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Canada, U.S. should eye own trade deal if no ******** tariffs on China: Ford Canada, U.S. should eye own trade deal if no ******** tariffs on China: Ford Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Tuesday suggested Mexico “shouldn’t have a seat at the table” in upcoming North ********* free trade talks if it doesn’t match ********* and ********* tariffs on ******** imports — and that Canada and the U.S. should focus on a new, bilateral deal instead. Ford’s statement comes as North America braces for the return of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to the White House and a scheduled review in 2026 of the Canada-******* States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), which replaced NAFTA during Trump’s first term. Trump, and now Ford, have accused Mexico of allowing ******** companies to bypass CUSMA rules and export vehicles and parts into the U.S. and Canada through ********-built manufacturing plants. “If Mexico won’t ****** transshipment by, at the very least, matching ********* and ********* tariffs on ******** imports, they shouldn’t have a seat at the table or enjoy access to the largest economy in the world,” Ford said in the statement issued by his office. Story continues below advertisement “Instead, we must prioritize the closest economic partnership on earth by directly negotiating a bilateral U.S.-Canada free trade agreement that puts U.S. and ********* workers first.” 1:33 ‘We’ve been here before’: Trudeau says Canada is prepared to renegotiate CUSMA Canada joined the U.S. earlier this year in slapping 100 per cent tariffs on ******** imported electric vehicles and 25 per cent levies on ******** steel and aluminum. Ottawa is undergoing further consultations on whether to expand the tariffs to other ******** imports. Mexico has not followed suit. ******** automakers such as BYD — one of the largest in the world — are seeking to build manufacturing plants in Mexico, where a number of ********* companies are already building their vehicles at a lower cost. The ***** is that those ******** companies can then take advantage of CUSMA’s duty-free import rules and flood the North ********* market with ******** cars while avoiding the U.S. and ********* tariffs. Story continues below advertisement CUSMA’s rules of origin clause requires higher levels of North ********* parts in vehicles sold in the three countries compared with NAFTA, which Trump has said China is also trying to exploit. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Speaking to reporters at an unrelated press conference in Barrie on Tuesday, Ford expanded on his statement and pointed to a trade imbalance between Ontario and Mexico, which he claimed exports the vast majority of $40 billion in annual two-way trade with his province. “If Mexico wants a bilateral trade deal with Canada, **** bless them,” Ford said. “But I’m not going to be drawn down with these cheap imports, taking men and women’s jobs from hard-working Ontarians.” Asked about Ford’s comments during a press conference alongside New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there has been “varying degrees of concern” about ******** overcapacity and unfair trade practices, and suggested continued cooperation is the best way to confront it. “We’re going to continue to work with partners like the ******* States, and hopefully Mexico as well, to make sure that we are ******* in our ******* to protect good jobs” as well as environmental and labour concerns, he said. 2:01 With Trump administration incoming, what will happen to Canada’s EV plan? Canada has sought to follow the Americans’ lead on trade issues when it comes to China, particularly ******** EVs. Last week, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said that unified stance will give Canada a “firm foundation” in upcoming U.S. trade negotiations. Trending Now From 300 lbs to 100K races: How this mom of 4 took up ultramarathons With B.C. teen ***** in hospital with suspected bird flu, what should parents know? Story continues below advertisement It could also help make the case for Canada to avoid Trump’s promise of a blanket 10 per cent tariff on all foreign imports to the U.S. Trump has taken aim at ******** imports in particular over the ******** auto issue, as well as immigration. At a rally in North Carolina earlier this month, Trump said he will impose a 25 per cent tariff on everything imported from Mexico “if they don’t stop this onslaught of ********** and drugs coming into our country.” Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard suggested on Monday that the ******** government would “have to” retaliate with its own tariffs on ********* goods if Trump follows through, which he said would bring “a gigantic cost for the North ********* economy.” 0:46 Mexico pauses relations with U.S., ********* embassies in judicial reform spat Last month, Trump vowed to impose tariffs of at least 200 per cent or more on all vehicles imported from Mexico — which would hurt ********* automakers in the short term — and said he could levy ******** companies who operate in Mexico and bypass CUSMA rules as high as 1,000 per cent. Story continues below advertisement Trump would likely not need Congress to impose these tariffs, as was clear in 2018, when he imposed them on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and other countries without going through lawmakers by citing Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. That law, according to the Congressional Research Service, gives a president the power to adjust tariffs on imports that could affect U.S. national security, an argument Trump has made. Much of Trump’s ire toward CUSMA has been focused on protecting the ********* auto industry and ensuring China can’t exploit its rules of origin clause and benefits for North ********* imports. But Mexico could further threaten its place within CUSMA if ******** President Claudia Sheinbaum pushes through her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s policies aimed at eliminating independent regulatory and oversight bodies, and laws the U.S. government says could reduce the independence of the judiciary — both of which are required under the trade agreement. López Obrador paused relations with the U.S. and ********* embassies in Mexico after both countries criticized the judicial reforms. More on Politics More videos &copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Canada #U.S #eye #trade #deal #******** #tariffs #China #Ford Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

BBC China reporter pushed away from filming at car ******* scene BBC China reporter pushed away from filming at car ******* scene At least 35 people have been ******* in a car ******* in southern China, believed to be the deadliest known act of public ********* in the country in decades. Police say a man crashed his car into a stadium in Zhuhai on Monday where he ran down groups of people exercising on the sports track. At least 45 people – among them elderly and children – were reportedly injured. While reporting about the *******, BBC China correspondent Stephen McDonell was angrily ordered to stop filming. It is not clear who the man who tried to stop the reporting was, though when sensitive stories like this unfold in China, local ********** Party officials organise groups of cadres to pretend to be outraged locals who have been given the role of targeting foreign reporters so as to prevent any coverage. Read more: Dozens ******* in car rampage through ******** stadium Source link #BBC #China #reporter #pushed #filming #car #******* #scene Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Exclusive: Lara Croft’s Original Comic Adventures Return In Tomb Raider Colossal Collection Exclusive: Lara Croft’s Original Comic Adventures Return In Tomb Raider Colossal Collection At the height of its popularity, Tomb Raider was everywhere, from video games to big-budget movies. Tomb Raider comic books were also produced, and if you’ve been looking to get your hands on the first run of issues printed by Top Cow, then prepare yourself for some good news. Dark Horse has announced Tomb Raider: Colossal Collection Volume 1, a gigantic reprint of Lara Croft’s first adventures that began in 1999. Priced at $99, this massive 888-page hardcover is now available to preorder and will be released on June 25, 2025. Tomb Raider: Colossal Collection Volume One Top Cow’s Tomb Raider comics have long been out of print, and the older “Archive” editions fetch an astronomical sum on the reseller market, often going for hundreds of dollars each. This hardcover looks to be a nearly comprehensive collection, as it contains issues #1-24 and #26-34 from the first run. In case you’re wondering, issue #25 saw Lara Croft team up with Witchblade. Tomb Raider was licensed to Top Cow at the time, and with the rights lapsed, it’s likely that there were probably a few legal issues that made it easier to omit that particular comic book rather than include it. The Tomb Raider series ran for 50 issues from 1999 to 2005, and it was pretty popular as it was released during the peak of Tomb Raider-mania. The comics were set in the same continuity as the games developed by Core Design, making a few tweaks to Lara Croft’s story along the way. A pretty talented roster of artists and writers were involved in this series, including Dan Jurgens, Adam Hughes, Michael Turner, Andy Park, Marc Silvestri, David Finch, and several others. Evercade EXP-R with Tomb Raider games If you’re looking for some more Tomb Raider gear, you can also check out the upcoming Evercade EXP-R. This handheld gaming console comes preloaded with classic Tomb Raider games and it’s also compatible with the entire Evercade library, It’s equipped with a 800 x 400 IPS screen, has up to five hours of battery life from a full charge, and built-in Wi-Fi. It’ll be available starting November 29 and it costs $100. The Tomb Raider Collection is also included with the Evercade VS-R, a home console that released in August for the same budget-friendly $100 price. If you’d prefer to play on Switch or PS5, you can also pick up the original trilogy of Tomb Raider games for those systems, as all three of them were recently remastered. This is the definitive Tomb Raider collection, as each game has updated graphics and all of the extra content is included as well. The Deluxe Edition comes with a cool steelbook case, too. Source link #Exclusive #Lara #Crofts #Original #Comic #Adventures #Return #Tomb #Raider #Colossal #Collection Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Voyager 2’s Historic Flyby of Uranus Exposes Rare Magnetic Distortion Voyager 2’s Historic Flyby of Uranus Exposes Rare Magnetic Distortion A recent analysis of 38-year-old data from NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft has provided fresh insights into the unique magnetosphere of Uranus, according to a study published on November 11 in Nature Astronomy. During Voyager 2’s 1986 flyby, Uranus’ magnetosphere was found to be unexpectedly distorted by a blast of solar wind. The findings suggest that the planet’s magnetic field behaves unlike any other in the solar system. Findings Highlight Unusual Magnetic Structures Jamie Jasinski, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and California Institute of Technology, and lead author of the study, noted that Voyager 2’s timing happened to coincide with an intense solar wind event, a rare occurrence near Uranus. This compression of Uranus’s magnetosphere, seen only around 4% of the time, is thought to be responsible for the unique measurements Voyager captured. Had the spacecraft arrived even a week earlier, Jasinski observed, these conditions would likely have been different, possibly leading to alternative conclusions about Uranus’s magnetic characteristics. Unlike Earth, Uranus exhibits a complex “open-closed” magnetic process, influenced by its extreme axial tilt. This tilt subjects Uranus to highly variable solar wind effects, resulting in a magnetosphere that opens and closes cyclically. Implications for Future Uranus Exploration The study’s conclusions go beyond Uranus itself, offering insights into the magnetic behaviours of its outermost moons, including Titania and Oberon. These moons, it turns out, lie within Uranus’s magnetosphere rather than outside it, making them candidates for investigations into subsurface oceans through magnetic field detection. As Jasinski highlighted, these conditions would simplify detecting any magnetic signatures that suggest liquid beneath the moons’ icy surfaces. While Voyager 2 ******** the only mission to visit Uranus, the study’s findings underscore a growing interest in exploring the ice giant in greater detail. Source link #Voyager #Historic #Flyby #Uranus #Exposes #Rare #Magnetic #Distortion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia offers Indiana Jones gaming bundle to super sales of aging RTX 40 series — RTX 4070 and higher GPUs eligible for the promotion Nvidia offers Indiana Jones gaming bundle to super sales of aging RTX 40 series — RTX 4070 and higher GPUs eligible for the promotion Nvidia has kicked off a new game bundling promotion. This time, it hopes to sell more of its aging GeForce RTX 40 series GPUs off the back of a blockbuster new game – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. At this late stage in the product cycle, it needs to whip up as much interest in RTX 40 cards as possible, as the untold delights of the RTX 50 series appear on the horizon. However, it is sad to see this bundle offer restricted to those with the purchasing power to grab an RTX 4070 or better graphics card, desktop, or laptop. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | Gameplay Deep ***** – YouTube Watch On Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a Lucasfilm-franchise adventure game (what else?) developed by MachineGames, part of Bethesda Studios. The gameplay and deep ***** video above should give you a good overview of the title and the action/adventure. The ~15-minute clip starts with a cinematic intro but becomes a narrated gameplay section. Moreover, it shows many aspects of the game, including combat with fisticuffs, a whip, a revolver, and other melee pickups. Using quiet, sneaky tactics seems central to successful adventuring in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The Nvidia bundle promises to provide lucky customers with a Premium Digital Edition of the game, which comes with the base game, the pre-order bonus Last Crusade Pack, upcoming story DLC, a Temple of ***** outfit, and a digital art book. This premium edition offering is claimed to be worth $99.99, which is $40 more than the base game. (Image credit: Bethesda) So, who qualifies for this bundle? As we mentioned in the intro, buyers of graphics cards and systems below the RTX 4070 tier will not get Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for free. Consider buying an RTX 4060 Ti and this game separately, for example. Other terms and conditions worth highlighting are that this bundle is limited to one per customer aged 16 or over. Folks in the Crimea Region of Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Donetsk People’s Republic, Luhansk People’s Republic, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria can’t apply. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. For clarity, the eligible products are select Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, 4080 SUPER, 4080, 4070 Ti SUPER, 4070 Ti, 4070 SUPER, or 4070 desktop or graphics cards, or laptops with a GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU, RTX 4080 Laptop GPU, and RTX 4070 Laptop GPU. The bundling offer began today and will end on Dec 29, 2024. Qualifying customers can apply for their game code until January 30 next year, and the game should unlock on December 9. As this is the Premium Digital Edition of the game, you should be able to access it three days early. Source link #Nvidia #offers #Indiana #Jones #gaming #bundle #super #sales #aging #RTX #series #RTX #higher #GPUs #eligible #promotion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hearing of Executive Vice-President-designate Stéphane Séjourné | News Hearing of Executive Vice-President-designate Stéphane Séjourné | News In his introductory statement to the Industry, Research and Energy, Internal Market and Consumers, Economic Affairs and Environment Public Health and Food Safety committees, Mr Séjourné announced a future pact on clean industry to lay the foundations “for an industrial policy suited to our time”, stressing that the EU will need to decarbonise and reindustrialise simultaneously. He advocated focusing on the strategic sectors with the highest potential and socioeconomic impact, promoting lowering energy prices, and developing thriving markets for products such as electric vehicles and heat pumps. Mr. Séjourné promised to reduce bureaucracy for companies and pledged to introduce an SME passport to avoid firms having to constantly prove their legal status. He emphasised that huge investments are needed to prevent the most innovative companies from leaving the EU. To win the global investment battle, the Commissioner-designate plans to set up an EU Competitiveness Fund and use InvestEU to increase public funding and create synergies between public and private investment. Mr. Séjourné underlined his commitment to strengthening the single market, stressing that: “Right now we have 27 markets.” The Commissioner-designate also promised that EU public procurements would take criteria such as quality, sustainability and resilience into greater account in the future. Support to the steel, automotive and aeronautic industries MEPs questioned the Executive-Vice-President designate on his plans to support the ********* steel industry, and asked whether the Commission would stick to agreed decarbonisation targets in the automotive sector. Mr Séjourné replied that the steel industry may receive additional support from the ********* Investment Bank. He stressed that the automotive industry requires predictability and pledged to act on the demand side to help carmakers meet their targets. MEPs also asked about possible support for the aeronautics industry. Mr Séjourné replied that the sector will be covered in the Clean Industrial Deal. Several MEPs inquired on how to fill the annual investment gap of 800 billion Euro mentioned in the Draghi report. The Commissioner-designate pointed to the creation of a Savings and Investments Union and of new savings products to stimulate household savings. To improve SME access to finance, he committed to pursuing funds from capital markets instead of relying predominantly on banks. Other MEPs questioned the Commissioner-designate about protecting EU companies from unfair competition and EU consumers from below-standard goods made in third countries. In his reply, Mr Séjourné stressed the need to finalise customs reform to ensure better checks at EU borders. Press point At the end of the hearing, Committee Chairs Aurore Lalucq (ECON), Anna Cavazzini (IMCO) and Antonio Decaro (ENVI) held a press point outside the meeting room: watch it here. Next steps The committee chair and political group coordinators will meet without delay after the hearing 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 #Stéphane #Séjourné #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sue Gray will not take up new regions role Sue Gray will not take up new regions role Sue Gray will not take up her post as the prime minister’s envoy to the nations and regions, Downing Street has confirmed. She was initially appointed to the newly-created role after departing as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff last month, saying she “risked becoming a distraction”. The government had previously said she was taking a short break before starting her new position. But a No 10 spokeswoman said she had “now decided not to take it up”. The news was first reported by the Financial Times and the Guardian. A friend of Ms Gray said: “Sue has taken a decision not to take the role. She’s going to focus on other things.” They added: “She’s taken time to think about it properly, talking to stakeholders, but ultimately she’s decided she doesn’t want to do it.” A Downing Street source told the BBC: “We think she has made the right decision.” However, the Guardian reported that her decision came after she was warned the PM was likely to rescind the job offer. Asked whether the offer was withdrawn or if she walked away, a No 10 spokeswoman said Ms Gray’s appointment had previously been agreed but “she has since decided not to take up the role”. She said there were “no immediate plans” to appoint a new envoy to the nations and regions, but the role would be kept “under review”. The spokeswoman added that Ms Gray had been “uniquely placed” to hold the position, but working with the nations and regions remained a “huge priority” for the government. Downing Street had previously said the job would be “vital”. However, it had not published details of Ms Gray’s new responsibilities, and last month she did not attend the first-ever meeting of a new Council of Nations and Regions. Ms Gray left as the PM’s chief of staff after just three months in the role, following weeks of negative headlines and briefings against her, including a row over her salary. She was replaced by Morgan McSweeney, with whom she had reportedly clashed in his previous role as Sir Keir’s chief political adviser. Ms Gray, who became a household name after leading the government’s internal inquiry into the Partygate scandal, left the civil service to become a senior adviser to Sir Keir last year. Source link #Sue #Gray #regions #role Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sony Temporarily Cuts PS5 Price By $70 Sony Temporarily Cuts PS5 Price By $70 · · November 12, 2024 If you are in the market for a PlayStation 5 (PS5), now may be the time to pick up a new console. Sony has announced that it is lowering the price of the PS5 by $70, bringing the starting price down to $379.99. The deal is temporary, however, as it runs until December 24. The announced price is also for the disc-free version of the console. There’s been no announcement of if the disc version of the console will also receive a price cut. As of publishing, the price on Sony’s official PlayStation Direct website ******** $449.99 for the disc-free version of the console. It’s currently unknown when the price change will go into effect. Recently, it was announced that Sony has shipped over 65 million PS5 units. The recently-launched PS5 Pro has also sold well for Sony, outpacing the PS4 Pro in the same time *******. Are you going to pick up a PlayStation 5 now that it’s price has been cut by so much for the Holiday shopping season? Let us know down below, and join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming forums. For more Insider Gaming, read exclusive details on the state of Project U’s development at Ubisoft. And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Sony #Temporarily #Cuts #PS5 #Price Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This ****** can build anything you ask for out of blocks This ****** can build anything you ask for out of blocks An AI-assisted ****** can listen to spoken commands and assemble 3D objects such as chairs and tables out of reusable building blocks Source link #****** #build #blocks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Arrow Lake and Zen 5 motherboards should be getting cheaper soon — Asus files a slew of budget Intel and AMD boards with regulators Arrow Lake and Zen 5 motherboards should be getting cheaper soon — Asus files a slew of budget Intel and AMD boards with regulators Asus has registered over 60 motherboards at the EEC (Eurasian Economic Commission) per Harukaze at X – in preparation for CES 2025, where Intel and AMD are expected to announce budget 65W Arrow Lake and Ryzen 9000 CPUs alongside affordable motherboards for the masses. Interestingly, there’s also the mention of a new B850E chipset that AMD never formally revealed. The latest X870 and Z890 motherboards are far out of reach of the average customer as they’re oriented towards enthusiasts. Following tradition, Intel and AMD will announce their budget CPUs and motherboards for mainstream customers at CES. As it stands, AM5 is still more affordable than LGA1851 – mainly due to the existence of last-gen 600-series motherboards. It is crucial for Intel that these budget-friendly boards hit shelves to boost LGA1851 adoption rates. On the flip side, PC builders looking to snag AMD’s latest Zen 5 processors need not worry, as Ryzen 9000 CPUs can slot into existing A620, B850, and X670 motherboards. The EEC filing reports that Asus is prepping a large number of budget motherboards—for both AM5 and LGA1851—expected to arrive by Q1 2025. On the Intel side, we have the H810 and B860 chipsets for consumers as well as the business—and workstation-oriented Q870 and W880 chipsets. Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: EEC) (Image credit: EEC) (Image credit: EEC) AMD’s end of the ring features the already-revealed B840, B850, and a mysterious B850E chipset. For context, AMD never announced a B850E chipset as the primary distinction between B650 and B650E last generation was the mandatory inclusion of an x16 PCIe Gen 5.0 slot for the GPU, but that’s now included on the base B850 this time around. This is likely a typo, or perhaps AMD is working on an “Extreme” variant with some other neat features because the “E” suffix in this list has only been mentioned on high-end ROG Strix motherboards. As far as platform support goes, AMD’s AM5 socket will be supported into 2027 and might be compatible with Zen 6 as well. Intel hasn’t made a formal statement regarding the longevity of LGA-1851, which has left many early adopters shirked. All in all, expect official announcements from AMD and Intel at CES 2025, with supply following in the next couple of weeks. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Arrow #Lake #Zen #motherboards #cheaper #Asus #files #slew #budget #Intel #AMD #boards #regulators Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

These 14 House seats are still undecided, with 2024 results outstanding a week after Election Day These 14 House seats are still undecided, with 2024 results outstanding a week after Election Day Washington — It’s one week after Election Day 2024, and while control of the White House and the Senate have been decided, in a handful of races for the U.S. House of Representatives, the results are still outstanding, and their outcomes will determine Republicans’ margins in the lower chamber. With President-elect Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race and Republicans poised to control at least 52 seats in the Senate, the GOP is heading toward full control of Washington. CBS News characterizes control of the House as lean ***********, with the party now just three seats shy of the 218 needed to win the majority. Most of the undecided House races are in California, where state law requires mail ballots to be postmarked by Election Day and received by county elections offices up to seven days after the election, so many are still being counted. As votes continue to be tallied in seven states where the winners of congressional races have not yet been projected, Congress has returned to Washington for the first time in weeks, and Republicans are moving forward with leadership elections. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise are expected to maintain their positions atop the *********** conference, but Trump’s selection of conference chair Rep. Elise Stefanik for U.S. ambassador to the ******* Nations has created an open seat in GOP leadership. Here are the outstanding House races as of Tuesday, Nov. 12: Alaska at-large *********** Nick Begich leads incumbent Rep. Mary Peltola, a Democrat, by more than 10,000 votes, with 71% of the estimated vote total reported. If Begich defeats Peltola, it would be a GOP pick-up in the House. Alaska uses ranked-choice voting, so voters select multiple candidates and rank them in order of preference. Unless a candidate earns more than 50% of the first-choice vote, the one with the fewest first-choice votes will be eliminated, and voters’ second picks are reallocated to the remaining candidates. In the third round, the candidate who receives the next fewest votes is eliminated and their votes reallocated to the remaining contenders. The process continues until a candidate reaches 50%. Arizona’s 6th Congressional District Incumbent Rep. Juan Ciscomani, a ***********, is leading Democratic opponent Kirsten Engel by 4,900 votes, with 86% of votes in. CBS News estimates the race is a toss-up. California’s 9th Congressional District CBS News characterizes the race as lean Democrat, with incumbent Rep. Josh *******, a Democrat, ahead of his *********** opponent Kevin Lincoln by more than 7,000 votes, with 71% of the estimated vote total reported so far. California’s 13th Congressional District Freshman GOP Rep. John Duarte leads Democratic challenger Adam Gray by nearly 3,000 votes, with 57% of votes in. The two faced off in 2022, when Gray lost by less than 600 votes. California’s 21st Congressional District CBS News characterizes the race between Rep. Jim Costa, the Democrat incumbent, and *********** Michael Maher as lean Costa. The congressman leads by just over 1,300 votes, and 64% of the estimated vote total has been reported so far. California’s 22nd Congressional District *********** Rep. David Valadao is leading Democrat challenger Rudy Salas by 9,500 votes, with 71% of the vote in. Valadao is one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, ******* on the U.S. Capitol. Of those 10 lawmakers, only Valadao and Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington are still in Congress. Newhouse is projected to win reelection. California’s 41st Congressional District CBS News characterizes the race as lean *********** incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert, who has served in the House for more than 30 years. Calvert leads his Democratic opponent, Will Rollins, by more than 7,500 votes, with 81% of the estimated vote total reported so far. California’s 45th Congressional District In this race between GOP incumbent Rep. Michelle Steel and Democrat Derek Tran, Steel is ahead by 3,900 votes with 84% of the vote in. CBS News characterizes the race as a toss-up. Steel is in her second term in the House and is one of the first Korean-********* women to serve in Congress. California’s 47th Congressional District Democratic Rep. Katie Porter currently holds this seat, but her unsuccessful bid for the Senate set up a race between Democrat David Min and *********** Scott Baugh to succeed her. CBS News characterizes the race as lean Min, meaning it’s likely to stay in Democrats’ hands. With 84% of the estimated vote total reported, Min is ahead by more than 3,200 votes. California’s 49th Congressional District CBS News characterizes the contest between Democratic Rep. Mike Levin and *********** Matt Gunderson as lean Levin. The Democratic incumbent is ahead of his GOP challenger by 14,000 votes, with 84% of the vote in. Iowa’s 1st Congressional District The race between *********** Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democrat Christina Bohannan is a rematch of the 2022 contest. The 2024 election is shaping up to be close, with Miller-Meeks currently leading by 796 votes in this race that CBS News characterizes as a toss-up. Maine’s 2nd Congressional District Democratic Rep. Jared Golden is facing *********** Austin Theriault in a district that supported Trump in 2016 and 2020. The Democratic incumbent is ahead by more than 2,100 votes, with 99% of votes in, and CBS News characterizes the race as leaning Golden. Maine, like Alaska, uses ranked-choice voting, and because neither candidate secured at least 50% of the vote, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced it will be decided by a ranked-choice runoff. The second round of tabulation is starting this week in Augusta, the state capital, she said. Ohio’s 9th Congressional District Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur is working to keep control of her seat in the race against *********** challenger Derek Merrin. CBS News characterizes the race as a toss-up. Kaptur is leading Merrin by more than 1,100 votes, with 94% of the estimated vote total reported. Oregon’s 5th Congressional District *********** incumbent Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who is in her first term, is facing off against Democrat Janelle Bynum, who is currently ahead by more than 10,000 votes. CBS News characterizes the race as leaning Bynum, and 88% of the estimated vote total has been reported. Caitlin Yilek contributed to this report. More Melissa Quinn Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Source link #House #seats #undecided #results #outstanding #week #Election #Day Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******** war planes hit Beirut, Hezbollah strikes back ******** war planes hit Beirut, Hezbollah strikes back The ******** military has pounded Beirut’s southern suburbs with air strikes, mounting one of its heaviest daytime attacks yet on the Hezbollah-controlled area after the defence minister ruled out a ceasefire until ******** goals were met. Smoke billowed over Beirut as about a dozen strikes hit the southern suburbs from mid-morning. After posting warnings to civilians on social media, the ******** military said it had struck Hezbollah targets in the Dahiyeh area of southern Beirut, including command centres and weapons production sites. It said it had taken steps to reduce harm to civilians and repeated its standing accusation that Hezbollah deliberately embeds itself into civilian areas to use residents as human shields, a charge Hezbollah rejects. In northern *******, two people were ******* in the city of Nahariya when a residential building was hit by a missile, ******** police said. Israelis were forced to take shelter across the north as ******* drones were launched from Lebanon, the military said. One hit the yard of a kindergarten in a Haifa suburb, where the children had been rushed into a shelter, rescue workers said. None were hurt. An ******** strike back across the border ******* five people in the Lebanese village of Baalchmay southeast of Beirut, and five more were ******* in a strike on the town of Tefahta in the south, Lebanon’s health ministry said. Another person was ******* in a strike in Hermel in the northeast, it said. Beirut residents have largely fled the southern suburbs since ******* began ******** it in September. Footage of one strike shared on social media showed two missiles slamming into a building of about 10 storeys, demolishing it and sending up clouds of debris. Ignited by the war in the Gaza Strip, the conflict between ******* and Hezbollah had been rumbling on for a year before ******* went on the offensive in September, pounding wide areas of Lebanon with air strikes and sending troops into the south. ******* has dealt Hezbollah heavy blows, ******** many of its leaders including Hassan Nasrallah, flattening large areas of the southern suburbs, destroying border villages in the south and striking more widely across Lebanon. Since hostilities erupted a year ago, ******** attacks have ******* at least 3287 people in Lebanon, the majority in the last seven weeks, according to the Lebanese health ministry. Its figures do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Hezbollah attacks have ******* about 100 civilians and soldiers in northern *******, the ********-occupied Golan Heights and southern Lebanon over the last year. *******’s new defence minister ******* Katz said on Monday there would be no ceasefire in Lebanon until ******* achieves its goals. “******* will not agree to any arrangement that does not guarantee *******’s right to enforce and prevent terrorism on its own, and meet the goals of the war in Lebanon: disarming Hezbollah and its withdrawal beyond the Litani River and returning the residents of the north safely to their homes,” he said. ******** Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had said earlier on Monday there had been “a certain progress” in ceasefire talks but the main challenge facing any ceasefire deal would be enforcement. The Lebanese government, which includes Hezbollah, has repeatedly called for a ceasefire based on the full implementation of a ******* Nations resolution that ended a war between the group and ******* in 2006. The resolution calls for the area south of the Litani to be free of all weapons other than those of the Lebanese state. Lebanon and ******* have accused each other of violating the resolution. *******’s offensive has driven more than a million people from their homes in Lebanon, causing a humanitarian crisis. Hezbollah rocket ***** into northern ******* has forced tens of thousands of people to flee the area over the last year. Source link #******** #war #planes #hit #Beirut #Hezbollah #strikes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump backer John Paulson bows out as possible Treasury Secretary pick Trump backer John Paulson bows out as possible Treasury Secretary pick John Paulson visits “Mornings With Maria” at Fox Business Network Studios on October 23, 2024 in New York City. John Lamparski | Getty Images Hedge fund chief John Paulson removed himself Tuesday from consideration as a potential nominee for Treasury secretary by President-elect Donald Trump. Paulson said, “My complex financial obligations would prevent me from holding an official position in President Trump’s administration at this time.” “However, I intend to remain actively involved with the President’s economic team and helping in the implementation of President Trump’s outstanding policy proposals,” Paulson said in a statement. The Trump donor, who is the head of Paulson & Co. hedge fund, is famous for having shorted the subprime mortgage market in 2007, a year before the financial crisis. Paulson predicted in September that the stock market would ****** if Vice President Kamala Harris won the presidential election. The Wall Street Journal first reported that Paulson had dropped out of consideration for the Treasury post. This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates. Source link #Trump #backer #John #Paulson #bows #Treasury #Secretary #pick Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Beats Solo3 Headphones Are Only $69 At Walmart For ****** Friday Beats Solo3 Headphones Are Only $69 At Walmart For ****** Friday The popular Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones are on ***** for a huge discount for ****** Friday. Walmart has dropped the price of the Bluetooth headphones to just $69 (was $199), making this a remarkably good time to add the Solo3 to your collection. Unsurprisingly, this is the best price we’ve seen all year, and it’s not going to stick around long. Over half of the inventory has already vanished for the ****** model since the deal went live–and we can’t imagine it’ll remain in stock for the duration of Walmart’s Early ****** Friday *****, which ends November 17. $69 (was $199) Featuring up to 40 hours of battery life, small earcups for an on-ear fit, and a premium build designed for all-day comfort, the Solo3 Headphones offer really solid value at this new low price. They also work with Siri, allowing you to dish out voice commands, and are equipped with Apple’s W1 chip. The W1 chip allows the Solo3 headphones to pair and switch between Apple devices almost instantly. If you travel frequently, you’ll also like the included case, giving you an easy way to protect them before tossing the headphones into your bag. Other notable features include a foldable design for added portability, fast-charging that gets you three hours of playback on five minutes of charging, and multiple on-ear controls so you can easily navigate your music library or take phone calls. Beats are known for being stylish yet overpriced–you are paying a premium for the brand–but with Walmart’s current discount, you’d be hard-pressed to find another set of headphones in this price range that is as enticing. Aside from the standard ****** model, the deal also applies to the rose gold version. The red version was also eligible for the savings, though it has already sold out. Amazon is slashing prices on a few headphones as well, including the premium Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones. Typically sold for $400, they’re now listed for $328. Instead of the on-ear design of the Solo3, these feature larger earcups for an over-ear fit and are equipped with superb active noise cancellation. You can save even more by opting for the WH-1000XM4 Headphones, which are on ***** for $248 (was $348). You’ll also find the Beats Studio Pro for $250 (was $350) if you want something within the Beats family that’s larger and offers ANC. For more deals, check out Walmart’s Early ****** Friday *****, as it covers everything from laptops and Lego sets to video games and more. Source link #Beats #Solo3 #Headphones #Walmart #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Scientists Achieve Time-Reversal Symmetry With Kagome Superconductor Scientists Achieve Time-Reversal Symmetry With Kagome Superconductor A team at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland has achieved a breakthrough with a Kagome superconductor (RbV3Sb5) that demonstrates time-reversal symmetry (TRS) breaking at a temperature of 175 Kelvin (-98°C or -144.67 °F). This record temperature suggests promising developments in quantum systems, which typically require ultra-low temperatures to prevent disruptions caused by thermal energy. Researchers believe the high-temperature TRS breaking in RbV3Sb5 can reduce energy needs for quantum technology, potentially accelerating its adoption. Understanding Time-Reversal Symmetry in Quantum Technology TRS implies that the fundamental laws remain the same when time flows backward in Physics. However, in materials like RbV3Sb5, TRS is broken, leading to unique quantum states that are challenging yet essential for developing advanced quantum devices. These unusual states result in the material behaving differently depending on the direction of time, an attribute that can be manipulated for enhanced control over quantum systems. According to the study authors, this Kagome superconductor maintains superconductivity down to approximately two Kelvin but can sustain TRS-breaking quantum states at much higher temperatures, enhancing its suitability for real-world applications. PSI researchers, including Mahir Dzambegovic, highlighted the material’s charge order state, where electrons form an organised pattern, producing a magnetic effect that breaks TRS at -144.67 °F. Implications for Future Quantum Systems The discovery of TRS breaking at such temperatures presents significant implications for quantum computing and storage. The ability to maintain these effects at higher temperatures could make quantum technologies more feasible outside of laboratory settings, according to PSI’s team. Notably, the TRS-breaking properties of RbV3Sb5 are tunable, with effects varying based on the material’s depth, from surface to core. Future studies are expected to further explore the tunability of Kagome superconductors, particularly focusing on the interplay between superconductivity and TRS-breaking effects in RbV3Sb5. The study, published in Nature Communications, marks a step toward achieving practical quantum devices capable of operating in more energy-efficient conditions. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Indian Researchers Develop Energy-Efficient Method to Create Glass, Could Improve Efficiency of Data Centres Realme 14 Pro Lite Said to Be in the Works, Colour Options, RAM and Storage Configurations Tipped Source link #Scientists #Achieve #TimeReversal #Symmetry #Kagome #Superconductor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

IDC’s 2024 AI opportunity study: Top five AI trends to watch IDC’s 2024 AI opportunity study: Top five AI trends to watch In 2024, generative AI emerged as a key driver for business outcomes across every industry. Already this new generation of AI is having an incredible impact on our world — yet companies and industries are just scratching the surface of what’s possible as they continue to develop new use cases across every role and function. To help guide organizations on their AI transformation journey, Microsoft recently commissioned a new study through IDC, The Business Opportunity of AI. IDC’s findings show that when organizations truly commit to and invest in AI, the return on investment (ROI) potential grows significantly. According to IDC, the study’s findings reflect a tipping point as AI gains momentum across industries. As companies worldwide go deeper with AI, Microsoft customers continue to deploy innovative new solutions and discover how tools like Copilot can transform their day-to-day work. In telecommunications, Lumen Technologies estimates Copilot is saving sellers an average of four hours a week, equating to $50 million annually. In healthcare, Chi Mei Medical Center doctors now spend 15 minutes instead of an hour writing medical reports, and nurses can document patient information in under five minutes. Pharmacists are now able to double the number of patients they see per day. In retail, AI models help Coles predict the flow of 20,000 stock-keeping units to 850 stores with remarkable accuracy, generating 1.6 billion predictions daily. IDC’s 2024 top 5 trends for AI IDC’s findings align with what Microsoft is seeing as we work with companies across industries to deploy AI. We’ve highlighted more than 200 of our top AI customer stories to show a sampling of how AI is already driving impact today. Below is a look at the top trends we’re seeing in IDC’s study and the impact of those trends on organizations working with AI today. #1 Enhanced productivity has become table stakes. Employee productivity is the No. 1 business outcome that companies are trying to achieve with AI. The study shows that 92% of AI users surveyed are using AI for productivity, and 43% say productivity use cases have provided the greatest ROI. While productivity is a top goal, generative AI use cases that are close behind include customer engagement, topline growth, cost management and product or service innovation — and nearly half of the companies surveyed expect AI to have a high degree of impact across all those areas over the next 24 months. Customer snapshot: At the global marketing and advertising agency dentsu, employees are already saving 15 to 30 minutes a day using Copilot for tasks such as summarizing chats, generating presentations and building executive summaries. “Copilot has transformed the way we deliver creative concepts to our clients, enabling real-time collaboration. Agility, security and uniqueness are crucial, but our goal is to lead this transformation company-wide, from top to bottom.” — Takuya Kodama, Business Strategy Manager at dentsu #2 Companies are gravitating to more advanced AI solutions. In the next 24 months, more companies expect to build custom AI solutions tailored directly to industry needs and business processes, including custom copilots and AI agents. This shows a growing maturity in AI fluency as companies realize the value of out-of-the-box use cases and expand to more advanced scenarios. Customer snapshot: Siemens has developed the Siemens Industrial Copilot, which has eased the challenges caused by increasing complexity and labor shortages for dozens of customers in different industries. “In full appreciation of GenAI’s transformational potential, it’s important to remember that production does not have an ‘undo’ button. It takes diligence and effort to mature AI to industrial-grade quality. The Siemens Industrial Copilot for Engineering significantly eases our customers’ workload and addresses the pressing challenges of skill shortages and increasing complexity in industrial automation. This AI-powered solution is a game-changer for our industry with over 50 customers already using it to boost efficiency and tackle labor shortages.” — Boris Scharinger, AI Strategist at Siemens Digital Industries #3 Generative AI adoption and value is growing across industries. Even though it is relatively new to the market, generative AI adoption is rapidly expanding — 75% of respondents report current usage up from 55% in 2023. The ROI of generative AI is highest in Financial Services, followed by Media & Telco, Mobility, Retail & Consumer Packaged Goods, Energy, Manufacturing, Healthcare and Education. Overall, generative AI is generating higher ROI across industries. Customer snapshot: Providence has leveraged AI to extend and enhance patient care, streamline processes and workflows and improve the effectiveness of caregivers. “Whether we’re partnering with organizations on the leading edge of this technology — like Microsoft — and building bespoke solutions through Azure OpenAI Service, advancing clinical research to help ******* patients receive personalized and precise treatments faster, or ‘hitting the easy button’ and adopting established technologies like Microsoft 365 Copilot or DAX Copilot, we have successfully stayed on the forefront of this tech revolution. For example, physicians who use DAX Copilot save an average of 5.33 minutes per visit, and 80% of physicians have reported lower cognitive burden after using DAX Copilot.” — Sarah Vaezy, EVP, Chief Strategy and Digital Officer at Providence #4 AI leaders are seeing greater returns and accelerated innovation. While companies using generative AI are averaging $3.7x ROI, the top leaders using generative AI are realizing significantly higher returns, with an average ROI of $10.3. In addition to the enhanced business value, leaders are also on an accelerated path to build and implement new solutions — 29% of leaders implement AI in less than 3 months versus 6% of companies in the laggard category. Customer snapshot: Södra is an international forest industry group that processes forest products from 52,000 owners into renewable, climate-smart products for international market. Every day Södra collects and interprets climate impact data to make thousands of decisions for every part of the value chain. “With innovative AI technology from Microsoft, our business experts and data scientists have been able to help make us more sustainable while also improving revenue significantly.” — Cristian Brolin, Chief Digital Officer at Södra #5 Looking ahead: Skilling ******** a top challenge. Thirty percent of respondents indicated a lack of specialized AI skills in-house, and 26 percent say they lack employees with the skills needed to learn and work with AI. This dovetails with findings from the Microsoft and LinkedIn 2024 Work Trend Index Annual Report, which found that 55 percent of business leaders are concerned about having enough skilled talent to fill roles. That is why over the past year we have helped train and certify over 14 million people in more than 200 countries in digital skills. And we are committed to working in partnership with governments, educational institutions, industry and civil society to help millions more learn to use AI. Customer snapshot: The University of South Florida (USF) is partnering with Microsoft to streamline processes and enhance innovation for all aspects of university operations with AI. “We’re giving students a leg up to do amazing things with AI as part of tomorrow’s workforce. Our focus on generative AI not only drives operational efficiency but also empowers our community to unlock new levels of creativity and impact, further positioning USF as a leader in AI adoption, which includes being among the first universities in the nation to form a college dedicated to AI, cybersecurity and computing.” — Sidney Fernandes, CIO & VP of Digital Experiences at University of South Florida AI’s growing economic impact While companies today are largely implementing out-of-the-box generative AI solutions and seeing significant ROI, more than half of those surveyed expect to build custom industry and line-of-business applications in the next 24 months — demonstrating that today’s ROI is quickly becoming tomorrow’s competitive edge. “We are at an inflection point of autonomous agent development and are beginning an evolution from using just off-the-shelf assistants and copilots that support knowledge discovery and content generation to custom AI agents to ******** complex, multistep workflows across a digital world,” says Ritu Jyoti, GVP/GM, AI and Data Research at IDC. “With responsible technology usage and workplace transformation, IDC predicts that business spending to adopt AI will have a cumulative global economic impact of $19.9 trillion through 2030 and drive 3.5% of global GDP in 2030.” Key findings from IDC’s The Business Opportunity of AI study include: Generative AI usage jumped from 55% in 2023 to 75% in 2024. For every $1 a company invests in generative AI, the ROI is $3.7x. The top leaders using generative AI are realizing an ROI of $10.3. On average, AI deployments are taking less than 8 months and organizations are realizing value within 13 months. Within 24 months, most organizations plan to expand beyond pre-built AI solutions to advanced AI workloads that are customized or custom-built. The ROI of generative AI is highest in Financial Services, followed by Media & Telco, Mobility, Retail & Consumer Packaged Goods, Energy, Manufacturing, Healthcare and Education. 43% say productivity use cases have provided the greatest ROI. The primary way that organizations are monetizing AI today is through productivity use cases. In the next 24 months, a greater focus will be placed on functional and industry use cases. The top barrier when implementing AI is the lack of both technical and day-to-day AI skills. Learn how to fuel your AI journey IDC’s study, which included more than 4,000 business leaders and AI decision-makers around the world, also identifies the top barriers organizations face when implementing AI. As businesses integrate new solutions, they navigate important considerations such as data privacy, responsible use and the need for investment in both technology and skills. No matter where you are in your cloud and AI transformation journey, Microsoft can help. To learn more about how customers across industries are shaping their AI transformation with Microsoft, please visit Microsoft’s AI in Action page. For more on how to get started in your AI transformation journey, visit Microsoft AI. Tags: AI, Azure OpenAI Service, Copilot, Dax Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot Source link #IDCs #opportunity #study #Top #trends #watch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

These tech stocks have heavy manufacturing exposure to China, Citi warns These tech stocks have heavy manufacturing exposure to China, Citi warns Tech companies that source a large part of their supplies from China could suffer under a second Trump term, according to Citi. With Donald Trump winning his reelection bid last week, U.S.-China trade tensions are anticipated to ramp up. During his campaign, Trump proposed a universal tariff of up to 20% on all imports and a higher 60% levy on ******** goods. Under such an economic proposal, companies with the most exposure to ******** manufacturing could take a hit. Uncertainty also ******** whether the Biden administration’s CHIPS Act — which supports domestic semiconductor manufacturing — will stay intact going forward. Although it was a bipartisan program, Trump criticized the bill during his campaign, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has remarked that the *********** party will try to repeal the law. Citi analyst Atif Malik shared a basket of stocks that have China manufacturing exposure and could therefore face ramifications going forward. Here were some names from the list: Logitech International , down 18% on the year, was one name on the list. The company has been able to allay tariff effects in the past; a feat that it could hopefully pull off again this time around, per Citi. “About 40% manufacturing is in China, and the rest is through their contract providers (60%). They were slightly impacted by tariffs last time round but they were able to mitigate most of the impact and the last round of tariffs which was expected to be more meaningful never went through,” Malik wrote. Analysts are generally neutral on the computer peripherals manufacturer, with four of the eight covering the stock rating it as a hold, LSEG data shows. That said, Logitech’s average price target implies a potential upside of 20%. “Magnificent Seven” titan Apple was another name on the list. Shares of the iPhone maker have advanced 17% this year. While the company has a very high exposure to ******** manufacturing, Malik said that Apple is currently making efforts to diversify its supply chain. “China is the main manufacturing location for Apple with more than 90% manufacturing in China, in our estimates,” the analyst said. “Apple is pushing for more diversified supply chain, aiming to bring 25% iPhone manufacturing to India by 2028, up from 14% currently.” Most analysts covering the name have assigned Apple either a strong buy or buy rating, per LSEG. The average price target represents more than 8% upside for the stock. Networking technology provider Juniper Networks has surged 31% this year. The company currently has a diverse portfolio of sourcing exposure, Malik wrote. “Manufacturing is primarily conducted through contract manufacturers and original design manufacturers with manufacturing locations in China, Malaysia, Mexico, Taiwan, and Vietnam,” he added. Analysts are overwhelmingly neutral on the stock, with the average price target implying an upside of less than 2%. Other names on the list included data storage company Western Digital and specialty glass manufacturer Corning . Source link #tech #stocks #heavy #manufacturing #exposure #China #Citi #warns Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russian doctor jailed for five years over alleged Ukraine war remarks Russian doctor jailed for five years over alleged Ukraine war remarks Ahead of the verdict, Nadezhda Buyanova was led, handcuffed, into the courtroom and locked inside a glass and metal cage. Through the glass, the 68-year-old paediatrician told me what she thought of her predicament. “It’s absurd, just absurd,” the doctor said. “I can’t get my head around what’s happening to me. Perhaps later I’ll be able to.” The paediatrician had been reported to police by the mother of a 7-year-old boy she’d been treating. The woman had claimed that the doctor had made negative comments about the boy’s father, a Russian soldier, who had been ******* fighting in Ukraine and that the doctor had said Russian servicemen there were legitimate targets. Ms Buyanova denies making such comments and there is no audio or video recording to prove she made them. But back in February, she was arrested and charged with spreading false information about the Russian armed forces. After a short spell under house arrest, she was placed in pre-trial detention. Now Ms Buyanova was in the dock and about to learn her fate. Before the judge entered, court officials ordered camera crews out of the courtroom. Along with other journalists, we were ushered into the corridor. Minutes later the door to the courtroom opened again. “Five-and-a-half years!” cried one of Ms Buyanova’s supporters in the public gallery. “She’s been sent to a penal colony for five-and-a-half years!” “The sentence is monstrously harsh,” the doctor’s lawyer, Oskar Cherdzhiyev, told me. “We didn’t expect this, even given what is happening today [in Russia]. Just a few words proved enough to put someone behind bars for such a long time.” Alina, one of the doctor’s group of supporters in court, said: “For me it was important that Nadezhda saw that a lot of us came today, so that, if a miracle didn’t happen – and we were all still hoping for a miracle – it would be just that little bit easier for her.” “It’s very difficult to speak about this. We’re all in shock.” The law against spreading false information about the army is one of several harsh pieces of legislation adopted in Russia since the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the aim of silencing or punishing criticism of the war. The imprisonment of a Moscow paediatrician is the latest sign that, for Russia, a war abroad is fuelling repression at home. Source link #Russian #doctor #jailed #years #alleged #Ukraine #war #remarks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

EXCLUSIVE – Ubisoft’s Project U is Back to The Drawing Board After 5 Years of Development EXCLUSIVE – Ubisoft’s Project U is Back to The Drawing Board After 5 Years of Development Ubisoft’s Project U returned to the drawing board this year following five years of development. Project U was officially announced in September 2022 as a revolutionary “new kind of session-based cooperative shooter,” but after over two years since its announcement, nothing publically about the game has yet been announced. That’s because Project U, internally codenamed Pathfinder, quietly returned to the drawing board in Spring 2024 following issues surrounding the game’s replayability. For those unfamiliar with Project U, its premise is that Earth has been invaded by machines that want to mechanize all life. The game would see ten teams of four battle it out in PvE combat against progressively more difficult enemies as they progressed through the map’s zones, which could have thousands of ****** AI robots on the map at any given time. Eventually, players would enter the final zone in the middle of the map, where they’d need to defeat the boss. Despite initially receiving generally positive feedback from players, one fundamental flaw plagued the game from the start: its replayability. Sources say it was a constant issue for the developers and would see the project’s budget balloon due to continuous reworks. Such reworks included adding more variations to the map with biomes and adding new bosses to change its repetitive nature; however, playtests in February 2024 revealed that the game lacked the replayability needed. In March 2024, Ubisoft Annecy announced that Project U (codenamed Pathfinder) development would cease immediately and that outsourcing studios would move on to different projects. Two of the game Directors, Mathieu Granjon and Damien Kieken left the project among many other developers, with Granjon moving to *********’s Creed and Kieken eventually making his way to DICE this month. Instead of being canceled, Ubisoft internally noted that PvE games can still be successful, citing the viral launch of Helldivers 2, which sold an estimated million units in its first five weeks. As such, it’s said that Ubisoft still believes in the project and moved Project U back into incubation with a new producer and a small team to explore new ideas. However, after over five years of development, current and past project developers tell me it’s difficult to see how the game would succeed. Will Project U end up being another decade-long project at Ubisoft? Only time will tell. What do you think of Ubisoft returning to the drawing board with Project U? Let us know in the comments or our new community forum! For more information from Insider Gaming, read about Dying Light: The ****** passing 1 million wishlists in 10 weeks. 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 #EXCLUSIVE #Ubisofts #Project #Drawing #Board #Years #Development Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Next Mauna Loa eruption could be forecast months in advance Next Mauna Loa eruption could be forecast months in advance The eruption of Mauna Loa in December 2022 T. Orr, U.S. Geological Survey It may be possible to forecast the next eruption of Hawai’i’s Mauna Loa – the world’s largest active volcano – more than two months in advance thanks to a new understanding of what triggers its eruptions. “Hawai’i is often seen as this place in volcanology where it’s so well-studied we must know everything about it, but in the 2020s there are still things yet to be discovered,” says Kendra Lynn at the US Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Source link #Mauna #Loa #eruption #forecast #months #advance Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Acer Nitro V 15 review: Well-built budget system, but a bland screen Acer Nitro V 15 review: Well-built budget system, but a bland screen We’ve tested many gaming laptops under $1,000, and while some meet performance expectations and include essential features, others fall short. Acer’s Nitro V 15 checks most of the important boxes, offering an Intel Core i7 CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics for $869.99. It’s reasonably well-built with good connectivity and upgradeability. However, loud fans and a subpar screen mean that you still have to make some sacrifices. Design of the Acer Nitro V 15 The Nitro V 15 looks appealing for a budget gaming laptop. It has an understated design except for flashy graphics on the lid and a reflective Nitro logo. The rest of the all-****** chassis is unassuming. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Although this Acer is made entirely from plastic, which is expected in this price range, it feels sturdy. The chassis and lid are highly resistant to flexing. The plastic is reasonably thick and doesn’t rattle or sound cheap when tapped with my fingers. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Measuring 14.3 x 9.4 x 1.06 inches, the Nitro is similar in size to the MSI Cyborg 15 and the Lenovo LOQ 15ARP9. The Dell G16 7630 is slightly larger due to its 16-inch 16:10 screen. The Nitro weighs 4.66 pounds compared to the MSI’s 4.37 pounds, while the Lenovo at 5.12 pounds and particularly the Dell, at 6.3 pounds, are heavier. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Most of the Nitro’s ports are located on the left edge, including Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.1 video output, and one 10 Gbps USB Type-C and two 5 Gbps USB Type-A ports. The Type-C port also supports DisplayPort out with an adapter. The AC power barrel connector also resides here. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Meanwhile, the right edge includes a 3.5 mm audio jack and another 5 Gbps USB Type-A port, along with a Kensington lock slot. Internally, a MediaTek wireless card provides Wi-Fi 6 (not the newer 6E standard) and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Acer Nitro V 15 Specifications Swipe to scroll horizontally CPU Intel Core i7-13620H Graphics Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 (6GB GDDR6, 2,130 MHz boost clock, 75W maximum graphics power) Memory 16GB DDR5-5200 (2x 8GB) Storage 512GB SSD Display 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080, 16:9, IPS, 144 Hz Networking MediaTek Wi-Fi 6 MT7921, Bluetooth 5.1 Ports 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (with DisplayPort), 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, Ethernet (1 Gbps), HDMI 2.1, 3.5 mm audio Camera 720p Battery 57 Wh Power Adapter 135W (barrel connector) Operating System Windows 11 Home Dimensions (WxDxH) 14.3 x 9.4 x 1.06 inches Weight 4.66 pounds Price (as configured) $869.99 Gaming and Graphics on the Acer Nitro V 15 Our Nitro V 15 review model features an Intel Core i7-13620H processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics (75W maximum graphics power), and 16GB of DDR5-5200 RAM. It’s entry-level, but capable of playing modern games. I saw about 144 frames per second (fps) average while playing F1 24 at Medium settings with DLSS enabled. The gameplay was fluid and never stuttered. The systems we’re using for comparison include the Dell G16 7630 (Core i5-13650HX, RTX 4060 140W, $999.99 as tested), MSI Cyborg 15 (Core i7-13620H, RTX 4050 45W, $899.99), and Lenovo LOQ ARP9 (AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS, RTX 4060 115W, $999.99). The Dell and Lenovo offer much more powerful RTX 4060 graphics cards for $100 to $150 more. Image 1 of 5 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) In Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Highest detail preset), the Nitro averaged 70 fps, noticeably outperforming the MSI Cyborg’s 64 fps. However, it couldn’t match the Lenovo’s 96 fps or Dell’s 98 fps thanks to the RTX 4060s. In Cyberpunk 2077 (Very High preset), the Nitro was 10% faster than the MSI, achieving 22 fps compared to 20 fps, but it couldn’t catch the Dell’s 33 fps. (We don’t have data for the Lenovo in this game.) Next, the Nitro produced 63 fps in Far Cry 6 (Ultra preset), tying the MSI but falling short of the Lenovo’s 79 fps and the Dell’s 85 fps. In Red ***** Redemption 2 (Medium preset), the Nitro averaged 48 fps, outperforming the MSI’s 44 fps. As expected, the Dell and Lenovo both continued performing significantly better. Finally, in Borderlands 3 (at the game’s “badass” preset), the Nitro once again outperformed the MSI, producing 62 fps to the MSI’s 56 fps. The gap between these, the Dell and Lenovo remained acute. Overall, the Nitro delivers solid 1080p gaming performance. Its 75W RTX 4050 outperformed the 45W version in the MSI Cyborg 15. However, the Dell and Lenovo clearly show that the RTX 4060 with 100W or more of maximum graphics power is a significantly superior performer. We stress-test gaming laptops by running the Metro Exodus benchmark 15 times at RTX settings, simulating half an hour of gaming. During the test, the Nitro V averaged 53.56 fps with only minimal variance between runs, indicating consistent cooling performance. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The Core i7-13620H averaged 2.34 GHz and 62 degrees C on the P-cores and 1.89 GHz and 62 C on the E-cores. The GeForce RTX 4050 averaged 2.2 GHz and 64 C. Productivity Performance on the Acer Nitro V 15 Our Nitro review unit is equipped with a Core i7-13620H CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It handles everyday apps and light content creation with ease. Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) In the cross-platform Geekbench 6 CPU benchmark, the Nitro was in contention for the top spot, scoring 2,571 points compared to the MSI’s 2,580 points. It produced the highest score of 13,373 points in the multi-core test, with the MSI coming in second at 12,427 points. The Lenovo LOQ lagged significantly in both tests. The Acer was the second-best performer in our 25GB file transfer test, achieving an average transfer rate of 1,456.74 MBps compared to the Dell’s 1,718.8 MBps. Both the MSI and the Lenovo had sub-1,000 MBps transfer rates. In our Handbrake video transcoding test, the Nitro outperformed the MSI, converting a 4K video to 1080pin 5 minutes and 25 seconds compared to the MSI’s 5:49. It was only slightly behind the Lenovo’s 5:17, but it couldn’t match the Dell at 4:21. Display on the Acer Nitro V 15 The Nitro uses a classic 16:9 screen with a 1920 x 1080 resolution. Highlights include an anti-glare surface to minimize reflections, IPS technology for wide viewing angles, and a 144 Hz refresh rate. The picture quality is average at best, with adequate brightness but washed-out colors. Watching the 2016 sci-fi Arrival, the stark contrast of the spaceship scenes lacked impact, and the more vibrant scenes appeared dull. Likewise, the colorful race cars in F1 24 also ******* to stand out. The Nitro’s subpar ****** coverage is evident from our display measurements, where it covers just 44.9% of DCI-P3 and 63.3% of sRGB, which is even lower than the MSI Cyborg. In contrast, the Dell’s screen offers markedly superior ****** and higher brightness. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Keyboard and Touchpad on the Acer Nitro V 15 The Nitro’s keyboard doesn’t resemble a typical gaming laptop keyboard, sticking with a standard font and white-only backlighting similar to Acer’s Aspire laptops. While Acer missed a chance to add some flair here, at least it avoided the cliché red backlighting often found on many other budget gaming laptops. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The shallow key travel limits tactile feedback. However, it is easy to type quickly; I had no trouble reaching my personal best typing speed of 120 words per minute in the MonkeyType online typing test. Acer would have been better off leaving out the awkward three-column number pad, and it would have been preferable had all the arrow keys been the same size. The Nitro key in the top row is the keyboard’s only special feature; pressing it launches the Nitro Sense app. Meanwhile, the Nitro’s large touchpad is a pleasure to use, offering an anti-glare surface and quiet, satisfying tactile clicks. Audio on the Acer Nitro V 15 The Nitro’s built-in speakers leave much to be desired. While they provide enough volume for personal entertainment, the sound quality is tinny and nearly devoid of bass. Listening to Yes’s “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” the drum hits and guitar sounded strained, and the vocals were hollow. The DTS:X Ultra app provides a graphic equalizer and several audio presets, including Music (the default), Voice, and Movie, as well as an Auto option. Music was the most well-balanced preset to my ears. The sound quality significantly degraded without this app’s help. Upgradeability of the Acer Nitro V 15 The Nitro offers good upgradeability, with two DDR5 SODIMM slots, two M.2 2280 SSD slots, an M.2 2230 wireless card slot, and a replaceable battery. These components are accessible under the bottom panel, which is secured by 11 Philips-head screws. All the screws are the same length. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Popping the plastic clips that secure the panel requires a plastic trim tool; I had to use some force to create a gap at one of the rear corners and carefully work across the rear edge. The clips around the other edges released once I had the rear edge loosened. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The thermal cooling solution is visible here. The relatively small size of the fans may be a reason why they are so noisy. Battery Life on the Acer Nitro V 15 Our battery life test involves simulated web browsing, streaming video over Wi-Fi, and running OpenGL tests, all with the screen brightness set to 150 nits. The Nitro V outperformed the other units by a significant margin, lasting for 5 hours and 41 minutes compared to the Dell G16’s 5 hours and 3 minutes and the Lenovo LOQ’s 3 hours and 24 minutes. Though it’s no ultraportable, the Nitro lasts a respectably long time off the plug. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) Heat on the Acer Nitro V 15 During our 15-loop Metro Exodus stress test, we measured maximum surface temperatures on the Nitro of 68 degrees Fahrenheit on the touchpad, 93 F between the keyboard G and H keys, and 104 F on the underside. No part of the laptop felt more than lukewarm to the touch. There was regrettably nothing quiet about the Nitro’s cooling fans, which were plainly audible across my living room. They have a distinctive whine. Using closed headphones while gaming is a must. (Consider the best gaming headsets.) The fans also proved overreactive for everyday use, often spooling up whenever I visited a webpage or did anything that would briefly stress the CPU. Webcam on the Acer Nitro V 15 Acer equips the Nitro V with a 720p webcam over its display. The picture has a soft focus and suffers from grain in low light, typical of a small-sensor camera. While budget gaming laptops rarely offer better, I still wish for the sharper picture of a more modern 1080p sensor. A privacy shutter would have also been a welcome addition, though it would be a surprise under $1,000. The webcam lacks an infrared sensor to enable Windows Hello facial recognition. This laptop doesn’t have a fingerprint reader, either, so you’ll need to type passwords. Software and Warranty on the Acer Nitro V 15 Acer includes several apps on the Nitro, with the main one being NitroSense. This app offers power profiles, system status (including CPU and GPU temperatures and frequencies), and fan curve control. Other settings include a battery charge limiter, a bluelight shield, and a keyboard backlight timeout. Additionally, you can customize the system boot logo with your own image. The power profile and fan curve can be saved in a profile, and the app center section allows you to bind a profile to an app so the profile is automatically activated when the app is launched. Another included app, Acer Care Center, provides health checks for most components, system updates, access to Support, recovery management, and a tuneup feature to delete junk files. I especially like that the recovery management section allows backup of LAN and wireless drivers, which can be difficult to find for less popular networking cards like the one in this Nitro if you reinstall the OS. The DTS apps mentioned in the audio section are important for the overall sound quality. There are several unwanted trial apps on the Nitro, including McAfee LiveSafe, Dropbox, ExpressVPN, and Forge of Empires. Acer covers the Nitro with a one-year warranty. Acer Nitro V 15 Configurations We reviewed the Nitro V 15 equipped with an Intel Core i7-13620H processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 144 Hz screen. It was discounted to $869.99 on Newegg at the time of this review with a 1TB SSD. Configurations start at $699.99 with a Core i5-13420H, an RTX 3050, and 8GB of RAM. Newegg also had a $999.99 model with a Core i9-13900H, an RTX 4060, and 16GB of RAM. The Nitro V is also available with AMD processors; a $779.99 model includes a Ryzen 5 7535HS and an RTX 4050 while a $929.99 model upgrades to a Ryzen 7 7735HS and an RTX 4060. Among laptops with the RTX 4050, the MSI Cyborg 15 was discounted to $849.99 on Newegg with the same basic specifications as our Nitro, though as mentioned, it uses a lower-wattage RTX 4050 and lacks a 10 Gbps USB port. The Lenovo LOQ 15ARP9 was $879.99 from Lenovo with an AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS and a 1TB SSD. Though the Nitro is competitively priced, laptops with a GeForce RTX 4060 are available for around $100 more; the Dell G16 7630 was $949.99 with a Core i5-13650HX CPU, an RTX 4060, a 1TB SSD, and a 16-inch 2560 x 1600, 240 Hz display. Bottom Line Acer’s Nitro V 15 is a solid choice for budget-conscious gamers, albeit with a few drawbacks. On the plus side, its Core i7 CPU and RTX 4050 GPU produce satisfactory 1080p framerates, it offers a flashy yet tasteful design, and we also noted its good connectivity, upgradeability, and battery life. The Nitro’s main holdbacks are loud cooling fans and a screen with subpar ******, both of which make this laptop less well-rounded than it should be. Although the fan noise can be mitigated with closed headphones, the screen is below average even for a budget laptop. We also wish for a better webcam and fuller-sounding speakers. While we rate this Nitro higher than the MSI Cyborg 15 due to its superior performance, connectivity, and battery life, you can get the Dell G16 7630 for around $100 more, which offers significantly better performance and a much superior screen. If your budget is tight, though, the Nitro V 15 is still a decent choice. MORE: How to Buy a Gaming Laptop MORE: Best Gaming PCs MORE: Best Ultrabooks and Premium Laptops MORE: How to Buy a Gaming Laptop MORE: Best Gaming PCs MORE: Best Ultrabooks and Premium Laptops MORE: How to Buy a Gaming Laptop MORE: Best Gaming PCs MORE: Best Ultrabooks and Premium Laptops Source link #Acer #Nitro #review #Wellbuilt #budget #system #bland #screen Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Oil and gas ‘gift of ****’, says host Azerbaijan president Oil and gas ‘gift of ****’, says host Azerbaijan president Reuters Azerbaijan’s president said countries should not be blamed for having oil, gas and other natural resources or bringing them to the market. The president of COP29’s host country told the UN climate conference on Tuesday that oil and gas were a “gift of ****”. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev criticised “Western fake news” about the country’s emissions and said nations “should not be blamed” for having fossil fuel reserves. The country plans to expand gas production by up to a third over the next decade. Shortly afterwards, UN chief António Guterres told the conference that doubling down on the use of fossil fuels was “absurd”. He said the “clean energy revolution” had arrived and that no government could stop it. Some observers had expressed concerns about the world’s largest climate conference taking place in Azerbaijan. Its minister for ecology and natural resources – a former oil executive that spent 26 years at Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil and gas company Socar – is the conference’s chairman. There are also concerns that Azerbaijani officials are using COP29 to boost investment in the country’s national oil and gas company. But addressing the conference on its second day, President Aliyev said Azerbaijan had been subject to “slander and blackmail” ahead of COP29. He said it had been as if “Western fake news media”, charities and politicians were “competing in spreading disinformation…about our country”. Aliyev said the country’s share in global gas emissions was “only 0.1%”. “Oil, gas, wind, sun, gold, silver, copper, all…are natural resources and countries should not be blamed for having them, and should not be blamed for bringing these resources to the market, because the market needs them.” Oil and gas are a major cause of climate change because they release planet-warming greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide when burned for energy. EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres decried “doubling down on fossil fuels” The US is also under the spotlight at the conference, following the election victory of Donald Trump – a known climate sceptic. On Monday, US President Joe Biden’s envoy John Podesta called out president-elect Trump’s view that climate change was a hoax and said the US team would continue to work on the deal passed at COP28 in 2023. He added that Washington was also working on a deal passed last year in Dubai to triple renewable power by 2030. Addressing the conference in Baku on Tuesday, UN Secretary General Guterres decried “doubling down on fossil fuels”. “The sound you hear is the ticking clock,” he said. “We are in the final countdown to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and time is not on our side.” He called 2024 a “masterclass in climate destruction” with disasters being “supercharged by human-made climate change”. The UN’s World Meteorological Organization previously said that 2024 is on track to be the world’s warmest year on record. Guterres said “a new finance goal” was needed, with wealthiest countries paying the most. “They are the largest emitters, with the greatest capacities and responsibilities,” he said. “Developing countries must not leave Baku empty-handed.” The Azerbaijani president’s comments are unlikely to derail talks behind the scenes, which are largely about getting more cash for poorer countries to help implement their climate plans. Developing nations are calling for richer countries to agree together on a fund that could add up to $1 trillion, using public and private money. Leaders of most of the world’s biggest polluters were not present in Baku, including Biden, France’s leader Emmanuel Macron and India’s Narendra Modi. The environment minister for Burkino Faso, a central ******** country among the poorest in the world, told the BBC that more cash was essential. Roger Baro said it would help his nation deal with the current impacts of climate change in the country, which is experiencing widespread drought, flash floods and ******** outbreaks. The disasters occurred in the Sahel region, which saw temperatures of 45C this year in a heatwave that scientists said would have been impossible to reach without climate change. Among other world leaders to take to the stage on Tuesday was Spain’s prime minister, who called for “drastic measures” after floods ******* more than 200 people in the country. Experts say that climate change contributed to the heavy rainfall that caused the floods. “We need to undergo decarbonisation, adapt our towns and infrastructure,” said Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. COP29 is scheduled to last until 22 November, but there are already fears that the tricky issues on the table could make a final agreement very difficult. Source link #Oil #gas #gift #**** #host #Azerbaijan #president Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘David Coote video on Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp fuels *********** theorists’ ‘David Coote video on Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp fuels *********** theorists’ The majority of sensible observers, though sometimes not those fans who choose to view decisions through the prism of their own partisanship, accept referees will make mistakes under the severest pressure. That pressure is very often from players and managers in the fierce hothouse of elite-level football, trickling right down to the grassroots. Coote’s alleged insults about Liverpool and Klopp – who even his biggest admirers would admit was confrontational from his technical area – allow sceptics to challenge that principle of integrity. It plays straight into the hands of those supporters only too willing to cry “***********” or feel referees “have it in” for their particular club. Coote’s previous decisions when in charge of Liverpool games are already being scrutinised. He was on video assistant referee duty for the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in October 2020 when Virgil van Dijk sustained a season-ending knee injury after a reckless challenge in the area by Everton keeper Jordan Pickford, with no penalty being awarded. Jordan Henderson had an stoppage-time winner ruled out for offside. He was performing the same role in December 2023 when a clear handball from Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard – later acknowledged as a mistake by Webb – escaped punishment in a 1-1 draw at Anfield. Mistakes, yes – but honest ones, only for the emergence of the Coote video to reopen a very large can of worms, presenting a crisis for Webb and PGMOL. Referees are already under pressure and an unforgiving microscope. This latest development will only bring the entire debate into sharper relief. Football Association data released late last year revealed serious offences against match officials in grassroots football increased in 2022-23. There were 1,451 allegations, up by 1%, with 72 about an actual or attempted ********, 391 about actual or attempted physical contact and 988 relating to threatening a match official. There were 42 proven cases of ******** or attempted ********. The most high-profile challenge to the integrity of an official came from Nottingham Forest after a controversial 2-0 loss at Everton in April, when they felt three penalty decisions went against them. Minutes after the final whistle, Forest’s social media account pointed an accusing finger at VAR Stuart Attwell, who they claimed was a fan of Luton Town, who were also in relegation trouble at the time. The club posted: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept. We warned PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times. NFFC will now consider its options.” Forest were fined £750,000 by the FA in October for what was described as an “******* on the integrity of a match official on an unparalleled scale”. Attwell gave a statement to the panel about the “stress, distress, ***** and embarrassment caused to him” as a result of the post, while Webb said it “has the potential of serving as a green light to those who seek to ****** officials and normalises questioning the integrity of all referees”. The Coote video, if genuine, may have just done the same disservice to every official in the land. Source link #David #Coote #video #Liverpool #Jurgen #Klopp #fuels #*********** #theorists Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo’s Emulator Crackdown May be Because Switch 2 is Coming With a Feature That Makes it Superior to PS6, Next-Gen Xbox Nintendo’s Emulator Crackdown May be Because Switch 2 is Coming With a Feature That Makes it Superior to PS6, Next-Gen Xbox Nintendo has recently made waves with the announcement that its upcoming console, likely the Switch 2, will be backward compatible with the previous console. This revelation has sparked excitement among fans who are eager to continue playing their favorite titles from the Switch and older systems. It also provided an important clue about why the company has recently intensified its legal actions against emulator companies and piracy. It was recently announced that the upcoming console will be backward compatible. | Image Credit: Nintendo These crackdowns also lead to another speculation that the company is gearing up for something ******* with the Switch 2. What if the new console could introduce built-in mod support as a core feature? This would be a bold move as it gives players the ability to create, modify, and share their own content directly on the system. Given the company’s history of innovation, it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds. Nintendo Switch Could Feature Modding Capabilities The recent crackdown on emulator sites is a sign that the company is brewing something big. | Image Credit: Nintendo Nintendo has always been vigilant about protecting its intellectual property, often going to great lengths to prevent unauthorized distribution of its games. However, the recent increase in legal action feels different. It isn’t just about stopping piracy, it feels like it’s about sending a message that the company is preparing something much *******. The announcement that the Switch 2 will be backward compatible is likely one of the key reasons behind this increased crackdown. Backward compatibility opens up the door to preserving older titles from previous consoles in a way that feels natural. But it seems like this is just one piece of the puzzle. What if the company is planning something even more groundbreaking for its upcoming handheld? What if, in addition to backward compatibility, the Switch 2 includes native modding support? This could allow players to modify existing games or even create entirely new content from scratch. This could be done through a built-in modding framework that lets users tweak, adjust, and share gameplay experiences with others. With the rumored performance, this kind of modding capability seems very plausible. The original Switch was a great step forward for portable gaming but the new console with this native modding feature would unlock new possibilities for both game developers and the fan community. Games like Skyrim or Minecraft on PC have shown that allowing modding breathes new life into games and can even keep them massively popular years after their initial release. If the company decides to integrate modding capabilities natively into the Switch 2, it would provide a level of flexibility and creativity that other consoles, with their more closed ecosystems, simply cannot match. Why Nintendo Would Choose to Embrace Modding Gamers are excited to learn more about the upcoming handheld. | Image Credit: Nintendo Nintendo has never been a company to shy away from innovation and has historically embraced user creativity to some extent. Titles like Super Mario Maker and Animal Crossing: New Horizons have showcased how the company allows players to design and share content but within the boundaries of its games. With the Switch 2, it has the unique opportunity to take this a step further, opening the doors to full-on, system-wide modding capabilities. The built-in mod support could be a direct response to the growing demand for customizable gaming experiences that allow players to shape their own content and play how they want to. While it’s still speculative, the idea that the Switch 2 could feature built-in mod support is an exciting one. Additionally, this would not only make emulation mostly irrelevant but also transform the handheld into a console that truly empowers its community, offering a level of flexibility and creativity never before seen in a mainstream gaming platform. In the end, whether or not the speculation becomes true is still uncertain but one thing is clear the release of Switch 2 will likely change the gaming industry, especially the ongoing console war. So, do you think the Switch 2 will embrace modding, or is it still too far from reality? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below. Source link #Nintendos #Emulator #Crackdown #Switch #Coming #Feature #Superior #PS6NextGenXbox Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment Captures Gravity Waves From Hurricane Helene in Florida NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment Captures Gravity Waves From Hurricane Helene in Florida On September 26, 2024, as Hurricane Helene battered Florida’s Gulf Coast, it produced significant storm surges, impacting numerous communities across the region. During this extreme weather event, NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE), stationed aboard the International Space Station, observed gravity waves in the atmosphere approximately 55 miles above Earth’s surface. This data, gathered as part of NASA’s study on space weather, aims to shed light on how terrestrial weather impacts technological systems such as satellites and communication networks. Observations from NASA’s AWE Instrument As the International Space Station crossed the southeastern ******* States, the AWE instrument recorded large concentric waves in the atmosphere, originating from the intense conditions stirred by Hurricane Helene. These gravity waves, which appear as artificially ********* bands in red, yellow, and blue, depicted changes in radiance within the Earth’s mesosphere. The imagery, enhanced with colour to highlight infrared brightness variations caused by airglow, captured waves stretching westward from northern Florida. Significance of Atmospheric Gravity Waves According to Ludger Scherliess, Principal Investigator of NASA’s AWE at Utah State University, the waves resemble the ripples produced when a pebble hits the surface of a pond. The instrument, launched in November 2023, was designed to identify these atmospheric disturbances, which include storms, hurricanes, and other violent weather events that cause gravity waves. The analysis of such atmospheric changes, produced during turbulent weather, provides essential insights into how terrestrial events influence conditions in space. Research Implications for NASA The gravity waves from Hurricane Helene are among the first images released to the public by the AWE mission. Through these observations, NASA seeks to understand how Earth’s weather systems impact the upper atmosphere and space weather. The AWE instrument’s ability to detect these disturbances contributes to ongoing research, enhancing NASA’s efforts to assess the potential disruptions to Earth-orbiting systems. Source link #NASAs #Atmospheric #Waves #Experiment #Captures #Gravity #Waves #Hurricane #Helene #Florida Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]