Pelican Press

*****.io Now Requires Creators To Disclose AI-Generated Content *****.io Now Requires Creators To Disclose AI-Generated Content Creators and consumers are tangling with the use of generative AI in everything from games to TV-show opening sequences, and the sentiment on AI seems to be shifting. To help consumers make decisions about which games to buy, game storefront *****.io now requires all creators to disclose the use of generative AI in games, *****.io founder Leaf Corcoran announced in a forum post to the site. The text of the post itself is fairly straightforward, directed primarily at the creators who will have to disclose this information. *****.io’s generative-AI disclosure “We’ve deployed a new field to project edit pages called ‘Generative AI disclosure.’ This field asks if your project contains the results of generative AI. If you select yes, then we also ask what kinds of generative AI you utilize, including Graphics, Sound, Text & Dialog, and Code,” Corcoran wrote. Selecting Yes will give your project an “AI Generated” tag, while selecting No will give it a “No AI” tag. Importantly, though, Corcoran notes that “Assets comprised of generative AI (even if modified afterwards) that are not tagged will no longer be eligible for indexing on [*****.io’s] browse pages.” The project won’t be removed, but will not show up when browsing, and must be discovered through search or a direct link. Corcoran is careful not to make a moral judgment of the use of AI, and *****.io’s Content Creator Quality Guidelines state that “we are strictly enforcing disclosure for all game asset pages due to legal ambiguity around rights associated with Generative AI content.” As ***** takes this measure, many game developers and publishers are moving to clarify their stances on the technology, including Remedy, Microsoft, Netflix, and others. Source link #*****.io #Requires #Creators #Disclose #AIGenerated #Content Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bing Wallpaper app arrives on Microsoft Store in Windows 11, and it’s free – but there could be hidden costs here Bing Wallpaper app arrives on Microsoft Store in Windows 11, and it’s free – but there could be hidden costs here Bing Wallpaper app has just arrived on the Microsoft Store The VP of Bing noted that it’s free, unlike some rival wallpaper apps Digging into the app suggests it stealthily gets up to all manner of ****** tricks Microsoft has made its Bing Wallpaper app available on the Microsoft Store for Windows 11 users, but has seemingly opened up a can of controversy when doing so. Windows Latest spotted the release of the app on the Microsoft Store, and in some ways, it’s rather odd that we didn’t see the software arrive here before now, considering Bing Wallpaper has been around since 2020 (as a download direct from the Microsoft website). The release was announced by Michael Schechter, VP of Bing at Microsoft, who included a swipe at other wallpaper apps which charge for their services, pointing out that Bing Wallpaper is free. The Bing Wallpaper app is now in the Microsoft Store, and it does not cost $50 per year [Hidden Content] 18, 2024 If you’re not familiar with the application, it’s a simple enough affair that automatically sets your Windows wallpaper to the daily Bing image (and some of these pics are really impressive, and provided in 4K too). While the app is certainly free, there’s an apparent hidden cost, as some people have pointed out on X and other online forums. Windows Latest highlights a complaint from Rafael Rivera, a developer and Microsoft MVP, who observes that the wallpaper app also installs “Bing Visual Search and has code to peruse and decrypt your Edge and Chrome cookies.” Rivera then adds that applies to Firefox cookies, as well, before providing a list of extensions for IT admins to block in order to curtail said activity. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. Rivera also provides an example of one of the ****** tricks the Bing Wallpaper app can get up to, and as you can see in the post from X below, it pushes the Microsoft Bing Search extension for Chrome, for those using Google’s browser. It does this by opening a new tab advertising that extension when you start up Chrome. Windows Latest also discovered that there’s a ‘BGAUpsell’ process run in the background – BGA stands for ‘Bing Growth Apps’ as Rivera points out on X – and this shows a screen asking users to switch to the Bing search engine in Chrome. Here’s an example of one of MANY ****** tricks Bing Wallpaper employs.After some time passes, and you close your non-Edge default browser, Bing Wallpaper fiddles with it and open this tab on start. pic.twitter.com/nnuzYCRgVbNovember 19, 2024 (Image credit: Shutterstock) Analysis: Big thumbs-down to the Bing Upsell While we can’t confirm the info shared here, it’s clearly worrying, and both Rivera and Windows Latest appear to have dug up some concrete details. There’s no response from Microsoft or the Bing team on X to these revelations, and frankly, it seems like the Bing Wallpaper app is best avoided by those who are worried about privacy – and not getting hassled to use Microsoft’s products – on their PC. As another post on X makes clear in the above thread from Rivera, there’s not really a need to install the wallpaper app anyway, considering that Windows Spotlight deliver the same functionality. (Turn it on in Settings > Personalization > Background > Personalize your background > Windows Spotlight). Okay, so we’re not sure if this is identical to the Bing Wallpaper app, but if not, the built-in option here sounds close enough. We’d install Bing Wallpaper to try it out and check, but frankly – we don’t want to, reading all this. Other reports on Reddit indicate that the app wasn’t always like this, but was recently changed. A Redditor notes: “It [Bing Wallpaper app] used to be great and never gave popups for Bing, but over the past few months it has become a bit aggressive with recommending Bing and since it is the only Microsoft app I have that I installed on my own, that is the only possible culprit.” Again, take that assertion with some ******** seasoning – and the rest of this – but there’s some consistency around the chatter here, and we’re definitely not liking the themes being raised around this app. You may also like… Source link #Bing #Wallpaper #app #arrives #Microsoft #Store #Windows #free #hidden #costs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trudeau set to announce temporary GST break on some essentials: NDP – National Trudeau set to announce temporary GST break on some essentials: NDP – National By Nojoud Al Mallees The ********* Press Posted November 21, 2024 7:33 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce on Thursday a temporary GST break for certain essential items to help ease affordability pressures. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says in a statement that the announcement is in response to his party’s demands to permanently lift the goods and services tax on a range of expenses. “It’s far from the substantial and permanent relief the NDP wants to give Canadians. As usual, the Liberals are letting people down with their choice to make this a short-term tax holiday, on only some items,” Singh said. 1:46 Canada’s inflation rate rose to 2 per cent in October Last week, Singh promised an NDP government would remove GST from home heating, grocery-store meals, internet and mobile bills, diapers and children’s clothing. Trending Now Human error caused gorilla ****** at Calgary Zoo: officials Susan Smith denied parole 30 years after drowning her 2 children Story continues below advertisement The Globe and Mail has reported that the prime minister is set to announce a multibillion-dollar package of affordability measures, including the GST break. Get weekly money news Get expert insights, Q&A on markets, housing, inflation, and personal finance information delivered to you every Saturday. Trudeau is scheduled to make an announcement alongside Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday morning in Toronto. Singh says in the statement that New Democrats will vote in favour of the measure to help give Canadians immediate relief. That suggests the NDP may help the government break the gridlock in Parliament that has stopped legislation from moving along. The expected announcement comes as the Liberals continue to struggle in public opinion polls and face mounting pressure to address Canadians’ affordability concerns. More on Canada More videos &copy 2024 The ********* Press Source link #Trudeau #set #announce #temporary #GST #break #essentials #NDP #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

EU aid worth €700,000 to support 632 dismissed workers in Belgium | News EU aid worth €700,000 to support 632 dismissed workers in Belgium | News On Thursday, the Committee on Budgets approved Belgium’s request for €704,135 in EU aid through the ********* Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF). The aid will support 632 former workers from machinery and paper enterprises Purmo and Sappi in the Flemish province of Limburg. MEPs noted that the profiles of the displaced workers, one third of which are aged 55 years or more and 30 % are with low education, translate into severe barriers on the labour market. Both Sappi Lanaken and Purmo Group had to lay off employees due to declining demand for their products and economic challenges. Sappi Lanaken closed its plant because digitalization reduced the need for woodfree coated paper and shifting production was too costly, while Purmo Group’s Zonhoven plant ceased production due to a 60% drop in panel radiator demand, higher operational costs, and unfavourable market conditions influenced by the war in Ukraine and EU legislation favouring alternative heating systems. The EGF funding will help pay for counselling and vocational orientation, job search assistance, as well as skills training in vocational, digital and language skills. The total estimated cost of these measures is €1.2 million, with 60% (€700,000) covered by the EGF and the remaining 40% (€500,000) financed by the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service (VDAB). Next steps The draft report by rapporteur Matjaž Nemec (S&D, Slovenia) recommending that Parliament approve the aid was approved by 29 votes, 1 against and no abstentions. Approval by plenary is expected during the upcoming 16-19 December plenary session in Strasbourg. Background Under the EGF regulation 2021-2027, the Fund supports displaced workers and self-employed people who have lost their activity due to unexpected major restructuring events. Since 2007, the EGF has allocated €696 million in 180 cases, providing help to more than 169,000 people in 20 Member States. EGF-supported measures complement national active labour market measures. Source link #aid #worth #support #dismissed #workers #Belgium #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AFL Draft: Pile on! Epic draft reactions for new Fremantle Docker Jaren Carr & new West Coast Eagle Tom ****** AFL Draft: Pile on! Epic draft reactions for new Fremantle Docker Jaren Carr & new West Coast Eagle Tom ****** A pair of new WA-based AFL players sparked two of the best celebration videos of the draft, with friends and family of Dockers father-son pick Jaren Carr and Eagles recruit Tom ****** reacting to the news in style. Fremantle released footage of Carr – the son of former Freo favourite Matthew – walking in to see his mates, before getting swamped and tackled to the ground in epic scenes. WATCH THE FOOTAGE IN THE PLAYER ABOVE One friend is heard yelling “Protect him! We can’t let him get injured” as laughter rings out. Carr could become the first-ever son of an ex-Docker to wear the purple in an AFL game, should he win a race with Shai Bolton – son of Darren – to earn AFL selection next year. The big celebration followed similar scenes in Victoria as Eagles draftee Tom ****** heard his name called out with Pick 46. If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your Cookie Settings. To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. The Eagles brought in four new faces on the second night of the draft, with ****** joining Jobe Shanahan, Lucca Grego and Hamish Davis. Bo Allan joined the club on night one with Pick 16. Carr followed Charlie Nicholls as Freo recruits to complement first-rounder Murphy Reid. Source link #AFL #Draft #Pile #Epic #draft #reactions #Fremantle #Docker #Jaren #Carr #West #Coast #Eagle #Tom #****** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fortnite’s Nike and Jordan Kicks Update Goes Live Today With a Free Emote Fortnite’s Nike and Jordan Kicks Update Goes Live Today With a Free Emote · · November 21, 2024 Fortnite’s highly anticipated cosmetics update, v32.11, is set to arrive today; the Nike and Jordan Kicks will go live on November 21. Fortnite Kick Drops Explained Fortnite will be releasing their Nike and Jordan cosmetics in two phases, Kick Drops 1 and Kick Drops 2. Kicks Drop 1 will feature Nike Kicks and will be in the shop from November 21 to 26. Kicks Drop 2 will feature Air Jordan Kicks and will be in the shop from November 22 to 26. Additionally, players that own the Remix Pass can grab the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG ‘****** Toe Reimagined’. Check out the list below to see which Kicks will be included in each drop and their prices in the Fortnite Item Shop. Kicks Drop 1 (Nike) Nike Cortez Leather OG – 800 V-Bucks Nike Air Foamposite One ‘Galaxy’ – 1,000 V-Bucks Nike Shox R4 ‘Comet Red’ – 1,000 V-Bucks Chomp Stompers (Fortnite Originals) – 600 V-Bucks Kicks Drop 2 (Air Jordan) Air Jordan 3 Retro ‘Palomino’ – 800 V-Bucks Air Jordan 3 ‘****** Cement-Gray’ – 1,000 V-Bucks Air Jordan 11 ‘******/Gym Red’ – 1,000 V-Bucks Air Jordan 4 Retro ‘Manila’ – 1,000 V-Bucks Free Fortnite Kicks Emote Fortnite is releasing a free Kicks emote for players to enjoy celebrating the arrival of the new footwear cosmetics. The emote is ‘Show ‘Em Off’ Emote, making your character flaunt your new Kicks cosmetics. Players can claim this emote for 0 V-Bucks in the shop between November 21 at 7 PM ET and December 1 at 7 PM ET. Compatibility The new Fortnite Nike and Jordan Kicks Cosmetics will be compatible with over 500 existing skins at launch. Players can expect compatibility for 95% of the skins in the game by Spring 2025. These kicks will not provide players with a competitive advantage and can’t be accessed in the other game modes such as LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing, Save the World, with Player Reference or Dance Mannequin Devices in Creative or UEFN, nor in LEGO or Fall Guys Creator Islands. All the information revealed today matches the information leaked a few days ago, including the list of shoes arriving and the compatibility details. In other news, Fortnite’s First-Person mode is arriving on December 11. Also, the OG Map will return permanently next month. Will you be grabbing Fortnite’s new Nike and Jordan Kicks? Let us know in the comments or our new community forum! For more information from Insider Gaming, read about the ‘Chill Guy’ meme being copyrighted by the creator. 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 #Fortnites #Nike #Jordan #Kicks #Update #Live #Today #Free #Emote Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia CEO talks up AI post-training, test learning and gigawatts Nvidia CEO talks up AI post-training, test learning and gigawatts Nvidia has continued to see record growth in its datacentre business, driven by the acceleration of artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. The company reported quarterly revenue of $35.1bn, up 17% from Q2 and up 94% from a year ago. Its datacentre business, which provides graphics processing units (GPUs) for AI servers, contributed $30.8bn during the quarter, representing the bulk of the company’s revenue. “The age of AI is in full steam, propelling a global shift to Nvidia computing,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia. Discussing the company and next-generation chips, he added: “Demand for Hopper and anticipation for Blackwell – in full production – are incredible as foundation model makers scale pre-training, post-training and inference. “AI is transforming every industry, company and country,” said Huang. “Enterprises are adopting agentic AI to revolutionise workflows. Industrial robotics investments are surging with breakthroughs in physical AI, and countries have awakened to the importance of developing their national AI and infrastructure.” According to a transcript of the earnings call posted on Seeking Alpha, chief financial officer Colette Kress said sales of Nvidia H200 GPUs increased significantly to “double-digit billions”. She described this as “the fastest product ramp in our company’s history”, adding that cloud service providers accounted for approximately half of Nvidia’s datacentre sales. During the earnings call, Huang discussed methods to improve the accuracy and scaling of large language models. “AI foundation model pre-training scaling is intact and it’s continuing,” he said. “As you know, this is an empirical law, not a fundamental physical law, but the evidence is that it continues to scale.” Huang said that post-training scaling, which began with reinforcement learning human feedback, is now using AI feedback and synthetic generated data. Another approach is test time scaling. “The longer it thinks, the better and higher-quality answer it produces, and it considers approaches like chain of thought and multi-path planning and all kinds of techniques necessary to reflect, and so on and so forth,” he said. “It’s a little bit like us doing the thinking in our head before we answer a question.” Huang said increasing the performance of GPUs reduces the cost of training and AI inferencing. “We’re reducing the cost of AI so that it can be much more accessible,” he added. Looking at factors that could curb the company’s phenomenal growth trajectory, Huang said: “Most datacentres are now a hundred megawatts to several hundred megawatts, and we’re planning on gigawatt datacentres. “It doesn’t really matter how large the datacentres are, the power is limited,” he said, adding that what matters to Nvidia datacentre customers is how they can deliver the highest performance per watt, which translates directly into the highest revenues. Source link #Nvidia #CEO #talks #posttraining #test #learning #gigawatts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alabama set to carry out nation’s third nitrogen gas **********; Carey Grayson was one of 4 teens who ******* hitchhiker in 1994 Alabama set to carry out nation’s third nitrogen gas **********; Carey Grayson was one of 4 teens who ******* hitchhiker in 1994 An Alabama prisoner convicted of the 1994 ******* of a female hitchhiker is slated to become the third person ********* in the U.S., and Alabama, by nitrogen gas on Thursday. Carey Dale Grayson, 50, was one of four teenagers convicted of ******** Vickie Deblieux, 37, who was hitchhiking through Alabama on her way to her mother’s home in Louisiana. He is scheduled to be ********* Thursday evening at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in south Alabama. This undated photo provided by the Alabama Department of Corrections shows Carey Dale Grayson. Alabama Department of Corrections Alabama this year began using nitrogen gas to carry out some ****** sentences, the first use of a new ********** method in the ******* States since lethal injection was introduced in 1982. The method involves placing a respirator gas mask over the person’s face to replace breathable air with pure nitrogen gas, causing ****** by lack of oxygen. Alabama maintains the method is constitutional. But critics – citing how the first two people ********* shook for several minutes – say the method needs more scrutiny, particularly if other states follow Alabama’s path and adopt the new ********** method. Deblieux’s mutilated body was found at the bottom of a bluff near Odenville, Alabama, on Feb. 26, 1994. Prosecutors said Deblieux was hitchhiking from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to her mother’s home in West Monroe, Louisiana, when four teens offered her a ride. Prosecutors said the teens took her to a wooded area and attacked and beat her. They threw her off a cliff and later returned to mutilate her body. A medical examiner testified that Deblieux’s face was so fractured that she was identified by an earlier X-ray of her spine. Her fingers had also been severed. Investigators said the four teens were identified as suspects after one of them showed a friend a severed finger and boasted about the ********. Grayson is the only one of the four facing a ****** sentence since the other teens were under 18 at the time of the ********. Grayson was 19. Two of the teens were initially sentenced to ****** but had those sentences set aside when the U.S. Supreme Court banned the ********** of offenders who were younger than 18 at the time of their *******. Another teen involved in Deblieux’s ******** was sentenced to life in prison. Grayson’s final appeals focused on the call for more scrutiny of the new ********** method. They argued that the person experiences “conscious suffocation” and that the first two nitrogen executions did not result in swift unconsciousness and ****** as the state promised. Attorneys for Grayson asked the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the ********** to give time to weigh the constitutionality of the method. “Given this is the first new ********** method used in the ******* States since lethal injection was first used in 1982, it is appropriate for this Court to reach the issues surrounding this novel method,” Grayson’s attorneys wrote. Lawyers for the Alabama attorney general’s office asked justices to let the ********** go forward, saying a lower court found Grayson’s claims speculative. The state lawyers wrote that Alabama’s “nitrogen hypoxia protocol has been successfully used twice, and both times it resulted in a ****** within a matter of minutes.” Kenny Smith was the first person to **** by nitrogen hypoxia earlier this year, drawing international outcry. Alan Eugene Miller was the second. He was ********* by nitrogen hypoxia last month. Alabama had been accused of botching an ********** attempt using lethal injection, the default method of putting inmates to ******. Source link #Alabama #set #carry #nations #nitrogen #gas #********** #Carey #Grayson #teens #******* #hitchhiker Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

EPPD identifies man ***** after East EP ********* EPPD identifies man ***** after East EP ********* EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The El Paso Police Department (EPPD) has identified the man who ***** after a ********* that happened early Sunday morning, Nov. 17 in East El Paso. EPPD said Jerome Douglas Harper, 26, was identified as the man ***** after a ********* that took place just after 4 a.m. on Nov. 17 at 6800 Bellrose. That is located near Airway and Viscount. 1 person ***** after ********* in East El Paso According to police, when officers responded to the scene and located Harper, he had ***** from an apparent gunshot wound. The ******* Against Persons Unit has taken over the investigation and is actively working to gather more information, according to police. EPPD is urging anyone with information regarding the ********* to come forward. You can contact ******* Against Persons at (915) 212-4020 or those wishing to remain anonymous, can call ****** Stoppers of El Paso at (915) 566-8477. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. Source link #EPPD #identifies #man #***** #East #********* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

CD Projekt ‘has no plans’ for a Cyberpunk PS5 Pro patch CD Projekt ‘has no plans’ for a Cyberpunk PS5 Pro patch CD Projekt has said that it has no plans to update Cyberpunk 2077 for PlayStation 5 Pro. When asked by a fan if the company plans to patch its 2020 RPG for Sony‘s newest console, the official Cyberpunk 2077 account responded: “We currently have no plans for PS5 Pro patch.” When Cyberpunk 2077 was released on console in 2020, it famously suffered significant performance issues, leading Sony to offer full refunds for the game. The game would later be released for PlayStation 5, with PS4 owners receiving the upgrade for free. We currently have no plans for PS5 Pro patch — Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) November 20, 2024 Sony’s PlayStation 5 Pro was released earlier this month for $700/£800. Over 50 games subsequently received updates with graphical upgrades and other performance improvements. However, following the release of the console, it’s been reported that Silent Hill 2 and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor both suffered performance issues when played on Sony’s new machine. A sequel to Cyberpunk 2077 is currently in development. Development of the Cyberpunk 2077 sequel, which is codenamed Project Orion, is being headed by CD Projekt Red’s new North ********* arm, which has studios in Boston and Vancouver. The studio has said the game’s development outside of Europe means Cyberpunk 2 will be more authentically *********. Production on the The Witcher 4, which is codenamed Polaris, is scheduled to begin soon. Source link #Projekt #plans #Cyberpunk #PS5 #Pro #patch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

RWE bets on HPE Private Cloud AI for green energy push RWE bets on HPE Private Cloud AI for green energy push Renewable energy supplier RWE is tapping into HPE’s private cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies so it can use weather data more efficiently to predict changes in energy supply and demand. ******* multi-national RWE is a major developer of renewable energy in the ***, operating a mix of wind, hydro and biomass generation sites around the country that it claims are capable of powering around 12 million homes. The company will deploy the HPE Private Cloud AI infrastructure, which is a scalable, pre-tested stack equipped with Nvidia’s AI compute capabilities, to bolster its ability to analyse and model weather data. It also features HPE GreenLake cloud capabilities to help the RWE team manage and observe the infrastructure with ease, automate processes, and orchestrate endpoints, workloads and data, including sustainability metrics, said HPE. The setup is an on-premise offering that HPE said will allow RWE’s researchers to quickly scale in line with their compute demands across the different geographies the company operates in. “As a leading provider of renewable energy, RWE is at the forefront of balancing the increasing power demands of the modern world with the societal challenge of protecting the climate,” said Simon Tarplee, head of commercial AI at RWE Supply and Trading. “We see AI as a key enabler that allows us to optimise our processes and create new, sustainable solutions, and set the ambitious goal to have a production training capable solution in place by the end of 2024.” Tarplee continued: “With HPE Private Cloud AI, we will have a turnkey solution that helps us to improve our forecast accuracy and optimise energy resource management globally.” News of the deployment comes more than three years after RWE went public with its Growing Green investment and growth programme, which has seen the firm commit to investing €55bn worldwide in wind, solar, hydrogen, flexible energy and storage projects. The programme is geared towards helping accelerate the energy transition and decarbonisation efforts in the main countries the company operates, which include Germany, the US and the ***. The company has also set itself a target of becoming a net-zero entity by 2040 with the help of AI, with RWE describing “weather modelling” as being a top priority in this process. “The ability to fine-tune and inference AI-driven weather models will be a key enabler to unlock higher efficiencies for RWE’s renewable energy portfolio and will give them a significant competitive advantage in the market,” said Fidelma Russo, HPE chief technology officer, and executive vice-president and general manager for hybrid cloud. “HPE Private Cloud AI is a unique turnkey solution that enables RWE’s researchers to reach the market quicker and handle massive datasets.” Source link #RWE #bets #HPE #Private #Cloud #green #energy #push Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trudeau set to announce temporary GST break on some essentials: NDP – National Trudeau set to announce temporary GST break on some essentials: NDP – National By Nojoud Al Mallees The ********* Press Posted November 21, 2024 7:33 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce on Thursday a temporary GST break for certain essential items to help ease affordability pressures. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says in a statement that the announcement is in response to his party’s demands to permanently lift the goods and services tax on a range of expenses. “It’s far from the substantial and permanent relief the NDP wants to give Canadians. As usual, the Liberals are letting people down with their choice to make this a short-term tax holiday, on only some items,” Singh said. 1:46 Canada’s inflation rate rose to 2 per cent in October Last week, Singh promised an NDP government would remove GST from home heating, grocery-store meals, internet and mobile bills, diapers and children’s clothing. Trending Now Human error caused gorilla ****** at Calgary Zoo: officials Susan Smith denied parole 30 years after drowning her 2 children Story continues below advertisement The Globe and Mail has reported that the prime minister is set to announce a multibillion-dollar package of affordability measures, including the GST break. Get weekly money news Get expert insights, Q&A on markets, housing, inflation, and personal finance information delivered to you every Saturday. Trudeau is scheduled to make an announcement alongside Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday morning in Toronto. Singh says in the statement that New Democrats will vote in favour of the measure to help give Canadians immediate relief. That suggests the NDP may help the government break the gridlock in Parliament that has stopped legislation from moving along. The expected announcement comes as the Liberals continue to struggle in public opinion polls and face mounting pressure to address Canadians’ affordability concerns. More on Canada More videos &copy 2024 The ********* Press Source link #Trudeau #set #announce #temporary #GST #break #essentials #NDP #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How one of India’s biggest empires descended into chaos How one of India’s biggest empires descended into chaos Hindenburg Research website displayed on a laptop screen and Adani logo displayed on a phone screen are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on February 2, 2023. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Gautam Adani, the billionaire chairman of India’s Adani Group, was indicted on Wednesday along with seven others in New York federal court for his involvement in a large-scale bribery and ****** scheme. Following the news, the conglomerate saw shares of its companies nosedive. Adani Enterprises is one of the country’s top three conglomerates. It has businesses in many sectors, including ports, airports, renewables and cement. The latest development comes after the conglomerate spent most of 2023 attempting to move beyond allegations of accounting ****** and stock market manipulation made by short seller Hindenburg Research. Here’s a timeline of Adani headlines in the past year, tracking a series of allegations and counter-allegations since the publication of Hindenburg’s report, up until his indictment. January 2023 At the start of last year, Hindenburg announced its short position in Adani Group, accusing Adani of engaging in “brazen” stock manipulation and accounting ******, calling it the “largest **** in corporate history.” Adani-affiliated stocks saw a sharp sell-off after the report was released, and Adani’s net worth plunged by $6 billion overnight. The conglomerate rebutted Hindenburg’s accusations of embezzlement and ****** with a 413-page response, calling the latter’s report a “malicious combination of selective misinformation,” adding that it has “always been in compliance with all laws.” Around that time, Adani Enterprises kicked off a 200 billion rupee ($2.45 billion) secondary share ***** which was fully subscribed in spite of the short-seller storm. March 2023 to May 2023 In March, India’s Supreme Court sets up an independent six-member panel to investigate the allegations made in the Hindenburg report. Then in May, the court-appointed panel said it has “drawn a blank” in its probe into Adani group, according to Reuters. December 2023 to January 2024 By the end of 2023, Adani Enterprise shares had recovered from the fallout and concluded the year with smaller declines of 26%. India’s top court in January announced that the Adani Group will not be subject to additional investigations beyond the scrutiny by the market regulator, providing significant relief to the conglomerate. At the time, Adani took to X, expressing his gratitude for those who have “stood by” the group. “Truth has prevailed,” he wrote, adding that “our humble contribution to India’s growth story will continue.” Adani subsequently catapulted to become the richest person in Asia again, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index in January. August 2024 Hindenburg released a new report accusing the chair of India’s capital markets regulator of having conflicts of interest that prevented an in-depth probe of ****** allegations. The report claimed that both SEBI chair Madhabi Puri Buch and her husband had previously held offshore funds that were also used by the Adani Group. Both denied the accusations, saying the report’s claims were baseless. November 2024 Adani was indicted along with seven others in New York federal court, accused of paying over $250 million in bribes to Indian government officials to secure solar energy contracts that could generate over $2 billion in profits. The 62-year self-made Indian billionaire expanded his empire through deals and the backing of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to Forbes. Modi has been accused by opposition leader Rahul Gandhi for assisting the Adani Group in securing contracts in Sri Lanka, India and Australia. Adani now stands in 18th place on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Source link #Indias #biggest #empires #descended #chaos Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Elon Musk Named “Department of Diablo Efficiency” After Clearing Diablo 4’s Hardest Endgame Activity in Less than 2 Minutes Elon Musk Named “Department of Diablo Efficiency” After Clearing Diablo 4’s Hardest Endgame Activity in Less than 2 Minutes Elon Musk is a name often synonymous with groundbreaking achievements in technology, space exploration, and electric vehicles. But it looks like he has added another feat to his collection, this time in the world of gaming. For those who don’t know, Musk has been a very active part of the Diablo 4 community. He has shared various videos of himself playing the game and showcasing his skills. Musk recently showcased his latest feat in the game with a video. | Image Credit: Blizzard Entertainment Recently, Musk showcased a jaw-dropping speedrun video where he completed Diablo 4‘s hardest endgame activity, the Level 150 Artificer Pit, in less than two minutes. After seeing the video of the speedrun, players have been left in shock and somewhat astonished by this accomplishment, giving Musk various names. Elon Musk Stuns the Diablo 4 Community with His Latest Speedrun Feat Players were left in shock after seeing the speedrun video. | Image Credit: Blizzard Entertainment Elon Musk has once again left the Diablo 4 community surprised, this time with an extraordinary speedrun of the game’s toughest endgame challenge: the Level 150 Artificer Pit. Musk’s video showcased a level of efficiency and precision that would be impressive even by the highest competitive gaming standards. For context, the Artificer Pit is the hardest and most grueling activity in Diablo 4 Season 6. The mode features swarms of enemies, complex mechanics, and a punishing difficulty curve. Most casual players would be happy to clear it in less than 5-6 minutes or more, but Musk’s two-minute completion is a rare feat that only some can ********. Even though this feat was possible due to a new elixir bug that boosts HP and in turn, damages of few characters, it is still a very impressive feat and shows his activeness in the community. After Musk shared the video of his feat on X, players are flooding the comments with disbelief and admiration. They are happy to see him dedicate so much time and even give him a new title. So many life lessons to be learned from speedrunning video games on max difficulty. Teaches you to see the matrix, rather than simply exist in the matrix. Diablo Tier 150 finished in under 2 mins. (That’s what she said) pic.twitter.com/KYvKm2vIy5 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 20, 2024 Department Of Diablo Efficiency. — Share Bear (@ShareBear1776) November 20, 2024 *****! That new Elixir trick is insane. Maybe even Druid or Barb Overpower Builds can do 150 now — Rob2628 (@Rob_2628) November 20, 2024 this looks like 1:57, meaning you are top 1 in the world now? congrats bro — imba (@schizoidautist) November 20, 2024 The general consensus after seeing the video is that Musk is not just a tech mogul, he’s a powerhouse gamer as well, earning himself a new title in the process. It’s clear that Musk’s approach to gaming is as meticulous and efficient as his ventures in the real world. Musk’s Impact on the Gaming Community Musk has been an active part of the community and always keeps up with the meta. | Image Credit: Blizzard Entertainment Musk’s involvement in the Diablo 4 community is more than just a celebrity moment. His success shows the appeal of the game’s challenging endgame content, and his willingness to ***** deep into the game. He is showing that even those at the top of their fields can find satisfaction in other pursuits. While some may think this is a one-time occurrence, Musk has proven that he consistently keeps up with the game. In a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience, Musk casually revealed that he ranks among the top 20 players in the world for the game. Fans even checked the leaderboard, confirming that it was indeed a remarkable achievement. For Musk, gaming appears to be more than just a pastime. It seems that he applies the same dedication, efficiency, and strategic thinking that has made him a successful name in tech and business. His speedrun of the hardest dungeon should serve as proof that his competitiveness goes beyond industries. In the end, as Musk continues to excel in the virtual world of Diablo, he is showing that there’s always some room left to prove your mettle in new and unexpected arenas. Source link #Elon #Musk #Named #Department #Diablo #Efficiency #Clearing #Diablo #Hardest #Endgame #Activity #Minutes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Goldman says this pharma stock can rally nearly 70% Goldman says this pharma stock can rally nearly 70% Goldman Sachs sees big gains ahead for Merus on the back of the company’s ******* treatment. The firm initiated coverage of the ******* therapeutics stock with a buy rating on Wednesday, alongside a $73 per share price target. Goldman’s forecast implies 68% upside from Wednesday’s close. Goldman Sachs analyst Richard Law highlighted the company’s estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR) petosemtamab antibody, which is intended for treating recurring and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Law said the antibody has already shown promising results and can be a key growth driver for the stock moving forward. MRUS YTD mountain Merus stock. “We believe peto has a reasonable chance of demonstrating best-in-class efficacy/safety profile,” Law said. “While some ADCs [antibody-***** conjugates] and multikinase inhibitors appear to have encouraging efficacy, they also have higher toxicities.” Merus stock has advanced more than 56% already in 2024. Law added that the antibody’s treatment could equate to a total addressable market of roughly 56,000 annually, which could grow depending on the results of forthcoming Phase 2 test results. Source link #Goldman #pharma #stock #rally Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

London Liverpool Street ******** busiest railway station in *** London Liverpool Street ******** busiest railway station in *** London Liverpool Street has retained its title of Britain’s busiest railway station as passenger numbers soared over the past year, new figures show. The estimated number of people entering and exiting the station from March 2023/24 was 94.5 million, said the Office of Rail and Road. This is 17.5% higher than the figure last year of 80.4 million. The jump in passengers is due to increased use of the Elizabeth line. London Paddington maintained its position as second busiest station. Tottenham Court Road, which is only served by Elizabeth line trains, rose from seventh spot to third place, with 64.2 million passenger entries and exits. At the other end of the scale, Denton in Greater Manchester was the least-used railway station with 54 entries and exits over the past year. The Elizabeth line stretches from Reading, in Berkshire, and Heathrow Airport, in west London, to Abbey Wood, in south-east London, and Shenfield, in Essex. The line opened in May 2022. Source link #London #Liverpool #Street #******** #busiest #railway #station Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

FFXIV is Getting a Mobile Version by PUBG Mobile's Lightspeed FFXIV is Getting a Mobile Version by PUBG Mobile's Lightspeed FFXIV Mobile is an upcoming brand new version of your favourite MMORPG, built from the ground up for iOS and Android. Source link #FFXIV #Mobile #Version #PUBG #Mobile039s #Lightspeed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Police report details woman’s 2017 allegations against Pete Hegseth, now Trump’s pick for defense secretary Police report details woman’s 2017 allegations against Pete Hegseth, now Trump’s pick for defense secretary A woman told police she was ********* assaulted in 2017 by Pete Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to a detailed investigative report released late Wednesday. Hegseth, a Fox News personality and President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be defense secretary, told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing, the report said. News of the allegations surfaced last week when local officials released a brief statement confirming that a woman had accused Hegseth of ******* ******** in October 2017 after he had spoken at a *********** women’s event in Monterey. Pete Hegseth in an undated image. CBS News Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment early Thursday. The 22-page police report, which was obtained by Mediaite.com among other outlets, was released in response to a public records request and offers the first detailed account of what the woman alleged transpired – one that is at odds with Hegseth’s version of events. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. The woman’s name wasn’t released, and CBS News and The Associated Press don’t typically name people who say they’ve been ********* assaulted. A spokeswoman for the Trump transition said early Thursday that the “report corroborates what Mr. Hegseth’s attorneys have said all along: the incident was fully investigated and no charges were filed because police found the allegations to be false.” Police recommended the case report be forwarded to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office for review. Investigators were first alerted to the alleged ********, the report said, by a nurse who called them after a patient requested a ******* ******** exam. The patient told medical personnel she believed she was assaulted five days earlier but couldn’t remember much about what had happened. She reported something may have been slipped into her drink before ending up in the hotel room where she said the ******** occurred. Police collected the unwashed dress and underwear she had worn that night, the report said. The woman’s partner, who was staying at the hotel with her, told police that he was worried about her that night after she didn’t come back to their room. At 2 a.m., he went to the hotel bar, but she wasn’t there. She made it back a few hours later, apologizing that she “must have fallen asleep.” A few days later, she told him she had been ********* assaulted. The woman told police she had witnessed the TV anchor acting inappropriately throughout the night and saw him ********* women’s legs. She texted a friend that Hegseth was giving off a “creeper” vibe, according to the report. After the event, the woman and others attended an afterparty in a hotel suite where she said she confronted Hegseth, telling him she “did not appreciate how he treated women,” the report states. A group of people, including Hegseth and the woman, left for the hotel’s bar. That’s when “things got fuzzy,” the woman told police. She remembered having a drink at the bar with Hegseth and others, the police report states. She also told police she argued with Hegseth near the hotel pool, an account supported by a hotel staffer who was sent to handle the disturbance and spoke to police, according to the report. Soon, the accuser told police, she was inside a hotel room with Hegseth and he took her phone and blocked the door with his body so she couldn’t leave, according to the report. She also told police she remembered “saying ‘no’ a lot,” the report said. Her next memory was laying on a couch or bed with Hegseth hovering over her bare-chested, his dog tags dangling over her, the report states. Hegseth served in the National Guard, rising to the rank of major. After she said Hegseth *********** on her stomach, she recalled him asking if she was “OK,” the report states. She told police she did not recall how she got back to her own hotel room and had since suffered from nightmares and memory loss. At the time of the alleged ******** in 2017, Hegseth, now 44, was going through a divorce with his second wife, with whom he has three children. She filed for divorce after he had a child with a Fox News producer who is now his wife, according to court records and social media posts by Hegseth. His first marriage ended in 2009, also after infidelity by Hegseth, according to court records. Hegseth told police that he attended an after party and drank ***** but didn’t consume “hard alcohol” and acknowledged being “buzzed” but not ******, according to the police report. He said he met the woman at the hotel bar and she led him by the arm back to his hotel room, which surprised him because he initially had no intention of having **** with her, the report said. Hegseth told investigators the ******* encounter that followed was consensual, adding that he explicitly asked more than once if she was comfortable. Hegseth said in the morning the woman “showed early signs of regret” and he assured her that he wouldn’t tell anyone about the encounter. Hegseth’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, has told CBS News Hegseth paid a confidential financial settlement to a woman who accused him of ******* ******** out of concern the allegation would lead to his ******* from Fox News. Parlatore said Hegseth reached the settlement agreement to deter his accuser from going forward with a lawsuit, maintaining that he is innocent and the ******* encounter was consensual. Hegseth denies any wrongdoing. Parlatore declined to disclose the amount of the settlement, saying only that it was “far, far less than what she wanted.” He characterized it as “essentially an extortion and blackmail.” Fox News Media said in a statement Monday it “was not made aware of the incident or the settlement.” Trump’s transition team spoke with Parlatore after Hegseth was named as Trump’s nominee defense secretary, the attorney said. He said that he “explained this fully” to them but that he did not know what prior conversations Hegseth had with the transition team, or if they had been informed about the ******* ******** allegation and settlement agreement before the announcement of his impending nomination for defense secretary. “This should have nothing to do with the confirmation process,” he said. Trump has indicated that these revelations have not deterred him from Hegseth’s selection as defense secretary. Source link #Police #report #details #womans #allegations #Pete #Hegseth #Trumps #pick #defense #secretary Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and ****** commander ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and ****** commander BBC Judges at the International ********* Court (ICC) have issued arrest warrants for *******’s prime minister and former defence minister, as well as ******’s military commander. A statement said a pre-trial chamber had rejected *******’s challenges to the court’s jurisdiction and issued warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant. A warrant was also issued for Mohammed Deif, although the ******** military has said he was ******* in an air strike in Gaza in July. The judges found “reasonable grounds” that the three men bore “********* responsibility” for alleged war ******* and ******* against humanity during the war between ******* and ******. Both ******* and ****** have rejected the allegations. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts. Source link #ICC #issues #arrest #warrants #Netanyahu #Gallant #****** #commander Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Amazon’s got a 21-inch Echo Show Amazon’s got a 21-inch Echo Show As our homes (and lives) get smarter, the need for some sort of digital hub big enough to run things becomes more urgent. that does everything the Show 15 did, but biggererer. It gets a built-in smart home hub with Thread, Zigbee and Matter control, Wi-Fi 6E and a better camera for video calls. I bought an on a whim to use as a screen for my Ring doorbell and found it quite underwhelming. But the idea of having a 21-inch screen that could theoretically lay out to-do lists and calendar tasks on the daily is quite appealing. Having two small kids makes being able to marshal all our schedules on one device quite desirable. — Dan Cooper Get this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The best ****** Friday deals But only if you have a digital copy of the title. Microsoft Microsoft now allows you to stream select games you own to devices that support Xbox Cloud Gaming. If there’s a catch, it’s that you still need to be a Game Pass Ultimate member to only stream games you own digitally. It’s cutting its own cord. Kabletown Comcast, parent company of NBC Universal, will spin out the bulk of its cable TV empire into a new entity. . However the decision is justified, it just looks like Comcast is getting out of the cable business. After all, you probably watched more Suits on Netflix than you did when it first aired on the USA Network. Update your machine, now. Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget Apple has released a raft of security updates for Macs, iPhones, iPads, the Vision Pro and Safari. When you get the little pop-up asking you to update your machine, don’t ignore it. X is believed to have been a vector for disinformation. The *** is launching an inquiry into the role social media played during the 2024 summer riots. Its chair, Chi Onwurah MP, . Musk will likely relish the chance to speak — after all, his tweet during the *** riots was “Civil war is inevitable.” Source link #Amazons #21inch #Echo #Show Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ChatGPT-4o just got a ‘creative writing’ boost for telling more engaging stories ChatGPT-4o just got a ‘creative writing’ boost for telling more engaging stories ChatGPT-4o gets ‘creative writing’ update It can also deal better with uploaded files The update is only for ChatGPT Plus subscribers OpenAI has given ChatGPT-4o, the large language model (LLM) that’s available to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, a stealthy ‘creative writing’ upgrade. In a brief tweet on X, OpenAI described the upgrade by saying: “The model’s creative writing ability has leveled up – more natural, engaging, and tailored writing to improve relevance & readability.” OpenAI also claims that the new ChatGPT-4o works better with uploaded files, providing deeper insights and more thorough responses. ChatGPT has had the ability to upload files and analyze them for a while now, and it works particularly well for uploading data in spreadsheet form, or images, to use in your prompts. ChatGPT-4o can now rival Eminem ChatGPT has always been good at creative writing. Sprinkle in a few interesting characters and ask it to tell you a story and it can do a splendid job of spinning a yarn, which is especially useful for parents when it comes to coming up with a story for bedtime. But the new update means it’s got even better. It’s hard to quantify an update that claims to improve the quality of writing, but so far user reaction has been positive. On X, @kyleshannon tweeted “ Hey @OpenAI your @ChatGPTapp 4o “Creative Writing” upgrade today is INSANE!” Another user, Kyle, claims that the new ChatGPT-4o rivals Eminem when it comes to creating rap lyrics: “My test prompt for two years has been some version of ‘write an Eminem style cipher about quantum mechanics.’ ChatGPT has always been the best at this, but no LLM has ever captured the sophisticated internal rhyming structures like he does. Until now”. Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. If you want to read ChatGPT-4o’s Eminem-style rap about quantum mechanics, you can in this tweet: Hey @OpenAI your @ChatGPTapp 4o “Creative Writing” upgrade today is INSANE!My test prompt for two years has been some version of “write an Eminem style cipher about quantum mechanics.” ChatGPT has always been the best at this, but NO LLM has ever captured the sophisticated… pic.twitter.com/XJIlXF98jLNovember 20, 2024 ChatGPT Plus subscribers only There’s nothing you need to do or install to make use of the ‘creative writing’ update in ChatGPT-4o, it all happens behind the scenes, so just head over to Chat.com and ask it to write something. Note: The update doesn’t apply to people who are on the free tier of ChatGPT, which is restricted to the ChatGPT-4 LLM, its legacy model. You might also like… Source link #ChatGPT4o #creative #writing #boost #telling #engaging #stories Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

John Prescott, combative deputy to ***’s Blair, ***** John Prescott, combative deputy to ***’s Blair, ***** John Prescott, the pugnacious deputy prime minister to Britain’s Tony Blair during his 10 years in government, has ***** aged 86 after a battle with Alzheimer’s, his family said. Prescott, who served under Blair from 1997 to 2007, was known as a plain-speaking politician who bridged the divide between the traditional left-wing and the modernisers in the Labour Party. “There was no one quite like him in British politics,” Blair told BBC radio on Thursday. “I don’t think, to be honest, I’d ever met anyone quite like John, and I still don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite like him, and I’m very sad that he’s passed.” Dubbed an old-school political “bruiser” and a proud trade unionist, he famously punched a member of the public during an election campaign in 2001, after he had been pelted with an egg. “I was just thinking this morning about the time … when someone smashed an egg on his head and he turned around and he punched the guy and ***** him out … There were no rules that he really abided by,” Blair said. Camera IconFormer *** deputy prime minister John Prescott ***** after a battle with Alzheimer’s, his family says. (Laura Friezer/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP Prescott was born on May 31, 1938, in a seaside house in Wales. His father was a railway signalman, and his mother a maid. Aged 17, he went to sea as a steward on a luxury cruise ship where boxing bouts were organised among the crew to entertain the passengers. He went into politics after coming ashore and he attended Oxford’s Ruskin College, which offered courses for mature students. Prescott entered parliament in 1970 and worked his way through the ranks, becoming a key player in the Labour Party’s historic three-election victories from 1997 to 2007. He acted as a peace broker in the often fraught relationship between Blair and his future successor, Gordon Brown, and was later called “Two Jags” – a reference to his official Jaguar and his own vehicle – after he used his ministerial car for a 200-metre journey, which he said was needed to prevent his wife’s hair being blown about in the wind. He was lampooned by the media for his lack of oratory skills and his reputation suffered after he acknowledged a long extramarital affair with his younger diary secretary in April 2006. However, Blair described Prescott as one of the most talented people he had encountered in politics and said he had been vital in keeping the “whole show together” during Labour’s decade in power. “John Prescott became – and will remain – a legend of the Labour Party: self-educated, passionate in his beliefs, courageous in the causes he adopted, and despite an outwardly deceptive image of uncompromising toughness, he was generous believing in the good in everyone,” Brown said. Camera IconPrime Minister Tony Blair, left, turns towards the media with his Deputy John Prescott, in 2005. Credit: Alastair Grant/AP Among the tributes from current and former politicians was one from former US vice-president Al Gore who saluted Prescott’s work on negotiating the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. Prescott told the Guardian newspaper in 2018 that he considered it his greatest achievement. “I’ve never worked with anyone in politics – on my side of the pond or his – quite like John Prescott,” Gore said. Prescott is survived by his wife of 63 years, Pauline, and two sons. His family said he had ***** “surrounded by the love of his family and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery”. “John spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment, doing so from his time as a waiter on the cruise liners to becoming Britain’s longest-serving deputy prime minister,” the statement said. Source link #John #Prescott #combative #deputy #UKs #Blair #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Despicable Me Four-Movie Collection Is Discounted In Amazon’s ****** Friday ***** The Despicable Me Four-Movie Collection Is Discounted In Amazon’s ****** Friday ***** It’s officially the ****** Friday shopping season, and there are deals galore on Amazon. One such offer is a nice discount on Universal’s Despicable Me movie series, which you can pick up in a four-movie collection–and that’s all of them–that’s currently on ***** for only $33. That’s a nice discount over its usual $50 price point. The Despicable Me 4-Movie collection includes all four Despicable Me movies, including 2024’s Despicable Me 4. It spans four discs and a total of 5 hours and 52 minutes of movies. As usual, Prime members get free two-day shipping. Despicable Me 4-Movie Collection The Despicable Me series premiered in 2010, focusing on a ********* mastermind, Gru (Steve Carell), who adopts three orphans to help carry out a heist. Things get complicated when he grows to care for them. Thanks in part to the goofy Minion side characters, the first movie was a huge success and spawned three sequels. The Minions proved to be so popular they got their own film franchise. Amazon’s ****** Friday ***** is stacked with dozens of other movie deals. You’ll find a list of some of our favorite ****** Friday Blu-ray deals below, and be sure to check GameSpot’s ****** Friday hub for discounts on games, hardware, and more in the days ahead. More Movie Box Set ****** Friday Deals Source link #Despicable #FourMovie #Collection #Discounted #Amazons #****** #Friday #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Don’t Miss a Second Chance to Buy These 2024 Winners for 2025 Don’t Miss a Second Chance to Buy These 2024 Winners for 2025 Amazon and Meta Platforms stock prices are decreasing within uptrends, opening entry points for new and follow-on investments. Amazon is positioned to grow its core and AWS business, sustaining a double-digit CAGR in 2025. Analysts forecast a 35% to 45% upside from critical targets. Meta Platforms is investing in technological advancements that will help it sustain long-term growth. Until then, the company is forecast to grow by double digits in 2025, and analysts are raising their stock price targets. Amazon (NASDAQ:) and Meta (NASDAQ:) are pulling back from their Q3 2024 highs and providing a second chance for investors to load up. Up more than 30% and 55% YTD, respectively, these stocks are experiencing natural corrections within robust bull markets and providing entry points for new and follow-on investments. The caveat is that the corrections could take their shares even lower, providing a more attractive entry, but the declines are likely to be small and short-lived relative to the trend. Both have the support of analysts and solid outlooks for 2025, including double-digit growth, widening margin, and the near certainty they will outperform their consensus estimates, which will support the price action and take it to new highs over time. 1. Amazon: A Perfect Blend of Technology and Retail Amazon is a perfect play on consumers and AI. Its retail platform is supported and aided by AWS AI enhancements, including operational quality, consumer engagement, and services, not to mention its position in the AI and data center industry. It is up 35% YTD and is indicated to rise by another 35% to 45% from the critical support target. That target is near the summer highs at $200.50, a trigger point for technical traders and investors. The analyst trend in 2024 is bullish and suggests at least a 15% upside, with the consensus pegged at $235 in mid-November and the revisions trend positive. The consensus is up more than 40% YOY, with the high-end range another 4000 basis points higher. The analysts tracked by MarketBeat show a high conviction in the consensus and provide a strong tailwind for the market, with 95% rating it at buy and 65% of the targets released following the Q3 results. The Q3 results and business trends are solid. The company beat on the top and bottom lines, sustaining double-digit revenue growth and widening the margin. All segments and categories contributed to the growth, but AWS stands out. AWS nearly doubled the pace of Amazon’s core business and is increasing its contribution to the net. The forecast for 2025 is for Amazon to grow by 10% systemwide and for adjusted EPS to grow by a more substantial 15%. Cash flow and free cash flow are drivers for Amazon’s stock price. The company produced leverage cash and free cash flow, with FCF more than doubling. The improvements allowed the company to sustain its cash position while investing in growth and repurchasing a significant amount of shares. The share count fell 1.6% year over year in Q3, bringing the year-to-date total to over 2.3%. Buybacks are expected to continue in Q4 2024 and 2025. 2. Meta Platforms Invests in Technology: To Rise Another 50% in 2025 Meta Platforms is up more than 55% YTD and could rise by another 50% over the next 12 months. The consensus price target reported by MarketBeat implies a 15% upside, but the trends suggest this is a low target. MarketBeat tracks 43 analysts covering this stock; they show a high conviction, with an 86% rating at Buy and a positive revision trend. The consensus target is up almost 100% in the last year due to the company’s persistent outperformance, rising nearly 3% from October to November, and the high-end range is $811 or nearly 50% above the critical support target. Most recent revisions are in the high-end range above the consensus, and the trend will likely remain positive. The critical support target is near the summer high, around $542. Meta’s 2024 results are solid. The company is outperforming on the top and bottom lines as internal efficiency combines with AI insights and applications. User metrics also improve, driving leveraged bottom-line results that strengthen the dividend outlook. Meta is a budding dividend growth stock and can be expected to increase its payment in 2025. The business outlook for 2025 is also bullish. The forecast is for revenue to grow by 15% and for EPS to grow slightly slower. The slightly slower pace of EPS growth is part of why the stock is struggling with traction in November. However, margin compression is due to ramping spending on AI and other technological advancements, including virtual reality. The company and others have already proven that ramping AI spending pays off in many ways, boosting revenue and improving earnings quality, which should be seen in results over the next 12 to 24 months. Original Post Source link #Dont #Chance #Buy #Winners Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US airline flight crews confident and ****** as unions seek richer contracts US airline flight crews confident and ****** as unions seek richer contracts By Rajesh Kumar Singh CHICAGO (Reuters) – Alaska Airlines flight attendant Rebecca Owens works 10 hours a day but only gets paid for half that time – a legacy of a common U.S. airline policy to pay cabin crew members only when planes are in motion. Owens, and thousands of cabin crew like her, wants that to change. In August, 68% of Alaska flight attendants in a ratification vote rejected a contract that would have increased average pay by 32% over three years. It was also the first labor agreement that would have legally required airlines to start the clock for paying flight attendants when passengers are boarding, not when the flight starts to taxi down the runway. Delta Air Lines, the only major U.S. airline whose flight attendants are not in a union, instituted boarding pay for its flight attendants at half of their hourly wages in 2022 when they were trying to organize. Alaska and union leaders have resumed federally mediated contract negotiations this week. “I want to be compensated for my time at work and want a livable wage so that you can stand on your own while working this job,” said Owens, 35. She said that without her husband’s income, her family would not be able to afford basic needs. Negotiations at Alaska are being closely watched because one airline’s contract tends to become an industry benchmark. Cabin crews at ******* Airlines, Frontier and ********* Airlines’ regional subsidiary PSA Airlines are also negotiating new labor agreements. Crews at Southwest Airlines rejected two contract offers before ratifying a deal in April that included a 22% pay raise this year and 3% per year raises through 2027. Flight attendants have been negotiating with more confidence this year, encouraged by improved airline earnings and bumper pay deals negotiated by pilot unions in the past two years and Boeing factory workers this year, according to interviews with a dozen airline crew and union officials. Plane crew told Reuters these negotiations are also informed by years of resentment over pay that has lagged inflation while working hours have increased, hurting their quality of life. Cabin crew at Alaska and ******* have authorized their unions to call strikes if negotiators cannot reach a contract agreement. Alaska Airlines responded to a question from Reuters saying its goal is to provide “flight attendants – and all employees – with market-competitive wages and benefits.” ******* did not respond to a request for comment. ***** OUT In previous contract negotiations, airlines secured concessions from workers as the industry was struggling due to economic downturns or fallout from the COVID pandemic. Story Continues However, this year, many U.S. airlines have posted healthy profits and cabin crews feel they have more than earned a ******* slice of that pie. *******’s cabin crews have not had a raise since 2020. The Chicago-based airline in October unveiled a $1.5 billion stock buyback plan.”Flight attendants are really, really ******,” said Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), which represents over 50,000 cabin crew at 20 airlines including Alaska and *******. “They can’t afford to pay their bills.” Some new hires are forced to live in their cars because they cannot afford rent, said Ken Diaz, head of the flight attendants’ union at *******. A starting salary at ******* is $28.88 an hour. At Alaska, the base pay rate for a newly hired flight attendant is $27.69. High on the priority list for attendants is being paid for hours worked, not just when the aircraft is in motion. One San Francisco-based ******* flight attendant told Reuters he makes just $2,400-$2,500 a month before taxes despite working over 200 hours. A number of his colleagues supplement their income by driving for Uber and DoorDash, he said. A flight attendant who was onboard Alaska’s Boeing 737 MAX plane that lost its door panel mid-air in January had a second job as an Amazon delivery driver, according to testimony released by investigators. The flight attendant, who was not named, had worked two package-delivery shifts the day of the door blowout. Some airlines blanch at the added costs of paying flight crews for tasks like boarding passengers and waiting around the airport before and between flights. The union at ********* has estimated that crews will earn an extra $4.2 billion under its new five-year flight attendant contract, which includes retroactive as well as boarding pay, and compensation for some hours between flights. Owen says airlines need to rethink their strategy or face an increasingly hostile reaction from crew members. “People can only take so much,” Owens said. “They are tired. They are burnt out.” (Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Joe Brock and David Gregorio) Source link #airline #flight #crews #confident #****** #unions #seek #richer #contracts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]