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Ys X: Nordics Review | NoobFeed Ys X: Nordics Review | NoobFeed NoobFeed editor Faviyan writes – It’s quite easy to have you captivated by the plot and the innovative gameplay features that are introduced in Ys X: Nordics. You’ll rarely come across any dull moment because of all the fast-paced action RPG combat, exploration, special Mana skills, and not to mention the memorable music that makes up the game. Source link #Nordics #Review #NoobFeed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bitcoin hits $80,000 for the first time as crypto traders bask in Trump election victory Bitcoin hits $80,000 for the first time as crypto traders bask in Trump election victory Budrul Chukrut | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Cryptocurrencies extended their rally on Sunday, with bitcoin touching $80,000 for the first time ever. The price of the flagship cryptocurrency was last higher by 4.5% at $79,800.19, according to Coin Metrics. Ether rose 3%, after passing the $3,000 level on Saturday. It last changed hands at $3,203.10. Smaller coins saw ******* moves as investors continued to digest the implications of a second term for President-elect Donald Trump. The payments coin XRP surged 11%. The decentralized finance token tied to Cardano rocketed 40%. Memecoins dogecoin and Shiba Inu coin soared 17% and 31%, respectively. “Crypto is poised to enter a golden era,” Alex Thorn, head of research at Galaxy Digital, said in a research note Friday. “Trump has promised to make America the ‘crypto capital of the world’ and his high level team is filled with strong crypto advocates … . The pro-crypto nature of his team, family, and donors increases the likelihood that Trump follows through on his campaign promises to the industry.” Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Bitcoin touches $80,000 on Sunday for the first time ever. Bitcoin was deemed a safe asset regardless of the outcome of the election — it is not considered a security, even by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Trump has made big overtures about bitcoin like entertaining the idea of a strategic national bitcoin reserve and speaking about the need to keep all bitcoin mined in America. Ether and other cryptocurrencies, however, stand to gain much more from the crypto-friendly regulatory environment that Trump has promised and appears to be a priority for many in his inner circle. For example, one reason the spot bitcoin ETFs didn’t see as much success as bitcoin ETFs is because they don’t distribute staking rewards. Many in the industry are hopeful that will change next year. “In this environment, over the next two years we expect that bitcoin and other digital assets will trade significantly higher than the current all-time high,” Thorn said. “What was once an oppressive headwind in the world’s largest capital market will now shift to a tailwind, and no one is bullish enough.” Don’t miss these cryptocurrency insights from CNBC PRO: Source link #Bitcoin #hits #time #crypto #traders #bask #Trump #election #victory Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Terry Holohan: Boss of Perth-based gold miner Resolute Mining detained in Mali Terry Holohan: Boss of Perth-based gold miner Resolute Mining detained in Mali The boss of Perth-based gold miner Resolute Mining is reportedly being detained by the military-controlled government of Mali in West ******* Source link #Terry #Holohan #Boss #Perthbased #gold #miner #Resolute #Mining #detained #Mali Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kevin O’Leary reveals the fastest way to make $1 million — and it’s something every ********* can do Kevin O’Leary reveals the fastest way to make $1 million — and it’s something every ********* can do Nearly 22 million Americans — roughly one in 15 people — have a net worth exceeding $1 million, according to the UBS Global Wealth Report 2024. For those looking to enter this club quickly, multimillionaire and “Shark Tank” alum Kevin O’Leary has some advice. “The fastest way to make a million dollars is to make the first $10,000,” he said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. “That’s really how it works. But really, it’s not about anything else except focusing on what people want and how to solve their problems.” In other words, his advice for anyone looking to build wealth quickly is to launch a business. “Successful businesses solve problems for people and [customers] want to pay because it saves them time and money… people don’t want to walk around in bare feet, so they buy shoes.” He added, “Try to find a pain point that you know everybody has, and then provide a product or service that solves that.” Here’s why working for yourself may be the quickest way to enter the seven-figure club, but is not necessarily the best way. O’Leary’s comments about making that first $10,000 and solving a “problem” implies starting a business and making it profitable. Over time, a profitable business could scale up and generate wealth for the owner. Indeed, headlines are often dominated by the overnight success stories of innovative entrepreneurs. Artificial intelligence search engine maker, Perplexity AI, was launched in 2022 and is already valued at $3 billion as of June, according to CNBC. That created a massive windfall for the company’s founder Aravind Srinivas. However, you don’t need a groundbreaking business idea to make a fortune. According to a study by JPMorgan Chase, 8.9% of small businesses successfully scale up to $1 million in revenue within the first five years of their existence. Sure, it’s not the experience for the majority of small business owners; however, this statistic suggests there’s some truth to O’Leary’s belief that it’s a quick path to millionaire status. That being said, it doesn’t indicate how likely — or even risky — that path is. An estimated one in four new businesses fail within their first year of operation, according to LendingTree’s analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In addition, 48% of businesses fail within their first five years. Story Continues Put another way: if you launch a business today you’d have a 8.9% chance of scaling it up to $1 million in revenue by 2029 — but a 48% chance of failing in that same time *******. The ******** risk is significantly higher. With that in mind, most people would be better off picking a slower, but less risky, path to millionaire status. Read more: 5 ways to boost your net worth now — easily up your money game without altering your day-to-day life Your chances of accumulating $1 million could be higher if you simply find a well-paying job, save a meaningful amount of money every month, and invest it wisely. At least, that’s according to The National Study of Millionaires by Ramsey Solutions. According to the survey, 75% of millionaires said that regular, consistent investing over an extended ******* of time is the key reason behind their success. The most common professions that resulted in millionaire status were teachers, accountants, lawyers, managers, and engineers. Only 31% averaged $100,00 a year over the course of their careers. Instead, most of their success came from investing wisely. As of 2023, the median annual wage for a lawyer in America was $145,760, according to BLS data. Saving just 15% of that and investing it in a low-cost index fund, such as Vanguard’s S&P 500 fund — and using, as an example, a compounded annual growth rate of 13.33% — could help you accumulate just over $1 million within 16 years. Granted, 16 years is a long time, so this definitely isn’t a quick way to enter the seven-figure club. But your chances of success at hitting this target is likely significantly higher than launching a small business, making it profitable, and scaling it up. If you’re looking to build wealth, both paths are entirely valid. You could choose either path depending on your appetite for risk, level of patience, and aptitude for business. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Source link #Kevin #OLeary #reveals #fastest #million #********* Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A-League Men: Perth Glory embarrassed 5-0 at home by Melbourne City as winless run continues A-League Men: Perth Glory embarrassed 5-0 at home by Melbourne City as winless run continues Perth Glory’s nightmarish start to the A-League Men’s season has continued as they were embarrassed 5-0 and played off the park by Melbourne City at HBF Park. Despite picking up their first point of the season last week, it proved to be a case of one step forward, two steps back as the Glory were torn to shreds by a professional City outfit. It was not simply the result against one of the best teams in the league, but the manner of the performance which should have alarm bells ringing inside the club. The Glory’s last win came in February, they have now gone 14 matches without a victory and have scored just once and conceded 13 goals in their first four matches, an embarrassing statistic for a once-proud club. Camera IconCallum Talbot of Melbourne City kicks the ball down the pitch. Credit: James Worsfold/Getty Images For the fourth game in a row, the Glory were outplayed as City played through them too easily, and they remain off the foot of the table only because Brisbane Roar are yet to even draw this season. Steven Ugarkovic scored twice before half-time and ran the show in midfield as the gap between Perth and the rest of the competition was clear for all to see. A horrendous mistake gifted Andres Kuen a third immediately following the restart, before Yonatan Cohen and Medin Memeti scored late to massage the margin. With Perth press only employed sparingly and disjointed when it was used, they were ripped through by Melbourne, and the hosts looked bereft of a cohesive plan with the ball. Camera IconSteven Ugarkovic of Melbourne City celebrates his goal. Credit: James Worsfold/Getty Images The half-time stats made grim reading for Glory fans: just 30 per cent possession, only three touches inside the opposition box and three shots — none of which were on target. There were three changes to the Glory side which drew last week, but the warning signs were evident early for Perth, with Oli Sail having to make two good saves from Ugarkovic, the first a save low to his right and the second a reflex palm away for a corner. Luis Canga was called on to deny Memeti on the break as City looked to turn the screws on Perth, with Ugarkovic pulling the strings and breaking their attempts to press. The deadlock was broken six minutes before half time in stupendous fashion, as Glory’s defence sat too deep and the ball rolled to Ugarkovic, who unleashed a fizzing first-time shot which beat Sail all ends up. Camera IconNikola Mileusnic of the Perth Glory reacts on the field. Credit: James Worsfold/Getty Images The midfielder doubled his tally and City’s lead in the 44th minute when Perth ******* to clear the ball from their own box and it spilled to Ugarkovic, who was played onside by Zach Lisolajski. Any hopes from second half respite went up in flames when Sail whiffed a clearance straight to Kuen and he held off Nicholas Pennington before sliding the ball into an open net. Things somehow got worse for Perth when Nikola Mileusnic — a half-time substitute making his first appearance since he tweaked his hamstring in limited minutes in round one — again pulled up lame, lasting only 14 minutes before he left the field. Amid the on-field horror, the crowd kept themselves entertained, spending a good 10 minutes chanting “we’ve got the ball” and alternating to “we’ve lost the ball” when their side inevitably coughed up possession. Camera IconJarrod Carluccio of the Perth Glory passes the ball away. Credit: James Worsfold/Getty Images Adam Taggart tried to spark some life into his team, ******* a shot wide from distance, but City continued to find space easily as Perth pushed men forward in search of goals. Harry Politidis almost made it 4-0 with a low shot which rolled wide of the mark, but his teammate Cohen obliged with six minutes left when he cut in from the right and placed the ball into the net. As Perth players succumbed to cramp late, the polish was added as Memeti scored a tap-in before injury-time to cue sarcastic chants of “we want six” from The Shed End. Source link #ALeague #Men #Perth #Glory #embarrassed #home #Melbourne #City #winless #run #continues Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I moved from California to Idaho because my home state changed politically. I love my new ************* community. I moved from California to Idaho because my home state changed politically. I love my new ************* community. Philip Wiseman and his wife moved to Idaho because they were fed up with California’s politics. The retirees made a large spreadsheet to decide which ***********-leaning state to move to. They ended up in Eagle, Idaho, and love the ************* values of the community. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Philip Wiseman, a 70-year-old retiree who moved from California to Idaho with his wife in 2021. They’re part of a trend of conservatives moving to red states. Data compiled by Idaho officials showed 78% of voters who moved from California to Idaho registered as Republicans between 2020 and 2023. The median home price in the California town the Wisemans lived, Monte Sereno, was $5.5 million in September 2024, according to Redfin, compared to $748,000 in Eagle, Idaho, the town they moved to. This story has been edited for length and clarity. We moved to Idaho from Northern California three years ago this December. My wife is a fourth-generation Californian, and I moved there in 1985. We loved the state. It was the coolest state to live in forever. I worked in semiconductor sales for Silicon Valley firms and my wife worked in healthcare. We got married in 2011 and built a beautiful home in Monte Sereno, just outside of Los Gatos. It was a really beautiful neighborhood and area. We just were very obviously *************. We had friends that were like-minded but the city itself and the surrounding area is quite ********. And we knew that we couldn’t talk politics with our neighbors. Our best friends across the street put up a Biden sign in the front yard. I thought, “Are you serious?” We have a lot of respect for those people. And then they doubled down on Biden. I couldn’t believe it. We always say we didn’t leave California. California left us. Over time the decisions that the politicians and the governors and the district attorneys and all of these people started making were just really wrong. Everything from being a sanctuary state with protections for undocumented immigrants to some of the highest taxes in the country to not prosecuting **********, among other reasons. It’s just insanity. Over time, I felt like it was ****** by a thousand pinpricks. We got to the point where we decided that we just couldn’t put up with it any longer. We miss our California and what California used to be. It’s still beautiful. You fly over it and you realize, “****, the state is so pretty. It has so much to offer.” But it’s just so screwed up. We had to get the ***** out. We’re sad about it every day. We think about it all the time. We made a huge spreadsheet to decide which red state to move to Once we decided to leave, which was a huge decision, the question then became, “Where are we going to go?” We looked at several different states. My wife put a huge spreadsheet together with average rainfall, average snowfall, average sunny days, average rainy days, average distance from our daughter, who lives in Nevada, to a major airport. It had to be red, obviously, as red as we could find, and we’d love it to have been a state with no state income tax, but more importantly, we looked at what it costs to live there. Some states we considered were Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, and Florida. A big spreadsheet later, we ended up coming to Idaho. I knew a guy that had used to live here and asked him what he thought of the area, and he said it was great and we should look at the Boise area. So we did. We didn’t know a soul. We came up here and looked around and found a realtor to show us around. We probably made three fact-finding missions up here looking at different areas and neighborhoods. When we finally moved here, we rented for a year, and we looked at neighborhood after neighborhood after neighborhood. We ended up buying a house here in Eagle, and we’ve been loving it ever since. We’ve been here just about two years now. We love the Eagle area because it’s very ************* and there’s a lot of like-minded people. It was easy to make friends here. People are polite and friendly. They wave all the time. We’re both retired now, so this is our forever home. Eagle is also full of people who moved here from California for basically the same reasons we did. And not just Californians; there are also people from Oregon and Seattle. I used to love California but things changed as I got older I moved to California when I was around 30. I just turned 70. When I was a younger man, I didn’t pay much attention to politics. California was wonderful. The beach, the ocean, the food, my career. But over time, you grow up, you grow older, you grow wiser, you get married, you have a child, and you start noticing things more. The more you pay attention, the more things ***** you off. I think it’s best for conservatives to live in ************* neighborhoods. Liberals can live in their own neighborhoods. It didn’t used to be that big a deal, so I hate to say that because it does *****. But I’m just noticing the fact is all. Read the original article on Business Insider Source link #moved #California #Idaho #home #state #changed #politically #love #************* #community Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Epic In Every Sense Of The Word Epic In Every Sense Of The Word The first season of Arcane blew me and pretty much everyone else away back in 2021, which came as a fairly big surprise. Video game adaptations in general tend to be hit or miss and the show’s source material, the wildly popular MOBA League of Legends, is far more known for its often rage-inducing online multiplayer than its plot. Yet Arcane still managed to take the world and characters from the game and use them to craft a deeply captivating, action-packed, and often heartbreaking story that both longtime fans and newcomers like myself could easily get sucked into. Now, after a three-year wait, does the long-awaited second and final chapter live up to the hype? In my opinion, yes. Though please bear in mind that this only applies to the first three episodes, as that was what was made available to me at time of writing. What is Arcane Season 2 about? Caitlyn and Vi in Arcane Season 2 Season 2 picks up almost immediately after the (literally) explosive ending of Season 1. Survivors of Jinx’s ******* must quickly figure out their next move while still grieving their lost loved ones; while those underground battle for control in the wake of Silco’s ******. With mysterious magical forces on the horizon and Piltover and Zaun inching closer and closer to all-out war, Vi and Caitlyn are tasked with taking Jinx down and ending this nightmare before anyone else gets hurt. How is Arcane Season 2? Jinx in Arcane Season 2 I know “epic” is a bit of an overused word these days, but it’s hard to think of a better way to describe Arcane Season 2. For starters, the scope of the world feels *******. On top of the ongoing political machinations, there’s a greater sense of mystery with how the world and its magic works, as well as entirely new sets of characters with their own stories to follow. At first, it can feel a bit overwhelming, especially given a general lack of exposition, but the plot ******** relatively easy to follow in spite of its complexities and the new characters quickly endear themselves alongside the returning cast. Additionally, the animation is as breathtaking as ever. Fluid movement and stylized character designs blended with gorgeous backgrounds and comic book-style visual effects create a wholly unique look that makes even the smallest moments really pop on screen. But obviously, it’s especially impressive during action sequences where the movement combined with the clear weight and impact of hits, the simple yet intricate clicking and clacking of the show’s trademark “HexTech” weapons, and clever use of needle drops create an audio-visual experience so incredible that it could only come from Arcane. But what makes the show more than just eye candy, and what keeps its more plot mechanic and lore-heavy subplots from feeling too bogged down by minutiae, is the deeply human element at the core of its story. Every major character in Arcane has clear goals, vulnerabilities, and desires. They are given a level of depth, nuance, and personality rarely seen in an ensemble this size and that keeps every subplot compelling and makes the conflict that much more gripping because every side is both sympathetic and worthy of scorn to one degree or another depending on which perspective you’re following at any given time. This is perhaps best exemplified by the show’s two central relationships: Vi and Jinx and Vi and Caitlyn. Vi and Jinx have both moved on from thinking they can get their sister back. As far as Vi is concerned, Powder is ***** and Jinx ******* her. And the only way to get justice for Powder and end the conflict is to take Jinx down. And from Jinx’s perspective, Vi has fully betrayed her Zaunite roots by siding with Caitlyn and is now just as bad as the Enforcers that ******* their parents. Yet they are still sisters and on some subconscious level, that familial bond is still there. Which in turn allows both the internal and external conflict to remain consistently engaging and surprising. Special credit must be given to Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell here, who both have to run through the emotional gamut in their vocal performances as Vi and Jinx respectively and do a spectacular job. As for Vi and Caitlyn, rest assured we’ve moved far beyond the mutual yet unrequited yearning of the first season. They are a full-out couple here and their romance plays a key role in the story while still leaving room for them as individual characters. Vi is struggling with guilt over creating Jinx, Caitlyn is struggling with grief over her mother’s ****** and her new responsibilities in the wake of that, and while their polar opposite histories create tension between them, it also brings them together. Again, props must be given to Caitlyn’s voice actor, Katie Leung, here, who sells both the aforementioned struggles and guilt as well as her romantic chemistry with Vi in her vocal performance. Is Arcane Season 2 worth watching? Caitlyn in Arcane Season 2 I went into Arcane Season 1 with no expectations and was utterly floored by how good it was. I went into Arcane Season 2 with extremely high expectations and was still very much floored. The animation is incredible, the characters are compelling, and the story is consistently gripping in spite of, and arguably even because of, its intricate complexities and multiple subplots. There’s admittedly a lot of unknown elements at this point in the story. How the mystery pays off, what this world’s magic truly is or means, even the heavily advertised arena battle stuff with Vi hasn’t happened yet. But if the rest of the show maintains the quality of these first three episodes, then we are in for one of the all-time greats. Arcane Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix. Three out of nine episodes reviewed. Arcane Season 2 Review: Epic In Every Sense Of The Word Arcane Season 2 lives up to the hype and then some thanks to its interwoven and gripping storylines, gorgeous animation, stunning action sequences, and deep, nuanced characters. Source link #Epic #Sense #Word Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Newscast Newscast And what Trump 2.0 could mean for Ukraine. Source link #Newscast Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mali’s detention of Resolute executives part of strong-arm ‘formula’ to squeeze miners Mali’s detention of Resolute executives part of strong-arm ‘formula’ to squeeze miners Mining executives say the reported detention of Resolute Mining chief executive Terry Holohan and other expatriate staff in Mali is part of an increasingly hard-line campaign by the ******** country’s military government aimed at squeezing more out of foreign-owned miners. Mali insiders said on Sunday the military junta had no compunction about targeting staff at offshore miners operating in the impoverished nation in order to bring their companies into line with a new mining code that provides more financial benefits to the country. “It’s a formula now,” said one company boss operating in West ******* who did not want to be identified. “The writing has been on the wall in Mali now for some time, and it’s red, it’s large and it’s concerning,” said another who has worked in the country. At the risk of losing mining licence, most miners are bowing to the Junta-led Government’s demands, agreeing to renegotiated operating terms that provide for increased Mali ownership of their mines or additional multi-million dollar payments to the Government. However, Mali’s strong-arm tactics will only increase investor reservations about the sovereign risk of backing companies with operations in broader West *******. Founded in WA, dual-listed Resolute maintains an office and local directors in Perth – Sabina Shugg, Adrienne Parker and Lawrence Jackson – but its management has relocated to London in recent years. The chair, Briton Andrew Wray, lives in the British capital. Mr Holohan, another Briton, resides in Hungary, according to the company’s filings with the *********** corporate regulator. It was suggested on Sunday by companies operating in Mali that Resolute had been dragging its heels on a new mining deal for its flagship Syama underground and open cut mining complex as part of a revised mining code introduced last year, telling investors it expected the country to honour previous commitments out until 2029. “You renegotiate if you want to remain in Mali, it’s that simple,” one executive said. Two months ago, the junta briefly jailed four of Barrick’s local executives over alleged “financial *******” amid long-running talks on the implementation of new rules governing its Loulo-Gounkoto project, one of Mali’s biggest gold mines. The new mining code provides for State and local private investors to own 35 per cent of any Mali mine, up from 20 per cent previously. Barrick has since said it is working with the Government to reach a resolution after it was reported Mali was seeking $US500 million in unpaid taxes from the group as it looks to increase revenue from the mining sector, its biggest earner. However, there have been a rush of announcements from other miners, including Canada’s B2Gold and Apollo Minerals, who are now working to revised deals. Most of Mali’s miners are focused on gold. But the country’s emerging lithium miners are also being hit up. London-listed Kodal Minerals, managed from Perth, last week announced it and ******** partner Hainan would pay $US15m to the Government as part of a deal transferring its mining licence to a ****** venture company 35 per cent owned by Mali. Kodal and Hainan are developing the Bougouni lithium project in southern Mali with the aim of beginning production in the first quarter of 2025. Source link #Malis #detention #Resolute #executives #part #strongarm #formula #squeeze #miners Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

1 Stock to Buy, 1 Stock to Sell This Week: Shopify, Occidental Petroleum 1 Stock to Buy, 1 Stock to Sell This Week: Shopify, Occidental Petroleum • CPI inflation, retail sales, producer prices, and more earnings will be in focus this week. • Shopify stands out as a buy, particularly with the holiday season around the corner. • Occidental Petroleum’s challenging landscape makes it one to approach with caution. • Looking for more actionable trade ideas? Unlock access to InvestingPro for less than $8 a month! U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday to cap off their best week of the year, as the Dow and surged to new records after Donald Trump’s decisive election victory. Investors are ******** that a Trump administration will bring lighter regulation and tax cuts that could boost the U.S. economy. For the week, the blue-chip climbed 4.6%, the benchmark S&P 500 gained 4.7%, and the tech-heavy popped 5.7%. Source: Investing.com The week ahead is expected to be an eventful one as investors assess the outlook for the economy, inflation, interest rates and corporate earnings. On the economic calendar, most important will be Wednesday’s U.S. consumer price inflation report for October, which is forecast to show headline annual CPI rising 2.4% year-over-year. Other noteworthy economic reports include U.S. retail sales data, as well as a report on producer prices, will help fill out the inflation picture. Source: Investing.com That will be accompanied by a heavy slate of Fed speakers, including Chairman Jerome Powell on Thursday. Elsewhere, the earnings season continues, with the list of notable names due to report including Walt Disney (NYSE:), Home Depot (NYSE:), Cisco (NASDAQ:), Applied Materials (NASDAQ:), Shopify (NYSE:), Spotify (NYSE:), and Alibaba (NYSE:). Regardless of which direction the market goes, below I highlight one stock likely to be in demand and another which could see fresh downside. Remember though, my timeframe is just for the week ahead, Monday, November 11 – Friday, November 15. Stock To Buy: Shopify Shopify stands out as a top buy this week, as the e-commerce software leader is anticipated to deliver another quarter of strong top-line growth and provide an upbeat outlook thanks to robust growth across key metrics. Shopify’s report is set for release Tuesday at 7:00 AM ET. Market participants expect a sizable swing in SHOP stock after the print drops, according to the options market, with a possible implied move of approximately 14% in either direction. Shares gapped up 26% after its last earnings report in August. Source: InvestingPro Analysts have raised profit forecasts 33 times in recent weeks, as per an InvestingPro survey, highlighting confidence in Shopify’s continued expansion. Wall Street expects adjusted EPS to rise 14% to $0.27, while revenue is set to increase 23% to over $2.1 billion, driven by positive merchant growth and consistent demand for Shopify’s suite of software and payment tools. Additionally, Shopify has a proven seasonal advantage: its stock tends to gain momentum leading up to ****** Friday and Cyber Monday (NASDAQ:) (BFCM). Historically, shares have risen about 7% in the two weeks prior to BFCM from 2016 to 2023, showing resilience as demand spikes ahead of the holiday shopping season. As more merchants capitalize on e-commerce for the holiday rush, Shopify ******** well-positioned for upside. SHOP stock ended at $87.12 on Friday, its highest closing price since February 12. Shares have gained 11.8% year-to-date. At current levels, the Ottawa, Canada-based e-commerce specialist has a market cap of $112.5 billion. Source: Investing.com As InvestingPro points out, Shopify sports a near perfect ‘Financial Health’ score of 4.0 out of 5.0 thanks to its favorable positioning in the software application industry, which has allowed it to leverage a resilient business model and strong profit growth. Be sure to check out InvestingPro to stay in sync with the market trend and what it means for your trading. Subscribe now and get up to 55% off and position your portfolio one step ahead of everyone else! Stock to Sell: Occidental Petroleum In contrast, Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:) is facing a more challenging outlook, making it a strong sell this week due to an unpredictable energy market and fluctuating oil prices. The company is scheduled to release its third-quarter earnings report after the market closes at 4:15PM ET on Tuesday. According to the options market, traders are pricing in a swing of around 6% in either direction for OXY stock following the print. The energy sector’s current uncertainties make Occidental’s path to growth more complicated, with the company navigating complex conditions around global demand and strategic shifts within the industry. Source: InvestingPro The oil and gas producer’s earnings outlook has dimmed, with 16 of 17 analysts reducing their EPS forecasts in recent weeks, reflecting a challenging market. Earnings are expected to decline 36.4% year-over-year to $0.75 per share on revenue of $7.1 billion, down 4% annually. This decrease comes amid volatile oil prices and ongoing debates around the global energy demand outlook. Although Occidental has made moves to enhance its position within the sector, including recent strategic initiatives, near-term pressures continue to weigh on the stock. Consequently, the risk of underperformance appears higher as the company battles broader market uncertainties and industry-specific hurdles. OXY stock closed at $50.53 on Friday, not far from a recent 52-week low of $49.51 touched on November 1. Shares are down 15.4% in 2024. At current valuations, the Houston, Texas-based company has a market cap of $47 billion. Source: Investing.com Whether you’re a novice investor or a seasoned trader, leveraging InvestingPro can unlock a world of investment opportunities while minimizing risks amid the challenging market backdrop. Subscribe now to get up to 55% off all Pro plans and instantly unlock access to several market-beating features, including: • ProPicks AI: AI-selected stock winners with proven track record. • InvestingPro Fair Value: Instantly find out if a stock is underpriced or overvalued. • Advanced Stock Screener: Search for the best stocks based on hundreds of selected filters, and criteria. • Top Ideas: See what stocks billionaire investors such as Warren Buffett, Michael Burry, and George Soros are buying. Disclosure: At the time of writing, I am long on the S&P 500, and the via the SPDR® S&P 500 ETF, and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF. I am also long on the Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSE:). I regularly rebalance my portfolio of individual stocks and ETFs based on ongoing risk assessment of both the macroeconomic environment and companies’ financials. The views discussed in this article are solely the opinion of the author and should not be taken as investment advice. Follow Jesse Cohen on X/Twitter @JesseCohenInv for more stock market analysis and insight. Source link #Stock #Buy #Stock #Sell #Week #Shopify #Occidental #Petroleum Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

3 Reasons to Buy Realty Income Stock Like There’s No Tomorrow 3 Reasons to Buy Realty Income Stock Like There’s No Tomorrow Realty Income (NYSE: O) is a boring company, which is something that ************* dividend investors should find very attractive. That’s because this “boring” company happens to offer a hefty 5.6% dividend yield. It is a great sleep-well-at-night investment selection. To back that statement up, check out these three reasons to love this high-yield real estate investment trust (REIT). Start Your Mornings Smarter! Wake up with Breakfast news in your inbox every market day. Sign Up For Free » Realty Income is a net lease REIT, which means that its tenants are responsible for most property-level operating expenses. But it owns single-tenant assets, so this actually means there’s a fair amount of risk at each property. That risk is mitigated by the fact that Realty Income owns more than 15,400 properties. It is one of the largest REITs in the world. Image source: Getty Images. It is also one of the most diversified REITs in the world. Although the U.S. market is the largest in the portfolio, Realty Income invests across eight countries. It has been expanding that list as it reaches further and further into the ********* market. Adding to that, Realty Income also spreads its portfolio across different property types, with the heaviest exposure to retail and a smaller position in industrial assets. It also has a fairly large “other” category, where it invests in property types like casinos and vineyards. Diversification helps to limit risk, but it also provides the REIT with additional levers to pull for growth. The biggest testament to Realty Income’s financial strength is probably its three-decade-long streak of annual dividend increases. You simply can’t achieve that kind of consistency without a strong foundation and a solid business model. However, there’s more to look at here. For example, the adjusted funds from operations (FFO) payout ratio is roughly 75%, which means there’s plenty of room for adversity before a dividend cut would be on the table. The dividend, meanwhile, is sitting atop an investment-grade-rated balance sheet. This is where the company’s size comes back into play. Being financially strong and large generally affords Realty Income greater access to capital markets than its peers. So it can raise the money it needs to support its business and dividend fairly easily — a competitive advantage that shouldn’t be overlooked. The long history of annual dividend increases has already been noted as a sign of a strong and successful business. But there are others that should be considered, too. For example, Realty Income’s occupancy is solidly above the occupancy of the average REIT in the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC). Even during the Great Recession, occupancy didn’t fall below 96%. This is a very strong portfolio. Story Continues O Chart But there’s another interesting statistic to consider: In the third quarter of 2024, Realty Income recaptured 105% of its expiring lease rents. Realty Income’s leases generally include regular rent increases, so this basically means that its properties are so desirable that tenants are willing to pay even more than they had been to stick around, or that new tenants are willing to pay more than older ones to get into one of the REIT’s properties. That’s a clear sign that management is doing a good job of selecting assets. All that said, Realty Income isn’t going to excite you. For example, the dividend growth rate here is likely to be in the low-to-mid single digit percentages, just as it has in the past. But when you add that to the financial strength, diversification, strong operating history, and, of course, lofty yield, you can see why ************* dividend investors should have Realty Income on their wish list, if not in their portfolio. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Amazon: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2010, you’d have $23,446!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $42,982!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $428,758!* Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon. See 3 “Double Down” stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of November 4, 2024 Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Realty Income. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Realty Income. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Reasons to Buy Realty Income Stock Like There’s No Tomorrow was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #Reasons #Buy #Realty #Income #Stock #Tomorrow Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

British teen hit by paraglider in Turkey in serious condition British teen hit by paraglider in Turkey in serious condition Meggan Nichol Lily Nichol was injured when a paraglider collided with her while she was eating a meal in Turkey A British teenager has been left in a serious condition after being hit by a paraglider while she ate a meal with her family on holiday. Lily Nichol, 15, from Durham, was injured on Friday on the final day of her holiday in Oludeniz, a resort town in southwest Turkey. She now needs multiple operations including back and jaw surgery, which would cost the family £45,000, Lyndsey Logan, her mother, told the BBC. When Lily was eating pizza at a restaurant with her mum and older sister, a paraglider “came from nowhere”, Ms Logan said. Lyndsey Logan Lily Nichol (left) is set to have surgery on her back on Monday “Next thing we knew, my daughter was just unconscious on the floor,” she said. “I was just screaming, crying for help,” Ms Logan continued. “I thought she was *****.” Ms Logan said that Lily’s injuries included a broken jaw, a split ******* and four breaks in her spine, which meant that she cannot be moved from hospital. Her eye was also “gashed open” and her teeth were “wobbly” and would need replacing, she said. Doctors told her that Lily had also suffered a bleed on the brain but a scan later confirmed that she had no serious head injuries. Ms Logan had not taken out travel insurance meaning the family has now been left to foot the bill for Lily’s medical care. It has so far cost £7,200, which Lily’s father has paid, but the back and jaw surgery would add an extra £45,000. Ms Logan said her family does not have the money, with Lily set to have the surgery on Monday. Her mother said she would pay a ******** for the operation beforehand but would need to pay the full charge before Lily was able to leave hospital. Lily’s family have set up an online fundraiser to try cover the costs. Lyndsey Logan Both Lily (right) and her sister Megan (left) were knocked unconscious by the paraglider, their mother said ‘Absolutely traumatised’ “My daughter didn’t remember anything,” Ms Logan said. “She thought she was having a dream.” On both Friday and Saturday nights, Lily had “bad nightmares,” Ms Logan said. Her other daughter, Megan, 19, had also been knocked unconscious by the paraglider but was not as badly injured. “She came around when I started screaming,” she said. Ms Logan said that she was “absolutely traumatised” herself, adding: “I’ll never forget this day”. The family have been in contact with the British Embassy in Turkey. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told the BBC: “We are providing support to a British girl and her family following an accident in Turkey.” Source link #British #teen #hit #paraglider #Turkey #condition Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Review: Just Dance 2025 Edition | ********* Gamer Review: Just Dance 2025 Edition | ********* Gamer WTMG’s Aaron Price: “I’ve always expected to have fun with a brand new Just Dance, even if it has been 10 years since I last played an entry, but I didn’t expect to have this much fun with this 2025 iteration. It’s a great reason to get up and move, as well as ***** some calories. If you put the effort in, it’s a great exercise, and thanks to how polished, intuitive and well-optimized the game is, it’s enjoyable to play for longer periods of time. Get ready to feel the *****, because this is exhausting work. One that still manages to put a smile on your face.” Source link #Review #Dance #Edition #********* #Gamer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

World No.229 Waring earns shock Abu Dhabi golf triumph World No.229 Waring earns shock Abu Dhabi golf triumph Paul Waring has surprised even himself by the smooth manner in which he picked up the biggest title of his career, recording a six-under par 66 to win the Abu Dhabi Championship. The 229th-ranked Englishman was one ******* ahead overnight and finished on 24 under on Sunday, to finish two shots clear of Ryder Cup compatriot Tyrrell Hatton, who had eight birdies in his 64. Waring was also three clear of Danish golfer Thorbjorn Olesen (66), Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy (64) and Englishman Matt Wallace (63), who tied for third. “It was quite an easy day really, wasn’t it? It just means so much,” the 39-year-old Waring said. “To actually keep control of myself in the way that I did today, I’m really proud of myself.” It was only his second ********* tour title on his 332nd appearance and six years after his first at the Nordea Masters. Waring’s 19-under total after two rounds at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Links had been the lowest 36-***** score to par in ********* tour history, and he maintained his form to earn a victory that now sets up the prospect of him playing as a dual member on both the ********* and PGA Tours. “I was quite happy living in Dubai to be honest with you,” said Waring, whose win also sealed his place in next year’s British Open. “It’s going to be a long way to travel, a long commute over to America. But I’m looking forward to that. It’s a new challenge. Absolutely made up.” Among the three *********** challengers, Min Woo Lee came out top, ending up with a 69 that propelled him to a 15-under total, which left him ******-23rd overall. David Micheluzzi (69) ended at 12 under in a tie for 37th, while Adam Scott saved his best for last with a 65 that moved him up to 10 under in ******-46th place. Source link #World #No.229 #Waring #earns #shock #Abu #Dhabi #golf #triumph Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo on rising dev costs, Switch experience will help in the future Nintendo on rising dev costs, Switch experience will help in the future Profchaos6h ago It makes sense for a few reasons. 1) the games reputation has only grown through the years as the best if not one of the better Mario RPG like games 2) the GameCube sold 21.7 million units to date the switch is still growing and at last count was 147 million units. Source link #Nintendo #rising #dev #costs #Switch #experience #future Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

One person is ***** after a ********* at Tuskegee University One person is ***** after a ********* at Tuskegee University TUSKEGEE, Ala. (AP) — Homecoming Week at Tuskegee University in Alabama was marred early Sunday by a ********* that left one person *****, school officials said. The victim of the ********* was not a university student, but some of those who were injured were. “The parents of this individual have been notified. Several others including Tuskegee University students were injured and are receiving treatment at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika and ******** South Hospital in Montgomery,” the statement said. The ********* occurred on campus and happened as the historically ****** university’s 100th Homecoming Week was winding down. “The university is in the process of completing student accountability and notifying parents,” the statement said. A person who answered the phone at the office of Tuskegee’s police chief said no other information was available. The Alabama Bureau of Investigation is investigating. Source link #person #***** #********* #Tuskegee #University Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Treyarch Needs To Add This One Feature To ****** Ops 6 Zombies To End Our Nightmares Treyarch Needs To Add This One Feature To ****** Ops 6 Zombies To End Our Nightmares Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 Zombies teammate search needs this feature to separate the camo grinders and easter egg hunters. Source link #Treyarch #Add #Feature #****** #Ops #Zombies #Nightmares Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Argentine football hooligan leader shot ***** in street Argentine football hooligan leader shot ***** in street The leader of a notorious gang of football hooligans in Argentina has been shot ***** near his club’s stadium in Rosario. Andrés Bracamonte, known as Pillín, had spent more than 20 years as head of the Rosario Central supporters’ gang and had a history of taking part in violent conflicts with rival hooligans. He and his deputy, Daniel “Rana” Atardo, were just four blocks from the Gigante de Arroyito stadium when they were gunned down by a motorcyclist on Saturday. Rosario Central had just played a league match, but Bracamonte did not attend it. He had been banned from matches because of previous incidents and had been accused of money-laundering and extortion by Argentine authorities. The two men were taken to the local Centenario Hospital, but doctors were unable to save their lives. Bracamonte’s ******** was widely reported by Argentine media, who described it as a settling of scores. Newspapers reported that Bracamonte had a long ********* record and had been the victim of frequent attacks. The most recent was in August, when a bullet grazed his back while he was with his partner, who was also injured. Bracamonte, who was 52, was also accused of having links with a ***** cartel known as Los Monos and was under investigation for money-laundering as a result. Source link #Argentine #football #hooligan #leader #shot #***** #street Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Judge to decide if Trump hush money conviction to stand Judge to decide if Trump hush money conviction to stand A New York judge is set to decide this week whether US president-elect Donald Trump’s ********* conviction on charges involving hush money paid to a ***** star should be overturned in light of the US Supreme Court’s July ruling on presidential immunity. Justice Juan Merchan has said he will make his decision by Tuesday. It is the first of two pivotal choices that the judge must make after Trump’s November 5 election victory. Merchan also must decide whether to go ahead with sentencing Trump on November 26 as currently scheduled. Legal experts have said sentencing now is unlikely to happen ahead of Trump’s January 20 inauguration. A favourable ruling by Merchan for Trump on the immunity question or a sentencing delay would pave the way for him to return to the White House largely unencumbered by any of the four ********* cases that once appeared to threaten his ambitions to win back the White House. Officials at the US Justice Department are assessing how to wind down the two federal ********* cases brought against Trump by Special Counsel Jack Smith due to its longstanding policy against prosecuting a sitting president. A separate case in Georgia involving state ********* charges concerning Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss ******** in limbo. Trump, 78, pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing in all four cases, which he portrayed as political persecutions by allies of Democratic President Joe Biden designed to thwart his campaign. “It is now abundantly clear that Americans want an immediate end to the weaponisation of our justice system,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement on Friday. Trump in May became the first US president to be convicted of a ****** when a jury in Manhattan found him guilty of state charges of falsifying business records to cover up a potential **** scandal shortly before his first presidential victory in 2016. Trump has vowed to appeal the conviction after sentencing. His lawyers have argued that the case must be dismissed following the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling. The Supreme Court, in a decision arising from one of Smith’s two cases against Trump, decided that presidents are immune from prosecution involving their official acts, and that juries cannot be presented evidence of official acts in trials over personal conduct. It marked the first time that the court recognised any degree of presidential immunity from prosecution. Trump’s lawyers said the jury that convicted Trump was shown evidence by prosecutors of his social media posts as president and heard testimony from his former aides about conversations that occurred in the White House during his 2017-2021 term. Prosecutors with the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, have argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling has no bearing on the case, which they said concerned “wholly unofficial conduct”. The Supreme Court in its ruling found no immunity for a president’s unofficial acts. “Even if the judge finds that some of the evidence should not have been introduced, it would not have changed the outcome of the jury’s decision, and the court will not, therefore, dismiss the case on that basis,” New York Law School professor Anna Cominsky said. Even if Merchan allows the conviction to stand, experts expect Trump’s lawyers to ask the judge to delay the sentencing. Trump faces a sentence of up to four years in prison after being convicted of 34 felony counts. Legal experts have said that while lesser penalties such as fines or probation are more likely, a prison sentence would not be impossible. Source link #Judge #decide #Trump #hush #money #conviction #stand Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

China delimits a contested South China Sea shoal in a dispute with Philippines China delimits a contested South China Sea shoal in a dispute with Philippines BEIJING (AP) — China has published baselines for a contested shoal in the South China Sea it had seized from the Philippines, a move that’s likely to increase tensions over overlapping territorial claims. The Foreign Ministry on Sunday posted online geographic coordinates for the baselines around Scarborough Shoal. A nation’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone are typically defined as the distance from the baselines. Both China and the Philippines claim Scarborough Shoal and other outcroppings in the South China Sea. China seized the shoal, which ***** west of the main Philippine island of Luzon, in 2012 and has since restricted access to ********* fishermen there. A 2016 ruling by an international arbitration court found that most ******** claims in the South China Sea were invalid but Beijing refuses to abide by it. Ships from China and the Philippines have collided several times as part of increased confrontations, and the ******** coast guard has blasted Philippine vessels with water cannons. China’s move came two days after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed two laws demarcating the government’s claims in the disputed waters. A ******** Foreign Ministry statement said that the delimiting of the baselines was in accordance with a U.N. agreement and ******** law. “This is a natural step by the ******** government to lawfully strengthen marine management and is consistent with international law and common practices,” it said. The statement added that one of the laws signed by Marcos, the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, violates China’s sovereignty in the South China Sea. “China firmly opposes it and will continue to do everything necessary in accordance with law to firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” the Foreign Ministry said. China stakes claim to almost the entirety of the South China Sea. It has a series of disputes with several Southeast ****** nations including the Philippines and Vietnam over territory in the waters, which are part of a key shipping route in Asia. Source link #China #delimits #contested #South #China #Sea #shoal #dispute #Philippines Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Caernarfon’s Carlton bakery closes after 100 years Caernarfon’s Carlton bakery closes after 100 years BBC Dewi Roberts’ great-grandparents opened the bakery in 1922 A family-run bakery is closing its doors for the last time, ending an era stretching back more than a century. Carlton Bakery ceases trading on Saturday with the Roberts family selling up after four generations in Caernarfon, Gwynedd. It was founded by Dewi Roberts’ great-grandparents in 1922 and the current owner is his father Alun, 83, known as cwstad (custard) by locals. Dewi, 40, who has worked in the shop since he was a boy but has done other work, told BBC Cymru Fyw he was taught to bake by his mother. He said running a bakery had been hard, getting up at three in the morning and working six days a week. He added that a recent loss of staff had increased the burden. Last weekend, the shop announced on social media that it would be closing on 9 November, prompting messages of support. “People have been really nice – it’s been pretty overwhelming to be honest,” said Dewi. Bakery staff Brenda Jones and Karen Morgan Karen Morgan, who worked at the bakery for more than 20 years, said her first memories of the shop was visiting as a child. “I remember coming here with my mum to buy trifle and she used to buy chocolate cakes here for me and my brother on our birthdays.” She said its closure was “terribly sad”. Brenda Jones, who has worked at the shop for 15 years, added: “I don’t know where people are going to get their bread now – I don’t know where I’ll go either to be honest. “I’m especially going to miss the bread rolls from Carlton.” Family Photos Then and now: Alun Roberts, the current owner of the bakery, is known locally as cwstad, which is custard in Welsh Source link #Caernarfons #Carlton #bakery #closes #years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Slitterhead Review – Unknown Horrors | Infinite Start Slitterhead Review – Unknown Horrors | Infinite Start In our Slitterhead Review we examine the latest horror experience. Will it live up to the hype, or is it another cult classic? – IS Source link #Slitterhead #Review #Unknown #Horrors #Infinite #Start Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Workplace Gender Equality Agency report highlights need for more employer action to prevent ******* harassment Workplace Gender Equality Agency report highlights need for more employer action to prevent ******* harassment One in four employers is still failing to monitor the prevalence of ******* harassment in the workplace, a damning report has revealed. Results released on Monday by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency review the initiatives employers have put in place since the Federal Government created a positive duty on employers to stamp out ******* harassment in their workplaces. The requirement stemmed from a key recommendation in the Respect@Work Report, which was handed down by the *********** Human Rights Commission in 2020. The Agency said the results showed that even though many employers have put work into reducing ******* harassment and discrimination, more work needs to be done. While nearly 99 per cent of employers had a formal policy on work-related ******* harassment and discrimination, 28 per cent were not monitoring how prevalent it was. “While we are seeing comprehensive policy coverage, this is only a critical first step,” WGEA chief executive Mary Wooldridge said. “Long-term culture change within organisations also requires employees and company leaders to know the policy, understand what’s in it and the part they play in its implementation. “One of the insights from the Respect@Work Report is that proactive engagement by leadership is critical for long-term change. WGEA’s new results show that most CEOs are highly engaged in reviewing, signing off on and then communicating these policies (85 per cent), however just over half (55 per cent) of their boards are similarly involved.” The results also revealed that only 25 per cent of chief executives communicated their organisation’s expectations with new staff during their induction. Just 9 per cent did so ahead of big events such as Christmas parties. “While employers are training employees with the knowledge and understanding to respond to complaints, employers also now have a responsibility to stop ******* harassment before it starts,” Ms Wooldridge said. “Our results indicate CEOs and Boards can play more of a role in proactively enabling a safe and respectful culture by communicating the employer’s expectations more regularly to all employees.” Source link #Workplace #Gender #Equality #Agency #report #highlights #employer #action #prevent #******* #harassment Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

After Shadows, Ubisoft Should Set Next *********’s Creed Game in Persia to Honor its Most Cursed Franchise After Shadows, Ubisoft Should Set Next *********’s Creed Game in Persia to Honor its Most Cursed Franchise Ubisoft’s decision to delay *********’s Creed: Shadows to February 11, 2025, has given the community time to think about the future of the beloved franchise. As fans eagerly wait for the next chapter in the *********’s Creed saga, there is a golden opportunity for the studio to take the series in a bold yet nostalgic direction. It can intertwine the franchise with one of its predecessors, Prince of Persia while paying tribute to its legacy. Players are already thinking about the future direction the studio will take the series to. | Image Credit: Ubisoft This isn’t just about invoking nostalgia in players. By incorporating elements from PoP such as its iconic parkour mechanics, deadly environmental traps, and time-altering themes, the studio has a chance to breathe new life into both franchises. The result could be something fresh and exciting, all while ensuring that the very essence of PoP’s distinctive gameplay lives on through *********’s Creed. Why Ubisoft Should Fuse Prince of Persia with *********’s Creed Prince of Persia is one of the most beloved and cursed franchises in gaming history. | Image Credit: Ubisoft Ubisoft has long used the *********’s Creed franchise as a platform for innovation, with each installment bringing new mechanics and settings to keep the gameplay fresh. The franchise has taken players from the ancient streets of Rome to the lively markets of Baghdad, each installment immersing players in a meticulously crafted world that feels alive and dynamic. By fusing Prince of Persia with *********’s Creed, the studio has the opportunity to take players back to the heart of the Persian Empire. This way it will not only honor the legacy of the beloved franchise but also unlock a wealth of possibilities for storytelling, world-building, and gameplay. The historical richness of Persia, with its beautiful cities, vast deserts, and towering palaces, would provide an excellent backdrop for an epic AC adventure. However, it’s not just the setting that makes this fusion exciting; it’s also the gameplay potential. First and foremost, parkour. The PoP games were built on their fluid, dynamic parkour mechanics, which allowed players to leap, wall-run, and navigate through complex environments in the blink of an eye. While these mechanics were the foundation for *********’s Creed’s signature movement system, there’s still room for improvement. However, the next installment should fully embrace the essence of PoP and introduce new layers of complexity to the parkour system. If the game is set in Ancient Persia, there will always be elaborate palaces, labyrinthine temples, and ancient citadels for players to scale and test these mechanics on. Beyond movement, these grand structures should be filled with hidden traps and environmental puzzles. These challenges would encourage players to stay alert, think on their feet, and explore the environment in greater depth. In doing so, players would not only engage with the revamped parkour system but also immerse themselves in a world that feels truly reactive to their actions. Why it Matters to Revive the Prince of Persia Legacy Even before its release, Shadows has been swimming in controversy regarding its protagonist choices and gameplay. | Image Credit: Ubisoft The Prince of Persia franchise deserves more than to fade into obscurity. While a recent attempt at reviving the series emerged with a platform-based title, it ******* to capture the magic of its predecessors, and the development team behind it was ultimately disbanded. For many, PoP was the stepping stone to *********’s Creed, and its influence is still present. Ubisoft is in a very tough spot right now. *********’s Creed: Shadows, even before its release, has been met with various controversy, and fans have been expressing growing frustration with the direction the series has taken in recent years. By fusing the beloved (also cursed) franchise into *********’s Creed, Ubisoft has an opportunity to not only reinvigorate its iconic legacy but also renew hope among PoP fans who have longed for a proper revival. As the release date for Shadows comes close (February 11th), players are watching closely to see how the studio will move forward with the series. Even though the franchise is covered in controversies right now, it has delivered some of the best gaming experiences with a few of its installments as well so players don’t want to see it stagnate or fade into irrelevance. In the end, while this is just a hopeful vision that imagines both franchises making a spectacular return, the studio needs to take decisive action. It needs to make the right choices, starting with a fresh, bold direction that honors its legacy and gives players something to look forward to once again. What is your favorite *********’s Creed title? Tell us in the comment section below. Source link #Shadows #Ubisoft #Set #Assassins #Creed #Game #Persia #Honor #Cursed #Franchise Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Here’s why young adults in Puerto Rico are struggling financially Here’s why young adults in Puerto Rico are struggling financially Parade attendees wave Puerto Rican flags on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan during the annual Puerto Rico Day Parade. Luiz C. Ribeiro | New York Daily News | Tribune News Service | Getty Images Young adults in Puerto Rico are on shaky financial ground, a study finds. About 47% of respondents in the U.S. territory are financially fragile, meaning they lack confidence in their ability to absorb a $2,000 economic shock, according to a September report from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Investor Education Foundation. “This is the first time a study of this nature has been done on Puerto Rico,” said report co-author Harold Toro. He is also the research director and chair in economic development research at the Center for a New Economy, an economy-focused think tank based on the island. “It highlights things that people feel and experience, but that are hard to find numbers for,” Toro said. More than half, or 59%, of adults ages 18 to 29 on the island are financially fragile, compared to 47% of those ages 30 to 54 and 41% of those age 55 or older, FINRA found. The organization in 2021 polled 1,001 adults who live in Puerto Rico. “The financial fragility and capability more broadly in Puerto Rico … it’s pretty dire when we compare it to the mainland ******* States,” said report co-author Olivia Valdés, senior researcher at the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. Financial fragility, particularly for young adults, is much higher in Puerto Rico than on the mainland U.S. More than half, or 59%, of 18 to 29-year-olds are financially struggling in Puerto Rico compared to 38% of the same age group in the U.S., according to FINRA data. About 30% of U.S. residents overall were considered financially fragile in 2021, according to FINRA’s latest Financial Capability in the ******* States report, which polled 27,118 U.S. adults in 2021. The Puerto Rico survey was separate, but fielded at the same time. The younger generation has experienced financial strain for over two decades. Vicente Feliciano founder and president of Advantage Business Consulting, a market analysis and business consulting firm in San Juan, Puerto Rico Many young adults leave Puerto Rico to try and improve their financial situation, by seeking education or employment in the ******* States or in other countries. For the young adults who stay, the generation must contend with an economy under recovery, an electric grid hanging on by a thread and sky-high costs for basic needs like housing. Understanding why young Puerto Ricans are financially fragile could help with efforts to retain younger residents and bring working professionals back to the island, experts say. But “living in Puerto Rico can’t just be a matter of survival, it also has to be a place where you can thrive,” said Fernando Tormos Aponte, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Pittsburgh. Young Puerto Ricans are ‘having a tougher time’ To be sure, a certain degree of financial strain is typical for people just starting out. Generally speaking, financial standing gets better with age. But financial fragility is more prominent among young adults in Puerto Rico compared to the U.S. “People who are younger seem to be … having a tougher time,” Toro said. Adults age 18 to 29 in Puerto Rico are less likely than adults ages 30 and over to report having emergency and retirement savings, FINRA found. Less than a quarter, 22%, of 18- to 34-year-olds in Puerto Rico have any type of retirement account. Among that age group on the mainland U.S., 43% do, according to the broader FINRA analysis. Young adults in Puerto Rico are also more likely than older residents to have student loan and medical debt. Younger generations only know a Puerto Rico in crisis Puerto Rico’s economy “is doing quite well,” said Vicente Feliciano, founder and president of Advantage Business Consulting, a market analysis and business consulting firm in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The job market has improved, and salaries are growing at a faster pace than inflation, thanks to the increase in minimum wage, Feliciano said. While the federal minimum wage in the U.S. is $7.25, it’s $10.50 in Puerto Rico. Employment in the private sector was at a 15-year high since mid- 2022, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Still, the median household income on the island was just $25,621 in 2023, less than a third of the $80,610 median household income in the mainland U.S., per Census data. Even though the last couple of years have been better, for adults under 40 in Puerto Rico, “most of their working lives have been overshadowed by the depression that Puerto Rico fell through from 2006 through 2015,” Feliciano said. “The younger generation has experienced financial strain for over two decades,” he said. “They have seen many of their friends leave the country. They are frustrated. They blame the traditional [political] parties for something that may or may not be their fault, but is very real.” ‘We want people to come back’ Alejandro Talavera Correa moved to Washington, D.C. in 2019 for a job in finance. The role and pay were too good to pass up, he said: “People have to leave in order to get a competitive salary.” But within a few years, he found himself moving back to Puerto Rico. Talavera Correa, now 28, found an opportunity to return to Puerto Rico through El Comeback, an online job board that is tailored to include job postings that meet market salary standards or offer benefit packages for prospective applicants. “We want people to come back,” said Ana Laura Miranda, project manager of El Comeback. “We need to be realistic. We need to invest in employees and if we don’t have the salaries, then we need to create benefit packages.” According to Miranda, the audience that mostly uses the platform are in their late 20s to those in their mid to late 30s. They vary from single adults to families with kids. More from Personal Finance: Latino caregivers face higher financial strain Latino student loan borrowers face extra challenges Over 3 million financially insecure Latinas live in *********-restricted states The initiative is still in its early stages, and has attracted and retained 51 candidates, Miranda said. Candidates are often looking to be close to family or regain the sense of belonging or warmth that comes with being in Puerto Rico, said Miranda. But young workers returning to Puerto Rico may face new financial challenges. “There’s always going to be a certain pay cut,” as six figure salaries are not as common on the island as they are in the U.S. And “Puerto Rico is not cheap,” said Miranda. “The cost of living … it’s real. We cannot miss that.” The island — like the mainland U.S. — has a housing market that’s unaffordable for many residents, and having a car is essential to get around because public transportation services can be unreliable. Talavera Correa was fortunate to buy a condo during the pandemic when mortgage rates were low. “If you don’t have that kind of money, you’re essentially stuck either renting or living with your parents,” said Talavera Correa. Yet, like most Puerto Ricans on the island, he still struggles with regular blackouts and electricity problems. Those send him to his mom’s house, where service is more reliable due to her solar panels. “Blackouts and problems with electricity are quite recurrent,” said Advantage Business Consulting’s Feliciano. “Electricity is a major distinction between the U.S. and Puerto Rico and it hits the younger generation ******* than it hits the wealthier, older generation.” Despite the challenges, Talavera Correa is happy with his decision. “It’s essentially the quality of life that you can have here in Puerto Rico. You have the beaches, everything outdoors, and the opportunity that you can have to have a happy life,” he said. “But if that comes with economic restraints, or just overall living situations regarding the electricity, water … that disappoints a lot of people [who] come back.” Source link #Heres #young #adults #Puerto #Rico #struggling #financially Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]