Pelican Press

******* Resumes Strikes South of Beirut ******* Resumes Strikes South of Beirut ******* bombarded the Dahiya, a Hezbollah-controlled area south of Lebanon’s capital, with a wave of airstrikes on Thursday. Source link #******* #Resumes #Strikes #South #Beirut Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Friday deals bring the price of the Fitbit Charge 6 down to a record low of $100 ****** Friday deals bring the price of the Fitbit Charge 6 down to a record low of $100 ****** Friday promos are in full swing now, and that’s brought many of our favorite gadgets down to their lowest prices of the year. Case in point, the Fitbit Charge 6, which is down to a record low of $100 right now. It’s a top pick in our best fitness trackers guide in part because of its comprehensive exercise tracking capabilities and its built-in GPS. The Charge 6 has a few things going for it. With the new model, Fitbit added a more accurate heart rate sensor, the ability to pair with exercise machines over Bluetooth and a physical side button to aid with menu navigation. If you’re a YouTube Music Premium subscriber, you can also use the device to control YouTube Music playback. Fitbit One of Engadget’s favorite fitness trackers is currently on ***** for a record-low price of $99.95. $100 at Amazon Carrying over from older iterations, the Charge 6 offers comprehensive tracking for 20 discrete exercises, with built-in GPS for activities like running and cycling. It also retains the design of the Charge 5, which in this case, is a good thing. The fact it’s not a smartwatch means the Charge 6 is comfortable to wear and offers a battery that will last you for several days instead of just one at most. The full-****** AMOLED display is easy to read and looks great, even outdoors. Other notable features include support for contactless payments through Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet. The only downsides to the Charge 6 are that Fitbit doesn’t offer Apple Health integration and that some data and features are locked behind the company’s premium subscription. However, if you’re looking for a fitness tracker that can basically do it all, the Charge 6 is one of the best options right now. For those looking to spend less on a fitness tracker, I’ll mention that Amazon has also discounted the Inspire 3. It’s currently $70, down from $100. Fitbit’s entry-level fitness tracker is a good option for those who don’t mind bringing their phone to their bike rides and runs as the device lacks built-in GPS tracking. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #****** #Friday #deals #bring #price #Fitbit #Charge #record Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Elon Musk to ‘summon MPs to US to explain threats to ********* citizens’ | Elon Musk Elon Musk to ‘summon MPs to US to explain threats to ********* citizens’ | Elon Musk Elon Musk has said *** MPs “will be summoned to the ******* States of America to explain their censorship and threats to ********* citizens” in a fresh escalation of tensions between the world’s richest man and Labour. Musk, who has been a fixture at the side of Donald Trump since his re-election as US president, was responding to a Guardian report on Wednesday that the Commons’ science and technology select committee would call him to give evidence in the new year in its inquiry into the spread of harmful content on social media after the August riots. Committee chair Chi Onwurah said she wanted Musk to answer how he ‘reconciles his promotion of freedom of expression with his promotion of pure disinformation’. Photograph: Richard Gardner/Rex/Shutterstock The committee’s chair, Chi Onwurah, a Labour MP, said she wanted to see how Musk, who owns the X social media platform, “reconciles his promotion of freedom of expression with his promotion of pure disinformation”. X hosts accounts by figures including Tommy Robinson and Andrew Tate, who were accused of inciting people to join Islamophobic protests. Musk, who has more than 205 million followers on X, responded by saying the MPs would be summoned to the US. He has previously complained that prison sentences handed down to people who stoked the riots on X are a breach of free speech rights and said: “I don’t think anyone should go to the *** when they’re releasing convicted paedophiles in order to imprison people for social media posts.” He has labelled the British prime minister “two-tier Kier”, alleging that not all communities were equally protected by police in the ***, while Jess Philips, a government minister, has labelled X “a place of misery”. Musk weighed in on changes to inheritance tax on farms by saying on Monday that “Britain is going full Stalin”. Peter Mandelson, who is tipped to become the next *** ambassador to Washington, then called for an end to the “feud” between Musk and the *** government, calling him “a sort of technological, industrial, commercial phenomenon” with whom the *** must build bridges. In an interview with the Guardian on Thursday, Peter Kyle, the secretary of state for science and technology, denied there was a feud and called Musk “an innovator of extraordinary proportions, the like of which our globe, our humanity, very rarely sees”. He said he was ready to have “a frank conversation where we disagree, but also strive to find common ground”. However, Kyle added: “The way that he has characterised British society is wrong. I would love to have a conversation with him about how, with his view of free speech, we can keep people safe. Free speech, in my view, doesn’t include the right to sow either misinformation or hatred to a degree that damages either people or communities … as happened in August and that led to arrests because that was ********* activity.” skip past newsletter promotion Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters 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 Kyle said he was “in touch with X” and has had “many conversations with them about the nature of free speech and how it should be applied”. He also said he had “no plans to go off X, simply because I respect so much of the audience that’s there and I do want to communicate with”. It was not immediately clear to what “threats to ********* citizens” Musk was referring in his call for British MPs to be summoned to Washington, but one of his US-based online followers claimed, without providing evidence, he was called by British police and threatened with charges if he did not take down certain posts during the riots. Another follower described the MPs’ wish to call Musk to give evidence as a trap, saying: “They’ll detain him at the border, demand to see the contents of his phone, and charge him under counter-terrorism laws when he refuses.” Asked about Musk’s response, Onwurah said: “X is one of the most relevant social media platforms to our inquiry. We want to hear from senior figures at the company so that we can gather the best evidence possible. And Mr Musk is the most senior representative of X, with strong views on misinformation as well as freedom of expression, an important subject in its own right.” Musk has started calling himself “first buddy” in relation to the president-elect and has been given the job of reforming US government efficiency. It appears he will have considerable influence on the regulation of artificial intelligence, especially considering he owns an AI startup, xAI, which has attracted billions of dollars in investment from the Qatar sovereign wealth fund and Silicon Valley private equity giants. Source link #Elon #Musk #summon #MPs #explain #threats #********* #citizens #Elon #Musk Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stocks making the biggest moves midday: NFLX, GOOGL, NVDA, BJ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: NFLX, GOOGL, NVDA, BJ Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading. Nvidia — Shares of the chipmaker dipped about 1% in midday trading, after gyrating earlier in the session. Nvidia beat on top and bottom lines for the third quarter, posting adjusted earnings of 81 cents per share on revenue of $35.08 billion. Analysts polled by LSEG had called for earnings of 75 cents per share on $33.16 billion in revenue. Nvidia also gave a better-than-expected forecast for the current quarter. Baidu — U.S. shares of the ******** search engine fell about 5% after Baidu’s third-quarter revenue declined by 3% compared to the year-ago ******* . Still, the company posted a 12% increase in its non-online marketing revenue, fueled mostly by growth in its artificial intelligence cloud business. Alphabet — Shares declined 5% on news that the Department of Justice is pushing a federal judge to force Google divest its Chrome internet browser in order to create a more level playing field for competitors in the search industry. That follows a ruling in August that Google has a monopoly in the search market. Snowflake — The data analytics software maker saw shares skyrocket more than 34%, after the company’s better-than-expected third-quarter results . The stock is heading for its best day ever. Snowflake also called for $3.43 billion in fiscal 2025 product revenue, implying 29% growth. CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy said Snowflake is focusing more on saving money. Merus — Shares of the ******* therapeutics company gained nearly 4%. Goldman Sachs initiated coverage of Merus with a buy rating, saying it sees big gains ahead driven by the company’s ******* treatment. Netflix — Shares rose nearly 2% on the heels of Bank of America reiterating its buy rating on the stock and upping its price target to $1,000. The bank cited live events, as well as Netflix’s in-house ad tech platform, as catalysts for growth. Crypto-related stocks — Stocks tied to cryptocurrencies earlier rose after the price of bitcoin crossed $98,000 for the first time , but they fluctuated after Galaxy Digital CEO Michael Novogratz warned that a pullback in bitcoin will come eventually. MicroStrategy was down 1%, reversing its earlier gains, while Coinbase dipped 3%. Miner Mara Holdings gained nearly 10%, while trading platform Robinhood dipped about 1%. BJ’s Wholesale Club — Shares moved 9% higher after the warehouse club’s third-quarter adjusted earnings beat the Street’s estimates. BJ’s also boosted its full-year guidance. The company said it will increase its membership fee and announced plans to repurchase $1 billion shares. PDD Holdings — Shares of the e-commerce giant, which owns Temu, fell 9.7%. PDD missed profit and revenue estimates. — CNBC’s Sean Conlon, Yun Li and Michelle Fox contributed reporting. Source link #Stocks #making #biggest #moves #midday #NFLX #GOOGL #NVDA Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This Batman Collection Of 4K Movies Has Gotten A Massive ****** Friday Discount This Batman Collection Of 4K Movies Has Gotten A Massive ****** Friday Discount Early ****** Friday deals are here, but if you’re a resident of the DC Universe, then prepare yourself for some Bat Friday specials instead. For many Batman fans, there was the first golden age of films starring the Caped Crusader that began in 1989 and ended in 1997. This particular era is on ***** right now, and you can watch all of them in 4K for $40. Normally $90, this box set includes Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin. Each film has a new cover, as well as enough extra content to fill up the Batcave. The Batman film directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight got the ball rolling on a new era of superhero movies when it was first released in 1989, and 35 years later, it’s still highly regarded as one of the best Batman movies of all time. Burton and Keaton would be back for a sequel in 1992, and while it wasn’t as big at the box office as the first film, it still made a ******** at the time when it came to ticket sales. Batman Returns also had an ensemble cast that included Danny DeVito, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Christopher Walken, and it’s a way better Christmas movie than **** Hard. By 1995, things were changing for the Batman movie franchise, and with an aim to appeal to younger audiences, Warner Bros. hired Joel Schumacher to direct Batman Forever, with Val Kilmer stepping up to replace Keaton as Gotham’s protector. The movie also introduced Robin–played by Chris O’Donnell–and while it was a massive tonal shift from Burton’s Batman movies, the film still has plenty of charm, a cool neon design, and numerous moments where Tommy Lee Jones and Jim Carrey chewed up all the scenery as the villains Two-Face and the Riddler, respectively. While it was critically–and commercially slammed–when it came out in 1997, time has been kinder to Batman & Robin. It’s a goofy movie that feels like a toy commercial, but it’s a ***** of a great advert to watch. George Clooney delivered an underrated performance as Batman, and there’s a lot of groovy inspiration here from the 1966 Batman TV series that starred Adam West as the unflappable vigilante. It’s also the only movie where you can see Arnold Schwarzenegger ham it up and drop ice-related puns. ****** Friday Batman Films and TV Blu-ray deals For a few more bat-related deals, Amazon has several early ****** Friday deals on Batman movies and TV series. The classic Batman TV series is still delightful and on ***** for $30 (was $90), the full run of Batman Beyond episodes is available for $26.50 (was $31.40) on Blu-ray, and Batman: The Animated Series is a steal at $30 (was $80) for the entire award-winning series. Just don’t let Batman catch you pilfering it. Source link #Batman #Collection #Movies #Massive #****** #Friday #Discount Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

AMD is allegedly readying budget hexa-core Krackan Point APUs — Hybrid 3+3 core “Zen 5 + Zen 5c” offering surfaces at Geekbench AMD is allegedly readying budget hexa-core Krackan Point APUs — Hybrid 3+3 core “Zen 5 + Zen 5c” offering surfaces at Geekbench A new hexa-core processor under AMD’s Krackan Point (KRK) lineup of APUs has emerged at Geekbench – thanks to Olrak at X. The CPU wields a rather unconventional 3+3 hybrid configuration – taking a different approach than AMD did with its Phoenix 2 APUs. Krackan Point is AMD’s cheaper alternative to Strix Point – packing upwards of eight cores and an eight Compute Unit (CU) RDNA 3.5-based iGPU (Integrated GPU). Krackan Point utilizes a hybrid-core design to save valuable **** space, featuring up to four Zen 5 and four Zen 5c cores. The six-core offering has an OPN code of “100-000001600-40_Y,” corresponding to a Ryzen 5 APU per previously leaked shipping manifests. The benchmark, being an AI test, isn’t that exciting once you consider that Krackan employs the same 50 TOPS XDNA 2 NPU as Strix Point. Going over the listed specs, the budget Ryzen 5 300 APU packs three Zen 5 and three Zen 5c cores alongside 12 threads – quite different from the Phoenix 2-based Ryzen 5 7545U – which had two Zen 4 and four Zen 4c cores. Moreover, the APU was being tested in an Asus validation platform and had a relatively low base frequency of 2 GHz – but that’s likely a result of early silicon. (Image credit: Geekbench) AMD reintroduced a dual-CCX design with Strix Point – splitting up the Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores across different rings – with separate L3 caches for both core types. Interestingly, for the Krackan Point APU in question, Geekbench divides the core count into two clusters. However, Olrak suggests that AMD might package all six cores together – connected through a unified ring bus – sharing a coherent L3 cache. To chip in, the Ryzen 5 7545U (Phoenix 2) also employed a single CCX, but the final decision rests on AMD. Rest assured, laptops powered by AMD’s Krackan Point offerings are set to arrive in early 2025 – starting at $799 if we go by leaks. Overall, CES 2025 will be jampacked with next-gen launches from all major players. Expect to see AMD unveil Krackan Point alongside Strix Halo APUs, ***** Range CPUs, and Radeon RX 8000 “RDNA 4” GPUs. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #AMD #allegedly #readying #budget #hexacore #Krackan #Point #APUs #Hybrid #core #Zen #Zen #offering #surfaces #Geekbench Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Matt Gaetz withdraws as attorney general nominee Matt Gaetz withdraws as attorney general nominee CBS News 24/7 Live Washington — Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz announced Thursday that he is withdrawing his nomination for attorney general. President-elect Donald Trump tapped Gaetz to lead the Justice Department as the nation’s top law enforcement officer last week. He swiftly resigned his seat in the House and was on Capitol Hill with Vice President-elect JD Vance, an Ohio senator, meeting with Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee who would oversee his confirmation hearings. Gaetz said in a social media post that while he had “excellent meetings” with senators, his confirmation battle was taking away from the work of the incoming Trump administration. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” he wrote on social media. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.” He added, “I remain fully committed to see that Donald J. Trump is the most successful President in history. I will forever be honored that President Trump nominated me to lead the Department of Justice and I’m certain he will Save America.” In response to Gaetz’s decision, Trump wrote on social media, “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect.” He predicted Gaetz “has a wonderful future.” ahead. Gaetz’s nomination was swiftly shrouded in controversy as he was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for alleged ******* misconduct and illicit ***** use. He denied any wrongdoing and called the investigation a “smear.” Gaetz blamed the probe on former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whose ouster Gaetz helped lead last year. More from CBS News Melissa Quinn Melissa Quinn is a politics reporter for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a focus on the Supreme Court and federal courts. Source link #Matt #Gaetz #withdraws #attorney #general #nominee Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gautam Adani’s U.S. ****** charges could have wider repercussions for India Gautam Adani’s U.S. ****** charges could have wider repercussions for India This report is from this week’s CNBC’s “Inside India” newsletter which brings you timely, insightful news and market commentary on the emerging powerhouse and the big businesses behind its meteoric rise. Like what you see? You can subscribe here. The head of a $25 billion Indian energy company, the former CEO of a New York-listed energy firm, and one of Asia’s wealthiest men were set to meet in New Delhi to discuss business. To prepare for the meeting, Vneet Jaain, chief executive of $25 billion Adani Green Energy, photographed a document on his cellphone. This document, according to the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York, summarized the amounts the Indian energy company was owed by Azure Power, previously listed on the NYSE, for bribing Indian government officials. Jaain’s phone and other electronic devices were seized as evidence by U.S. prosecutors in their months-long investigation and included in the indictment on Wednesday in a New York federal court on charges related to a massive bribery and ****** scheme. The U.S. prosecutors also allege that Gautam Adani, the second most-wealthy Indian man, personally met with Indian government officials to further their “bribery scheme.” They allege that about $265 million in bribes were offered to Indian officials to “motivate” the state-owned electricity distribution companies to purchase solar power from Adani and related companies at above-fair market prices. The indictment also describes a trail of evidence that Adani and his executives left behind, such as presentation slides and spreadsheets. One document is alleged to reveal $7 million paid to secure a 650 megawatt power purchase agreement and $76 million as bribe for a 2.3 gigawatt contract. The prosecutors have also successfully obtained an arrest warrant for the billionaire from a federal court. Why are U.S. authorities involved? The 62-year-old billionaire and others are charged with misleading U.S. and international investors as they raised more than $3 billion in capital to fund those energy contracts. “As alleged, the defendants orchestrated an elaborate scheme to bribe Indian government officials to secure contracts worth billions of dollars and Gautam S. Adani, Sagar R. Adani and Vneet S. Jaain lied about the bribery scheme as they sought to raise capital from U.S. and international investors,” said Breon Peace, U.S. attorney for the eastern district of New York. “Adani and other defendants also defrauded investors by raising capital on the basis of false statements about bribery and ***********, while still other defendants allegedly attempted to conceal the bribery *********** by obstructing the government’s investigation,” added James Dennehy, FBI assistant director in charge. The Securities Exchange Commission also piled in, calling the actions by Adani and two others a “massive bribery scheme.” “During the alleged scheme, Adani Green raised more than $175 million from U.S. investors, and Azure Power’s stock was traded on the New York Stock Exchange,” the SEC said in a statement justifying its jurisdiction and cause in the investigation. What’s Adani’s response? An Adani Group spokesperson said the allegations made by the U.S. Department of Justice and the SEC against the directors of Adani Green Energy are “baseless and denied.” “The Adani Group has always upheld and is steadfastly committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance, transparency and regulatory compliance across all jurisdictions of its operations. We assure our stakeholders, partners and employees that we are a law-abiding organisation, fully compliant with all laws,” the spokesperson told investors. Azure Power has said that the company has continued to cooperate with U.S. authorities and its staff referenced in the U.S. indictment were no longer associated with the company. What’s the impact on Adani? Aside from the steep share price falls, where Adani Enterprises lost nearly a quarter of its market value, there have also been wider ramifications. Investors in Adani’s bonds have also suffered steep price drops after news of the indictment emerged. There are also concerns about whether Adani companies will be able to raise debt in the future in U.S. markets. “The indictment of Adani Group’s chairman and other senior officials on bribery charges is credit negative for the group’s companies,” Moody’s, a credit ratings agency, said in a statement. “Our main focus when assessing Adani Group is on the ability of the group’s companies to access capital to meet their liquidity requirements and on its governance practices.” The Adani Group was also forced to withdraw a planned $600 million bond ***** on Thursday. Even ardent believers of Adani also appear to be rethinking their backing of the conglomerate. GQG Partners, which poured $1.9 billion into Adani companies despite a short-seller ******* in 2023, told investors it was “reviewing the emerging details and determining what, if any, actions for our portfolios are appropriate.” The investment management firm’s Sydney-listed shares also lost a fifth of their value on Thursday. Broader implications and impact The allegations against the Adanis could also risk souring foreign investors’ sentiment and threaten to accelerate outflows from India. Foreign institutional investors pulled record sums from local bourses in October, and November also looks very similar. “The U.S. bribery charges against Gautam Adani further complicate the calculus for foreign investors with respect to India,” Matt Orton, chief market strategist at Raymond James, told CNBC’s Tanvir Gill. “While the 10% pullback on the Nifty presented investors with an interesting entry point to deploy capital, the Adani charges will pose a significant overhang to sentiment. In an environment where the U.S. continues to march higher, why add headline risk now in India?” Orton added that select Indian equities still remained attractive despite the wider negative sentiment. Investors are also concerned about lenders exposed to Adani Green Energy, the firm under the spotlight. One estimate by analysts at Citi puts Indian banks on the ***** for more than $15 billion in borrowings and collateralized loans, with the State Bank of India owed large chunks of the debt. Elsewhere, Singapore-headquartered lender DBS Group has previously disclosed nearly $1 billion in loans to other Adani companies. DBS declined to comment on the matter. But it’s not just investors and financial firms feeling the heat. Regulators in India have also come under severe scrutiny for their association with Adani. “The Federal Bureau of Investigations has said [Adani] has committed a ********* act. Why isn’t [India’s] Central Bureau of Investigations saying the same? Why isn’t SEBI saying the same?” questioned India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, referring to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), according to a CNBC translation. Earlier this year, the stock market regulator’s chair, Madhabi Buch, was accused of having a conflict of interest while investigating Adani group companies, according to short-seller Hindenburg. Now, politicians are calling for her to be sacked. Source link #Gautam #Adanis #U.S #****** #charges #wider #repercussions #India Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

MLB The Show 25 First Details Announced MLB The Show 25 First Details Announced · · November 21, 2024 Sony San Diego has announced the first set of details for the next installment of its long-running baseball franchise, MLB The Show 25. In a post on the game’s website, Sony San Diego gave minor teases of what fans can expect across the game while also announcing a major change coming to Diamond Dynasty in MLB The Show 25. Starting with Diamond Dynasty, the game’s popular card-collecting mode, it has been announced that Sets and Seasons will no longer be part of the mode starting next year. The removal of Sets and Seasons means that every card will be able to be “used freely throughout the year”. Elsewhere in the game, both Franchise Mode and Road to the Show will be getting updates in MLB The Show 25. Though not a lot was shared, the team did give a short tease of what fans should expect. MLB The Show 25 First Details Road To The Show: Deepen the player’s journey, before being drafted, and return control to how a player develops and grows in new and interesting ways. Diamond Dynasty*: Alongside the retirement of Sets and Seasons, our fans can look forward to all-new elements of the Diamond Dynasty experience blended with what our fans love most about Diamond Dynasty. Franchise: Improved trade evaluation metrics are coming along with a new fun and engaging offseason experience. Gameplay: With the expansion of quick time events, defensive AI, and pathing updates, enjoy more engaging moment-to-moment gameplay. MLB The Show 25 is scheduled to launch in spring 2025 and official platforms will be announced at a later date. What do you think of the first details for MLB The Show 25? Let us know in the comments, and join the discussion in the official Insider Gaming forums. For more Insider Gaming, check out what GPU the PlayStation 6 is rumored to be using. And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #MLB #Show #Details #Announced Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Matt Gaetz withdraws from consideration as Trump’s attorney general – National Matt Gaetz withdraws from consideration as Trump’s attorney general – National By Staff The Associated Press Posted November 21, 2024 12:45 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Matt Gaetz withdrew Thursday as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general following continued scrutiny over a federal **** trafficking investigation that cast doubt on the former congressman’s ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. The Florida ***********’s announcement came one day after meeting with senators in an effort to win their support for his confirmation to lead the Justice Department. 3:04 Why Trump’s nominations of Gaetz, RFK Jr. are so polarizing Trending Now Amazon Canada’s Early ****** Friday deals are *finally* here Susan Smith denied parole 30 years after drowning her 2 children “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz said in a statement announcing his decision. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1.” Story continues below advertisement Gaetz’s withdrawal is a ***** to Trump’s push to install steadfast loyalists in his incoming administration and the first sign that Trump could face resistance from members of his own party. More on Politics More videos &copy 2024 The ********* Press Source link #Matt #Gaetz #withdraws #consideration #Trumps #attorney #general #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Possible Rowan selection for Treasury Secretary would be boost for Apollo stock, private equity industry, says TD Cowen Possible Rowan selection for Treasury Secretary would be boost for Apollo stock, private equity industry, says TD Cowen The potential appointment of Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan would boost the stock and the broader alternative asset management sector, according to TD Cowen. The race for President-elect Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary pick appears to be between Rowan, former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh, Key Square Group founder and CEO Scott Bessent and Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. Rowan and Warsh were expected to meet with Trump for talks at Mar-a-Lago as part of the selection process. “Broadly, such an outcome would be a positive for the industry, as it likely tempers regulatory risk(s) while possibly accelerating the sector’s entry into the retirement market, even beyond his official purview,” analyst Bill Katz wrote in a note, referring to a possible Rowan appointment. President-elect Donald Trump’s reelection platform included efforts to deregulate industries, which would facilitate large transactions such as the ones seen in the private equity sector. Since the election, the stock has jumped 10% — outperforming the S & P 500’s 2.6% gain in that time. On Thursday, shares were up more than 1%. APO 1D mountain Apollo shares on Thursday Katz also thinks any “key man risk” at Apollo in the event Rowan is appointed to Trump’s cabinet is limited. Fundamental momentum “is likely to remain strong,” the analyst said. Likely CEO successors are co-presidents Jim Zelter and Scott Kleinman, according to Katz. Both are well-known and have “********* strongly,” he said. The analyst reiterated his buy rating on the stock, citing a constructive setup heading into 2025. His price target of $178 implies upside of more than 9% from Wednesday’s close. Shares of Apollo have soared 77% year to date. Source link #Rowan #selection #Treasury #Secretary #boost #Apollo #stock #private #equity #industry #Cowen Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Star Wars: Visions Season 3 uses ********* studios Star Wars: Visions Season 3 uses ********* studios A newly announced Star Wars project sounds exciting for sure, but revealing a new animated project will definitely amp up the hype for a lot of fans wanting to break away from the live-action stuff. Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Disney and Lucasfilm have recently revealed the third volume of Star Wars: Visions which will be returning next year in 2025. News of the upcoming season was shown on the first day of Disney’s two-day Content Showcase event in Singapore. The third volume of the animated anthology series will be under the hands of ********* studios once again, similar to the first season. The ********* animation studios involved in the third season includes David Production (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure), Kamikaze Douga+Anima (Tales of Luminaria: The Fateful Crossroad), Kinema Citrus (Made in Abyss), Polygon Pictures (Ajin), Production I.G (Kaiju No. 8), Project Studio Q (Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time), Studio Trigger (Delicious in Dungeon), and Wit Studio (Spy x Family). The official Star Wars X account confirmed that the new season will stream on Disney Plus. Kamikaze Douga, Kinema Citrus, Production I.G, and Studio Trigger are returning to produce the upcoming season while the rest of the studios will be working on the project for the first time. Polygon Pictures was involved in previous Star Wars animated projects including production of the fan favorite Star Wars: The Clone Wars cartoon between 2011 and 2013 and Star Wars: Resistance, which came out in 2018. Visions has been one the most interesting output coming from the Star Wars franchise as animators were given the creative freedom to go all out with their ****** scenes and utilize different elements from the Star Wars universe to create their own unique stories. Whether it’s canon or not, it doesn’t matter and it shouldn’t to begin with. The second season continued the idea but with a global expansion of other studios outside Japan. Fingers crossed that more seasons will be in development regardless of whether they’re from Japan or other nations. Maybe one day an anime television series will be greenlit and announced at the Star Wars Celebration held in Japan next year in 2025 as it does seem relevant. Speaking of the Star Wars Celebration taking place at Makuhari Messe, expect more footage, visual arts, and hopefully a release date of the third season of Visions which seems likely to happen. At the end of the day, this is very exciting news for both Star Wars and anime fans alike. Source link #Star #Wars #Visions #Season #********* #studios Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alphabet shares slide 6% following DOJ push for Google to divest Chrome Alphabet shares slide 6% following DOJ push for Google to divest Chrome Jaque Silva | Nurphoto | Getty Images Alphabet shares slid 6% Thursday, following news that the Department of Justice is calling for Google to divest its Chrome browser to put an end to its search monopoly. The proposed break-up would, according to the DOJ in its Wednesday filing, “permanently stop Google’s control of this critical search access point and allow rival search engines the ability to access the browser that for many users is a gateway to the internet.” This development is the latest in a years-long, bipartisan antitrust case that found in an August ruling that the search giant held an ******** monopoly in both search and text advertising, violating Section 2 of the Sherman Act. The potential break-up would include preventing Google from entering into exclusionary agreements with competitors like Apple and Samsung, part of a set of remedies that would last 10 years. CNBC’s Jennifer Elias contributed to this report. Source link #Alphabet #shares #slide #DOJ #push #Google #divest #Chrome Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump AG pick Matt Gaetz says he’s withdrawing Trump AG pick Matt Gaetz says he’s withdrawing US Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) speaks to members of the media after speaking on the House floor about a possible Motion to Vacate to oust US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, outside the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on October 2, 2023. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images Matt Gaetz said Thursday he is withdrawing his name from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney general. “I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many,” Gaetz said in a statement posted on his X account. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” said the former *********** congressman from Florida. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General,” he said. The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment. Gaetz’s selection had put a new spotlight on prior allegations of ******* misconduct and other impropriety that had been investigated by the Department of Justice and the House Ethics Committee. This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates. Source link #Trump #pick #Matt #Gaetz #hes #withdrawing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kenya’s President William Ruto cancels major deals with Adani Group Kenya’s President William Ruto cancels major deals with Adani Group Kenya’s President William Ruto has cancelled two major deals involving Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, after the tycoon was indicted for ****** by US prosecutors. In his state-of-the-nation address on Thursday, Ruto said the deals had been cancelled based on “new information provided by our investigative agencies and partner nations”. The day before, Mr Adani, India’s second-richest man, was charged with ****** by US prosecutors for allegedly orchestrating a $250m (£198m) bribery scheme and concealing it to raise money in the US. Representatives from Adani Group have denied the allegations from US prosecutors and called them “baseless”. “In the face of undisputed evidence or credible information on ***********, I will not hesitate to take decisive action,” said Ruto in a speech met with loud cheers inside parliament. The Adani Group was set to invest $1.85bn in Kenya’s main airport in exchange for a contract to run it for 30 years, as well as a $736m deal with the energy ministry to construct power lines. Under the airport proposal, the upgrades would involve a new runway and an improved passenger terminal at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The deals with the Adani group were hugely unpopular in the country, and there were concerns of ***********. The airport deal sparked a strike among airport workers in September, as many feared it would lead to job losses. Energy Minister Opiyo Wandayi told a parliamentary committee on Thursday there was no bribery or *********** involved in the procurement of the power lines. President Ruto has pledged to take action against ***********, following repeated allegations against his administration. Ruto said his government would now start to look for alternative partners for the airport and energy deals. Source link #Kenyas #President #William #Ruto #cancels #major #deals #Adani #Group Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Guilty Gear Strive photo mode update makes fighters disappear when viewed at inappopriate angles Guilty Gear Strive photo mode update makes fighters disappear when viewed at inappopriate angles Guilty Gear Strive‘s latest update makes it ******* for players to view its characters from inappropriate angles. As reported by Automaton, the game’s latest version 1.41 update includes a change to its Digital Figure mode, which is a photo mode where the player can choose a fighter from the game and rotate and zoom the camera around them. The game’s patch note reportedly reads: “We have adjusted the display restriction area that makes the figure invisible when certain parts of the figure are captured by the camera.” In practice, what this appears to mean is that when players position the camera to look at more intimate parts of the character’s body, the character will disappear until the camera is moved away. While this is obviously more relevant to the female fighters in the game, some of whom have revealing outfits, it’s reported that it’s possible to make male characters disappear too when viewed from certain angles (such as looking directly up at them from below). 【GGST】突然レーティングがCERO Cに変更された「ギルティギア ストライヴ」のデジタルフィギュアモードの調整内容 – 「フィギュアの特定部位をカメラで映すとフィギュアが非表示になる表示制限エリアを調整しました。」 pic.twitter.com/069CfqlIwW — Furious (@Furious_blog) November 20, 2024 Although the reason for the update hasn’t been confirmed by Arc System Works, it may be down to the recent decision by ********* rating board CERO to change the game’s rating. As of Wednesday, the game’s rating changed from CERO B (which made it appropriate for players aged 12+) to CERO C (which is for players aged 15+). Because the CERO C rating is given to games which have significant *********, horror or ******* content, the patch may be a response to this. Source link #Guilty #Gear #Strive #photo #mode #update #fighters #disappear #viewed #inappopriate #angles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Our top-rated coffee machine is 36% off in Amazon’s early ****** Friday *****, so grab it while you can Our top-rated coffee machine is 36% off in Amazon’s early ****** Friday *****, so grab it while you can Although ****** Friday 2024 is still a week away, it’s become common practice for retailers to jump on the band wagon and drop early offers in the build-up to the shopping event of the year – and that includes Amazon’s ****** Friday *****. As far as products go, coffee machines are some of the most sought-after appliances at ****** Friday and Amazon already has a deal on our all-round best coffee machine and best drip coffee maker. The Moccamaster KBGV coffee maker (known as KBG Select in the ***, or simply Select in Australia) is down to $244.30 from $359 at Amazon, hitting a record low price. We gave the Moccamaster KBGV a glowing review thanks to its simple controls and ability to produce consistently great results, not to mention that it’s available in a large variety of colors. This particular deal applies to the rose gold version only, though there are smaller discounts available on other options. Today’s best coffee maker deal It’s not every day that this incredible coffee maker model receives a discount, which is what makes it a great early ****** Friday deal. From its pricing history, the last time the Moccamaster had a major price drop was around April this year, and even then it was only discounted to around $270. What makes this one of the best coffee makers we’ve used aside from its simple two button function and bold design is its fast brewing abilities, which can fill a full carafe in just six minutes – which pours cleanly without dripping. The brewing process doesn’t make a lot of noise either, and we pointed out in our five star review that the only noise you hear is the low-pitched hum of water as it passes through the filter. And speaking of its filter, the Moccamaster ensures that your coffee brewing experience goes as easy and smoothly as possible. Its filter is removeable meaning that its simple to add paper and coffee grounds, and you can even place it on scales to weigh an exact amount based on how much coffee you want to brew. More of today’s ****** Friday sales in the US Amazon: TVs, smart home & air fryers from $12.99 Apple: AirPods, iPads, MacBooks from $89.99 Best Buy: $1,000 off 4K TVs, laptops & headphones Cheap TVs: smart TVs at Best Buy from $69.99 Christmas trees: top-rated trees from $54.99 Dell: best-selling Inspiron & XPS laptops from $279.99 Dreamcloud: mattress deals from $349 + free shipping Holiday: decor, lights, Christmas trees & PJs from $10.99 Home Depot: 40% off tools, appliances & furniture Lowe’s: holiday decor, appliances & tools from $17.31 Nectar: up to 50% off all mattresses Nordstrom: 46% off boots, coats, jeans & jewelry Samsung: $1,500+ off TVs, phones, watches & appliances Target: save on furniture, tech & clothing Walmart: cheap TVs, ****** vacs, furniture & appliances Source link #toprated #coffee #machine #Amazons #early #****** #Friday #***** #grab Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Musk and Ramaswamy say DOGE will target $500 billion in spending. Here’s where they say they’ll cut. Musk and Ramaswamy say DOGE will target $500 billion in spending. Here’s where they say they’ll cut. Billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are sharing details about how their newly created Department of Government Efficiency — which isn’t an official government department — plans to take aim at paring federal spending, with the two writing in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece on Wednesday that they are aiming to cut $500 billion in annual spending. The announcement of DOGE has raised a host of questions, from whether Musk and Ramaswamy will have the authority to make changes in federal spending, typically controlled by Congress, as well as the group’s powers and how it will operate. Musk and Ramaswamy provided answers to some of those questions in their opinion piece, arguing that President-elect Donald Trump has the authority to cut spending authorized by Congress. While Musk and Ramaswamy said they “expect to prevail” in cutting costs, there have been plenty of examples throughout the decades of efforts aimed at reining in federal spending, which have had only limited results. For instance, President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s tapped businessman J. Peter Grace to recommend reforms, resulting in about 2,500 recommendations for cutting spending, most of which were never implemented. Musk has suggested slicing $2 trillion in annual federal spending, an amount experts say is unrealistic given that most of the nation’s $6.7 trillion in yearly outlays is spent on Social Security, Medicare and the military. But in the Wednesday opinion piece, Musk and Ramaswamy wrote that their initial aim will be to cut “the $500 billion plus in annual federal expenditures that are unauthorized by Congress or being used in ways that Congress never intended.” Here’s what to know. Where will Musk’s DOGE aim to cut federal spending? Two-thirds of federal spending is mandatory through programs including Social Security and Medicare, while discretionary spending is largely spent on defense. But as mentioned above, Musk and Ramaswamy said they’ll target $500 billion in spending that is unauthorized by Congress, as well as programs they believe aren’t in line with lawmakers’ intentions. The biggest source of expired authorizations sits with health care for veterans, which cost $119 billion in fiscal 2024, according to the Congressional Budget Office. However, Musk and Ramaswamy didn’t single out veterans’ health care as a place where they’d seek to cut. Instead, they listed the following areas: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which receives $535 million a year International organizations that receive $1.5 billion in grants Planned Parenthood and what they describe as “progressive groups” that receive almost $300 million per year Which federal programs don’t have authorization? The programs mentioned by Musk and Ramaswamy are relatively tiny compared with other areas that are unauthorized, such as veterans’ health care. The next biggest sources of expired authorizations, after veterans’ health care, include programs that invest in opioid treatment, the State Department and housing assistance. Some smaller programs with expired funding include Head Start, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. The latter provides weather forecasts, severe storm warnings and climate monitoring, among other tasks. According to Project 2025, the ************* blueprint that was developed by the Heritage Foundation to guide the next ************* White House, the NOAA “should be dismantled and many of its functions eliminated.” DOGE wants to cut federal workers. Here’s how. Musk and Ramaswamy also underscored that they’ll push to cut the ranks of federal employees, saying their efforts could lead to “mass head-count reductions across the federal bureaucracy.” The pair didn’t enumerate the number of workers they’ll seek to push out of the federal workforce. In 2023, there were more than 2 million federal employees, according to the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan group focused on the federal government. Most of those workers are within Veterans Affairs, due to a large number of health care providers for the VA, followed by people enlisted in the armed services, its data shows. While civil service workers have job protections, Musk and Ramaswamy argued that the president would be legally allowed to enact “reductions in force” that don’t target specific workers, as well as to make decisions including “large-scale firings to relocation of federal agencies out of the Washington area.” The DOGE would help federal employees “transition into the private sector,” Musk and Ramaswamy wrote. “The president can use existing laws to give them incentives for early retirement and to make voluntary severance payments to facilitate a graceful exit.” The pair also said they want to require federal workers to be in the office five days a week, a policy change that they predict would “result in a wave of voluntary terminations.” In a Thursday post on X, the social media service owned by Elon Musk, the DOGE wrote, “Federal government agencies are using, on average, just 12% of the space in their DC headquarters. The Department of Agriculture, with space for more than 7,400 people, averaged 456 workers each day (6% occupancy).” It added, “Why are ********* taxpayer dollars being spent to maintain empty buildings?” Aimee Picchi Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports. Source link #Musk #Ramaswamy #DOGE #target #billion #spending #Heres #theyll #cut Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Netanyahu arrest warrant damned by *******, welcomed by Palestinians Netanyahu arrest warrant damned by *******, welcomed by Palestinians Reuters Lawyers have expressed doubts over whether Netanyahu and Gallant would ever be brought to trial The announcement of arrest warrants by the International ********* Court (ICC) for *******’s current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has triggered a furious response from leading Israelis across the political spectrum. By contrast it has been welcomed by ******, ************ Islamic ****** and ordinary citizens in Gaza. Leading ******** figures across the political spectrum have reacted angrily to the announcement. President Isaac Herzog called it “a dark day for justice and humanity”, saying the decision had “chosen the side of ******* and evil over democracy and freedom”. The prime minister’s office called it “an antisemitic decision” and said that ******* “utterly rejects the false and absurd charges”, labelling the ICC “a biased and discriminatory political body”. The chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, Yuli Edelstein, called it “a shameful decision by a political body held captive by Islamist interests”. *******’s foreign minister said the ICC had lost its legitimacy. ****** has welcomed the decision, without commenting on the issuing of a warrant for its own military commander, Mohammed Deif. In a statement it said: “We call on all countries around the world to cooperate with the court in bringing the Zionist war **********, Netanyahu and Gallant and to work immediately to stop the ******* of genocide against defenceless civilians in the Gaza Strip”. Ordinary Palestinians in Gaza have also welcomed the announcement. Muhammad Ali, a 40-year old man displaced from Gaza City and currently in the central area of Deir al-Balah, said: “We have been terrorised, starved, had our homes destroyed, and lost our children, sons, and loved ones. We welcome this decision, and of course, we hope that the decisions of the ICC will be implemented”. Munira Al-Shami, whose sister was ******* by ******** forces last month, called the ICC decision “justice for tens of thousands of victims, including my sister Wafa”. What effect will these arrest warrants have? A total of 124 countries are signatories to the ICC, including the ***, but not the US, Russia, China, nor ******* itself. So this means that technically, if either Netanyahu or Gallant sets foot in any of the signatory countries they must be arrested and handed over to the court. But international lawyers have expressed doubts over whether either man will ever be brought to The Hague for trial. The last time Netanyahu travelled outside ******* was in July to the US, a country he could still theoretically visit with impunity. Last year he visited several countries, including the *** in March, many of which are signatories. It is thought unlikely he would want to risk arrest by doing this again and the countries in question would also be reluctant to find themselves put in that position. EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock The Netherlands’ foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said his country was prepared to act upon the warrants, Dutch news agency ANP reported ****** has little to ***** from the ICC warrant for Ibrahim Al-Masri, aka Mohammed Deif. ******* believes he was ******* earlier this year, although this was never confirmed by ******. The other two ****** figures whom the ICC originally planned to prosecute – Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh – are both confirmed as *****. There is no question that Thursday’s announcement is a major ***** to *******’s international standing, to the two individuals named and most specifically to *******’s ongoing efforts to present its military campaign in Gaza as a ****** between the forces of good and evil. Israelis are appalled that, in their eyes, the world seems to have already forgotten or overlooked the atrocities committed by ****** on 7 October last year. Palestinians, especially Gazans, feel vindicated that their accusations of ******** war ******* have now been echoed by an international body with some weight. Source link #Netanyahu #arrest #warrant #damned #******* #welcomed #Palestinians Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Saber’s One Act That Effectively ****** and Saves All Space Marine 2 Mods is What Nintendo Needs for Switch 2 Saber’s One Act That Effectively ****** and Saves All Space Marine 2 Mods is What Nintendo Needs for Switch 2 Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 is no stranger to the creativity of its player base. The game’s modding community has made hundreds of mods that have earned praise from both players and even the developer. But with great freedom comes complications. Image Credit: Saber Interactive Saber Interactive recently announced that mods will no longer be allowed on public servers starting in December. Instead, the devs plan to add official modding tools and mod support for the game. Supporting creativity like this is something Nintendo could learn from as it prepares for the next iteration of the Switch. Space Marine 2 Modding is About to Get Even Better The decision to ban mods from public servers is not without reason. Since its release, Space Marine 2 has seen an ********** of modding activity. Players and modders have made mods for everything from cosmetic changes to game-changing mechanics. Y’all are the best! I was worried just reading the tweet but of course with the team at Focus there’s nothing to worry about pic.twitter.com/tzHZd0kd9s — Spreet (@TWEETSPREET) November 20, 2024 Saber’s decision comes in response to server stability issues and reports of save file *********** tied to mod usage. Dmitriy Grigorenko, the game’s director, noted in a forum post (via IGN) that these problems affected not only players using mods but also those without them. This doesn’t spell the end for Space Marine 2 mods though. They will remain fully functional in private Operations lobbies and upcoming custom lobbies for the Eternal War mode. You handlled it very well — Bread enjoyer (@__Mr__Bread__) November 20, 2024 What sets Saber’s approach apart is its forward-thinking support for modders. The developer plans to release official modding tools to make modding easier and more integrated. We will also be providing an easy entry point to our backend for games with mods installed, so modders won’t have to spend time hacking the game executable after each patch. If we somehow break this pipeline for mods by accident in the future, we’ll fix it. Grigorenko also reassured players that any inadvertent issues caused by future updates would be addressed swiftly. Saber has framed the change as a compromise rather than a punishment. Nintendo Could Learn a Thing or Two From Saber Image Credit: Nintendo The lessons from Saber’s strategy could extend beyond the Warhammer universe. As Nintendo gears up for its rumored Switch 2, the company faces a similar challenge. Nintendo’s strict stance on fan projects has often alienated its community. Comment byu/Turbostrider27 from discussion inSpacemarine Nintendo could really benefit by adopting a model like Saber’s. Offer tools and clear guidelines for modding while setting boundaries. Nintendo could transform its relationship with modders and create an ecosystem for its next console one that fosters creativity. One of the standout aspects of Saber’s decision is its transparent communication. The developer openly acknowledged the issues caused by mods and explained its rationale for the changes. This level of engagement not only builds trust but also sets expectations. Of course, no solution is perfect. Some players and modders have expressed disappointment at the inability to use mods on public servers. However, as Grigorenko pointed out, the alternative could have been far worse: an outright ban on mods. The Space Marine 2 case also highlights the importance of compromise. By allowing mods in private and custom lobbies, Saber has made a dedicated space for modding and experimenting, all while keeping the main player base unaffected. For a company like Nintendo, which has historically kept its decisions under wraps, such transparency is exactly what it needs. Source link #Sabers #Act #Effectively #****** #Saves #Space #Marine #Mods #Nintendo #Switch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Possible Rowan selection for Treasury Secretary would be boost for Apollo stock, private equity industry, says TD Cowen Possible Rowan selection for Treasury Secretary would be boost for Apollo stock, private equity industry, says TD Cowen The potential appointment of Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan would boost the stock and the broader alternative asset management sector, according to TD Cowen. The race for President-elect Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary pick appears to be between Rowan, former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh, Key Square Group founder and CEO Scott Bessent and Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. Rowan and Warsh were expected to meet with Trump for talks at Mar-a-Lago as part of the selection process. “Broadly, such an outcome would be a positive for the industry, as it likely tempers regulatory risk(s) while possibly accelerating the sector’s entry into the retirement market, even beyond his official purview,” analyst Bill Katz wrote in a note, referring to a possible Rowan appointment. President-elect Donald Trump’s reelection platform included efforts to deregulate industries, which would facilitate large transactions such as the ones seen in the private equity sector. Since the election, the stock has jumped 10% — outperforming the S & P 500’s 2.6% gain in that time. On Thursday, shares were up more than 1%. APO 1D mountain Apollo shares on Thursday Katz also thinks any “key man risk” at Apollo in the event Rowan is appointed to Trump’s cabinet is limited. Fundamental momentum “is likely to remain strong,” the analyst said. Likely CEO successors are co-presidents Jim Zelter and Scott Kleinman, according to Katz. Both are well-known and have “********* strongly,” he said. The analyst reiterated his buy rating on the stock, citing a constructive setup heading into 2025. His price target of $178 implies upside of more than 9% from Wednesday’s close. Shares of Apollo have soared 77% year to date. Source link #Rowan #selection #Treasury #Secretary #boost #Apollo #stock #private #equity #industry #Cowen Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Illinois Supreme Court overturns Jussie Smollett conviction for alleged hoax Illinois Supreme Court overturns Jussie Smollett conviction for alleged hoax The Illinois Supreme Court has overturned a conviction against actor Jussie Smollett, who prosecutors accused of staging a ******* and homophobic ******* against himself in 2019 in Chicago. Smollett, who is ****** and gay, was convicted of five counts of disorderly conduct in 2021. He had claimed two men targeted him in a hate-******, yelling ******* slurs and putting a noose around his neck while he was walking down the street near his apartment. Two men testified that the Empire television show star paid them $3,500 (£2,700) to stage the *******. Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail, but only served six days before he was freed pending appeal. The state Supreme Court sided with Smollett’s attorneys, who had argued in their appeal that Smollett should not have been charged by a special prosecutor after the Cook County State Attorney’s Office dropped charges in exchange for community service. A grand jury later re-established the charges after a special prosecutor took on the case. “We are aware that this case has generated significant public interest and that many people were dissatisfied with the resolution of the original case and believed it to be unjust,” the state Supreme Court wrote in its opinion on Thursday. # “Nevertheless, what would be more unjust than the resolution of any one ********* case would be a holding from this court that the State was not bound to honor agreements upon which people have detrimentally relied.” During Smollett’s trial, prosecutors alleged he staged the ******* because he was unhappy with a television studio’s response to hate mail he received. Smollett claimed that the ******* was “no hoax” and that he was the victim of a hate ****** in Chicago. But the two men he accused of perpetrating the ****** – two brothers, one of whom Smollett said he met through the Empire show – said Smollett had hired them and paid them with a check. Source link #Illinois #Supreme #Court #overturns #Jussie #Smollett #conviction #alleged #hoax Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Theory of Alphabet Origins in Syria Gains Traction Theory of Alphabet Origins in Syria Gains Traction The roots of alphabetic writing may stretch back much further than previously believed. Evidence unearthed at the ancient site of Umm el-Marra in northwestern Syria suggests that the alphabet’s development might have begun around 2300 BC – 500 years earlier than current theories propose. This theory, led by Johns Hopkins archaeologist Glenn Schwartz, and presented at the annual meeting of the ********* Society of Overseas Research this week, has the potential to transform our understanding of how, when, and where the alphabet was invented. Prevailing Alphabet Origins Theory So far, most scholars have believed that the first alphabet originated around 1800 BC in Egypt, where Semitic-speaking populations adapted portions of the Egyptian hieroglyphic system. These early forms of writing would evolve into the systems used across the Middle East and, eventually, Western Europe. However, the small clay ‘cylinders’ discovered by Schwartz and his team challenge this timeline, raising questions about the alphabet’s birthplace and initial purpose. Schwartz and colleague at the Umm el-Marra excavations. (Courtesy of Matt Johnson/John Hopkins University) A Revolutionary Find at Umm el-Marra During excavations at Umm el-Marra in 2004, Schwartz’s team found four small, cylindrical clay objects in a tomb dating back to the Early Bronze Age, writes a John Hopkins University report. Measuring about the size of a finger, these cylinders featured inscriptions that bore striking similarities to early alphabetic symbols. Found near pottery vessels in the tomb, Schwartz speculates the objects may have been used as tags to identify contents or ownership, hinting at their potential use in administrative tasks, according to the report. “Unlike cuneiform or hieroglyphic writing systems, which were complex and limited to elite scribes, the alphabet allowed a broader segment of society to record information and communicate,” Schwartz explained. This democratization of writing ***** the groundwork for the widespread use of written language in commerce, governance, and daily life. The significance of the site itself adds further intrigue. Umm el-Marra, a mid-sized urban center during the Early Bronze Age, contained elite tombs, rich in grave goods such as jewelry and weapons. The preservation of the clay cylinders and other artifacts offers valuable insights into the technological and social developments of the time. One of the four small clay objects that appeared to contain alphabetic writing. (Courtesy of Glenn Schwartz/John Hopkins University) Changing Perspectives on the Alphabet’s Origins The discovery of the clay cylinders, predating the Egyptian-origin theory of the alphabet, has sparked debate among scholars. While Schwartz acknowledges the skepticism surrounding his findings, he notes that the inscriptions differ significantly from cuneiform—the dominant writing system of the era—and more closely resemble early Semitic writing. Alice Mandell, an expert in early Semitic languages, and Christopher Rollston, a prominent epigrapher, have both expressed support for the idea that these cylinders represent a form of alphabetic writing. Rollston described the discovery as a potential “game changer,” emphasizing its implications for the history of communication and cultural exchange in the ancient Near East. Radiocarbon dating has confirmed the age of the artifacts, but deciphering their exact meaning ******** elusive. Schwartz suspects the symbols might indicate names or descriptions of goods, but the broader cultural significance of the inscriptions will require further study. Implications for the History of Writing If confirmed as the oldest alphabetic inscriptions, the Umm el-Marra cylinders could revolutionize our understanding of early communication technologies. Unlike earlier writing systems, which relied on extensive training and vast repertoires of symbols, alphabetic writing simplified the process. A limited set of characters could represent sounds, enabling the creation of countless words and ideas. “Alphabetic writing reflects a shift in how societies communicated and thought,” Schwartz remarked, according to a La Brujula Verde report. By making writing accessible to more people, it fostered new forms of record-keeping and cultural expression. While further research is needed to fully understand these inscriptions, Schwartz’s findings challenge long-held assumptions about the origins of the alphabet. Could the earliest alphabet have emerged not in Egypt, but in Syria or elsewhere in the Near East? The implications extend beyond linguistics, offering insights into how ancient societies shared ideas, managed resources, and shaped their identities. Top image: Clay object thought to contain early alphabetic writing. Source: Courtesy of Glenn Schwartz/John Hopkins University By Gary Manners Source link #Theory #Alphabet #Origins #Syria #Gains #Traction Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Delta Force devs dont see other shooters as competition, especially CoD Delta Force devs dont see other shooters as competition, especially CoD Team *****’s Delta Force developers don’t want players to compare their tactical game to Call of Duty or other shooters. Source link #Delta #Force #devs #dont #shooters #competition #CoD Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia’s advance and the return of Trump Russia’s advance and the return of Trump BBC/Joe Phua Anastasiia Bolvihina fled the besieged city of Pokrovsk with her two sons As the Russian army slowly advances in eastern Ukraine, it’s driving a tide of human suffering before it. With two months to go before a change of administration in Washington, Ukraine is wrestling with two problems: how to stem the advance, and how to prepare for Donald Trump. At a shelter in Pavlohrad, about 60 miles (100km) west of the slowly shifting front line, evacuees are constantly arriving from villages and towns overtaken by the war. Anastasiia Bolvihina, 31, is there with her two sons, Arseniy and Rostyslav. The family cat ***** sleeping among the few belongings the family have managed to bring with them from the village of Uspenivka, just outside the besieged city of Pokrovsk. The family hung on in their house as long as they could, but with explosions all around, shops closed and roads cut off one by one, they finally bowed to the inevitable. They packed up a few bags, locked the door and left. “We hoped the war would pass us and end soon,” Anastasiia tells me. Now, after two months without electricity or the internet, she has her laptop open on the bed and is catching up with the news. “We hope things will be better and the war will end,” she replies when I ask about political changes far away in the US. “I hope the new president will be better than the current one.” In an adjacent auditorium, dimly lit and warmed by a single bar heater, elderly evacuees are being looked after by volunteers. It’s a theatre of misery, with still, exhausted figures sitting or lying on camp beds, some apparently lost in thought 83-year-old Kateryna Klymko, from Sukhi Yaly near Kurakhove – another town slowly being overrun by the Russians – has just arrived. She briefly sobs as she describes how her house burned down, with all her possessions. “They bombed so much,” she says of the advancing Russian army. “It’s like the last judgement!” Could Ukraine still win, I ask? “**** only knows,” she sighs. “My heart aches from what I hear. We were bombed so much and so many people ***** there.” Russia launched an enormous ballistic missile strike on Dnipro overnight too. It was felt across the city and sent everyone including the BBC team to ***** shelters. The Biden administration’s latest decisions on Atacms and land mines are clearly designed to help Ukraine hold on to territory, both its own and in the Kursk region of Russia. Both could feature in negotiations next year, if that’s the path Donald Trump intends to pursue. So far, the US president-elect has given very few clues as to how he intends to end the conflict, beyond a typically vainglorious promise to end the war in 24 hours. Ukrainian politicians, from President Zelensky on down, seem keen to give Trump the benefit of the doubt. “I think he has taken a very smart approach,” former foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba told me, “by clearly setting out the goal – ‘I’m going to fix it’ – but without getting into details.” Despite Trump’s reputation – a zero-sum deal-maker with a curious admiration for Vladimir ****** – Dmytro Kuleba says people tend to oversimplify him. “He can hold a ******* picture in his head, and I’m sure it will not be simply transactional.” As the new administration is assembled and minds start to turn to how to realise Trump’s ambition, the former foreign minister believes one overriding factor will drive policy. “President Trump will undoubtedly be driven by one goal, to project his strength, his leadership,” he said. “And show that he is capable of fixing problems which his predecessor ******* to fix.” Projecting strength, Kuleba believes, will mean leaning on both sides. Walking away from Ukraine, he says, is not an option. Reuters Without US military aid, President Zelensky fears Ukraine would fall to Russia “As much as the fall of Afghanistan inflicted a severe wound on the foreign policy reputation of the Biden administration, if the scenario you mentioned is to be entertained by President Trump, Ukraine will become his Afghanistan, with equal consequences. “And I don’t think this is what he’s looking for.” Last weekend, President Zelensky said Kyiv would like to end the war through “diplomatic means” in 2025. The war, he said, would end “sooner” with Trump in the White House. It was classic Zelensky: part flattery, part challenge. Among many of those who have paid the heaviest price for Russia’s invasion, peace cannot come soon enough, even if that means further sacrifices. In Dnipro, a steady stream of injured soldiers comes through the doors of one of the country’s many prosthetic centres. Demian Dudlya, 27, lost a leg when his unit came under missile ******* 18 months ago. He’s already used to his carbon fibre limb and is even training for next year’s Invictus Games. But when it comes to the war, he’s less optimistic. “I think most likely two regions [Donetsk and Luhansk] will be taken from us, and Crimea,” he says. “I am not confident we will push them back from those regions. We have neither people nor weapons.” BBC/Joe Phua Demian lost his leg in a Russian missile ******* in 2023 Opinion polls paint a mixed picture but show that more and more Ukrainians want this war to end, soon. Especially here in the east, where the sirens sound several times a day. A growing ********* say they’re willing to give up territory to secure peace. “I think that the end of the war will happen, says 28-year-old Andrii Petrenko, when I ask him what he expects when Donald Trump takes office. Andrii is being fitted with his first prosthetic, after losing a leg three months ago. “Either they will agree and go to the 1991 borders, or the territories will be surrendered. The main thing is that the war ends and people stop dying.” Source link #Russias #advance #return #Trump Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]