Pelican Press

Former university students urged to for refunds Former university students urged to for refunds University graduates across the *** are being urged by a campaign group to check whether they are due a refund on their student loan repayment after it was revealed that nearly £200m was overpaid last year. Save the Student’s comments come after figures were published which show that hundreds of thousands of people currently paying off their loans are eligible for a share of £184m in refunds. It is easy to check whether a refund is owed by logging on to the government’s Student Loan Company portal, where individual refunds could range from tens of pounds to more than £1,000. Tom Allingham from Save the Student said for many getting a refund could make a world of difference. Charlotte Gill is one such former student who was eligible for a refund on her loan payments, to the tune of £68. She said it did not make a huge difference “but every little helps when you are a student”. “At the end of the day, it’s your money, it’s not the government’s money, so if you’ve got any entitlement to a refund then absolutely take it,” she said. Martin De’Ath received £396 in his refund and says the substantial payment made him question how he could have used it in the 10 months he was without it. “I was definitely pleased to get it back at least,” he said. There are four reasons people may be eligible for refunds. The main reason, behind £146m of the total, is that repayments were taken from people despite them not earning above the annual threshold at which point repayments automatically kick in. This can happen when someone earns above the monthly threshold which triggers the beginning of loan repayments, due to things like to taking extra shifts, getting a new job or receiving a bonus, but their annual earnings might still fall below the yearly threshold. Since May, those who fall into this category have been able to use a new service offered by the SLC to request refunds online. In the first six months of the service, 418,000 people have done so. Other reasons may be that former students are charged repayments before they are required to pay, which is generally in the April after they finish studying. Some people may have been put on the wrong payment plans by their employer, while others may have continued making payments after their loan had been paid off in full. Any money overpaid does count towards the full repayment of the loan, and may save graduates money in the long run on interest. However, as Mr Allingham said, many university graduates may need the cash for their day-to-day expenses. “It is definitely worth doing, particularly even with the cost of living crisis still lingering on a little bit, having that extra boost of cash right now could make a world of difference,” Mr Allingham said. Source link #university #students #urged #refunds Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple’s Automatic ‘Inactivity Reboot’ iPhone Feature Could Impact Thieves, Law Enforcement Apple’s Automatic ‘Inactivity Reboot’ iPhone Feature Could Impact Thieves, Law Enforcement Apple recently introduced a new security feature with the iOS 18.1 update that rolled out to users on October 28 that could prove to be troublesome for both thieves and law enforcement officials. According to a report, police officials in the US noticed that some iPhone models that were stored for forensic examination were rebooting on their own, making it much more difficult to bypass the security of the smartphone. A security researcher has confirmed that the reboots were due to a new feature added to iOS 18. iOS 18.1 Introduces ‘Inactivity Reboot’ Feature on iPhone According to a report by 404 Media, police officials in Detroit discovered that some iPhone units that were in storage and waiting for forensic examination were rebooting, making it ******* to unlock those devices using tools designed to gain access to seized devices. The publication also referred to a Michigan police document that suggested Apple had introduced a feature that allowed an iPhone to “communicate” with other devices, sending them a signal to reboot. However, this theory was debunked after a security researcher dug into the iOS 18.2 code Security researcher Jiska (@*****@*****.tld) explained in a post on Mastodon that Apple actually added a feature called “inactivity reboot” that appears to have nothing to do with the phone’s network state. Instead, the feature is designed to reboot any iPhone running iOS 18.1 if it hasn’t been unlocked for a while. How Apple’s ‘Inactivity Reboot’ Feature Impacts Thieves and Law Enforcement Apple encrypts user data on a smartphone in two states — Before First Unlock (BFU) and After First Unlock (AFU). The former is the state when an iPhone has been restarted, and the handset can only receive calls. This is a heightened mode of security, which is lowered when the user unlocks it for the first time and enables support for Face ID or Touch ID. An iPhone ******** in AFU mode until another reboot is performed, which means that law enforcement officials (or thieves) can use specific tools (from companies like Cellebrite or GrayKey) designed to unlock the device and access its contents. However, when an iPhone is in BFU state, it is much ******* for these tools to gain access to the device using brute force techniques. This is not the first time that Apple has introduced a feature that protects the iPhone from unauthorised access. After the company refused to unlock an iPhone for the FBI in 2016 (the FBI eventually used a third-party to unlock the phone), the company added a setting that disabled USB debugging on its smartphones, Source link #Apples #Automatic #Inactivity #Reboot #iPhone #Feature #Impact #Thieves #Law #Enforcement Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mark Cavendish to retire after Tour de France Criterium in Singapore on Sunday Mark Cavendish to retire after Tour de France Criterium in Singapore on Sunday Britain’s Mark Cavendish, the most successful sprinter in cycling history, will retire after racing in the Tour de France Criterium in Singapore on Sunday. The 39-year-old from the Isle of Man, who said in May that this season would be his last, broke the Tour de France record for stage wins with his 35th victory in July. He won the world title in 2011 and an omnium silver medal at the 2016 Olympics, and twice won the green jersey – awarded to the rider with the most points – at the Tour. He has won 165 races since the start of his professional career in 2005, including 17 stages in the Giro d’Italia and three in the Vuelta a Espana, and received a knighthood in October. “I am lucky enough to have done what I love for almost 20 years and I can now say that I have achieved everything that I can on the bike,” said Cavendish, who rides for the Astana-Qazaqstan team. “Cycling has given me so much and I love the sport. I’ve always wanted to make a difference in it and now I am ready to see what the next chapter has in store for me.” Source link #Mark #Cavendish #retire #Tour #France #Criterium #Singapore #Sunday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

As a jaded tech journalist, I’m in a battle to keep ‘smart’ devices out of my home – despite my partner’s efforts | Victoria Turk As a jaded tech journalist, I’m in a battle to keep ‘smart’ devices out of my home – despite my partner’s efforts | Victoria Turk There’s one battle my husband and I have fought ever since we started cohabiting: whether to allow “smart” appliances in our home. He, an enthusiastic gadget fan, would happily connect all of our household goods to the internet so he could control them from his phone. I, a jaded tech journalist, am far too paranoid to surround myself with a bunch of data-guzzling surveillance machines. So I felt somewhat vindicated when I saw the latest story about a seemingly innocuous utensil apparently getting a bit too data-hungry. The consumer group Which? found that three air fryers it tested had connected phone apps that requested permission to record audio – not something you’d imagine to be a critical function for an object whose sole purpose is to cook food. The devices also wanted to know users’ exact locations. If you ask me, there’s no need for an air fryer – or a fridge, washing machine or toaster – to be connected to the internet at all, though I can appreciate that there is some merit to the concept. A main benefit of smart appliances is that they allow for remote operation, so you can set off a load of laundry to finish just when you get home from work, or check which groceries you’re running low on while at the supermarket. But a lot of these devices and their connected apps gather high levels of personal information, often with little transparency and despite regulations that are supposed to limit the data they process. All smart appliances need to collect some data in order to fulfil their promised functions. Audio access, for example, is needed for voice-activation services (apparently some people really want to talk to their light switches). But often, devices request more permissions than they really need or use. Many of the items Which? reviewed – which also included smart TVs, speakers and watches – also connected to third-party trackers that can monitor data from your device and be used for various purposes, including marketing and advertising. Many of us have a general sense that tech gathers more of our personal data than we’re comfortable with. There’s a popular *********** theory that social media apps are snooping on our private conversations to serve us ads, secretly using our phone microphones to pick up on our consumer desires: you talk to a friend about a tool you need for a DIY project and suddenly find ads for power drills popping into your social feeds. Despite the persistence of the myth, this almost certainly isn’t happening, according to researchers at Northeastern University in Boston. They tested more than 17,000 apps, including Facebook and Instagram, and found no examples of a microphone being activated unexpectedly or audio being sent out without the user’s knowledge. ‘The consumer group Which? found that three air fryers it tested had connected phone apps that requested permission to record audio.’ Photograph: Grace Cary/Getty Images But if that sounds reassuring, all it really shows is that advertisers don’t need to listen to your private chatter in order to serve you ads that are relevant to the point of feeling invasive. They already have enough other data on you. And now it turns out that innocent-looking appliance you bought to help make dinner also has no respect for personal boundaries. It’s not just the possibility of listening in that’s a problem: smart devices can spy on us in all manner of ways. Smart doorbells might watch you enter and leave your house, and fitness watches might constantly track your location. Even data-gathering that seems harmless at first glance could give away more than you may expect. ****** vacuum cleaners could map and share floor plans of your home. Connected **** toys could reveal your bedroom habits. Running apps could disclose the location of your secret army base. Then there’s the potential for ******. Domestic abusers have used smart doorbells, thermostats and even children’s toys to stalk, surveil and gaslight their victims. As more and more things get “smart”, it’s ******* to resist. My husband managed to sneak an app-enabled colour-changing light bulb into our house, but I drew the line at a Ring doorbell – equipping door furniture with eyes and ears feels excessive. Really, though, we shouldn’t have to totally avoid smart appliances just to protect our privacy. Despite my grousing, I do actually like technology. I would love to use smart devices that make my life easier – just without having to give up so much personal data. Theoretically, regulation already covers this: GDPR states that companies must be transparent about the data they collect and limit data collection to what is necessary. But there’s some room for interpretation on what counts as “necessary”, and even if companies are honest about how they use our data, how many people read the fine print when they’re just trying to set up an air fryer? The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the ***’s data protection regulator, will publish new guidance specifically for smart-device makers in spring 2025. Workshops with a citizen jury earlier this year found that the more people learned about how smart devices handle personal information, the less they trusted them. “The overwhelming feeling among participants was that IoT [Internet of Things] products collect an excessive and often unnecessary amount of personal information,” stated a report prepared for the ICO. The report proposed several commonsense solutions, including clearer privacy policies with bullet points and large text, audio or visual signals to indicate when a smart device is collecting information, reminders about data collection at periodic moments in a product’s lifespan and not just at setup, and a specific and prominent control to opt in or out of personal data being used for advertising. It’s not exactly rocket science. The thing is, regulations are only effective if they’re enforced – including, as the Which? editor, Harry Rose, points out, against companies operating from other countries. Meanwhile, it may be a good time to check through your phone settings and see just what each of your home appliance-linked apps has access to. Or join the ranks of grumpy Luddites like me and consider how smart you really need your kitchen utensils to be. Source link #jaded #tech #journalist #battle #smart #devices #home #partners #efforts #Victoria #Turk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Anneli Maley, Ally Wilson, Laeticia Amihere and Alex Ciabattoni star for Perth Lynx in win over Adelaide Anneli Maley, Ally Wilson, Laeticia Amihere and Alex Ciabattoni star for Perth Lynx in win over Adelaide Perth Lynx have ended a tough run of games to start the season with a key away win in Adelaide as co-captain Anneli Maley again produced a massive performance. Source link #Anneli #Maley #Ally #Wilson #Laeticia #Amihere #Alex #Ciabattoni #star #Perth #Lynx #win #Adelaide Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How Elon Musk became Donald Trump’s shadow vice-president | Elon Musk How Elon Musk became Donald Trump’s shadow vice-president | Elon Musk As Donald Trump watched election results roll in from a party at his Mar-a-Lago compound, Elon Musk sat arm’s length away, basking in the impending victory he had helped secure. In less than five months, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO had gone from not endorsing a candidate to becoming a fixture of the president-elect’s inner circle. “The future is gonna be so ,” Musk posted to his social media platform, X, just after midnight, along with a photo of himself leaning over to talk with Trump at the Mar-a-Lago dinner. Musk’s place at the head table was the result of months of political efforts by the world’s richest man, and an injection of at least $130m of his own money. Musk campaigned for Trump both online and offline, funded advertising and get-out-the-vote operations for a campaign at a severe financial disadvantage to its opponent. He even temporarily decamped from his home in Texas to the swing state of Pennsylvania, where he appeared at town hall events and held a $1m daily giveaway for voters. Musk wasn’t the only billionaire rooting for Trump. But unlike some of his peers, who preferred operating in the shadows, shielded by Super Pacs and meetings behind closed doors, he became Trump’s most visible surrogate. As so often with his endeavors, Musk was all in. And now, gambling on becoming one of Trump’s most vocal and deep-pocketed supporters has won Musk direct influence and access to the nation’s highest office, making him not only the world’s richest man but also one of its most politically powerful. Musk’s exact role in the coming administration is still unclear. Trump has previously said that the CEO would lead a full audit of the federal government, and make drastic reforms as “secretary of cost-cutting”. Any such position would create immense conflicts of interest, as Musk’s companies hold billions in contracts with the government and are also facing investigations from federal agencies. Under Trump, who has long opposed regulators and ignored ethical conflicts, that may not matter. Musk’s fortune soared by $26bn just two days after the election. Beyond any potential formal government role, Musk has also ingratiated himself as a close ally of the president-elect – who adopted some of Musk’s policy suggestions during the campaign and praised him as a “super genius” during his victory speech. He reportedly joined Trump’s call with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Wednesday, signaling broad influence. That same day, Trump’s granddaughter posted a family photo of “the whole squad” taken at the previous evening’s watch party. Standing among three generations of smiling family members, just in front of Eric Trump and Jared Kushner, was Musk. Musk emerges as Trump’s most prominent backer Musk’s ascent to a key player in Trump’s campaign happened rapidly. Back in March, the CEO was adamant he would not endorse a candidate for president. As late as May, he said he was still weighing his options. Then, in July, on the same day that Trump was injured in a ******* ************** attempt, he told the world he had changed his mind. He was all in immediately and called on others in the tech industry to throw their weight behind the *********** party. “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk posted alongside footage of Trump throwing his fist in the air after the *********. Musk’s vow of support was in keeping with his increasingly public embrace of rightwing leaders, and his promotion of far-right views on issues like immigration. In recent years, the billionaire had become convinced of the rightwing *********** theory that Democrats were planning to bring in millions of undocumented immigrants to tilt elections in their favor, with the New York Times reporting that he told a group of ************* billionaires in the spring of this year that if Biden won, it would be the end of ********* democracy. He has since repeated the claim publicly, warning of “the last election” if Trump lost. What would quickly become clear following Musk’s endorsement was that he was planning to do far more than just provide words of support. Behind the scenes, Musk had already begun offering his input into the campaign with a phone call to Trump advising him to select JD Vance as his running mate. When Musk’s preferred choice was confirmed – and the nomination drew criticism over Vance’s fervent anti-********* stance and ties to extreme ********** nationalists – Musk immediately posted that the ticket “resounds with victory”. Musk would soon go even further, becoming one of Trump’s largest financial backers and ardent cheerleaders.. On the campaign trail After announcing his endorsement in July, Musk immediately began contributing millions of dollars to the pro-Trump America Pac – which was set up the month prior and functioned as Musk’s personal political organization and war chest for the Trump campaign. Musk donated $15m in July and exponentially increased his funding each month, ultimately contributing more than $118m by election day. Over the next several months, Musk took on the role of a secondary running mate, accompanying Trump at speeches, giving policy ideas and handling campaign strategy. America Pac largely took over the Trump campaign’s ground game in key swing states, hiring hundreds of people across the country to canvass voters. The organization knocked on about 11m doors, according to the New York Times, while also spending millions on digital advertisements and mailers targeting voters. The operations faced numerous allegations of employee mistreatment and labor law violations. In one case first reported by Wired, a subcontractor for Musk’s America Pac allegedly flew in paid door-********* who had no idea they would be canvassing for Trump and piled them into the back of a rented U-Haul without seatbelts or rear seating. Other canvassers allegedly falsely claimed to have visited homes in Nevada and Arizona, with a Guardian review of leaked data finding that nearly a quarter of door-knocks were flagged as fraudulent on the canvassing app. Musk speaks as Trump looks on during a rally at the site of the July ************** attempt against Trump, in Butler, Pennsylvania, on 5 October. Photograph: Carlos Barría/Reuters Outside of his financial contributions, Musk also made in-person appearances to support Trump. He appeared on stage in a ****** Maga hat at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, captured jumping for joy in what has become one of the enduring images of the campaign. He opened for Trump at the Madison Square Garden rally that was maligned for its ******* and extremist rhetoric. As the campaign neared its end, Musk’s America Pac also began directly giving money to prospective voters, doling out $1m a day to a selected voter who signed a petition linked to the Pac. At one giveaway in Pittsburgh, he appeared on stage in front of a giant ********* flag to hand an oversized check to a woman and tell the crowd that he loved them. Musk’s giveaway, which Philadelphia’s district attorney sued to block, has now become the subject of multiple lawsuits and disputes about whether it was really a lottery at all. Lawyers for Musk claimed in a Pennsylvania court hearing earlier this week that the winners were not random but chosen by the organization, an admission that has resulted in a proposed class-action suit from voters who claimed they were falsely led to believe they had a chance at the cash prize. skip past newsletter promotion A weekly ***** in to how technology is shaping our lives Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion On Twitter While some of Musk’s ground operations and electioneering ran into legal challenges, on his own platform, he had carte blanche to promote Trump however he wanted. Viewed purely in financial terms, Musk’s acquisition of Twitter is an obvious ********. Mainstream advertisers have fled the platform en masse as it has further entrenched itself as a haven for far-right influencers, white supremacists and *********** theorists. Its algorithm has shifted to promote viral videos, as well as bots spreading ************, over fact-based news outlets and reliable sources of information. Musk and his investment partners, which include the Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal, have lost billions in value, according to a Washington Post analysis, and the company is now worth less than half of its purchase price. What Musk gained from his purchase, however, is control over one of the world’s most influential communications platforms and the ability to make himself its loudest voice there. Musk has tweaked the platform’s algorithm to ensure that his posts reach its users regardless of whether they are among his more than 200 million followers. During the campaign, he turned his account, and by extension the entire platform, into a relentless pro-Trump megaphone. In August, Musk hosted a two-hour audio interview with Trump on X in which the men discussed anti-immigration policies and Musk called Trump the “path to prosperity”. While the interview provided little that hadn’t been said before, it was a sign of how much had changed since Trump was permanently suspended from Twitter in 2021. Not only was Trump back, he was being feted as the future of the country by the head of the platform. Musk’s promotion of Trump, as well as his attacks on Democrats, media and Kamala Harris, became a dominant part of the platform’s user experience. He tweeted over 145 times in a single 24-hour ******* on the day following his Trump interview, according to a Guardian analysis. His feed in the lead-up to the vote was a near-constant string of invective and misinformation, along with retweets of far-right influencers promoting *********** theories about undocumented immigrants committing voter ******. Trump talks with Musk at the White House on 3 February 2017. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP Musk’s influence on the Trump campaign extended beyond policy into the visual representation of the candidate as well. His release of an AI image generator named Grok in August heavily influenced the visuals of the campaign. Lacking the safety guardrails of competitors such as ChatGPT, Grok could be used to create images of public figures and political leaders. Almost immediately, social media platforms became rife with AI images of Trump, Harris and other celebrities – often featuring misogynistic imagery like Harris pregnant with Trump’s baby. Trump reposted AI images from rightwing influencers falsely showing Taylor Swift supporting his campaign, while Musk posted an image depicting Harris as a **********. Along with his own posts, Musk’s America Pac also set up a community on X dedicated to “election integrity”. The community allowed users to share any evidence they found of voter ******, but without any moderation, it effectively and immediately became a clearing house for false or unverified claims including a fake video of Haitians illegally voting for Harris. While Musk has frequently described himself as a “free speech absolutist”, he also oversaw the suppression of information that would have potentially harmed the Trump campaign. When an independent reporter published a dossier of background research on Vance that was obtained through an alleged Iranian cyber-******* on the Trump campaign, Musk’s X blocked all links to the article and suspended the reporter from that platform. Musk at the White House Musk’s bet on Trump has already made him over $26bn richer, as Tesla’s share price surged following the *********** election victory. If Musk ******** in Trump’s good graces – not a given for two men with a history of imploding business relationships – he may stand to benefit even further through deregulation policies and the gutting of federal agencies tasked with overseeing his companies. Musk’s profile picture on X now features him in a ****** Maga hat, with a new bio that declares “the people voted for major government reform”. Musk’s companies such as SpaceX and Starlink, which are already government contractors deeply intertwined with various agencies, may also find even deeper influence. Musk has requested that Trump hire employees from SpaceX to serve in top government roles including at the Department of Defense, according to the New York Times. Trump as of now appears amenable to Musk’s business interests and requests. During his victory speech, he repeatedly praised Musk, saying that he loved him and touting his ability to do what government agencies could not. “A star is born. Elon, he’s an amazing guy,” Trump said on Wednesday. As it became clear late into election night that Trump would win a decisive victory, Musk shared a meme of himself holding a large porcelain sink while standing in the Oval Office. The image was a callback to when he bought Twitter and physically carried a sink into headquarters in order to make a pun, shortly before laying off most of the staff and turning the platform into a largely unregulated space where extremism thrives. “Let that sink in,” Musk posted. Source link #Elon #Musk #Donald #Trumps #shadow #vicepresident #Elon #Musk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Whitney Point man arrested after spike strips end high-speed pursuit in Broome County Whitney Point man arrested after spike strips end high-speed pursuit in Broome County A Whitney Point man was arrested in Fenton after leading Broome County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a high-speed pursuit. According to a press release, David S. Zimmer, 57, is facing two felonies, four misdemeanors and over 30 traffic violations after leading deputies and state police officers on a pursuit which ended with two spike strip deployments in the Town of Fenton. A Broome County Sheriff’s Office Detective attempted to stop Zimmer at approximately 6:44 p.m. on Tuesday on the Brandywine Highway in the City of Binghamton. The blue Honda Accord had been identified after fleeing Johnson City Police earlier that evening, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Zimmer refused to comply with the traffic stop, and a pursuit was initiated. He fled east on I-88, recklessly changing lanes multiple times before taking the Exit 3 off ramp onto state Route 369. He continued north on state Route 369, speeding, driving recklessly, crossing double yellow lines, hazard lines and driving through oncoming traffic, police said. Zimmer reached Ballyhack Road, turned off state Route 369 and headed south before traveling west on Ganoungtown Road. A sheriff’s deputy deployed a spike strip at the intersection of Ganoungtown Road and state Route 369, but Zimmer continued to flee, turning south back onto state Route 369, despite the vehicle’s tires disintegrating. Zimmer hit a second strip that had been deployed at the intersection of Ballyhack Road and state Route 369. He continued to flee on state Route 369 and onto state Route 7B, but he was unable to navigate the turn and drove into the grass near Ashley Trailers where the vehicle came to a stop. Inside the vehicle, patrols recovered two dogs and a knotted wrapped bag containing a substance that field tested positive for ********, police said. Veteran’s Day guide: These events are happening Monday in the Binghamton area Zimmer was taken into custody, processed at the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, arraigned at Central Arraignment Part and ******** in custody at the Broome County Correctional Facility. The two dogs were safely transferred to a friend of Zimmer’s. Zimmer is currently facing charges of first-degree felony reckless endangerment and felony tampering with physical evidence, both felonies, along with third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, seventh-degree ********* possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving, third-degree aggravated unlicensed driving of a motor vehicle and 31 traffic violations. The Broome County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by state police, Binghamton Police and the Port Crane ***** Company. This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Whitney Point man charged after police chase started in Binghamton Source link #Whitney #Point #man #arrested #spike #strips #highspeed #pursuit #Broome #County Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What a new Trump mandate could mean for ********* data privacy rights What a new Trump mandate could mean for ********* data privacy rights Former President Donald Trump will return to the White House for a second term with issues such as Ukraine, the Middle East and immigration highest on his agenda – but what will the US President elect’s new mandate mean for data protection and online privacy for the ********* people? Some commentators worry that online surveillance could increase. Difficulties in finding a much-needed bipartisan agreement on a comprehensive privacy law could also remain elusive, yet again, and that could leave Americans relying on digital tools to claim back their online privacy for themselves. ********* and immigration: could online surveillance really increase? Under the famous motto “Make America Great Again”, Trump has promised sweeping action on some important matters during his second administration. ******** immigration has been one of the topics dominating his campaign rallies. He promised, among other things, the biggest mass deportations of undocumented migrants in US history. At the same time, Trump is also a fervent supporter that every US State should decide by itself how to regulate ********* practices – with these reportedly involving reproductive data surveillance since Roe vs Wade fell. Trump also shared many times during his campaign his will to quell political opponents if re-elected. So, does the incoming President now plan to increase online surveillance to achieve his objectives? According to Alex Southwell, leading technology-focused litigator and investigations lawyer at US law firm McDermott Will & Emery, there is certainly that risk. He said: “It ******** to be seen whether and how much campaign rhetoric will translate into action but there are clear laws that govern the most intrusive surveillance, and I’d expect the career government officials who act on such issues to follow those laws.” ICE tried to rebrand its effort to monitor immigrants’ social media, but it’s still a speech-chilling surveillance program. [Hidden Content] 7, 2024 However, serious questions have already been raised over previously proposed US government surveillance practices. According to lawsuit documents obtained by the digital rights advocate group Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Biden presidency has simply changed the name to the Extreme Digital Vetting federal program, proposed by the first Trump administration, which was set to surveil the social media activities of immigrants and foreign visitors. The EFF has been calling for the government to abandon this plan since the beginning citing free speech and privacy implications. Regarding *********, Al Jazeera debunked the claim that Trump would use the so-called Project 2025 to force states to monitor women’s pregnancies. That said, state authorities have already used Facebook data to persecute a teenager in Nebraska. A recent report from 404 Media also reveals how law enforcement might be using a powerful tracking tool, Locate X, to track people visiting ********* clinics out-of-state without a warrant. Nonetheless, the newly elected President is a firm believer that it’s up to the states themselves to choose to monitor pregnancies or punish women seeking an ********* where it is ******** to do so. It’s very possible, then, that state authorities could continue such surveillance activities without many federal challenges in the coming term. What about US data protection laws? When it comes to data protection, the ******* States appears less than a superpower. Research conducted by VPN provider Private Internet Access (PIA) last year showed an imbalance of protection across states, and little has changed. While the likes of California, Connecticut, Colorado, Virginia, and others have clear data-sharing policies in place, the US still lacks comprehensive data privacy legislation on a federal level. Do you know? (Image credit: Medium) The US government seeks to ****** down on firms selling user data to certain countries. In the proposal published on October 21, 2024, the Department of Justice (DoJ) is looking to impose a blanket ban on the ***** of ‘bulk US sensitive personal data’ to six states the US deems ‘countries of concern’ – China, Iran, Russia, The DPRK (North Korea), Cuba, and Venezuela. There have been attempts over the years – the last being the ********* Privacy Rights Act landing in Congress back in April – but the proposal seems to be lying on the slush pule of the outgoing administration. Southwell expects a comprehensive federal privacy law to “remain elusive” yet again, throughout the new Trump mandate. “Despite potential one-party control of Congress, I don’t see a comprehensive privacy bill being a priority in the near term,” he said, adding that we could nonetheless see some sectoral laws enacted federally in the privacy space instead. According to India McKinney, Director of Federal Affairs at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, federal data protection has always been a bipartisan matter, and the same difficulties are likely to carry on into the next administration. She hopes, however, that the ***** of increased government surveillance could push more citizens to demand that lawmakers make changes and provide better protection. She said: “Freedoms like the right to privacy aren’t fully appreciated until they’ve been stripped away. And, as we have seen with the right to *********, Americans hate it when their rights are taken.” How to protect your personal data online now For now, the duty of care for ********* data and privacy ***** with citizens themselves, and that doesn’t look to be changing during the next presidential term. If you’re concerned, then a secure VPN service is one way to boost your browsing privacy. A VPN, short for virtual private network (VPN) keeps you anonymous online by encrypting all your internet connections and spoofing your IP address location. You should coupled it with a secure web browser, like Tor or Mullvad browser, when entering highly sensitive search queries. Using just Incognito mode isn’t enough for true browsing privacy. End-to-end encryption is now a matter of life and ******. Choose life.November 6, 2024 Encrypted messaging apps are the equivalent for mobile instant messaging services. Signal ensures the content of your communications remain private. Applications like Session go a step further by also hiding your identifiable metadata too. Lastly, you might want to reconsider using ******* tracker apps if you’re concerned about your reproductive data privacy. These services are known for collecting and sharing information about you which could potentially be used later during investigations. Source link #Trump #mandate #********* #data #privacy #rights Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Premier League predictions: Chris Sutton v Mylee & Tate from CBBC drama Jamie Johnson FC Premier League predictions: Chris Sutton v Mylee & Tate from CBBC drama Jamie Johnson FC We have seen some amazing Premier League comebacks down the years but few can match the way Chris claimed victory in last week’s predictions. He was trailing his guest, The Piano winner Brad Kella, by 80-20 after eight of the 10 games in week 10, and was also 50 points behind you lot, before giving himself hope with an exact score in Manchester *******’s draw with Chelsea on Sunday. After 90 minutes of Monday’s final game, Kella’s prediction of a 1-0 Brentford win looked set to give him overall victory, before Fulham’s 92nd minute equaliser saw the BBC Sport readers, who had gone for a 1-1 draw, move in front as things stood. Chris would have finished third with either of those results but instead snatched a remarkable last-gasp win, thanks to Harry Wilson’s 97th-minute winner for the Cottagers, which gave him another exact score and 40 more points. That meant he ended up with four correct results, including those two exact scores, and a total of 100 points. Kella got five correct results, but with only one exact score, leaving him on 80 points, and you lot got four correct results with one exact score, to end up on 70 points. “I have sent a box of wine around to Harry Wilson’s house to say thanks,” Chris said. “Or at least I would do if I knew where he lived.” Source link #Premier #League #predictions #Chris #Sutton #Mylee #Tate #CBBC #drama #Jamie #Johnson Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Firearms Act: WA’s Liberals and Nationals divided over new **** laws Firearms Act: WA’s Liberals and Nationals divided over new **** laws WA’s Opposition alliance has been left bruised after a week of open warfare over the State’s new **** laws, which culminated in a snap meeting between Shane Love and Libby Mettam on Wednesday. Source link #Firearms #Act #Liberals #Nationals #divided #**** #laws Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Square Enix HD Games Lose Money but Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Saves the Day Square Enix HD Games Lose Money but Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail Saves the Day Christopher23h ago It should be noted that operating loss for HD titles includes 1 title that just released (30th October) and 2 titles that haven’t been released at all. So, they could at least **** through with a positive operating income by the end of the year. They’re including the operating costs for those games even though two haven’t been released and one has been out a whole week. Having said that, man, they could do with some new IPs in there, IMHO. MMOs are just money generating machines now, though. Mostly minor content creation, upkeep, no need for new graphics. Profit margins are likely always going to favor them than the slew of games they’re putting out (again, get some new IPs please?). Source link #Square #Enix #Games #Lose #Money #Final #Fantasy #XIV #Dawntrail #Saves #Day Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

3 Reliable Dividend Stocks Offering Yields Up To 5.7% 3 Reliable Dividend Stocks Offering Yields Up To 5.7% In the midst of a volatile global market, characterized by fluctuating earnings reports and economic uncertainties, investors are increasingly looking for stability in their portfolios. Dividend stocks can offer a reliable income stream, making them an attractive option during times when growth stocks may be underperforming. Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating Guaranty Trust Holding (NGSE:GTCO) 6.90% ★★★★★★ Peoples Bancorp (NasdaqGS:PEBO) 4.69% ★★★★★★ Financial Institutions (NasdaqGS:FISI) 4.50% ★★★★★★ Allianz (XTRA:ALV) 4.77% ★★★★★★ FALCO HOLDINGS (TSE:4671) 6.49% ★★★★★★ Kwong Lung Enterprise (TPEX:8916) 6.38% ★★★★★★ James Latham (AIM:LTHM) 6.23% ★★★★★★ Citizens & Northern (NasdaqCM:CZNC) 5.56% ★★★★★★ Premier Financial (NasdaqGS:PFC) 4.53% ★★★★★★ Banque Cantonale Vaudoise (SWX:BCVN) 4.94% ★★★★★★ Click here to see the full list of 1950 stocks from our Top Dividend Stocks screener. Let’s explore several standout options from the results in the screener. Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Dubai Refreshment (P.J.S.C.) is involved in the bottling and selling of Pepsi Cola International products across Dubai, Sharjah, and the other Northern Emirates of the UAE, with a market cap of AED2.16 billion. Operations: The company’s revenue primarily comes from the wholesale of groceries, amounting to AED807.98 million. Dividend Yield: 3.3% Dubai Refreshment’s dividend payments are covered by both earnings and cash flows, with payout ratios of 53.2% and 71.3%, respectively, suggesting sustainability. However, the dividends have been volatile over the past decade despite some growth in payments. The current yield of 3.33% is below top-tier levels in the AE market. Profit margins have decreased significantly from last year, which may impact future dividend reliability despite a favorable price-to-earnings ratio of 16x compared to industry averages. DFM:DRC Dividend History as at Nov 2024 Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Dynapack International Technology Corporation manufactures and sells lithium-ion battery packs in Taiwan, the ******* States, and internationally, with a market cap of NT$18.39 billion. Operations: Dynapack International Technology Corporation’s revenue from the production and sales of hammer battery packs is NT$16.13 billion. Dividend Yield: 4.6% Dynapack International Technology’s dividend yield of 4.59% is among the top 25% in Taiwan, yet its history of volatile payments over the past decade raises concerns about stability. Despite this, dividends are well covered by earnings and cash flows with payout ratios of 42.2% and 48.6%, respectively, indicating sustainability. The company’s price-to-earnings ratio of 9.3x suggests it may be undervalued compared to the broader market average of 21.5x. Story Continues TPEX:3211 Dividend History as at Nov 2024 Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Simplo Technology Co., Ltd. produces and sells battery packs worldwide, with a market cap of NT$69.55 billion. Operations: Simplo Technology Co., Ltd. generates revenue from its Batteries/Battery Systems segment, which amounts to NT$82.29 billion. Dividend Yield: 5.8% Simplo Technology’s dividend yield of 5.77% ranks in the top 25% in Taiwan, but its history of volatile and unreliable payments over the past decade may concern investors. Although dividends are well covered by earnings with a payout ratio of 39.8%, the high cash payout ratio of 175.5% indicates unsustainable cash flow coverage. Trading at 47% below estimated fair value suggests potential undervaluation, yet recent declines in sales and net income could impact future performance. TPEX:6121 Dividend History as at Nov 2024 This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include DFM:DRC TPEX:3211 and TPEX:6121. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email *****@*****.tld Source link #Reliable #Dividend #Stocks #Offering #Yields Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The cosy shopkeeping game "Trash Goblin" is now available for PC via Steam EA The cosy shopkeeping game "Trash Goblin" is now available for PC via Steam EA “The London-based (England) indie games developer Spilt Milk Studios are today very happy and excited to announce that their cosy shopkeeping game “Trash Goblin”, is now available for PC via Steam EA” – Jonas Ek, TGG. Source link #cosy #shopkeeping #game #quotTrash #Goblinquot #Steam Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Europe’s banks brace for tougher competition under Trump 2.0 Europe’s banks brace for tougher competition under Trump 2.0 The lights of Frankfurt am Main’s banking skyline glow in the last light of day. Boris Roessler | Picture Alliance | Getty Images ********* banks face an even tougher task to close an earnings gap on U.S. rivals, as Wall Street awaits a new era of financial deregulation under a second Donald Trump presidency. Lenders in the euro zone and Britain have been hobbled by poor profitability and weak economies since the 2008-09 global financial crisis, while U.S. banks have soared in value and stolen market share, especially in investment banking as ********* rivals retreated. Some banks had begun to claw back lost ground this year. Until this week, ********* shares were outperforming U.S. peers and hopes had grown that the U.S. would adopt some elements of the Basel III regulations requiring ********* banks to hold more capital, helping level the playing field. Trump’s presidential election win this week has turned the tables. JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley shares all soared while the STOXX Europe 600 Banks index is down more than 1% for the week. “The expectation is simple: deregulation and tax cuts in the U.S. contrast with Europe’s strict oversight and low-interest-rate grind,” said David Materazzi, CEO of Italy-based automated trading platform Galileo FX. What Trump’s historic election victory means for the global economy “If U.S. banks get the expected policy support, they could ramp up loan volumes and optimize capital in ways that Europe’s banks just can’t match right now,” Materazzi said. Since early 2010, ********* banking shares have fallen 10%, while U.S. lenders have more than tripled. The ********* Central Bank has estimated that euro zone banks’ return on equity fluctuates around 5%, against 10% in the U.S., linking it to higher U.S. fee income and legacy non-performing loans with which ********* banks still grapple. Leverage to lobby? There are already signs ********* politicians are bracing for a new landscape under Trump. Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter said on Thursday she and her British counterpart Rachel Reeves had discussed the outlook for U.S. banking regulation. “It was said beforehand that a wave of deregulation was coming in the USA,” she told Reuters, adding that both agreed it was important to strike a balance between competitiveness and stability. A wave of deregulation should give ********* banks some leverage to lobby for easing the rules in Europe, which are already more onerous, one banking executive told Reuters. The U.S. banking industry is expecting Trump to usher in *********** regulators who ease capital rules and merger approvals and further dilute the contentious Basel III endgame proposal aimed at requiring big lenders to hold more capital. But the pace of any deregulation will be determined by new regulators and key policymakers that Trump has yet to nominate, leaving the outlook highly uncertain. Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors, thinks Trump may also roll back parts of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law, which increased regulation on banks to avoid another 2008-style implosion. “Additionally, an uptick in expected corporate M&A because of a less restrictive FTC (Federal Trade Commission) should lead to increased investment banking fees,” he told Reuters. “We can also expect an uptick in regional bank mergers. Comparatively, ********* banks with their more restrictive regulatory oversight will be competing with one hand tied behind their backs.” Long-awaited ********* banking M&A has restarted this year with a potential takeover by UniCredit of Commerzbank and BBVA’s bid for Sabadell, but neither deal is guaranteed as they navigate political opposition. Filippo Maria Alloatti, Head of Financials Credit at Federated Hermes, said U.S. banks would be the primary beneficiaries under Trump. But international banks with substantial U.S. operations such as Barclays, Deutsche Bank, and UBS should, he said, see “positive impacts” too. Source link #Europes #banks #brace #tougher #competition #Trump Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Neva Review | NoobFeed | N4G Neva Review | NoobFeed | N4G NoobFeed editor Asura Kagawa writes – Neva is yet another Nomada Studio gem. Its platforming, puzzle-solving, and combat are visually stunning and will surely keep you engrossed. You get a sense of the story’s greatest elements through the main protagonist, the wolf, as you watch her mature alongside Alba. Source link #Neva #Review #NoobFeed #N4G Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Justice Dept. to focus on ‘most egregious’ Jan. 6 cases until Trump is inaugurated Justice Dept. to focus on ‘most egregious’ Jan. 6 cases until Trump is inaugurated WASHINGTON — The Justice Department plans to focus on arresting the “most egregious” Jan. 6 rioters — particularly those who committed felony assaults on law enforcement officers but have not yet been arrested — in the remaining 72 days before President-elect Donald Trump is back in the White House, a law enforcement official told NBC News this week. Trump is expected to shut down the years-long investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, ******* and has said he would “absolutely” pardon some, if not all, of his supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol that day, labeling them “warriors,” “unbelievable patriots,” political prisoners and “hostages.” A Trump campaign spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on which rioters Trump would consider pardoning, though the campaign previously said that he would pardon Jan. 6 defendants on a “case-by-case basis when he is back in the White House.” Given Trump’s stunning election victory, federal prosecutors in the Justice Department’s Capitol Siege Section received guidance this week about how to proceed in pending Jan. 6 cases, NBC News has learned, including a directive to oppose any Jan. 6 defendant’s requests for delays. Prosecutors are instructed to argue that there is a societal interest in the quick administration of justice and these cases should be handled in the normal order. As for new arrests, the law enforcement official said, prosecutors will “focus on the most egregious conduct and cases until the end of the administration.” There are unlikely to be any further arrests of misdemeanor Jan. 6 defendants — such as those who entered the Capitol but did not ******** law enforcement — unless a judge already signed off on those cases, but felony ******** cases will proceed, the official said. Online sleuths who have aided the FBI in hundreds of arrests of Capitol rioters told NBC News they have identified and submitted evidence to the bureau on 75 peope who are currently featured on the FBI’s Capitol ********* webpage and labeled as wanted for ******** on a federal officer or for ******** on media, both felonies. Federal officials would have to pick up the pace to get just those cases over the finish line before Trump walks through the lower west tunnel — where his supporters fought law enforcement in a battle multiple officers described as “medieval” — to take the oath of office on Jan. 20, 2025. “Just over 1 per day,” one of the online “sedition hunters” who has dedicated hours of their life to finding the Trump supporters who brutally assaulted law enforcement officers that day, told NBC News. “Place your bets!” “We didn’t spend the last four years tracking these ********** down just to have dozens of them avoid prosecution because half of the country are f—ing morons,” another of the online sleuths said. “Our work continues, as should the DOJ’s.” Existing cases against Jan. 6 defendants are expected to continue with additional trials, sentencing hearings and plea agreement hearings scheduled to take place next week. The FBI has arrested over 1,560 Jan. 6 defendants so far. Prosecutors have secured more than 1,100 convictions and more than 600 defendants have received sentences of incarceration ranging from days in jail to 22 years in federal prison. This week, a rioter who assaulted law enforcement officers and smashed in the windows to the House Speaker’s Lobby just before a fellow rioter was shot — and then became the target of a *********** theory suggesting he was a federal informant — was sentenced to eight years in federal prison. A former assistant U.S. attorney in the Justice Department’s Capitol Siege Section told NBC News this week that prosecutors are proud of the work they’ve done, but understandably nervous about the future and demoralized. Many prosecutors got involved in these cases because of their ******* to uphold the rule of law and to defend democracy, the former assistant U.S. attorney said, but the cases became about vindicating the victims, who are primarily police officers. “You spend any amount of time understanding what ***** the police officers went through and watching the body-worn cameras where you stand in their shoes and you see people physically assaulting them and taking cheap shots at them and hitting them from behind, and using ******* slurs against them, for hours and hours as they stood there and tried to protect the Capitol and people inside it, and the cases become about the victims,” he said. “So the idea that people who committed those ******* against those victims, people who assaulted those officers, would be pardoned, we just really hope people are thinking twice before doing that.” The prospect of presidential pardons for people who assaulted law enforcement is “pretty demoralizing,” the former assistant U.S. attorney said. “The idea that the most powerful person in the country says it’s okay, it’s okay to the person who sprayed them with bear spray, or hit them with a hockey stick, or drag them down steps, or, in the case of Michael Fanone, tased them in the neck and caused them to have a heart *******, or, in the case of Daniel Hodges, trap them in between doors and continue to squeeze them in between doors while they while Hodges was screaming for his life, that part of it is, it’s so wretched,” he said. Prosecutors are extraordinarily proud of the work they’ve done and take solace in the notion that inside courtrooms — where facts, not political rhetoric, control the outcome of jury trials — ********* citizens who faced down the real evidence did the right thing, the former prosecutor said. “The evidence is overwhelming, and the testimony of the officers was overwhelming,” he said. “Time and time and time again, when people are confronted with the evidence, it points in the same direction.” Former Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, an immigrant from the Dominican *********** and military veteran who wrote a book about his experience coming to America, learning English, serving in the military and then being repeatedly assaulted by his fellow Americans at the Capitol on Jan. 6, continues to attend sentencing hearings for the ********** who assaulted him. His injuries from the ******* forced him to retire in 2022; he’s in his mid-40s. Gonell, who campaigned on behalf of Kamala Harris, said he won’t let the story of Jan. 6 fade away, even after Trump takes office. “Whether he pardons them or not, that doesn’t take away what they did and what I went through,” Gonell said. “They — they cannot erase that history.” “If you remove Trump’s name out of the equation, and if you remove who they were supporting, would people who voted for him, would they be okay with what happened? Would they be supportive of me?” Gonell asked. “And that’s the question, it creates a moral injury.” “It’s not a good feeling,” he continued, “when you feel like nobody cares about what happened that day.” Source link #Justice #Dept #focus #egregious #Jan #cases #Trump #inaugurated Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Phoenix Springs Review | NoobFeed Phoenix Springs Review | NoobFeed GodisaGeek: There’s a lot to love in Phoenix Springs, but one aspect that deserves special attention is the visual style. The minimalist art style is unlike anything I’ve played before, and is incredibly beautiful even though there isn’t a whole lot of detail in the environments. Small animations only highlight this further, and really add to the game as a whole. Phoenix Springs is a game that’s both nostalgic and refreshing. It’s a throwback to adventure games with a unique way to interact with objects and people, with a setting that’s as intriguing as it is bizarre. Sometimes it can be a struggle to know how to progress, and the change in tone part way through only exasperates this, but this compelling game is well worth engaging your brain to see through to the end. Source link #Phoenix #Springs #Review #NoobFeed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I’ve been a Firefox power user since it launched 20 years ago – here’s why it still beats Chrome and Safari I’ve been a Firefox power user since it launched 20 years ago – here’s why it still beats Chrome and Safari It was my birthday a few weeks ago, and as if that didn’t make me feel old enough, the Firefox browser has just turned exactly 20 years old today. Yes, Firefox version 1.0 launched on November 9, 2004 – and I’ve been using it for almost as long as it’s been alive, picking it up in the mid-noughties and loading it onto every computer I’ve used in the years since. Over all that time, I’ve stuck with Firefox through thick and thin (and Chrome’s increasing dominance). It’s clear to me that Firefox has always done a few things far better than rivals like Chrome and Safari – things that those web browsers are unlikely to ever match. Right from when I started using Firefox, what drew me to it was its strong stance on privacy. It’s always been important to me that my data stays my own and is not sold to anyone else for profit. It’s not always possible to stop that happening, but with Firefox, it’s a whole lot easier. That’s because Firefox blocks all sorts of trackers that can invade your privacy and follow you around the web. Cookies are isolated to stop them building a detailed picture of you, and Firefox limits access to data that can be used to create a digital “fingerprint” of your browsing habits by less conscientious websites and services. That’s just scratching the surface of its privacy-protecting features, and I’m still glad to have them at my disposal whenever I use the web. Chrome’s privacy problem (Image credit: Growtika / Unsplash) Take a look at Google Chrome and the contrast is stark. Chrome doesn’t block trackers by default, nor does it offer fingerprint blocking. It monitors the websites you visit and uses this data to send you targeted ads. While you can block some of the topics it identifies, you can’t stop it finding other ad topics to share with websites. It’s going to sell your private data, whether you want it to or not. While Google has considered implementing pro-privacy features, it’s often backtracked when it became apparent how much that could impact third-party advertisers and data brokers. Just look at the Privacy Sandbox, which Google has watered down significantly, or the way Google often uses so-called dark patterns to lure you into sharing as much of your data as possible. Ultimately, we shouldn’t be surprised at Chrome’s behavior. Google runs the world’s largest advertising network and has a built-in incentive to violate your privacy (and limit what you can do to stop it). Google’s privacy efforts will always be half-hearted as long as implementing policies that keep your info safe hurt its bottom line. Money talks, after all. Things are different for Firefox because it’s developed by Mozilla, a group that puts privacy at the forefront of its work. Firefox is open source, too, so you know exactly what you’re getting without having to worry about hidden nasties making it into your browsing experience. In other words, it’s the antithesis of Chrome. Actions speak louder than words, and Mozilla doesn’t just talk the talk – it follows through on what it promises, even when its features might hurt its ability to make money from its users. In contrast, it’s clear that this is absolutely not the case with Chrome, and nor will it ever be. I know which browser I’d rather trust. Why don’t I just use Safari? (Image credit: Photo Illustration by Omar Marques/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) If privacy is a priority for me, why haven’t I switched to Apple’s Safari browser? There’s an argument for me doing so: like Mozilla, Apple is well-known for its pro-privacy stances. Safari is generally faster than Firefox, too, helping it offer the best of both Firefox and Chrome. But there’s a problem: Safari is limited to Apple’s own devices. I use both Windows and macOS in my day-to-day life, so I need something that will function on every device I own. Safari can’t do that, and given how disappointing Safari for Windows was back when it existed, I doubt Apple is too fussed about expanding the browser beyond its own products. In contrast, I can get Firefox on any of my devices and it will be set up just as I expect it to be, with all the extensions, bookmarks and tabs right where they should be. I can send a tab from Firefox on my Windows PC to Firefox on my Mac or on my iPhone and it’ll arrive instantly, letting me pick up where I left off whatever device I’m using. It’s that combination of cross-platform compatibility and rock-solid privacy credentials that have me still using Firefox 20 years later. Throw in a huge library of excellent extensions and I get everything I need from Mozilla’s browser – there’s no alternative that quite matches what it can do. With 20 years in the bag, I imagine I’ll still be using Firefox in another two decades’ time. You might also like Source link #Ive #Firefox #power #user #launched #years #heres #beats #Chrome #Safari Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

US ‘won’t accept ****** presence in Qatar’ US ‘won’t accept ****** presence in Qatar’ Getty Images Small but influential Qatar is a key US ally and hosts a major air base Senior US officials have reportedly said Washington will no longer accept the presence of ****** representatives in Qatar, accusing the ************ group of rejecting the latest proposals to achieve a Gaza ceasefire and a ******** deal. In anonymous briefings to the Reuters news agency, the officials said the Qatari government had agreed to tell ****** to close its political office 10 days ago. ****** have had a political base in Doha since 2012, reportedly at the request of the Obama administration, to allow communication with the group. The reports have been denied to the BBC by ****** officials; Qatar has yet to comment. The small but influential gulf state is a key US ally in the region. It hosts a major ********* air base and has handled many delicate political negotiations, including with Iran, the Taliban and Russia. Alongside the US and Egypt, the Qataris have also played a major role in rounds of so-far unsuccessful talks to broker a ceasefire in the year-long war between ******* and ****** in Gaza. The latest round of talks in mid-October ******* to produce a deal, with ****** rejecting a short-term ceasefire proposal. They have always called for a complete end to the war and the full withdrawal of ******** troops from Gaza. ******* has also been accused of rejecting deals. Days after being fired earlier this week, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant accused ******** Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of rejecting a peace deal against the advice of his security chiefs. Dr H A Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the Royal ******* Services Institute (Rusi), thinks the reports are credible. “I think we’re in the last phase before ****** is forced to relocate,” he told me. “The writing on the wall has been there for months.” The call for ****** to be expelled from Qatar appears to be an attempt by the outgoing Biden administration to force some sort of peace deal before the end of his term in January. Were ****** to be forced to leave Doha, it is unclear where they would base their political office. Key ally Iran would be an option, although the ************** of former leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July suggests they may be at risk from ******* if based there. It would also not give them anything close to the same diplomatic channels to the West. Reuters ****** has had a political base in Doha since 2012, reportedly at the request of the Obama administration A more likely option would be Turkey. As a Nato member but also a Sunni majority state, it would give the group a base from which to operate in relative safety. Last April President Erdogan hosted then ****** political chief Ismail Haniyeh and his delegation in Istanbul, where they talked about “what needs to be done to ensure adequate and uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and a fair and lasting peace process in the region”. The move would also most likely be welcomed by Ankara, which has often sought to position itself as a broker between east and west. It is thought the personal safety of ****** leadership is now a major concern for the group, which saw two leaders ******* in less than four months. As well as Haniyeh’s ****** in July, in October ******* ******* Yahya Sinwar in Gaza – he was the mastermind behind the 7 October ****** ******* on southern *******. According to the ********* Council of Foreign Relations, “****** has adopted a temporary model of collective leadership to mitigate the effect of future ******** assassinations”. Dr Hellyer thinks that nowhere “will give them protection from ******** ************** attempts in the same way that being in Doha, where America has its largest military base in the region, did”. The latest move comes as US officials appear increasingly frustrated with the approach the ******** government has taken to ending the war. In October, the US Secretaries of State and Defense said if ******* did not allow more humanitarian aid into the territory within 30 days, they would face unspecified policy “implications”. Last weekend a number of UN officials warned the situation in northern Gaza was “apocalyptic”. On Saturday the independent Famine Review Committee said there was a “strong likelihood that famine is imminent in areas”. The relationship between Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu has deteriorated over the course of the war in Gaza, with increasing pressure from Washington to improve the humanitarian situation for the Palestinians and find some sort of negotiated settlement. But, according to Dr Hellyer, US attempts at negotiation have been fatally flawed. “By setting red lines and allowing Netanyahu to cross them without consequence, the Biden administration effectively encouraged further impunity. I don’t think any of this will change in the next 10 weeks,” he said. Any overtures have been repeatedly rejected by Mr Netanyahu and his right-wing coalition, who will now also feel emboldened by the prospect of an incoming Donald Trump presidency. While exactly what approach Donald Trump will take to the region ******** uncertain, he is thought to be more likely to allow ******* to act on its terms. He has previously said ******* should “finish what they started” in Gaza. During his last term in the White House, he took a number of steps deemed highly favourable to *******, including moving the US embassy to Jerusalem. It has also been reported, however, that Trump told Netanyahu that he wants to see an end to the fighting by the time he takes office. Either way, it seems likely that the current US administration will have less influence over the government in Jerusalem. They may therefore believe the best way to force some sort of deal is to apply pressure on ******. Whether it pays off may depend on whether Qatar, so long a reliable ally, decides to go along with it. Source link #wont #accept #****** #presence #Qatar Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Biggest Flaw is Giving Me Lucanis Instead of a Cooler Brooding Character Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Biggest Flaw is Giving Me Lucanis Instead of a Cooler Brooding Character TNS: “Ever felt like that Wolverine meme with the picture frame?” Source link #Dragon #Age #Veilguard039s #Biggest #Flaw #Giving #Lucanis #Cooler #Brooding #Character Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Manchester double-decker bus ****** leaves 13 people injured Manchester double-decker bus ****** leaves 13 people injured A ****** between two double-decker buses close to a city centre has left 13 people needing hospital treatment. Two Bee Network buses crashed on Rochdale Road off Livesey Street, Manchester, but no-one was seriously injured, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said. Images show debris strewn across the highway as one of the vehicles appeared to have hit the back of the other. A GMP spokesman said the road remained shut while emergency services were at the scene. Police were called to the incident at about 08:30 GMT. Manchester councillor Pat Karney, who was at the site, posted on X to say there had been “unbelievable damage” to the front of the bus. Source link #Manchester #doubledecker #bus #****** #leaves #people #injured Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘We might lose something in terms of people’s respect’ on Never Adopting One Practice He Revealed After Red ***** Redemption 2 ‘We might lose something in terms of people’s respect’ on Never Adopting One Practice He Revealed After Red ***** Redemption 2 Apart from GTA 5, Red ***** Redemption 2 has to be the biggest launch of Rockstar Games. Serving as the prequel to 2010’s Red ***** Redemption, this game is set in the ******* States in 1899 and depicts the journey of Arthur Morgan. Red ***** Redemption 2 was released on October 26, 2018. | Credit: Rockstar Games. Initially, the game was heavily criticized because of its poor graphical optimization. The developers were quick to fix all the persisting issues, and later on, it went on to build a huge player base. However, there was a secret about the development of the game that was kept hidden until its release. Dan Houser Breaks Secrecy About Red ***** Redemption 2 Development Rockstar Games has always been secretive about its game developments. | Credit: Rockstar Games. Red ***** Redemption 2 is a prequel rather than a sequel, but it marks the beginning of a new chapter in the Western epic open-world series after eight long years. Rockstar’s covert approach to development is one area that hasn’t changed all that much. This studio continues to ensure that very few details of its games are made publicly available before their releases, even though game developers worldwide are attempting to be more transparent than ever about the entire process. In an interview with GQ Magazine, this is what the co-founder of Rockstar Games Dan Houser had to say: Sam and I talk about this a lot and it’s that games are still magical. It’s like they’re made by elves. You turn on the screen and it’s just this world that exists on TV. I think you gain something by not knowing how they’re made. As much as we might lose something in terms of people’s respect for what we do, their enjoyment of what we do is enhanced. Which is probably more important. In Red ***** Redemption 2, you take on the role of Arthur Morgan, a senior member of the Van der Linde gang, which was first established in the first game and is headed by the “pseudo-messianic” Dutch. This is a drama-****-tragedy from the West. Rockstar was captivated by the Dutch’s leadership, the Van der Linde outlaws, and the story of how everything ultimately fell apart. Despite having a unique storyline, Houser was still concerned about repetitions. Alan Wake 2 Directors Too Revealed Their Secrets As Well Alan Wake 2 is popular for its unreal realism. | Credit: Remedy Entertainment. Film director Anssi Määttä once used social media to highlight his work on Alan Wake 2, which came out last year. Määttä was in charge of the live-action shots used in cutscenes and in-game overlaps because he was the game’s live-action and cinematics director. Most people would assume that this only includes actor scenes, but Määttä demonstrates how he and Principal Cinematographer Mikko Riikonen worked with their incredible team to create the Vortex and Dark Presence effects. The Vortex cutscene, which resembles the inside of a dark hurricane’s eye, is played whenever control is passed between Alan Wake and Saga Anderson, the two main characters in Alan Wake 2. The Vortex is intended to represent the shift in viewpoints because the characters are frequently seen pacing between the real world and the Dark Place. Swirling liquids against a dark background appears to have been a practical way for the live-action and cinematics team to achieve this effect. The recipe for the Dark Presence is more difficult to determine because it consists of a combination of smoke, flickering lights, and occasionally the face of Ilkka Villi, who plays Alan Wake in real life. The Dark Presence sometimes assumes the face of the title character because it possesses Scratch, Alan Wake’s doppelgänger. Source link #lose #terms #peoples #respect #Adopting #Practice #Revealed #Red #***** #Redemption Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘You’re not wanted’: Newcomer to Canada says racism forced him onto streets ‘You’re not wanted’: Newcomer to Canada says racism forced him onto streets After fleeing Uganda, Kateregga Raymond Calvin’s mind is more at ease than when he first arrived in Canada just over a year ago. The ******** claimant was being harassed so he sought a new life in what he describes as a “peaceful” country. Calvin was able to find a place to call home in Montreal, but that’s when the problems started within his apartment building. “My neighbours started bullying me. So I was literally kicked out of the house,” Calvin, 25, said in an interview Thursday. The newcomer was the victim of ******* taunts from other tenants, who he says targeted his dark skin and accent. At one point, Calvin claims he was told he was “not needed in this country.” “Like, ‘You’re ********, you’re an asylum seeker, you’re nothing in this country,’” Calvin said, describing the jeers. Story continues below advertisement Calvin began feeling isolated and unwanted. The racism became so untenable that he approached his landlord, who he says told him to move out. “It’s very hard to live where you’re not wanted,” Calvin said. With no other choice but to leave, he wound up out on the streets last January. For more than a month, Calvin had no home. He warmed up inside day shelters before heading back outside to the cold winter elements. “You have nothing to eat. You eat once a day — that’s your supper,” Calvin said. Kateregga Raymond Calvin fled Uganda and came to Canada, but he was forced out of his first home due to ******* taunts from his neighbours. Global News The young ******** eventually found long-term help and now he has a new, safe home as he applies to universities in Montreal. But those working with immigrants in Quebec are sounding the alarm, saying they are hearing more stories of ******* acts. Story continues below advertisement Jesse Edmond, a social worker who supports Calvin, says his other clients have come to him with similar accounts since the summer. Those experiences are “very tough” for newcomers, he added, saying it makes them “feel like they don’t belong here.” Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. “I have to give them some hope, give them some trust again,” Edmond said. “Because some of them, their self-esteem becomes so low.” Racism can sometimes escalate beyond taunts. Edmond recounted how one ******** claimant from the Democratic Republic of the Congo fled Quebec City after being attacked. “I was talking to him and he told me that they almost ******* him because he was ******,” Edmond said. More on Canada More videos Preparing for more asylum seekers under Trump Frantz André, who advocates for ******** claimants, told Global News he gets calls about racism — such as immigrants who are fired for reasons that are murky and others who are facing deportation. He says the ******* acts are so frequent and horrific that they’re making even citizens like him question their place in Quebec. “I’m starting to feel that way,” he said. André blames the growing intolerance on political leaders, citing public debates on how asylum seekers are supposedly causing or worsening problems in the province. He sees newcomers as scapegoats for different issues, such as the housing crisis. Story continues below advertisement “Yes, there are issues. But they should not be pointing at asylum seekers to be the cause of all the problems in Quebec,” André said. His comments come as the Quebec government has tightened controls on immigration in recent months for different kinds of newcomers, citing a lack of capacity. Last week, the province suspended two major programs that are pathways to citizenship and introduced legislation to give itself new powers to limit the number of international students in October. Trending Now Halifax school drops ask that military ditch uniforms for Remembrance Day What Trump’s election could mean for ********* rates and the loonie 2:00 U.S. election: Quebec premier voices concerns following Trump win On Wednesday, Quebec Premier François Legault also warned of a possible influx of asylum seekers as a result of Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidential election. As Trump promises mass deportations, Legault said the province has “done its part” and simply cannot take on more new arrivals. The premier calling on the federal government to secure its borders with the U.S. Story continues below advertisement “The problem isn’t immigrants, it’s the number. We already have too many. So we shouldn’t add to the problem,” Legault said Wednesday. But it isn’t just Quebec bracing for what could unfold with a new Trump presidency. Edmond, the social worker, also believes Canada will see more asylum seekers when Trump takes office and “so we have to be ready.” Meanwhile, Frantz says he has been receiving daily calls since Election Day. *********** presidential and nominee former president Donald Trump waves as he walks with his wife Melania Trump at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. EV But advocates also want local political leaders to have a different vision of newcomers. They come here to build a life and contribute to society in Canada, Edmond explained. “The way people see them has to stop,” Edmond said. Despite the challenges that asylum seekers face, Calvin has few regrets about coming to Canada. He is grateful for the help he is getting, and he is moving forward from the racism he has experienced. Story continues below advertisement “You have to just live and move on with life, and just accept **** to take you where you are,” Calvin said. — with files from The ********* Press &copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Youre #wanted #Newcomer #Canada #racism #forced #streets Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration -The First Console War| Switch -Once More Unto The Breach| NL Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration -The First Console War| Switch -Once More Unto The Breach| NL “Just the other day, Atari and developer Digital Eclipse announced that a new paid DLC expansion for Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration would be launching, er, tomorrow (that’s 26th September 2024). Now, thanks to a reveal YouTube MetalJesusRocks, we now have a complete view of every new game being added to the new content in addition to some more of that lovely timeline loveliness. There are 19 titles in total, though there are a few, shall we say, “duplicates” (not really duplicates, but you get what we mean).” – Ollie Reynolds |NintendoLife Source link #Atari #Anniversary #Celebration #Console #War #Switch #Breach Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Goulding goes nuts as ******* overcome Wildcats in NBL Goulding goes nuts as ******* overcome Wildcats in NBL Chris Goulding has produced one of the NBL’s greatest individual performances to help Melbourne ******* overcome a huge deficit and the loss of Jack White to injury in a 106-97 win over the Perth Wildcats. Trailing by 19 points during a horror second ******* at John Cain Arena on Saturday night, ******* were struggling when White went down with a left calf issue before halftime. But they rallied behind captain Goulding, who stunned the visitors in a game-winning display after the main break. Goulding scored 25 points in the third ******* alone and finished with a game-high 46 points on 16-of-32 *********. The veteran shooter connected on 9-of-21 triples as he extended his run of scoring from long range to 78 consecutive games. Marcus Lee (13 points), Rob Loe (11) and White (12) also finished in double figures as Melbourne improved to 9-4 for the season. But White’s injury is cause for concern going forward. Perth (5-6) got strong service from import Kristian Doolittle (21 points) and Next Star Izan Almansa (19), but managed just 32 points in the second half. Goulding drained two early triples and Melbourne led 31-29 at quarter-time despite Almansa’s 12 points in the first *******. But the visitors exploded and the lead ballooned to as much as 19 points during the second as Doolittle exerted himself on the contest. White’s injury was a ***** for Melbourne and Doolittle’s three on the buzzer gave the Wildcats a 65-51 buffer at halftime, with he and Almansa leading all scorers with 17 points each. It was Perth’s highest first-half score of the season. Enter Goulding, who lifted his team off the canvas with a vintage ********* display. Goulding scored more than twice as many points as the entire Wildcats team during the third *******, with Melbourne winning the quarter 32-12. It gave them an 83-77 buffer heading into the final *******, and they resisted everything Perth threw at them down the stretch. Fittingly, it was Goulding’s ninth triple and another tough bucket close to the rim that sealed the result for Melbourne in the final stages. Source link #Goulding #nuts #******* #overcome #Wildcats #NBL Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]