Pelican Press

Microsoft Windows 365 Link Cloud-Based Mini PC That Resembles Apple’s Mac Mini Launched Microsoft Windows 365 Link Cloud-Based Mini PC That Resembles Apple’s Mac Mini Launched Microsoft Windows 365 Link Cloud PC was unveiled by the company on Tuesday. The company’s first Cloud PC device lets users quickly and securely connect to Windows 365. Microsoft’s new compact PC bears a resemblance to Apple’s Mac Mini M4, although there are differences in how the devices function. The PC has a thin and light build and runs a cloud-based version of Windows 11. The Windows 365 Link offers dual monitor connectivity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and more similar to the Mac Mini. It will be available in April 2025. Microsoft Windows 365 Link Price, Availability Windows 365 Link, announced at the Microsoft Ignite event 2024, will be available for purchase in select markets starting April 2025 with a price tag of $349 (roughly Rs. 30,000). However, Microsoft is allowing organisations in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the ***, and the US to apply for the Windows 365 Link preview programme. Interested users in these regions can reach out to their Microsoft account team and request to join the preview programme by December 15, 2024. The launch of Windows 365 Link comes a month after Apple unveiled its new Mac Mini M4. The latter starts at Rs. 59,900 in India for the base model. The version with the M4 Pro chip costs Rs. 1,49,900. Microsoft Windows 365 Link Specifications The Windows 365 Link runs a cloud-based version of Windows 11 and houses an undisclosed Intel processor with 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The device designed for corporate customers — specifically desk-based workers — offers dual 4K monitor support, along with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. It offers support for high-performance video playback and conferencing. Microsoft states that it is working to support high-fidelity meetings with partner solutions such as Webex by Cisco. The Windows 365 Link is equipped with three USB Type-A 3.2 ports, a USB Type-C 3.2 port, an HDMI port, a DisplayPort, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an Ethernet port, a Kensington lock port, and a port for the power cord. The Windows 365 Link carries a locked-down operating system with no local data or apps, and no local admin users. Microsoft states that the elimination of local data and apps and admin rights reduces the chances of malware. It offers passwordless authentication using Microsoft Entra ID. Features like Secure Boot, the dedicated Trusted Platform Module, Hypervisor Code Integrity, BitLocker encryption, and the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint detection and response sensor can’t be turned off, further helping to secure the device. Organisations using Windows 365 with Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Entra ID and meeting existing Windows 365 requirements are eligible to use the Windows 365 Link. It is compatible with wired and wireless peripherals, monitors, audio devices, input devices like keyboards and mice, cameras, storage devices, and hubs. The Windows 365 Link measures 120x120x30mm. Source link #Microsoft #Windows #Link #CloudBased #Mini #Resembles #Apples #Mac #Mini #Launched Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gold Miners: Jurisdictional, Balance Sheet Risks Still Loom Large for the Sector Gold Miners: Jurisdictional, Balance Sheet Risks Still Loom Large for the Sector Jurisdictional risk is any additional risk that arises from doing business in a foreign country. The problem with this type of risk is that when it materialises, it does so without warning. As exemplified by two recent events, jurisdictional risk for gold mining companies is relatively high among the countries of West ******* (the countries highlighted on the following map). The first of these events was a statement in early-October from the president of Burkina Faso that the government may withdraw existing permits for mines. This statement affected a number of Western gold mining companies, including TSI stock selection Fortuna Mining (NYSE:). FSM currently generates about 25% of its gold production in Burkina Faso. The aforementioned statement by Burkina Faso’s president caused a 10% single-day plunge in the FSM stock price. The company put out a press release that soothed fears and the stock price quickly recovered, but the risk ******** and could move back to centre-stage at any time. The second of these events occurred early this week when Australia-listed Resolute Mining (ASX:), which is not a current TSI stock, advised that its CEO and two other employees had been detained by the government of Mali due to a disagreement over the government’s share of revenue from RSG’s Syama gold mine. In response to this news the RSG stock price immediately dropped by around 30% and, as illustrated by the following daily chart, is down by more than 50% from last month’s high. At the time of writing the employees are still being held ******** by the Mali government, which apparently is demanding a $160M payment. In response to the RSG news, the stocks of some other gold mining companies with substantial exposure to Mali were hit hard. The hit to the B2Gold (NYSE:) stock price was relatively mild, however, even though the company’s most important currently-producing mine (Fekola) is located in Mali. We assume that this is because the company negotiated a new agreement with the Mali government only two months ago. When nothing untoward happens in a country with high jurisdictional risk over a long *******, investors tend to forget about the risk and the risk discount factored into the stock prices of companies operating in that country becomes small. As mentioned at the start of this discussion, the problem is that when this type of risk materialises, which it eventually almost always does, there is never any warning and therefore never time to get out prior to the price collapse. This is not a reason to avoid completely the stocks of companies operating in high-risk countries, but it is a reason to only buy such stocks when the risk discount is high and to manage the risk via appropriate position sizing and scaling out into strength. Balance Sheet Risk Materialises WITH Warning Unlike jurisdictional risk, balance sheet risk doesn’t suddenly appear out of nowhere. The signs of trouble are almost always obvious for a long ******* before the ‘crunch’. If management doesn’t take decisive action soon enough to recapitalise the company, there will no longer be an opportunity to recapitalise in a way that doesn’t ******** a huge amount of shareholder value. On Wednesday of this week the shareholders of I-80 Gold Corp (NYSE:) learned this lesson. The IAU stock price was down 58% to a new all-time low on Wednesday 13th November in reaction to the company reporting its financial situation, operating results and a new development plan. In a nutshell, it was an acknowledgement that the company is under severe financial stress. However, this should not have come as a big surprise given that the company reported a working capital deficit of US$60M more than three months ago and has a loss-making business, meaning that the working capital deficit was bound to increase in the absence of new long-term financing. A strong balance sheet is especially important for gold mining companies that either are in the mine construction phase or have commenced production but are not cash-flow positive. That’s because such companies need a sizable ‘cash/financing cushion’ to stay in business. For exploration-stage companies, having such a cushion is not as critical because these companies can survive by either temporarily stopping their exploration work or doing the occasional small equity financing. The crux of the matter is that close attention should be paid to the balance sheet, which forms part of the information that public companies issue on a quarterly basis. Source link #Gold #Miners #Jurisdictional #Balance #Sheet #Risks #Loom #Large #Sector Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

************ olive harvest under threat from ******** settler attacks and restrictions ************ olive harvest under threat from ******** settler attacks and restrictions Family handout Hanan Abu Salameh, 59, was shot and ******* by an ******** soldier while she harvested olives On a Thursday afternoon towards the end of last month, a 59-year-old ************ woman set out to gather olives on her family’s land near the village of Faqqua, in the north of the occupied West Bank. It was something that Hanan Abu Salameh had done for decades. Within minutes, the mother of seven and grandmother of 14 lay dying in the dust of the olive grove, with a bullet wound in her chest – she’d been shot by an ******** soldier. Even though the family had co-ordinated their intention to pick olives with the ******* Defense Forces (IDF), according to her son Fares and husband Hossam, the soldier fired several shots as other family members fled for cover. The IDF says it’s investigating the incident, but Hanan’s grieving relatives have little hope or expectation that her ******* will be brought to justice. This wasn’t an isolated incident. Harvesting olives is an age-old ritual and also an economic necessity for many Palestinians, but, according to the UN, it is increasingly precarious. Farmers across the West Bank – internationally regarded as ************ land occupied by ******* – face heightened risks, like organised attacks by ******** settlers seeking to sabotage the olive harvest, along with the use of force by ******** security forces to block roads and Palestinians’ access to their lands. “Last year we couldn’t even harvest our olives, except for a very small amount,” says Omar Tanatara, a farmer from the village of Umm Safa. “At one point, the army came, threw the olives we’d already gathered on the ground, and ordered us to go home,” says Omar, who is also a member of the village council. “Some people were even shot at and olives trees were cut down with saws – that’s how we later found them,” adds Omar, as he and other villagers use small hand-held rakes to pull this year’s harvest from their remaining trees while they can. The olive harvest is a vital activity for the Palestianian economy in the West Bank Even when ******** and international activists accompany villagers to their olive groves, hoping to deter the threat, there’s no guarantee of safety. Zuraya Hadad instinctively winces as we watch a video of the incident in which her ribs were broken by a masked man wielding a large stick. The ******** peace activist had been helping ************ farmers pick their olives when she was assaulted without provocation. Rather than arresting her attacker, ******** soldiers, who’d accompanied settlers to the site, just told him to move on. “Even when we come to help, it doesn’t guarantee that the Palestinians can harvest their olives,” Zuraya tells me as she recovers from her injuries at home. “We try to raise awareness, but in the end it’s either the settlers steal the olives or cut the trees, or they remain unpicked and go to waste.” Land is at the heart of the decades-old conflict between ******* and the Palestinians – who controls it and who has access to it. For thousands of ************ families and villages, cultivating and harvesting olives is a big part of their economy. But many say that, in recent times, access to trees on their land has been impeded, often violently by ******** settlers. Hundreds of trees – which can take years to reach fruit-bearing maturity – have been deliberately burned or cut down, says the UN. More than 96,000 dunums (approximately 96 sq km; 37 sq miles) of olive groves in the West Bank also went uncultivated in 2023 because of ******** restrictions on access for ************ farmers. ******** peace activist Zuraya Hadad was attacked by a masked man as she accompanied ************ farmers to the harvest After being gathered by hand, villagers from Umm Safa take sacks full of olives to the nearby factory, where the presses have restarted this season. Olives are the most important agricultural product in the West Bank. In a good year, they’re worth more than $70m (£54m) to the ************ economy. But income was well down last year and this year will be even worse, says factory owner Abd al-Rahman Khalifa, as even fewer farmers are able to harvest their crop owing to attacks by settlers. “Let me give you an example,” he tells me. “My brother-in-law in Lubban – next to the ******** settlement – went to pick his own olives, but they broke his arms and they made him leave along with everyone who was with him.” “We, as Palestinians, don’t have petrol or big companies. Our main agricultural crop is olives,” he adds. “So, like the Gulf depends on oil, and the Americans on business, our economy is dependent on the olive tree.” On the hill overlooking the olive groves of Umm Safa stands an ******** settler outpost – a farm. The extremist settler who runs it, Zvi Bar Yosef, was sanctioned this year by the *** and other Western governments for repeated acts of ********* against Palestinians, including twice threatening families at gunpoint. Over the last year of the war in Gaza, ******* settlers have been emboldened by the support of far-right ******** ministers like Itamar Ben-Gvir. As national security minister, he has given out free firearms to hundreds of settlers and has encouraged them to assert their right to what – they say – is their “****-given” land. Ben-Gvir has also been accused of openly supporting the disruption of olive harvesting on ************ land. At the olive press, farmers wait patiently in the yard to witness the transformation of the olives they’ve been able to gather this year into “liquid gold”. The olive tree has been a symbol of this land for centuries. For generations of Palestinians, it is their link to the land – a link that is under threat now more than ever. Source link #************ #olive #harvest #threat #******** #settler #attacks #restrictions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

****** Friday kitchen deals include the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer at a record-low price ****** Friday kitchen deals include the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer at a record-low price One of our favorite air fryer toaster ovens is on ***** for a record low. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, which has 11 cooking functions and takes up less counter space than the pricier “Pro” model, is available for $80 off. The appliance will usually set you back $350, but this ****** Friday deal brings the brushed stainless steel mode down to $270. Most other colorways are down to $280. Breville’s Smart Oven Air Fryer has a long list of cooking functions: toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, warm, pizza, air fry, reheat, cookies and slow cook. The oven uses five quartz heating elements known for quick and consistent heating. It uses algorithms to direct heat to where it’s needed most for each mode. The oven uses “super convection” tech to reduce cooking time by up to 30 percent. It speeds up cooking by raising hotter air and sinking the cooler, less dense air. It supports a wide temperature range of 120 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Breville Save $80 for ****** Friday on the brushed stainless steel model. $270 at Amazon The appliance requires a decent amount of counter space: 18.9-inch wide x 15.9-inch deep x 10.9-inch high. But in return, you can squeeze in six slices of pizza or toast, a whole chicken or nine muffins. Breville’s oven has a smooth-looking brushed stainless steel texture, including snazzy-looking knobs and buttons and an interior light that automatically turns on at the cooking cycle’s end. (You can also flip it on manually.) Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #****** #Friday #kitchen #deals #include #Breville #Smart #Oven #Air #Fryer #recordlow #price Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Target Earnings Preview: Revenue, EPS Growth in Focus as Holiday Sales Loom Large Target Earnings Preview: Revenue, EPS Growth in Focus as Holiday Sales Loom Large Target Corp. (NYSE:) engages in the operation and ownership of general merchandise stores. It offers food assortments including perishables, dry groceries, dairy, and frozen items. It has been modernizing the supply chain to compete with pure e-commerce players. It’s acquisition of “Shipt” to provide same-day delivery of groceries, essentials, home, electronics as well as other products. Target provides an array of owned & premium branded goods ranging from household essentials and electronics to toys and apparel for men, women, and kids. It also houses food and **** supplies, home furnishings and decor, home improvement, automotive products, and seasonal merchandise. It also offers in-store amenities, consisting of Target Caf’, Target Photo, Target Optical, Portrait Studio, Starbucks (NASDAQ:), and other food service offerings. TGT Q3 2024 reports earnings at 6:30 AM ET Wednesday, Nov 20, 2024 34 beats since Q2 2012 11 Misses since Q2 2012 Analyst Ratings Earnings Expectation Price Performance: Fundamentals: Option Statistics: Put/Call ratio for Nov. 22 expiry is 0.3349% more calls than puts which suggests the following three scenarios: With Put/Call ratio is lower than 0.50 for the next 3 upcoming expiry suggests that the traders are very bullish. Earning miss or lower guidance could trigger a short-lived sell-off followed by more buyers. Earning and guidance in line or better than estimates trigger a sharp rally. Key Highlights: Target strong omnichannel strategy has boosted traffic across both physical stores and digital platforms. TGT visitor traffic was up 1% YoY as per data from Placer.ai and has outpaced Walmart (NYSE:), which had 0.9% visitor growth YoY. Company strategy of price reduction for necessary items helped it to attract conscious shoppers to stores. The company has strategically charted a comprehensive course to strengthen its market presence and boost sales performance. This includes a significant investment of approximately $3-$4 billion in fiscal 2024, focused on expanding operations, attracting new customers, and optimizing services and supply chain facilities. Technical Analysis Perspective: TGT is gradually heading towards a long-term falling trendline from November 2021 high of 268.98, this week between 161 -169 range. A large complex inverse head and shoulders bullish formation is in the making which will be completed once the stock penetrates 185/186 resistance and may take a couple of weeks to months. The above-mentioned formation is a bullish pattern and appears as a base for the upcoming large move in the medium to longer term. Key obstacle post earnings are sitting between 161 -169 range, which if not taken out then a range trade between 161 to 145 will continue. TGT Weekly Chart TGT Seasonality Chart TGT 19 years seasonality suggests that it closes 2.7% higher in November 45% of the time. Conclusion: Technical setup suggests that the stock is forming a long-term base in the form of a large inverse head and shoulders, which will be triggered once prices break 185/186 and ******** valid as long as 132/130 support ******** intact. Key obstacle post earnings are between 161 – 169 range. A word of wisdom: Plan your trade and trade your plan. Source link #Target #Earnings #Preview #Revenue #EPS #Growth #Focus #Holiday #Sales #Loom #Large Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Logan Paul accused of misleading fans over cryptocurrency investments Logan Paul accused of misleading fans over cryptocurrency investments Getty Images Logan Paul, the massively popular social media personality, is facing fresh questions over his cryptocurrency dealings amid ongoing concerns he may have profited from misleading fans. The BBC has seen new evidence suggesting he promoted investments without revealing he had a financial interest in them. The influence of Paul – whose YouTube channel has more than 23 million followers – appears to have caused prices in these investments to spike, leading to suggestions he could have profited from sales of any tokens he held. Paul also currently faces a multi-million-dollar lawsuit over a ******* crypto project called CryptoZoo. He denies any wrongdoing. The BBC has discovered that shortly before Paul tweeted about a particular crypto coin in 2021, an anonymous crypto wallet with close connections to his public wallet had traded in the coin. That anonymous wallet went on to make a $120,000 (£92,000) profit. Crypto wallets (which can be physical devices or an online service) hold users’ keys to their accounts, and let people send, receive and spend crypto. Our finding comes after Time Magazine reported similar activity involving a different cryptocurrency and another anonymous wallet. For several months, Paul refused to talk to the BBC about our investigation. Then he appeared to relent, inviting us to interview him at his gym in Puerto Rico. However, when our crew arrived, a Logan Paul lookalike turned up in the YouTuber’s place, shortly followed by a crowd shouting ****** about the BBC. Minutes after abandoning the interview, we received a lawyer’s letter on behalf of Paul, warning us of the possible consequences if we published our findings. Meme coins Logan Paul built a worldwide following as an internet celebrity by uploading short video clips, first to the now-closed platform Vine, and then on YouTube. About three years ago, Paul’s videos began mentioning cryptocurrency (crypto, as it is commonly known) more and more. Crypto is a form of digital money that uses secure technology to work, without the need for a central bank. In 2021, Paul promoted a series of extremely high-risk crypto tokens called “meme coins”. These are usually inspired by internet jokes or memes and are supported by online communities. Meme coins have no other real purpose other than to be traded and, since they have no intrinsic worth, their value can – and often does – drop to zero. Paul extolled the virtues of an Elon Musk-themed meme coin known as Elongate. “Elongate made me rich. Elon baby let’s go!” Paul announced in a video clip to Maverick Club, his subscription-only fan club. Following this namecheck, the price of Elongate rose by over 6,000% to an all-time high. It then remained at that price for a few hours before it crashed. We cannot be sure of Logan Paul’s intentions when he released his clip. However, it seems likely that his mention of Elongate affected its price. Tech journalist Will Gotsegen says crypto is a market driven to some extent by social media and influencers: “A big guy with a lot of influence… someone like Logan Paul, buys a tonne of crypto and tells their followers about it. They’re going to buy it too.” Getty Images Logan Paul has now branched out as a star of US wrestling The anonymous crypto wallet analysed by the BBC appears to have close connections to Paul. Anyone can see the transactions made by a wallet, but the owner can choose to remain anonymous. If an owner attaches their name or personal details it becomes a public wallet. We could see that the wallet first received funds in February 2021 from a public wallet owned by Logan Paul. It then started buying and trading crypto. Logan Paul: Bad Influence? Logan Paul, one of the biggest social media influencers in the world, is facing criticism for his role in promoting cryptocurrency projects. Matt Shea investigates the allegations. Speaking to law enforcement and alleged victims, and trying to get close to the man himself, Shea seeks to finally answer the question: did Logan Paul do anything wrong? Watch on BBC Three at 21:00, 20 November or on BBC iPlayer shortly after broadcast The wallet was later paid funds from Maverick Club and held Elongate when Paul promoted it on 10 May 2021. Shortly after, it also traded in another Musk-related meme coin – after Paul had tweeted that it was headed “to the moon”. In the crypto community, this means someone believes the price of the coin is about to ****** up. About an hour before Paul’s tweet, the unknown wallet purchased almost $160,000 (£123,000) worth of the token. The tweet prompted an influx of buyers, spiking the price. Twelve hours later, the wallet sold most of its holding. The total profit made from this trade appears to be just over $120,000 (£92,000). Logan Paul chose not to respond to the BBC’s allegations regarding the crypto wallet, the trading that occurred within it, or his connection to it, despite responding to some of our other requests via his legal team. ***** Doink In June 2021, Paul also promoted a meme coin called “***** Doink”. Anyone who bought it would own shares in a cartoon character that resembled a metal coil. They would earn a portion of its earnings if it appeared in a TV show or film. Paul promoted the token on Twitter (as the site was then known), and told a Telegram group dedicated to ***** Doink that he “believed” in it, saying: “I think it’s going to go crazy.” Again, this led to a huge influx of buyers, causing ***** Doink’s value to spike. Then – following a familiar pattern – large-scale holders of the token began selling, causing its price to fall by 96% in just two weeks. Time Magazine analysed another anonymous wallet that had bought ***** Doink prior to Logan Paul’s promotion of the coin and then sold its holding shortly after. This wallet later sent $100,000 (£78,000) to Paul’s public wallet. When the BBC asked the influencer about this wallet, his lawyers did not deny that it belonged to him, or was held for his benefit, but were adamant that the $100,000 that was transferred was not related to ***** Doink. They do accept that Paul traded ***** Doink, but say he only made $17,000 (£13,400). Puerto Rico For several months, Paul refused to be interviewed by the BBC. Then, unexpectedly, he agreed to talk to us at the boxing gym in Puerto Rico that he co-owns with his brother. We sent Paul a list of the allegations we wanted him to respond to, and his PR team requested we travel to the Caribbean island, so he could answer in person. They also insisted we flew into the island while it was being pummeled by Tropical Storm Ernesto, which had knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people. At the gym, we noticed a strange atmosphere – with a suspicious number of his own cameras pointed at us. Paul’s assistant insisted our cameras should be recording from the moment the star entered the room, because of his strict schedule and timekeeping. Then things became even stranger. Instead of Logan Paul, a lookalike arrived and sat down in front of our reporter, Matt Shea, and began impersonating the YouTuber. We called him out and began complaining to Paul’s assistant, asking whether the real Logan Paul would be coming. At that moment, a group of people suddenly appeared, apparently from nowhere, wielding banners and shouting that the BBC were “paedophiles”. We had flown all that way just to be trolled. “This is ridiculous”: BBC interview with Logan Paul lookalike goes awry In the past few years, a number of celebrities have run into legal trouble for promoting crypto to followers without disclosing that they had vested interests. Kim Kardashian was fined $1.26m (£1m) in 2022 for promoting a token called EthereumMax on her Instagram account. According to Gary Gensler, the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the body policing the US investment industry, if a celebrity is promoting a particular crypto token, they are “supposed to tell you if they get paid, how much they get paid, whether they own the tokens, whether they made money on the tokens, whether they actually know something about the project”. Gary Gensler, head of the SEC: Celebrities should be open about their financial links with crypto CryptoZoo Logan Paul is now facing a lawsuit concerning his next venture in crypto – CryptoZoo. This was marketed as an online trading card game, but instead of cards, CryptoZoo was to use NFTs (non-fungible tokens) – collectible pieces of digital art that can have a value of their own. To play CryptoZoo, it was necessary to buy a cryptocurrency called Zoo Token, that could then be used to buy NFT “eggs”. These eggs were supposed to eventually hatch into NFT “animals” that would breed and give birth to NFT “hybrid animals” with names like penguin-shark and panda-fin. Paul’s team claimed these hybrid animals would somehow make participants money by passively generating more Zoo Tokens. “It’s a really fun game that makes you money,” he told his audience shortly ahead of the launch in September 2021. CryptoZoo attracted about $18.5m (£14.3m) in investment. Rueben Tauk – a 21-year-old from north-east England – was among the Logan Paul fans who bought into CryptoZoo. “I was really excited to be part of something that he was doing.” However, the game was beset by problems from the moment it was released. “We were given certain expectations about features that would be released,” Rueben told us. “A lot of the time those features wouldn’t work. “After a certain point, you start to realise that something’s wrong.” Rueben Tauk lost £33,000 investing in CryptoZoo The value of the Zoo Tokens and the eggs started to plummet. Rueben says he personally lost £33,000. At least 130 investors are now involved in a lawsuit against Paul (Rueben is not one of them). They claim they lost about $4.2m (£3.25m). The lawyer behind the claim, Tom Kherkher – himself a popular YouTuber on legal affairs – says the ******** to deliver the game forms only part of the case. He says leaked messages reveal Paul and his team were involved in a “stealth launch” of the Zoo Tokens, allowing them to quietly buy in at a low price. “The team appeared to agree that they can begin selling once the total value of all the Zoo Token in circulation hits $200m [£157m],” he says. “If you had that document with that exact verbiage issued by a CEO of a publicly traded company, they would be charged with ****** in two seconds. That is insider trading.” Paul has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing relating to CryptoZoo. Instead, he has ***** the blame on other members of the team whom he also says ******* to deliver the promised features. Earlier this year, Paul announced a partial compensation scheme for disappointed investors. He promised to refund people who had bought the NFT eggs, but only if they agreed not sue him for anything relating to CryptoZoo. Paul is also bringing a libel claim against one of his online detractors in the USA, for claims made about his motives. Logan Paul’s immense popularity depends on his fans, and shows little sign of declining. Reuters 2023: KSI (left) and Logan Paul publicise their soft drink, Prime, in Copenhagen In recent years, Paul has turned his hand to boxing and wrestling, as well as launching the drinks company Prime, with British influencer KSI. The product became notorious for its viral launch – with only a limited stocks made available, Prime spawned a re-***** market with bottles being advertised for hundreds of pounds. It was a testament to both Logan Paul and KSI’s influence over their primarily young audience. However, for at least one fan, his image has been tarnished for good. “Once you listen to someone and trust what they’re saying and they betray that trust,” says Rueben Tauk, “their words don’t mean anything to you any more.” Additional reporting by Ben Milne and Daisy Bata Source link #Logan #Paul #accused #misleading #fans #cryptocurrency #investments Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Directors Thrilled To Return To Series’ Roots Dragon Age: The Veilguard Directors Thrilled To Return To Series’ Roots Dragon Age: The Veilguard had fans waiting a decade, and it seems so far the wait was worth it, but the latest entry isn’t a return to the franchise–it was a return to the Golden Age of BioWare. Along the way in its development, Dragon Age: The Veilguard originally included multiplayer elements until EA and BioWare changed course. The massive decision for the overhaul was supported by EA and has seemed to have been the right call. Speaking on the My Perfect Console podcast, The Veilguard directors Corinne Busche and John Epler described taking the game back to its roots and going against the stream with some gaming trends. “I felt very supported through this by BioWare and EA,” Busche said (via Eurogamer). “And I’ll tell you, it’s intimidating to buck the trends in an era where it feels like almost every game must be an open world.” You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. The Good and The Bad of Dragon Age: The Veilguard Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter Epler, a BioWare veteran of 17 years and Dragon Age: Inquisition producer, said that the push to return to form was deliberate from the studio. “You know, I personally love Mass Effect Andromeda but there was also, we had open-world that was a big thing in the industry at the time and that starts to dilute your focus,” Epler said. “We had Anthem-live-service dilutes your focus. So for us, it was really understanding what it is that people come to the studio to do–they work here for a reason, they want to make big stories that allow you to be a big hero of your own creation, but also a focus on characters, a focus on that experience of living in a different world.” When the decision was called for the change, Epler said he looked at the things that made the studio what it was known for: storytelling and epic single-player RPGs. “For The Veilguard we just wanted to get back to those things that made the studio what it was, that contributed to what I would call the Golden Age of BioWare, when there was hit after hit being turned out,” he added. “The Veilguard was a very conscious return to that with a focus on characters, storytelling and being just this really bombastic single-player RPG.” For more info on BioWare’s latest fantasy RPG, check out GameSpot’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard review-in-progress. Source link #Dragon #Age #Veilguard #Directors #Thrilled #Return #Series #Roots Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Law enforcers ride 1000km from Albany Regional Prison in Porridge Bikers group to raise money for children Law enforcers ride 1000km from Albany Regional Prison in Porridge Bikers group to raise money for children A group of law enforcers put down their batons last week to go on a 1000km expedition with a noble mission. Twenty-four prison officers, ex-prison officers and police officers spent three days travelling on motorbikes from Albany Regional Prison to Bunbury, shaking collection tins and selling merchandise to raise money for the children of the Great Southern. The Porridge Bikers — named after the 70s British sitcom — set off from ARP on Thursday, riding through Pardalup Prison, Bridgetown, Bunbury, Gnomesville, Margaret River, Nannup, Pemberton, Northcliffe and Walpole before circling back to ARP. Camera IconThe 24-strong crew left a biker representative at Gnomesville. Credit: Supplied The group began in 1999 with participants making the trek on bicycles, but paused for the last two years so prison officer Aaron Coldren decided to rejuvenate the charitable ride, swapping out muscle power for horsepower. “It went really great, without a hitch,” he said. “Throughout the years, we’ve seen less people riding pushbikes at the prison and it had been stagnant for a few years. “I brought up the idea of bikes and got huge interest which is great because we need a reasonable amount of numbers to go ahead with it. “It’s been totally revitalised so you can start at and end back at the prison and not some random place like Lake Grace.” Mr Coldren, who organised the event alongside Jason Jozwiak and Scott Rudkin, said the group will use the money raised from the ride (an estimated $1500) and other fundraising ventures to provide for “real kids’ needs” in the community. Camera IconThe group covered 1000km in three days. Credit: Aaron Coldren “Once we tally it up, we sit down and go OK, who needs what,” he said. “When we say we fundraise for the kids of the Great Southern we mean we actually go out and have a look who needs what so it’s a needs-based thing every time. “We’ve helped with Spencer Park Primary School upgrades, we’ve bought hospital beds, it could be anything. “If you donate to a big charity the money gets chewed up in admin fees, so we want to make sure that the money actually does change a ****’s life.” Mr Coldren thanked Clark Tyres for providing the support vehicle and trailer, Albany Motorcycles for servicing the bikes and Reece Plumbing for their donations. The next fundraising event will be a Porridge Derby, hosted at the ARP staff amenities on November 23. Anyone wanting to donate can contact the ARP on 9842 4444 and ask for the social club. Camera IconThe Porridge Bikers shook their tins at the towns they visited. Credit: Aaron Coldren Source link #Law #enforcers #ride #1000km #Albany #Regional #Prison #Porridge #Bikers #group #raise #money #children Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Early ****** Friday Gaming Headset Deals 2024: Up to 30% off Early ****** Friday Gaming Headset Deals 2024: Up to 30% off Update 11/13/24: Headsets have become a big part of gaming, so it’s no surprise that we’re seeing many excellent deals rolling out as we get closer to ****** Friday. That’s why we’ve gone ahead and added a couple of new deals we found in the $150-$200 price range, as well as updated all the already existing deals to reflect their latest pricing. Be sure to check back as we update this article regularly with the best deals we find! ****** Friday is just around the corner on November 29, but there are already a lot of excellent early ****** Friday gaming headset deals you can take advantage of. While headphones are great, they don’t come with a microphone, and if you don’t want to really spend the money or space dealing with two peripherals, headsets can easily fix that issue. Luckily, there is a huge selection of early ****** Friday deals out there from some of the best brands in the business, such as HyperX, SteelSeries, and Logitech. With so many options, it can be hard to pick something good, which is why we’ve gone out and collected some of our favorite early ****** Friday headset deals for you below. Also, if you’re thinking of upgrading the rest of your setup, check out these early ****** Friday gaming laptop deals, ****** Friday gaming PC deals, and ****** Friday gaming chair deals. HyperX Cloud III — $73 $100 27% off HyperX HyperX has made a lot of excellent headphones and headsets, and this budget offering is great with it’s 27% discount. It has connectivity to pretty much all the major consoles, and the audio fidelity is excellent for this price point, although the microphone isn’t retractable, which might be annoying for some. SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 — $89 $100 11% off JBL SteelSeries has made a name for itself in the mouse market, but its headsets are also really high quality, and while you only get an 11% discount with the Nova 3, it’s worth grabbing, especially for the retractable microphone. In terms of features, it comes with 7.1 surround, great audio fidelity, and a cool RGB ring on each earcup. Logitech G733 LIGHTSPEED — $95 $150 37% off Logitech Logitech is a juggernaut when it comes to gaming peripherals, and this G733 LIGHTSPEED headset is no different, and even without the 37% discount, it’s worth grabbing. It has a high level of comfort, surround sound, a detachable mic if you want to use it only as headphones, and you can even get an extra $4.75 off if you have My Best Buy Plus. Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX — $130 $180 28% off Best Buy Turtle Beach makes some great mid-range gear with budget pricing, and this Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX headset is no different. It has great audio quality, a retractable microphone, a 30-foot wireless range, and $50 discount that knocks the price down to $130. Astro Gaming A50 Gen 4 — $170 $250 32% off Astro Gaming One cool thing about the Astro Gaming A50 is that it’s not only a great headset for gaming, it also comes with it’s own base station which charges it, so you don’t have to just lay it randomly wherever you can on your desk. While the original $250 is a bit pricey, the 32% discount brings it down to a much more reasonable $170. CORSAIR VIRTUOSO XT — $200 $270 26% off Digital Trends Even though this is technically the non-RGB version of the same Virtuoso XT headset our reviewer Niels Broekhuijsen had his hands on, it is still ” a stunning wireless gaming headset that tries to achieve it all.” It’s a great option for those who want both a great headset and headphones, all for just $200 instead of $270. SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro — $194 $250 22% off Jacob ****** / Digital Trends / Digital Trends Taking it up yet another notch, this SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro even comes with its own built-in amplifier, so you can get high-quality and loud sounds at a twist of a knob. It’s discounted down to $220 from $250, and is perfect for somebody who really wants the best of the best. How to Choose a Headset on ****** Friday Buying any good gaming headset can make a big difference in your gaming experience, but there are some things that are certainly worth considering before you take the plunge. For example, having a detachable or retractable microphone can be very convenient, especially if you plan to buy a stand-alone microphone in the future. Another thing to think about is whether you want to go with a wired or wireless option, given that the latter means you’ll have to keep up with charging the battery, which can get frustrating sometimes. Of course, the most important thing to consider is always going to be the audio quality, not just for the headphones but for the microphone as well. After all, if the folks you are playing with can’t hear you properly or you sound garbled, then it doesn’t make much sense to spend a big sum of money. Also, while not as big a deal, having headphones with better and more complex surround sound can be super helpful if you play the types of games that really focus on audio, such as FPS or competitive games. How We Chose These Headset ****** Friday Deals While there are a huge amount of headsets out there, you’ll also find many generic options that aren’t necessarily that good. That’s why we fall back on our years of experience as reviewers and deal hunters to not only pick the best deal but also headsets that come from quality brands and are worth your investment. At the end of the day, we want to make sure you get the best bang for your buck, so we aim to find you the cheapest headset deals before putting them on this list so that you’re always buying with confidence. Source link #Early #****** #Friday #Gaming #Headset #Deals Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Can Nvidia Save the Market One More Time Today? Can Nvidia Save the Market One More Time Today? Thank Nvidia (NASDAQ:) for yesterday’s uptick in the stock market. The stock accounted for nearly 70% of the day’s gains in the Bloomberg 500, a proxy for the . Interestingly, the equal-weight declined today.Today is a significant day, as the market will closely watch the AI giant report its earnings after the close. A few aspects seem unusual as we approach the report: Notably, options volume—especially call volume—has been lower than usual over the last two trading sessions. This is unexpected on the eve of an earnings report and is something to watch throughout the day tomorrow. Implied volatility levels appear notably lower heading into tomorrow’s earnings results than in the past. It was also unusual that the stock surged nearly 5% today on fairly average volumes and below-normal call volume. This situation marks a departure from previous trends in earnings results, which might indicate a shift in investor enthusiasm. It’s uncertain, but it could be that all the speculative positions have already been established. However, it is clear that the notional gamma values at the $150 strike are double what they were during the last report in August at the $130 strike. In August, the gamma at $130 for 8/30 expiration was around $50 million on the day of the results, with an implied volatility (IV) of 152. The accumulation of gamma suggests that $150 may act as a significant level of resistance, mainly as implied volatility (IV) decreases following the results, prompting call holders to sell their shares if prices fail to surpass $150. Nvidia’s influence on the market is well-documented, and if it exceeds expectations, causing its stock to rise, the broader market could follow suit. Conversely, if Nvidia fails to surprise the market, it could pose problems for the overall market. Interest appears to be subdued currently, and the likelihood of the stock advancing tomorrow could be challenging without any significant surprises. Given the company’s beat by $2 billion, guide higher by another $2 billion, it seems the secret is already out. The final piece will be the 1D. In Nvidia’s latest report in August, it surged to 21.4 on the day of the results, and it closed yesterday at 11.6. That 21.4 level is a good barometer of how nervous the market is heading toward results after the close, and the IV crush that is likely to follow in the S&P 500. Original Post Source link #Nvidia #Save #Market #Time #Today Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Susan Smith to ask parole board for her freedom after serving 30 years for drowning her children Susan Smith to ask parole board for her freedom after serving 30 years for drowning her children COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Susan Smith, the South Carolina mother convicted of ******** her two sons by rolling her car into a lake in 1994 with the boys strapped in their seats inside, will ask a parole board for her freedom on Wednesday. Smith, 53, is serving a life sentence after a jury convicted her of ******* but decided not to sentence her to ******. Under state law at the time, she is eligible for a parole hearing every two years now that she has spent 30 years behind bars. Smith will make her case for freedom to the seven-member parole board by video link from prison. Then she will go offline and her ex-husband and father of the children, as well as the prosecutor at her ******* trial, will argue that she remain incarcerated. Smith ******* 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alex because a man she was having an affair with suggested the boys were the reason they didn’t have a future together, prosecutors said. A decision to grant parole requires a two-thirds vote of board members present at the hearing, according to the state Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services. Parole in South Carolina is granted only about 8% of the time and is less likely with an inmate’s first appearance before the board, in notorious cases or when prosecutors and the families of victims are opposed. Smith made international headlines in October 1994 when she said she was carjacked late at night near the city of Union and that a man drove away with her sons inside. Smith, who is white, said the carjacker was ******. For nine days, Smith made numerous and sometimes tearful pleas asking that Michael and Alex be returned safely. The whole time, the boys were in Smith’s car at the bottom of nearby John D. Long Lake, authorities said. Investigators said Smith’s story didn’t add up. Carjackers usually just want a vehicle, so investigators asked why would they let Smith out but not her kids. The traffic light where Smith said she had stopped when her car was taken would only be red if another car was waiting to cross, and Smith said no other cars were around. Other bits and pieces of the story did not make sense. Smith ultimately confessed to letting her car roll down a boat ramp and into the lake. A re-creation by investigators showed it took six minutes for the Mazda to dip below the surface, while cameras inside the vehicle showed water pouring in through the vents and steadily rising. The boys’ bodies were found dangling upside-down in their car seats, one tiny hand pressed against a window, Prosecutors said Smith was having an affair with the wealthy son of the owner of the business she worked at. He broke it off because she had the two young sons. Smith’s lawyers said she was remorseful, was suffering a mental breakdown and intended to **** alongside her children but left the car at the last moment. The 1995 trial of the young mother became a national sensation and a true ****** touchstone even though it wasn’t televised by a judge who worried about what cameras were doing to the O.J. Simpson ******* trial going on at the same time. Her lawyers worked to save her life, noting that Smith’s father had ******* himself and that her stepfather was having **** with her along with the owner of the business where she worked. From prison, Smith can make phone calls and answer text messages, many coming from journalists and interested men. Those messages and phone calls were released under South Carolina’s open records act, something Smith didn’t initially realize could happen. She said the invasion of her privacy upset her along with the public revelation that she was juggling conversations about the future with several men. Some men know why she is famous. Others are more coy. One told her he was going to use the dates of her birthday and those of her ***** sons when he played the Powerball lottery. Others chatted about their lives and sports. Many promised her a home on the outside and a happy life. Smith says in some of the messages she still grieves for her children. “I am really sad today and just want to hang out in the bed. Today is my youngest son’s birthday, he would have been 30 today. Hard to believe,” Smith wrote in August 2023. Smith also had **** with guards. And she violated prison policies by giving out contact information for friends, family members and her ex-husband to a documentary producer who discussed paying her for her help, according to former prosecutor Tommy Pope. “The jury believed she got a life sentence and that’s what she should serve,” Pope said last month shortly after the parole hearing was announced. Source link #Susan #Smith #parole #board #freedom #serving #years #drowning #children Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The best ****** Friday ****** vacuum deals from iRobot, Shark, Dyson and others The best ****** Friday ****** vacuum deals from iRobot, Shark, Dyson and others ****** vacuums can help automate a chore you may loathe doing yourself. And even if you don’t mind vacuuming regularly, it’s undeniable that it takes time out of your day that you could be using for other things. The ****** Friday and Cyber Monday time ******* is a great time to look for one of these smart home gadgets because you can often find them for hundreds of dollars off their usual prices — this year is no different. We’re seeing steep discounts on many of our favorite ****** vacuum cleaners, as well as some cordless vacuums too. These are the best ****** Friday ****** vacuum deals you can get this year. Check back as we get close to ****** Friday proper for all of the latest deals. ****** Friday ****** vacuum deals iRobot Roomba Vac ****** vacuum (Q011) for $140 ($110 off): This entry-level ****** vacuum has strong suction power with three cleaning modes and smart navigation, and you can control it and set cleaning schedules from the iRobot mobile app. iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ ****** vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $999 ($400 off): If you’re looking to splurge, this robo vac-and mop combo machine is one of our top picks for the best ****** vacuums thanks to its excellent cleaning power, good mopping capabilities, solid battery life and well-designed self-emptying base. Shark AI Ultra ****** vacuum with self-emptying base for $350 ($250 off): A version of one of our top picks, this Shark ****** vacuum cleans both carpet and hard flooring well, has an easy-to-use app, a self-cleaning brushroll and a bagless self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris before you need to empty it. Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch ****** vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $550 ($350 off): This Shark combo machine automatically picks up and drops its mop pad when you program it to clean hard floors, plus its self-emptying base can hold up to 60 days of vacuumed debris and up to 30 days of cleaning liquid for mopping. Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro ****** vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $900 ($200 off): The PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro is the most premium ****** vacuum and mop that Shark sells and it has suction and mopping capabilities to match. The self-emptying base takes care of most things for you for up to 30 days, including emptying the machine’s dustbin, emptying and refilling the mop reservoir and the pad-drop system that holds the mopping pad when not in use. Roborock Q5 Pro ****** vacuum for $180 ($70 off with coupon): Roborock’s midrange vacuuming has 5500Pa of suction power, a 240-minute runtime and you can set no-go zones from within its companion app. Eufy 11S Max ****** vacuum for $130 ($120 off, Prime exclusive): One of our top picks for the best budget ****** vacuums, the 11S Max has a slim design that lets it get under furniture better than other models, good suction power for its size and a long battery life. Just remember that this robovac doesn’t have Wi-Fi connectivity, but it comes with a handy remote that lets you control it, set cleaning schedules and more. ****** Friday cordless vacuum deals Dyson Digital Slim cordless vacuum for $250 ($250 off): As its name suggests, this Dyson stick vacuum is 30 percent lighter than the V11, which should make it even easier to handle and maneuver while you clean. It also has a 40-minute runtime and an LCD display that shows the amount of battery life left. Dyson V15 Detect Absolute cordless vacuum for $550 ($200 off): This is our top pick for the best cordless vacuum you can get right now thanks to its excellent suction power, relatively light weight and good battery life. This model comes with a Fluffy Optic cleaning head that illuminates the ground in front of you so you can see where the most debris *****, and the pack-up includes three additional cleaning head attachments. Dyson Gen 5 Outsize Absolute for $800 ($250 off): This Outsize model has 150 percent ******* bin capacity than the standard Gen 5 vacuum, making it better for those with larger homes or those who regularly have big messes to clean up. Its cleaner head is 25 percent wider as well, allowing it to cover a larger surface area in one go, and it comes with two batteries for a total of over two hours of runtime. Dyson Gen 5 Detect cordless vacuum for $813 ($137 off): The Gen 5 Detect is another excellent Dyson machine, very similar to the V15 Detect. We like that it has a single-button start and even stronger suction power, and it’s slightly newer than the V15 Detect as well. Tineco Pure One S11 cordless vacuum for $210 ($90 off with coupon): Our top budget pick in our best cordless vacuums guide, the One S11 provides good suction for the price and it includes Tineco’s iLoop smart sensor, which auto-adjusts suction power as you clean to account for messes big and small. Tineco Pure One Station 5 cordless vacuum with self-emptying base for $400 ($60 off with coupon): One of Tineco’s newest machines, the Station 5 stick vacuum cleans hard floors and carpets well, doesn’t choke when it meets **** hair and includes a self-cleaning HEPA filter to maintain strong, consistent suction power. Plus, the bagless, self-emptying base cleans the machine’s brush, tube, filter and dustbin after every time you use it. Tineco Pure One Station Furfree cordless vacuum with self-emptying base for $500 ($200 off with coupon): This model has a massive 3L self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris, and it comes with cleaning attachments that can make grooming your pets easier. Check out all of the latest ****** Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. Source link #****** #Friday #****** #vacuum #deals #iRobot #Shark #Dyson Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

U.S. ‘industrial renaissance’ is driving a rebound in fundraising U.S. ‘industrial renaissance’ is driving a rebound in fundraising Jonathan Gray, president and chief operating officer of Blackstone Inc., from left, Ron O’Hanley, chief executive officer of State Street Corp., Ted Pick, chief executive officer of Morgan Stanley, Marc Rowan, chief executive officer of Apollo Global Management LLC, and David Solomon, chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., during the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit in Hong Kong, China, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images An “industrial renaissance” in the U.S. is fueling demand for capital, Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management said at the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit in Hong Kong. “There is so much demand for capital, [including through debt and equity] … What’s going on is nothing short of extraordinary,” Rowan said on Tuesday during a panel discussion. This demand has been supported by massive government spending, particularly on infrastructure, the semiconductor industry and projects under the Inflation Reduction Act, said the asset manager, who is reportedly in the running for Treasury Secretary position under President-elect Donald Trump. “What we’re watching is this incredible demand for capital happening against a backdrop of a U.S. government that is running significant deficits. And so the capital raising business, I think that’s going to be a good business,” he said. Industrial policies, including the CHIPS and Science Act and the 2021 infrastructure legislation, warrant billions in spending. Rowan added that the U.S. has been the largest recipient of foreign direct investment over the past three years and is expected to stay at the top spot this year as well. Rowan and other panelists also identified energy and data centers — needed for artificial intelligence and digitization — as growth sectors requiring more capital. Blackstone President and COO Jonathan Gray told the panel that data centers were the biggest theme across his entire firm, with the company employing billions on their development. “We’re doing it in equity, we’re doing it financing … this is a space we like a lot, and we will continue to be all in as it relates to digital infrastructure.” Fundraising and M&A recovery Other panelists at the summit organized by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said that capital raising was well-positioned to recover from a recent slowdown. According to David Solomon, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, capital raising activity had reached peak levels in 2020 and 2021 amid massive Covid-era stimulus but later became muted amid the war in Ukraine, inflation pressures and tighter regulation from the Federal Trade Commission. There has been a recent pick up in activity as conditions have normalized, along with expectations of friendlier regulation on dealmaking from the FTC under the incoming Donald Trump administration, Solomon said. While there ******** an inflationary backdrop and other risks in the current environment, Ted Pick, CEO of Morgan Stanley said that the consumer and corporate community are “by in large, in good shape” as the economy continues to grow. “This environment has been one where, if you are in the business of allocating capital, it’s been great,” he said, adding that the group was now gearing up to get into “raising capital mode.” “That is [the] hallmark of a growing and thriving economy, which is where the classic underwriting and mergers and acquisitions businesses take hold,” he said. Solomon predicted that these trends would see “more robust” capital raising and M&A activity in 2025. Source link #U.S #industrial #renaissance #driving #rebound #fundraising Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Save Nearly 50% On The Awesome Peach’s Castle Lego Mario Set Ahead Of ****** Friday Save Nearly 50% On The Awesome Peach’s Castle Lego Mario Set Ahead Of ****** Friday The Lego Super Mario Peach’s Castle Expansion Set is down to its lowest price ever ahead of ****** Friday. Both Amazon and Walmart are offering the sprawling set for just $69 (was $130), though it’s unclear how long the deal will stick around. The set works with the interactive Lego Super Mario Adventures Starter Set–which is also on ***** for $40 (was $50), so consider snagging them both ahead of the busy shopping holiday. $69 (was $130) This awesome Lego Mario set clocks in at 1,216 pieces. When you’re done snapping its bricks together, you’ll have a large, interactive version of Peach’s Castle. It also features accessories like a Time Block, stained glass window, Bob-omb painting with a hidden Action Tag, and a cake with a Goomba hiding inside. You’ll also get figures for Bowser, Ludwig, and Toadette. The set plays nicely with other Lego Super Mario expansions, and the highly interactive castle is a great companion for any of the Super Mario Lego Starter Sets (but especially the Peach one) Keep in mind that, while this Peach’s Castle Set comes with tons of cool features and makes a great playset, it doesn’t actually include a Peach figure. For that, you’ll want to buy the Peach Adventures Starter Set, which is on ***** for $40 (was $50). This isn’t the only great Lego Super Mario deal up for grabs right now, as you’ll find plenty of others on ***** ahead of ****** Friday. Whether you want to pick up all three starter sets, a tiny expansion to use alongside Peach’s Castle, or a hilarious muscle car for Bowser, a bit of everything is on *****. Here’s a look at our favorites–and be sure to check out our ****** Friday Hub for even more great offers. ****** Friday Lego Super Mario Deals Source link #Save #Awesome #Peachs #Castle #Lego #Mario #Set #Ahead #****** #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Zombie ****** surrender policy had ‘huge flaws’ Zombie ****** surrender policy had ‘huge flaws’ Ben Schofield/BBC The model of ****** known as k-mach-165 was among thousands of blades surrendered by a wholesaler in Luton The Home Office underestimated how many zombie knives and machetes would be surrendered ahead of a recent ban, documents show. Research by the BBC also suggests some owners may have been offered more in compensation than their knives cost. An MP said there were “huge flaws” in the government’s original impact assessment for the scheme, while another queried why compensation was not capped. The Home Office said the scheme had taken dangerous weapons “off our streets” and that compensation claims had “undergone stringent review”. Steve Hubbard/BBC A pallet-load of boxes containing hundreds of k-mach-165s was part of a haul surrendered to Bedfordshire Police in September The ban was introduced by the previous ************* government to cut serious ********* and ******. It widened the definition of zombie knives, which were already banned, to include knives that were 8in (20cm) long, if they had other specific features. The Home Office opened a month-long surrender and compensation scheme before it became law on 24 September. It offered to pay a minimum of £10 per ****** to retailers and individuals handing in three or more. But BBC research suggests knives of the type banned could be bought far more cheaply than this. It comes after an investigation found ******** blades were still available to buy online, a month after they were outlawed. An impact assessment shows the Home Office thought owners would hand in 472 blades, resulting in compensation of about £14,000. Officials would not reveal the actual total but said the results of the scheme would be published “shortly”. However, partial data from several police forces in England and Wales shows at least 39,000 knives were surrendered. One retailer in the West Midlands handed in more than 100 blades. Nottinghamshire Police said it saw 455 knives surrendered, while Avon and Somerset had more than 1,000. On 9 September, Luton-based Sporting Wholesale delivered 35,871 blades to Bedfordshire Police and made a claim for compensation. There is no suggestion the firm did anything ******** or intended to profit from the scheme. Among the knives it surrendered were hundreds of a blade known as k-mach-165. Hundreds of k-mach-165 knives (top) were surrendered by Sporting Wholesale. The ****** looks identical to a blade offered by a ******** supplier (bottom) Sporting Wholesale, which owns the Anglo Arms ****** brand, is thought to have sourced its knives and machetes from China. One Guangdong-based supplier, which the BBC is not naming, sells similar knives, including one advertised online alongside a sheath marked “Anglo Arms”. Posing as a business wanting to import knives into Western Europe, the BBC asked the supplier for its latest product list, costs and a shipping estimate for 30,000 knives. A ****** very similar to k-mach-165 was offered to us for $5.58 if we ordered 1,000 of them. Using an exchange rate from 25 January, and adding shipping costs, import duty of 8% and VAT at 20%, the ****** would land in the *** for about £6.15. Sporting Wholesale would not say if it used the same supplier or if it anticipated it would profit from the compensation scheme. The company would also have faced other costs, such as storage and staffing, above the price of the blades. K-mach-165 has been advertised for ***** in the *** for about £15. Another blade handed in by Sporting Wholesale was the k-mach-572. At least 144 k-mach-572s (top) were surrendered. The ******** supplier offered to sell a similar blade (bottom) It surrendered at least 12 boxes of this model, each containing 12 blades. The ******** supplier offered to sell our reporter 1,000 similar blades for $5.58 each, which would land in the *** for about £6.15. It also offered to sell another ****** model, which had also been surrendered, similar to one used to ******* a man in Luton in 2023. A ****** similar to Sporting Wholesale’s (top) was used to fatally stab Omar Khan in Luton. The supplier’s version (bottom) would cost about £10.85 when buying wholesale The supplier said the ****** would cost about £10.85 each, when buying 1,000. Sporting Wholesale is based in a warehouse on the outskirts of Luton. Ben Schofield/BBC Sarah Owen, Labour MP for Luton North, said the government’s assessment of the surrender scheme had “huge flaws” Sarah Owen, Labour MP for the area, said: “Thirty-five thousand knives off the street is better than 35,000 knives on the streets.” But she said the Home Office’s impact assessment “clearly had flaws – huge flaws”. Ms Owen added: “I think former ministers who set up this scheme really have questions to answer on how they decided that compensation was going to be allocated and to who. “But I think we need to look at why it was that it was designed this way, because clearly it wasn’t designed for the quantity of knives that were actually handed in.” Ben Schofield/BBC Richard Fuller, ************* MP for North Bedfordshire, said if the government did not know the size of the market for zombie knives it should have considered capping compensation The Home Office said its estimates were based on a previous surrender and compensation scheme in 2019. In a consultation in spring 2023, it added, zombie ****** retailers did not provide data on sales or stock. Richard Fuller, ************* MP for North Bedfordshire, said the government should have considered capping compensation payments to avoid an “open-ended cost to the taxpayer”. He said: “Whether or not this particular store should get its full compensation – I don’t think it’s clear yet that that should be paid and my advice to the government would be to go back and check its homework and see what its rights are under legislation it’s passed.” He also supported the aim of getting more knives off the streets. A Home Office spokesperson said: “All claims for compensation submitted under the ‘zombie-style’ knives and machetes surrender scheme have undergone stringent review. “Dangerous weapons with no other purpose but to harm have been taken off our streets, supporting our mission of halving ****** ****** and serious ********* within a decade.” Sporting Wholesale declined to comment. The ******** supplier was contacted but did not respond. Source link #Zombie #****** #surrender #policy #huge #flaws Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Control 2 Confirmed As Action RPG; First Game Receiving Free 2025 Update Control 2 Confirmed As Action RPG; First Game Receiving Free 2025 Update From GameWatcher: “Remedy and Annapurna Pictures have announced a strategic partnership on Control 2 intending to also bring Control and Alan Wake to film and television. The deal will see Annapurna finance 50% of the development budget for the upcoming Control 2, while Remedy will receive a greater revenue share from game sales after the initial investments have been recouped from sales.” Source link #Control #Confirmed #Action #RPG #Game #Receiving #Free #Update Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Aussie aces chase biggest prize in ******** golf history Aussie aces chase biggest prize in ******** golf history Aussies Hannah Green, Minjee Lee, Grace Kim and Gabriela Ruffels are among 60 players chasing a $6.13 million ****, the biggest cheque in women’s golf history. Source link #Aussie #aces #chase #biggest #prize #women039s #golf #history Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple Vision Pro’s next original game is a tactile delight Apple Vision Pro’s next original game is a tactile delight The Apple Vision Pro hasn’t exactly been the success Apple may have been hoping for. The pricey headset has struggled to find a mainstream audience since launch and we may be seeing the end result of that slow adoption soon. Apple Insider reports that production on the headset has significantly slowed and that Apple may stop making new ones altogether since it’s sitting on such an overflow. Whatever happens, it’s starting to feel clear that this iteration of the headset won’t be a breakthrough device. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t still developers who believe in it, though. One of its biggest early supporters is Resolution Games, a developer that has released several games on the platform since launch, including a version of its hit Demeo. Rather than backing off, Resolution will double down on the platform next year with Gears & Goo, its first game built exclusively for Apple Vision Pro. It’s the kind of proof of concept that Vision Pro needs to convince buyers that there are worthwhile apps on the platform. Ahead of its January 9 release date, where it’ll come to Vision Pro as part of Apple Arcade, Digital Trends took Gears & Goo for a spin. We found a solid tower defense game that makes great use of the tech’s top-tier passthrough and precise hand controls. It’s not a ******* app by any means, but it’s a reminder of what a device like Vision Pro stands to offer players if more developers adopt it. Tower defense, reimagined Gears & Goo feels a bit like a good proof of concept rather than a must-buy game. It’s a straightforward tower defense game that has players mining for supplies, building troops, and sending them to ******** alien towers. It’s a lighthearted little strategy game filled with colorful ooze and cute critters. My demo would take me through its first few missions, introducing me to its tactile controls and its mixed reality visuals. When I ***** the game up, I’m not tossed into a ****** screen. Rather, a giant floating land mass appears in the room in front of me. By pressing my fingers together, I can drag the board to rotate it or resize it. I shrink it down a bit so I can see the whole lay of the land easily from a sitting position and then get ready to ******. The loop here isn’t too innovative for the genre. First, I drag some workers over to a tree and rock to start mining materials. Once I have enough, I build a barracks and start pumping out long and close range attackers. They start marching toward an ****** base and auto-attacking enemies along the way. The only thing I can do to help them is switch pads on the ground to reroute them down different lanes. Once they overtake an ****** structure, I can form a new base there and start pumping out even more troops or laying down defensive turrets. It’s all classic tower defense without many twists. It doesn’t really need one, though, because the platform is what makes it stand out. Everything I’m describing is controlled with nothing more than my eye and some simple hand gestures. The Vision Pro’s impressive eye-tracking shines here, as I can stare at an option on a menu to select it with accuracy. It’s as good as using a mouse. I don’t select the wrong button at any point during my demo, which is surprising considering that some of the UI icons are rather small. The hand controls are similarly natural. To pick up a minion, all I need to do is stare at it and then pinch my thumb and index finger together. I instantly pluck my little pal from the board and plop it down where I want by releasing the gesture. That same motion is used to select menu options and flip route tiles, making it a bit of a “one-button” game. When I build a new home base on one level, I swing the board around with my fingers to put it right in front of me. I don’t need a tutorial to pick any of this up; it’s second nature from the jump. Resolution Games It’s not the kind of game that’s going to make anyone rush out to buy a Vision Pro. If anything, it’s a cute extra for those who already have one. What my demo shows, though, is just how much potential devices like the Vision Pro have as gaming platforms. There’s something very satisfying — futuristic even — about using my hands and eyes so accurately as a controller to manipulate a board that’s appearing in real space. I instantly get the appeal of games like Triangle Strategy making the jump to mixed reality, as the tech really feels built for strategy games where players place units and select attacks from a menu. Resolution Games especially seems to understand what kinds of games are a match for the tech. Its previous games have translated to Apple’s device naturally, but it’s clear that Gears & Goo was built for it first. It is to Vision Pro what Astro’s Playroom is to PS5; it’s a polished tech demo that shows players exactly how a few basic gestures can control a game world. Resolution tells me that it’s committed to exploring mixed reality further, so it could wind up becoming Apple’s secret ******* when it comes to expanding its gaming footprint. I don’t expect Gears & Goo to be a smash hit, but it’ll make one heck of a convincing Apple Store demo. Maybe that’s what the Vision Pro needs most of all right now. Gears & Goo launches on January 9 for the Apple Vision Pro. Source link #Apple #Vision #***** #original #game #tactile #delight Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Notre-Dame almost ready for reopening in Paris Notre-Dame almost ready for reopening in Paris STORY: :: November 19, 2024 :: Paris :: Workers prepare for the Notre-Dame cathedral’s grand reopening in early December :: The building was gutted by a ***** in 2019, with over $580 mln since spent on repairs The cathedral, built over nearly 200 years starting in the middle of the 12th century, is due to reopen on Dec. 8 with days of festivities after the ***** that ravaged it on April 15, 2019. Though French authorities have said an electrical fault or ********** may have sparked the conflagration, it ******** unclear exactly what caused it. The facade of the building, which hulks over the Ile de la Cite island in the middle of the Seine river, held, but the damage has required years of work to stabilize and restore the edifice. About 500 workers have been racing to do so. The official leading the project said in April that the project had cost 550 million euros ($580.36 million), funded in part by massive donations, including by luxury sector billionaires Francois Henri Pinault and the Arnault family. The cathedral has received so much funding that there will be money left over for further investment in the building. Source link #NotreDame #ready #reopening #Paris Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sony’s A1 II features a dedicated AI processor and refined ergonomics Sony’s A1 II features a dedicated AI processor and refined ergonomics When the A1 arrived in 2021, it put the camera world on notice. In more than a few categories, Sony’s full-frame mirrorless camera outperformed rivals like the Canon R5 and came with a lofty $6,500 price to match. However, after nearly four years, the A1 finds itself in an awkward position. Despite its position as Sony’s flagship, the A1 is not the most complete camera in the company’s lineup, with the more recently released A7R V and A9 III each offering features not found on their sibling. That’s changing today with the introduction of A1 II, which retains the performance capabilities of its predecessor while borrowing quality-of-life improvements from the A7R V and A9 III. To start, the A1 II features the same fully stacked 50.1-megapixel CMOS sensor found inside the A1. As before, Sony says photographers can expect 15 stops of dynamic range for stills. The company has once again paired that sensor with its Bionz XR image processing engine but added a dedicated AI processor to handle subject recognition and autofocus. As a result, the A1 II can still ****** at up to 30 frames per second using its electronic shutter, and the autofocus system once again offers 759 points, good enough for 92 percent coverage of the sensor. Sony However, Sony is promising substantial improvements in autofocus accuracy due to that dedicated AI processing unit. Specifically, the camera is 50 percent better at locking eye focus on birds and 30 percent better at eye autofocus when it comes to other animals and humans. Additionally, you won’t need to toggle between different subject-detection modes. Instead, the camera will automatically handle that for you. Sony’s pre-capture feature also offers a one-second buffer that can capture up to 30 frames before fully depressing the shutter button. That said, the most notable addition is the inclusion of Sony’s most powerful in-body image stabilization (IBIS) to date, with the A1 II offering an impressive 8.5 stops of stabilization. For context, that’s three additional stops of stabilization over the original A1. When it comes to video, the A1 II is no slouch. It can capture 8K footage at up to 30 fps using the full readout of its sensor. It can also record 4K video at 120 fps and FHD footage at 240 fps for slow motion, with support for 10-bit 4:2:2 recording. If Super 35 is your thing, there you have the option for 5.8K oversampling. In addition to Sony’s ****** profiles, the A1 II can store up to 16 user-generated LUTs, and the camera offers the company’s breathing compensation and auto stabilization features. Of the latter, Sony says you can get “gimbal-like” footage with only a slight crop. Sony On the useability front, the A1 II borrows the deeper grip and control layout of the A9 III. Also carried over from the A9 III is the camera’s 3.2-inch four-axis LCD screen and 9.44-million dot OLED viewfinder with 240Hz refresh rate. Moreover, the new camera includes Sony’s latest menu layout design. Oh, and the company plans to include two separate eyecups in the box. Nice. When it comes to connectivity, there’s a full-sized HDMI connection, USB-C and an upgraded Ethernet port that supports transfer speeds up to 2.5Gbps. For storage, the camera comes with two CFexpress Type A card slots that are also capable of reading and saving to UHS-II SD cards. Alongside the A1 II, Sony also announced a new 28-70mm G Master Lens with a constant f/2 aperture (pictured above). While not the lightest lens in Sony’s stable, it still weighs under a kilogram. Both the A1 II and the 28-70mm F2 G Master will arrive in December. They will cost $6,500 and $2,900, respectively. Source link #Sonys #features #dedicated #processor #refined #ergonomics Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Geopolitics are finally starting to play a role in stock market action Geopolitics are finally starting to play a role in stock market action There’s an old Wall Street phrase, “news follows the tape.” It means that stock price movements often occur before news is widely known. That’s been happening to stocks. The S & P 500 has been drifting lower for a week. It’s been drifting lower on valuation concerns, concerns on potentially fewer rate cuts, stickier bond yields, and concerns about President-elect Donald Trump’s tariffs and potential appointments. Now, with geopolitical issues around Russia/Ukraine , there is another log on the *****. This definitely puts the nuclear threat squarely on the table. Geopolitics has finally inserted itself into the market. So why are stocks, particularly cyclical sectors like industrials, rallying mid-morning? Bulls seem to want to believe this most recent Russian threat will lead to a deal to end the war sooner. Others say positive headlines around the Middle East, with Iran reportedly agreeing to halt near nuclear *****-grade uranium production, is also a positive. Either way, it means geopolitical issues are another factor inserting themselves into markets. But where does that leave the market? In a bit of a limbo. Nobody’s happy right now The bulls aren’t happy because the momentum has been broken and the tone is not as positive as after the election. While some sectors (banks) are holding onto their rallies, other sectors are getting sold every day: Consumer staples and health care, particularly big pharma, have been awful. The bears aren’t happy because the market has not given up enough, and they have a point: The S & P 500 closing high was 6,001 on Nov. 11, so we are a mere 2% below that. Pity the Wall Street strategists Pity the poor Wall Street strategists who are now writing their 2025 outlooks. They have an impossible job. In a normal year, most strategists are comically wrong in their outlook, because it is impossible to estimate where the market is going to be a year from now. There are simply too many variables. This year is not normal. There are a lot of moving parts, so there is an even stronger chance your forecast is going to be comically wrong because events are unfolding as you are writing and you don’t know how they will be resolved. So what do you do when the macro environment is shifting like quicksand beneath your feet, but you still have to put out a forecast? You mean-revert. Take a look at estimates for the small handful of brave souls who have already made 2025 forecasts. BMO Capital (Brian Belski) 6,700 Morgan Stanley (Mike Wilson) 6,500 Goldman Sachs (David Kostin) 6,500 UBS 6,400 Evercore ISI 6,600 (mid-2025) You’ll notice they all tend to cluster around 6,500? That is about 10% above the current S & P 500 level. What is the current average yearly return of the S & P 500? 10%. Tough call going into the end of the year I know everyone has read the studies, that there is an average rise in the markets of about 3% going into the end of the year after a presidential election. The S & P 500 is up 0.3% since the close on Election Day. But those are just averages. If it was that simple, “Let’s just buy the market and sell on New Year’s!,” everyone would be rich. It’s been a pretty clean story for most of the year: The economy has been reasonably strong, and earnings have been growing at 10%, and are still estimated to be up a healthy 14% for 2025. But geopolitics, tariffs, and Trump appointments have now greatly complicated the 2025 outlook, and the market is reflecting some of that uncertainty. Source link #Geopolitics #finally #starting #play #role #stock #market #action Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Control 2 Will Lean More Into RPG Mechanics Control 2 Will Lean More Into RPG Mechanics Control 2, the sequel to developer Remedy Entertainment’s eerie game will be an action-RPG. This was shared during Remedy’s Capital Market day on November 19, alongside additional details to Control’s Mac support and an upcoming free update. Action-RPG might conjure the image of a game like Diablo, but it doesn’t sound as if Remedy is straying greatly from the formula of the first Control. In a statement to GameSpot, the developer expanded on the news: “Let people speculate, but suffice to say, Control 2 is a natural continuation to the first game, holding on to key tenets of storytelling and spectacle, but leaning even further into player agency, exploration and RPG mechanics.” Elsewhere in the investor video, Remedy said that the sequel is being made to appeal to a wider audience, but didn’t elaborate exactly on what this means for the game. In addition, Control will receive a free update in early 2025, which will unlock “some previously released content.” The previously released content could refer to a few existing exclusive and paid DLC outfits–the Extradimensional Suit available through the AWE DLC, the Tactical Response outfit as a preorder reward, the Astral ***** Suit as a day-one bonus for PS4, and the Urban Response outfit as a goodie included in the Control Digital Deluxe edition for PS4. Lastly, Control Ultimate Edition will be available on Mac on February 12, 2025. While the sequel doesn’t have a release window, the multiplayer spin-off, FBC Firebreak, should ease the wait when it launches next year. If you want a closer teaser, there’s a glimpse of the sequel in Alan Wake 2: The Lake House DLC, which is an additional chapter you shouldn’t miss. Source link #Control #Lean #RPG #Mechanics Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nations League: What next as group stage ends and how is World Cup affected? Nations League: What next as group stage ends and how is World Cup affected? Promotion/relegation play-offs will take place in March. These ties will see the teams who finished third in League A playing two-legged ties against second-placed sides from League B, with winner of those takes taking place in League A. Meanwhile, the third-place teams in League B will face the second-placed sides in League C, with winners securing their place in League B. Finally, the two nations who finish bottom in League C with the best record will play the runners-up of League D. League A/B play-offs: Austria, Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Scotland, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. League B/C play-offs: Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo or Romania, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia and Slovenia. League C/D play-offs: Gibraltar, Latvia, Luxembourg and Malta. Source link #Nations #League #group #stage #ends #World #Cup #affected Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Of Ash and Steel's Take on Classic RPGs | COGconnected Of Ash and Steel's Take on Classic RPGs | COGconnected Of Ash and Steel is an upcoming open world action RPG, with an emphasis on old school exploration, emergent gameplay and exciting combat. Source link #Ash #Steel039s #Classic #RPGs #COGconnected Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rio to take full control of uranium mine near Kakadu Rio to take full control of uranium mine near Kakadu Rio Tinto plans to compulsorily acquire shares in Energy Resources of Australia and get on with rehabilitating the Ranger uranium mine surrounded by Kakadu. Source link #Rio #full #control #uranium #Kakadu Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]