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Microsoft’s Phone Link Panel Arrives on Start Menu With Support for Android Devices: Report Microsoft’s Phone Link Panel Arrives on Start Menu With Support for Android Devices: Report Microsoft is said to be rolling out a new feature for Phone Link on Windows 11 which lets users take a peek at their messages, calls, and other information from the Start Menu. Although the feature was previously announced in the first week of May, users are now reportedly gaining access to the panel with the latest Windows 11 update. It’s currently unclear whether the dedicated panel for Phone Link on the Windows 11 Start Menu also works with paired iOS devices. Microsoft Rolls Out Dedicated Phone Link Panel to All Users The Phone Link is a mobile pairing application which comes preloaded on Windows 11. It lets users connect iOS or Android smartphone to their laptop or desktop computer, syncing text messages and images, and enabling support for making and receiving calls. A dedicated panel for Phone Link was spotted by Android Authority on Windows-based PCs and was discovered on Windows 11 version 26100.4061. When an Android device is connected via Phone Link, it displays the phone model, battery status and connectivity details in a new panel which is located on the right side of the Windows’ Start Menu. Photo Credit: Microsoft Microsoft says that the panel allows users to keep track of their latest activities by enabling them to access their phone calls, messages, and photos directly from the Start Menu. It also features a Recent tab which displays recently received files or notifications on the phone. Users must follow the following steps to access the dedicated Phone Link feature on Windows 11: Open the Start Menu and select the device type: Android or iPhone from the right-side pane. Follow the on-screen instructions to pair your device with the Windows PC. Start accessing your phone and its contents from the Start Menu. The dedicated Phone Link panel also includes a Send files option which, as the name suggests, enables users to quickly transfer files between the phone and PC. They can either drag and drop files or select the required ones from the Browse option. Microsoft first introduced this feature in 2024 to registered Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta Channels and it initially included support for only Android. In January this year, it was expanded to include support for iOS devices too, enabling iPhone users to access their phone features via the Phone Link panel in the Start Menu. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who’sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Apple Unlikely to Discuss Siri Upgrades at WWDC; to Be Wary of Unveiling New Features in Advance: Report Source link #Microsofts #Phone #Link #Panel #Arrives #Start #Menu #Support #Android #Devices #Report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

BBC uncovers child sex abuse BBC uncovers child sex abuse Mayeni Jones BBC News, Johannesburg Getty Images ******** miners work in mines once owned by large multinationals, which abandoned them because they were no longer profitable This story contains details, including a video, that some people may find distressing. The most shocking thing for Jonathan, who had endured six gruelling months living and working underground in an abandoned South African gold mine, was the abuse he witnessed being meted out to children. Some are recruited for cheap labour, but others are brought in specifically for sex, campaigners say. Jonathan, now in his late 20s, had migrated to South Africa from a nearby country on the promise of making easy money working in one of its dozens of disused mines, closed by multinationals because they were no longer commercially viable. We are protecting his full identity as he fears reprisals from the vicious criminal gangs that run the ******** mining industry for speaking to the media. Details of what the young people were going though emerged after the death of dozens of ******** miners near the town of Stilfontein late last year when the mine was blockaded by police. In a calm and steady voice, Jonathan describes the heat, long hours and limited food and sleeping options which took a toll on his body. But an enduring memory is what happened to the underage miners in the shaft where he worked. “I used to see these kids in the mine – teenagers actually, 15, 17-year-olds. “Others used to take advantage of them sometimes. It was a little bit scary, and I wasn’t comfortable with it.” He said they were ****** by adult miners who promised to give them some of the gold they found in exchange for sex. “If that kid is desperate for money, he will take the risk.” Jonathan describes how the children would approach teams of miners for protection but “that team would have conditions”. Sex was also used as punishment if the teenagers failed to complete a task for their team. Jonathan says the children in the mine where he worked were all foreign and did not realise what they were getting themselves into. AFP ******** miners enter abandoned mines through disused shafts, often descending kilometres and not able to leave for months Mining researcher and activist Makhotla Sefuli backs this up. He says criminal gangs specifically target children to work in ******** mines across South Africa. Many of them are abducted from neighbouring countries and trafficked. They are enticed by baseless promises of finding them employment in the formal mining industry. “Their passports are confiscated when they get to South Africa… It is common knowledge that these young boys are being abused,” Mr Sefuli says. The BBC has spoken to miners who worked in at least two other ******** mines who told us they saw children being abused in the shafts where they were working. Tshepo, not his real name, says he saw older men forcing young boys to have sex with them underground. “In some instances, they did it for the money. Some are recruited solely for that purpose, because of the financial incentives that will come with the practice of maybe trading sex underground.” He adds that the abuse deeply affected the children. “They change their behaviour patterns and have trust issues. They don’t want you to get close to them, because they feel that they can no longer trust anyone.” South Africa’s ******** mining industry made global headlines last year following a standoff between police and miners at the Buffelsfontein gold mine, near the town of Stilfontein in the North West Province. The authorities had been trying to curb ******** mining, which the government said cost South Africa’s economy $3.2bn (£2.6bn) in lost revenue last year. They launched an operation called Vala Umgodi, or seal the hole, in December 2023, promising to take a tough stance on the gangs. As part of the operation, the police limited the amount of food and water that went down the Stilfontein mine to, as one minister put it, “smoke out” the ******** miners. Officials said the men were refusing to come out for fear of being arrested. Soon footage began to emerge from within the mine showing dozens of emaciated men begging to be rescued, as well as rows of body bags. Eventually a court ordered the authorities to save the men. Videos shot underground at Stilfontein earlier this year showed scenes of dead bodies and emaciated figures Among those brought up were many who said they were underage, but as a number of them were migrants without documents confirming how old they were, the authorities carried out medical tests to get an estimate. Through this, the Department of Social Development (DSD) confirmed that 31 of the rescued Stilfontein miners were found to be children. They were all Mozambicans nationals and in November, 27 of them were repatriated. Save the Children South Africa helped translate some of the interviews between the underage miners and the rescue workers. “They went through trauma, because some of them also saw others being ********* exploited,” the charity’s CEO Gugu Xaba tells the BBC. “Just the feeling that they may not come out of there destroyed those children mentally. “The adult miners would start by grooming them, by acting like they like them.” She says the children were then made to perform ******* acts on the adults and they were then ******, days after day. “You find that the adult will have three or four of them that they are doing the same thing to.” Ms Xaba says mining gangs recruit children because they are easier to manipulate and cheaper. “Children don’t understand when you say: ‘I’ll pay you 20 rands ($1; £0.80) per day.’ The adults sometimes refuse to work, but children find themselves with no choice. So it’s easier to use a child to do the work. It’s easier to take a child who’s kind of voiceless and to bring them down there.” Beyond being exploited financially, she says there are gangs that recruit children specifically for sex. Many ******** miners spend months underground, rarely going up to the surface. Markets spring up underground to provide them with anything they need. “Most children are trafficked in order to be used as sex slaves. And you’ve got a pimp who is taking the money, and it means every day this child is used as a commercial sex worker.” The BBC asked the police and the DSD whether anyone would be charged over the ******* abuse allegations. They did not respond to our requests. A source working on the Stilfontein miners’ cases said many of the children did not want to testify. Meanwhile, the ******** mining industry continues to thrive. And with an estimated 6,000 vacant mines potentially available to explore, it is a business that is unlikely to end anytime soon, leaving thousands of vulnerable children at risk. More South Africa stories from the BBC:Getty Images/BBC Source link #BBC #uncovers #child #sex #abuse Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Richard Marles won’t ‘speculate’ on possible prison swap for Oscar Jenkins after ‘sham’ trial, jailing Richard Marles won’t ‘speculate’ on possible prison swap for Oscar Jenkins after ‘sham’ trial, jailing Richard Marles has refused to speculate on the prospects of a prisoner swap for Oscar Jenkins after a Russian court sentenced the Melbourne man to 13 years in a penal colony. Russian authorities in Ukraine’s occupied Luhansk region declared Mr Jenkins a mercenary, complicating any prisoner swap talks as mercenaries are not protected by conventions on the treatment of prisoners of war. Condemning the court decision as a “sham trial”, the Deputy Prime Minister on Monday said Mr Jenkins “should be treated as a prisoner of war”. Camera IconThe Albanese government is pushing for Oscar Jenkins to be released from Russian captivity. NewsWire Handout Credit: NewsWireCamera IconMr Jenkins was fighting with the Ukrainian military when Russian forces captured him. Screengrab Credit: Supplied “This was a sham trial which handed down this sentence,” Mr Marles, who is also defence minister, told Sky News. “Oscar Jenkins should be treated as a prisoner of war and all the rights that go with that under international humanitarian law should be provided by Russia to Oscar Jenkins. “That’s what we expect of the Russian government, and we are very concerned for Oscar Jenkins.” Mr Jenkins was fighting with Ukraine’s International Legion — a formal part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — when he was captured late last year near Makiivka, a tiny village on the Zherebets River in Luhansk. Mr Marles was asked whether he thought Mr Jenkins was “brave” for joining Ukraine’s fight against invading Russian forces. But he reiterated the government did not encourage people to go to Ukraine due to its designation as a war zone – noting they had made their position “clear”. “Oscar Jenkins, though, is an *********** citizen, and we will continue to advocate on his behalf,” Mr Marles said. “And as I said, we regard him as a prisoner of war in these circumstances, and we expect all the rights that are afforded to prisoners of water be applied by Russia to him.” Camera IconDeputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has called on Russia to treat Mr Jenkins as a prisoner of war. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Later, Ukraine’s envoy in Canberra said securing Mr Jenkins’ release was a “top priority” for the Ukrainian government. Vasyl Myroshnychenko said it was “good” the *********** fighter had been sentenced because “now he could be swapped”. But the Ukrainian ambassador added “how the Russians interpret him” could complicate matters. “And of course, we’re working on that, making sure that we can get him released as soon as possible,” Mr Myroshnychenko told Sky News. “We don’t know how long it’s going to take but I’m in touch with (the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) all the time.” Ukraine and Russia regularly swap prisoners through exchanges largely organised by the Red Cross. Officials from both countries agreed to swap some 1000 prisoners during peace talks last week. Mr Myroshnychenko said he did not know if Mr Jenkins would be included in that exchange. Anthony Albanese also raised Mr Jenkins and “other cases” when he met Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration on Sunday. The Prime Minister thanks the Ukrainian President for his help on the matter. Source link #Richard #Marles #wont #speculate #prison #swap #Oscar #Jenkins #sham #trial #jailing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Qatar Airways posts 28% jump in net profit to record $2.1 billion Qatar Airways posts 28% jump in net profit to record $2.1 billion DOHA (Reuters) -Qatar Airways posted a 28% jump in annual net profit to a record 7.8 billion Qatari riyals ($2.1 billion), according to a preliminary statement issued by the airline on Monday. “We have also successfully implemented strategic partnerships throughout the industry, in order for the Group to remain agile in the face of ever-shifting world events, whether political, economic or environmental,” CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer was quoted as saying in a statement from the airline. The government-owned airline’s revenue and passenger data from the last year were not yet available. The airline’s complete annual report was expected to be published on Monday morning. In the last year, Qatar Airways, seeking to boost passenger numbers and connectivity, bought a 25% stake in Virgin Australia and a 25% stake in South Africa-based regional carrier Airlink. The airline placed a firm order last week for 160 Boeing 777X and 787 planes with GE Aerospace engines worth $96 billion, the largest widebody deal ever for the companies. Qatar Airways has options to buy 50 more of the Boeing jetliners. The airline’s Chief Commercial Officer Thierry Antinori told Reuters in March that the Qatari airline had seen above-market growth in passenger numbers from April 2024 until January this year, up 9% throughout its network, up 14% in Europe and up 12% in Germany. (Reporting by Andrew Mills; Editing by David Holmes) Source link #Qatar #Airways #posts #jump #net #profit #record #billion Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

US Treasury yields reach 5% over fiscal concerns – Financial Times US Treasury yields reach 5% over fiscal concerns – Financial Times US Treasury yields reach 5% over fiscal concerns Financial Times‘Sell America’ Is Back as Moody’s Pushes 30-Year Yield to 5% Bloomberg.comUS 30 year Treasury yield rises to 5% for the first time since April ForexliveHas the Federal Reserve lost control over U.S. long-term bond yields? longportapp.comUS Treasury bond yields surge to a record level after Moody’s downgrade المتداول العربي Source link #Treasury #yields #reach #fiscal #concerns #Financial #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Annual energy bills predicted to fall by £129 in July Annual energy bills predicted to fall by £129 in July Domestic energy prices are forecast to fall in July, reversing three consecutive increases in regulator Ofgem’s price cap. The annual bill of a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will fall by £129 a year, a drop of nearly 7%, analysts at the consultancy Cornwall Insight have predicted. It comes after a series of household bills became more expensive in April, and would mean a typical annual bill for a dual-fuel customer paying by direct debit would cost £1,720. The price cap is based on the cost of each unit of energy, not the total bill – so if you use more, you pay more. Source link #Annual #energy #bills #predicted #fall #July Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Gabby Logan: Will the Red Roses have their Lionesses moment as women’s sport takes centre stage this summer? Gabby Logan: Will the Red Roses have their Lionesses moment as women’s sport takes centre stage this summer? I was walking my dog recently near some local football pitches and I could hear girls playing a match. When I first moved here 12 years ago that certainly wasn’t the case. In a relatively short ******* of time, that change has come. Those young girls stand on the shoulders of so many incredible women who fought for the right to play football. I have worked for the BBC since 2007 and it has had a massive impact in growing women’s sport over the past 20 years. In 2019, I felt we had a game-changing summer. A lot of women’s sport was on the BBC, including the Fifa Women’s World Cup. More than 11 million people watched England v USA in the semi-final, which was a record at the time – until Euro 2022 that is. That was a huge audience and it felt like a big shift in people recognising the stars of that tournament. Fast forward to 2022 and it was when I was heading to Wembley to present the Euro final between England and Germany, I had this moment of realisation of how huge it would be if the Lionesses could win a major tournament. I know that seems ridiculous as that is what the aim always is. But having covered men’s and women’s tournaments for a long time, it had never happened and it really felt as though the Lionesses were on the precipice of something massive. So I opened my laptop and started bashing out some words I hoped I might be able to deliver at the end of the programme, depending on whether or not England had won. If they hadn’t, I’d just shut the laptop and I’d never see those words again. Luckily, Chloe Kelly made sure I could say them: “Is this a game-changing moment? Well, the record audiences on TV and crowds in the stadiums have been fantastic, brilliant. But to really move the sport on, we need you. If you’ve enjoyed it, get yourself along to a WSL [Women’s Super League] game this season, even if you only go to one or two. “The Lionesses have brought football home. Now it’s down to the rest of us to make sure it stays here. You think it’s all over? It’s only just begun.” They came from a place of wanting people to really galvanise the spirit and actually put into action a lot of the words we’d been talking about. Source link #Gabby #Logan #Red #Roses #Lionesses #moment #womens #sport #takes #centre #stage #summer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Red Metal Ltd heap leach tests point to low-cost Qld rare earths win Red Metal Ltd heap leach tests point to low-cost Qld rare earths win Red Metal Limited has turbocharged the value proposition of its Sybella rare earths discovery in Queensland after fresh test work confirmed the project’s strong heap leach potential to deliver high recoveries of the more lucrative magnetic rare earths and ultra-low iron impurities, all while using just minimal amounts acid. Bottle roll leach tests carried out on weathered granite from the project’s Kary Zone revealed a pH sweet spot between 2.0 and 2.5, where high recoveries of magnet rare earth oxides (MREOs) including neodymium and praseodymium could be recovered using just room-temperature sulphuric acid. When the acid’s pH was kept at 2.0 or higher, acid use and iron levels stopped increasing, hinting at the possibility of not needing to build special barriers, called “inter-lift liners”, between heap layers, thereby saving time and money. Notably, the weaker acid levels still delivered the goods, with extraction rates for neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) clocking in as high as 81 per cent. Even the expensive heavy rare earths – dysprosium and terbium returned impressive average recoveries of up to 60 per cent. The company says, as a key input cost of the project, the uber-low acid consumption – requiring only 17 and 22 kilograms of sulphuric acid per tonne – undelines the project’s potentially unique economics. Further testing showed that by mixing the acid with crushed rock before it is heaped up, dubbed “acid agglomeration”, the acid spreads more evenly and reacts faster with the rock. This could shorten processing time and extract more valuable rare earths. Remarkably, if the leach liquor was then re-used, it caused iron to precipitate as goethite over time, further cleansing the leach solution while generating additional acid to prolong rare earths extraction. The technique has slashed iron impurities from 13 per cent down to just 1 or 2 per cent — a game-changing drop that should sharply cut downstream processing costs. With cleaner leach liquor in play, margins on rare earths carbonate production could get a serious boost. Our optimised leach tests on the Sybella ore samples have shown we can achieve strong rare earths extractions at weaker acid strengths than was previously indicated enhancing this unique deposit’s economic potential. The company is now prepping for its next critical step of conducting column leach tests on nine, 85- millimetre diamond core samples recently drilled at Kary. The tests will simulate full-scale heap leach conditions on crushed ore and should provide the all-important data needed for mine scoping studies. Five of the core holes are also being put under the microscope using advanced HyLogger spectral scanning to zero in on key mineral zones that could hold the keys to unlocking better leach performance. Together with plans to run similar bottle-roll tests on its nearby Templeton zone, Red Metal intends to keep pushing the envelope at Kary to unearth the full potential of the deposit’s depth and strike, which has already doubled in surface area from 3.5 to 8 square kilometres. Heritage surveying is being prepared for a drill campaign later in the year after the wet season. Apart from being easy on the acid, the Sybella deposit, which sits 20 kilometres south-west of the major mining hub at Mount Isa, should also benefit from its sheer scale. With 4.8 billion tonnes grading 302ppm NdPr and 28ppm DyTb, the granite-hosted behemoth packs the kind of tonnage that could turn a low-cost leach operation into a long-life cash machine. Whilst in reality rare earths are not actually that rare, low capex and low opex projects that can be catapulted into production with relative ease probably are. Throw in an *********** Prime Minister and an American President that are on the hunt for rare earths stockpiles and Red metal just might find itself in the box seat later this year as its testing progresses. Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: *****@*****.tld Source link #Red #Metal #heap #leach #tests #point #lowcost #Qld #rare #earths #win Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Every Elder Scrolls Game, Ranked by Gameplay Experience Every Elder Scrolls Game, Ranked by Gameplay Experience We can’t talk about the RPG genre without mentioning the Elder Scrolls series. Since its beginning in 1994, Bethesda’s fantasy universe has captivated RPG fans across the world. It’s a simple setup in every Elder Scrolls game: a highly detailed world with player choices that shape the world of Tamriel. Even though it’s a legendary series, Bethesda has only given us five mainline entries and a few spin-offs. Every entry we’ve seen so far has a difference in terms of gameplay as Bethesda always pushes the boundary to switch up combat, exploration, progression, and immersion. We know that Elder Scrolls 6 is still years away from hitting the shelves. Todd Howard and his team are taking their time to craft yet another masterpiece. So, it’s a good time to take a look back on the series and rank every single game based on its gameplay experience. 6. Elder Scrolls: Arena Elder Scrolls: Arena was the founding stone for the RPG franchise. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) It’s the game that kicked off everything for the Elder Scrolls franchise. Released all the way back in 1994, the Elder Scrolls: Arena was originally conceived as a gladiator-style game where players battled it out in ‘the Arena’, and explored the world of Tamriel between the battles. However, as the development progressed at Bethesda, it shifted to the vast, open world itself. Eventually, all the Tamriel we know now became the true ‘arena’; a massive world where survival meant going through a map of over 9 million kilometers filled with towns, and procedurally generated dungeons. Gamers had never seen anything like this before in the 90s. It was one of the first titles in the entirety of the video gaming industry that brought us full day and night cycles. We saw merchants showing up in the middle of the day, and hide around during the night when bandits and thieves are on the loose. Its plot can be said to be the most basic one in the franchise, but that’s not a surprise considering its time and the limitations of the era. It’s a story of betrayals and alternative dimensions, providing an incredible framework for future entries. The game also has a bad reputation for its difficulty levels; it can drive you truly insane at times. If you manage to adapt to its clunky mechanics and leveling system, you’ll have a game on your hands that’s enjoyable for hundreds of hours. 5 Elder Scrolls Online Elder Scrolls Online is a perfect experience for MMORPG fans. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) For years, fans had been demanding an MMORPG experience in the world of Tamriel. Bethesda listened to its community for once and came out with Elder Scrolls Online in 2014. Lore-wise, it’s a prequel to the beloved series, as it takes place somewhere in the Second Era. This was truly a chaotic time as we had multiple factions battling it out to get control of the Ruby Throne. You might be surprised to know that Elder Scrolls Online wasn’t received well by the fandom at launch. However, the development team didn’t give up due to the average reception. They worked hard to bring tons of expansions and updates that have seriously overhauled the game in the last decade. We’ve had tons of new characters, regions, creators, and even settings from the mainline single-player games, which can also be found in this MMORPG now. If you’re looking to get into Elder Scrolls Online, the base game will give you access to a set of regions in Tamriel. Once you purchase the Chapters and Crown Store DLCs, you’ll unlock different areas that have their own narrative to unravel. Even in 2025, the game is constantly getting new updates, and switching to a seasonal content path, just like other MMOs out there. It’s never been a better time to jump into Elder Scrolls Online. 4 Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall was a successful sequel. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) Arena was an incredible step in the Elder Scrolls franchise, but it was Daggerfall where things started to pick up. It was an ambitious sequel where players are tasked to assist King Lysandus’s ghost and track down one of the letters he sent to a former queen of Daggerfall. There were tons of new features that became the mainstay of the franchise later, such as spell-creation, reputation building, and even transforming into a Werewolf or a Vampire. The sequel continued the clunky-mouse-based combat of the original game, but that really just added to the experience. You could find books to read, take on new quests, and customize your characters. Bethesda really pushed the limits of what can be done to the absolute limit. The reason why Daggerfall is so low in this list is that 95% of its world doesn’t contain anything. Until the release of No Man’s Sky, Daggerfall stood as the largest open-world title out there, as it boasted a map size of 161,600 square kilometers. Outside of towns, there’s nothing but wilderness, and the whole world just feels empty. That’s not the only issue, either, as without the Unity mod, the game really doesn’t feel like a gem. Although there’s no denying that Daggerfall was truly a revolutionary game when it debuted in 1996. 3 Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion has its own share of ups and downs. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) It’s been almost two decades since the release of the Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, and it’s still a breathtaking experience. Placed right after the assassination of Emperor Uriel Septim VII, gamers are tasked with locating the king’s last son so they can truly save the world. It’s the most crucial title in terms of lore as it affects the history of Nirin. Some in the community believe that Oblivion is the best of the Elder Scrolls series. It brought us faction quests, voiced dialogues, spell crafting, and the best of all, Vampirism. That’s not all; the RPG introduced players to fast travel and a really vibrant color palette that we hadn’t seen in the previous entries. That’s really as good as Oblivion gets. There are tons of downsides to this title, one of them being its level-scaling and progression system. They’re so broken that you’ll always have to be careful that you don’t end up breaking it. The switch to fully voiced NPCs led to characters being played by the same actors. Higher graphical fidelity led to segmenting towns with loading screens. Its features looked absolutely peak in marketing, but ultimately ended up harming the depth and overall immersion of the game. However, Oblivion‘s Shivering Isles expansion was a banger. Bringing an experience that’s filled with odd characters and towering mushrooms, where a god wants you in his next mythic cycle, is something you won’t see in any other RPG. If you’re someone who’s looking to jump into Oblivion, but are afraid to give it a shot due to its outdated visuals, there’s some good news. Recently, Bethesda shadow dropped Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered. It’s a complete overhaul of the classic game, and features far more realistic character models, textures, and lighting. It doesn’t get rid of the Bethesda jank that we’re all still deeply in love with, either. 2 Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim took the franchise to new heights. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) We all know about the legend of Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. It’s the most recent entry in the beloved RPG franchise, released in 2011, and still the most popular Elder Scrolls title out there. It takes place centuries after the events of Oblivion, where the player is a prisoner sentenced to death in the icy northern province. Just as death nears, a long-extinct dragon reemerges, fulfilling a prophecy foretelling the times. As this ancient threat looms, gamers must go on an adventure through a realm that’s right on the brink of a civil war, and rally the divided Jars to stand together against the impending crisis. We can go for hours praising Skyrim, from wide snowy tall mountains wide marshes, and dungeons, the game’s landscape is a beauty. The RPG is packed with a bunch of interesting characters, every corner of the gameplay, diverse guilds, and engaging storylines. There’s some mystery, and adventure waiting for you at every location. You can also choose to ignore everything, and just take a vacation in the world of Skyrim to enjoy the scenery. Skyrim was undoubtedly a game-changer upon its release. However, there’s no game out there that doesn’t have its flaws, and it’s the same story with Skyrim. As much as you can adore it, some things just don’t feel right. All the excellent spell crafting we saw in the previous titles was abandoned in the game. Guilds aren’t that unique or interesting and can be easily dominated. Even the storylines in Skyrim feel quite short. It’s an aspect that’s not quite visible due to how many of them there are to play with. The majority of the player choices don’t add to the overall narrative, and even after beating Alduin, everything continues as if nothing happened before. It’s not a deal breaker, but something that feels underwhelming. Let’s not forget the constant re-releases of the game that have been dunked upon by the community. Still, though, Skyrim is an incredible game that elevated the franchise. Once you start exploring the modding side of things, every playthrough will become more memorable than the last. 1 Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind is as good as the series gets. (Image via Bethesda Game Studios) Finally, we arrive at the classic and the apex of the Elder Scrolls franchise for many, Morrowind. The RPG was truly worlds apart from its predecessors, which were clunky and simplistic in nature. The integration of a character creation into a story, and casting players as pardoned prisoners arriving in the world of the mysterious lands of Vvardenfell, was truly a new era of Elder Scrolls. Want to take a break from the main quest of the game? You can go around in any direction. You’ll always come across some area that will present an unforgettable adventure and cool rewards. You simply don’t need a map or directions to help you get through. Morrowind is the only entry in the franchise that rewards players who explore. Considering it was released all the way back in 2002, it does show its age in rough graphics and mechanics. However, don’t make the mistake of underestimating Morrowind for those reasons. The game still holds its ground when it comes to the spectacle and depth. All the cities in Morrowind are huge and take into account your choices more than any other Elder Scrolls game out there. It comes with a fantastic guild system that even surpasses Skyrim. There are powerful spells and bizarre creatures all around the game that will help balance out all the point-blank misses you’re bound to have during the early stages of the game. Morrowind also boasts the most compelling villain we’ve ever seen in the franchise. Although the leveling mechanics and traveling system might exhaust you, once you get used to them, Morrowind can prove to be the most unique RPG out there. It’s a game that requires planning at every step to get through quests and encounters, and that’s an aspect RPG fans definitely enjoy. It’s a shame that Bethesda hasn’t given Morrowind the remaster treatment yet. It’s a game that brought the franchise into the mainstream audience, and definitely deserves some love. Let’s hope Howard and his team can give the game the remake it deserves in the future. Source link #Elder #Scrolls #Game #Ranked #Gameplay #Experience Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

It’s not the messaging, Mr. Mayor. Your policies and governance are the problems. It’s not the messaging, Mr. Mayor. Your policies and governance are the problems. We’re halfway through Mayor Brandon Johnson’s term, and the city the mayor described in a series of recent interviews to mark the milestone hardly resembles what we see. We agree with the mayor that Chicago is a great American city, made so by the people who live, work, play and love here. But in many other respects — a transit system that continues to perform unacceptably, public schools that cost too much and do a poor job of teaching our children, violent crime levels well above peer American cities and a local economy needlessly deprived of the dynamism that produced our uniquely beautiful skyline — Chicago is ailing. For all the unfair shots ideologically motivated critics take at the city, Chicagoans who’ve grown up here and made adult lives here know something has gone wrong these last two years. They’ve seen what this city looks and feels like when things are going well. And, judging from Johnson’s rock-bottom public-approval numbers, many of them have concluded he’s a big part of the current problem. The job of mayor is tough no matter who’s in the office, but Chicago could be doing so much better with a different brand of leadership — and, really, a wholly different philosophy — than Johnson has brought to the fifth floor. Before we discuss what we think is wrong, let’s recognize what Johnson has done well. Topping that list is appointing Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling, who has helped restore some measure of morale to the force, overseen a noteworthy reduction in violent crime and led a smooth Democratic National Convention in which protesters were allowed to have their say without sparking chaos. Likewise, Johnson’s recent choice of Michael McMurray in the crucial post of aviation commissioner was solid. On the policy front, his Cut the Tape initiative, aimed at reducing the inexcusably long time it takes to win city approval for development projects, is laudable. The execution, however, has been too slow. And, more generally, no one doubts Johnson’s love for Chicago and his honest desire to lift up neighborhoods that long have been neglected. But the losses and setbacks have far outnumbered the wins despite the City Council being populated with record numbers of self-described progressives, who (on paper at least) are allies of the mayor. Leave aside more moderate aldermen who from the start were unlikely to back Johnson’s agenda; the mayor has struggled time and again to win support even from fellow progressives for high-priority initiatives. Many of those progressives have openly feuded with his administration. Likewise, when they’ve had the chance, voters have clearly expressed their displeasure with the mayor. The most striking example was the March 2024 rejection of his Bring Chicago Home referendum, which would have allowed the city to dramatically hike taxes on the ***** of higher-priced residential and most all commercial property to fund homelessness programs. The school board elections last November were another warning sign. Improbably, candidates not endorsed by the mayor’s most important political ally, the Chicago Teachers Union, won six of nine contested elections — a clear rebuke of the mayor. In interviews, Johnson’s message at the halfway mark has consisted largely of the time-honored political tradition of acknowledging mistakes in the same way a job applicant responds to the question of describing their biggest flaw by saying they work too hard at times. In the mayor’s telling, it’s not any of the policies or their execution that explain his unpopularity; it’s that he hasn’t done enough to communicate all the wonderful things that are happening on his watch. He points to city initiatives like the so-called green social housing ordinance — one of his few victories in the City Council — which will have the city financing and for the first time taking direct ownership of affordable housing projects. He mentions early-term policy changes like eliminating the subminimum wage for tipped employees and imposing paid-leave mandates on businesses — initiatives that raise costs for existing businesses and discourage the creation of new ones. While the intentions behind these policies were mostly good, they don’t make up for the lack of confidence private investors and job creators feel in the city under Johnson’s leadership. It’s not even close. The oft-cited dearth of cranes in Chicago’s sky represents tangible evidence. More generally, the numbers confirm what Chicagoans see and feel as they move about the city. With the exception of a few retail strips in affluent neighborhoods, Chicago isn’t thriving. It’s not growing. It’s lacking energy. And it’s losing ground to competitors. Every year, on behalf of state government, Moody’s produces a detailed and illuminating report on Illinois’ economy. Those reports tell a damning tale of Johnson’s term so far. In February 2023, three months before Johnson took office, Moody’s pointed to Chicago employment growth of 3.5% over the previous year and observed that the performance “outpaced” the Midwest and the U.S. as a whole. A year later, in February 2024, nine months into Johnson’s term, Moody’s said, “Chicago’s economy is showing signs of fatigue.” Job growth had slowed to just 0.8%, with most private-sector industries other than health care lagging. Wage gains also were worse in Chicago than in the country as a whole. The most recent report, from February 2025, was sadder still. “Chicago’s economy is trailing its large peers and the U.S. overall,” Moody’s said. Employment was “relatively flat for the past year and a half.” Throughout Johnson’s tenure, the city’s unemployment rate consistently has been about a percentage point above the national rate. Johnson describes himself as “pro-business” and told Crain’s Chicago Business he will “put his record up against” any past mayor with a business-friendly reputation. Very few people actually doing business in Chicago would agree with the mayor’s self-assessment. Johnson still doesn’t seem to understand that economic development doesn’t emanate mainly from City Hall and its programs — or shouldn’t, anyway, in a healthy commercial ecosystem. Far more jobs and economic opportunity, including for people living on the South and West sides, are created when the city provides essential services at a reasonable cost and engenders confidence in those considering establishing new businesses or expanding existing ones that stability along those lines can be expected in the future. Thus far, the Johnson administration has failed in that basic task. On his watch, the city’s debt rating has been downgraded for the first time in a decade. Unlike in past years, the administration last week barred journalists from attending any part of a two-day gathering with investors in which Johnson’s finance team attempted to persuade them to buy hundreds of millions in new bonds the city wants to issue this year. Hardly inspires confidence. Facing a daunting budget deficit last year, the mayor proposed a $300 million property tax hike, summarily rejected by the City Council, thereby breaking a categorical campaign promise while refusing to consider layoffs or even furloughs to make ends meet. He’s piling more debt on a city awash in IOUs and even pushed hard — again, failing so far, thankfully — for Chicago Public Schools to take on hundreds of millions in more debt despite being the largest issuer of junk-rated municipal bonds in the country. The mayor could be considered the epitome of a tax-and-spend Democrat, only he’s typically unable to persuade fellow officeholders with similarly progressive views to green-light the taxes. So he’s become a borrow-and-spend Democrat. For any mayor, the job entails two primary tasks before all else: public safety and financial stewardship. On the latter count, this mayor has been deeply disappointing so far. In our view, that’s a major reason why Chicago’s economy is stuck in the mud. It’s not that Chicagoans haven’t understood what you’re selling, Mr. Mayor. The problem is what has been on offer. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email *****@*****.tld. Source link #messaging #Mayor #policies #governance #problems Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Downgrade of U.S.’ credit rating raises challenge Downgrade of U.S.’ credit rating raises challenge The statue of former Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin stands in front of the north wing of the U.S. Treasury Department headquarters building on April 24, 2025, in Washington, DC, U.S. J. David Ake | Getty Images News | Getty Images U.S. stocks popped last week on the back of a trade truce between America and China, in which they mutually agreed to cut tariffs for 90 days. Technology stocks soared, with Tesla and Nvidia leading the pack. Absent new developments on the tariff front, however, it’s unclear if this buoyant sentiment can last. For one, the U.S.’ credit rating was downgraded by Moody’s Ratings to the second highest. This means investors could demand higher returns for U.S. Treasurys amid their ostensibly lower trustworthiness. Rising Treasury yields, in turn, could pressure stocks. Even though Moody is merely the latest to join Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings in bumping down the U.S. from the top rating — which did so in 2011 and 2023 respectively — it might send another crack through an already fragile stock market. Although Nvidia was one of the winners of last week’s rally, it is still contending with chip export restrictions to China and increased scrutiny over its business activities. That’s a big deal because China’s artificial intelligence sector is “not behind” that of the U.S., and will probably reach around $50 billion within three years, according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Losing out on that market would be a “tremendous loss,” he added. Whether last week’s rally can be sustained will rely, then, on the headlines that will come from the White House this week. What you need to know today Moody’s cuts U.S.’ credit ratingMoody’s Ratings cut the United States’ sovereign credit rating down one notch to Aa1 from Aaa, which is the highest possible, citing the growing burden of financing the federal government’s budget deficit and debt. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday called the downgrade a “lagging indicator,” claiming it reflects conditions during the Biden administration. China’s retail sales disappoint Retail sales in China grew 5.1% in April from a year earlier, lower than the 5.5% expected by a Reuters poll and March’s figure of 5.9%, suggesting the spending habits of consumers are still muted. Industrial output rose 6.1% in April on an annual basis — while that slowed from March’s 7.7% jump, it beat estimates of 5.5%, defraying some fears that U.S. tariffs would severely depressing factory activity in China. Winning week for U.S. stocksAll major U.S. indexes rose Friday. For the week, the S&P 500 surged 5.3% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 3.4%. The Nasdaq Composite popped 7.2% on the back of strong showings from technology stocks such as Tesla and Nvidia, which jumped 17% and 16% respectively on the week. U.S. futures slipped Sunday evening stateside. Asia-Pacific markets fell Monday. Mainland China’s CSI 300 lost roughly 0.3% on downbeat retail sales figures from Beijing. Nvidia denies sending chip designs to ChinaFollowing a report in the Financial Times that Nvidia is working on a research and development center in Shanghai in light of new U.S. export curbs, the chipmaker told CNBC it is “not sending any GPU designs to China to be modified to comply with export controls.” A source familiar with the matter told CNBC that the company is leasing new space for current employees, but is not sending any IP or GPU designs there. Biden diagnosed with prostate cancerFormer U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday was diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate *******, his office said on Friday. “The ******* appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his office added. [PRO] China certifies pilotless planeAs companies like Tesla and Alphabet-owned Waymo seek to be the first on the market with driverless cars, one company received certification from China this week to fly pilotless planes. Bank of America says it’s time to buy the firm’s U.S.-listed stock. And finally… An H&M store in New York City on Nov. 19, 2024. Charly Triballeau | AFP | Getty Images Meet the sustainable fashion startup backed by H&M and Amazon When Gilberto Loureiro spent summers working in a textile factory as a teenager growing up in Portugal, he discovered that he felt “hate and love” for how clothes were produced. “I really love the textile industry and problem solving, but I hate this … inspection working and inefficiencies and the waste. It’s really one of the most difficult jobs in the world,” Loureiro told CNBC via video call. After taking a master’s degree in physics, he co-founded of Smartex, a tech company that uses cameras, vision software and artificial intelligence to spot defects in textiles during their production, and therefore reduce the proportion of fabric going to waste. Loureiro claims the technology has prevented 1 million kilograms of fabric from going to waste in the past three years. Source link #Downgrade #U.S #credit #rating #raises #challenge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

*** and EU in last-minute deal talks ahead of summit – BBC *** and EU in last-minute deal talks ahead of summit – BBC *** and EU in last-minute deal talks ahead of summit BBC’Breakthrough’ in ***-EU talks, says government, as Starmer hosts summit in London BBCUK-EU Reset Deal, 30-Year At 5%, Americans Moving Overseas Bloomberg.comHow has Britain’s economy fared since Brexit? The five charts underpinning the ***-EU summit The GuardianBritain poised to reset trade and defence ties with EU Reuters Source link #lastminute #deal #talks #ahead #summit #BBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Apple Unlikely to Discuss Siri Upgrades at WWDC; to Be Wary of Unveiling New Features in Advance: Report Apple Unlikely to Discuss Siri Upgrades at WWDC; to Be Wary of Unveiling New Features in Advance: Report Apple is unlikely to announce advanced upgrades to its Siri voice assistant at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2025) next month, according to a report. The company is said to be focusing on improvements to existing Apple Intelligence features and add a couple of new ones with the iOS 19 update, which is expected to roll out to users later this year. Apple will also be more cautious while announcing new features in advance, after it faced delays while rolling out an advanced version of Siri showcased at WWDC 2024. Apple to Focus on Select AI Features for Upcoming iOS 19 Update Citing sources at the company, a Bloomberg report states that Apple will focus on improving Apple Intelligence features that it has already rolled out to users, instead of unveiling major AI upgrades at WWDC 2025 in June. The company is said to be working on at least two new features, which are expected to arrive with the upcoming iOS 19 update. The company is expected to announce a new AI-powered feature that estimates the time required to charge an iPhone at WWDC 2025. It is also likely to unveil a new virtual coach to the Health app, which could use AI to analyse data collected by an Apple Watch and other available information to provide health insights, according to the report. Apple is reportedly working on marketing Siri and Apple Intelligence separately, despite its efforts to build a more advanced voice assistant. The iPhone maker is expected to be more cautious while announcing new features, and these will only be revealed a few months before they are ready to be shipped. Last year, Apple announced a slew of AI upgrades coming to eligible iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers. While the company has shipped a few features such as Genmoji, Writing Tools, Clean Up (Photos), and support for summarising notifications, the biggest upgrade — an AI-powered Siri — is yet to roll out to customers. A recent report revealed that Apple is not likely to release the AI features unveiled at WWDC 2024 until next year. The company’s assistant is already behind rival software from Google and Microsoft, as well as AI-focused firms like Perplexity and OpenAI. We can expect to learn more about Apple’s upcoming software features and updates at WWDC 2025, which begins on June 9. Source link #Apple #Discuss #Siri #Upgrades #WWDC #Wary #Unveiling #Features #Advance #Report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Walyalup (Fremantle) Dockers remain undefeated under Indigenous round name after victory over GWS Giants Walyalup (Fremantle) Dockers remain undefeated under Indigenous round name after victory over GWS Giants Should the Fremantle Dockers be known as Walyalup permanently? That’s the suggestion by some in the Purple Army after the club remained unbeaten under their Sir Doug Nicholls Round moniker. The Dockers have now won four games and drawn one as Walyalup after defeating Greater Western Sydney on Saturday. The 34-point victory also marked the first time the side has beaten the Giants at ENGIE Stadium in five appearances. The remarkable 4-1-0 run has prompted some fans to urge the club to adopt the Indigenous name full-time. “Can we permanently keep our name to Walyalup?” one fan asked, while another said: “At this point, we do a permanent change right?” “Petition to be Walyalup every round,” another fan added, while another said: “Let’s change the name then”. “I vote for a permanent name change,” another said, while one supporter demanded the club “keep the name”. “I’ve seen enough, change the club’s name permanently to Walyalup,” another said. “That’s the curse breaker. Rename Fremantle to Walyalup permanently,” another added of the win in Sydney. “I’m all for us changing the name to Walyalup,” another fan added. Walyalup are one of six clubs to go by an Indigenous name for Sir Doug Nicholls Round in 2025, alongside Narrm (Melbourne), Waalitj Marawar (West Coast), Euro-Yroke (St Kilda), Yartapuulti (Port Adelaide) and Kuwarna (Adelaide). The Dockers first introduced the name change in 2023, following the lead of the Demons, who became the first club in the league to adopt an Indigenous name the year prior. Walyalup refers to the Noongar country in and around Fremantle. Camera IconPat Voss celebrates a goal. Credit: Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos/Getty Images Walayalup and Narrm’s meeting in 2023 marked the first time two clubs with Indigenous names played each other in the AFL, with the Dockers prevailing by seven points at the MCG. The Dockers also defeated Geelong by 29 points the week prior in their first game as Walyalup. A victory over Euro-Yroke (St Kilda) in 2024 was followed by a draw against Collingwood, in the only game they didn’t walk away with all four points. Walyalup will hope to keep their unbeaten run alive with a crunch clash against Yartapuulti, who have lost their past three games. The club will host the struggling Power at Optus Stadium on Saturday night and will continue to use the name Walyalup until the conclusion of Sir Doug Nicholls Round. Source link #Walyalup #Fremantle #Dockers #remain #undefeated #Indigenous #victory #GWS #Giants Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Apple Unlikely to Discuss Siri Upgrades at WWDC; to Be Wary of Unveiling New Features in Advance: Report Apple Unlikely to Discuss Siri Upgrades at WWDC; to Be Wary of Unveiling New Features in Advance: Report Apple is unlikely to announce advanced upgrades to its Siri voice assistant at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2025) next month, according to a report. The company is said to be focusing on improvements to existing Apple Intelligence features and add a couple of new ones with the iOS 19 update, which is expected to roll out to users later this year. Apple will also be more cautious while announcing new features in advance, after it faced delays while rolling out an advanced version of Siri showcased at WWDC 2024. Apple to Focus on Select AI Features for Upcoming iOS 19 Update Citing sources at the company, a Bloomberg report states that Apple will focus on improving Apple Intelligence features that it has already rolled out to users, instead of unveiling major AI upgrades at WWDC 2025 in June. The company is said to be working on at least two new features, which are expected to arrive with the upcoming iOS 19 update. The company is expected to announce a new AI-powered feature that estimates the time required to charge an iPhone at WWDC 2025. It is also likely to unveil a new virtual coach to the Health app, which could use AI to analyse data collected by an Apple Watch and other available information to provide health insights, according to the report. Apple is reportedly working on marketing Siri and Apple Intelligence separately, despite its efforts to build a more advanced voice assistant. The iPhone maker is expected to be more cautious while announcing new features, and these will only be revealed a few months before they are ready to be shipped. Last year, Apple announced a slew of AI upgrades coming to eligible iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers. While the company has shipped a few features such as Genmoji, Writing Tools, Clean Up (Photos), and support for summarising notifications, the biggest upgrade — an AI-powered Siri — is yet to roll out to customers. A recent report revealed that Apple is not likely to release the AI features unveiled at WWDC 2024 until next year. The company’s assistant is already behind rival software from Google and Microsoft, as well as AI-focused firms like Perplexity and OpenAI. We can expect to learn more about Apple’s upcoming software features and updates at WWDC 2025, which begins on June 9. Source link #Apple #Discuss #Siri #Upgrades #WWDC #Wary #Unveiling #Features #Advance #Report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Nvidia announces humanoid robotics, customer AI infrastructure offerings at Computex 2025 Nvidia announces humanoid robotics, customer AI infrastructure offerings at Computex 2025 Nvidia (NVDA) rolled into this year’s Computex Taipei tech expo on Monday with several announcements, ranging from the development of humanoid robots to the opening up of its high-powered NVLink technology, which allows companies to build semi-custom AI servers with Nvidia’s infrastructure. The announcements come as Nvidia rides a recent hot streak after the US announced it was scrapping the Biden administration’s AI diffusion rules that would have put limits on which countries could buy the company’s AI chips. Nvidia was also a topic of President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, where the company said it will supply several hundred thousand AI processors to Humain, an AI startup owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, over the next five years. During the event on Monday, Nvidia revealed its Nvidia Isaac GR00T-Dreams, which the company says helps developers create enormous amounts of training data they can use to teach robots how to perform different behaviors and adapt to new environments. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has said physical AI represents the world’s next trillion-dollar industry. And to get there, the company is leaning into building the software necessary to train and power humanoid robots in factories before they’re eventually available in our homes. In addition to its robotics capabilities, Nvidia showed off its new NVLink Fusion offering, which allows customers to build custom servers using Nvidia’s Grace CPU and a third-party AI chip paired with Nvidia’s various server infrastructure offerings. Customers can also choose to pair their own CPU offering with one of Nvidia’s AI chips. “Using NVLink Fusion, hyperscalers can work with the NVIDIA partner ecosystem to integrate NVIDIA rack-scale solutions for seamless deployment in data center infrastructure,” the company said in a statement. The idea is to give infrastructure customers more options when it comes to building out their data center and server systems. To that end, Nvidia is also working on what it calls its RTX Pro Blackwell servers. Nvidia says these servers, which run on the company’s Blackwell Server Edition GPUs, will drive “the shift from CPU-based systems to efficiency GPU-accelerated infrastructure.” The systems, Nvidia explains, are meant to run “virtually every enterprise workload.” That includes use cases ranging from design and simulation software to running agentic AI programs and more. The company also debuted its DGX Cloud Lepton, giving customers access to cloud-based AI processing, which allows users to develop and roll out their own AI software. Nvidia says it’s able to do this by working with partners, including CoreWeave (CRWV), Foxconn (2354.TW), SoftBank (SFTBY), and others, which will host a global network of GPU clouds. Source link #Nvidia #announces #humanoid #robotics #customer #infrastructure #offerings #Computex Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Samsung Galaxy S25 FE May Get Similar Telephoto, Ultra-Wide Cameras As Galaxy S24 FE; Launch Timeline Tipped Samsung Galaxy S25 FE May Get Similar Telephoto, Ultra-Wide Cameras As Galaxy S24 FE; Launch Timeline Tipped Samsung Galaxy S25 FE may launch in select global markets later this year. A recent leak claimed that the purported handset will likely come with an upgraded selfie camera over the current Galaxy S24 FE, which has a 10-megapixel front sensor. A new report now suggests that the Galaxy S25 FE could retain the telephoto and ultrawide shooters of the existing Fan Edition phone. Notably, the rumoured Samsung Galaxy S25 series handset has previously appeared on Geekbench with an in-house Exynos 2400 chipset. Samsung Galaxy S25 FE Camera, Other Features (Expected) The Samsung Galaxy S25 FE could be equipped with an 8-megapixel telephoto shooter with 3x optical zoom support, according to a GalaxyClub report. The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, which was unveiled in India in September 2024, is equipped with an 8-megapixel telephoto camera as well. According to the report, the purported Samsung Galaxy S25 FE could retain the same ultra-wide sensor as the current Galaxy S24 FE, as well, which uses a 12-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide-angle lens. The report further claimed that the handset may launch in select global markets in late September or early October alongside the anticipated Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE, which is expected to be the first foldable Fan Edition model. The rumoured Samsung Galaxy S25 FE could come with an upgraded 12-megapixel front camera sensor for selfies and video calls, according to an earlier report. The Galaxy S24 FE has a 10-megapixel selfie shooter. The Galaxy S25 FE will likely carry a similar 50-megapixel main rear sensor as the current Fan Edition model, the report added. An earlier Geekbench listing of the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE with the model number Samsung SM-S731U suggested that it will be powered by an in-house Exynos 2400 SoC. This contradicts an older report, which claimed that the handset could carry a MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset. An even older leak claims that the Galaxy S25 FE could arrive with the same chipset as the Galaxy S24 FE, which is an Exynos 2400e SoC. Samsung could launch the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE in different markets with different processors. Readers are advised to take all information with a pinch of salt till we get some official details. Notably, the Geekbench listing hinted that the Galaxy S25 FE will likely support 8GB of RAM and ship with Android 16-based One UI 8. Source link #Samsung #Galaxy #S25 #Similar #Telephoto #UltraWide #Cameras #Galaxy #S24 #Launch #Timeline #Tipped Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘The Last of Us’ Creator Neil Druckmann on Directing Pedro Pascal’s Last Episode, That Pearl Jam Song and Catherine O’Hara’s ‘Beautiful’ Improvisation – Variety ‘The Last of Us’ Creator Neil Druckmann on Directing Pedro Pascal’s Last Episode, That Pearl Jam Song and Catherine O’Hara’s ‘Beautiful’ Improvisation – Variety ‘The Last of Us’ Creator Neil Druckmann on Directing Pedro Pascal’s Last Episode, That Pearl Jam Song and Catherine O’Hara’s ‘Beautiful’ Improvisation Variety‘The Last of Us’ Guest Star Joe Pantoliano on Filming That Heartbreaking Final Scene and Forgetting Pedro Pascal Variety‘The Last of Us’ Episode 6 recap: Joel tells a truth left out of the game The Washington PostThe Last of Us: Season 2 Episode 6 Review IGN‘The Last Of Us’: Neil Druckmann On Directing Pivotal Joel & Ellie Flashbacks That Pinpoint “Where The Relationship Explodes” Deadline Source link #Creator #Neil #Druckmann #Directing #Pedro #Pascals #Episode #Pearl #Jam #Song #Catherine #OHaras #Beautiful #Improvisation #Variety Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Man arrested after dead body found in home, Alfredton, Victoria Man arrested after dead body found in home, Alfredton, Victoria A man has been arrested after a dead man was found at a home in a rural town. The body was found on Monday after police were called to the residence in east Ballarat, Victoria following reports of a disturbance just before 9am. The body of a 70-year-old man was found at the scene on Wensleydale Drive at Alfredton. A man in his 30s who was at the scene was arrested by police and is assisting with inquiries. It is unknown how the man died, but his death is being treated as suspicious. Anyone with information who could assist police with their inquiries is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online. More to come. Source link #Man #arrested #dead #body #home #Alfredton #Victoria Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New ******** plasma excitation tech improves drone flight efficiency by 88% New ******** plasma excitation tech improves drone flight efficiency by 88% Defense scientists in China have discovered a way to make high-altitude drones more efficient using plasma excitation technology. This technology manipulates airflow using electrically charged particles (plasma) generated on the aircraft’s wings, enhancing aerodynamic performance and enabling longer flights. High-altitude drones, such as the US RQ-4 Global Hawk or China’s CH-9, can fly very high (above 32,800 feet/10,000 meters) and stay airborne for extended periods (up to 40 hours). However, at those extreme altitudes, the atmosphere becomes significantly thinner, meaning far fewer air molecules are available to generate aerodynamic forces. This drop in air density drastically reduces overall aerodynamic performance, particularly lift, the upward force that counters gravity and keeps an aircraft aloft. With less air flowing over the wings, the aircraft has a harder time staying in the air, especially when flying slowly or carrying heavy equipment. Maintaining efficient lift in such conditions is a significant engineering challenge for high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) drones. Plasma generator for better endurance While flying slower helps conserve fuel and extend mission time, the reduced speed also hurts lift, especially when airflow starts to separate (break away) from the wing. Researchers observed that when drone speed drops from 15 metres per second to 8 metres per second (under 18.6 mph or 30 kph), the lift-to-drag ratio plummets by over 60%. To this end, the research team at China Aerodynamics Research and Development Centre (CARDC)—located in Sichuan province—tested a plasma generator installed on drone wings in a wind tunnel. The generator itself can fire 16,000 volts to ionize air 8,000 times per second, creating plasma bursts that are essentially charged air particles. The plasma interacts with the airflow around the wing to prevent airflow separation, which, according to the team, improves the lift-to-drag ratio by up to 88%. This allows drones to maintain lift even at very low speeds. “This technology holds potential for extending the endurance of high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) drones,” stated the scientific team led by Zhang Xin, a senior scientist with the State Key Laboratory of Aerodynamics under CARDC. Scientists working on closed-loop control system While the technology seems promising, it comes with a drawback. The charged air particles created by plasma bursts also give way to plasma vortices. These are swirls of air that can cause instability in flight when climbing or turning sharply. Therefore, although plasma excitation is powerful, it is also risky without proper control systems. To address this, the team is now working on a new ‘closed-loop control system’. The mechanism would adjust plasma output real-time based on drone behavior, akin to an autopilot system specifically for plasma. Once cracked, the new plasma technology could enable drones to fly much longer, reducing the need for refuelling or recharging. This, in turn, would improve reconnaissance, disaster response, and military surveillance. Similar plasma-based systems could, in theory, also be applied to other aircraft types or space vehicles, where atmospheric conditions are similarly thin or unpredictable. With growing global interest toward green aviation and low-energy flight systems, plasma control may soon emerge as a key enabling technology. “Long-endurance drones are indispensable for military/civilian missions—reconnaissance, surveillance, disaster assessment—and their demand keeps growing,” the team behind the innovative plasma generator observed. Some experts believe this might even give China an edge in next-gen aircraft and drone design, potentially advancing aerospace innovation. Source link #******** #plasma #excitation #tech #improves #drone #flight #efficiency Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

China's factory output resists tariff impact, retail sales slow – Reuters China's factory output resists tariff impact, retail sales slow – Reuters China’s factory output resists tariff impact, retail sales slow ReutersChina’s retail sales disappoint as stimulus fails to spur demand; industrial output defies tariffs CNBCChina Consumption Miss Overshadows Factory Strength Amid Tariffs BloombergChina’s Economic Activity Slowed Ahead of U.S. Tariff Truce WSJChina’s manufacturing resilient in April despite US tariffs; consumption softens South China Morning Post Source link #China039s #factory #output #resists #tariff #impact #retail #sales #slow #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

iPhone 17 Air Said to Be Thinner Than Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge; Battery Capacity Leaked iPhone 17 Air Said to Be Thinner Than Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge; Battery Capacity Leaked iPhone 17 Air (or Slim) is believed to go official in September alongside the standard iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. The new Air model, likely the thinnest iPhone ever, is said to replace the iPhone 16 Plus this year. As the anticipation builds for the upcoming iPhone 17 Air, a new leak hints at its battery capacity, weight, and thickness. Apple is said to use high-density battery technology to increase the capacity in the new model. The iPhone 17 Air is said to be thinner than Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge Tipster Yeux1122 on Naver has suggested the battery capacity, potential weight, and thickness of the upcoming iPhone 17 Air. Citing Taiwanese supply chain sources, the tipster states that the phone will measure 5.5mm in thickness. This aligns with previous leaks and predictions from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. This narrowly surpasses Samsung’s potential iPhone 17 Air rival, the Galaxy S25 Edge’s 5.8 mm thickness. The handset is said to weigh about 145 grams. iPhone 17 Air Could Get a 2,800mAh Battery The tipster further claims that the iPhone 17 Air will have a 2,800mAh battery. This battery is significantly smaller than those in current-generation models. The iPhone 16 is said to have a 3,561mAh battery while the iPhone 16 Pro Max houses a 4,685mAh unit. The new iPhone 16e is reported to have a 3,961mAh battery. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge packs a 3,900mAh battery. As per the tipster, the iPhone 17 Air might utilise high-density battery cells with a 2,800mAh cell size to enhance the battery life. These cells could potentially increase the actual battery capacity by 15 percent to 20 percent. The smaller battery is largely attributed to the slim build of the iPhone 17 Air. Apple is rumoured to use silicon-anode batteries for this slim phone to increase the battery life. The Cupertino-based company is also expected to bring a phone case-like accessory to address this problem. The iPhone 17 Air is rumoured to come with a price tag of $1,299 (roughly Rs. 1,09,500). It is expected to feature a 6.6-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone could feature a 24-megapixel selfie camera and a 48-megapixel single rear camera. It is likely to run on Apple’s A18 or A19 chip. Source link #iPhone #Air #Thinner #Samsung #Galaxy #S25 #Edge #Battery #Capacity #Leaked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Boost for Brumbies with star cleared of serious injury Boost for Brumbies with star cleared of serious injury ACT Brumbies skipper Alan Alaalatoa is a strong chance to lead the team into the Super Rugby Pacific finals after favourable scans on his lower-leg injury. Source link #Boost #Brumbies #star #cleared #injury Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Only a handful of women allowed to wear white to Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration— here’s why everyone else must dress in ****** Only a handful of women allowed to wear white to Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration— here’s why everyone else must dress in ****** Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration ceremony took place in ******** City earlier today. Many were in attendance, and as tradition goes — when a person is in the presence of a pope, they dress in ******, except for Queen Letizia of Spain, who is one of seven women in the world who were granted permission to wear white around the head of the Catholic Church. The privilège du blanc, which translates to privilege of white, is a custom in the Catholic Church that appoints a select group of royal Catholic women to wear white instead of the customary ******. ****** garments signify “humility and the desire to remain unnoticed,” Dr. Taylor Marshall explained on X (formerly Twitter). When in the Pope’s presence, typically everyone must wear ******. Women must specifically wear ****** attire that covers their knees and long sleeves that cover their shoulders. They must also cover their chest to prevent any cleavage from potentially showing. In addition to Queen Letizia of Spain — the six other women who are the exception to this rule are Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Sofía of Spain, Queen Paola and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg and Princess Marina of Naples. They are the only ones to have privilège du blanc, according to Town & Country. “It’s a reminder that the Catholic Church holds high standards for the attire of the laity and recognizes Catholic monarchs as integral to Christendom,” Marshall said in his tweet. These women are a part of a small group who are the only ones allowed to wear white in the pope’s presence. AFP via Getty Images “Le Privilège du Blanc isn’t just about white dresses; it’s about history, influence, and remains an essential reminder of the history (and future) of Christendom.” Queen Letizia of Spain was seen wearing white during a private visit with Pope Francis back in June 2014 — and of course, Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration wasn’t any different. At the ceremony, she donned a stunning white long-sleeved tea-length dress with an asymmetrical draped neckline from Redondo Brand, nude Magrit heels, Ansorena1845 pearl drop earrings, a small white square purse, complete with a lace veil over her head, according to WWD. Queen Letizia of Spain looked elegant at the Sunday ceremony. Getty Images She was joined by Princess Charlene of Monaco and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, who were also wearing white at Sunday’s ceremony. Tens of thousands of people were in attendance at ******** City, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana and other members of Congress. Source link #handful #women #allowed #wear #white #Pope #Leo #XIVs #inauguration #heres #dress #****** Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*** looks to reset EU relations 5 years after Brexit – AP News *** looks to reset EU relations 5 years after Brexit – AP News *** looks to reset EU relations 5 years after Brexit AP NewsUK and EU still locked in deal talks hours ahead of summit BBCMonday briefing: Reports of late night breakthrough in landmark ***-EU reset deal The GuardianBritain poised to reset trade and defence ties with EU ReutersUK-EU Reset Deal, 30-Year At 5%, Americans Moving Overseas Bloomberg Source link #reset #relations #years #Brexit #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]