Pelican Press

Ukraine Strikes Inside Russia With U.S. Missiles Ukraine Strikes Inside Russia With U.S. Missiles The next two or three months in Ukraine are likely to be exceedingly violent, in a war that has already been the deadliest in Europe in the past 80 years. Marc Santora, who has been reporting from Ukraine since the beginning of the war with Russia, explains why. Source link #Ukraine #Strikes #Russia #U.S #Missiles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

William Shatner’s Captain Kirk returns one last time in an eight-minute short film William Shatner’s Captain Kirk returns one last time in an eight-minute short film William Shatner, who once sparred with Engadget , has finally reprised his most famous role. Captain Kirk is back in the short film 765874 – Unification. This eight-minute story is live now on YouTube and follows the events of Star Trek: Generations, which was the last time Shatner donned his Starfleet uniform. The short was made by a graphics company called OTOY, along with Paramount and Shatner himself. It technically exists to honor the 30th anniversary of Generations, but it also acts as a proper send-off to the first Star Trek captain. Now it’s time to get into spoiler territory, for those who haven’t seen a 30-year-old movie. Captain Kirk is *****. He ***** on an uninhabited planet after trying to stop Malcolm McDowell from unleashing an extra-dimensional time ribbon called the Nexus on an unwitting solar system of innocent folks. You know the drill. It’s Star Trek! Anyways, the short follows Kirk after dying on that planet. Is it the after-life or maybe the residual effects of the Nexus? We don’t know. There’s no dialogue to help us along. Instead, a de-aged Kirk, sometimes played by Sam Witwer, wanders an otherworldly realm until he eventually finds an old friend. It’s surprisingly touching, particularly for ****-hard Trek fans. The emotional depth is enhanced by the soundtrack, which is helmed by veteran Star Trek composer and MCU director Michael Giacchino. I knew it was him in like five seconds. The music reminded me of Lost, which was another show scored by Giacchino. Barring some new life extension technology, this is likely the last time we’ll see Shatner’s Kirk. The man is 93 years old. Paul Wesley has stepped into Shatner’s space boots to portray a younger version of the captain on . Despite his advanced age, Shatner . Source link #William #Shatners #Captain #Kirk #returns #time #eightminute #short #film Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Quordle today – hints and answers for Thursday, November 21 (game #1032) Quordle today – hints and answers for Thursday, November 21 (game #1032) Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers. Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles. SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers. Your Quordle expert Your Quordle expert Marc McLaren Social Links Navigation Global Editor in Chief Quordle today (game #1032) – hint #1 – Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today? • The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*. * Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). Quordle today (game #1032) – hint #2 – repeated letters Do any of today’s Quordle answers contain repeated letters? • The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2. Quordle today (game #1032) – hint #3 – uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today? • No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today’s Quordle answers. Quordle today (game #1032) – hint #4 – starting letters (1) Do any of today’s Quordle puzzles start with the same letter? • The number of today’s Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0. If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you’re not ready yet then here’s one more clue to make things a lot easier: Quordle today (game #1032) – hint #5 – starting letters (2) What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with? • R • E • C • B Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM. Quordle today (game #1032) – the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today’s Quordle, game #1032, are… Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. EAGER is one of those annoying words that always trips me up in Quordle. I see the -AGER pattern and immediately think ‘I need a consonant, then. L for LAGER, P for PAGER or W for WAGER.’ But no, there is a vowel that goes there too, it’s E for EAGER, and I always fail to consider it. Fortunately the other words here were fairly simple solves for me, although ****** is a difficult word in isolation; BBI for the final three letters is not common at all (in fact, I don’t think there are any other words that have that format). BRASH might have caused problems depending on which letters you had ruled out (TRASH and ****** are alternatives), but all told this was a straightforward Quordle. How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know. Daily Sequence today (game #1032) – the answers (Image credit: Merriam-Webster) The answers to today’s Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1032, are… Quordle answers: The past 20 Quordle #1031, Wednesday 20 November: MINTY, TOPAZ, BRUSH, LAPEL Quordle #1030, Tuesday 19 November: NINJA, PENCE, PAINT, FOIST Quordle #1029, Monday 18 November: ASCOT, BRINK, WEIRD, HOMER Quordle #1028, Sunday 17 November: STATE, BRAWN, SWORE, URBAN Quordle #1027, Saturday 16 November: NOTCH, BENCH, BUSED, FOUND Quordle #1026, Friday 15 November: PURER, TRUSS, TORCH, FORUM Quordle #1025, Thursday 14 November: EXALT, TASTE, CRONY, CLOUT Quordle #1024, Wednesday 13 November: YEARN, ELBOW, SURGE, PINEY Quordle #1023, Tuesday 12 November: CHORD, ATTIC, OLIVE, EIGHT Quordle #1022, Monday 11 November: COPSE, REGAL, GRUNT, GOODY Quordle #1021, Sunday 10 November: GROIN, FAULT, FERRY, SUITE Quordle #1020, Saturday 9 November: FLUME, THERE, ATOLL, SANER Quordle #1019, Friday 8 November: DELAY, NAVAL, MOLAR, SWARM Quordle #1018, Thursday 7 November: REPAY, SYNOD, LOATH, PITHY Quordle #1017, Wednesday 6 November: SASSY, DRUID, THREW, SLOSH Quordle #1016, Tuesday 5 November: BEGET, AMUSE, STONY, LOUSY Quordle #1015, Monday 4 November: CHILL, TACKY, GRAPH, PLAZA Quordle #1014, Sunday 3 November: QUIRK, HEART, ELBOW, KNOWN Quordle #1013, Saturday 2 November: SWUNG, FLOOR, PARER, CRUST Quordle #1012, Friday 1 November: FIFTY, GULCH, RECUT, TWEET Source link #Quordle #today #hints #answers #Thursday #November #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Is nuclear power regaining energy? Is nuclear power regaining energy? Getty Images A number of countries including the *** are building new nuclear power stations A decade ago, it seemed as though the global nuclear industry was in an irreversible decline. Concerns over safety, cost, and what to do with radioactive waste had sapped enthusiasm for a technology once seen as a revolutionary source of abundant cheap energy. Yet now there is widespread talk of a revival, fuelled by tech giants Microsoft, Google and Amazon all announcing investments in the sector, as well as the growing pressures on wealthy nations to curb their carbon emissions. But how real is the comeback? When commercial nuclear power was first developed in the 1950s and 1960s, governments were seduced by its seemingly unlimited potential. Nuclear reactors could harness and control the same awesome forces released by atomic ****** – to provide electricity for millions of homes. With a single kilogram of uranium yielding some 20,000 times as much energy as a kilogram of coal, it seemed like the future. But the technology also inspired public *****. And that ***** seemed to be justified by the Chernobyl disaster, which spread radioactive contamination across Europe in early 1986. It fuelled widespread public and political opposition – and slowed the growth of the industry. Another accident, at the Fukushima Daichi plant in Japan in 2011, re-energised concerns about nuclear safety. Japan itself shut down all of its reactors in the immediate aftermath, and only 12 have since restarted. Germany decided to phase out nuclear power altogether. Other countries scaled back plans to invest in new power plants, or extend the lives of ageing facilities. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, this led to the loss of 48GW of electric power generation globally between 2011 and 2020. Getty Images The Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011 raised new fears about the safety of the global industry But nuclear development did not stop. In China, for example, there were 13 nuclear reactors in 2011. There are now 55, with another 23 under construction. For Beijing, scrambling to meet rapidly growing electricity demand, nuclear had, and still has, a vital role to play. Now interest in the sector seems to be growing elsewhere once again. This is partly because developed countries are hunting for ways to meet energy demand, while striving to meet emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. With 2024 projected to be the warmest year on record, the pressure to cut carbon emissions is mounting. A renewed focus on energy security, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has also been a factor. South Korea, for example, recently scrapped plans to phase out its large fleet of nuclear power stations over the next four decades – and will build more instead. And France has reversed plans to reduce its own reliance on nuclear energy, which provides 70% of its electricity. Instead, it wants to build up to eight new reactors. In addition, last week the US government reaffirmed at the ******* Nations Climate Change Conference, or Cop29, held in Azerbaijan, that it intends to triple nuclear power generation by 2050. The White House had originally pledged to do this on the side lines of last year’s conference, Cop28. A total of 31 countries have now agreed to try to triple their use of nuclear power by 2050, including the ***, France and Japan. Also at Cop29, which ends on Friday, 22 November, the US and *** announced that they would collaborate to speed up the development of new nuclear power technology. This follows after it was agreed in the final statement or “stocktake” of last year’s Cop28 that nuclear should be one of the zero or low emission technologies to be “accelerated” to help combat climate change. But hunger for clean power is not just coming from governments. Technology giants are striving to develop more and more applications that use artificial intelligence. Yet AI relies on data – and data centres need constant, reliable electricity. According to Barclays Research, data centres account for 3.5% of electricity consumption in the US today, but that figure could rise to more than 9% by the end of the decade. In September, Microsoft signed a 20-year deal to buy power from Constellation Energy, which will lead to the reopening of the infamous Three Mile Island power station in Pennsylvania – the site of the worst nuclear accident in US history, where a reactor suffered a partial meltdown in 1979. Despite its tainted public image, another reactor at the plant continued to generate electricity until 2019. Constellation’s chief executive Joe Dominguez described the deal to reopen it as a “powerful symbol of the rebirth of nuclear power as a clean and reliable energy resource”. Other tech giants have taken a different approach. Google plans to buy energy produced from a handful of so-called Small Modular Reactors or SMRs – a nascent technology intended to make nuclear energy easier and cheaper to deploy. Amazon is also supporting SMR development and construction. SMRs themselves are being promoted, in part, as a solution to one of the biggest drawbacks facing nuclear power today. In western nations, new power stations have to be built to exacting modern safety standards. This makes them prohibitively expensive and complicated to build. Hinkley Point C is a good example. Britain’s first new nuclear power station since the mid-1990s is being built on a stretch of remote coastline in southwest England. It is meant to be the first of a batch of new plants to replace the country’s ageing reactor fleet. But the project is running some five years behind schedule and will cost up to £9bn ($11.5bn) more than planned. It is not an isolated case. The US’s newest reactors at Plant Vogtle in Georgia opened seven years late, and cost more than $35bn – well over double their original budget. SMRs are designed to solve this problem. They will be smaller than traditional reactors, using standardised parts that can be assembled quickly, at sites close to where the power is needed. But while there are some 80 different designs under development globally, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the concept has yet to be proven commercially. Getty Images Microsoft’s need for electricity will see the Three Mile Island nuclear power station, pictured, restart Opinions about nuclear power remain highly polarised. Supporters claim the technology is indispensable if climate targets are to be reached. Among them is Rod Adams, whose Nucleation Capital fund promotes investment in nuclear technology. “Nuclear fission has a seven-decade history showing it is one of the safest power sources available,” he explains. “It is a durable, reliable source of power with low ongoing costs already, but capital costs have been too high in Western countries.” Opponents though, insist nuclear power is not the answer. According to Professor M.V. Ramana of the University of British Columbia, it is “a folly to consider nuclear energy as clean”. It is, he says, “one of the most expensive ways to generate electricity. Investing in cheaper low-carbon sources of energy will provide more emissions reductions per dollar.” If current trends do herald a new nuclear age, one old problem ********. After 70 years of atomic power, there is still disagreement over what to do with the accumulated radioactive waste – some of which will remain hazardous for hundreds of thousands of years. The answer being pursued by many governments is geological disposal – burying the waste in sealed tunnels deep underground. But only one country, Finland, has actually built such a facility, while environmentalists and anti-nuclear campaigners argue that dumping waste out of sight and out of mind is simply too risky. Solving that conundrum may be a key factor in dictating whether there really will be a new age of nuclear power. Source link #nuclear #power #regaining #energy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Buying ****** Ops 6 Or Playing With Game Pass Comes With A Nice Bonus For Warzone Buying ****** Ops 6 Or Playing With Game Pass Comes With A Nice Bonus For Warzone Activision has revealed that Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 players can get a nice bonus in Call of Duty: Warzone. A new trailer called “Maximize Your Gameplay” confirms the people who buy ****** Ops 6 receive a 30% XP boost in the free-to-play battle-royale title. GameSpot understands that people who play through Game Pass can also get the XP boost. The fine print in the trailer specifies that the 30% XP boost is only available during the seasonal content for ****** Ops 6, which suggests it’ll end in time for 2025’s inevitable Call of Duty game. Still, the 30% XP boost should last for nearly a year, which is a nice perk if you want to spend $70 to buy the game. In other XP news, the legacy double XP tokens that were removed from ****** Ops 6 have been reinstated, and that’s good news for people hoping to level up faster. Season 1 of Call of Duty continues to add new content to the game, with Ranked Play mode arriving to multiplayer on November 21. In other related news, Call of Duty is now more popular on Xbox than it is on any other platform for the first time in over a decade. Source link #Buying #****** #Ops #Playing #Game #Pass #Nice #Bonus #Warzone Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Thursday, November 21 (game #263) NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Thursday, November 21 (game #263) Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints. Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games. SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers. Your Strands expert Your Strands expert Marc McLaren Social Links Navigation Global Editor in Chief NYT Strands today (game #263) – hint #1 – today’s theme What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands? • Today’s NYT Strands theme is… You’re getting warm NYT Strands today (game #263) – hint #2 – clue words Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system. NYT Strands today (game #263) – hint #3 – spangram What is a hint for today’s spangram? • Watch the flames dance NYT Strands today (game #263) – hint #4 – spangram position What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches? First: left, 5th row Last: right, 5th row Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM. NYT Strands today (game #263) – the answers (Image credit: New York Times) The answers to today’s Strands, game #263, are… POKER CHIMNEY BROOM FLUE HEARTH SCREEN MANTEL SPANGRAM: FIREPLACE My rating: Easy My score: Perfect This will date me, but does anyone else remember those wonderful Busytown and Lowly Worm books by Richard Scarry? I loved these as kids, poring over the illustrations in search of all of the different named objects and characters. Playing Strands sometimes feels like a similar exercise. “Today’s theme, children, is FIREPLACE. Now name as many words as you can that are related. Yes, CHIMNEY, that’s a good one. Oh well done, you got BROOM!” Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable ****** Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content. That is the point of Strands, I guess, but equally it’s more challenging when the puzzle is a little more creative – for instance when it involves pairs of things, or phrases, or logic in some way. Just naming things is a lot easier, and Strands is not a difficult game at the best of times. We’re 250-plus games in now, and I don’t think I’ve ever ******* one. Contrast that with Connections, where I fail regularly, and you can see the problem. Anyway, there’s no major problem with today’s game, it’s just a little straightforward to hold the attention for longer than a few minutes. Maybe that’s no bad thing, given how busy we all are, though. How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know. Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, 20 November, game #262) LITTER BONE COLLAR KIBBLE BALL LASER CATNIP SPANGRAM: PETSUPPLIES What is NYT Strands? Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile. I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day. Source link #NYT #Strands #today #hints #answers #spangram #Thursday #November #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Matt Gaetz ethics report release uncertain after panel deadlocked Matt Gaetz ethics report release uncertain after panel deadlocked Getty Images Pressure has mounted on the ethics committee to release its findings into Gaetz A congressional ethics committee has ******* to reach an agreement over whether to release a report on alleged ******* misconduct by Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the US Department of Justice. The House committee met for two hours behind closed doors on Wednesday, as calls grew for details of its investigation into Gaetz, a former Florida congressman whose nomination to serve as attorney general has proved controversial. “There was no consensus on this issue,” Democratic Representative Susan Wild told reporters, adding that a vote had been taken but the bipartisan committee remained split along party lines. She said they would meet again on 5 December. It is unclear whether they could release the report into Gaetz, who denies any wrongdoing, before then. Pressure has mounted on the ethics committee to release its findings, as members of the Senate begin meeting with Gaetz ahead of a hearing when they will vote on whether to confirm him as attorney general. “They’ve been going great,” Gaetz said of the meetings on Wednesday. “Senators been giving me a lot of good advice. I’m looking forward to a hearing.” The ethics committee had been preparing to vote on the report’s release before Gaetz’s abrupt resignation from the House, which came just after Trump’s nomination, the New York Times reported. His departure cast doubt on whether the report would see the light of day, because having resigned he is no longer under congressional jurisdiction and the committee only investigates House members. The committee Chairman Michael Guest, a ***********, told reporters on Wednesday that he had “some reservations” about releasing the report because it is still going through the review process. He told CNN the committee would consider releasing it publicly or sending it directly to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but it ******** uncertain whether it will leave the committee at all. Reporters and members of the media packed the hallway outside the room where members of the committee met on Wednesday. Most lawmakers remained tight-lipped as they passed the gauntlet of journalists on their way out of the meeting. Speaking to MSNBC afterward, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, a Democrat, said he had ****** “we will get to the right solution”. Gaetz, 42, is a lawyer who made a name for himself on Capitol Hill and cable news as a right-wing rabble rouser. He is a staunch defender of Trump and led a successful effort to oust *********** House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year. Some of Gaetz’s former House colleagues have voiced support for his nomination, including Speaker Mike Johnson, who called him a “reformer” who would “bring a lot to the table”. But Gaetz also has been dogged by allegations of impropriety in recent years. The US justice department previously investigated him for allegations he had a ******* relationship with a 17-year-old girl and violated **** trafficking laws. But the case was dropped and Gaetz, who denied the allegations, was never charged. In June, the ethics committee announced it was investigating several allegations against Gaetz, including that he “engaged in ******* misconduct and illicit ***** use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favours to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship, and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct”. Two women testified to the committee that Gaetz paid them “for ****”, their lawyer, Joel Leppard, told CBS this week. One of the women also testified that she witnessed the then-congressman having **** with a minor during a party in 2017, the lawyer said. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and says the accusations are politically motivated. “***** were weaponised to try to ******** me,” Gaetz posted on X on Friday. “These ***** resulted in prosecution, conviction, and prison. For the liars, not me.” Trump showed no sign of backing down on his cabinet pick this week. “Matt Gaetz will be the next attorney general. He’s the right man for the job and will end the weaponisation of our justice system,” Trump transition spokesman Alex Pfieffer said in a statement. Meanwhile, Senators of both parties have spoken in favour of accessing the ethics report. ***** Durbin, an Illinois Democrat and chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, demanded that the other committee “preserve and share” the report with his panel. “Make no mistake: This information could be relevant to the question of Mr Gaetz’s confirmation as the next attorney general of the ******* States, and our constitutional responsibility of advice and consent,” Durbin said. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa *********** who also sits on the judiciary committee, said: “I think that if they want a speedy consideration of this nomination, we’ve got to have as much transparency as we can have.” North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher makes sense of the presidential election in his twice weekly US Election Unspun newsletter. Readers in the *** can sign up here. Those outside the *** can sign up here. Source link #Matt #Gaetz #ethics #report #release #uncertain #panel #deadlocked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stalker 2 studio outlines plans to smooth the game’s ‘rough edges’ Stalker 2 studio outlines plans to smooth the game’s ‘rough edges’ GSC Game World has acknowledged Stalker 2‘s “rough edges” and pledged to make improvements to the newly released title. Following a lengthy and highly challenging development cycle, which included the studio partially relocating from Kiev to the Czech Republic following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the post-apocalyptic shooter launched today for Xbox Series X/S, PC and Game Pass. While reserving praise for the game’s setting and side stories, VGC’s Stalker 2 review said the game suffered from “constant performance issues” and “an uncountable number of bugs”. In a message published on X today, GSC Game World said it’s “incredibly proud” of its “love letter to Ukraine”, before stating that its work on the game is far from complete. “We understand that in such a game, there may still be rough edges: we literally haven’t released anything of this scale before,” it said. “We’re absolutely committed to being here, monitoring your feedback, and quickly fixing any issues that need our attention. “In the first days after release, we’ll be working with hotfixes, rolling them out as precisely as possible, but as frequently as we can. Then, we’ll switch to larger updates that include constant improvements. There will also be free in-game content – we’ll share its roadmap later in December. “We have big plans for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe,” it continued. “In a way, today is both a return and the beginning of a grand new journey. We’re blessed to have you before, we’re blessed to have you now. The Zone belongs to you. Have fun.” A message from the GSC Game World Team. Before you step into the Zone, we’d like to take a moment to share something from the heart. pic.twitter.com/wuLRAkq7Ba — S.T.A.L.K.E.R. OFFICIAL (@stalker_thegame) November 20, 2024 At the time of publishing, Stalker 2 has scores of 74 (PC) and 81 (Xbox Series X/S) on review aggregation site Metacritic. The game has got off to a strong start on Steam, reaching a peak of over 113,000 players. Source link #Stalker #studio #outlines #plans #smooth #games #rough #edges Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘Absurd’: Aussie doctor behind ‘******** capsule’ speaks out ‘Absurd’: Aussie doctor behind ‘******** capsule’ speaks out An *********** right-to-**** activist behind a new so-called “******** capsule” has spoken out for the first time after the pod’s first-ever user was instead allegedly strangled. Philip Nitschke said he was not present for what was reportedly the first ever use of the “Sarco” capsule by a chronically ill US woman in a Swiss forest on September 23. Despite Dr Nitschke claiming the pod worked as planned, people were arrested following the 64-year-old’s ****** amid reports she may have been strangled. Those claims were rejected by the South ***********-born humanist and founder of pro-euthanasia group Exit International in an interview with the Associated Press. “It is absurd because we’ve got film that the capsule wasn’t opened. She got in herself, pressed the button herself,” Dr Nitschke told the US wire service this week. Camera IconThe so-called ‘******** capsule’ cost $1.5m to develop and build. Credit: NewsWire Dr Nitschke said the head of Exit International’s Swiss affiliate, Florian Willet, was present for the ****** and called police who later took him into custody. The activist said he was compelled to speak out because he was “desperate” about the plight of Mr Willet, who could remain bars on remand for weeks. Other people were also arrested after the woman’s ******, including a journalist with a Dutch newspaper, but were later released. The “Sarco” cost $1.5m to develop according to Dr Nitschke and allows a person sitting reclined in a seat to push a button that floods the chamber with nitrogen gas. Within minutes, the user is supposed to slip into unconsciousness before they **** of suffocation. Camera IconExit International founder and director Philip Nitschke said the woman’s ****** was ‘dignified’. Credit: Supplied Dr Nitschke said the pod’s first user was a woman from the US Midwest who had “compromised immune function” that made her “subject to chronic infection”. In a separate interview, Dr Nitschke said Mr Willet, who was the only person present for the ******, had told him it had been “peaceful, fast, and dignified”. But, on October 26, Dutch newspaper Volkskrant reported the Swiss prosecutor had indicated in court that the woman might have actually been strangled. Dr Nitschke said he had been told the pod’s use would be legal in Switzerland, one of the few countries foreigners can come to legally end their life. Source link #Absurd #Aussie #doctor #******** #capsule #speaks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Dark Ages and ****** Stranding 2, PC Master Race Must Abandon Nvidia in 2025 The Dark Ages and ****** Stranding 2, PC Master Race Must Abandon Nvidia in 2025 The godfathers of the gaming industry are about to make a return with exciting new installments in the form of *****: The Dark Ages and ****** Stranding 2. Both of these series have had their ups and downs in the last couple of years, but they want to make a comeback against all odds. 2025 is packed with many exciting releases. (Image via Microsoft) With an undisclosed 2025 release date, it’s going to be a while before you get your hands on both these games. However, you must prepare your gaming rig to maximize the performance of these games. The best way to go about that is by picking the right graphics card, and that space is currently owned by Nvidia, not AMD. The Hot Pick For All Games in 2025 is Nvidia Once Again Nvidia is the leader when it comes to the gaming industry. (Image via Nvidia) Putting Nvidia up against AMD for GPU comparison is basically looking at a constant cycle of software-based enhancements, and massive gains, thanks to the rival chip designers’ constant efforts to gain the upper hand. However, in the last couple of years, many in the community have felt that the tide has turned in favor of AMD. It’s often been stated that Team Red’s graphics cards offer better performance than Team Green’s and are perfect for budget gaming builds that are looking to maximize performance and reliability. Nvidia started the year with a large shift that addressed the biggest criticism regarding the pricing of the RTX 4000 Series GPUs. It released 3 GPUs in quick succession: the RTX 4070 Super, the RTX 4070 TI Super, and the RTX 4080 SUPER. All of these replace the old RTX 4000 series cards at different price tags. While AMD didn’t directly respond to this with newer entries in 2024, it has opted for price cuts to keep RX 7000 series GPUs more competitive in the market in terms of price-to-performance ratios. It’s clear from day one that Team Green is ahead when it comes to raw power efficiency for gaming and other tasks. If you’re someone who’s not restrained by budgets and wants to game without any restrictions in 2025, Nvidia is the correct pick. Even in 2024, Team Green’s 4000 series brought us 3rd generation-ray tracing cores offering the fastest ray tracing experience to date. Seriously, you can hop onto any AAA games, such as Cyberpunk 2077, and witness Nvidia’s Path Tracing SDK abilities yourself. Also, Nvidia’s DLSS 3.0/3.5 is a total game changer as it brings massive performance boosts through features such as Frame Generation and optical flow acceleration. This makes high-resolution ray tracing even better on the older generation of graphics cards. The company’s approach to DLSS also ensures that you get tightly integrated performance in games such as Minecraft RTX and Portal RTX. Keep in mind that these benefits come with the current 4000 series. Rumors are already up in the air that Team Green is planning to bring the 5000 series to the table next year, which will take all the benefits we’ve mentioned above to the next level. Nvidia Has Emerged as The World’s Most Valuable Company The company continues to break records. (Image via Nvidia) Last month, Nvidia’s value ended up at $143.71 per share, alongside a $3.4 trillion market cap that put it right alongside Apple. The two tech-companies would switch the top spot as the world’s most valuable company. However, reports suggest that Nvidia has overtaken Apple with a total market value of $3.54 trillion as of October 25. This surge in the company’s market value comes from it being a leader in computing parts that are used for AI development purposes. The use of AI in the world of gaming is a polarizing topic, but the development of all the technologies behind it seems to be great for Team Green as long as it continues to deliver the best processors and other parts for gamers. Only time will tell if Nvidia will hang on to its position as the world’s most valuable company, but considering the fact that the next generation of graphics cards is on the horizon, the future is looking bright for the company. With that said, are you planning to pick Nvidia as your GPU for gaming in 2025? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Dark #Ages #****** #Stranding #Master #Race #Abandon #Nvidia Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trial of youth center worker accused of holding down boy while he was ****** turns acrimonious Trial of youth center worker accused of holding down boy while he was ****** turns acrimonious MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — The cross-examination of a man who says he was ****** as a teenager by youth center workers in New Hampshire turned acrimonious Wednesday, with the accuser at one point calling an opposing lawyer a “***** man” following a heated exchange. It was the second day in the trial of Bradley Asbury, who is accused of holding down 14-year-old Michael Gilpatrick on a staircase in 1997 with help from a colleague, while a third staffer ****** the teen and a fourth forced him to perform a **** act. It’s the second ********* trial to stem from a broad 2019 investigation into historic ****** at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester. Asbury, now 70, is among 11 men who worked there or at an associated facility in Concord who were arrested. Gilpatrick, now 41, took the stand for a second day and was questioned by defense lawyer David Rothstein, who pointed out inconsistencies in his recollection of the events leading up to the alleged *******, including how many times he’d been released home in the months beforehand, what time of day the incident occurred, and whether there were other children around. Gilpatrick said his recollection of details before and after the ******* were hazy. “What I won’t forget, do you want me to continue to tell you?” Gilpatrick said during one of several fiery exchanges with the lawyer. “That your client held me down while another man ****** me.” “Go ahead and say it again, in case they didn’t hear it,” the lawyer responded. “Say it again.” “He held me down and ****** me,” Gilpatrick said loudly, as he leaned into the microphone. “Say it again,” the lawyer responded. “You want me to keep saying it? You’re a ***** man,” Gilpatrick said, before asking the judge for a break and storming off the stand. Rothstein said the ******* never happened and Gilpatrick is motivated by money. He pointed out Gilpatrick has received more than $146,000 against an anticipated payout from a related civil case. “You’re trying to establish that this is about money, and it’s got nothing to do with money,” Gilpatrick testified. Prosecutor Audriana Mekula said the ***** occurred after Gilpatrick made a smart-aleck comment to Asbury and his colleagues and was then dropped onto the floor from behind, picked up by his arms and legs, and dragged onto a staircase at the juvenile lockup. Asbury had been fired from the Concord facility three years before over allegations of physical and psychological ******. But he was later rehired and transferred to Manchester, where he worked until 2001. He is charged with two counts of being an accomplice to aggravated ******* ********. If found guilty, he faces a maximum prison term of 20 years on each count. The trial is expected to conclude either Thursday or Friday. An earlier case against Victor Malavet ended in a mistrial in September after jurors deadlocked on whether he ****** a girl at the Concord facility. A new trial in that case has yet to be scheduled. The investigation has also led to extensive civil litigation. More than 1,100 former residents have filed lawsuits alleging physical, ******* or emotional ****** spanning six decades. In the only civil case to go to trial so far, a jury awarded David Meehan $38 million in May for ****** he says he suffered in the 1990s, though that verdict ******** in dispute as the state seeks to reduce it to $475,000. The Associated Press generally does not identify those who say they were victims of ******* ******** unless they have come forward publicly, as Meehan and Gilpatrick have done. Source link #Trial #youth #center #worker #accused #holding #boy #****** #turns #acrimonious Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I sold my PS5 to upgrade to the PS5 Pro and it might have been a mistake I sold my PS5 to upgrade to the PS5 Pro and it might have been a mistake T3: Do I regret it? Ask me again in six months… Source link #sold #PS5 #upgrade #PS5 #Pro #mistake Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Archegos’ Bill Hwang sentenced to 18 years in prison for massive U.S. ****** Archegos’ Bill Hwang sentenced to 18 years in prison for massive U.S. ****** Archegos Capital Management founder Sung Kook “Bill” Hwang attends his sentencing on a ****** conviction stemming from the 2021 collapse of his $36 billion private investment firm, at the ******* States District Court in Manhattan in New York City, U.S., November 20, 2024. Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters Former billionaire investor Sung Kook “Bill” Hwang was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Wednesday over the collapse of Archegos Capital Management, which cost Wall Street banks more than $10 billion. Hwang was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan, where a jury convicted Hwang in July on 10 ********* charges including wire ******, securities ****** and market manipulation. Archegos’ March 2021 implosion took less than a week, stunning Wall Street and Hwang’s lenders. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Manhattan sought a 21-year prison term for Hwang — unusually long for a white-collar case — and for him to forfeit $12.35 billion and make restitution to victims. “It stands among a rare class of cases that truly could be described as a national calamity,” prosecutor Andrew Thomas said at the sentencing hearing before Hellerstein. Before sentencing Hwang, Hellerstein asked the defendant’s lawyer, Dani James, how she thought Hwang compared to Sam Bankman-Fried, who was sentenced in March to 25 years in prison for stealing $8 billion from users of the now-bankrupt FTX exchange. “Mr. Bankman-Fried was literally stealing from his customers,” James said. “I don’t think that’s what’s happened here.” Hwang had asked for no prison, forfeiture or restitution, and to remain free on bail while he appealed his conviction. James said his low risk of committing more ******* meant a lengthy prison term served no purpose. “The notion that he would commit a ****** in the future, it’s just not so,” James said. Bankman-Fried denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction. FILE PHOTO: Sung Kook ‘Bill’ Hwang, the founder and head of the private investment firm Archegos, arrives at federal court for his ********* racketeering trial, in New York City, U.S., May 21, 2024. David Dee Delgado | Reuters Started as a family office Hwang, 60, was a protégé of late hedge-fund billionaire Julian Robertson. He set up Archegos in New York as a family office in 2013, the year after his former hedge fund Tiger Asia Management pleaded guilty to wire ****** in an insider-trading case. Prosecutors accused Hwang of lying to banks about Archegos’ portfolio so he could borrow money aggressively and make concentrated bets on media and technology stocks such as ViacomCBS, now called Paramount Global. While Archegos eventually managed $36 billion, Hwang’s borrowing helped him amass $160 billion of exposure to stocks. His downfall occurred when Hwang was unable to meet margin calls, as the prices of some of his favorite stocks began falling and various banks unloaded stocks that had backed his so-called total return swaps. More than $100 billion of market value in Hwang’s stocks was wiped out. Several banks suffered losses, including Credit Suisse, which lost $5.5 billion, and Nomura Holdings. Credit Suisse is now part of UBS. Hwang’s lawyers’ request for no punishment also cited Hwang’s ********** ****** and his nonprofit Grace and Mercy Foundation, which has since 2006 donated at least $600 million to combat homelessness, ******** and human trafficking, among other causes. Hwang’s lawyers have said his net worth has fallen to “at most” $55.3 million. Hwang’s co-defendant, former Archegos Chief Financial Officer Patrick Halligan, was convicted at the same trial on three ********* charges. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 27. Both chose not to testify at their two-month trial. Source link #Archegos #Bill #Hwang #sentenced #years #prison #massive #U.S #****** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Good Coffee, Great Coffee is the ideal digestif for Good Pizza, Great Pizza, coming soon Good Coffee, Great Coffee is the ideal digestif for Good Pizza, Great Pizza, coming soon Good Coffee, Great Coffee is TapBlaze’s newest release, set to arrive in early 2025 Currently announced only for iOS, it brings the culinary simulation to the world of baristas Serve drinks for a cast of over 200 NPCs with different personalities and attitudes Hot off the heels of the 10th anniversary of their flagship title Good Pizza, Great Pizza, developer TapBlaze have announced they’ll be tackling another favourite of folks everywhere. No longer content with exploring the world of culinary simulation, soon they’ll take your skills to the venerable world of baristas with Good Coffee, Great Coffee! If you’re familiar with TapBlaze’s other IP, then you won’t find much here to surprise you. Not to downplay it of course, as Good Coffee, Great Coffee is set to offer the same mix of story-based narrative and culinary simulation as you mix amazing-looking drinks for a variety of quirky customers. Yes, one of the main selling points of TapBlaze’s previous work returns as we see that the customers you serve coffee aren’t just faceless NPCs, but fully-rounded characters with backstories and attitudes of their own. Draw fun latte art, experience a fully soundtracked ambient score and even customise your own coffee shop! Hot, hot, oh we got it All things considered, I shouldn’t be surprised that TapBlaze is choosing to stay within the genre where they found their success, but there is something charmingly stereotypical of a developer to basically do the same but slightly different. Not to say I think Good Coffee, Great Coffee looks derivative by any means. However, there is a bit of a worry that it might not innovate quite enough to bring in new fans. Still, I don’t doubt there are plenty of you excited to hear that the series is continuing, and who knows? Maybe 10 years down the line we’ll be celebrating the anniversary of Good Coffee, Great Coffee too? Check it out when it arrives on iOS come February 27th, 2025! And if you want to turn up the heat in the kitchen further, why not check out our list of the top 15 best cooking games on iOS to cook up a storm? Source link #Good #Coffee #Great #Coffee #ideal #digestif #Good #Pizza #Great #Pizza #coming Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

********* Airlines to shame boarding line cutters with new technology ********* Airlines to shame boarding line cutters with new technology Haiyun Jiang | Bloomberg | Getty Images Watch out, line cutters. ********* Airlines is rolling out new technology across the country to ****** down on travelers trying to get on the airplane before their boarding group is called. Customers who try to scan a boarding pass before their group is called will hear a two-note sound and be turned away, the airline said. ********* Airlines has nine boarding groups, ranging from first-class customers and top-tier frequent flyers to travelers who purchased basic economy fares, or the least-expensive tickets. Airlines reward their high-paying elite frequent flyers with perks such as earlier boarding, and have been trying to keep it exclusive. The new technology as of Wednesday is in more than 100 nonhub airports around the U.S. following tests over the past month at Albuquerque International Sunport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Tucson International Airport, ********* Airlines said. The airline plans to roll it out to hubs later. The technology will roll out just as ********* expects 8.3 million people to board its planes between Nov. 21 and Dec. 3, which it considers the Thanksgiving travel *******, an increase of 500,000 customers over last year. Other airlines have experimented with new ways to prevent gate crowding, which helps board planes faster while also trying to protect early boarding for the swelling ranks of elite frequent flyer loyalty program members. ******* Airlines texts customers when it is time to board and provides live updates to customer’s iPhones and Apple Watches with a countdown-to-boarding clock. It also has digital signs showing which boarding group has been called. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #********* #Airlines #shame #boarding #line #cutters #technology Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Italian Police Seize Stolen Etruscan Treasures, Including a Princess’s Sarcophagus Italian Police Seize Stolen Etruscan Treasures, Including a Princess’s Sarcophagus In a significant operation against the illicit trade of antiquities, Italian police have recovered a trove of Etruscan funerary treasures in Umbria, believed to have belonged to ancient aristocratic women, possibly princesses. According to The Guardian, the artifacts were looted from an underground tomb near the town of Città della Pieve and include eight urns, two sarcophagi—one containing the ******** of a woman aged 40 to 45—and a variety of beauty accessories. These finds, which date to between 300 BC and 100 BC, likely originated from a prominent Etruscan family. The treasures, valued at approximately €8 million ($8.5 million) according to the Carabinieri art police reported by CNN, were discovered after a police investigation earlier this year. The operation followed clues provided by photos posted online by the suspects – two local businessmen attempting to sell the artifacts to buyers abroad. Police traced the illicit activity to an area near the originally discovered burial site, which had been partly uncovered in 2015 by a farmer plowing his field. Beauty and Banquets: Artifacts Tell a Story of Etruscan Life Among the recovered items are four bronze mirrors, a bone comb, and a perfume jar that still contains traces of its ancient fragrance. According to The Guardian, these objects, alongside banquet *****, illustrate the lives and customs of Etruscan women. Experts hailed the discovery as one of the most significant recoveries of Etruscan artifacts resulting from a police investigation. Some of the ornate Etruscan artifacts that were seized by Italian police. (Carabinieri del Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Culturale) The Etruscan civilization, which flourished in central Italy from the 8th century BC until being absorbed by the Roman Republic, is known for its advanced society and rich cultural heritage. Traces of their presence, including intricate burial sites and vibrant artifacts, remain scattered across Tuscany and Umbria. The Etruscans, an enigmatic civilization that thrived in Etruria (modern Tuscany) and central Italy north of Latium, rose to prominence as a Mediterranean power by the 6th century BC, explains Petros Koutoupis. Despite their significant influence on art, mythology, and culture, much of their legacy ******** a mystery. Limited inscriptions in their unique language, often ritualistic in nature, and biased accounts from classical writers hinder a full understanding of their society. Etruscan culture was shaped by interactions with Greeks and Phoenicians, adopting and adapting myths, deities, and artistic styles. Their naval dominance in the Tyrrhenian Sea and alliances with other Mediterranean powers highlighted their strategic importance. However, the expansion of Rome led to the annexation of Etruscan cities by the 4th century BC, with their identity largely absorbed into Roman culture. The clearest insights into Etruscan life come from their elaborately constructed tombs, which reveal details about their sociopolitical structures, spirituality, and views of the afterlife. While much ******** unanswered, their contributions to the ancient world and their influence on Roman culture endure as part of their enduring legacy. The Carabinieri art police with a collection of artifacts recovered in the Umbria investigation. (YouTube Screenshot) Tackling the Tomb Raider Menace The suspects in this case, one of whom owned the land where the artifacts were unearthed, have been arrested on charges of theft and trading stolen goods. Italian police, renowned for their efforts to combat antiquities trafficking, often uncover artifacts stolen by “tomb raiders” who target archaeological sites. In this case, investigators tapped the suspects’ phones to uncover the extent of the looting and locate the remaining artifacts. A Legacy of Rich Discoveries This is not the first time Etruscan treasures have come to light through fortuitous circumstances. In 2022, as reported by Ancient Origins, archaeologists in Tuscany discovered 24 bronze statues preserved for over 2,000 years in a network of Etruscan baths in San Casciano dei Bagni. These included depictions of Hygeia, the goddess of health, and other figures, offering a rare glimpse into the spiritual and artistic world of the Etruscans. The recovery of the treasures from Città della Pieve not only preserves a critical piece of Etruscan heritage but also serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat posed by ******** excavations. For now, these artifacts are safeguarded, ensuring their place in the story of Italy’s ancient civilizations. Top image: Ornate stolen Etruscan treasures that were seized by Italian police. Source: Carabinieri del Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Culturale By Gary Manners Source link #Italian #Police #Seize #Stolen #Etruscan #Treasures #Including #Princesss #Sarcophagus Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The PlayStation ****** Friday deals will cut 25 to 30 percent off PS Plus subscriptions The PlayStation ****** Friday deals will cut 25 to 30 percent off PS Plus subscriptions Sony offered a sneak peek at its PlayStation ****** Friday deals, which start on Friday. In addition to some (currently nebulous) deals on hardware and games, the ***** will include up to 30 percent off PlayStation Plus memberships. The deals will run from November 22 through December 2. PlayStation Plus subscriptions will be “up to” 30 percent off for a 12-month membership. If you’re already a PS Plus Essential Member, you can save 25 percent on the remainder of your plan when upgrading to PlayStation Plus Extra. Or, you can shave off 30 percent if you’re upping your membership from PS Plus Extra to PS Plus Premium / Deluxe. Sony Less specific (as of now) are the PlayStation ****** Friday deals on hardware and games. Direct from PlayStation and through Sony’s retail partners, there will be sales on PS5 gear, including the Fortnite Cobalt Star Bundle. PS VR2 headsets, DualSense wireless controllers, Pulse headphones or earbuds and PS5 console covers will also be discounted. What we don’t know yet is how much savings Sony will offer on any of it. Sony didn’t mention the PlayStation Portal, which is about to get a lot more interesting. This week, the company said the handheld will soon run a beta test for cloud streaming. The portable device’s inability to do anything but stream your local PS5 games at launch was a bit baffling, to say the least. “Select” games for PS5, PS4 and PC will also see price cuts. Sony mentions digital titles like Star Wars Outlaws, Madden ‘25 and Hogwarts Legacy, so we at least know a few on-***** games to look out for. But similar to the hardware deals, we don’t know how juicy the deals will be (or which other titles will be available). You can check back on Friday morning to learn more. Source link #PlayStation #****** #Friday #deals #cut #percent #subscriptions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Marriott CEO says business is solid amid corporate layoffs Marriott CEO says business is solid amid corporate layoffs Marriott International’s business operations and growth are solid, CEO Anthony Capuano told CNBC Monday, amid layoffs of more than 800 corporate employees and continued sluggishness in China’s tourism market. “We are ******* on all cylinders in every geography,” he said. The company’s third-quarter earnings showed a 3% increase in worldwide RevPar — or revenue per available room — despite an 8% drop in RevPar in China, the company’s second largest market. Capuano said he does not believe lackluster domestic demand in China will be a long-term problem, pointing to a record-breaking number of hotel signings in early 2024. “We signed more deals in the first half of 2024 than in any six-month ******* in our history in China. And so to me, that suggests that both public and private real estate entities in China are ******** on the long-term viability of the travel and tourism space,” he said. Domestic tourism in China is slowly gaining steam, he said, while inbound travel outperformed pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter of 2024. “Pre-pandemic, about 18 to 19% of our total room nights were cross border travel,” he said. “Through Q3 we were already over 20% and that’s with more to come in terms of restoration of airline seat capacity in Greater China. So we think there’s more and more upside for that international inbound.” Marriott International reported net room growth of 6% year-on-year and room rate growth of 2.5%, driven by a strong return of group travel, which Capuano called the “bright, shining star” for the business today. The company raised its year-end guidance for net room growth, and added 9 million new Bonvoy members in the third quarter. Marriott’s loyalty program now has 219 million members, which Capuano credited to the work of hotel front-desk employees and new partnerships Marriott has inked with companies like Uber and Starbucks. Layoffs ‘not a traditional cost-cutting measure’ During Marriott’s third-quarter earnings call on Nov. 4, Capuano alluded to an “enterprise-wide process to enhance our effectiveness and efficiency,” a move Chief Financial Officer Leeny Oberg later estimated would reduce company costs by $80 million to $90 million a year, starting in 2025. That measure turned out to be corporate layoffs, first reported by the travel media company Skift on Nov. 14, which later linked to a notice of “mass layoffs” of 833 Marriott employees posted on a Maryland government labor website. Capuano denied that the company — which doubled in size during the past decade — grew too big, too fast, at least in terms of corporate employees, instead calling the move a much-needed “reorganization” of its global corporate structure. “This is not a traditional corporate cost cutting measure,” he said. “In [the past] decade, the continent teams have matured; we’ve grown dramatically. We’re in 60 new countries. And so we looked at this exercise to try and shift more decision-making to the continents.” Decentralized decision-making means the layoffs will be felt most acutely at its global headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, Capuano said. The majority of job cuts are at the “above property” level — the corporate office — which means that they will “absolutely not” affect service levels at any Marriott-branded hotels, he said. Rather, the cuts “should make us more nimble and allow us to make decisions through the local market lens in real time.” Marching into the midscale market Capuano said occupancy levels and average rate growth are strong across most of Asia-Pacific, most notably in Japan, where Marriott opened its 100th hotel this week — a Four Points Flex by Sheraton (previously known as Four Points Express by Sheraton). The brand is leading Marriott’s push into the midscale market in Europe and Asia-Pacific, alongside City Express in North America, in an effort to capture budget-conscious consumers who want simple, comfortable rooms that come with modern-day wants likes Wi-Fi. The company plans to open a dozen more Four Points Flex by Sheraton hotels in Japan in the next six weeks, according to a press release published Monday. Source link #Marriott #CEO #business #solid #corporate #layoffs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Woman thought ****** market drugs would ***** her Woman thought ****** market drugs would ***** her Paige Roberts Paige Roberts wants others to be aware of the dangers of taking unprescribed medication ****** market weight-loss drugs left a woman thinking she was going to **** after do-it-yourself injections put her in hospital. Paige Roberts, 24, looked for anti-obesity medication on social media after her GP advised her to lose weight. After the first self-administered injection of what was told was semaglutide – diabetes medication which is ******** to sell without a prescription – she started vomiting and feeling dizzy and *****. The Royal College of GPs (RCGP Cymru) said buying weight-loss drugs without prescription was highly dangerous. Ms Roberts, a healthcare assistant from Llandudno, Conwy county, does not qualify for weight-loss medication on the NHS as she weighs 13st (82kg) and has a body mass index of 28.5, so she is not classed as obese. She said she was told weight loss could help her start having periods again after they stopped due to bloating caused by polycystic ovary syndrome. She spent £80 on four pre-filled syringes with instructions to use one a week for four weeks. She was not initially worried as nausea was a known side effect, but went to A&E at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd when she was still vomiting after 48 hours. Staff told her lots of people had been admitted to hospital after taking weight-loss drugs and Ms Roberts said she was informed many on the ****** market were amphetamine based. “I was worried I was going to **** of dehydration because I couldn’t keep anything in my stomach,” she said. After liver and kidney function tests and time on a drip, Ms Roberts was allowed to go home, but she said she wanted others to be aware of the dangers. “Influencers on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram only show the good things that happen and say ‘look how good we look’, which makes you think you can get that as well.” She added the injections were “too easy” to get hold of without professionals to prescribe or advise. Paige Roberts The ***** came in pre-loaded syringes but the contents were not listed RCGP Cymru said prevention and good nutrition were better solutions than weight-loss medication. “Acquiring weight-loss drugs online without prescription is highly dangerous,” it added. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency previously warned people not to buy pre-filled pens claiming to contain weight-loss drugs, but to consult a healthcare professional qualified to prescribe medicines. *** government health secretary Wes Streeting said weight-loss drugs could be “game changers” when taken alongside a healthy diet and exercise, but warned against taking the drugs without medical supervision. Paige Roberts Ms Roberts spent several hours in hospital and underwent tests for liver and kidney function Are weight loss jabs available on the NHS? Two drugs – semaglutide and tirzerpatide – are on the market under the brand names Wegovy and Mounjaro. Semaglitude is in diabetes ***** ozempic. These appetite suppressants can be self-administered as weekly injections via pre-filled pens in the upper arm, thigh or stomach. People must have at least one existing weight-related health condition, such as high blood pressure, and be obese to qualify. Those not classed as obese can be given the ***** if they are overweight and have cardiovascular ********. It is ******** to sell semagultide without a prescription, but drugs can be bought privately, including at supermarkets, chemists and high-street clinics, with pens costing between £200 and £300. Are weight loss jabs safe? Common side effects include feeling *****, vomiting, bloating, constipation and diarrhoea. Some report hair loss and, in rare cases, gallbladder, kidney problems and depression. Experts warn complications can be worse if drugs are abused, either to lose weight quickly or bought from unregulated sellers. Paige Roberts Paige Roberts said diet and exercise did not help her lose weight Analysis – Jenny Rees, BBC Wales health correspondent The search for solutions, or relief from discomfort and pain, will be familiar to so many people. New products, medications and treatments will always create a buzz if they’ve offered signs of success in alleviating those symptoms – to those appropriately prescribed them. But that buzz creates a demand. And where there’s demand, there’s an opportunity. We see it in the high street, where the market place steps up to provide “solutions” at every price bracket, when it sees a customer need going unanswered. This soon spills over into the counterfeits sold in the unlicensed arena: Social media and word of mouth. And here it’s anyone’s guess as to what you’re buying, what it truly contains and how safe it might be. So many of us will have been tempted by the offer of grand promises, but as we hear so often, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. When in search of medical solutions, it’s always best to seek them from medical professionals. Source link #Woman #thought #****** #market #drugs #***** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

A “New Chapter” For Shenmue 3 Has Been Teased A “New Chapter” For Shenmue 3 Has Been Teased Inin Games and Ys Net have announced that they received the publishing rights for Shenmue 3 from the game’s previous publisher, Deep Silver. Inin Games has also teased more plans for Shenmue 3. “Inin Games is excited to shepherd Shenmue 3 into its next phase,” they said in a statement. “This collaboration marks the beginning of a new chapter for Shenmue 3, with Inin Games working closely alongside Ys Net to honor the series’ legacy while ensuring its accessibility to even more fans around the world.” It’s unclear what plans Inin Games and Ys Net have in store for Shenmue 3, but it’s possible that it could come to additional platforms such as Xbox and Switch. The game has been a console exclusive for PlayStation since 2019, as Sony helped fund the game. In 2022, Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki said that he’d make Shenmue 4 more approachable if given the chance to develop it. Although Shenmue 3 ends on a cliffhanger, he explained that a follow-up could tell a story completely separate from the events of that game. Earlier this year, Shenmue fans bought a 15-second ad on a Times Square video billboard to campaign for a Shenmue 4, which managed to briefly get Shenmue trending on Twitter. Shenmue 3 is currently available on PS4 and PC. In GameSpot’s Shenmue 3 review, we said, “Unfortunately, while it’s fascinating as a weird curiosity from a long-gone era of gaming, it’s simply not that fun to actually play.” Source link #Chapter #Shenmue #Teased Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Government to introduce social media ban Bill to parliament Government to introduce social media ban Bill to parliament The Albanese government is introducing its Bill to ban social media for kids under 16. If passed, social media companies could be slapped with fines of up to $50m if they fail to do enough to verify a user’s age on their platforms. The world-first legislation set to be introduced on Thursday would also create a legal definition of social media. Snapchat would reportedly be captured in that definition. Snapchat lets users exchange photos, videos and messages rather than offering a posting board-type feature, such as Facebook, Instagram or X. Camera IconSocial media companies could be slapped with fines of up to $50m under new laws introduced by the Albanese government. NewsWire / Aaron Francis Credit: News Corp Australia There was some uncertainty around whether Snapchat could escape the proposed ban by arguing it was a messaging service and not a social media platform. The Bill will likely get a warm welcome in parliament. There has been broad bipartisan support for restricting minors’ access to social media for some time, with states and territories mulling their own bans. Though, the Bill is not without critics. Independent MP Zoe Daniel warned on Thursday morning that it could unintentionally make platforms “less safe”. Camera IconIndependent MP Zoe Daniel says the social media ban could unintentionally make social media ‘less safe’. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia “My biggest concern about it really is that it doesn’t substantively change what the platforms need to be doing on their platforms, and there may be an unintended consequence that the platforms actually become less safe,” she told the ABC. “If you were to create a system where the platforms have to take responsibility, mitigate risk and be transparent about how they’re doing that and what tools they’re using, then that sort of provides, potentially, an environment where everyone can be in a safe space. “What we’re doing is saying, ‘Well, we’re going to lock everyone under 16 out, and then everyone else can do whatever they want in there’. “And also, we know that some people under 16 will get in. I don’t think that that’s really a good pathway to go down.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has likened the ban to age restrictions on alcohol, acknowledging people can get around it but arguing that it sets a standard. The laws would come into force 12 months after passing. The eSafety commissioner would be responsible for enforcing the legislation. Source link #Government #introduce #social #media #ban #Bill #parliament Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nintendo Switch 2 Backwards Compatibility Comes With a Diabolical Condition That Hints You’ll Have to Shell Out More Money to Play OG Games Nintendo Switch 2 Backwards Compatibility Comes With a Diabolical Condition That Hints You’ll Have to Shell Out More Money to Play OG Games For a long time, Nintendo fans have been waiting for the company to launch the Switch 2. While the company recently promised backward compatibility with Switch games, there is still one question floating in the community: What will the backward compatibility really look like, and is there a costly catch they still don’t know about? Players are excited after hearing the announcement that the upcoming console is backward compatible. | Image Credit: Nintendo In a recent announcement, it was confirmed that Switch software will be available on its successor. But what about physical cartridges? There is still no confirmation that they will work seamlessly with the Switch 2. This opens the door to a costly scenario: the company may sell an accessory to enable compatibility, forcing fans to pay extra if they want to use their physical game copies on the new hardware. The Fate of Nintendo Switch Physical Cartridges Still Up in the Air Some ***** that the no details about the physical cartridge might lead to worrying news. | Image Credit: Nintendo Nintendo has always remained tight-lipped about its upcoming games and hardware, and that’s the case with the Switch’s successor. While the company has reassured players that games will seamlessly transfer through their Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) accounts, the same can’t be said for physical cartridges. Although no official confirmation has been given that this will happen, what if the company decides to go a controversial route and make the Switch’s physical cartridges incompatible with the Switch 2? 古川です。本日の経営方針説明会で、Nintendo Switchの後継機種ではNintendo Switch向けソフトも遊べることを公表しました。また、Nintendo Switch Onlineも後継機種で引き続きご利用いただけるようにします。これらNintendo Switchとの互換性を含む後継機種の詳しい情報は、後日改めてご案内します。 — 任天堂株式会社（企業広報・IR） (@NintendoCoLtd) November 6, 2024 This uncertainty regarding the compatibility of the physical cartridge has sparked various troubling speculations in the community. One of them is that physical Switch games may not work on the new console natively unless the user purchases a newly developed accessory designed specifically for the Switch 2. This strategic move would make it possible for players to continue using their physical games but only by forcing them to pay extra money for an accessory. While the company is known for its innovation and dedication to the gaming experience, it is also no stranger to controversial business decisions. While this is all hypothetical, it’s the kind of move that feels all too familiar in the tech industry, like the controversial decision by Apple to exclude chargers from the iPhone box, forcing customers to purchase one separately if they didn’t have one on hand. Gamers are also already being forced by Sony to purchase a stand for their PS5. So, in this regard, it wouldn’t be a totally unexpected move by Nintendo to sell an accessory for a physical cartridge on Switch 2. Is the Switch 2 Setting Up a Digital-Only Future? While the future ******** uncertain, fans are hopeful that the company will provide a place for physical cartridges. | Image Credit: Nintendo As speculation about the Switch 2 continues to grow, one trend seems clear: Nintendo may be preparing its players for a future dominated by digital games, leaving physical cartridges behind. While the company hasn’t confirmed anything, the growing focus on digital game transfers suggests that this is more than just a passing trend. The promise of seamless digital game transfers via Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) is undeniably convenient. Players can bring their entire digital library to the Switch 2 with just a few clicks, bypassing any potential issues related to physical cartridges. This convenience raises a key question: will physical games eventually become obsolete? For the time being, it doesn’t seem like it will happen anytime soon as the demand for them is still high. However, if Nintendo decides to force players who own large collections of physical Switch games to purchase an accessory like a cartridge adapter, it would nudge players toward going digital. Such a strategic move would also align with the company’s strategy to increase revenue. After all, digital downloads don’t require the production or distribution of physical media, offering the company more control over pricing and promotions as well. In the end, the Switch 2 could mark the start of a new era. Alternatively, Nintendo could prove these speculations wrong and continue supporting physical media natively. Either way, one thing is clear: the anticipation for the Switch 2 is palpable. Source link #Nintendo #Switch #Compatibility #Diabolical #Condition #Hints #Youll #Shell #Money #Play #Games Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rep. Wild discusses outcome of ethics meeting over Gaetz report Rep. Wild discusses outcome of ethics meeting over Gaetz report Democratic Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, ranking member of the House Ethics Committee, spoke to reporters Wednesday following the panel’s meeting about the investigation into Matt Gaetz. She said that chairman Michael Guest implied that there was an agreement not to disclose the report, which she called incorrect. She said there is an agreement to have another meeting on Dec. 5. Source link #Rep #Wild #discusses #outcome #ethics #meeting #Gaetz #report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.54 Now Available as a 32GB Preload, Unlocks November 21 Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.54 Now Available as a 32GB Preload, Unlocks November 21 Polyphony Digital has taken the highly unusual step of making a game update for Gran Turismo 7 available to download some 24 hours early, with the 1.54 patch now available to PlayStation 5 players. Source link #Gran #Turismo #Update #32GB #Preload #Unlocks #November Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Robotic pigeon reveals how birds fly without a vertical tail fin Robotic pigeon reveals how birds fly without a vertical tail fin A pigeon-inspired ****** has solved the mystery of how birds fly without the vertical tail fins that human-designed aircraft rely on. Its makers say the prototype could eventually lead to passenger aircraft with less drag, reducing fuel consumption. Tail fins, also known as vertical stabilisers, allow aircraft to turn from side to side and help avoid changing direction unintentionally. Some military planes, such as the Northrop B-2 Spirit, are designed without a tail fin because it makes them less visible to radar. Instead, they use flaps that create extra drag on just one side when needed, but this is an inefficient solution. Birds have no vertical fin and also don’t seem to deliberately create asymmetric drag. David Lentink at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and colleagues designed PigeonBot II (pictured below) to investigate how birds stay in control without such a stabiliser. PigeonBot II, a ****** designed to mimic the flying techniques of birds Eric Chang The team’s previous model, built in 2020, flew by flapping its wings and changing their shape like a bird, but it still had a traditional aircraft tail. The latest design, which includes 52 real pigeon feathers, has been updated to include a bird-like tail – and test flights have been successful. Lentink says the secret to PigeonBot II’s success is in the reflexive tail movements programmed into it, designed to mimic those known to exist in birds. If you hold a pigeon and tilt it from side to side or back and forward, its tail automatically reacts and moves in complex ways, as if to stabilise the animal in flight. This has long been thought to be the key to birds’ stability, but now it has been proven by the robotic replica. The researchers programmed a computer to control the nine servomotors in Pigeonbot II to steer the craft using propellers on each wing, but also to automatically twist and fan the tail in response, to create the stability that would normally come from a vertical fin. Lentink says these reflexive movements are so complex that no human could directly fly Pigeonbot II. Instead, the operator issues high level commands to an autopilot, telling it to turn left or right, and a computer on board determines the appropriate control signals. After many unsuccessful tests during which the control systems were refined, it was finally able to take off, cruise and land safely. “Now we know the recipe of how to fly without a vertical tail. Vertical tails, even for a passenger aircraft, are just a nuisance. It costs weight, which means fuel consumption, but also drag – it’s just unnecessary drag,” says Lentink. “If you just copy our solution [for a large scale aircraft] it will work, for sure. [But] if you want to translate this into something that’s a little bit easier to manufacture, then there needs to be an additional layer of research.” Topics: Source link #Robotic #pigeon #reveals #birds #fly #vertical #tail #fin Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]