From Psalter, Getty Museum. (With permission Getty Museum) Astrology, rooted in the tracking of celestial bodies, provided medieval society with answers to health, agriculture, and even weather. Through imagery like the 12 signs of the zodiac, astrology represented the passage of time, religious practices, and the human body. One notable display is the Zodiac Skeleton, a rare 16th-century illustration of the body’s zodiacal alignment. Medieval doctors used this knowledge to inform treatment plans, aligning therapies with specific astrological signs and celestial occurrences. Zodiac Skeleton, 1508From Book of Hours, French, Getty Research Institute. (with permission Getty Museum) In the Divination section, the exhibition highlights astrology’s role in royal courts, where astrologers were revered advisors on matters of marriage, military strategy, and agricultural practices. Interactive displays also allow visitors to find their medieval zodiac sign, adding a modern engagement element that connects today’s fascination with astrology to its medieval roots. Medieval Art and Science: Bridging Eras of Knowledge Lumen and Rising Signs provide a dual journey into the Middle Ages, a time when art and science were deeply intertwined. In Lumen, visitors explore how medieval scholars applied the science of light to religious spaces, creating an environment of awe through artistic and architectural techniques. In Rising Signs, the focus shifts to astrology, demonstrating how medieval society used the stars not only to understand the world but to actively shape it through medicine and ritual. Both exhibitions underscore the medieval *******’s pursuit of knowledge, where scientific theories intersected with religious beliefs. Together, they reveal how medieval societies revered light and the stars, using them to understand existence in ways that continue to resonate today. A Modern Perspective on the Mysticism of the Middle Ages Lumen and Rising Signs are timely exhibitions that offer rich, immersive experiences into a world where light, stars, and ****** intertwined. By featuring both historic artifacts and modern art inspired by these medieval studies, the Getty invites audiences to reflect on the enduring legacy of the Middle Ages’ scientific and artistic achievements. Through these exhibitions, the museum honors how ancient discoveries continue to influence contemporary thought, bridging the distant past with today’s evolving understanding of art and science. Top image: Left; On the Construction of the World in Book of Divine Works (Liber divinorum operum), about 1210-40 CE. Hildegard of Bingen (Saint)Tempera, gold, and ink on parchment. Biblioteca Statale di Lucca, Ms. 1942, fol. 9, sec. XIII Right; Visitors in the Lumen: The Art and Science of Light exhibition at the Getty Center. Art pictured: Tapestry of the Astrolabes, about 1400-1450 CE Flemish. Cabildo Catedral de Toledo, Primada de España. Toledo, Spain, inv. Source: Left; By permission of the Ministero della Cultura – Biblioteca Statale di Lucca *No further reproduction or duplication by any means. Right; J. Paul Getty Trust. By Gary Manners Source link #Getty #Museums #Revealing #Double #Feature #Medieval #Light #Astrology Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

PlayStation Plus Game Catalog Gets 16 Games In November 2024 PlayStation Plus Game Catalog Gets 16 Games In November 2024 · · November 13, 2024 Sony has revealed that the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog will get 16new games in November 2024. All of the games will be available for subscribers starting November 19. With the list of new games, 11 of them will be available for both PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers. The remaining 5 games are exclusively for the higher-tiered Premium members. There’s also one game for PS VR 2. Some of the ******* games in this list include Grand Theft Auto 5, which returns after leaving in June, as well as Dying Light 2: Stay Human, MotoGP 24, and Like a Dragon: Ishin. In addition to the games, The Sims 4 Island Living expansion pack is part of this month’s offerings from the catalog. RELATED: Free PlayStation Plus Games For November 2024 Announced You can check out the full list of games coming to the catalog below. PlayStation Plus Game Catalog Games November 2024 PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Grand Theft Auto V | PS4, PS5 Dying Light 2: Stay Human | PS4, PS5 Like a Dragon: Ishin | PS4, PS5 MotoGP 24 | PS4, PS5 The Sims 4 Island Living (Add-on only) | PS4 Digimon Survive | PS4 Overcooked! All You Can Eat | PS4, PS5 Stick ******: The Game | PS4 Clash: Artifacts of Chaos | PS4, PS5 ******* Frequency | PS4, PS5 Hungry Shark World | PS4 Chivalry 2 | PS4, PS5 PlayStation Plus Premium | PS VR2 & Classic Games Synapse | PS VR2 Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain | PS4, PS5 Blood Omen 2 | PS4, PS5 Resistance: Fall of Man | PS3 Resistance 2 | PS3 What do you think of the new games coming to the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog in November? Let us know down below, and join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming Forums. For more Insider Gaming, read about who could be a candidate for the next Disney CEO. And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #PlayStation #Game #Catalog #Games #November Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sweeter tomatoes are coming soon thanks to CRISPR gene editing Sweeter tomatoes are coming soon thanks to CRISPR gene editing Gene editing can make larger tomato varieties sweeter Paul Maguire/Shutterstock If you like your tomatoes sweet, the smaller cherry tomato varieties are currently the ones to go for. But ******* tomato varieties could soon get a ********** boost with the help of CRISPR gene editing. The ******* a tomato is, the lower its sugar content usually is, says Jinzhe Zhang at the ******** Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing. Efforts to boost the ********** of larger varieties have had downsides such as lowering yields. So Zhang and colleagues compared different varieties to identify genetic variants that affect **********. They found that two closely related genes called SlCDPK27 and SlCDPK26 are more active in large varieties. These genes code for proteins that lower the levels of an enzyme that produces sugars. When the team used CRISPR gene editing to disable these genes in a variety called Moneymaker, the levels of glucose and fructose in the fruits increased by up to 30 per cent with no decrease in yield. The fruits were also rated as sweeter in a taste test. The only other effect was fewer and smaller seeds, which consumers may prefer. “We are working with some companies to develop some commercial varieties by knocking out these genes,” says Zhang. “It is still at the beginning stages.” Besides tasting sweeter, another potential benefit is that fewer tomatoes will be needed to make tomato ketchup with the same ********** level. The gene-edited Moneymaker tomatoes aren’t as sweet as cherry varieties such as Sungold, but it should be possible to boost ********** even further, says Zhang. “There are still many important genes that regulate sugar waiting to be discovered.” A CRISPR-edited tomato that has high levels of a beneficial nutrient called GABA is already being sold in Japan – the first CRISPR food to go on ***** – as well as being given away as seedlings. The first ever genetically modified food to be sold commercially was also a tomato. Called Flavr Savr, it was sold in the US in paste form from 1994, but was later discontinued. Since last year, a purple GM tomato high in anthocyanins has been available in the US in fruit and seedling form. Several countries, including Japan and China, have regulations that make it easier for gene-edited crops to get approval compared with other forms of genetic modification, not counting conventional breeding. China approved its first gene-edited crop last year, a soya bean with raised levels of oleic acid. Topics: Source link #Sweeter #tomatoes #coming #CRISPR #gene #editing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tired of over-processed photos? New Android app joins ‘anti-AI’ alternatives that work like old-school digicams Tired of over-processed photos? New Android app joins ‘anti-AI’ alternatives that work like old-school digicams New Zerocam app lands on Android promising ‘natural photography’ App calls itself an ‘anti-AI’ camera app that removes ‘artificial effects’ The app needs a subscription for full access and unlimited photos A new Android app called Zerocam has just launched to give photographers a more natural alternative to the over-processed snaps that many phones ****** by default. Zerocam is already available on iOS but has now come out of beta for Android. The app has a simple, stripped-down interface and shoots in the raw format – an option that is already available in many other camera apps. However, like Halide’s Process Zero feature (which is iOS-only), Zerocam differentiates itself from other apps in its treatment of that raw photo. If left untouched, the raw file will look flat and lifeless, so Zerocam applies a custom-made LUT (Look Up Table), which is similar to a preset or filter. This promises to be much less heavy-handed than the computational processing most phones apply automatically. Instead of an oversharpened or overprocessed shot, Zerocam told us its aim is to produce more subtle shots like those from “small pocket digital cameras.” The app also applies noise reduction and lens corrections to achieve that look. The downside is that you’ll need to pay a subscription to fully unlock Zerocam and ****** unlimited photos – $0.99 / month or $10.99 a year. So you’ll need to weigh whether its simplicity is worth the automation of tweaks you can achieve manually in some of the best camera apps. Analysis: Cook according to taste The Halide app’s Process Zero mode (above) has a similar, stripped-down philosophy to Zerocam, but is iOS-only. (Image credit: Lux Camera) Rather than being ‘anti-AI,’ apps like Zerocam are really more anti-computational photography. Since the Google Pixel 4, computational processing has revolutionized the best camera phones and taken them to new heights – but for many, it now goes too far and produces unrealistic, flat photos that fall apart when you crop into them. There are ways to get simpler, more camera-like photos from your phone, but this usually involves ********* in the raw format and manually editing your snap to taste using apps like Snapseed or Lightroom. Apps like Zerocam and Halide’s Process Zero feature are here to fill that gap, albeit at a price. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. It’s a similar trend to the one that’s seen the return of film cameras – rather than trying to mask the limitations of smaller, cheaper cameras; these apps encourage users to embrace the physical drawbacks of smaller sensors and take snaps like the cameras of the past. Whether you prefer that or the incredible processing skills of the best Android phones is a matter of taste, and there’s no correct answer. But computational photography certainly isn’t going anywhere, so it’s good to have alternative options – even if they do, unfortunately, come with a subscription sting. You might also like Source link #Tired #overprocessed #photos #Android #app #joins #antiAI #alternatives #work #oldschool #digicams Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Socceroos ready for any Saudi approach in crunch clash Socceroos ready for any Saudi approach in crunch clash With a parochial Melbourne crowd at their backs, the Socceroos are ready for whatever Saudi Arabia throw at them in their huge World Cup qualifier. Source link #Socceroos #ready #Saudi #approach #crunch #clash Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hundreds of Bethesda employees strike over remote work and outsourcing policies Hundreds of Bethesda employees strike over remote work and outsourcing policies Hundreds of Bethesda employees are striking today over remote working and outsourcing concerns they claim Microsoft has ******* to address. Workers in Maryland and Texas are holding a one-day strike after filing an unfair labor complaint against parent company ZeniMax in October, Inverse reports. They represent the second largest video games union in the US, which was formed in January 2023 and includes over 300 quality assurance workers. The strike is designed to encourage Microsoft to meet the union at the bargaining table to address their concerns. According to the union, ZeniMax workers are currently required to go to the office twice a week, but it claims many are being denied their remote work requests. Additionally, it’s seeking to limit the percentage of quality assurance testers ZeniMax outsources in comparison to the number of full-time workers present in its bargaining unit. Following its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard last year, Xbox cut more than 2,500 jobs and closed four Bethesda game development studios. “The Xbox business has never been more healthy,” Microsoft gaming CEO Phil Spencer told Bloomberg in an interview published today. He also said Xbox is still open to more acquisitions, that it’s not ruling out bringing any first-party games to PS5 or Switch, and that Xbox is building a handheld. Source link #Hundreds #Bethesda #employees #strike #remote #work #outsourcing #policies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why we now think the myopia epidemic can be slowed – or even reversed Why we now think the myopia epidemic can be slowed – or even reversed I vividly remember getting my first pair of glasses as a child. My mum is very near-sighted and dispatched me to the optician every year. My older sister was diagnosed at around the age of 8 and I prayed I wouldn’t follow suit for ***** of being made fun of, but by the time I was the same age, the world was becoming a blur. That year’s visit to the optician confirmed it, and I have worn glasses or contact lenses ever since. Back then, in the late 1970s, it was quite unusual to need glasses at such a young age. Not any more. Over the past 30 years, there has been a surge in near-sightedness, or myopia, especially among children. Today, around a third of 5 to 19-year-olds are myopic, up from a quarter in 1990. If that trend continues, the rate will be about 40 per cent by 2050 – or 740 million myopic young people. That is more than an inconvenience. “Myopia is a ********,” says K. Davina Frick at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Maryland, who co-chaired a recent US National Academy of Sciences committee on the condition. “It has wide-reaching quality-of-life and economic implications,” she says, not least the risk of going ****** in severe cases. Increasingly, however, researchers think the epidemic can be slowed – or even reversed. Most cases of myopia are axial, meaning the axis of the eyeball – the distance between the cornea at the front and the light-sensitive retina at the back – grows too long. This means that light entering the eye is focused in front of the… Source link #myopia #epidemic #slowed #reversed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo DS at 20 – the console that paved the way for smartphone gaming | Games Nintendo DS at 20 – the console that paved the way for smartphone gaming | Games By 2004, video games were well into their adolescence. The war between ***** and Nintendo that defined the early 1990s was in the rear-view mirror – the PlayStation had knocked both of them off their perch, and Microsoft had released the Xbox. The critical and commercial hits of the day were not cartoon platformers but operatic space shooters (Halo) and anarchic ****** games (Grand Theft Auto). There were lots of guns, and most games were embracing increasingly cinematic cutscenes. Nintendo, meanwhile, had fallen into third place with its Game Cube home console – but it still owned the handheld game market with the Game Boy Advance. Everyone was expecting the next iteration in the Game Boy family. But instead, Nintendo released a strange-looking silver clamshell console that you controlled with a stylus. The Nintendo DS turns 20 this month. Despite its weird looks and unconventional controls, it was Nintendo’s biggest-ever hit, selling more than 150m units. It catered not just to people who wanted to play Mario on the go, but also to those who had never thought of picking up a video game console before. Intuitive touchscreen controls opened video games up to millions more people than the Game Boy had been able to reach. On the DS, you could play sudoku, language-learning games and raise virtual pets. Many people bought it not for Pokémon but for Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training. The idea of a dual-screen console had been knocking about at Nintendo for a while. It was an idea that Hiroshi Yamauchi, president of Nintendo from 1949 until 2002, was especially fond of, and he mentioned it often to his successor, Satoru Iwata, and to Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo’s creative lead. As Iwata put it: “The demand to make something with two screens had been with us for a while, a persistent source of motivation, to the point where Miyamoto and I basically reverse-engineered the thing.” Iwata always had confidence in the idea, but the markets and the public met the DS with enormous scepticism. “At first, lots of people were confused,” he remembered. “When we announced, ‘We’re going to release a console that has two screens and a touch panel’, most people must have thought, Nintendo has gone off the deep end.” The DS marked the advent of touchscreen gaming … The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. Photograph: undefined/Nintendo In retrospect, the Nintendo DS prepared the world for the iPhone, and for the ********** in touchscreen smartphone gaming that would eventually ***** off the whole idea of a handheld games console. We don’t need them any more, now that we have one device that fits in our pockets and can do everything from giving us directions and taking photos to playing games. The DS was a half step between the Game Boy and the smartphone – a device that played games but could also do other things. I was there for the games, of course. When I bought my DS, nobody knew that it would vastly expand the gaming population. And it had some tremendous games, including plenty of weird and wonderful ones. The DS’s new control method seemed to inspire developers to do all kinds of playful, unexpected things. Touchscreen control was this console’s most lasting innovation, but the dual-screen clamshell of the DS is surprisingly adaptable, and lent itself to a bunch of uses. Brain Training had you holding the console sideways like a book, writing answers to simple maths and logic questions on the touch-screen. The puzzles in adventure game Another Code had you opening and closing the DS to stamp documents, or angling the screens to reflect off one another to decipher a symbol. In Electroplankton, you draw paths for small musical organisms. There was even a Guitar Hero game that came with a small attachable fretboard and plectrum. In the DS Zelda game Phantom Hourglass you have to shout at a character through the microphone to get them to lower a bridge for you. You could talk to your Nintendog, too. More than anything, the DS inspired variety. I have a huge collection of DS games ranging from unexpectedly heartbreaking desert-island simulators (Lost in Blue) and the basketball game Mario Hoops 3-on-3 to rhythm games and visual novels (the courageously heartfelt lawyer-drama series Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney has never been better than it was on the DS). Among its bestsellers were, as you’d expect, New Super Mario Bros and Mario Kart, but also Brain Training, Nintendogs and Professor Layton (a charming puzzle game about an English professor and his child protege). Its catalogue was anything but homogeneous. The 3DS, released in 2011, was a worthy successor with its own great lineup, but by then smartphones had already dealt a ******* ***** to the handheld games console, and the industry was becoming more *************. The kind of wide-ranging, open-ended experimentation that defined the DS catalogue would never be seen again. The DS will be remembered by the world as the console that pioneered touch-screen control – but for me, it’ll always be the console with the most eclectic selection of games ever. What to play A classic pick … Mario Kart. Photograph: Nintendo The most obvious classic DS picks are Mario Kart, Advance Wars: Dual Strike, Nintendogs (don’t @ me) and Animal Crossing: Wild World. But since when have I ever served you what’s obvious? Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan (called Elite Beat Agents outside Japan), is the perfect encapsulation of this experimental age in handheld game design. It is an interactive musical opera-manga in which you take control of a team of cheerleaders to help people through moments of strife in their lives, soundtracked by massive J-pop tunes. You use the stylus to tap and swipe in time with the music, directing the cheer squad to help a pottery artist rediscover his muse, a school pupil ace his exams and a ghost tell his still-living wife that he loves her. There are carts on eBay for less than £15. Available on: Nintendo DS Estimated playtime: 4 of the best hours of your life skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Pushing Buttons Keza MacDonald’s weekly look at the world of gaming Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion What to read Star Wars Outlaws, which is up for a Grammy, weaves in-universe and player-focused music together. Photograph: Ubisoft The Grammy nominees for best video game soundtrack have been announced. They are: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora; **** of War Ragnarök: Valhalla; Marvel’s Spider-Man 2; Star Wars Outlaws; and Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the **** Overlord. We recently profiled the people behind the music of Star Wars Outlaws in our High Scores video game music column. Deadline reports that the stars of Amazon Prime’s excellent Fallout TV adaptation will be joined next season byMacaulay Culkin, as “a crazy-genius type character”. Sony and Nintendo announced quarterly financial results this week. Highlights on the PlayStation side: Sony has now sold 65m units of the PS5, and 1.5m of the delightful Astro ****. On the Nintendo side: it has now sold 146m Switch consoles, which still falls just short of the DS (154m) as Nintendo’s bestselling console ever. The next Nintendo console will be backwards-compatible with Switch games, Nintendo’s president, Shuntaro Furukawa, confirmed in a press conference. More details on the new machine are coming before the end of this financial year. What to click Question Block Monument Valley, one of the smartphone games available with a Netflix subscription. Photograph: ustwo Reader Lewis asks: “I love playing mobile games of all types, but the one I play the most often is a Puzzle Bobble/Bust-a-Move copycat that I use to mindlessly destress after a long day (I’m on level 5,264). The only issue with these games is the endless onslaught of confusing, long and weird adverts. Do you have any suggestions for solid, well designed, free puzzle games will keep me from doomscrolling?” Alas, the price for free games on your phone is, almost invariably, horrible ads. My first thought is: do you have a Netflix subscription? It comes with a bunch of smartphone games, some of which are very good puzzlers: Monument Valley, Paper Trail, Arranger, Cut the Rope and a variety of appealingly mindless match-3 and word games. I also asked the fine people of Bluesky to weigh in, and here are the recommendations they came back with (thank you, everyone): Slice & Dice, Konami’s Pixel Puzzle Collection, Township, Threes, Match Factory! and Twenty. A dev shouted out their game, Vectic Lite, which has ignorable banner ads, alongside another banner-ad-only puzzle game called Nokama. There’s also an independent puzzle games website, Thinky Games, that lets you search its database for recommendations. If you’ve got a question for Question Block – or anything else to say about the newsletter – hit reply or email us on *****@*****.tld. Source link #Nintendo #console #paved #smartphone #gaming #Games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Media CFO, director sell DJT stock Trump Media CFO, director sell DJT stock Pavlo Gonchar | Lightrocket | Getty Images The chief financial officer of Trump Media and two other corporate insiders sold more than $16 million worth of company stock in the week following the presidential election, according to new disclosures. Most of the stock was sold by CFO Phillip Juhan, who in August adopted a trading plan that revealed his intention to sell 400,000 DJT shares by December 2025. Trump Media director Eric Swider and Glabe Scott, the company’s general counsel, each sold fewer shares of the company, whose majority owner Donald Trump was elected president on Nov. 5. Trump Media, which operates the Truth Social app, has a market capitalization of $6.3 billion despite reporting revenue of slightly more than just $1 million in the third quarter of this year. The company, whose share price has dramatically fluctuated since the stock became publicly traded in late March, reported losses of $19.2 million for the quarter. Truth Social’s daily active user rate is minuscule compared to other social media apps. Similarweb, a digital intelligence platform, reported that Truth Social had about 200,000 daily active users on Nov. 6, the day after Election Day. By contrast, the social media site X had 36.7 million users that day, Threads had 4.7 million users and Bluesky had about 1 million users. Juhan, who is also Trump Media’s treasurer, sold 320,000 shares on Friday at a price of $30.65 per share, or a total of $9.8 million worth of stock according to a Form 4 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. On Monday, Juhan sold another 64,000 shares at $32.97 per share, another $2.11 million worth, the same filing said. Read more CNBC politics coverage After the second *****, Juhan still had 265,798 shares of DJT, according to the filing. All but about 20,000 of those shares are restricted stock units, which were awarded him on Nov. 5, Election Day, and which cannot be immediately sold. One-quarter of that awarded stock will vest, and become eligible for *****, on Dec. 25, a filing showed. The remaining shares will vest in quarterly installments through March 2027. Swider sold 136,183 shares of DJT on Friday at $28.23 per share, for a total of $3.84 million worth, according to his new Form 4 filing. The ***** disposed of all of Swider’s Trump Media shares, the filing indicated. Swider controls a company, Renatus Advisors, that still owns 18,043 shares of Trump Media. Scott, the general counsel, on Friday sold 15,917 shares for $32.19 per share, or a total of $512,368, a filing shows. Scott, who is also the company’s secretary, still owns 336,576 restricted stock units in Trump Media after that *****. That stock was awarded to him on Nov. 5, and will vest according to the same schedule as Juhan’s RSUs. On the same day that Juhan and Scott received the RSUs, Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes received 1.3 million RSUs, which as of Wednesday were worth nearly $38 million on paper. Nunes’ RSUs are subject to the same vesting schedules as those owned by Juhan and Scott. A Trump Media spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the stock sales. Source link #Trump #Media #CFO #director #sell #DJT #stock Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Iran sets up mental health clinic to ‘treat’ women who refuse to wear hijab Iran sets up mental health clinic to ‘treat’ women who refuse to wear hijab Iranian women who resist wearing the hijab are to be given treatment at a specialist mental health clinic in Tehran. The centre, called the Clinic for Quitting Hijab Removal, is the Islamic Republic’s latest attempt to quash female dissent that has swept the country since the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising in 2022. Mehri Talebi Darestani, who will run the centre, said it “will be for the scientific and psychological treatment of removing the hijab, specifically for the teenage generation, young adults, and women seeking social and Islamic identity”. She said the project is focused on promoting “dignity, modesty, chastity, and hijab” and claimed that attendance would be “optional”. The ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement inspired protests across the world, including by Iranian students in Rome – Simona Granati/Corbis via Getty Images A protest in support of Iranian women in Brussels in 2022 – Valeria Mongelli/AFP via Getty Images The clinic will be overseen by Iran’s Headquarters for Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Evil, the government body responsible for enforcing strict religious standards across society. The department is under sanctions by the *** and other countries for human rights abuses and its brutal sanctioning of women who do not adhere to Iran’s Islamic dress codes. It is led by Mohammed Saleh Hashemi Golpayegani, who was directly appointed by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Earlier this month, a university student from the Islamic Azad University in Tehran stripped to her underwear to protest against the demands that women wear the hijab. She was branded mentally ill and taken to a psychiatric facility. Ahou Daryaei, a 30-year-old student, walked through her Tehran university campus in her underwear to protest against the hijab. She was arrested and sent to a psychiatric hospital – Microseb/Starface/Avalon The anti-hijab movement gained pace after the ****** of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody in Tehran in 2022. The 22-year-old had been arrested for not wearing her hijab properly. Tehran has since continued to suppress women with measures including increased covert surveillance, a stronger morality police presence, and bans on unveiled women entering public spaces such as malls and parks. The UN has labelled the crackdown “gender apartheid”. In the wake of the 2022 protests, celebrities who posted images of themselves without a hijab were issued with court-ordered mandates to have weekly visits to psychiatric centres. Actresses such as Afsaneh Bayegan, Azadeh Samadi, and Leila Bolukat were forced to present mental health certificates. Other punishments included bank freezes and travel bans. Systemic oppression of women Last year, four Iranian psychiatric associations issued a ****** statement condemning the government’s systemic branding of women who do not wear the hijab as mentally ill. “The diagnosis of mental disorders is within the competence of a psychiatrist, not a judge, just as the diagnosis of other ********* is in the competence of doctors, not judges,” the psychiatrists wrote in a letter to Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the chief justice of Iran, that was published by Iranian media in July. In March, Amnesty International, the human rights group, slammed the Iranian government for its systemic oppression of women through its hijab laws. “In a sinister attempt to wear down resistance to compulsory veiling in the wake of the ‘Woman Life Freedom’ uprising, Iran’s authorities are terrorising women and ****** by subjecting them to constant surveillance and policing, disrupting their daily lives and causing them immense mental distress,” Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty’s Middle East and North ******* director said. “Their draconian tactics span from stopping women drivers on the road and carrying out mass confiscation of their vehicles to imposing inhumane flogging and prison sentences.” Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Source link #Iran #sets #mental #health #clinic #treat #women #refuse #wear #hijab Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sonic Team Says Revival of Old Games is Still an Option Ahead of Switch 2 Release Sonic Team Says Revival of Old Games is Still an Option Ahead of Switch 2 Release As gamers look ahead to the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, there is a hidden and often underappreciated factor that could turn out to be a game-changer for the company in the coming years: the revival of classic games. Sonic Team, a key player in the gaming world, has recently hinted that the revival of older titles ******** very much on the table. Players are excited to see more Sonic Games getting revived. | Image Credit: Nintendo If the developers decide to move forward with these remasters or remakes, it could become a significant win for Nintendo, especially as the Switch’s successor gears up to make its presence known. Sonic games have been a staple of the gaming industry for decades, offering fast-paced and exciting gameplay that’s as exciting for newcomers as it is for long-time fans. Why the Revival of Classic Games Works for Nintendo It is known that Nintendo has never been about pushing the limits of the hardware with jaw-dropping graphics. Sure, the company has occasionally dabbled in cutting-edge visuals with a few games, but its true strength has always been its ability to craft unforgettable gameplay experiences that immerse players. For the company, the revival of the older Sonic games, particularly those from the GameCube and Dreamcast eras like Sonic Adventure or even Sonic Heroes, fits perfectly into their mold. Not only does everyone love these games but also these games are built on solid, engaging gameplay rather than photorealistic graphics. With updated visuals, these titles can shine on the Switch 2, which will likely offer enhanced processing power. This approach isn’t just about making players nostalgic. It’s about taking timeless gameplay mechanics and showcasing them with modern hardware to the evolving audience. Recently, at a fan event in Indonesia, even Sonic Team producer Shun Nakamura expressed his interest in seeing Sonic ’06 get the remake treatment. Even creative director Kazuyuki Hoshino hinted that the studio continues to draw inspiration from past games as it moves forward with new projects. While AAA titles from other companies often boast about their hyper-realistic visuals and massive open worlds, Nintendo should stick to its roots with gameplay-first experiences. Whether it’s the puzzle-solving mechanics of The Legend of Zelda, the endless platforming of Super Mario, or the tight controls of Splatoon, it has built a loyal fanbase that values playability above all else. Gamers are Looking Forward to the Road Ahead These games have been staples for producing a fun and engaging gameplay experience and will provide a boost to Switch 2 sales. | Image Credit: Sonic Team’s Sonic X Shadow Generations As the Switch 2 release approaches, if Nintendo decides to revive its older games, especially with Sonic Team’s open consideration of reviving fan-favorite classics, it could be a very smart move. It aligns perfectly with its established strengths: innovative gameplay, timeless design, and an understanding that graphics alone do not make a great game. On the other side, this strategy would likely fall flat on consoles like the PS5 or Xbox Series X (or their future versions). These platforms have built their reputation for showcasing the latest in graphics technology. They demand titles that push boundaries in terms of visual fidelity and technical prowess. With Sonic’s timeless gameplay and Nintendo’s mastery of crafting enjoyable experiences, these revival strategies have the potential to make the Switch 2 an even more attractive option for gamers, who are seeking something different from the flashy titles flooding the market today. In the end, while Sony and Microsoft are chasing extraordinary technological perfection, Nintendo should continue to remain on its tracks that gameplay is what keeps players coming back for more. Source link #Sonic #Team #Revival #Games #Option #Ahead #Switch #Release Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I write about vacuum cleaners for a living, and this is the one cordless vacuum you should buy in the ****** Friday sales I write about vacuum cleaners for a living, and this is the one cordless vacuum you should buy in the ****** Friday sales The ****** Friday sales are the best time to buy a new vacuum, but with so many deals cropping up, figuring out which one to buy can be confusing. I’m here to save you some headaches: you should buy the Shark Detect Pro, currently $199.99 (was $379.99) at Best Buy, or for *** shoppers, £175 (list price £379.99) at Argos. Those are really excellent deals, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to buy now, although this model might get a little cheaper on ****** Friday itself. So why is the my #1 recommendation for ****** Friday 2024? As one of TechRadar’s Homes Editors, a big part of my job is to write about vacuum cleaners. This model currently sits right at the top of our best cordless vacuum ranking. It combines genuinely useful features, like automatic suction adjustment, with good suction power and a lightweight design (read more in our full Shark Detect Pro cordless vacuum review). I’d actually recommend it at full price, but with the current discounts it’s outstanding value for money. The reason I think it’s getting such big price cuts is because Shark has come out with a newer model (the PowerDetect cordless stick vacuum) that looks set to replace the Detect Pro in the lineup. I’ve seen various discounts cropping up on this model, on both sides of the pond, and I’d be amazed if it’s not heavily discounted on ****** Friday itself. The only real question is whether to buy now or gamble on a ******* price drop further down the line. Who should buy this deal? This vacuum will suit most people – it delivers good cleaning power on both hard floors and carpet, and its automation features mean it can deliver a reliable, low-effort clean. There are also some handy practical design touches, including a wand that can fold forwards to enable you to clean under furniture without having to make your way down onto the floor yourself, and headlamps that get brighter in dimly-lit areas. However, it’s not the most powerful Shark vacuum, so if you have lots of deep-pile carpet, or are dealing with lots of **** hair, you might prefer a different model. Our guide to the best Shark vacuums runs through your options, and if you’re hoping for a bargain, you’ll find the best offers from a range of brands in our ****** Friday vacuum deals roundup. Why is it my top ****** Friday deals recommendation? The reason for this big discount is likely because Shark has recently released a new cordless stick vacuum – the PowerDetect – which does everything the Detect Pro does (plus a bit more), but with significantly more suction power. You can read about it in detail in our Shark PowerDetect cordless vacuum review or see exactly how the two models compare in our Shark Detect Pro vs Shark PowerDetect face-off. Normally, I’d recommend you shell out the slightly higher price for the PowerDetect, but this massive discount makes the Detect Pro a much more appealing prospect. If you have mostly hard floors, and perhaps the occasional rug or bit of low-pile carpet, you probably won’t need all the extra power of the PowerDetect anyway. Source link #write #vacuum #cleaners #living #cordless #vacuum #buy #****** #Friday #sales Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

BlackRock expands tokenized money market fund to Polygon, other blockchains BlackRock expands tokenized money market fund to Polygon, other blockchains The BlackRock logo is pictured outside the company’s headquarters in the Manhattan borough of New York City on May 25, 2021. Carlo Allegri | Reuters BlackRock has expanded its tokenized money market fund to include several more blockchains. The investment manager said Wednesday that its USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) is now available to investors on the Aptos, Arbitrum, Avalanche, OP Mainnet (formerly known as Optimism) and Polygon blockchains. It initially launched the fund on Ethereum in March. The BUIDL fund, which BlackRock debuted two months after iShares Bitcoin Trust, its popular bitcoin ETF, gives investors an opportunity to earn U.S. dollar yields through a blockchain-based vehicle. The idea of tokenizing “real world assets” like gold – a key aspect of decentralized finance, or DeFi – has gained popularity among financial institutions that are cautious on crypto assets but keen on the underlying blockchain technology. “There’s some irony in the fact that with … [iShares Bitcoin Trust], we took a crypto native investment exposure and we put it in a traditional finance wrapper … and with tokenization, we’re taking traditional finance investment exposure, and we’re putting it in a crypto native wrapper,” Robert Mitchnick, BlackRock’s head of digital assets, said in March. “That dichotomy will persist for a while,” he added at the time. “But eventually, we expect there will be some convergence that looks like the best of the old system and the best of this new technology fused into a next generation infrastructure set in finance.” The announcement follows a week-long rally in cryptocurrencies – Polygon’s token climbed 28%, according to Coin Metrics – after Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election. On the campaign trail, Trump promised more supportive regulations for crypto projects and businesses – a reversal from Biden administration policy, in which the Securities and Exchange Commission has largely regulated the industry through enforcement actions, hampering growth. DeFi is one of the most popular sectors among crypto market participants but has suffered from the lack of regulatory clarity – with tokens of some DeFi projects being classified as securities in SEC lawsuits against Binance and Coinbase last year. Don’t miss these cryptocurrency insights from CNBC PRO: Source link #BlackRock #expands #tokenized #money #market #fund #Polygon #blockchains Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Workers in China Remove Flowers at Memorial for Car ******* Victims Workers in China Remove Flowers at Memorial for Car ******* Victims Flowers placed at the site of a deadly car ******* in Zhuhai, China, were cleared as officials turned away bystanders and discouraged them from taking photos. Source link #Workers #China #Remove #Flowers #Memorial #Car #******* #Victims Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Phil Spencer Confirms Xbox is Planning an Xbox Handheld, But It's a Few Years Away Phil Spencer Confirms Xbox is Planning an Xbox Handheld, But It's a Few Years Away Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has confirmed that Xbox is planning an Xbox handheld console, but it’s a few years away from release. Source link #Phil #Spencer #Confirms #Xbox #Planning #Xbox #Handheld #It039s #Years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Intel’s Special Edition Core i9-12900KS plummets to all-time low $240 — get 80% off Intel’s Alder Lake flagship 16-core chip Intel’s Special Edition Core i9-12900KS plummets to all-time low $240 — get 80% off Intel’s Alder Lake flagship 16-core chip Intel’s three-generation-old Core i9-12900KS special edition flagship is on the best deal it’s ever been on. Originally priced at a whopping $739, this chip is now 80% off at just $240 on Amazon for a limited time. The Core i9-12900KS is Intel’s fastest Alder Lake CPU out of the 12th Generation family. It has a record-high 5.5 GHz boost clock (for Alder Lake), a 300 MHz improvement over the more mainstream Core i9-12900K. The CPU has eight Golden Cove P-cores, eight Gracemount E-cores, and a 150W TDP. For its time, the Core i9-12900KS was the fastest gaming CPU, significantly outperforming all of Intel’s previous generation parts and AMD’s Ryzen 5000 series chips. The Core i9-12900KS falls short against newer chips, but it’s still a capable gaming CPU. At $239, it is the most significant discount we’ve ever seen on a special edition Intel CPU. One of the benefits of the Core i9-12900KS is Alder Lake’s reliability. It is the only other LGA1700 CPU lineup unscathed by the instability issues that plagued Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh chips, which were eventually resolved. The Core i9-12900KS faces explicitly heavy competition from the Ryzen 7 5700X3D, which is significantly faster in gaming and cheaper, being just $209 on Amazon at the time of writing. Intel’s newer 13th Gen CPUs are also a better deal, with even Intel’s mid-range Core i5-13600K being noticeably faster than the 12900KS in gaming, thanks to Raptor Lake’s ******* L2 cache. The 13600K is priced significantly lower than the Core i9 part at just around $180 at the time of writing. Regardless, if you’re in the market exclusively for a 12th Gen CPU, nothing comes close to Intel’s latest Core i9-12900KS deal. It is an excellent deal on the fastest Alder Lake CPU you can buy today, with the highest clock speeds of any Alder Lake chip and the most processing cores of any consumer 12th Gen part. Source link #Intels #Special #Edition #Core #i912900KS #plummets #alltime #Intels #Alder #Lake #flagship #16core #chip Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Credit card debt hits record $1.17 trillion, New York Fed finds Credit card debt hits record $1.17 trillion, New York Fed finds Collectively, Americans now owe a record $1.17 trillion on their credit cards, according to a new report on household debt from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Credit card balances rose by $24 billion in the third quarter of 2024 and are 8.1% higher than a year ago. Despite that increase, credit card delinquency rates improved — with 8.8% of balances transitioning to delinquency over the last year, compared to 9.1% in the previous quarter, the New York Fed found. That change could “suggest that rising debt burdens remain manageable,” the New York Fed researchers said on a press call Wednesday. “Overall, balance sheets look pretty good for households,” the researchers added. Credit card debt has remained stable over the last two decades; however, in the years since the pandemic, households largely spent down their excess savings, which sparked a rebound in credit card balances. Consumer spending continues to remain strong, despite high borrowing costs. But now, growth in credit card balances has slowed, a separate quarterly credit industry insights report from TransUnion also found. The average balance per consumer stands at $6,329, rising only 4.8% year over year — compared with an 11.2% increase the year before and 12.4% the year before that, TransUnion found. More from Personal Finance: 28% of credit card users are paying off last year’s holiday debt Holiday shoppers plan to spend more while taking on debt 2 in 5 cardholders have maxed out a credit card or come close In the last three months, 42% of Americans said their total debt hasn’t changed, while 28% of have seen their debt rise, according to another survey by Achieve, which helps consumers manage debt. Of the latter group, most said the increase was due to the ongoing difficulty of making ends meet. Others cited general overspending and a lost job or reduced wages. Achieve polled 2,000 adults with one or more kinds of consumer debt in October. “Across the board, unemployment is low and wages have risen, but those macroeconomic conditions aren’t felt equally across the population, especially for consumers who live in areas where the impact of inflation is the greatest,” Brad Stroh, Achieve’s co-CEO and co-founder, said in a statement. Credit card rates still top 20% Meanwhile, credit cards have become one of the most expensive ways to borrow money. Lower-income households, who had to stretch to cover price increases, have been hit especially hard after the Federal Reserve’s string of 11 interest rate hikes lifted the average credit card rate to more than 20% — near an all-time high. Even as the Fed lowers its benchmark, the average credit card rate has barely budged. For those with variable rate debt, such as credit cards, “it’s obviously going to help if rates come down,” the New York Fed researchers said. However, “the borrowing amount is more important than the interest rate,” they added. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Source link #Credit #card #debt #hits #record #trillion #York #Fed #finds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The megadonors who fueled Trump’s election and what they may want from his second term The megadonors who fueled Trump’s election and what they may want from his second term More than $20 billion flooded into the 2024 presidential campaign, shattering the record for political spending in a single election. In an accelerating trend in ********* politics, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris and their allies raised colossal sums of money from billionaires. A majority of these megadonors were Republicans, according to Open Secrets, the nonpartisan watchdog organization that tracks the influence of money on politics. And with Trump’s decisive victory, they hit the jackpot. So, who are these high rollers and what do they want in return for their generosity? Often, megadonors get lumped together in a single basket as plutocrats whose largesse is mostly about increasing their wealth with government contracts, tax breaks and regulatory relief, corrupting the democratic process along the way, according to critics of the U.S.’ campaign finance system. There’s certainly truth to that, but the story is more complicated. The super wealthy titans of tech and industry don’t always share the same motivations and goals. Some are single-minded about bankrolling candidates as a way to bolster their bottom lines. But others are more ideologically driven, passionate about **** policies or reforming the way the government operates. Still others are driven by the scale of their ambitions or they crave the contact high of proximity to power. In some ways political giving defies neat categories, and some megadonors may have overlapping interests. Some donors’ primary motivation may be an ideological commitment to unleashing the power of free markets, but that may also benefit their personal business interests. Others may be more transactional, fending off government investigations into their businesses or securing lucrative contracts, although that might coincide with their political beliefs. “Megadonors can have a variety of financial, ideological or personal motivations for pouring millions into politics,” said Brendan Fischer, deputy executive director of Undocumented, an investigative watchdog group. “These motivations can operate on a spectrum or as a Venn diagram.” But either way, with so much money flooding into ********* politics, it is helpful to be aware of the agendas and interests behind the torrent or cash gushing into the system. What follows is a taxonomy of the *********** donor class in the wake of a momentous election that has many wondering where the country is headed and who stands to benefit from the money that is driving the change. The Oligarch One dictionary definition of an oligarch is a “very wealthy business leader who helps to run the government.” That would seem to fit Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, who personally gave more than $130 million (and his super PAC gave $200 million) to help Trump win back the White House. Musk has wasted no time taking advantage of his election dividend. He’s been weighing in on key staffing decisions, has been named to head up (along with Vivek Ramaswamy) a commission on government efficiency and, according to Axios, even joined a call that Trump had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week. Musk also traveled with Trump to Washington Wednesday for meetings with President Biden and with congressional Republicans. File: Elon Musk embraces *********** presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show fairgrounds on October 05, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images Musk stands to benefit financially from that clout he has with the incoming administration. His companies are mammoth players across some of the most powerful sectors of the economy, from electric vehicles to rocketry and space exploration, from satellite-powered internet technology to artificial intelligence. According to the New York Times, Musk has at least 100 different contracts with the federal government with 17 different agencies. His SpaceX rocket company already has tens of billions of dollars in government contracts and stands to gain billions more during a Trump presidency. And Musk has carefully cultivated key government regulators who could bring him a financial windfall after Trump takes office. One, according to Politico, is FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who Trump is expected to name as the agency’s chairman. Carr has been critical of his fellow commissioners for cutting Musk’s Starlink satellite company out of the Biden administration’s rural broadband program, denying him hundreds of millions or even potentially billions in subsidies. Meanwhile look for Musk to influence SEC and other regulatory appointments that could stop investigations into his businesses. But what makes Musk unique is that his influence far transcends U.S. policies that could benefit his own businesses. Musk, through his global business empire, has the power to affect geopolitics on a scale perhaps greater than any person outside of government in history. His personal wealth, estimated at $314 billion dollars (it jumped about $70 billion since Trump was elected), is greater than the GDP of multiple countries combined and the defense budgets of many industrialized Western countries. Musk’s Starlink owns at least half of the satellites currently in orbit. Through Starlink, Musk has the power to alter the course of wars, since the communications constellation he controls is often the primary way governments can get internet access in combat zones. His ambitions seem boundless — he even hopes to be at the forefront of colonizing space. And none of that even takes into account his ownership of X, the social media platform he bought for $44 billion in 2022 and positioned as a MAGA megaphone to help Trump. “All oligarchs have wealth power at their disposal, but not all are positioned in the same way,” said Jeffrey Winters, a professor at Northwestern who is an expert on oligarchs. “Some sell candy bars everyone eats. Others are engaged in space, high tech, own major media or have defense contracts. This takes their power to another level.” The Pragmatist These are the megadonors who are laser-focused on influencing policy and legislation on behalf of their business interests. They may be hard-edged conservatives, but they are pragmatic about how their political giving can help their bottom line and the ********* economy. A quintessential example would be Ken Griffin, the billionaire founder of the Citadel hedge fund, who gave $100,000,000 in the 2024 cycle, putting him at No. 5 on the list of top contributors, according to Open Secrets. File: Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of the hedge fund Citadel LLC, speaks at the Milken Institute’s Global Conference on May 6, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California. Apu Gomes / Getty Images A self-described “Reagan ***********,” Griffin has long given to more establishment-oriented Super PACs like the Senate Leadership Fund and its counterpart in the lower chamber, the Congressional Leadership Fund. He has given far less to MAGA-oriented candidates, including Trump. Nor has he given money to political causes closely associated with Trump’s America First agenda. Instead, he has been tactical in his giving, focusing often on *********** candidates in down-ballot races who have business experience or are military veterans and can give Congress a more business-oriented complexion. “Griffin is more of an establishment *********** more aligned with the traditional goals of the party, rather than the Trumpy wing,” says Anna Massoglia, a campaign finance expert. Griffin said in a statement to CBS News, “I’m grateful for our country and to those who’ve built, served, and defended it. Going forward, we all share a duty to further strengthen our nation and improve the lives of our fellow citizens. As such, I support solution-oriented leaders who share my commitment to individual rights and freedom, economic policies encouraging prosperity and upward mobility, access to high-quality education for all children and young adults, safe communities, and a strong national defense.” A more cutting-edge example of the pragmatists are donors who back the crypto-currency industry. Crypto Super PACs such as Fairshake and Defend ********* Jobs have been determined in their contributions to help elect pro-crypto candidates. Defend America Jobs poured in $40 million to help elect Bernie Moreno, the crypto-friendly candidate who defeated long-time Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown in the Ohio Senate race. Among those boosters of crypto and other digital currencies who gave heavily during the 2024 cycle were Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, whose venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz ponied up $45.2 million to pro-crypto super PACs. CBS News was not able to reach Andreesen Horowitz for comment. Winklevoss Capital Management, the firm run by twin brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, chipped in another $5 million. “The crypto army is striking!” Tyler Winklevoss posted on X on Election NIght, hailing Brown’s defeat. But bucking the trend toward purely partisan contributions, the crypto industry gives to Republicans and Democrats alike, so long as they commit to keeping their industry unshackled by government regulations. The Ideologue These megadonors are more driven by personal causes that are not directly tied to their business interests. A representative example is Miriam Adelson, who along with her now-deceased husband Sheldon Adelson has been a casino magnate and major supporter of ******* and ******* causes. In 2024, Miriam Adelson contributed more than $132 million to help Trump’s election effort. Adelson knows that her largesse drives results. File: Miriam Adelson, widow of billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, welcomes Donald Trump to the stage to speak before prominent ******* donors at an event titled “Fighting Anti-Semitism in America” on Sept. 19, 2024 in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images After the Adelsons donated tens of millions of dollars to help Trump win the White House in 2016, the new president announced the U.S. government would recognize Jerusalem as *******’s capital and said he would move the ********* embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The Adelsons even offered to pay for the construction of the new embassy. Miriam Adelson has not responded to a request for comment. “These are passion projects, not attempts to feather the nest,” says one *********** who knows Adelson but asked not to be named in discussing her donations. Another high-profile example of ideological givers are the billionaire shipping supply magnates Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein. The Wisconsin-based manufacturers of cardboard boxes and other packaging supplies, the Uihleins’ business skyrocketed in sales in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic ignited an e-commerce *****. The Uihleins did not respond to a request for comment. During the 2024 campaign cycle, they were among the top five political donors, contributing more than $133 million to ************* causes. While much of their money went to Trump’s election, they also gave generously to other MAGA-allied causes. They’ve given to so-called election integrity groups that questioned the results of the 2020 election, as well as organizations like Moms for Liberty, which advocates against public school curricula that mention LGBTQ rights or critical race theory and supports book bans. The Enigma Some megadonors are so discreet about their political giving that it is hard to know what category they belong in. One example is Tim Mellon, the reclusive railroad magnate and heir to the Gilded Age Mellon fortune who happens to have given more money to Trump’s election (at least $197 million) than any other donor. Mellon doesn’t go on cable TV or hobnob with politicos at party conventions, but he has written a memoir and penned some opinion pieces that offer some clues. Early in his ****** life, he held ******** views on race, the problem of income equality and the environment. But as Mellon’s business career evolved, he developed a strong antipathy for what he viewed as intrusive government regulations on business, which seems to have strongly shaped his political views. One defining episode for Mellon occurred after he bought an airport in Connecticut in the late 1990s. He cut down 340 trees, arguing that they posed a danger to pilots landing their planes. But state environmental regulators ultimately sued him and won. He was ordered to pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages. Did that experience fuel his ******* to influence politics with his vast fortune? Perhaps, but it is also the case that Mellon has contributed to causes that would seem to have little to do with his particular business interests. In the 2024 cycle he also gave $25 million to support Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential run. Some speculated that Mellon was trying to be a spoiler to help Trump, whom he was also backing financially. But last August, he wrote an article in the ********* Spectator explaining his support for Kennedy. Mellon, it turns out, is a COVID-19 vaccine skeptic. “I could not fathom how a ‘vaccine’ could be foisted on the general public with so little (if any) adequate testing.” He began giving to Kennedy’s Children’s Health Defense, which promotes false information about vaccines — and later to the Super PAC supporting Kennedy. None of that would seem to help Mellon’s personal business interests. Mellon did not respond to a request for comment. More from CBS News Daniel Klaidman Daniel Klaidman, an investigative reporter based in New York, is the former editor-in-chief of Yahoo News and former managing editor of Newsweek. He has over two decades of experience covering politics, foreign affairs, national security and law. Source link #megadonors #fueled #Trumps #election #term Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Homebase collapses with 2,000 jobs at risk Homebase collapses with 2,000 jobs at risk Getty Images Homebase has collapsed into administration, putting 2,000 jobs at risk. Its owner Hilco had been looking to sell the struggling retailer, but has not managed to find an outright buyer. However, homeware chain The Range is buying up to 75 stores and the brand, safeguarding about 1,600 jobs. But this leaves 49 stores without a buyer, and thousands of jobs at risk in the stores and head office. Source link #Homebase #collapses #jobs #risk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]