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Battlefield 2042 follows Valorant’s footsteps, now requires Secure Boot to play the game on PC Battlefield 2042 follows Valorant’s footsteps, now requires Secure Boot to play the game on PC Battlefield 2042 is still receiving updates as EA gives its full attention to “Battlefield 6” development. Update 8.8.0 introduces a new Secure Boot requirement, forcing Battlefield 2042 gamers to have Secure Boot to play the game. This change was made to help combat cheaters in Battlefield 2042. The game’s patch notes reveal that Secure Boot enforcement will help counter cheats that “try to sneak in during the Windows boot process.” Apparently, this is a new method cheaters are using to bypass anti-cheat systems; further up in the patch notes, the devs state: “As cheat developers keep evolving their tactics, we’re stepping up our game, too.” (Image credit: EA) If players attempt to load the game with a Secure Boot-supported machine but don’t have the security feature turned on, Battlefield 2042 will prompt the user to turn on the feature. EA has also provided a support article telling users how to turn the feature on in the UEFI/BIOS. You may like Battlefield 2042 is the latest in a handful of titles to receive a Secure Boot requirement to play the game. Valorant was one of the first games to require Secure Boot, as well as TPM 2.0 support, in addition to having a traditional anti-cheat system that monitors the host machine for potential cheating. It is not surprising that EA is increasing its security requirements for players to play its games. Apex Legends, in particular, has been at the helm of severe cheating problems for years, despite having its homebrewed Easy Anti-Cheat application in the game. Last year, Apex Legends’ cheat issues became so serious that hackers hijacked two pro players’ systems during an ALGS tournament, giving one player wall hacks and an aimbot to the other. Battlefield 2042 and EA Sports FC are the only EA titles currently requiring Secure Boot, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Apex Legends receives the same update in the future. Secure Boot is one of the oldest “modern” security standards around (that users can manually turn on and off). It was introduced in the early 2010s in conjunction with Windows 8. Secure Boot ensures that a system’s bootup process has not been compromised by checking the signature of software that starts during the bootup process, protecting systems against rootkits, bootkits, and other types of low-level malware. Battlefield 2042’s update will affect almost no one, as virtually all computers over the past 20 years have secure boot support, with the vast majority enabling the feature by default. Windows 11, in fact, features Secure Boot in its system requirements, though Windows 11 LTSC does not. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Follow Tom’s Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. Source link #Battlefield #Valorants #footsteps #requires #Secure #Boot #play #game Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NFL Division-by-Division Rankings Amid 2025 OTAs – Bleacher Report NFL Division-by-Division Rankings Amid 2025 OTAs – Bleacher Report NFL Division-by-Division Rankings Amid 2025 OTAs Bleacher ReportSolak’s 100 things to know for the 2025 NFL season … 100 days out ESPN2025 NFL season: Teams most under microscope 100 days out from Kickoff Game NFL.comRanking the NFL divisions by strength heading into 2025 PFF2025 NFL season: 100 things to know with Week 1 kickoff approaching; key games, stories, odds, predictions CBS Sports Source link #NFL #DivisionbyDivision #Rankings #OTAs #Bleacher #Report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Humans were crafting tools from whale bones 20,000 years ago Humans were crafting tools from whale bones 20,000 years ago A projectile point, made from the bone of a grey whale, from the Duruthy rock shelter in Landes, France Alexandre Lefebvre Hunter-gatherers living along the shores of the Bay of Biscay crafted hunting tools from the bones of at least five different whale species 20,000 years ago, marking the oldest evidence of manufacturing objects from whale remains. Although there is evidence of Neanderthals gathering and eating molluscs in what is now southern Spain around 150,000 years ago, current findings suggest that ancient humans didn’t regularly use coastal resources for food and raw materials until around 19,000 years ago… Source link #Humans #crafting #tools #whale #bones #years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Manchester United: ‘Why support a team that loses a lot?’ – how fans in Asia moved on from the Red Devils Manchester United: ‘Why support a team that loses a lot?’ – how fans in Asia moved on from the Red Devils Fifteen years ago, United ruled the roost in South Korea, with national hero Park Ji-sung winning trophy after trophy. “Back then, they were obviously the club which had the biggest fan base in South Korea,” said author Lee Seung-mo. “The popularity they had was incomparable with any other European football teams at that time. “Now they still have many passionate fans, but the situation has changed a lot. They keep underperforming by their standards.” At the same time, other English clubs have been making progress on and off the pitch. “Especially after Pep Guardiola’s arrival, Manchester City got a lot of supporters in South Korea and Liverpool got their glory back,” said Lee. Liverpool have held deep support in the traditional South-East Asian hotbeds like Malaysia and Singapore that have watched English football for over half a century but their recent resurgence has helped them in markets such as India, China and Japan which started tuning in to the Premier League much later. “Under Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool were not just successful again but seemed more cool with the way they played, their stars as well as Anfield,” said Mumbai-based United fan Rahul Singh. “City have just been so successful with Pep and Erling Haaland is very famous. United are not only not winning trophies but they are not exciting to watch.” This has, according to Singh, led younger fans to look elsewhere. “Why choose to support a team that loses a lot?” he said. There are other options for those starting to get into the sport. “Some fans, like those who are between 25 and 40 who began following United in the nineties and 2000s, are still there,” said Bunyavirapan. “These days, though, the number of kids that support Man City are increasing. “One of my friends tried to buy United jerseys for his sons but they chose City jerseys instead.” That is only going to continue in Malaysia also, according to Deol: “The younger generation want to associate themselves with teams that are actually consistently at the top.” Source link #Manchester #United #support #team #loses #lot #fans #Asia #moved #Red #Devils Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Upcoming Dragon Quest Remakes Will Be On Switch 2 At Launch This October Upcoming Dragon Quest Remakes Will Be On Switch 2 At Launch This October Square Enix has confirmed that Dragon Quest 1+2 HD-2D Remake will launch on October 30, and added Nintendo Switch 2 as a platform. Last November, Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake was released, reimagining the NES classic in the same visual style as games like Octopath Traveler 2 and Triangle Strategy. Before that had even launched, Square Enix had teased that the first two games in the Dragon Quest series, which chronologically take place after Dragon Quest 3, would be getting the HD-2D Remake treatment next and released together in one bundle. GameSpot has gone hands-on with these remakes and called them “a stunning marriage of classic pixel art and modern touches.” Previously confirmed for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, this upcoming remake is now slated to release on Nintendo’s new console. It’s the third Square Enix game confirmed for Switch 2, following Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. It will cost $60 across all platforms, although it’s worth noting that the Switch 2 physical version will come on a Game-Key Card and require a download to play. For those who don’t own any of these Dragon Quest games yet, Square Enix is offering Dragon Quest HD-2D Erdrick Trilogy Collection, a $100 digital-only bundle that comes with all three HD-2D Dragon Quest remakes. A $150 Collector’s Edition of Dragon Quest 1+2 HD-2D Remake will also be released and come with a physical copy of the game, a character and monster blocks set, in-game items, and digital wallpapers. Dragon Quest 1+2 HD-2D Remake will be released on October 30 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. Source link #Upcoming #Dragon #Quest #Remakes #Switch #Launch #October Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Experts “deeply concerned” by the EU plan to weaken encryption Experts “deeply concerned” by the EU plan to weaken encryption Experts are again warning against the EU’s plans to weaken encryption On May 26, 2025, 89 signatories published a joint letter to urge the European Commission to “reframe its approach.” Unveiled last April, ProtectEU aims to find a legal way to create a ********* into encrypted communications The EU plan to create a legal ********* into encrypted communications keeps raising concerns. This time, 89 signatories coming from the tech industry – including civil society organizations, some of the best VPN and email providers, and cybersecurity experts – are warning against the privacy and security dangers of the Technology Roadmap on encryption included in the ProtectEU strategy. In a joint letter published on Monday, May 26, 2025, experts are now urging the European Commission to “reframe its approach” and protect strong encryption practices. You may like The need for strong encryption “While we recognize the importance of elevating security efforts during moments of increased geopolitical instability, we are concerned by the framing of the technology roadmap,” experts wrote. Encryption, the scrambling of data into an unreadable form to prevent unwanted access, is the backbone of how services like Signal, WhatsApp, and Proton Mail work. Yet, law enforcement has long argued that this technology is an obstacle to criminal investigations. As cyberattack incidents keep rising worldwide, though, even government bodies, like the FBI and CISA in the US, have started to encourage citizens to swicth to end-to-end encrypted services to fight back these threats. The European Commission itself previously acknowledged encryption as needed to protect the integrity of cyberspace, too. This is why, for the signatories, who include the likes of Proton, Surfshark, Tuta Mail, Mozilla, and Element, alongside leading cryptographers and digital rights groups, this technology remains a “key cybersecurity tool” that cannot be compromised. “Undermining encryption weakens the very foundation of secure communications and systems, leaving individuals, businesses, and public institutions more vulnerable to attacks,” they wrote. 𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 Together with ~90 orgs & individuals, we’ve sent an open letter to the EU Commission to uphold strong encryption.No government can change the laws of math.Read the open letter pic.twitter.com/CdP1WYjpyZMay 26, 2025 ProtectEU comes as the first step in the EU Commission’s plan to bolster the security of the European bloc in the years to come. While we don’t know much at the time of writing, we do know the strategy includes finding a technical way to create encryption backdoors into software. That’s exactly what most worries the tech benches. They wrote: “We are deeply concerned by the Commission’s continued focus on identifying ways to weaken or circumvent encryption. This undermines its own security objectives under the ProtectEU strategy.” The European Commission has already tried to weaken encryption with its proposal to scan all citizens’ communications to halt the spread of child ******* material, in fact. Deemed by critics as Chat Control, the bill has been failing to attract the needed majority since 2022. Along the way, the European Court of Human Rights even ruled “******** break encryption,” a hard blow for the supporters of client-side scanning technologies to monitor encrypted communications. Did you know? (Image credit: Vlad Yushinov/via Getty Images) While messaging apps and email providers are set to be the main target of lawmakers, an EU expert group explicitly recently referred to VPN services as “key challenges” to the investigative work of law enforcement agencies for the very first time, alongside encrypted devices, apps, and new communications operators. Now, experts believe that what lawmakers aim to do under the ProtectEU strategy will lead to the same security, human rights, and accountability issues. They then urge to reframe the Technology Roadmap on Encryption by taking into consideration also the industry concerns, not only those of law enforcement. “Any future roadmap that aspires to be credible and balanced must consider the feasibility of any potential technological capabilities and their societal, technical, and legal impact,” they conclude. This is the second time digital rights and tech experts have gotten together to call on the European Commission not to undermine encryption with the new ProtectEU plan since April 1, 2025, the day the plan was first unveiled. Also on that occasion, experts urged lawmakers to make them an active part of the process. You might also like Source link #Experts #deeply #concerned #plan #weaken #encryption Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Operation Blessing Providing Relief, Hot Meals, And Prayer in Kentucky Town Devastated By Tornadoes Operation Blessing Providing Relief, Hot Meals, And Prayer in Kentucky Town Devastated By Tornadoes Severe weather will continue to pound Gulf states into midweek. Meanwhile, residents of Kentucky are still dealing with the devastation of powerful tornadoes that ripped their communities apart. CBN’s Operation Blessing is on the scene in London, Kentucky where the town’s mayor and local churches are working together to help bring healing to the community. Here’s what they all said about the disaster relief effort: “London is a small town with big ideals. This is family. You know, no matter where you go around in this city, people’s gonna treat you good,” said London Mayor Randall Weddle. Macie McDaniel, a volunteer and local educator, agreed. “We’re like a big family, and if something happens, we’re gonna be there because it, it doesn’t matter what disaster hits our little area, we wanna help one another,” she said. A tornado hit in Laurel County on Friday night. “You could only see the debris in your *********** or where a flashlight was. You knew it was bad. It wasn’t until the next morning when daylight broke that I realized how bad this was,” Weddle said. Operation Blessing quickly got into position to help. “We’re here on the ground in London, Kentucky, where the devastating tornado hit just a few days ago. We got on the road to come and help the hurting people in this community. We come out with a load of supplies and we were looking for a place that we could set up that was close to the devastation. We were praying that God would lead us. They were receiving food and supplies at a company called WB Transport. And as we were unloading this, they asked if they had, if they could have some more food,” said Kevin Walker with OB. “We’ve been able to set our mobile kitchen, our work order trailer and our construction trailers, and been able to, to just minister to the people in this community. It’s been such a wonderful thing. Without the support of the mayor and the support of WB Transportation, we wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing,” Walker added. Weddle said the community is relying heavily on their faith in God. “Without God, we’re not gonna get through this. We need him. So to allow anybody that, that is pushing the me message of Christ to be here utilizing my building or city property, whatever, I’m gonna do it,” he expressed. Much of the community also sees OB volunteers as a lifeline. “A group of me and my coworkers came out here and we’re helping Operation Blessing with passing out meals to the workers and the people of the community that were affected,” said McDaniel. “You can just see the Lord through this. Like he takes these really bad things and he turns it for good. You see all these people out here that are just walking humbly and helping each other out, and that’s what the Lord tells us to do, is to serve others,” added volunteer Kaylee Hobbs. “And we just wanted to say thank you for helping us. All the people that have donated, all the people that have volunteered, keep praying. Just any little thing matters that helps,” she expressed. The prayers rising up the town of London, Kentucky is upholding the community during one of its toughest challenges. “When you’re out here in this construction, being able to get a hot meal and then having somebody to say, ‘Hey, can I pray with you?’ That means a lot,” said Mayor Weddle. “We want to thank you for supporting us,” added Walker. “We want thank you for giving. We want to thank you for volunteering. We want to thank you for praying for us, and as we continue to do God’s work, may God richly bless you.” If you would like to support Operation Blessing as it helps those hit hard by these devastating tornadoes, you can call CBN at 1-800-700-7000 or click HERE to visit Operation Blessing’s website. Source link #Operation #Blessing #Providing #Relief #Hot #Meals #Prayer #Kentucky #Town #Devastated #Tornadoes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Review – A Delightfully Chill Grind | COGconnected Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time Review – A Delightfully Chill Grind | COGconnected Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a deeply compelling RPG life sim with a story that I have very little interest in. Source link #Fantasy #Life #Girl #Steals #Time #Review #Delightfully #Chill #Grind #COGconnected Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Joey Bosa likely out until training camp with calf injury – NBC Sports Joey Bosa likely out until training camp with calf injury – NBC Sports Joey Bosa likely out until training camp with calf injury NBC SportsRB Cook not at Bills’ OTAs; Bosa sidelined (calf) ESPNNew Bills pass rusher Joey Bosa likely out until training camp after injuring calf NFL.comSean McDermott: James Cook will be here when he’s ready to be here NBC SportsBills Defensive End Joey Bosa Injured in Offseason Conditioning Sports Illustrated Source link #Joey #Bosa #training #camp #calf #injury #NBC #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This Exhilarating RTS Was Abruptly Canceled By Its Developers Before Release This Exhilarating RTS Was Abruptly Canceled By Its Developers Before Release Uncapped Games has announced that it is ceasing development on Battle Aces, a fast-paced real-time strategy (RTS) spearheaded by a former StarCraft 2 developer. This decision was announced on Battle Aces’ website. The only real reasoning Uncapped Games provided for the cancellation was that “the returns from early testing were not strong enough to support continued development.” In the announcement, Uncapped Games went on to thank the community. “We’ll always be proud of what we built, and the community that formed around Battle Aces,” the studio’s statement explains. “While the game’s journey ends here, the connections, ideas, and memories we have shared will remain with us forever.” Battle Aces was first announced at Summer Game Fest 2024 by Uncapped Games, a subsidiary of the Tencent-owned LightSpeed Studios. Its game director was David Kim, a designer who worked on StarCraft 2 at Blizzard Entertainment, and wanted to make an RTS that stripped back much of the complexity and unit micromanagement common in the genre. Battle Aces matches were short, as players could quickly spawn units and issue simple commands to outflank their enemy and ultimately destroy their base. Uncapped Games had held several betas following the announcement of Battle Aces. Invited players had opportunities to try it out in June 2024, November 2024, and April of this year. Although I enjoyed what I played in those betas, after all that public-facing testing, it appears that those behind Battle Aces ultimately determined that it would not be successful enough to launch. For now, there is currently no word on whether Battle Aces’ cancellation will result in layoffs at Uncapped Games. Those looking for new RTS games to carry on StarCraft’s legacy will now have to check out the likes of Stormgate or Mechabellum, which are backed by former Blizzard developers. Nexon has also reportedly obtained the rights to make a new StarCraft game. Source link #Exhilarating #RTS #Abruptly #Canceled #Developers #Release Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This livestream of baby bald eagles is the only thing keeping me sane | Well actually This livestream of baby bald eagles is the only thing keeping me sane | Well actually The internet is an unpleasant place, full of grim headlines, misinformation and social media content designed to make you feel ugly and unsuccessful. But there are good bits too. Take Jackie and Shadow, a happy couple who live in a home with breathtaking views of Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino county, California. They currently have two children, Sunny and Gizmo, who are preparing to leave home and make their own way in the world. They are, in many ways, the purest embodiment of the modern American dream: reality stars, and also bald eagles. The family has been on camera since October 2015, when the environmental non-profit group Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) started a live stream of the nest. For years, fans have watched live as the eagles share meals (mostly fish), relax and tease each other. Sometimes Shadow nips at Jackie’s tail or wing “to get a response out of her”, says Sandy Steers, the executive director of FOBBV. “It’s hilarious.” The eagle cam was Steers’s idea. She started watching the nest years ago, though from the ground, back when it was still occupied by Jackie’s parents, Ricky and Lucy. “I got to watch Jackie grow up through a spotting scope, and it completely hooked me,” she says. Over the years, the feed’s numbers have soared like a majestic bird of prey. The YouTube page has more than 638,000 subscribers, and as I write this, 46,000 people are watching with me. Multiple news outlets have referred to the eagles as “celebrities”. And there’s merch: FOBBV sells Shadow and Jackie plushies ($30), tote bags ($20) and sweatshirts ($45). “I think what draws people is that nature is fascinating, and most of us haven’t really had the chance to sit and study it,” Steers says. “It connects people with themselves and their emotions.” The emotions these eagles elicit seem to be pleasant. Besides the birds, the page includes another wonder of the natural world: a wholesome comment section. “Love you Jackie, Shadow, Sunny, and Gizmo, you’re in my heart forever!” one fan writes in the live chat. I think what draws people is that nature is fascinating, and most of us haven’t really had the chance to sit and study it Sandy Steers, executive director of FOBBV “What gets me through the day is to watch this beautiful family thrive,” writes another. The eagles inspire such fervent adoration because of their personalities, says Steers. “Jackie is serious and she’s the boss, absolutely,” she explains. “Shadow knows all of Jackie’s rules, and at the same time, he’s independent.” Jackie and Shadow’s love is the stuff of romcoms. After Rick and Lucy left, Jackie occupied the nest with her first partner, Mr B. In 2018, they had two chicks, but only one survived. That summer another eagle appeared – a charming, impish and stubborn young man who began hanging around the nest and wouldn’t leave no matter how much Mr. B snapped at him. Eventually, Mr B gave up and left. Don’t bald eagles mate for life? “For the most part, but apparently not always,” says Steers. skip past newsletter promotion Practical advice, expert insights and answers to your questions about how to live a good life 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 Now, the family is mostly settled. Sunny and Gizmo are the couple’s fifth and sixth offspring. The Eagle Log, which is run by FOBBV members and posts regular updates on the nest, recently confirmed Gizmo is a girl, based on her overall size, behavior and “obsession with food”. The jury is still out on Sunny’s sex, but the group hopes to have more clarity in the next couple of days. At eleven weeks old, the eaglets are almost ready to fly, and a “fledge watch” is under way as fans eagerly wait to see them take to the skies. “They don’t look quite ready to me,” says Steers. “But maybe that’s just me hoping they stay longer.” text reading ‘well actually’ ad ‘read more on living a good life in a complex world’ with a pinkish pill shaped box saying ‘more from this section’ I first heard about the eagle cam years ago from a friend, and ever since Gizmo and Sunny first hatched back in March (they’re both Pisces), I’ve kept the live stream open in a tab on my computer. Between work tasks, I click over to see how my feathered pals are doing. It’s become a happy break for me. I’ve watched Sunny and Gizmo grow from tiny ****** of gray fuzz into big glorious raptors with razor sharp beaks and claws. I’ve seen Jackie feed the eaglets tiny bits of fish, and watched Gizmo hop in the air and practice flying (“We call that ‘wingercising,’” says Steers). Sometimes the feed is quiet – perhaps the kids are napping and Jackie and Shadow are out hunting . I enjoy the serenity of the trees swaying in the wind and the lake’s glitter too. As Steers wrote in a recent post in the Eagle Log: “Sometimes a quiet, observant, appreciative loving day is simply essential to the joy of living for all beings.” Source link #livestream #baby #bald #eagles #keeping #sane Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Protesters who planned Manchester Airport disruption jailed Protesters who planned Manchester Airport disruption jailed Four Just Stop Oil protesters who were planning to glue themselves to the taxiway at Manchester Airport have been jailed. Officers arrested Indigo Rumbelow, Margaret Reid, Leanorah Ward and Daniel Knorr as they were making their way to the airport on 4 August 2024. They were equipped with heavy-duty bolt-cutters, angle grinders, glue, sand, Just Stop Oil high-visibility vests and a leaflet containing instructions to follow when interacting with police. All four were found guilty of conspiracy to intentionally cause a public nuisance and jailed at Manchester Minshull Crown Court for between 18 and 30 months. Additionally, they were each fined £2,000. Indigo Rumbelow, 31, from Tottenham, has been sentenced to 30 months and Leanorah Ward, 22, from Birmingham, has been sentenced to 18 months. Margaret Reid, 54, from Kendal, has been sentenced to 18 months, and Daniel Knorr, 23, of Second Avenue, Birmingham, has been sentenced to 24 months. According to Greater Manchester Police, Ward said, during her interview, that she regretted the protest had been unsuccessful after being caught by the police. She was also carrying a handwritten note which explained that the group planned to enter the airfield and then contact the police to alert them of their activity. Assistant Chief Constable Chris Sykes, from Greater Manchester Police, said police forces across the country had begun preparations to thwart Just Stop Oil’s planned protests, after activists threatened a summer of disruption last year. “Bringing together experts in the field, and through extensive collaboration, Greater Manchester Police successfully foiled their plans,” he said. Source link #Protesters #planned #Manchester #Airport #disruption #jailed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

After Being Paused By EA, The WRC Racing Game Series Will Live On After Being Paused By EA, The WRC Racing Game Series Will Live On Nacon has reacquired the rights to publish games based on the FIA World Rally Championship, also known as WRC, following EA and Codemasters’ decision to pause development on WRC racing games. Previously known as Bigben Interactive, Nacon actually held the publishing rights to WRC games between 2013 and 2022, releasing a new WRC game almost every year over the course of that decade. Following the release of 2022’s WRC Generations, EA obtained the rights to the WRC license and granted them to Codemasters, a racing game developer that EA had acquired years prior. EA and Codemasters went on to release EA Sports WRC in 2023. In April, EA and Codemasters announced that they would no longer develop WRC video games, resulting in several Codemasters developers being laid off. In the wake of that announcement, Nacon decided to reobtain the development and publishing rights for WRC. It now holds the exclusive PC and console game and esports rights for WRC from 2027 to 2032. A press release confirms that Nacon will create “an all-new WRC game series, aiming to deliver an immersive experience that faithfully reflects the reality of the championship and meets the expectations of both rally enthusiasts and new players.” Nacon is also positioning these upcoming WRC games as a “reboot,” so they won’t be connected to the rally racing titles Nacon released before. They are set to feature official vehicles, drivers, teams, rallies, and sponsors, though. Nacon has not specified which of its studios will be working on these upcoming WRC games, but they were previously helmed by the studio behind Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown, Kylotonn. It appears that there won’t be any official WRC games released on PC or consoles in 2025 or 2026, but we can expect Nacon to start releasing them again in 2027. Source link #Paused #WRC #Racing #Game #Series #Live Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What are the best practices for securing AWS tech stacks? What are the best practices for securing AWS tech stacks? Amazon Web Services (AWS) has become the lifeblood of millions of modern businesses, both big and small. But while this popular cloud platform enables them to manage and scale their operations with impressive speed, simplicity and affordability, it also represents a significant security and privacy risk if mismanaged by users. An insecure or improperly configured AWS tech stack provides a gateway for cyber criminals to enter corporate systems and sensitive files. The biggest example of this occurred in 2019, when an ex-Amazon employee stole the data of 100 million CapitalOne customers simply by exploiting a misconfigured web application firewall (WAF) in the financial service giant’s AWS tech stack. The incident ended with a high-profile lawsuit in which the financial services giant had to pay a $190m (£140m) settlement to affected customers. Other big businesses impacted by similar incidents include Accenture, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pegasus Airlines, Uber and Twilio. So, what can organisations do to secure their AWS tech stacks? One of the biggest risks of an insecure AWS tech stack is data theft and exfiltration by cyber criminals, according to Rik Turner, chief cyber security analyst at Omdia. He explains this can happen when S3 buckets, which contain large volumes of files and sensitive metadata, aren’t set up properly. As a result, S3 bucket access rights can be granted to employees who don’t require them for their roles, leading to insider threats. Or, worse, these crucial storage objects can end up on the public internet for anyone to access and abuse. Sensitive corporate and customer data exposed in this way can lead to businesses experiencing “enormous financial losses”, says Sylvester Kaczmarek, a professor at online higher education provider the Open Institute of Technology (OPIT). Their finances take a hit through regulatory fines, customer lawsuits and expensive recovery efforts that can last for months. Reputational damage is often substantial, too. Additionally, weak or reused user credentials, the absence of cyber security logging and monitoring capabilities, and weaknesses in cyber defences like firewalls leave AWS tech stacks dangerously exposed to data breaches, he adds. Data breaches can also stem from poorly secured Relational Database Service (RDS) databases, Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances and application programming interfaces (APIs), explains Bob McCarter, chief technology officer of risk and compliance software provider Navex. Erroneous identity and access management policies, a lack of multi-factor authentication, unpatched software and open ports are common security issues affecting these AWS services. Besides costly data breaches, the day-to-day operations of modern businesses can grind to a halt in the aftermath of an EC2 instance compromise. The latter results in “impaired performance”, and even “a complete malfunctioning” of critical applications and workloads, explains Turner. These issues are largely the product of mistakes made by AWS users and not cyber attacks targeted at Amazon, according to Neil MacDonald, vice-president and distinguished analyst at analyst Gartner. But he emphasises that mistakes can easily happen due to the “sheer size, complexity and rate of change of AWS deployments”, adding that they are “impossible” to monitor without using appropriate security tools from AWS or other technology companies. It is, therefore, the responsibility of AWS users to take steps to protect the data they upload to AWS cloud resources. This is enshrined in the cloud security shared responsibility model, with the responsibility of cloud companies like AWS being to secure the infrastructure they sell to customers. Best practices to secure AWS tech stacks When it comes to securing AWS tech stacks, many effective best practices are laid out in the AWS Well-Architected framework. McCarter explains that it offers a comprehensive guide for access management, infrastructure management, data privacy, application security, and cyber threat monitoring and detection. Crystal Morin, cyber security strategist at cloud security company Sysdig, is another vocal supporter of this framework. She says it’s great for handling the prevention, protection, detection and response sides of cyber security. “This model helps you think through how to prevent problems in the first place, ensure your workloads have security in place, and then have the right tools in place to detect and respond to cloud security threats if and when they do take place,” says Morin. As well as adhering to AWS’s own security best practices, MacDonald points out that the Center for Internet Security also offers advice for creating and maintaining a secure AWS tech stack. He adds that many modern cyber security tools are aligned with the latest AWS best practices, whether provided by Amazon or an outside organisation. Given that lots of AWS-related security incidents are caused by inadequate access controls, Jake Moore – global cyber security advisor at antivirus maker ESET – urges organisations to implement the principle of least privilege to ensure access rights are limited to those who require them for their roles. This should be enforced as part of a wider identity and access management strategy. Of course, staff hiring, attrition and promotion can make it difficult to manage AWS access controls. Still, Moore says businesses can use cyber security monitoring tools to track these changes and ensure access controls are amended accordingly, minimising security incidents. In addition to investing in these tools, he urges organisations with AWS stacks to regularly audit their cyber security posture to ensure security gaps are identified and closed swiftly. Automated analysis tools can help with this. To ensure cyber criminals can’t steal sensitive data stored on and travelling between AWS servers, OPIT’s Kaczmarek says organisations must encrypt data when it’s at rest and in transit. Utilising the AWS Key Management service will help protect data at rest. Meanwhile, tight network security configurations are the key to securing transit data and wider network traffic. These should apply for virtual private clouds (VPCs), Security Groups and Network Access Control Lists (NACLs), according to Kaczmarek. Organisations operating AWS tech stacks can log all network traffic using AWS CloudTrail and monitor it using AWS CloudWatch, says Kaczmarek. He adds that these efforts can be complemented by using multi-factor authentication, implementing security patches when they’re issued and replacing manual processes with infrastructure as code. The previous step is paramount for “consistency and auditing”, he claims. Proactive security is vital Many organisations don’t solely use AWS tech stacks, though. Their AWS deployments often form part of a wider, multi-faceted cloud environment comprising systems and tools from different tech companies. And when one is breached, a domino effect may soon follow. With this in mind, Morin says organisations should create an inventory of every cloud asset to identify which are secure by default and which need extra cyber protections. Because new cloud security threats are constantly emerging, Morin is a strong advocate of a proactive cyber security approach. To do this, organisations can invest in vulnerability management services that will identify any security anomalies affecting their AWS and wider tech stacks. Admitting that such products can potentially result in an avalanche of security vulnerabilities to comprehend, she says another option is to invest in a runtime security service. “Runtime security allows you to concentrate on the most pressing issues that are running in production” she says. AWS does, however, provide an extensive suite of security tools to help its users shield their cloud environments from cyber incidents. Amazon Inspector covers configuration detection and vulnerability management. Amazon GuardDuty offers security monitoring. AWS CloudTrail is an audit logging service. AWS IAM Access Analyzer is used for managing identities and permissions. AWS Security Hub provides cloud security posture management. Amazon Macie uses machine learning to monitor sensitive data. Challenges to overcome Although AWS has plenty of tools and resources to simplify cloud security, implementing an effective AWS security strategy isn’t always easy. For starters, many organisations operate multi-cloud IT environments. They may also have on-premise infrastructure. And, as MacDonald notes, AWS tech stacks don’t always play nicely with third-party IT systems. “While AWS helps them on AWS, its security and compliance offerings are not multi-cloud and aren’t designed to protect on-premise workloads,” he says. Along with a lack of interoperability, AWS’s large number of products also have different security configurations. McCarter says it’s hard for cyber security teams to understand and manage all of them effectively. Therefore, he urges business leaders to invest in regular AWS training so that their IT and security teams can keep up with AWS’s fast-expanding service offerings. Voicing similar concerns, Kaczmarek says the complex nature of AWS services means organisations need to “foster a culture of continuous learning and security awareness”. Having the right cyber security expertise in-house is vital here, but Kaczmarek acknowledges that finding and retaining the right talent in such a competitive marketplace can be difficult. For Turner at Omdia, a notable challenge of securing an AWS tech stack is data egress costs that result from transferring AWS-hosted data to a third-party system for analysing potential cyber security risks. He adds that these costs can grow substantially for organisations that need to transfer large telemetry datasets to external systems, such as an on-premise security information and event management system. Meanwhile, ESET’s Moore argues that organisations planning to grow their AWS tech stacks are more susceptible to making security mistakes and misconfigurations. And while AWS is well known for issuing prompt software updates and security patches, he questions whether the cloud security giant can keep pace with emerging cyber security threats like AI-fuelled attacks. “It is vital that users are trained accordingly to spot anomalies,” says Moore. AWS-powered tech stacks can be a powerful tool for businesses looking to maintain efficient operations and scale their business. But what’s clear is that they’re only truly effective if they are configured correctly, with proactive cyber security risk management – a shared responsibility between AWS and its customers. Otherwise, businesses are at greater risk of serious data breaches and cyber attacks that give rise to fines, expensive clean-up operations, a loss of customer trust and a complete breakdown in operations. It doesn’t have to be hard – simple best practices like limiting access privileges, creating cloud system inventories and training staff on cyber security issues are a good place to start. Source link #practices #securing #AWS #tech #stacks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Gunmen kill officer guarding polio workers in Pakistan Gunmen kill officer guarding polio workers in Pakistan Gunmen have shot and killed a policeman assigned to protect polio workers in southwestern Pakistan before fleeing the scene. The attack occurred on Tuesday in Noshki, a district in Balochistan province, local police official Mohammad Hassan said, adding the polio workers escaped unharmed in the attack. The female health workers were administering oral polio vaccine drops to children inside a house when the assailants opened fire on the police officer, Abdul Waheed, who died on the way to the hospital, Hassan said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the assault, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist groups and Pakistani Taliban that have stepped up attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in separate statements denounced the assault and vowed stern action against those behind the attack, which came a day after Pakistan launched the nationwide campaign to vaccinate 45 million children from polio. Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the spread of the wild polio virus has not been stopped, according to the World Health Organisation. There are ongoing outbreaks of polio linked to the oral vaccine in 10 other countries, mostly in Africa. Since January, Pakistan has reported 10 polio cases from various parts of the country despite the launch of immunisation drives. In 2024, the South Asian country witnessed a surge in polio cases, which jumped to 74, though it reported only one polio case in 2021. Since the 1990s, more than 200 polio workers and the police assigned to protect them have been killed in attacks. Source link #Gunmen #kill #officer #guarding #polio #workers #Pakistan Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Oblivion Remake Has Completely Debunked Todd Howard’s Reason for Avoiding Fallout Remaster The Oblivion Remake Has Completely Debunked Todd Howard’s Reason for Avoiding Fallout Remaster No one can deny that the Fallout franchise is one of the most unique video game franchises out there. Its blend of satire, dark humor, and emotional depth set in a post-apocalyptic world is something we’ve never seen before. Fallout’s influence can be spotted in classic CRPGs to modern-day RPGs. For years, fans have been begging Bethesda to remake the series’ classic titles, such as Fallout 1 and 2. It’s quite a reasonable request, considering how outdated some of these games have become and how much they could gain from modern-day visual overhauls. Yet, Todd Howard has repeatedly denied such requests. However, his refusal simply doesn’t make any sense when considering the recent success of the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Todd Howard must stop ignoring demands for classic Fallout remakes Last year, Mr.MattyPlays got the opportunity to chat with Howard about Bethesda’s acclaimed franchises, including the Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield. During the interview, Howard was asked if Bethesda has ever considered giving the remaster treatment to the classic Fallout games. In response, Howard stated that remakes, or remasters of these post-apocalyptic titles, are not on the cards at Bethesda. The studio’s main priority is to ensure that the classic made by Interplay titles remain playable on PC. Howard doesn’t want to risk ruining the so-called charm of these titles with modern-quality features and graphics. He believes that these games are best experienced in their original form. However, Oblivion Remastered proved that it’s possible to maintain the beloved soul of the original game while still offering some stunning graphical improvements. The title remains true enough to the original to dive right into the nostalgic reputation of the game. Its revamped UI and enhanced graphics offer a refreshing experience that appeals to both longtime and newcomers. Although Oblivion Remastered launched as a day-one title for Xbox Game Pass, it has managed to establish itself as the third-best-selling game of 2025 in the United States. It’s given the franchise a new breath of life and taken questions away from the next mainline release. Will Todd Howard finally listen to fans? (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) It’s high time for Howard and his team to stop making excuses and give the original Fallout games a similar saving grace. It’s going to be a long while before we see the next entry in the post-apocalyptic franchise, and releasing a remaster would go a long way toward generating hype for it. One Fallout game might receive a remaster A Fallout 3 remaster might be in the works. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) While Bethesda has no plans to remaster the original Fallout games, there’s a chance that the studio could be working on a Fallout 3 remaster. The first time we heard about remasters for Fallout 3 and Oblivion was all the way back in 2023, during the Microsoft vs. FTC trials. Now, reputable insider Nate the Hate has taken to Twitter/X and opened up about the remaster. When asked if the remake was still happening, he revealed that it would be a while before gamers got their hands on the title. Unlike the Oblivion remaster, we haven’t received much information about the Fallout 3 remake since the initial leaks happened. However, we can speculate when the title might be released. Bethesda originally planned to drop the post-apocalyptic remaster in the same year as The Elder Scrolls 6. Since The Elder Scrolls 6 is still years away from release and might probably not see the light of day before 2028, there’s a chance that this remaster might follow a similar timeline. Who knows, Bethesda might drop the game alongside Prime Video’s Fallout Season 3 to capitalize on all the buzz. With that said, would you like to see remakes of Fallout 1 and 2? Let us know in the comments below. Source link #Oblivion #Remake #Completely #Debunked #Todd #Howards #Reason #Avoiding #Fallout #Remaster Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

ACE Money Transfer makes sending money across borders fast, reliable and simple ACE Money Transfer makes sending money across borders fast, reliable and simple Sending money to friends and family is not always as easy as it should be, and that difficulty is often compounded when transferring funds between countries and currencies. ACE Money Transfer eliminates all those headaches. It is one of the few global money transfer services, and has racked-up a fantastic 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating after more than 134,000 user reviews. ACE Money Transfer lets you send money to 75+ countries using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or your credit or debit card. Bank transfers can also be used, but a core part of ACE Money Transfer’s appeal is its accessibility to those who don’t want to or can’t take the most traditional routes in online banking. Unlike some online money transfer solutions, ACE Money Transfer also aims to give users ultimate confidence in its services. This entails being approved by financial regulators and applying safeguards to ensure all money is handled safely. The result? ACE Money Transfer can provide a “best of all worlds” experience. It combines the reliability of the most traditional banking services with the greater agility and flexibility of a company operating in the era of AI and Web3. This means low transaction fees, no hidden fees, and competitive, guaranteed currency conversion rates. We live in ga lobalised economy, a world where many of us don’t work in the same country in which our families live. ACE Money Transfer is made for that reality. What it does not require, though, is that everyone involved be entirely tech-savvy. ACE Money Transfer supports more than 375,000 payout locations globally, and recipients can collect the money in cash, if necessary. ACE Money Transfer’s services don’t just span countries, but the money habits of generations too. And trust is at the core of its services, an approach that has attracted more than 1.3 million customers. It’s an ideal solution for those who, for example, want to regularly send money to family members living in another country. Or to transfer money between currencies without incurring the kind of costs some other institutions may apply. It is no newcomer either. ACE Money Transfer has been in operation since 2002, and is recognised by financial bodies the world over. It is authorised by Australia’s Austrac, Ireland’s CBI, Polands’ PFSA, Canada’s Fintrac and recognised by the ***’s HMRC and FCA. It is also verified by Mastercard and VISA. “We have some of the most stringent safety procedures to ensure that your funds are safe with us, and are transferred without any problem,” says ACE Money Transfer. (Image credit: Ace Money Transfer) The company’s technology and reach are expanding all the time, too. In February 2025, the company announced a collaboration with Mastercard Move that unlocked near-instant payments in six payout currencies to India and the 36 countries in the Single Euro Payments Area, for customers in the ***, Australia, and Europe. “Every remittance sent tells a story of support for families separated by distance,” says Rashid Ashram, CEO of ACE Money Transfer. “Our collaboration with Mastercard reflects our dedication to providing fast, reliable, and secure money transfer services. Together, we aim to foster access to essential financial services, helping communities grow through meaningful connections.” Digital remittance is only set to become more important over the next decade, as an important element of how millions of migrant workers live. According to an Allied Market Research paper released in September 2024, the global remittance market is set to exceed $1,300 billion by 2032, through a decade-long compound annual growth rate (CAGR) trend of 5.8%. Services like ACE Money Transfer make the kind of transactions that fuel this growth accessible to the average person. You can sign up for an account for free, through the website or the ACE Money Transfer app, which is available for iOS and Android. After selecting a country to send money to, the interface will display your payout partner options and any associated fees. For security and compliance purposes, you may be asked to supply a form of ID—a passport, ID card, or driving license—but thanks to ACE Money Transfer’s 24/7 support, this should not slow you down. If you want to try fast, reliable money transfers across geographic borders with no hidden fees, check out the ACE Money Transfer website or app today. Source link #ACE #Money #Transfer #sending #money #borders #fast #reliable #simple Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Ex-aide to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs testifies that he kidnapped her to help kill Kid Cudi Ex-aide to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs testifies that he kidnapped her to help kill Kid Cudi NEW YORK (AP) — A former top aid to Sean “Diddy” Combs testified Tuesday at his sex trafficking trial that the music mogul threatened her with death on her first day on the job and later kidnapped her at gunpoint to join him in an effort to kill rapper Kid Cudi. The testimony from Capricorn Clark, the former global brand director for Bad Boy Entertainment, launched the third week of testimony in the trial on a violent note as prosecutors try to prove Combs led a racketeering conspiracy spanning two decades that relied on beefy security employees and others to ensure he got what he wanted. Combs has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of an indictment accusing him of a pattern of abuse toward his longtime girlfriend Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, and others. Clark’s testimony came days after Kid Cudi, whose legal name is Scott Mescudi, testified that Clark called him from a car outside his home in December 2011 and told him that Combs, angered that Cudi was dating the singer Cassie, had kidnapped her and forced her to ride him with him to Cudi’s home. Clark testified that Combs came to her home that morning with a gun in his hand, demanded that she get dressed and come with him because “we’re going to kill Cudi.” She said they rode in a ****** Cadillac to Cudi’s home in Los Angeles, where Combs and a security aide entered the residence while Clark sat in the car and called Cassie. Clark said while she waited in the Escalade outside Cudi’s home she called Cassie on her burner phone and told her that Combs “got me with a gun and brought me to Cudi’s house to kill him.” Clark said she heard Cudi in the background of the call asking, “He’s in my house?” She told Cassie, “Stop him, he’s going to get himself killed.” Cassie told her she couldn’t stop Cudi, she recalled. Combs returned to the vehicle and asked Clark who she was talking to, Clark testified. He grabbed the phone and called Cassie back, she said. They then heard Cudi’s vehicle coming up the road, she said. Combs and his bodyguard got back in the vehicle and chased after Cudi, finally giving up when they passed police cars that were heading for Cudi’s house. After the break-in, Clark said, Combs told the people with him that they had to convince Cudi “it wasn’t me.” “If you don’t convince him of that I’ll kill all you,” he said, punctuating his threat with an expletive, according to Clark. On Thursday, Cudi testified that he dated Cassie briefly in December 2011, believing that she had broken up with Combs, but they agreed over the holidays to end the relationship after all that had happened. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitzi Steiner questioned Clark about her off-and-on employment with Combs between 2004 and 2018, beginning with the first day on the job when she said Combs and a security staff member took her to Central Park after 9 p.m. and said he wasn’t aware of her past history working with other rappers. Clark, her voice shaky at times, testified that Combs told her that if her past work for rap rivals became an issue, he’d have to kill her. She said she was only weeks into the job when she was tasked with some diamond jewelry that went missing. As a result, she said, she was taken to a largely empty building in Manhattan where, over a five-day stretch, she was repeatedly given a lie detector test by a man who seemed five times larger than her own size. “He said: ‘If you fail this test they’re going to throw you in the East River,’” she recalled. Clark said they eventually let her return to work. If convicted, the 55-year-old Combs could face 15 years to life in prison. Source link #Exaide #Sean #Diddy #Combs #testifies #kidnapped #kill #Kid #Cudi Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Block’s bitcoin checkout goes live in Vegas Block’s bitcoin checkout goes live in Vegas A Square-powered bitcoin checkout is now live on the Vegas Strip, where Bitcoin 2025 attendees can scan and pay for merch in seconds using the Lightning Network. Miles Suter LAS VEGAS — Jack Dorsey’s latest bitcoin vision is hitting the checkout counter — starting with a merch truck parked just off the casino floor inside The Venetian. This week at Bitcoin 2025, Square is piloting real-time bitcoin payments, letting attendees scan and spend crypto for T-shirts, hoodies, and hats at the BTC Inc. pop-up store. The system runs on Lightning, which settles transactions off the main blockchain and is faster and cheaper than traditional processing methods. When customers scan the QR code at checkout, Square handles things behind the scenes, including real-time exchange rates and confirmation. The Tuesday launch marks the public debut of Block‘s most ambitious move yet to make bitcoin “everyday money” — a pilot that’s expected to expand from the Vegas Strip to millions of merchants around the world. Behind it all is Miles Suter, a longtime product leader at Block, who flew in early to oversee setup with his team. Miles Suter, Bitcoin Product Lead at Block, helped oversee setup of the new Square bitcoin checkout — a pilot he calls a “significant milestone” in making bitcoin more accessible and usable. Miles Suter Suter joined the company in 2017, when Cash App’s bitcoin integration was still a hackweek experiment. “They needed someone with deep familiarity with bitcoin and the community,” he said, calling himself “an early evangelist.” Eight years later, he’s helping “connect the Blocks” — working across Cash App, Spiral, Bitkey, and Square to embed bitcoin into every layer of the company’s ecosystem. The Square rollout, he says, is a natural next step. Block expects to begin offering bitcoin payments to eligible Square sellers later this year, with full availability targeted for 2026, pending regulatory approval. The launch comes as bitcoin trades near all-time highs, a surge driven largely by the “digital gold” narrative that positions it as a long-term store of value rather than a day-to-day medium of exchange. At the same time, stablecoin legislation is advancing in Congress, and more fintech giants are aligning behind tokenized dollars. Block is taking a different path — one that centers on bitcoin. Suter said the company’s strategy is rooted in the belief that a decentralized, permissionless currency remains critical to the future of the internet — and that bitcoin is still the best candidate to fill that role. Asked about the lingering perception that bitcoin is better suited for holding than spending, Suter pointed to a familiar pattern. When Cash App first introduced bitcoin trading, he said, it was met with hesitation and doubt. “But again, somebody’s got to be first,” he said. “And we feel like we have the right DNA to push things forward.” Inside The Venetian, Block is testing real-time bitcoin payments at the BTC Inc. pop-up store — the company’s boldest move yet to bring the digital asset to everyday retail. Miles Suter He called the new Square rollout “a really significant milestone” in Block’s broader mission to make bitcoin more accessible and usable. The product builds on Square’s “Bitcoin Conversions” tool, launched last year, which lets merchants automatically convert a portion of their daily sales into bitcoin. Block says it has rolled out the feature to more than 1,000 sellers so far — and those who opted in have seen their bitcoin holdings grow by roughly 70% over the past year. This latest feature goes a step further, enabling sellers to accept bitcoin directly at the point of *****. For businesses that don’t want to hold bitcoin, there’s no exposure risk. Payments can be instantly converted to dollars. “If you just want to have it as another payment method — like Amex, MasterCard, or Visa — bitcoin is now potentially another option for you,” Suter said. For those that do want to hold it, Block is building out what Suter calls a “Bitcoin for Business” stack — a full suite of tools to accept, convert, manage, and self-custody bitcoin. “If you do want to accept it as bitcoin,” he said, “we give you a full suite of products to manage that as you see fit. That means being able to convert your daily sales, buy and sell from your U.S. dollar balance into bitcoin, and withdraw to self-custody at any time. It’s about giving our merchants more options and making sure they never miss a *****.” Jack Dorsey’s Block is piloting bitcoin payments at Bitcoin 2025, turning a merch truck into a live Lightning-enabled checkout experience. Miles Suter The announcement comes amid renewed attention on corporate bitcoin strategy, as some publicly traded firms adopt the cryptocurrency as a treasury reserve asset. But Block is targeting a different segment of the market. “There’s a lot of talk about corporate bitcoin right now,” Suter said. “But like we did on Cash App — which is very much about the little guy and bringing accessibility to everyone — we want small and medium-sized merchants to also be able to get the benefits of bitcoin.” While Block hasn’t released specific metrics yet, Suter said merchants who participated in the Bitcoin Conversions pilot have all profited. “Every single seller is in the money and has made money based on converting a certain percentage of their daily sales,” he said. Square’s bitcoin push joins a broader ecosystem at Block that includes Bitkey, its self-custody wallet; Proto, a line of bitcoin mining hardware and software; Spiral, its open-source development arm; and Cash App’s bitcoin trading functionality. “We’re focused on making bitcoin everyday currency,” Suter said. “We believe that the internet needs a native currency, and that’s where all our focus has been today.” Source link #Blocks #bitcoin #checkout #live #Vegas Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Drug-fuelled driver who caused three-year-old’s death jailed Drug-fuelled driver who caused three-year-old’s death jailed Ewan Gawne & Laura O’Neill BBC News, Manchester GMP Rawal Rehman’s van struck the girl after he crashed into a tram A van driver who took at least 20 lines of ******** before crashing into a tram, then hitting and killing a three-year-old girl with his vehicle, has been jailed. Louisa Palmisano, from Burnley – known as Lulu – was hit by a van while walking with her parents on Mosely Street in Manchester city centre on 22 February, and later died in hospital. Rawal Rehman, who initially fled the scene before being arrested the next day, had binged on the ******** and visited two massage parlours in the city on the morning of the ******. The 36-year-old, of Lambton Road, Manchester, was sentenced to 12 years in jail at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday, after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. PA Media Louisa Palmisano’s family said they “miss her more than words can ever express” Rehman had ignored stop signs when he careered straight into the tram, causing his van to mount the pavement and hit the victim, at about 10:00 GMT on 22 February, the court heard. He ran away from the ******, after flagging down a taxi, and was arrested a day later following a manhunt by police. Lulu’s family said they had been on a family trip to Manchester before the “unimaginable tragedy” had occurred. They said Rehman’s sentence “brought a measure of legal closure, but nothing can fill the void left by her absence”. The victim was taken from the scene of the ****** to hospital, where she later died CCTV of the incident was played to the court, showing the family walking along the pavement, with Lulu between her parents, holding their hands. After the ******, Rehman, with his hood up, got out of the van and walked around the vehicle, before retrieving his phone and leaving in search of a taxi. The court heard he had a number of previous convictions, including being jailed in 2017 for three years for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, after he torched a car involved in a fatal hit-and-run collision which killed a 25-year-old man, in Chorlton, Manchester. GMP The court was shown CCTV of Rehman flagging down a taxi in order to flee the scene David Toal, appearing for the defence, said his client had admitted to things for which the prosecution had no evidence, which demonstrated he had taken responsibility for his actions, stating Rehman had planned to hand himself in to the police before his arrest. He said: “An aggravating factor is that he left the scene – there is no excuse for this. “His explanation is that he panicked, and that panic turned into shock when he learned, via social media, that a young girl had lost her life.” The child’s parents said Lulu was their only child and “the centre of our world”. “Her joyful spirit, vivid imagination, and kind heart touched everyone who knew her. “At just three years old, she brought more light and love than we ever thought possible. “Her life was full of promise, and her loss is something we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.” Source link #Drugfuelled #driver #caused #threeyearolds #death #jailed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Five dead, six missing in China chemical plant blast Five dead, six missing in China chemical plant blast An explosion at a chemical plant in the eastern ******** province of Shandong killed at least five people, with 19 injured and six missing, the state-run Xinhua agency says. The blast occurred a few minutes before noon on Tuesday, shaking part of a chemical plant operated by Shandong Youdao Chemical in the city of Weifang. Videos circulating on ******** social media and verified by Reuters showed plumes of orange and ****** smoke billowing into the sky. Windows of nearby buildings were ripped from their hinges by the explosion, one of the videos showed. More than 200 emergency workers responded to the blast, according to a statement issued by China’s emergency response authority on Tuesday afternoon. Drone video posted by The Beijing News, a government-run publication, showed smoke emerging from the chemical plant and from a second, unidentified facility nearby. Baidu Maps, a navigation app, shows other manufacturing companies next to Youdao’s plant, including a textile company, a machinery company and a firm that makes industrial coating materials. The Weifang Ecological Environment Bureau dispatched staff to test the site of the blast but said there were no results yet available. The bureau advised nearby residents to wear face masks in the meantime, Beijing News reported. Shandong Youdao Chemical is owned by Himile Group, which also owns listed Himile Mechanical, shares of which closed down nearly 3.6 per cent on Tuesday. Youdao was established in August 2019 in the Gaomi Renhe chemical park in Weifang, according to the company’s website. The plant covers more than 47 hectares and has more than 300 employees. The company develops, produces and sells chemical components for use in pesticides and pharmaceuticals. Blasts at chemical plants in China in recent years have included one in the northwest region of Ningxia in 2024 and another in the southeastern province of Jiangxi in 2023. Two massive explosions at warehouses containing hazardous and flammable chemicals in the port city of Tianjin in 2015 killed over 170 people and injured 700. That incident prompted the government to tighten laws covering chemical storage. An explosion in 2015 at another chemical plant in Shandong killed 13 people. Source link #dead #missing #China #chemical #plant #blast Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Italy’s ****** abandoning rivalries to join forces, report says Italy’s ****** abandoning rivalries to join forces, report says ROME (Reuters) -Italy’s ****** is turning away from violent turf wars to collaborate in drug trafficking, prostitution rings and money laundering, the national anti-****** agency (DIA) said in an annual report about the organized crime groups on Tuesday. Sicily’s Cosa Nostra and the Camorra around Naples are forming alliances at home and abroad, while the ‘Ndrangheta, based in Calabria in Italy’s southern toe, is increasingly focused on controlling public works projects, the report said. “Coexistence has fostered synergies that have progressively become structured,” DIA director Michele Carbone told a press conference. These structures had become “capable of absorbing overlaps, tensions and frictions,” he added. Public works linked to Italy’s EU-backed post-COVID Recovery Fund, plans for a huge bridge connecting Sicily to the mainland, and preparations for the 2026 Winter Olympics were all in danger of ****** infiltration, the DIA report said. The construction sector represented 38% of administrative anti-****** measures in 2024, with investigations into 200 building sites for public projects. Carbone said the DIA was ready to block any ****** involvement in the bridge to Sicily. “Soon all anti-****** prevention activities in connection with the construction of the bridge over the Strait (of Messina) will be started,” he said. The DIA also highlighted the ******’s growing technological expertise, using encrypted communication channels and maintaining contacts with prison inmates through drones. ******** “underground banking” networks are increasingly being used for money laundering, it said. At the same time, the recruitment of marginalised young people to commit crimes in what are called “baby gangs” is facilitated by spectacular displays of power on social media, the report said. (Reporting by Enrico Sciacovelli, editing by Gavin Jones and Rod Nickel) Source link #Italys #****** #abandoning #rivalries #join #forces #report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Salesforce to acquire Informatica in $8 billion deal Salesforce to acquire Informatica in $8 billion deal Salesforce Inc. signage during the Singapore FinTech Festival in Singapore, on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Salesforce said Tuesday that it’s buying cloud data management company Informatica in an $8 billion deal to bolster the software vendor’s push into artificial intelligence. Shares of Salesforce were up 1% on Tuesday. Informatica stock climbed more than 5%. “Truly autonomous, trustworthy AI agents need the most comprehensive understanding of their data,” said Steve Fisher, Salesforce president and chief technology officer, in a release announcing the deal. “The combination of Informatica’s advanced catalog and metadata capabilities with our Agentforce platform delivers exactly this.” Under the terms of the deal, holders of Informatica’s Class A and Class B-1 common stock will receive $25 in cash per share, according to the release. Bloomberg reported Friday that the companies were in talks about a deal. The report sent shares of Informatica up more than 17%. Salesforce, which specializes in customer relationship management software, said it would look to combine Informatica’s data catalog, integration, governance, privacy and data management services with its agentic AI solution, dubbed Agentforce. The deal will be funded through a combination of cash on Salesforce’s and new debt, the company said. The acquisition adds to a slew of deals Salesforce has made over the years as the company has sought to expand its product portfolio and gain market share. It bought Slack in 2021 for $27.7 billion, Tableau in 2019 for $15.7 billion and MuleSoft in 2018 for $6.5 billion. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said Tuesday that the company would look to use Informatica alongside its Data Cloud, MuleSoft and Tableau products to “enable autonomous agents to deliver smarter, safer, and more scalable outcomes for every company.” WATCH: Cramer with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Source link #Salesforce #acquire #Informatica #billion #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

HBO’s Harry Potter Series Casts Harry, Ron & Hermione – Deadline HBO’s Harry Potter Series Casts Harry, Ron & Hermione – Deadline HBO’s Harry Potter Series Casts Harry, Ron & Hermione Deadline‘Harry Potter’ HBO Series Casts Harry, Ron and Hermione VarietyHBO Original HARRY POTTER Television Series Sets Cast For Roles Of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, And Ron Weasley | Pressroom Warner Bros. DiscoveryHBO Harry Potter TV Series Announces Cast for Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley IGNHarry Potter TV show introduces the new Golden Trio AV Club Source link #HBOs #Harry #Potter #Series #Casts #Harry #Ron #amp #Hermione #Deadline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Iconic Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton charged with DUI – National Iconic Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton charged with DUI – National Former Olympic gymnast and individual all-around gold medallist Mary Lou Retton has been arrested and charged with a DUI. The retired athlete, 57, was arrested in Marion County, W.Va. — her home — earlier this month for “driving under the influence of alcohol, controlled substances, or drugs,” according to the West Virginia judiciary. She was later released after posting a US$1,500 bond. Retton shot to fame after winning five medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, including a gold medal in the all-around category, making her the first individual American Olympic gymnast to win a medal in the sport. She famously scored a perfect 10 in the vault event. U.S. gymnast Mary Lou Retton competes in the vault competition during the Games of the XXIII Olympiad in the 1984 Summer Olympics at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, Calif. Focus on Sport / Getty Images Her win landed her an ad campaign with Wheaties, with her face plastered across its cereal boxes, and catalyzed a surge in the sport’s popularity in the U.S. Story continues below advertisement After retiring from gymnastics, Retton appeared in several films and TV shows. She was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2020, Retton became the first woman to be selected into the Houston Sports Hall of Fame. Athlete Mary Lou Retton attends the Women’s Sports Foundation’s 14th Annual Salute to Women in Sports Awards on Oct. 4, 1993, at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Ron Galella / Getty Images Retton made headlines again last year when her daughter, McKenna Kelley, announced that the former Olympian was in the ICU battling a rare case of pneumonia, saying in a social media post that her mother was “fighting for her life” and was unable to breathe on her own. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. “Out of respect for her and her privacy, I will not disclose all details,” Kelley wrote. “However, I will disclose that she is not insured.” Trending Now King Charles III says Canada seeing ‘renewed’ unity at critical time Carney breaks with Trudeau question ******* tradition of answering all MPs 5:41 Ellie ****** talks RBC Training Ground, Paris Olympics and more Previous Video Next Video Story continues below advertisement Kelley looked to the public for donations, raising nearly $500,000 to cover medical costs. Retton, after several scares, recovered, but said she had “faced death in the eyes” while receiving treatment in the ICU. Despite receiving widespread support throughout her illness, some raised questions about the nature of her ailments and how the fundraised money was being spent. In January 2024, having recovered from pneumonia, Retton appeared on NBC’s Today for an interview with oxygen tubes in her nose. During the discussion, she recalled the traumatic month-long stint in intensive care and a situation where life support was being considered. Around the time of the interview, Kelley told USA Today Sports that her mother was unable to obtain insurance because of pre-existing medical conditions, which she said included “over 30 orthopedic surgeries” and “four hip replacements.” During her interview, Retton disclosed to NBC that she was able to get medical insurance. Her family said that any unused donated fan funds would be given to a charity, but no further details were ever provided. &copy 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc. Source link #Iconic #Olympic #gymnast #Mary #Lou #Retton #charged #DUI #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]