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‘Microsoft is the AI ringleader’: tech rivals flock to software giant’s stage – Financial Times ‘Microsoft is the AI ringleader’: tech rivals flock to software giant’s stage – Financial Times ‘Microsoft is the AI ringleader’: tech rivals flock to software giant’s stage Financial TimesAgentic DevOps: Evolving software development with GitHub Copilot and Microsoft Azure Microsoft AzureAI agents will do the grunt work of coding AxiosMicrosoft Is Rolling Out AI Agents. Developers Are Finding Coding Errors. Barron’sMicrosoft stitches transactional databases to Fabric analytics system theregister.com Source link #Microsoft #ringleader #tech #rivals #flock #software #giants #stage #Financial #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Long Shadow Of Bill Clinton Over The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ The Long Shadow Of Bill Clinton Over The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ WASHINGTON – An unexpected name kept coming up as House Republicans crafted their multi-trillion dollar legislative package slashing Medicaid and taxes for the wealthy: Bill Clinton. On the House floor, during committee hearings and in hallway interviews, several Republicans have justified their Medicaid cuts by pointing to the Democrat who served as the 42nd President of the United States. “We are reintroducing Clinton-era work requirements,” Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-N.Y.) said in a floor speech this week. “One of the most popular things Bill Clinton achieved in his presidency, and he worked with Congress to get it done, was bringing commonsense work requirements to social ******** programs.” Work requirements — better understood as benefit limits for the unemployed — are the centerpiece of Medicaid and food benefit cuts Republicans are using to offset part of the cost of tax cuts at the heart of their so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Work requirements were the core of a 1996 ******** reform bill that Clinton signed into law. There is, however, little evidence work requirements actually encourage unemployed Medicaid or SNAP recipients to find jobs and lots of evidence they bombard aid recipients with paperwork, causing even some employed people to lose benefits when they can’t keep up. Their return is one of several bitter pills Democrats are swallowing as the GOP advances a bill amounting to a massive redistribution of wealth from poor to rich. Just a few years ago, Democrats seemed to be escaping the 1990s politics of ********, in which the government can help poor people only after a state-federal bureaucracy has vetted their deservingness. Now, they’re watching Republicans repeatedly invoke a Democrat to justify health care coverage cuts which will result in millions of people losing health insurance and food benefits. “I think work is really important in America and Democrats need to stand up for the value of work, and we should be encouraging work,” Robert Gordon, a former Clinton White House aide who is now a fellow at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, told HuffPost. “But taking away people’s health care and food benefits is not the way to do it, and it’s a completely different animal from what was debated 30 years ago.” WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 22: U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks to the media after the House narrowly passed a bill forwarding President Donald Trump’s agenda at the U.S. Capitol on May 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. The tax and spending legislation, in what has been called the “big beautiful bill”, redirects money to the military and border security and includes cuts to Medicaid, education and other domestic programs. Johnson was flanked by House Committee Chairmen who helped craft the legislation. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images Republicans originally wanted the Medicaid work requirements to start in 2029 as part of a package of changes saving nearly $700 billion over a decade. Hardliners demanded the start date be moved up to December 2026, a key concession that helped the bill pass on Thursday morning. Even though the work requirements will obviously cut federal spending, Republicans say they don’t count as cuts, and therefore that they are fulfilling Trump’s pledge not to touch Medicaid. Under their logic, people will make their own deliberate decisions to disenroll from Medicaid because they would simply rather not document 20 hours per week of “community engagement.” The paperwork hassle and availability of suitable work aren’t part of the equation. “Bill Clinton proposed work requirements. This isn’t like some crazy conservative idea,” Rep. Nick Lalota (R-N.Y.), a moderate who vocally opposed Medicaid cuts, told HuffPost on the Capitol steps last week. (All the moderates wound up voting for the bill except for another New York Republican, Rep. Andrew Garbarino, who missed the vote because he fell asleep.) “We’re restoring Medicaid for the people who rely on it, putting in requirements for people to work that can work,” Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) told HuffPost after the bill passed the House. “That’s what the Democrats used to be, right? It’s kind of sad that they’re so extreme. They don’t want people to work.” Moreno and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) are MAGA populists insistent that the Big Beautiful Bill not cut Medicaid. Even for them, work requirements don’t count as cuts. “If you can work and you’re not working, you should be working. We don’t want to pay people not to work,” Hawley said. The law Clinton signed rebranded the old Aid to Families with Dependent Children program as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, capping its federal costs, imposing time limits on benefits and encouraging states to shrink enrollment through a system of work requirements. Participation plummeted, and so did child poverty, prompting Clinton and others to declare the reforms a success. In later years, much of the employment gains among single mothers and poverty reduction have been attributed to the strong economy of the late 1990s. When the Great Recession came around, TANF enrollment stayed low, and scholars noted there had been a rise in cashless poverty among people who should have been eligible for assistance, but got none. Fewer than 1 million families receive TANF benefits today, making it one of the federal government’s least helpful social programs. At a committee meeting this week, Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) entered into the record an article describing the apparent early success of the Clinton ******** reforms. “The ********-to-work side under Bill Clinton was a success and we believe that this one will be as well,” Scott said. Former US President Bill Clinton, left, and Hillary Clinton, former US secretary of state, arrive for the 60th presidential inauguration in the rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. President Donald Trump launched his second term with a strident inaugural address that vowed to prioritize America’s interests with a “golden age” for the country, while taking on “a radical and corrupt establishment.” Photographer: Melina Mara/The Washington Post/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg via Getty Images For a brief time, it seemed like ******** politics had changed. During the coronavirus pandemic, Republicans and Democrats agreed that everybody should get stimulus checks, regardless of whether they proved their deservingness through work. In 2021, Democrats seized the momentum and enacted a near-universal child benefit. For six months that year, most American parents received as much as $300 per child. Child poverty fell as the U.S. joined peer nations in recognizing the economic disadvantages facing parents. Democrats failed to make the policy permanent, however, after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) refused to vote for it because he feared voters would see the money going to crackheads, i.e., the undeserving poor. One irony of the Bill Clinton name-dropping is that while Republicans may like him as a mascot for work requirements, when it comes to the federal budget, they’re not following Clinton’s example. In the late 1990s, a strong economy, combined with restrained spending and a higher top marginal tax rate, converted federal budget deficits into annual surpluses. Even with its $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance, Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill would add an extra $2 trillion to the national debt over the next decade. In a speech on Thursday before the bill passed, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called out the Clinton surplus and widening deficits under Republican presidents. “My colleagues have the nerve to talk about fiscal responsibility,” he said. Gordon, the former White House aide from the Clinton administration, noted that the ******** reform law sought to boost workforce participation by providing flexible funds states could use to offer child care, transportation assistance and subsidized jobs. He also pointed out that the ******** reform law sought to mitigate the supposed evil of cash assistance – not in-kind benefits like health care. “We’re not talking about people saying, ‘Oh, I’m not going to earn cash because I am getting it already.’ Instead, it’s, ‘I’m not going to earn cash because I have health insurance.’ It’s a much weaker theory of the case, and there’s a lot of evidence it is wrong.” Gordon said. Clinton, for his part, vetoed two ******** reform bills sent to his desk by a Republican Congress that he considered overly harsh on Medicaid and food stamps, as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program used to be called. Later, the former president told the journalist Jason DeParle, “I thought there ought to be a national guarantee of health care and nutrition.” Source link #Long #Shadow #Bill #Clinton #Big #Beautiful #Bill Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

What to Watch: Coca-Cola 600 presents marathon test of endurance at Charlotte – NASCAR.com What to Watch: Coca-Cola 600 presents marathon test of endurance at Charlotte – NASCAR.com What to Watch: Coca-Cola 600 presents marathon test of endurance at Charlotte NASCAR.comKyle Larson racing Indy 500, Coca-Cola 600: ‘Going to be really, really tough’ USA Today2025 NASCAR Coca-Cola 600: How to watch, full race schedule and more Yahoo SportsHow to watch Sunday’s Cup race at Charlotte: Start time, TV info and weather NBC SportsBriscoe, Larson qualify 1-2 for Coca-Cola 600 ESPN Source link #Watch #CocaCola #presents #marathon #test #endurance #Charlotte #NASCAR.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Double shooting, car blaze sparks police investigation Double shooting, car blaze sparks police investigation A double shooting on a busy street has sparked a major police operation, with officers investigating whether a nearby car fire is linked to the incident. Source link #Double #shooting #car #blaze #sparks #police #investigation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The Xbox Game Pass Hot Streak is Getting Ridiculous at This Point The Xbox Game Pass Hot Streak is Getting Ridiculous at This Point The Xbox Game Pass subscription service has been on a generational roll these last few months, and there really doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Source link #Xbox #Game #Pass #Hot #Streak #Ridiculous #Point Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Clues and answer for Sunday, May 25 Clues and answer for Sunday, May 25 Hey, there! We hope you’re having a wonderful weekend. For many of us, that will involve taking some time to solve today’s Wordle. In case you need some help with it, here’s our daily Wordle guide with some hints and the answer for Sunday’s puzzle (#1,436). It may be that you’re a Wordle newcomer and you’re not completely sure how to play the game. We’re here to help with that too. What is Wordle? Wordle is a deceptively simple daily word game that first emerged in 2021. The gist is that there is one five-letter word to deduce every day by process of elimination. The daily word is the same for everyone. Wordle blew up in popularity in late 2021 after creator Josh Wardle made it easy for players to share an emoji-based grid with their friends and followers that detailed how they fared each day. The game’s success spurred dozens of clones across a swathe of categories and formats. The New York Times purchased Wordle in early 2022 for an undisclosed sum. The publication said that players collectively played Wordle 5.3 billion times in 2024. So, it’s little surprise that Wordle is one of the best online games and puzzles you can play daily. How to play Wordle To start playing Wordle, you simply need to enter one five-letter word. The game will tell you how close you are to that day’s secret word by highlighting letters that are in the correct position in green. Letters that appear in the word but aren’t in the right spot will be highlighted in yellow. If you guess any letters that are not in the secret word, the game will gray those out on the virtual keyboard. You’ll only have six guesses to find each day’s word, though you still can use grayed-out letters to help narrow things down. It’s also worth remembering that letters can appear in the secret word more than once. Wordle is free to play on the NYT’s website and apps, as well as on Meta Quest headsets. The game refreshes at midnight local time. If you log into a New York Times account, you can track your stats, including the all-important win streak. How to play Wordle more than once a day If you have a NYT subscription that includes full access to the publication’s games, you don’t have to stop after a single round of Wordle. You’ll have access to an archive of more than 1,400 previous Wordle games. So if you’re a relative newcomer, you’ll be able to go back and catch up on previous editions. In addition, paid NYT Games members have access to a tool called the Wordle Bot. This can tell you how well you performed at each day’s game. Previous Wordle answers Before today’s Wordle hints, here are the answers to recent puzzles that you may have missed: Yesterday’s Wordle answer for Saturday, May 24 — SUEDE Friday, May 23 — SHUCK Thursday, May 22 — FOLIO Wednesday, May 21 — ALARM Tuesday, May 20 — BORNE Today’s Wordle hints explained Every day, we’ll try to make Wordle a little easier for you. First, we’ll offer a hint that describes the meaning of the word or how it might be used in a phrase or sentence. We’ll also tell you if there are any double (or even triple) letters in the word. In case you still haven’t quite figured it out by that point, we’ll then provide the first letter of the word. Those who are still stumped after that can continue on to find out the answer for today’s Wordle. This should go without saying, but make sure to scroll slowly. Spoilers are ahead. Today’s Wordle help Here is a hint for today’s Wordle answer: Scam someone out of money. Are there any double letters in today’s Wordle? There are no repeated letters in today’s Wordle answer. What’s the first letter of today’s Wordle? The first letter of today’s Wordle answer is G. The Wordle answer today This is your final warning before we reveal today’s Wordle answer. No take-backs. Don’t blame us if you happen to scroll too far and accidentally spoil the game for yourself. What is today’s Wordle? Today’s Wordle answer is… Today’s Wordle answer for Sunday, May 25 – GRIFT GRIFT Not to worry if you didn’t figure out today’s Wordle word. If you made it this far down the page, hopefully you at least kept your streak going. And, hey: there’s always another game tomorrow. Source link #Clues #answer #Sunday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Donald Trump’s meme coin dinner served bad food, weak security, and $100,000 watches – Hindustan Times Donald Trump’s meme coin dinner served bad food, weak security, and $100,000 watches – Hindustan Times Donald Trump’s meme coin dinner served bad food, weak security, and $100,000 watches Hindustan TimesWho Won a Seat at Trump’s Crypto Dinner? The New York Times‘Roadmap for corruption’: Trump dive into cryptocurrency raises ethics alarm The GuardianInfluencer who attended Trump’s memecoin dinner says he got a ‘Walmart steak’—and no access to the president YahooAt Trump’s $148 million meme coin dinner, ‘the food sucked’ and security was lax, attendee says CNBC Source link #Donald #Trumps #meme #coin #dinner #served #bad #food #weak #security #watches #Hindustan #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The S&P 500 Is Up 13% in 1 Month, but These 2 High-Yield Dividend Stocks and ETF Are Still Too Cheap to Ignore The S&P 500 Is Up 13% in 1 Month, but These 2 High-Yield Dividend Stocks and ETF Are Still Too Cheap to Ignore NextEra Energy has steadily powered its dividend higher for more than 30 consecutive years, and it doesn’t expect to stop doing so anytime soon. Target’s results continue to disappoint, but the stock is incredibly cheap. The JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF can be counted on to provide reliable monthly income, even in a downturn. 10 stocks we like better than NextEra Energy › At the time of this writing, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has rocketed upward by 13.3% in the last month — almost enough to bring it back to where it started the year. That surge has lifted the valuations of many stocks back to lofty levels, but there are still plenty of bargains if you know where to look. Some income investors on the hunt for deals today may prefer to scoop up shares of high-yielding dividend payers like NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) or Target (NYSE: TGT), whereas others may go for an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that holds positions in dozens if not hundreds of stocks — like the JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (NYSEMKT: JEPI). Here’s why these two stocks and this ETF are great buys now for generating passive income. Image source: Getty Images. Scott Levine (NextEra Energy): Those looking to procure prodigious passive income may balk at the sight of NextEra Energy stock’s 3.2% forward-yielding dividend, but a peek at its financials will reveal why the clean energy company could be a great choice right now. Operating a portfolio with a generation and storage capacity of about 37 gigawatts (GW), NextEra Energy is one of the leading renewable energy stocks. And with 25 GW of projects in its backlog, NextEra Energy will likely maintain its leadership position for years to come. Consistently profitable, NextEra Energy grew its adjusted earnings per share (EPS) at a 10% compound annual rate over the past 10 years to $3.43 in 2024. Management, moreover, expects that growth to continue, projecting its adjusted EPS will rise at a 6% to 8% compound annual rate through 2027. NextEra Energy has hiked its dividend payouts annually for more than three consecutive decades. That type of steadfast commitment to rewarding shareholders doesn’t guarantee that its streak will continue indefinitely, but it’s certainly worth acknowledging. Also worth recognition is management’s expectation that it will hike the dividend by 10% annually through at least 2026. Circumspect investors who fear the company’s financial health is imperiled based on that high-yielding dividend should find their concerns assuaged by the company’s five-year average payout ratio of 81% and its investment-grade balance sheet. The passage by the House of Representatives of the Republicans’ spending bill, which slashes clean energy tax credits, provoked a sell-off in NextEra Energy stock, as investors are concerned about the negative effects it will have on the company. But the NextEra has faced other forms of adversity over the past 30 years, and it kept hiking its dividend all the while. Investors, therefore, should certainly monitor Washington’s policy changes as they develop, but they are not enough reason on their own to dismiss the company as a potential investment. Today, shares of NextEra Energy are changing hands at 11.5 times operating cash flow; that’s a discount to their five-year average cash-flow multiple of 15. Consequently, this looks like a particularly ideal time to let NextEra Energy stock add some power to your portfolio. Daniel Foelber (Target): Shares of Target — already down significantly year to date — tumbled again after the retail giant reported its first-quarter fiscal 2025 results on May 21. Comparable sales fell by 3.8%, and net sales were down 2.9%, but digital comparable sales ticked up 4.7%. However, the more concerning line item was adjusted earnings per share (EPS), which was just $1.30 compared to $2.03 in the prior-year *******. When Target reported fourth-quarter and full-year fiscal 2024 results in early March, management guided for fiscal 2025 net sales growth of 1%, a modest increase in operating margins compared to fiscal 2024, and adjusted EPS of $8.80 to $9.80. But the company’s freshly updated guidance calls for a low-single-digit percentage decline in sales and adjusted EPS in the range of $7 to $9. In other words, the high end of its new forecast is now below the median of the guidance range it gave less than three months ago. Unfortunately, Target investors have grown accustomed to quarter after quarter of disappointing results and steep stock price sell-offs, and the shares are now around their lowest level in over five years. TGT data by YCharts. As you can see in the chart, Target’s sales have been declining gradually for a couple of years, while its operating margins are below their pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, peers like Walmart (NYSE: WMT) have enjoyed steadily rising sales and strong margins. And Walmart’s stock is hovering around an all-time high. There’s no denying that Target’s key financial metrics are moving in the wrong direction. Because the stock market is forward-looking, investors who are worried that Target’s pattern of negative growth is here to stay may prefer to hit the sell button. But folks who believe Target’s problems of lower foot traffic are solvable may want to consider scooping up shares of this beaten-down dividend stock. For starters, Target is still a highly profitable company. If it achieves the midpoint of its updated full fiscal-year guidance, it would sport an adjusted price-to-earnings ratio of 11.9 — which is dirt cheap. Furthermore, Target’s weak results have stemmed from a series of blunders, such as inventory mismanagement, diluting its brand by alienating key portions of its customer base, and failing to attract foot traffic with promotional efforts and loyalty rewards. Some of these issues are easier to solve than others. But given its current valuation, the company would only have to produce mediocre results for the stock to potentially recover. Throw in 53 consecutive years of dividend raises and a whopping 4.7% yield, and there’s a sizable incentive to buy and hold Target stock for passive income while management attempts to turn the business around. Lee Samaha (JPMorgan Equity Premium Income): Some investors value a secure monthly income, the preservation of capital during downturns, and the ability to obtain upside exposure to the equity market. If those are your criteria for investment, or you want such an investment to provide some balance to your portfolio, then the JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF is worth a look. A cursory glance at its performance so far in 2025 reveals why. The ETF outperformed during the market downturn (on a total return basis that includes distributions) and provided a reliable source of monthly income. (Its current yield is 7.8%.) Its strengths in the preservation of capital are important because you might need to liquidate this holding during a market downturn. ^SPX data by YCharts. The ETF’s structure (up to 80% in equities and up to 20% in equity-linked notes that sell call options on the S&P 500) means it’s highly likely to underperform in a bull market. For reference, selling call options is a strategy that tends to make money (by picking up premiums) when the asset in question declines, but it loses money when the asset rises. Still, those balancing qualities make the ETF an attractive choice for those looking for a reliable income investment. Before you buy stock in NextEra Energy, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and NextEra Energy wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $639,271!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $804,688!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 957% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 167% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Daniel Foelber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase, NextEra Energy, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The S&P 500 Is Up 13% in 1 Month, but These 2 High-Yield Dividend Stocks and ETF Are Still Too Cheap to Ignore was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #Month #HighYield #Dividend #Stocks #ETF #Cheap #Ignore Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Horoscope for Sunday, 5/25/25 by Georgia Nicols – CT Insider Horoscope for Sunday, 5/25/25 by Georgia Nicols – CT Insider Horoscope for Sunday, 5/25/25 by Georgia Nicols CT InsiderHoroscope for Sunday, May 25, 2025 Chicago Sun-TimesHoroscopes Today, May 25, 2025 USA TodayTarot Horoscope Today, May 25, 2025: Zodiac Sign Predictions for today Hindustan TimesHoliday Mathis horoscopes for May 25, 2025 MLive.com Source link #Horoscope #Sunday #Georgia #Nicols #Insider Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Power restored in south Salem after PGE substation equipment failure Power restored in south Salem after PGE substation equipment failure (This story has been updated to include new information) Power was restored to nearly 12,000 PGE customers in south Salem around 7:15 p.m. on May 24, after going out around 2:49 p.m. in the 97306 Zip code and impacting traffic lights, businesses and residences. The outage was caused by equipment at a substation located at Commercial St SE and Barnes Ave SE, just north of Kuebler Blvd, said PGE spokesperson Elaina Medina. The outage initially affected 9,191 customers. As of 5 p.m., nearly 1,800 were without power. Capi Lynn is a senior reporter for the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips to her at *****@*****.tld, and follow her work on X @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Power restoried in south Salem, Marion County Source link #Power #restored #south #Salem #PGE #substation #equipment #failure Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Scientists have lost their jobs or grants in US cuts. Foreign universities want to hire them – AP News Scientists have lost their jobs or grants in US cuts. Foreign universities want to hire them – AP News Scientists have lost their jobs or grants in US cuts. Foreign universities want to hire them AP NewsTrump’s attack on science is growing fiercer and more indiscriminate The EconomistTrump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Level in Decades The New York TimesAnother casualty of Trump research cuts? California students who want to be scientists CalMattersNorthwestern, UIC medical researchers reeling from Trump’s funding cuts Chicago Sun-Times Source link #Scientists #lost #jobs #grants #cuts #Foreign #universities #hire #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump slammed for turning Oval Office meeting into WWE-style stunt Trump slammed for turning Oval Office meeting into WWE-style stunt For a second time, President Trump hijacked an Oval Office meeting with a foreign leader to turn it into a reality show. This time, Trump hurled false claims of “white genocide” at South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa. MSNBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin, Catherine Rampell and Antonia Hylton break down Trump’s chaotic, lie-filled ambush with Semafor Africa Editor Yinka Adegoke and civil rights attorney Maya Wiley. Source link #Trump #slammed #turning #Oval #Office #meeting #WWEstyle #stunt Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Oregon man who went viral for quitting job, buying a boat and sailing to Hawaii with his cat arrives safely in Oahu – KGW Oregon man who went viral for quitting job, buying a boat and sailing to Hawaii with his cat arrives safely in Oahu – KGW Oregon man who went viral for quitting job, buying a boat and sailing to Hawaii with his cat arrives safely in Oahu KGWAn Oregon man who quit his job to set sail with his cat arrives to cheering fans in Hawaii AP NewsAfter 24 days, man sailing from Oregon arrives in Hawaii with **** cat Hawaii News Now”Sailing with Phoenix,” Oregon man who quit job to sail with cat, arrives to cheering fans in Hawaii CBS NewsOliver Widger And Cat Phoenix Arrive In Hawaii Amid Viral Sailing Journey TODAY.com Source link #Oregon #man #viral #quitting #job #buying #boat #sailing #Hawaii #cat #arrives #safely #Oahu #KGW Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia signals it’s ready to go to war with West to protect vital shadow fleet Russia signals it’s ready to go to war with West to protect vital shadow fleet On the bridge of the Jaguar, the ship radio crackles into life. “This is [an] Estonian warship,” says a voice speaking in English. “Follow my instructions. Alter your course to 105 immediately.” So begins the most nerve-wracking confrontation with a Russian shadow fleet vessel since the start of the war. “We are met by helicopters,” says a voice speaking in Russian on board the Jaguar, a 20-year-old tanker en route back to Russia from the Indian port of Sikka, where it had likely deposited a sanctions-busting cargo of oil. In the video taken from the bridge, Hindi-speaking crew members worriedly report that a “military vessel” is also heading towards the stern of the ship. The cause of the Jaguar’s troubles lay in its lack of an international flag, a prerequisite for maritime navigation and the surest legal ground for a boarding operation. Days earlier, it had taken down a Gabonese standard, shortly before the ship was sanctioned by the ***. The clip published online by Margarita Simonyan, the chief of state-owned RT, formerly Russia Today, has been edited to make the timeline of events unclear. But what is known is that the Jaguar refused the order of the Estonian navy – and ploughed on towards its destination, the Russian port Primorsk. An Estonian patrol vessel, EML Raju, aborted its plan to board the far-larger craft and carry out an inspection. Had it followed through, the situation might have spiralled because also visible in the clip is the arrival of a Russian Su-35 fighter jet – the first time Moscow has sent military forces to protect the rusty fleet it relies on to fund its war effort. Elisabeth Braw, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-based think tank, said: “Russia has crossed the Rubicon now. It is showing that the shadow fleet is important enough that it’s willing to publicly admit that it is linked to the government.” During the May 13 confrontation, the Russian jet entered Estonian airspace for around a minute. It was met swiftly by Portuguese F-16s from the Nato air policing mission. But the incident is rippling alarm across the West and inviting questions over just how far its relatively sparse naval forces can challenge the fleet of uninsured tankers that criss-cross its seas every day. Gintautas Paluckas, the Lithuanian prime minister, said that while Russia’s military protection of Baltic Sea tankers revealed nothing we “couldn’t or shouldn’t have known”, it showed that “the risk of serious escalation is increasing with every step”. At least half of the seaborne oil sold by Russia is carried on its shadow fleet, providing a huge chunk of the £740 billion that Moscow has earned from fossil fuel exports since February 2022. The flow, however, has lately been disrupted by western sanctions. Some 706 vessels have now been sanctioned across the EU, *** and US, according to research by shipping journal Lloyds List, which is around ten per cent of the total tanker fleet at sea. The share of Russian oil exported by the shadow fleet is falling, down to 53 per cent in April, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, a Helsinki-based think tank. On April 11, Estonia detained the Kiwala, another shadow fleet vessel flying without a flag. On Christmas day, Finnish commandos boarded the Eagle-S, suspected of severing under-sea cables. In response, the Kremlin is signalling that it is ready to fight for the smooth passage of its ****** gold. Dmitry Peskov, its chief spokesman, said the deployment of an Su-35 showed Russia was ready to respond “harshly” and warned that “all measures” could be taken to prevent what he called piracy. Nikolai Patrushev, a senior Putin aide, warned: “Hotheads in London and Brussels need to understand this clearly.” In mid-April, Russia’s Baltic Fleet carried out a series of drills explicitly showcasing its ability to prevent the boarding of civilian ships. Eleven warships and a kilo-class submarine took part, alongside fighter jets. The coastal states are “winning” in their efforts to curtail the shadow fleet because they have “clearly rattled Russia”, according to Ms Braw. But Russia’s military deployment is now “causing concern, simply because they have no way of knowing how any incident will develop”. Estonia’s navy is formed from just eight ships. It was outmatched on May 13, Juri Saska, the former commander, told news outlet ERR. The boarding operation was called off because it was deemed “unreasonable or unfeasible”, he said, adding: “The navy doesn’t have the kind of equipped, armed vessels needed to carry out a forced operation like this.” Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank, said Moscow lacks the naval strength to ******* every one of its shadow fleet vessels. However, it is likely to intervene in situations where a new threshold is set. Estonia’s interdictions of the two Russian shadow fleet vessels have come in the waters of its Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ), which stretches 200 miles off the coast and provides sovereign rights to exploration and maritime conversation. Any serious effort to interfere with passage through such waters would pose a serious problem for Moscow. Hanno Pevkur, Estonia’s defence minister, has called for all sanctioned ships to be barred from entering EEZ waters, as they are blocked from European ports. But this is considered a non-starter because it would unravel the international principle of freedom of navigation. Estonian forces originally sought to board the Jaguar tanker using a patrol vessel – Maritime Optima Kestutis Budrys, the Lithuanian foreign minister, believes that the West should at least tighten the system. He has also called for Nato to expand its Baltic Sentry programme from protecting undersea infrastructure to countering the shadow fleet. Margus Tsahkna, the Estonian foreign minister, told The Telegraph: “Controlling the shadow fleet is not just about maritime security – it’s about striking the core of the fuel of Russia’s military operations.” If Russia wants to step up its military protection of the shadow fleet, it has several options, according to Mr Kaushal. Its vessels could turn on their firing radar, the last step before opening fire. They could seek to block boarding operations, or jam them electronically. Western ships might also be detained on entering Russian waters. One Greek vessel was briefly held when it did so on a pre-approved route shortly after the Jaguar incident, although the circumstances there remain unclear. Between flagless vessels, the entry of the Russian military and growing western resolve, the sea’s cargo routes have rarely been so dangerous. And Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy officer, thinks the problem is not going away any time soon. He said: “This is such a difficult problem, given the size of the ocean, the number of warships we don’t have, the number of dark fleet ships they do have, and the fact that we insist on playing by the rules.” Source link #Russia #signals #ready #war #West #protect #vital #shadow #fleet Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Here's all you need to know about F1’s mandatory pitstops at Monaco GP – Motorsport.com Here's all you need to know about F1’s mandatory pitstops at Monaco GP – Motorsport.com Here’s all you need to know about F1’s mandatory pitstops at Monaco GP Motorsport.comSTRATEGY GUIDE: What are the tactical options for an experimental Monaco Grand Prix? Formula 1Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix 2025: TV channel, time and how to watch USA Today’Chaos’, ‘lottery’ – Drivers predict two-stop rule for Monaco GP ESPNFormula One optimistic tyre decree can inject life into ageing Monaco GP The Guardian Source link #Here039s #F1s #mandatory #pitstops #Monaco #Motorsport.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This Florida woman fought back when her property manager tried to evict her — and won This Florida woman fought back when her property manager tried to evict her — and won As more Floridians face evictions from mobile home parks, Kerrie Bacci is demonstrating how to stand your ground — even if that ground is owned by a huge property management company. Bacci owns her mobile home in Shangri La Mobile Home Park in Largo, Florida. What she doesn’t own is the land it sits on. She leases her lot from Chicago-based Equity LifeStyle Properties, which owns 200 such parks in the U.S. When the property management company served Bacci with an eviction notice, she took the matter to court and won. Her attorney Michael Hildebrandt, who helped her win, says too many people in similar situations don’t fight. Don’t miss “Most people in these parks don’t have the means or capabilities of defending these evictions properly, so they wind up giving up their homes,” he says. “They wind up moving out. They wind up selling their homes to get away from the problem.” Bacci shared her story — and the power of speaking up — with WFTS Tampa Bay. Property manager’s backlash against resident Bacci believes she was targeted after she complained to the property management company about the dumpsters near her property. She said the area wasn’t being maintained. “I had to go out three to five times a week and wash it down,” Bacci said. She erected a sign in the dumpster area without management’s approval. The property management company cited her for that. Then it cited her for other violations, including installing an intercom speaker and having planters and reflectors extending over the property line onto the sidewalk. Read more: This is how American car dealers use the ‘4-square method’ to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs The property manager also issued a violation citing her for “disturbing the peaceful enjoyment of the community.” “They want everyone under their thumb, in check, doing what they say,” Bacci commented. Bacci had an altercation with the local property manager who arrived at her home and started measuring her lot without her consent. The Florida Residential Landlord-Tenant Act states that a landlord needs to give “reasonable notice” (typically 24 hours) before entering a rental property. Bacci captured the confrontation on camera as a police officer arrived. Bacci told both the property manager and officer to leave — and they did. “No one should have to go through that,” she said of the confrontation. “I was in my own home.” The next thing she knew, Equity LifeStyle Properties served her with an eviction notice. Judge rules against eviction Lawyer Michael Hildebrandt represented Bacci at an eviction hearing and the judge ruled in her favor. When asked about the eviction complaint and ruling, Equity LifeStyle Properties issued a statement that read: “the judge in the hearing ruled in Ms. Bacci’s favor because management stopped issuing additional rule violations once a 30-day notice to vacate was posted.” It also said the company hoped Bacci would continue to follow community rules and regulations so that “further legal proceedings can be avoided.” As WFTS reported, the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation has investigated Bacci’s complaint about Equity LifeStyle Properties and forwarded it to the Office of the General Counsel for review. Hildebrandt said other people who live in Equity LifeStyle Properties mobile parks have reached out to him. “I’ve been contacted by people as far as the east coast of Florida that are dealing with the company that owns these parks,” he said. Tenants need to know their rights around evictions, whether they lease land in a mobile home park or an apartment. Protect yourself from unlawful evictions Look up your state’s landlord-tenant laws. As Jacksonville Legal Aid reveals, Florida has specific laws that apply to the eviction of residents in mobile home parks. In Florida for instance, a landlord can send an eviction notice if a tenant didn’t make any attempts to correct an issue within seven days after being asked to do so. You can protect yourself by making sure you keep the home or lot you lease in good condition and that you do not unreasonably disturb other tenants. A tenant may have a right to withhold rent if the landlord has engaged in unlawful behavior. If you receive an unfair eviction notice, you may need to provide documentation indicating how they’ve violated their end of the rental agreement. Since rules around evictions and tenant rights can be complex, it’s wise to do as Bacci did, and seek the advice of a reputable attorney. What to read next This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Source link #Florida #woman #fought #property #manager #evict #won Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Top Wall Street analysts favor these stocks for the long haul Top Wall Street analysts favor these stocks for the long haul Idrees Abbas | SOPA Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images The rising U.S. budget deficit is on the forefront of investors’ minds, weighing on stocks. However, sell-offs can present a buying opportunity — for those who know where to look. The recommendations of top Wall Street analysts can help investors pick out the right stocks for their portfolios, as their ratings are backed by a thorough analysis of a company’s financials and growth potential. With that in mind, here are three stocks favored by the Street’s top pros, according to TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance. Uber Technologies Ride-hailing and delivery platform Uber Technologies (UBER) is this week’s first stock pick. The company recently held its Go-Get 2025 event and revealed its new products and solutions to attract users. Following the event, Evercore analyst Mark Mahaney reiterated a buy rating on UBER stock with a price target of $115. The analyst noticed several new products, features and services, which he thinks are incremental to the company’s existing offerings. In particular, Mahaney noted the launch of Price Lock, Uber’s competitive offering to rival Lyft’s well-received feature at the same price point of $2.99 per month. Uber also launched its Prepaid Pass offering, which allows users to buy trip bundles for 5, 10, 15 and 20 trips at a discount beginning this summer. “We view the announcement of Price Lock and Prepaid Pass as the most material new products for UBER,” said Mahaney. Further, the analyst believes that Uber’s Shared Autonomous Rides offering has the potential to enhance the utilization of autonomous vehicles (AVs). Additionally, he views the announced launch of Volkswagen AVs on the Uber platform in Los Angeles in 2026 as a positive signal for the company, with similar deals with AV technology providers expected in the long term. Meanwhile, Mahaney sees the other launches like Route Share, Savings Slider and Dine Out as slightly incremental. Despite the solid year-to-date rally, Mahaney said that Uber remains one of Evercore’s top “Longs,” as its valuation continues to be reasonable for a company that he believes can sustain about 30% earnings growth. Mahaney ranks No. 150 among more than 9,500 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 59% of the time, delivering an average return of 17.3%. See Uber Technologies Insider Trading Activity on TipRanks. CyberArk Software Next on this week’s list is CyberArk Software (CYBR), a cybersecurity company that specializes in identity security. The company delivered better-than-expected results for the first quarter of 2025 and highlighted that its subscription annual recurring revenue reached $1.028 billion. In reaction to the Q1 print, Baird analyst Shrenik Kothari reaffirmed a buy rating on CYBR stock and increased the price target to $460 from $450. The analyst highlighted that the company reported strong results and surpassed ARR, revenue and free cash flow (FCF) expectations. Kothari added that Q1 results aligned with his preview and checks and reflected identity’s criticality and CyberArk’s solid execution. He noted that CyberArk’s extensive identity security platform continues to attract customers, with Venafi and now Zilla seeing robust early traction. The analyst stated that despite macro pressures, CYBR indicated zero disturbance to deal flow and steady demand, with the company not seeing any impact on its business, as identity security remains a top priority within IT budgets. “While confident in current momentum, CYBR acknowledged a prudent posture embedded in FY25 outlook assumptions, reflecting general macro caution without seeing impact to date,” noted Kothari. Kothari ranks No. 43 among more than 9,500 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 77% of the time, delivering an average return of 27.8%. See CyberArk Software’s Ownership Structure on TipRanks. Palo Alto Networks We will look at another cybersecurity stock, Palo Alto Networks (PANW). The company posted market-beating earnings and revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, but its adjusted gross margin lagged expectations. Reacting to the Q3 FY25 results, TD Cowen analyst Shaul Eyal reiterated a buy rating on Palo Alto stock with a price target of $230. The analyst stated that the company delivered strong results at the top range of its guidance on most metrics, including revenue, operating margins, earnings per share and remaining performance obligations (RPO). He noted PANW’s significant product revenue growth and next-generation security (NGS) tailwinds. Eyal also pointed out the accelerated adoption of the company’s platformization strategy. Notably, PANW had about 1,250 platformization customers in Q3 FY25, with 90 net new platformization deals in the quarter. “PANW remains focused on its LT [long-term] $15B ARR target through the expansion of its platform strategy targeting 3,000 at mid-pt to reach its FY30 $15B ARR goal,” said Eyal. He also mentioned the robust adoption of AI solutions and a solid Q4 FY25 pipeline, which would drive a strong finish to the year. Overall, Eyal’s investment thesis is based on his expectations that Palo Alto will remain the market leader in next-gen firewalls and the rapidly growing secure access service edge market. He also expects the company to expand into adjacent security markets, including cloud security and security operations, with its vast installed base of more than 70,000 customers presenting massive cross-sell opportunities. Eyal ranks No. 12 among more than 9,500 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 69% of the time, delivering an average return of 25.9%. See Palo Alto Technical Analysis on TipRanks. Source link #Top #Wall #Street #analysts #favor #stocks #long #haul Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

How to pay college tuition bills with your 529 plan How to pay college tuition bills with your 529 plan Largely due to President Donald Trump’s changing tariff policies, markets have been on a rollercoaster ride since April. Although the S&P 500 has largely rebounded from last month’s lows, some families who have been diligently saving for future college costs may still see their 529 college savings plan balance hasn’t fully recovered. For those with tuition bills now coming due, there are a few key considerations before tapping those accounts. “With a little planning, making withdrawals can be something to celebrate, not just something to fear,” said Smitha Walling, Head of Vanguard’s Education Savings Group. More from FA Playbook: Here’s a look at other stories impacting the financial advisor business. Managing 529 allocations in a volatile market For parents worried about their 529 account’s recent performance, Mary Morris, CEO of Commonwealth Savers, advises starting with a look at the asset allocation. “What you need to think about is assessing your risk appetite,” she said. Generally, 529 plans offer age-based portfolios, which start off with more equity exposure early on in a child’s life and then become more conservative as college nears. By the time high school graduation is around the corner, families likely have very little invested in stocks and more in investments like bonds and cash. That can help blunt their losses but also mute gains. Pay attention to your fund’s approach toward shifting from stocks to bonds, Morris said. “If you are in a total stock portfolio, you may not want that ride,” she said: “You don’t want to get seasick.” If the market volatility is still too much to bear, consider adjusting your allocation. “One strategy is to start de-risking a portion of their portfolio and reallocate a portion into cash equivalent, which will provide a protection of principle while also proving a competitive return and peace of mind,” said Richard Polimeni, head of education savings at ‎Merrill ******. Still, financial experts strongly caution against shifting your entire 529 balance to cash. “The worst thing an investor can do in a down market is panic and sell investments prematurely and lock in losses,” Polimeni said. Often that is the last resort. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, only 10% of investors liquidated their entire 529 accounts, and 20% switched to less risky assets, according to an earlier survey by higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. How to make a 529 withdrawal plan For those who must make a hefty withdrawal for tuition payments now due, “consider whether it’s better to use the funds now or let the funds continue to grow and those returns compound,” said Vanguard’s Walling. Polimeni suggests using income or savings outside the 529 to cover immediate college expenses, and requesting a reimbursement later to give the account a chance to recover from the recent market rout. You can get reimbursed from your 529 plan for any eligible out-of-pocket expenses within the same calendar year. “Using that strategy gives another six to seven months for the market to recover,” Polimeni said. Another option is to tap a federal student loan and take a qualified distribution from the 529 plan to pay off the debt down the road. However, if you’re thinking of taking out private student loans or a personal loan that starts incurring significant interest immediately, you may want to spend 529 funds first in that case, and defer that borrowing until later. Once you have a withdrawal plan, you can — and should — keep contributing to your 529, experts say. Not only can you get a tax deduction or credit for contributions, but earnings will grow on a tax-advantaged basis, whether over 18 years or just a few. “The major advantage is the tax-deferred growth, so the longer you are invested, the more tax-deferred growth you will have,” Polimeni said. Benefits of a college savings account “Markets go up and down, but students’ goals remain the same,” said Chris McGee, chair of the College Savings Foundation. Even as concerns over college costs are driving more would-be college students to rethink their plans, college savings accounts are still as vital as ever. Roughly 42% of students are pivoting to technical and career training or credentialing, or are opting to enroll in a local and less-expensive community college or in-state public school, according to a recent survey of 1,000 high schoolers by the College Savings Foundation. That’s up from 37% last year. As a result of those shifting education choices, 69% of students are expecting to live at home during their studies, the highest percentage in three years. Despite those adjustments, some recent changes have helped make 529 plans even more worthwhile: As of 2024, families can roll over unused 529 funds to the account beneficiary’s Roth individual retirement account, without triggering income taxes or penalties, so long as they meet certain requirements. Restrictions have also loosened to allow 529 plan funds to be used for continuing education classes, apprenticeship programs and student loan payments. For grandparents, there is also a new “loophole,” which allows them to fund a grandchild’s college without impacting that student’s financial aid eligibility. 529 plan popularity has soared In part because of the new changes, more parents are utilizing a 529 college savings plan. In 2024, the number of 529 plan accounts increased to 17 million, up more than 3% percent from the year before, according to Investment Company Institute. Total investments in 529s rose to $525 billion as of December, up 11% from a year earlier, while the average 529 plan account balance hit a record of $30,961, data from the College Savings Plans Network, a network of state-administered college savings programs, also showed. “The industry is coming off its best year ever in terms of new inflows,” said Polimeni. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Source link #pay #college #tuition #bills #plan Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AC Milan fans bash brass in 'Go Home' protest – ESPN AC Milan fans bash brass in 'Go Home' protest – ESPN AC Milan fans bash brass in ‘Go Home’ protest ESPNMilan ultras stage choreographed ‘Go Home’ protest against club’s RedBird owners The New York Times FC Breakfast: Szczesny , 2 Frenchmen in BuLi XI, San Siro fuming Yahoo SportsUSMNT’s Christian Pulisic and AC Milan end 2024-25 Serie A campaign with scrappy win over already-relegated Monza Goal.comConceicao’s assistant Costa insists Milan fans ‘deserve first place’ and vows to ‘take stock’ SempreMilan Source link #Milan #fans #bash #brass #039Go #Home039 #protest #ESPN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Real Madrid appoint Alonso manager on three-year deal Real Madrid appoint Alonso manager on three-year deal Xabi Alonso has been appointed Real Madrid manager, with the Spaniard returning to the Santiago Bernabeu where he spent six seasons as a player and won several trophies. Alonso has signed a three-year contract until June 2028, the club said in a statement. The 43-year-old replaces Carlo Ancelotti, who took charge of his last game on Saturday. With Ancelotti finishing his second stint at Real without winning a major trophy, Real moved quickly to change coaches after the Italian veteran agreed to coach Brazil Alonso had been in charge of Bayer Leverkusen and confirmed he would be leaving the ******* club this month. The Spaniard took charge of Leverkusen in October 2022 and guided them to the double last season as they lifted their first Bundesliga title without losing a game. They also won the ******* Cup and reached the Europa League final. He had a contract at Leverkusen until 2026 but the club said they had granted his wish to terminate his deal at the end of the season. Alonso will be presented as Real coach on Monday and will take charge from June 1, ahead of the Club World Cup which starts in the United States next month. The former Spain international joined Real in 2009 from Liverpool and made 236 appearances for them, winning a LaLiga title, two Copa del Rey trophies and the club’s long-awaited 10th European crown. He began his coaching career at Real’s youth academy where he managed the Under-14 team during the 2018-19 season, winning the league and the Champions tournament. He took charge of Real Sociedad’s reserve team before making the big step up to take the Leverkusen job. Alonso will hope to follow in the footsteps of another Real Madrid midfielder, Zinedine Zidane, who returned to coach the Spanish club and won three Champions League titles in a row. Under Ancelotti, Real will finish second in LaLiga behind Barcelona, who also beat them in the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey finals this season. Source link #Real #Madrid #appoint #Alonso #manager #threeyear #deal Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Best CD rates today, May 25, 2025 (lock in up to 4.4% APY) Best CD rates today, May 25, 2025 (lock in up to 4.4% APY) Find out how much you could earn by locking in a high CD rate today. A certificate of deposit (CD) allows you to lock in a competitive rate on your savings and help your balance grow. However, rates vary widely across financial institutions, so it’s important to ensure you’re getting the best rate possible when shopping around for a CD. The following is a breakdown of CD rates today and where to find the best offers. Historically, longer-term CDs offered higher interest rates than shorter-term CDs. Generally, this is because banks would pay better rates to encourage savers to keep their money on deposit longer. However, in today’s economic climate, the opposite is true. Today, the highest CD rate 4.4% APY, offered by NexBank on its 1-year CD. There is a $25,000 minimum opening deposit required. Here is a look at some of the best CD rates available today from our verified partners: This embedded content is not available in your region. The amount of interest you can earn from a CD depends on the annual percentage rate (APY). This is a measure of your total earnings after one year when considering the base interest rate and how often interest compounds (CD interest typically compounds daily or monthly). Say you invest $1,000 in a one-year CD with 1.81% APY, and interest compounds monthly. At the end of that year, your balance would grow to $1,018.25 — your initial $1,000 deposit, plus $18.25 in interest. Now let’s say you choose a one-year CD that offers 4% APY instead. In this case, your balance would grow to $1,040.74 over the same *******, which includes $40.74 in interest. The more you deposit in a CD, the more you stand to earn. If we took our same example of a one-year CD at 4% APY, but deposit $10,000, your total balance when the CD matures would be $10,407.42, meaning you’d earn $407.42 in interest. ​​ Read more: What is a good CD rate? When choosing a CD, the interest rate is usually top of mind. However, the rate isn’t the only factor you should consider. There are several types of CDs that offer different benefits, though you may need to accept a slightly lower interest rate in exchange for more flexibility. Here’s a look at some of the common types of CDs you can consider beyond traditional CDs: Bump-up CD: This type of CD allows you to request a higher interest rate if your bank’s rates go up during the account’s term. However, you’re usually allowed to “bump up” your rate just once. No-penalty CD: Also known as a liquid CD, type of CD gives you the option to withdraw your funds before maturity without paying a penalty. Jumbo CD: These CDs require a higher minimum deposit (usually $100,000 or more), and often offer higher interest rate in return. In today’s CD rate environment, however, the difference between traditional and jumbo CD rates may not be much. Brokered CD: As the name suggests, these CDs are purchased through a brokerage rather than directly from a bank. Brokered CDs can sometimes offer higher rates or more flexible terms, but they also carry more risk and might not be FDIC-insured. This embedded content is not available in your region. Source link #rates #today #lock #APY Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AI drives growth for a few ******** companies. Analysts share picks AI drives growth for a few ******** companies. Analysts share picks Spending on artificial intelligence helped give some ******** tech companies a boost in the first quarter, despite economic headwinds. “The standout for this [first quarter] reporting season was the growth in cloud business for Alibaba and Baidu ,” said Brian Tycangco, an analyst at Stansberry Research. Alibaba said earlier this month its cloud revenue in the latest quarter rose by 18% year on year , while Baidu on Wednesday said its AI cloud business grew by 42% . “At these rates of growth, cloud business is poised to become the 2nd largest business segment for both companies,” Tycangco said. “More importantly, cloud will become the basis for a return to heady growth days after several years of single-digit topline growth.” Alibaba, Tencent and JD.com also reported double-digit growth in marketing revenue, which they said were bolstered by AI tools that were able to target consumers more effectively. The trend signals a fundamental change in ******** markets. “AI/Tech/New Economy [are] further gaining traction as equity market leaders,” Morgan Stanley’s chief China equity strategist Laura Wang said in a May 20 note. “We believe that a new generation of equity market leaders is forming in these sectors, after a 5-year-long disruption ******* post market peak in early 2021,” she said, noting how consumer and internet stocks previously led gains. Out of Morgan Stanley’s 60 ******** AI stock picks, those rated overweight, traded in Hong Kong and with expected upside of more than 50% as of May 19 are: Gushengtang — This health-care company is focused on traditional ******** medicine, and it’s training targeted AI models to create an “AI physician assistant.” The company said customer visits rose by 12.7% in the first quarter to 1.21 million. Bairong — This cloud-based AI services company is focused on state-owned banks and other financial services companies. The company added in its 2024 annual report that Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall e-commerce platforms use Bairong’s AI model service to evaluate consumers’ purchasing power. When it comes to more popular names, the Morgan Stanley analysts prefer Alibaba and Tencent over Baidu and iFlytek. They also prefer Meituan, Meitu and Trip.com over Kuaishou and JD.com. Among mainland China-listed companies, 68% mentioned AI in their 2024 annual reports, up from 43% in the first half of 2024, HSBC Qianhai Securities head of research Steven Sun, said in a May 16 report. “We also observed a slightly upward revision of 2025e consensus capex for major cloud service providers after 1Q25 results, suggesting they are still upbeat about their AI business.” The information technology sector saw earnings rise by 24.7% in the first quarter from a year ago on improving AI penetration, the HSBC report said, noting it was one of the fastest-growing sectors. One of HSBC’s buy-rated picks is enterprise software and cybersecurity company Sangfor, listed in Shenzhen, with a price target of 143 yuan. The firm thinks accelerating AI adoption can help drive earnings growth. ********-developed DeepSeek surprised global investors in late January with its ability to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT, while claiming a fraction of development cost. In the months since, several ******** companies have also released new AI tools for generating video or 3D models. China’s recent tech breakthroughs stem from the country’s breadth of engineers, data and vast social media and e-commerce ecosystem, the Morgan Stanley analysts said, noting how government support can enable faster tech adoption. “We continue to believe that such structural improvement would be less susceptible to the ongoing tariff dispute and the overall macro challenges,” the report said. “This is important in attracting foreign investors to build long-term commitments of allocation, as they discover a decent number of companies that are distinctive and exclusively available in China, despite the broad macro slowdown.” Listed ******** stocks generate the majority of their revenue domestically, with only 3% U.S. revenue exposure, the analysts said. — CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report. Source link #drives #growth #******** #companies #Analysts #share #picks Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Horoscope for Sunday, May 25, 2025 – Chicago Sun-Times Horoscope for Sunday, May 25, 2025 – Chicago Sun-Times Horoscope for Sunday, May 25, 2025 Chicago Sun-TimesHoroscopes Today, May 25, 2025 USA TodayToday’s horoscope Sunday, May 25, 2025 for each zodiac sign MARCATarot Horoscope Today, May 25, 2025: Zodiac Sign Predictions for today Hindustan TimesAries Daily Horoscope Today, May 25, 2025: Growth Begins Where You Resist Looking Times of India Source link #Horoscope #Sunday #Chicago #SunTimes Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

NC Gov. Josh Stein: FEMA is broken as we brace for a new hurricane season NC Gov. Josh Stein: FEMA is broken as we brace for a new hurricane season When Hurricane Helene ripped their homes from them, thousands of North Carolina families used FEMA vouchers to stay in hotels until they could find a place to stay. In early January, many of those families found out that they would be evicted from their hotel rooms on January 11, right when a snowstorm was due to hit North Carolina. As soon as we found out about the situation, our senators, representatives, and I hit the phones, and we were able to secure an extension for people’s temporary shelter in hotels. But it shouldn’t have taken those calls. The snowstorm was only one example of countless times that, in the wake of a horrible natural disaster, FEMA has shown up too late or not enough. We’re seeing this pattern play out again in real time as tornadoes wreak havoc on our neighbors in Kentucky, Missouri and more. We need a federal response to natural disasters, but FEMA isn’t working. It’s time for real change. More: Trump denies extra FEMA funding to people who voted for him in North Carolina | Opinion FEMA isn’t working. North Carolina knows this all too well. First of all, we need to get FEMA started right away on the most important work after a storm: permanently rebuilding homes and businesses. Right now, FEMA focuses on temporary housing solutions after a storm hits, while states wait on HUD, usually for well over a year, to fund permanent housing repairs. This costs the federal government thousands of dollars in temporary housing payments and makes homeowners wait even longer to move back home. Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don’t have the app? Download it for free from your app store. Let’s shrink that time and cost by charging FEMA with getting people’s homes permanently repaired so they can move back in faster. That’d be better for both homeowners and taxpayers. Second, applying for federal help is way too complicated. People have to fill out complex applications for support from FEMA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Small Business Administration – all after experiencing a life-changing disaster. We could make FEMA a single front door to people who need a federal disaster response, using a single application form. FEMA experts can then work with disaster survivors to get them the support they need. Third, we need to do better by local governments. There’s no time to waste in disaster recovery, so currently, local governments pay for debris removal and repairs upfront. Then they have to wait for reimbursement from FEMA. These towns are already facing cash flow issues from the disaster, and having spent their own dollars on cleanup, they still have to figure out how to keep essential services going, whether paying teachers or picking up trash. Instead, states should receive funds up front through a block grant, so long as they’ve pre-submitted an action plan to the federal government even before disasters strike. Once FEMA approves the plan, it would pre-fund the work after the disaster, rather than delay reimbursements for months. This would enable local governments to respond to storms more quickly and with less financial disruption. And FEMA could focus on monitoring and oversight, as well as working with officials on the ground to provide flexibility when needed. We don’t need to eliminate FEMA to fix our federal response Gov. Josh Stein speaks during a media briefing in Downtown Asheville on January 2, 2025. Stein signed five executive orders Jan. 2 to support the Helene recovery effort. Of course, states must be accountable for federal support. But FEMA needs to be held accountable, too. Once FEMA has agreed to send funds—whether to individuals, states, or local governments—recipients should see those funds within 14 days. That expectation should go for all recovery efforts, not just Hurricane Helene. There’s a lot of room for improvement, but FEMA is doing some things right. Because it is a federal agency, it has a much larger capacity to handle all the administration of disaster response, a capacity that most states don’t have. States simply do not have the capacity to take in individual applications and get people immediate cash assistance the way that FEMA can. FEMA is also a repeat actor, so it has greater technical knowledge to help people and towns get the right assistance. And they help train local governments for success, so that they’re prepared to meet people’s needs. We’ve got to fix what’s wrong with FEMA, but we literally cannot afford to throw out what’s right. When I’ve talked to people who have applied for FEMA assistance, I’ve learned that the path to getting help is far too often full of hurdles during what’s already an immensely difficult time. These changes I’m proposing won’t just make it easier and faster for folks to access critical information or disaster aid. They will also provide compassion and dignity for survivors in a time of great distress. As I’m writing, North Carolina is staring down yet another hurricane season. Tornadoes have ravaged several states in recent weeks, and thousands more Americans are looking to FEMA for help. We can’t just wait for FEMA to resolve itself. We don’t want FEMA eliminated. We need to fix FEMA. If we do it now – if we reduce red tape and focus on getting help to people – we’ll be that much more prepared to help the victims of the next storm. Josh Stein is the 76th governor of North Carolina. You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane season is coming and FEMA is broken. Fix it. | Opinion Source link #Gov #Josh #Stein #FEMA #broken #brace #hurricane #season Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

An all-weather stock for this volatile market and economy that even thrived during the financial crisis An all-weather stock for this volatile market and economy that even thrived during the financial crisis We’re adding an auto-parts stock with a history of resiliency and a current business that could benefit from tariffs to our All-Weather stock list . The goal of the All-Weather list is to use our CNBC Pro resources — top Wall Street analyst research, stock screening tools of the Pros — to identify stocks that can thrive in any type of market or economy. We launched the list in February as we grew more concerned about the bull market. President Donald Trump reignited market turmoil on Friday and gave investors reason again to seek out these types of durable investments. Let’s review how the list is doing so far this year: (Values are accurate as of May 23 1:00 pm ET) A stock market rebound from the turmoil in April, bringing the S & P 500 back almost into the green for the year, has overall hurt the performance of the list. These are stocks for a tumultuous market and economy and will probably do best if the S & P 500 starts to struggle again. Nonetheless, there are plenty of winners in the group with Netflix the best among them, a stock we chose because it has become America’s affordable entertainment option of choice. Waste Management, with its resilient revenue line, is also a winner and got an upgrade on Friday from JPMorgan. The worst performer, albeit not by that much, is the durable dividend stock exchange-traded fund. I think in normal rough markets that fund would be doing much better, but rising yields are making dividend stocks less attractive. Why buy a dividend stock when a 10-year Treasury will give you 4.5%? Typically, rates fall during rough stock market periods and dividend stocks become a safe haven, but that hasn’t been the case this year. New addition: AutoZone AutoZone (AZO) was upgraded by Bank of America to buy from hold on Wednesday and the firm raised its price target to $4,800 from $3,900. That would represent a gain of about 25% from current levels. AutoZone is a consistent stock winner gaining every year since the pandemic and Bank of America believes that consistency will continue this year even with a cash-strapped consumer, a slowing economy and higher tariff rates raising the cost of imported auto parts. On the tariffs specifically, Bank of America sees that as a potential tailwind even as it raises costs for AutoZone. “The auto aftermarket could benefit from lower new car sales and higher used car pricing, as consumers may hold onto and repair existing vehicles,” wrote analyst Robert Ohmes in the Monday note. “We think consumers will be more willing to pay the extra cost to fix their existing vehicles than purchasing new vehicles, especially when the auto tariffs could mean a $3,285 increase on average for US-assembled vehicles and higher for imported vehicles.” AZO YTD mountain Autozone, YTD But what Ohmes found about AutoZone’s trading history is what really caught our eye. He pointed out that the stock, along with competitor O’Reilly Automotive, were up more than 100% versus the S & P 500 during 2008 to 2009. “If unemployment rises and new car sales fall, these trends will drive people into new behavior,” wrote Ohmes. Do-it-yourself “could feel a stronger tailwind as consumers realize they can save labor cost if they perform a job on their own.” AutoZone is well liked by most of Wall Street with 23 buy ratings and zero sell calls, according to CNBC Pro’s analyst tool. Source link #allweather #stock #volatile #market #economy #thrived #financial #crisis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]