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Netgear Nighthawk RS200 review: Netgear’s latest Wi-Fi 7 router is competitively priced – but makes compromises to get there Netgear Nighthawk RS200 review: Netgear’s latest Wi-Fi 7 router is competitively priced – but makes compromises to get there Netgear Nighthawk RS200: One-minute review (Image credit: Future / Cliff Joseph) Netgear has always been happy to sit up at the more expensive end of the networking market but, following a management shake-up earlier this year, we’re pleased to see that it finally seems to be taking a more competitive approach with its pricing. The new Nighthawk RS200 is certainly the most affordable Wi-Fi 7 router that it’s released so far – although that low price does mean that it lacks some key features that most of its Wi-Fi 7 rivals take for granted. Most notably, the RS200 is a dual-band router, which transmits a Wi-Fi signal on the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequency bands – whereas most Wi-Fi 7 routers are ‘tri-band’ devices that can also transmit on the 6.0GHz band as well (as do previous generation routers with Wi-Fi 6E too). Some people might argue that this omission means that the RS200 doesn’t even qualify as a true Wi-Fi 7 router at all, but there are other technical features within Wi-Fi 7 that enable the RS200 to squeeze better performance out of the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands. This ensures that it can outperform many of the older dual-band routers that are still in use in many homes, so it may be worth considering as an upgrade for people who are still using an old Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 router that was provided by their ISP. Netgear Nighthawk RS200: Price and availability How much does it cost? $229.99/£199.99/AU$449.00 When is it available? Now Where can you get it? Available in the US, ***, Australia A price of $229.99/£199.99/AU$449.00 means that the RS200 is one of the most affordable Wi-Fi 7 routers we’ve seen so far – although, of course, Netgear had to omit support for the high-speed 6.0GHz band in order to achieve that price. However, its top speed of 6.5Gbps should still be adequate for most domestic broadband services. Netgear also states that it can connect to 80 different devices at the same time, and can cover homes up to 2,500sq.ft in size (although regions outside the US may quote that figure at 2,000sq.ft due to differences in national regulations). Netgear Nighthawk RS200: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Netgear Nighthawk RS200 Specs Wi-Fi: Dual-band Wi-Fi 7 (2.4GHz, 5.0GHz) Wi-Fi Speed: 6.5Gbps Ports: 1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (LAN), 3x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN), 1x USB-A (3.0) Processor: Quad-core @ 2.0GHz Memory: 2GB RAM Storage: 512MB NAND Flash Dimensions: 249 x 150 x 101mm, 0.68kg Netgear Nighthawk RS200: Design (Image credit: Future / Cliff Joseph) Tower design provides 360-degree Wi-Fi 4x Ethernet ports for wired connections USB for network storage I still miss the streamlined design of the original Nighthawk routers, with folding wings that made it look like Darth Vader’s shuttle craft. But, like other new Nighthawk models since the introduction of Wi-Fi 7, the Nighthawk RS200 has a more upright design, looking like a tall, ****** obelisk that stands a full 249mm high. You’ll need to give it plenty of room when first setting it up, but this design does allow the router’s four internal antennae to more effectively transmit the Wi-Fi signal through 360-degrees all around, in order to achieve the high speeds that are provided by Wi-Fi 7. (Image credit: Future / Cliff Joseph) And, despite the low price, the RS200 provides wired good connectivity too, with a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port for a high-speed fibre or cable broadband connection. There’s another 2.5Gbps port to provide a wired connection for a PC or games console, and three Gigabit Ethernet ports for additional connections. It’s also possible to ‘aggregate’ – or combine – two of those Ethernet ports to provide a faster connection if required. There’s even a USB-A (3.0) port that will allow you to connect a USB storage device to your network, so that you can share files with other people at home or in an office. Netgear Nighthawk RS200: Features (Image credit: Future / Cliff Joseph) There’s no getting around the fact that omitting the 6.0GHz frequency band is an odd decision for a Wi-Fi 7 router, as anyone who has a shiny new PC or smartphone that supports Wi-Fi 7 will want all the speed they can get from it. However, a speed of 6.5Gbps is still more than adequate for most home users, and many business users too, and the RS200 does include Wi-Fi 7 features – such as reduced latency – that still give it an edge over older dual-band routers. The Nighthawk app is well designed too, and makes it easy to set up your new network in just a few minutes. There’s a QR code printed on top of the router, and you can just scan this code and then leave the app to set everything up for you automatically. You can simply use the default network name and password if you want, but the app allows you to create a new name and password for extra security. The only thing that slows you down is the need to create a Netgear account in order to keep using the app after the initial installation. Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Future / Cliff Joseph) (Image credit: Future / Cliff Joseph) (Image credit: Future / Cliff Joseph) To keep things as simple as possible, the Nighthawk app combines the two frequency bands into a single network and automatically connects your computers and other devices to the fastest band available in that particular location within your home or office. But while the app is very easy to use, it doesn’t offer many additional features. You can create a guest network, and there are tools for running a speed check and monitoring network traffic to ensure that everything is working properly. However, the app’s parental controls are very basic, simply allowing you to pause Internet access for individual devices. There are no weekly scheduling controls, or content filters to block web sites that might be unsuitable for children. If you do want those additional features then you’ll need to pay a subscription fee for Netgear’s Smart Parental Controls service. There’s a 30-day free trial available, but once the trial ends you’ll need to pay $7.99/month or $69.99/year to continue the service. The same thing applies to Netgear’s Armor security service, which also provides a 30-day trial, but then costs $99.99 per year. As we’ve said – many a time in the past – there are rival routers that provide better parental controls free of charge, so parents that do need these features may want to consider alternative routers. Netgear Nighthawk RS200: Performance 6.5Gbps speed Dual-band Wi-Fi 7 (2.4GHz/5.0GHz) 4 internal antennae The lack of support for the 6.0GHz frequency band is clearly disappointing – and for some users it may well be a deal-breaker. Even so, the improved performance of the Nighthawk RS200 still allows it to beat the aging dual-band router in our office, which was provided by our ISP. Our office broadband runs at 150Mbps, but our old router can normally only manage a top speed of 120Mbps even when connecting to devices that are close by in the same room. Netgear Nighthawk RS200: Benchmarks BENCHMARKS: Ookla Speed Test – Single merged network (download/upload) Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps/150Mbps Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps/150Mbps 20GB Steam Download – Single merged network Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps We also have an office at the back of the building that our old router struggles to reach at all, forcing us to rely on PowerLine adaptors to provide a wired network connection instead. In contrast, the RS200 immediately hit the full 150Mbps speed that was available when connecting to devices in the same room for both the Ookla Speed Test and for large file downloads on Steam. That speed did dip slightly as I picked up my laptop and wandered along the hall to the back office, but the RS200 took just a few seconds to roll up its sleeves and bump the speed back up to 150Mbps once more, and eliminate the need for those PowerLine adaptors. If you already own an expensive laptop or iPhone 16 that has full support for tri-band Wi-Fi 7 then it probably doesn’t make much sense to compromise on an entry-level router such as the RS200 that doesn’t support the 6.0GHz band. However, the RS200 can still provide a fast, reliable upgrade for people who are using an older dual-band router that is past its sell-by date. Should you buy the Netgear Nighthawk RS200? Swipe to scroll horizontally Value: The lower price of the Nighthawk RS200 is certainly welcome. However, it’s an entry-level dual-band router, and lacks the high-speed 6.0GHz band found in many of its rivals. 3.5 / 5 Design: Tall, dark and handsome, the RS200 is also well connected, with 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports for your broadband connection, and a wired network. 4 / 5 Features: It gets the basics right, but the lack of 6.0GHz support and limited parental controls may deter some users. 3.5 / 5 Performance: To be fair, the RS200 does perform well for a basic dual-band router, and will make a good upgrade for people who still rely on an aging dual-band router provided by their ISP. 4 / 5 Average Score: It may be one of the most affordable Wi-Fi 7 routers currently available, but the lack of support for 6.0GHz Wi-Fi and Netgear’s hard-sell on subscriptions are disappointing. 3.5 / 5 Buy it if… Don’t buy it if… Also consider Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 – Cell 0 Netgear Nighthawk RS200 Netgear Nighthawk RS300 Asus ROG Rapture GT-BE98 Price (as reviewed) $229.99/£199.99/AU$449.00 $329.99/£299.99/AU$1497.00 $749.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,499 Wi-Fi Dual-band Wi-Fi 7 Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 Quad-band Wi-Fi 7 Wi-Fi Speed 6.5Gbps 9.3Gbps 24.4Gbps Connectivity 1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (LAN), 3x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN), 1x USB-A (3.0) 1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 2x 2.5Gb Ethernet (LAN), 2x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN), 1x USB-A (3.0) 1x 10Gb Ethernet (WAN/LAN), 1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN/LAN), 1x 10Gb Ethernet (LAN), 3x 2.5Gb Ethernet (LAN), 1x USB-A (3.0), 1x USB-A (2.0) Processor Quad-core 2.0GHz Quad-core 2.0GHz Quad-core 2.6GHz Memory 2GB RAM 2GB RAM 2GB RAM Storage 512MB Flash 512MB Flash 256MB Flash Dimensions 249 x 150 x 102mm 249 x 150 x 102mm 350 x 350 x 221mm Source link #Netgear #Nighthawk #RS200 #review #Netgears #latest #WiFi #router #competitively #priced #compromises Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

First sighting of Belarusian political prisoner in 600 days First sighting of Belarusian political prisoner in 600 days @Tsihanouskaya “I cannot believe it!” wrote Maria Kolesnikova’s sister on X After more than 600 days of denied visits, calls and correspondence, the jailed Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova has been allowed to see her father in prison. A photo, published on social media, shows the activist in what appears to be a prison housecoat hugging her father. On her face is the smile she became famous for as one of the leaders of a wave of giant protests in 2020 that put the authoritarian regime of Alexander Lukashenko under unprecedented pressure. It survived by responding with mass arrests, police beatings and ******** – all thoroughly documented, but still flatly denied by officials. A peaceful protester, Maria Kolesnikova was sentenced to 11 years for extremism and supposedly plotting to overthrow the government. In September, her sister, Tatsiana, told the BBC that she was worried the Belarusian regime was “******** Maria slowly” in jail, where she had been kept in punishing conditions since March 2023, and was not allowed any contact with relatives or lawyers. Tatsiana called then for more international pressure to secure her sister’s release, and the freedom of the many other political prisoners in Belarus. Now, she has posted the new prison photo on X with the line: “I cannot believe it!” The family have not yet shared any information about her health. In an odd twist the photo was first published on Telegram by the former opposition journalist Roman Protasevich, who was arrested when his Ryanair flight over Belarus was forcibly grounded. He now cooperates with the authorities, after a presidential pardon and early release. Mr Protasevich has given no details about the picture of Maria and her father, or the circumstances. Alexander Lukashenko, in power since the early 1990s, has called another presidential election in January in which no genuine opposition candidates will be allowed to take part. Recently, perhaps hoping to improve his image, he began pardoning small groups of prisoners. More than 70 have been set free since summer, including people jailed for participating in the 2020 protests, but most were close to the end of their sentence or *****. An announcement last week stated that another group jailed for “extremism” would be pardoned. It promised “big news”, and said two women were on the list. But Tatsiana told the BBC that she did not believe the sudden reappearance of her sister for a prison visit meant she was about to be set free. Getty Images Maria Kolesnikova, shown here in 2020, rallied crowds in nationwide protests after Lukashenko claimed yet another landslide election win Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, now in exile after running for election against Lukashenko, sent a short video on Telegram with greetings for “Masha”, as she called Maria affectionately, and expressed “joy” to see her reunited with her father. “How happy I am to see the smile that captivated us in 2020 and stays the same despite all you’ve been through,” Tikhanovskaya said. Writing on X she added: “Now, we must keep up the pressure to break the isolation of other political prisoners & free them all!” Tikhanovskaya’s husband, Sergei, is one of those still in prison and has also been kept incommunicado for many months, as have other political prisoners including Viktor Babaryko – another would-be presidential candidate locked up in 2020. Franak Viacorka, an adviser to Tikhanovskaya, told the BBC that Lukashenko’s gesture to Maria was tokenism. “Lukashenko is afraid right now to make any big moves and changes before his sham election – his self-reappointment. Just showing Maria doesn’t threaten him, but he wants to show it as a big gesture of humanity – which it’s not of course,” Mr Viacorka believes. He put the gesture down to a recent increase in international attention and pressure. Lukashenko has been an international pariah for many years, with the ********* Union condemning the 2020 election results as “falsified”. As for others still held, Mr Viacorka said: “I dream of the moment my friends and colleagues are released. But I am a realist.” Source link #sighting #Belarusian #political #prisoner #days Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

'Nintendo Music' Update Adds Wii Sports Soundtrack, Here's Every Song Included 'Nintendo Music' Update Adds Wii Sports Soundtrack, Here's Every Song Included Relive the glory days of Wii. Source link #039Nintendo #Music039 #Update #Adds #Wii #Sports #Soundtrack #Here039s #Song #Included Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

U.S. flights to Haiti barred for 30 days after planes struck by gunfire – National U.S. flights to Haiti barred for 30 days after planes struck by gunfire – National The Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday it will bar U.S. airlines from operating in Haiti for 30 days after two commercial jetliners were struck by gunfire on Monday. The FAA issued a Notice to Air Mission prohibiting U.S. civil aviation operations in the territory and airspace of Haiti below 10,000 feet for 30 days. On Monday, a Spirit Airlines flight destined for the Haitian capital was struck by gunfire, forcing it to be diverted to the neighboring Dominican Republic, while a JetBlue Airways flight returning from Port-au-Prince was discovered with bullet damage after arriving in New York. It was part of a wave of ********* that erupted in Haiti as the country swore in its new prime minister after a politically tumultuous process. 2:49 Haiti crisis: Gang massacre ****** at least 70, forces 6,000 civilians to flee Neither the former interim prime minister, Garry Conille, nor the newly inaugurated Alix Didier Fils-Aimé commented on the *********. Story continues below advertisement But Luis Abinader, who as president of the neighboring Dominican Republic has cracked down on Haitian migration, called ******* on the Spirit Airlines plane terrorism. “This was a ********** act; the countries that are following and helping Haiti should declare these armed gangs as ********** groups,” Abinader said in a news conference. On Tuesday, heavily armed police in armored cars outside the airport checked trucks used for public transportation passing by. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Schools were closed, as were banks and government offices. Streets, where just a day before gangs and police were locked in a fierce firefight, were eerily empty, with few driving by other than a motorcycle with a man who had been shot clinging to the back. 0:38 Haiti’s main international airport reopens after gang ********* prompted closure The sounds of heavy gunfire still echoed through the streets in the afternoon — a reminder that despite political maneuvering by Haiti’s elites and a strong push by the international community to restore peace, the country’s toxic slate of gangs kept its firm hold on much of the Caribbean nation. Story continues below advertisement The ******* Nations estimates that gangs control 85% of the capital, Port-au-Prince. A U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police to quell gang ********* struggles with a lack of funding and personnel, prompting calls for a U.N. peacekeeping mission. The ********* comes after a transitional council, tasked with restoring democratic order to Haiti, which hasn’t held elections since 2016, decided to ***** Conille, who often was at odds with the council during his six months in office. The council rapidly swore in businessman Fils-Aimé as the new interim prime minister. Conille originally called the move ********, but on Tuesday acknowledged Fils-Aimé’s appointment in a post on the social media platform X. Trending Now RCMP report reveals new details on GTA man and his ‘camel-toe’ fake toonies From 300 lbs to 100K races: How this mom of 4 took up ultramarathons “(I) wish him success in fulfilling this mission. At this crucial moment, unity and solidarity are essential for our country. Long live Haiti!” he wrote. Fils-Aimé promised to work with international partners to restore peace and hold long awaited elections, a vow also made by his predecessor. 1:48 Trudeau calls for ‘global effort’ to support Haiti’s humanitarian needs But many Haitians, like 43-year-old Martha Jean-Pierre, have little taste for the political fighting, which experts say only give gangs more freedom to continue expanding their control as Haiti teeters on the brink of famine. Story continues below advertisement Jean-Pierre was among those to brave the streets of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday to sell the plantains, carrots, cabbage and potatoes she carried in a basket on her head. She had no choice, she said — selling was the only way she could feed her children. “What good is a new prime minister if there’s no security, if I can’t move freely and sell my goods,” she said, nodding to her basket of vegetables. “This is my bank account, this is what my family depend on.” It was a frustration that appeared to be international players that have pushed for a peaceful resolution in Haiti like the U.N. and the U.S. On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department lamented that Conille and the council “were unable to move forward in a constructive manner” and called on Fils-Aimé and the council to provide a clear action plan outlining a ****** vision on how to decrease ********* and pave the path for elections to be held to “prevent further gridlock.” “The acute and immediate needs of the Haitian people mandate that the transitional government prioritize governance over the competing personal interests of political actors,” it wrote in a statement. —With files from the Associated Press More on World More videos Source link #U.S #flights #Haiti #barred #days #planes #struck #gunfire #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fortnite will turn back the clock (again) on December 6 Fortnite will turn back the clock (again) on December 6 Is Fortnite old enough to elicit nostalgia? Last year’s trial run of bringing back the battle royale game’s original map, weapons and early seasons would suggest so — at least for folks of a certain age. That test led to record-breaking player counts, topping 44.7 million in October 2023. Epic Games said on Tuesday that the OG Fortnite rewind is coming back again, and this time, it’s for good. OG Fortnite will let you play the original map, along with the loot and seasons as they were in 2017. In addition to the nostalgia factor, many players appreciate that era’s simpler gameplay mechanics, map designs, weapons and items. It was also before expansion updates that added new game modes (it was Battle Royale only) and vehicles like cars, boats and helicopters. Old-school Fortnite fans have less than a month to wait. The OG version returns to the game on December 6. Blizzard must have seen something it liked in the 2023 trial. It borrowed a page from Epic and brought back Overwatch in its original form for a three-week event starting today. Source link #Fortnite #turn #clock #December Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******* not in violation of U.S. law, Gaza aid will be monitored: State Dept. ******* not in violation of U.S. law, Gaza aid will be monitored: State Dept. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addresses a press conference in Tel Aviv on January 9, 2024, during his week-long trip aimed at calming tensions across the Middle East, amid continuing battles between ******* and the ************ militant group ****** in Gaza. Alberto Pizzoli | AFP | Getty Images The ******* States announced Tuesday that there will be no significant policy shift towards *******, at the conclusion of a 30-day U.S. deadline for improvement in humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza. “We, at this time, have not made an assessment that the Israelis are in violation of the US law,” State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a press briefing in Washington. “We have seen some progress being made, we’d like to see some more changes happen. We believe that, had it not been for U.S. intervention, these changes may not have ever taken place,” said Patel. The demands and the deadline were ***** out in a ****** letter from Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, delivered Oct. 13. If ******* wants to continue to qualify for foreign military financing under U.S. law, Blinken and Austin wrote, at least 350 trucks per day of aid must be allowed to enter the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. The letter also called on ******* to provide heightened security for humanitarian sites, and an increase in the number of humanitarian pauses to its military operations. One month later, a daily average of just over 30 trucks a day are being let into Gaza, according to Philippe Lazarini, commissioner general of the ******* Nations agency assisting ************ refugees, UNRWA. Palestinians, including children, wait to receive food distributed by an aid organization in Deir Al Balah, Gaza on November 10, 2024. Ashraf Amra | Anadolu | Getty Images Patel defended the decision not to change the U.S. posture towards *******, which has come under intense scrutiny both at home and abroad. “We want to see the totality of the humanitarian situation improve, and we think some of these steps will allow the conditions for that to continue to progress,” Patel said. Meanwhile, international organizations continue to sound the alarm on the humanitarian toll of *******’s war in Gaza. A consortium of humanitarian aid groups recently assessed that ******* has not made significant progress on any of the U.S. demands. More than 43,000 people have been ******* in Gaza since the conflict began in Oct. 2023, triggered by a surprise ****** ******* on ******* that claimed more than 1,000 lives. The lion’s share of those ******* in Gaza have been women and children who ***** in strikes on residential buildings, the ******* Nations Human Rights Office said in a release earlier this month. Outgoing President Joe Biden has been steadfast in his support for *******, which he reaffirmed to be “ironclad” following a meeting with ******** President Isaac Herzog in the Oval Office on Tuesday. Source link #******* #violation #U.S #law #Gaza #aid #monitored #State #Dept Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sammy J to leave ABC Radio Melbourne Sammy J to leave ABC Radio Melbourne The radio host has been with the network since before the pandemic in what he’s described as an opportunity marked by ‘unexpected joy’. Source link #Sammy #leave #ABC #Radio #Melbourne Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Blizzard Is Giving Out Free Diablo 4 Boosts (And Automatically Unlocking Those Annoying Lilith Altars) Blizzard Is Giving Out Free Diablo 4 Boosts (And Automatically Unlocking Those Annoying Lilith Altars) Diablo 4 is getting a “Welcome Back” booster for all players in the near future, one that will automatically level a chosen character to 50, let players choose between three different builds per class, and equip them with a new set of gear. It will also automatically unlock all of the Altars of Lilith for those who hadn’t yet scoured the game’s world to collect them all. Blizzard announced the news as part of its most recent Diablo 4 Campfire Chat, where it covered balance changes coming as part of the mid-Season 6 update and answered fan questions. The boost will only be for characters on the game’s Eternal (non-seasonal) realms, and is being done in part because of how the game’s Season 4 Loot Reborn update and its more recent Vessel of Hatred update dramatically rebuilt the game in terms of loot, difficulty, leveling, and progression. Those updates in the process broke gear and builds for those who hadn’t played in a while. Those who own the base game will receive one free character boost, while those who own the Vessel of Hatred expansion will receive two. “A lot of players with Season 6 jumping back in, a lot of the gear went to ‘Legacy’ gear and this kind of gives them a way of being able to recover some of that and immediately get back into it,” Diablo community manager Adam Fletcher said during the livestream. Leveling to 50 and getting a new set of gear doesn’t take too long in the current form of Diablo 4, but for those who have been putting off collecting all the Altars of Lilith since launch, the boost is a big win. When Diablo 4 first released, players spent hours finding each one (160 total) to gain all the Renown and, more importantly, small stat boosts each altar granted. Blizzard shortly after launch made finding Altars of Lilith account-wide, so players only ever needed to find them all once. There will additionally be a free trial coming in the near future, one that will include the ability to take the expansion’s new Spiritborn class for a spin. Blizzard said more details about the boost and free trial will be coming in an official blog later in the week. Speaking of the Spiritborn, Blizzard confirmed during the livestream that the class is more than a little overpowered and overplayed at the moment (over 60% of players are playing the new class), but that it won’t be nerfing it until Season 7 in January. In the meantime, Blizzard is buffing the game’s original five classes in various ways to make up the difference. In GameSpot’s Diablo 4: Vessel of Hatred review, we called the first expansion for Blizzard’******-ARPG “a great entry point for lapsed Diablo 4 players” that delivers on making the entire experience “feel fresh again.” Source link #Blizzard #Giving #Free #Diablo #Boosts #Automatically #Unlocking #Annoying #Lilith #Altars Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Zero-day exploits increasingly sought out by attackers Zero-day exploits increasingly sought out by attackers Threat actors – both state-backed and financially-motivated – are increasingly taking advantage of previously unknown vulnerabilities, or zero-days, to compromise their victims before fixes or patches are made available by the tech industry, according to a new advisory published by the Five Eyes cyber agencies, including the ***’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the ******* States’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The agencies have collectively drawn up a list of the 15 most exploited vulnerabilities of 2023 and found that the majority of exploited vulnerabilities were zero-days compared to less than half in 2022. The trend has continued through 2024, said the NCSC. The NCSC said that defenders needed to up their game when it comes to vulnerability management, paying particular attention to applying updates as quickly as possible when they do arrive, and to making sure they have identified all the potentially affected IT assets in their estates. The organisation also urged suppliers and developers to do more to implement secure-by-design principles into their products, something that the Five Eyes governments – Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the *** and the ******* States – have become particularly vocal about in the past 18 months. Doing so helps reduce the risk of vulnerabilities being accidentally introduced during development, only to be taken advantage off further down the line. “More routine initial exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities represents the new normal which should concern end-user organisations and vendors alike as malicious actors seek to infiltrate networks,” said NCSC chief technology officer (CTO) Ollie Whitehouse. “To reduce the risk of compromise, it is vital all organisations stay on the front foot by applying patches promptly and insisting upon secure-by-design products in the technology marketplace,” said Whitehouse. “We urge network defenders to be vigilant with vulnerability management, have situational awareness in operations and call on product developers to make security a core component of product design and life-cycle to help stamp out this insidious game of whack-a-mole at source,” he added. The full list of the vulnerabilities most frequently exploited during 2023 is as follows: CVE-2023-3519, a code injection flaw in Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway; CVE-2023-4966, a buffer overflow vulnerability in Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway, aka Citrix Bleed; CVE-2023-20198, an elevation of privilege (EoP) issue in Cisco IOS XE Web UI; CVE-2023-20273, a web UI command injection bug in Cisco IOS XE; CVE-2023-27997, a heap-based buffer overflow flaw in Fortinet FortiOS and FortiProxy SSL-VPN; CVE-2023-34362, a SQL injection vulnerability in Progress MOVEit Transfer, infamously exploited by the Cl0p ransomware gang, the fall-out from which is still being felt; CVE-2023-22515, a broken access control vuln it Atlassian Confluence Data Center and Server; CVE-2021-44228, a remote code ********** (RCE) issue in Apache Log4j2, aka Log4Shell, the source of a major incident at the end of 2021 and still being widely-abused years later; CVE-2023-2868, an improper input validation flaw in Barracuda Networks ESG Appliance; CVE-2022-47966, an RCE issue in Zoho ManageEngine; CVE-2023-27350, an improper access control vulnerability in PaperCut MF/NG; CVE-2020-1472, an EoP vuln in Microsoft Netlogon, the source of another high-profile historic incident that there is now no excuse for not having addressed; CVE-2023-427983, an authentication bypass flaw in JetBrains TeamCity; CVE-2023-23397, an EoP issue in Microsoft Office Outlook, widely-used by Russian spooks; And last but not least, CVE-2023-49103, an information disclosure vuln in ownCloud graphapi. The full list, which can be downloaded from CISA, also contains details of a number of other issues that were observed being routinely exploited during 2023, prominent among them two vulnerabilities in Ivanti products disclosed in August 2023, and the infamous Fortra GoAnywhere flaw exploited, yet again, by the Cl0p gang. Source link #Zeroday #exploits #increasingly #sought #attackers Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hearing of Executive Vice-President-designate Teresa Ribera Rodríguez | News Hearing of Executive Vice-President-designate Teresa Ribera Rodríguez | News In her opening remarks, Ms. Ribera paid tribute to the victims of the recent floods in Valencia, Spain. She committed to maintain the course of the ********* Green Deal to meet climate targets and set-up a new approach to competition policy that is supportive of ********* companies to achieve a global level playing field. Combatting climate change With reference to the recent floods in Valencia, several MEPs asked how Ms Ribera would improve Europe’s ability to prepare for growing climate-related risks. Ms Ribera highlighted the need to do more and better when it comes to improving the EU’s resilience to extreme weather events including on early warning systems and the capacity to respond. She promised a new ********* Climate Adaptation Plan to address those issues. She also committed to making water resilience a priority. Ms Ribera also committed to work towards implementing EU climate and energy targets for 2030 as well as set an EU 2040 target to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 90% compared to 1990 levels to enable the EU to become carbon neutral by mid-century. MEPs also questioned Ms Ribera on issues related to the environment and the clean circular economy including on global negotiations on climate and biodiversity. A clean and just transition Ms. Ribera said support was needed for industrial decarbonisation, promoting a just transition, including housing and quality jobs, and capitalising on the benefits of the green and digital transitions. Members questioned Ms. Ribera about the role of nuclear energy in ********* policies. She said energy mix decisions are the responsibility of member states. When asked about Europe’s automotive industry and the sector’s decarbonisation goals, Ms. Ribera expressed her willingness to work with various industry stakeholders to “ensure that the transition is achieved.” She also committed to addressing the issue of support for automotive industry subcontractors. A new approach to competition policy Ms. Ribera committed to working on a reform of EU competition policy to improve the speediness of enforcement, simplify state aid rules, and clamp down on acquisitions, which prevent innovation. MEPs asked how competition policy could be deployed to address the rising cost of living and the housing crises, and how competition rules would allow for the development of ********* global champions. Ms Ribera agreed that there was a space for competition policy to do more to address abusive pricing and to some extent the housing crisis. They also asked how Ms Ribera would ensure predictability during the competition rules reforms, improve enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and what the main priorities for the competition agenda would be. She said that the Commission needs to be empowered further to better enforce the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Among other priorities, Ms Ribera mentioned simplifying competition rules, focusing on the worst offenders and supporting the green transition. You can watch the video recording of the full hearing here. Press point At the end of the hearing, Antonio Decaro (S&D, Italy), Chair of ENVI and Aurore Lalucq (S&D, France), Chair of ECON held a press point outside the meeting room: watch it here. Next steps The chairs and political group coordinators of the committees on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, on Industry, Research and Energy, and on Economic and Monetary Affairs, will meet without delay to assess the performance and qualification of the Commissioner-designate. Based on the committee recommendations, the Conference of Presidents (EP President Metsola and political group chairs) is set to conduct the final evaluation and declare the hearings closed on 21 November. Once the Conference of Presidents declares all hearings closed, the evaluation letters will be published. The election by MEPs of the full college of Commissioners (by a majority of the votes cast, by roll-call) is currently scheduled to take place during the 25-28 November plenary session in Strasbourg. Source link #Hearing #Executive #VicePresidentdesignate #Teresa #Ribera #Rodríguez #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Significant Portfolio Shifts in Ronald Muhlenkamp’s Q3 2024 13F Filing Highlighted by Broadcom Exit Significant Portfolio Shifts in Ronald Muhlenkamp’s Q3 2024 13F Filing Highlighted by Broadcom Exit Ronald Muhlenkamp (Trades, Portfolio), the seasoned founder and portfolio manager at Muhlenkamp & Company, Inc., has recently made notable changes to his investment portfolio according to the 13F filing for the third quarter of 2024. Known for his patient value investing approach, Muhlenkamp selects stocks based on strong financial metrics and holds them for an average of 10 years. His investment philosophy focuses on companies with robust balance sheets and a return on equity (ROE) of at least 15%, adjusting his strategy based on inflation and interest rate movements to optimize long-term gains. Significant Portfolio Shifts in Ronald Muhlenkamp’s Q3 2024 13F Filing Highlighted by Broadcom Exit Ronald Muhlenkamp (Trades, Portfolio) has increased his stakes in a total of 16 stocks during this quarter. Noteworthy adjustments include: Newmont Corp (NYSE:NEM) saw an addition of 1,751 shares, bringing the total to 281,302 shares. This change marks a 0.63% increase in share count and a 0.03% impact on the current portfolio, with a total value of $15,035,580. Royal Gold Inc (NASDAQ:RGLD) experienced an increase of 669 shares, resulting in a total of 86,749 shares. This adjustment represents a 0.78% increase in share count, with a total value of $12,170,930. Ronald Muhlenkamp (Trades, Portfolio) has completely exited one holding in the third quarter of 2024, as detailed below: Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:AVGO): The ***** of all 81,290 shares resulted in a -4.07% impact on the portfolio. Reductions were made in 9 stocks, with significant changes including: Kirby Corp (NYSE:KEX) was reduced by 24,200 shares, resulting in a -24.96% decrease in shares and a -0.9% impact on the portfolio. The stock traded at an average price of $119.27 during the quarter and has returned 10.20% over the past 3 months and 63.60% year-to-date. McKesson Corp (NYSE:MCK) saw a reduction of 29 shares, leading to a -0.08% reduction in shares and a -0.01% impact on the portfolio. The stock traded at an average price of $556.84 during the quarter and has returned 12.81% over the past 3 months and 34.57% year-to-date. As of the third quarter of 2024, Ronald Muhlenkamp (Trades, Portfolio)’s portfolio included 28 stocks. The top holdings were 6.01% in Rush Enterprises Inc (NASDAQ:RUSHA), 5.85% in McKesson Corp (NYSE:MCK), 5.85% in NMI Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:NMIH), 5.38% in Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE:BRK.B), and 5.06% in EQT Corp (NYSE:EQT). The holdings are mainly concentrated in 8 of all the 11 industries: Financial Services, Energy, Industrials, Consumer Cyclical, Basic Materials, Technology, Healthcare, and Communication Services. Story Continues Significant Portfolio Shifts in Ronald Muhlenkamp’s Q3 2024 13F Filing Highlighted by Broadcom Exit Significant Portfolio Shifts in Ronald Muhlenkamp’s Q3 2024 13F Filing Highlighted by Broadcom Exit This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Source link #Significant #Portfolio #Shifts #Ronald #Muhlenkamps #13F #Filing #Highlighted #Broadcom #Exit Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Ops 6 is the First Confirmed Esports World Cup 2025 Game ****** Ops 6 is the First Confirmed Esports World Cup 2025 Game It has been confirmed that ****** Ops 6 will appear at the Esports World Cup in 2025. This is the first game to be locked in for the multi-million-dollar event, which is set to run between July and August 2025. This year’s Esports World Cup was the first iteration of the event, and it was a roaring success, by all account ts. Locked In This year’s Esports World Cup saw everything represented, from League of Legends to Counter-Strike 2, and from Rainbow Six Siege to Rocket League. While Call of Duty (multiplayer, not battle royale) was a late addition to the monumental tournament, Activision has more than made up for that delay this year by making ****** Ops 6 the first confirmed game for the Esports World Cup 2025. In August, Atlanta FaZe stormed the stage and secured the $600,000 prize pool, beating an unlikely 100 Thieves team in an intense grand final in Riyadh. The tournament didn’t pull in as strong a viewership as the Call of Duty League, but it made for a nice change of pace in the off-season, and it allowed for a much more diverse roster of teams to compete It’ll likely be the same format this year, with Challengers-grade teams mixing up with CDL squads in a Pro-Am setting. As the months move by, we’ll see many more games surface in the line-up for the 2025 Esports World Cup. If the inaugural event was a showstopper, the event’s organisers will be pulling out all the stops to make sure that the second year is even *******. Are you going to be tuning into the Esports World Cup in 2025? Let us know in the comments. For more Insider Gaming esports, check out the confirmation of the CDL 2025 season Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #****** #Ops #Confirmed #Esports #World #Cup #Game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump’s tariff threats send lobbyists scrambling to find loopholes Trump’s tariff threats send lobbyists scrambling to find loopholes In the days since President-elect Donald Trump won the presidential race, Nicole Bivens Collinson’s phone has barely stopped ringing. Collinson, who helps lead the international trade and government relations division at the lobbying firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, said she is fielding “dozens and dozens and dozens” of calls from anxious U.S. companies looking to protect themselves from Trump’s hardline tariff plans by finding loopholes and exemptions. “Absolutely everyone is calling,” Collinson told CNBC. “It is nonstop.” Over the course of the 2024 campaign, Trump made universal tariffs a core tenet of his economic platform, floating a 20% tax on all imports from all countries with a specifically harsh 60% rate for ******** goods. That hyper-protectionist trade approach sent chills up the spines of economists, Wall Street analysts and industry leaders who warned that across-the-board tariffs could make production — and in turn, consumer prices — more expensive, just as they were recovering from pandemic-era inflation spikes. “The threat of tariffs has alarmed retailers and a wide range of other U.S. businesses,” David French, senior vice president of government relations at the National Retail Federation, told CNBC. “Our members have been working on contingency plans since President Trump secured the nomination.” Ron Sorini, a principal at the lobbying firm Sorini, Samet & Associates, echoed that sentiment, noting that he takes at least two to three calls a day to field companies’ concerns about the proposed tariff ramp-up, especially in China. “[Companies] question where they should go, and how do they get the components out [of China]? How do they get the whole supply chain out?” Sorini said. When Trump unleashed his first set of China tariffs in 2018, securing an exemption became a golden ticket in corporate America, a way to safeguard a company’s China-based supply chains rather than paying the hefty price of relocation. And to obtain that golden ticket, it paid to know the right people. A 2021 research study found that applications for Trump’s first-term tariff exemptions were more likely to be approved when they came from lobbying firms whose employees had made political contributions to the *********** Party. Now, with Trump set to retake the White House in a matter of weeks, tariff escalation is becoming a more likely reality. And in corporate America, the race is on to find the right lobbyists to help companies rub shoulders with the right people, to give them an advantage in securing tariff loopholes. “Firms are prepared,” SUNY Buffalo finance professor Veljko Fotak, one of the authors of the 2021 study, told CNBC. “The real winners of this process are going to be the lawyers and lobbyists.” What tariffs will look like in the next Trump administration, and whether exemptions will be available at all, are both unknown. “Until that clarity comes, businesses will have to plan for a variety of scenarios,” Tiffany Smith, vice president of global trade policy at the National Foreign Trade Council, told CNBC. Read more CNBC politics coverage In response to CNBC’s request for comment about the Trump team’s plan for exemptions and companies’ concerns of the tariff proposals, Trump transition team spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt doubled down on the president-elect’s campaign promises. “The ********* people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver,” Leavitt told CNBC in a statement. In the meantime, companies have been trying to set up defenses against Trump’s more aggressive trade approach. These include stockpiling goods in the short run, readying price hikes so they can pass the cost of import duties on to customers, and trying to move their production out of China. On Thursday, Steve Madden pledged to reduce its ******** imports by 45% over the next year in anticipation of Trump’s tariff plans. But exiting China is a significant undertaking for many U.S. companies, especially small businesses that may not have the buying clout or leverage to move production so easily. “What I would urge is that folks look at the impact on small businesses. Those are the people that are really getting hurt. There’s got to be some way to help companies like that,” Sorini of Sorini, Samet & Associates told CNBC. “Because they really can’t do it on their own.” Source link #Trumps #tariff #threats #send #lobbyists #scrambling #find #loopholes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Copenhagen guarantees happiness to anyone who moves there Copenhagen guarantees happiness to anyone who moves there Denmark consistently ranks among the world’s happiest countries, and most recently was named the No. 1 country for quality of life. If you’ve ever considered a move to Copenhagen in pursuit of nice weather, work-life balance, and competitive pay, now’s your time. This month, The Greater Copenhagen Region launched a marketing campaign for its new “life quality insurance.” The initiative is meant to attract people to the area and guarantee their happiness after arrival. The Greater Copenhagen Region consists of the Zealand, the capital region in Denmark, and Skåne and Halland in Sweden. Interested participants must sign up online, acquire a full-time and permanent employment contract in the GCR, and relocate to the area between October 2024 and April 2025. If new residents find they are unhappy after some time living in the region, their travel home could be covered under the “insurance” plan. “We’re so confident that people will fall in love with life in GCR that we are willing to walk the walk,” Asbjørn Overgaard, a spokesperson, tells Time Out. “If you move here and if–against all odds–it isn’t for you, we’ll help you get back home.” Copenhagen, Denmark Alongkot Sumritjearapol | Moment | Getty Images Expats to the region can take advantage of the partial reimbursements being offered which include up to 5,000 DKK or $716 in return travel costs, and up to 2,000 DKK or $286 in return travel costs for accompanying immediate family. This campaign’s total budget for travel reimbursements is 50,000 DKK or $7,158. Any additional claims won’t be fulfilled if the expense limit is reached. Requests for reimbursements can be made after at least 12 months of permanent residency and full-time employment, the earliest being in October 2025. Halland, Sweden Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images Though people in Denmark pay some of the world’s highest taxes — up to half of their income — this is balanced out by free or low-cost healthcare, subsidized childcare, no tuition for university students and grants to help cover expenses. The elderly receive pensions and are provided with care helpers. Denmark also the No. 1 country where expats are most satisfied with their jobs, career opportunities, and work-life balance, according to a July 2024 Expat Insider survey from InterNations, the online global community for people who’ve moved aboard. In this year’s World Happiness Report, Denmark also ranked as the No. 2 happiest country due in part to its level of equality and sense of responsibility for social ********, according to the country’s official website. These are two things that are closely linked to happiness, according to the World Happiness Report. Similar to Denmark, Sweden offers residents free healthcare and college education, and ranked as the No. 2 country for quality of life, according to U.S. News and World Report. The cost of living in Sweden is on average, 9.4% lower than in the ******* States, while renting is 47.5% lower, according to Numbeo. Want to earn more money at work? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Negotiate a Higher Salary. Expert instructors will teach you the skills you need to get a ******* paycheck, including how to prepare and build your confidence, what to do and say, and how to craft a counteroffer. Start today and use coupon code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 50% off through November 26, 2024. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life. Source link #Copenhagen #guarantees #happiness #moves Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Steam Drops The Curtain on Windows 7 & 8, Marking the End of Gaming on Older Operating Systems Steam Drops The Curtain on Windows 7 & 8, Marking the End of Gaming on Older Operating Systems The latest Steam Client update was rolled out recently and as expected, this version of Steam client will not run on Windows 7 or Windows 8. The update fixed many technical issues and also added a new built-in system called Steam Game Recording. With gaming technology constantly transforming, Valve had to stop supporting old Windows operating systems, putting an end to gaming on these OS. The latest Steam client update will not support Windows 7 and 8 (Image via Valve) Even Microsoft ended security updates and technical support for Windows 7 and 8. Users still running these operating systems are exposed to new malware and other exploits that will cause games to perform poorly or ******. Upgrading to the latest Windows operating system certainly has a lot of benefits and will even make gaming much smoother. Steam No Longer Supports Windows 7 and 8 It’s safe to say that gaming on Windows 7 and 8 is no longer possible (Image via Valve) It has been confirmed on Steam’s official website that systems running Windows 7 and 8 will not receive the latest Steam client update. In case you’re unaware, Steam announced last year that it would stop supporting the Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 operating systems, this means that all the users who are still on these operating systems will no longer receive updates of any kind including security updates. Steam revealed in late 2023 that this move is necessary as core features in Steam rely on an embedded version of Google Chrome, which no longer functions on older versions of Windows. Even Microsoft stopped providing security updates and technical support for Windows 7 in January 2020 and for Windows 8.1 in January 2023. It’s safe to say that gaming on these operating systems has officially come to an end as Microsoft is focused on giving users a fresher and better experience. Not only Windows, but this version of the Steam client will also not support macOS 10.13 or 10.14. The Latest Steam Client Update Added Steam Game Recording Steam Game Recording changes the way gamers capture footage (Image via Valve) Apart from acknowledging technical issues, Valve also added Steam Game Record, a new built-in system for creating and sharing gameplay footage. The system includes features like Background Recording mode, a mode that continuously saves gameplay to your preferred drive, never exceeding the set duration and storage limits. Roughly 2 months ago, Steam also added the new Steam Families feature, which now allows users to share games with their families, manage parental controls for their kids, and approve requests from their kids to buy Steam games. The new Families feature also allows multiple people to play games from a shared library at one time. Valve has strongly encouraged all Windows 7/8/8.1 users to update sooner rather than later as using the latest operating systems will improve your computer’s security, performance, and compatibility, making your gaming experience much better. Source link #Steam #Drops #Curtain #Windows #Marking #Gaming #Older #Operating #Systems Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This Raspberry Pi dashcam continuously records even when your car is off This Raspberry Pi dashcam continuously records even when your car is off When it comes to security, you can’t go wrong with covering all of your bases. That’s why we appreciate this project put together by maker and developer Fishwithadeagle, who’s created an impressive Raspberry Pi dashcam system. Not only does it help record while you drive, but it also keeps recording when you stop and the vehicle isn’t powered on. This means you’re covered with a watchful eye even if you aren’t around. Fishwithadeagle built the whole system from scratch with a few features that make it really stand out against commercial dashcams you can buy on the market, at a much lower price. In addition to continuously recording, it has an impressively high battery life of 38 hours, infrared support, and the ability recharge the batteries quickly. Dashcam systems that offer features like this can cost upward of $700 and even $900 USD. However, Fishwithadeagle managed to put this together for just $550. It records using multiple cameras, providing four separate streams — two of which offer 1080p quality at 30 FPS while the other two have a resolution of 2592×1944 at 12 FPS. All the cameras are hosted through a singular Pi, meaning you have one point of contact for monitoring them. Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Fishwithadeagle) (Image credit: Fishwithadeagle) (Image credit: Fishwithadeagle) The main board powering the system is an 8GB Raspberry Pi 5. It’s powered by two rechargeable LiFePo4 batteries with a 190 Whr rating. A 256GB microSD card takes care of storage, which is necessary for capturing so much video. Fishwithadeagle confirmed that two Logitech c930e webcams are used alongside a couple of J5 Create 360 webcams. Those four cameras constitute the majority of the price. The hardware was mounted using various 3D components that Fishwithadeagle designed and printed for this project. Unfortunately, Fishwithadeagle has yet to provide the source code used in the project, so we aren’t exactly sure how everything communicates. However, he did offer to share the code with anyone interested in how the project works, confirming that there are five scripts that are used. Be sure to follow him for future updates as well as a tutorial breaking down further how the project was assembled. If you want to get a closer look at this Raspberry Pi project, you can check out the project thread shared to Reddit. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Raspberry #dashcam #continuously #records #car Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Likely narrow GOP House majority may jeopardize Trump’s tax cuts, Raymond James says Likely narrow GOP House majority may jeopardize Trump’s tax cuts, Raymond James says Republicans are nearing a sweep in Congress, but Raymond James says that it won’t be easy for President-elect Donald Trump to sign off on the legislation he wants — including the tax cuts that were part of his platform. As of Tuesday afternoon, Republicans secured 215 seats in the House of Representatives compared with the Democrats’ 206, according to NBC News. The *********** Party will have control of the Senate , with 52 seats versus the Democrats’ 47, but the GOP’s margin in the House is looking notably narrow this time, according to Raymond James’ Washington policy analyst, Ed Mills. “In 2025, Trump’s influence on Congressional Republicans will be stronger but his margin in the House will be in the single digits (down from 47 in 2017). … The narrow House majority will complicate the passage of any tax bill in 2025,” he said. Mills said the GOP is expected to use the budget reconciliation process to pass any of President-elect Trump’s tax proposals. However, even when the party held its wide House majority in 2017, he noted that 13 Republicans voted against then-President Trump’s proposed tax cuts due to disagreements over a $10,000 limit on the state and local tax, or SALT, deduction. That measure, known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act , ultimately passed and went into effect in 2018. However, a slate of provisions are expected to sunset at the end of 2025 , setting the table for talks in Washington on how to extend the tax breaks . One point of discussion as to how to fund tax cuts this time around has been to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, which is another likely point of contention, Mills added. “The narrow margins will make this more difficult, especially given the number of Congressional Republicans with IRA-funded projects in their districts,” the analyst said. In order to keep GOP lawmakers from defecting on the tax bill, legislators may seek compromises on the SALT deduction, tariffs or changes to Medicaid, according to Mills. Wolfe Research analyst Tobin Marcus also thinks passing a tax bill is a “complex challenge” with such narrow majorities across the House and the Senate. “The Congressional negotiations over this package will be complex, so there will absolutely be wrinkles we don’t expect here. But we think the hefty price tag for extending expiring individual tax provisions past EOY25 will sharply limit how much incremental tax cutting Republicans can do, and will compel them to include some real offsets despite reluctance from some parts of their coalition,” Marcus wrote in a research note Tuesday. Source link #narrow #GOP #House #majority #jeopardize #Trumps #tax #cuts #Raymond #James Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mirthwood Review | Stardew Valley But Darker｜Game8 Mirthwood Review | Stardew Valley But Darker｜Game8 “The Oceanside-based (CA, the US) indie gamea publisher V Publishing and Pacific Northwest-based (the US) indie game developer Bad Ridge Games, today announced with great joy and thrill that their medieval fantasy RPG/life-sim adventure “Mirthwood”, is now available for PC via Steam.” – Jonas Ek, *TGG. Source link #Mirthwood #Review #Stardew #Valley #DarkerGame8 Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Google Learn About is the patient teacher with a bag full of tricks we all wanted as kids Google Learn About is the patient teacher with a bag full of tricks we all wanted as kids AI chatbots can be useful tools for learning about the world, but they aren’t usually designed as educators and often are full of caveats regarding where their data comes from. Google has debuted a new AI tutor called Learn About to solve those issues. It’s a personal tutor capable of adapting its teaching style in real time. Learn About isn’t just a conversational AI chatbot; it combines visual aids and the ability to expand and simplify subjects as needed, like an interactive and intelligent textbook. Learn About doesn’t rely on the Gemini AI models employed by Google in most of its AI services. Instead, it uses the LearnLM model introduced at Google I/O this year. LearnLM has been trained specifically on educational and research-oriented data and is supposed to encourage users to think for themselves. That means the AI doesn’t just give a quick answer but tries to impart the facts and the knowledge behind the straightforward answer, including diagrams and annotated text, along with suggested topics related to your initial query. LearnLM also makes sure the common hallucinations and wrong information regurgitated by AI chatbots are less of an issue. You can ask a question, suggest a topic, or even upload images and let the AI run with whatever it can find about what’s in the images. Learn About is currently available to a limited number of U.S. users, but expansion is likely coming soon. Robotic education (Image credit: Future) As an experiment, I asked about building a humanoid ******. Learn About didn’t just cite an encyclopedia on what that would entail. Instead, I got a whole list of necessary elements broken down with images, context boxes, and further reading. The ‘get images’ button at the bottom did exactly what it said it would, while the double-check with Google just seemed to confirm the information was accurate. The ‘go deeper’ button quickly led me down a path of technical details for machining an arm ******. Two paragraphs in, I was lost. I had much more fun with the ‘simplify’ button because each time I tapped it, the AI would get more creative in being simple. First, it talked about building a ****** like a toy, then it tried to explain how to build a ****** like a gingerbread man, then a puppet show, and then a magic Lego man. After that, the AI apparently decided I didn’t understand analogies and used very small words to explain robots without any window dressing. Still, the analogies and accompanying images and diagrams were like a window into textbooks for ever-younger children. People don’t always want a personal tutor. Sometimes, the trivia expert version of AI is preferable. But Gemini and LearnLM point out that Google wants people to continue thinking of it as the source of all knowledge, whether that’s a simple yes or no answer about where a famous landmark is located or a full lecture on its history and place in local culture. Learn About helps Google set itself up as an information resource and a digital learning companion. And I have to give credit to Learn About for inspiring my upcoming gingerbread puppet show about robots. You might also like Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. Source link #Google #Learn #patient #teacher #bag #full #tricks #wanted #kids Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Could Look Like Under Trump’s Presidency What a US Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Could Look Like Under Trump’s Presidency With Donald Trump’s recent election as President of the ******* States, his campaign promise of creating a strategic reserve is seeing renewed interest. While the idea has not yet been implemented, many are now wondering how a US Bitcoin reserve could look if it became a reality. A Strategic Bitcoin Reserve can be understood as a government-held asset aimed at stabilizing the economy during periods of financial disruption. An analogy for this would be the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), created in the 1970s to ensure oil availability during crises. Like the SPR, a Bitcoin reserve would act as a financial backstop, supporting economic stability in times of inflation or market turbulence. By holding a substantial amount of Bitcoin, the government would secure a hedge against such risks, enhancing its array of economic safeguards. Proponents believe Bitcoin’s limited supply and decentralized nature make it a strong potential hedge against inflation and market instability, much like gold. While the US economy depends on oil as a fundamental resource, Bitcoin does not play such an essential role. Critics liken holding a Bitcoin reserve to stockpiling consumer goods rather than vital commodities. Yet, Bitcoin’s global appeal and rising value are fueling the argument that it could become a critical economic asset. Renewed enthusiasm for a US Bitcoin reserve has been further fueled by Bitcoin’s recent price surge, which nearly reached $90,000 on Monday night. This momentum aligns with Trump’s presidential win, creating a favorable climate for discussions around how Bitcoin might enhance the country’s economic strategy. One of the initiative’s strongest advocates is Senator Cynthia Lummis, a *********** from Wyoming known for her commitment to advancing crypto-friendly legislation. In July, Lummis introduced the “Bitcoin Act,” a bill that proposes a decentralized network of secure Bitcoin vaults managed by the US Department of Treasury. The act outlines an ambitious plan for the government to acquire up to 200,000 BTC annually over five years, potentially accumulating a total of 1 million BTC, or around 5% of Bitcoin’s total supply. Following Trump’s victory in the primary election on Tuesday, November 5, Lummis voiced her support enthusiastically on social media, posting on X: “WE ARE GOING TO BUILD A STRATEGIC BITCOIN RESERVE.” Her Bitcoin Act proposal would be funded by reallocating Federal Reserve assets, including bonds, loans, and gold, currently valued around $7 trillion, without adding to national debt. Currently, the US government holds about $18 billion worth of Bitcoin seized through ********* cases, according to Arkham Intelligence data. This existing stockpile could potentially be incorporated into a broader Bitcoin reserve. Supporters argue that establishing a Bitcoin reserve would signal the US government’s confidence in Bitcoin’s viability, potentially encouraging other countries to follow suit. Source link #Strategic #Bitcoin #Reserve #Trumps #Presidency Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Starmer announces *** target for 81% carbon emissions cut by 2035 Starmer announces *** target for 81% carbon emissions cut by 2035 Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has announced fresh climate change targets at a global summit, saying he wants the *** to lead on cutting emissions. The *** will now aim for an 81% cut in its emissions by 2035, he told the UN conference of parties (COP29) in Azerbaijan. The target updates a 78% pledge by 2035 under the previous ************* government, although that also included international aviation and shipping emissions, and goes beyond another pledge of a 68% reduction by 2030. Sir Keir insisted the government would not “tell people how to live their lives” but the target was vital to the ***’s future prosperity and energy security. The prime minister said the new target was based on recommendations from the ***’s independent climate change committee (CCC) aimed at limiting global warming to 1.5C compared to levels in 1990. He was one of only seven G20 leaders attending the summit, with 13 absentees including the premiers of the US, China, France and Germany. Sir Keir would not be drawn on his views about president-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to cut climate rules during his election campaign. He said: “Make no mistake, the race is on for the clean energy jobs of the future, the economy of tomorrow, and I don’t want to be in the middle of the pack – I want to get ahead of the game”. The target will be included in papers to go before Parliament before February and, although Sir Keir did not announce any new policies, he did commit to continuing to provide £11.6bn of climate finance until March 2026, a pledge made under the previous government. Announcing a £1bn investment in a wind turbine project in Hull, which he said would create 1,300 local jobs, Sir Keir said the world was standing at a “critical juncture in the climate crisis”. The *** has called for other countries to match the new target, following stark warnings from the ******* Nations that the world is on course for a 3.1C rise without further cuts. The latest target is broadly in line with the ***’s legally-binding carbon-cutting path towards net zero emissions by 2050, contained in the 2015 Paris Agreement. That international agreement ties the *** to ratcheting up new “nationally determined contributions” (NDCs) for carbon reduction every five years, which has seen the a 68% cut by 2030 increase to an 81% cut by 2035. The Climate Change Act 2008 also set legally-binding domestic agreements on carbon budgets in five year chunks until 2050, which unlike the NDC targets also include international aviation and shipping emissions. The latest of these is the sixth carbon budget, which runs between 2033-2037, and has already been set at 78%. Since taking power in July, Labour has ended an effective ban on new onshore wind projects and pledged not to issue any new oil and gas exploration licenses in the North Sea, as well as closing the ***’s last coal power plant in September. The switch towards greener energy has already halved the ***’s annual greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 – but the CCC has previously said further reductions will be difficult without lifestyle changes. The government advisers said taxes on meat and dairy might be needed if people do not voluntarily reduce their consumption of the products, and there should be moves to phase out the use of petrol cars. Speaking at the summit, Sir Keir said the new *** target would be “difficult” but “achievable”, and he wanted government to “tread lightly on people’s lives”. “It’s not about telling people how to live their lives – I’m not interested in that,” he added. “I am interested in making sure their energy bills are stable, that we’ve got energy independence, and that we also along the way pick up the next generation of jobs.” However, shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho claimed the new target would lead to “hardship” for the British people. During energy questions in the Commons, Coutinho said making “already stringent carbon emission targets even higher” would require a “shift away from meat and dairy” and “less travel”. The ************* MP claimed the approach would “see our reliance on ******** imports – a country which is 60% powered by coal – go through the roof”. In response, energy minister Kerry McCarthy said: “It’s really important that we are stepping up and showing global ambition. “Reaching net zero in this country and getting to clean power by 2030 is a massive opportunity – it is not a cost.” The interim chair of the CCC, Professor Piers Forster, welcomed the new target and said it was feasible based on the latest science, technological developments, and the ***’s national circumstances. “Our analysis shows that this is a feasible target that will support jobs and investment,” he said, adding the *** was currently running behind schedule on delivering its 2030 target of 68% cuts. He added: “A target is only as meaningful as the delivery against it. “The *** needs to get back on track to deliver against our existing 2030 NDC commitment. “We need to see further urgent action to speed up deployment of low-carbon solutions such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, and tree planting.” All countries who have signed up to the Paris Agreement should submit their latest carbon reduction targets by a deadline of February next year and a copy of that memo, known as the Information to facilitate Clarity, Transparency and Understanding (ICTU), will be presented to MPs before then. Source link #Starmer #announces #target #carbon #emissions #cut Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The coffee table book of Apple Music’s Best 100 Albums will set you back $450 The coffee table book of Apple Music’s Best 100 Albums will set you back $450 Apple has a history of eye-popping price tags, but the company is reaching new heights with a product that isn’t even a gadget. After Apple Music unveiled a list of the 100 best albums of all time earlier this year, the streaming service is releasing a companion coffee table book. You can grab one of the 1,500 copies for a cool $450. I find these endeavors to rank and quantify art hilarious, because music is subjective and personal by nature. But people do love to debate their own artistic opinions, so if that’s your jam there’s plenty to dig into with Apple Music’s assessment. (And before you ask, the top spot was claimed by The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.) This particular countdown was assembled by “Apple Music’s team of experts alongside an exclusive group of artists including Maren Morris, Pharrell Williams, J Balvin, Charli XCX, Mark Hoppus, Honey Dijon and Nia Archives, as well as songwriters, producers and industry professionals,” according to the book listing. I’m sure this limited-run hardcover will be very beautiful, and maybe the liner notes analyzing each entry are deeply insightful. But I also wonder who would bother to buy it. If you are one of those 1,500 people who wants one, the book is due to start shipping in January. Source link #coffee #table #book #Apple #Musics #Albums #set Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chornobyl and MSFS 2024 arrive next week — here are the system requirements and driver details S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chornobyl and MSFS 2024 arrive next week — here are the system requirements and driver details Two of the most hotly anticipated games are slated to arrive next week: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Both will be under our microscope for performance, and the GPU companies are already gearing up for the releases. Nvidia has Game Ready driver 566.14 with support for both titles, and it also patches several issue, including the infamous Corsair iCUE CPU utilization bug. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is the sequel to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, which debuted in 2007. The second game is a hybrid first-person shooter, immersive sim, and horror game all wrapped into one. The game takes advantage of Unreal Engine 5, potentially giving the game excellent visual fidelity and graphical realism — and perhaps inevitably the performance issues and bugs that Uneal Engine 5 is known for. The game heads back to the Chornobyl reactor and surrounding environment, inspired by the real-life nuclear disaster that took place at the Chornobyl plant — paired with a fictional story and timeline. The game takes place in a 64 km squared open world centered around Chornobyl full of radiation, mutants, and anomalies. The story has several different paths set by in-game decisions, enabling the player to make their own story. The system requirements look somewhat tame, though we have to wonder what level of performance they target. You’ll need at least an AMD Ryzen 5 1600X or Intel Core i7-7700K processor, 16GB of memory, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB, or Intel Arc A750 graphics card. You’ll also want 160GB (!) of SSD storage. Recommended system specs are quite a bit higher: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X or Intel Core i7-11700, 32GB of memory, and either an AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, or Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070. And 160GB of SSD storage still. How will the game run? We’ll do our own testing as soon as we’re able, but in the interim Nvidia has provided some benchmarks, showcasing both native and DLSS 3 performance as usual: (Image credit: Nvidia) Nvidia benchmarks reveal that, just like every other Unreal Engine 5 title, the game is incredibly taxing on even the best graphics cards at maximum settings if you don’t take advantage of performance enhancers including upscaling and frame generation. At 4k maximum settings, the RTX 4090 doesn’t even hit 60 FPS, delivering just 52.4 FPS average with DLSS off. Nvidia’s mid range RTX 4070 Super barely surpasses the 30 FPS mark, with 34.7 FPS average. Turning on With DLSS performance mode upscaling and frame generation helps the RTX 4090 to reach 123 FP, and the RTX 4070 Super gets 87 FPS. Stepping down to 1440p and 1080p naturally makes things quite a bit less difficult, in terms of hardware. At native resolution with DLSS off, the RTX 4090 achieved 74.8 FPS and 85.5 FPS, respectively. With DLSS on (this time with quality mode upscaling), the RTX 4090 hits 145 and 166 FPS, and the RTX 4070 Super and other Nvidia RTX 40-series GPUs all hit playable levels as well. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 doesn’t have any benchmarks yet, but it’s the company’s next iteration of its class-leading flight sim. The game comes with a big focus on player career, with multiple career options including shipping, chartering, racing, and more. The game will ship with the full brunt of Nvidia features: DLSS 3, DLAA, ray tracing, and Reflex. Minimum system requirements consist of an AMD Ryzen 5 2600X or Intel Core i7-6800K processor, 16GB RAM, a Radeon RX 5700 or GeForce GTX 970 GPU, 50GB of disk space, and at least a 10 Mbps internet connection. Recommended specs list an AMD Ryzen 7 2700X or Intel Core i7-10700K, 32GB RAM, Radeon RX 5700 XT or GeForce RTX 2080, still 50GB of storage, and a 50 Mbps or faster internet connection. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl comes out November 20th while MSFS 2024 comes out a day earlier on November 19th. Nvidia’s 566.14 drivers also mark the end of the road for GeForce Experience and the Nvidia Control Panel, at least in terms of updates and bug fixes. The Nvidia App has reached the full release milestone (version 11.0.1 technically) and now takes over from GFE and NCP. What about AMD and Intel drivers for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and Flight Simulator 2024? They’re not available yet, though we suspect there’s a good chance both will push out updates before next week. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #S.T.A.L.K.E.R #Heart #Chornobyl #MSFS #arrive #week #system #requirements #driver #details Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Judge Blocks Louisiana Law Mandating 10 Commandments in Schools Judge Blocks Louisiana Law Mandating 10 Commandments in Schools A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Louisiana law that would have required every public school classroom to display the Ten Commandments. U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles of Baton Rouge ruled Tuesday that the law is “unconstitutional on its face” and violates the free exercise and establishment clauses of the First Amendment. A coalition of parents supported by The ********* Civil Liberties Union, the ********* Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, Americans ******* for Separation of ******* and State, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit to block the requirement that was signed into law in June. As CBN News reported, the law required every Louisiana classroom from kindergarten to the university level, which receives state funding, to display the commandments “on a poster or framed document that is at least eleven inches by fourteen inches” by Jan.1. Each poster was required to be paired with the four-paragraph “context statement” describing how the Ten Commandments “were a prominent part of ********* public education for almost three centuries.” Litigation began quickly with the ********* Civil Liberties Union vowing to challenge the law as soon as it was signed. “Our public schools are not Sunday schools…and students of all faiths — or no ****** — should feel welcome in them,” reads a statement released by the group. Supporters of the law said the measure is not solely religious, but that it has historical significance to the foundation of U.S. law. They added that the commandments displays were going to be paid for by private donations so the state wasn’t going to fund them. deGravelles, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, granted a preliminary injunction while a lawsuit proceeds. This means the state is not allowed to plan to promote or create rules surrounding the law. He also ordered state Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office to “provide notice to all schools that the Act has been found unconstitutional.” At a news conference after the hearing, Murrill pushed back at the ruling saying the posters are constitutional. “This law, I believe, is constitutional, and we’ve illustrated it in numerous ways that the law is constitutional. We’ve shown that in our briefs by creating a number of posters,” Murrill said. “Again, you don’t have to like the posters. The point is you can make posters that comply with the Constitution.” Murrill is expected to appeal the ruling. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1980 that a Kentucky law requiring all public schools to post the Ten Commandments in each classroom was unconstitutional. In Stone v. Graham, the justices ruled 5-4 that the law violated the First Amendment’s establishment clause and was “plainly religious in nature.” ***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly ********** perspective.*** Source link #Judge #Blocks #Louisiana #Law #Mandating #Commandments #Schools Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

***** Launches A New Classics Merch Collection At Amazon ***** Launches A New Classics Merch Collection At Amazon ***** has just launched a gigantic apparel collection on Amazon, featuring iconic games like Streets of Rage and Golden Axe. The merch drop follows hot on the heels of ***** announcing dozens of its games will be delisted in December–fueling speculation that some sort of collection is in production. For now, however, you can enjoy T-shirts, hoodies, crew necks, tank tops, and long sleeves of your favorites, most of which are available in various styles, sizes, and colors. One of our favorite designs in the ***** Classics Collection is for Jet Set Radio, as it features the game’s stylized graphics and is available in over 16 colors. Available as a T-Shirt for $20, hoodie for $40, or baseball tee for $29, it should make a nice addition to any retro gamer’s wardrobe. Streets of Rage T-Shirt, Jet Set Radio T-Shirt, Golden Axe Hoodie Gallery If you’re a fan of the side-scrolling Golden Axe, there’s plenty of merch to peruse. The simple Golden Axe ****** Adder Pullover Hoodie is a solid choice, featuring little more than a stylized logo on the front. It’s available in six colors, though standard ****** looks best with its golden font. Oddly enough, Sonic is missing from the collection, but Hedgehog aside, this is a well-rounded collection. You’ll find gear for Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Altered ******, ChuChu Rocket, Alex Kidd, and House of the *****. Check a few more picks below, or head over to Amazon to see the full ***** Classics apparel line. Best of the ***** Classics Collection Source link #***** #Launches #Classics #Merch #Collection #Amazon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]