Pelican Press

A year after release, Activision is winding down Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile A year after release, Activision is winding down Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile A little over a year after its release, Activision is pulling Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile from the App Store and Google Play Store, and ending support for the game. Released in March 2024, the iOS and Android game is co-developed by Activision’s Shanghai, Beenox, Digital Legends, and Solid State studios, and supports shared progression with the console and PC versions of Warzone. It’s Call of Duty’s second mobile game, after 2019’s Call of Duty Mobile, which is developed by TiMi Studio and continues to be supported. In a statement published on Friday, Activision said it has decided to end support for Warzone Mobile because it has “not met our expectations with mobile-first players like it has with PC and console audiences”. Effectively immediately, players will no longer be able to purchase digital currency, and no further seasonal content will be released for Warzone Mobile. From Sunday, May 18, the game will no longer be available to download from stores. Players who have the game installed before this date will be able to continue to play online matches, however. “Going forward, we will be streamlining the scope of the game,” the statement reads. “This decision was made after careful consideration of various factors, and while we’re proud of the accomplishment in bringing Call of Duty: Warzone to mobile in an authentic way, it unfortunately has not met our expectations with mobile-first players like it has with PC and console audiences.” It continued: “We know that this news may be disappointing, and we truly appreciate the support, passion, feedback, and dedication from our community. We have special incentives for Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile players in Call of Duty: Mobile and encourage our players to try it for free.” Source link #year #release #Activision #winding #Call #Duty #Warzone #Mobile Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Auckland beat injury-hit Victory for ALM semi edge Auckland beat injury-hit Victory for ALM semi edge Premiers Auckland FC will return to New Zealand with a fairytale A-League Men grand final berth within touching distance after snatching a 1-0 win in their away semi-final leg against Melbourne Victory. New Zealand international Logan Rogerson headed home in the 64th minute in front of 14,121 fans at AAMI Park to hand Steve Corica’s newcomers a vital lead ahead of next Saturday’s second leg. The winners will likely face Melbourne City, who are up 3-0 over Western United in the other semi-final. Auckland are chasing an extraordinary premiership-championship double in their first season. Victory will head to Auckland’s Go Media Stadium with their grand final hopes alive but a defensive injury crisis to overcome after Brendan Hamill went down with an apparent serious right knee injury. Victory, already without first-choice goalkeeper Mitch Langerak (foot), suffered a pre-game blow when captain Roderick Miranda was ruled out with a lower leg issue. Hamill started as skipper in his place but went down in a tackle in the 56th minute screaming in agony and grabbing at his right knee. The distraught defender previously tore his left ACL when playing at Western United in 2020, and Victory will hope he has avoided the dreaded injury. It was a sour note in an otherwise entertaining affair where Victory couldn’t manufacture a shot that could beat Auckland’s ominous defence or goalkeeper Alex Paulsen. Jordi Valadon skimmed the ball just off-target in the 20th minute, and three minutes later Victory striker Nikos Vergos appealed for a penalty from a challenge from Dan Hall but was offside. Seven minutes later, Auckland’s Marlee Francois came desperately close with a backheel. Just after Hamill’s injury, Victory unsuccessfully appealed for a handball penalty by Nando Pijnaker from a Daniel Arzani shot. Shortly afterwards, Joshua Rawlins – who had just replaced Hamill – almost latched on to an Arzani free kick, but Paulsen cleared it away. Then Auckland pounced. Frances De Vries whipped in a tantalising cross and with Victory left-back Kasey Bos caught ball-watching, Rogerson ghosted in to head home. Auckland’s Guillermo May netted in the 72nd minute but was offside. Neyder Moreno thought he’d made it 2-0 in the 95th minute but his shot clattered off both goal posts and into the excellent Jack Duncan’s arms. Source link #Auckland #beat #injuryhit #Victory #ALM #semi #edge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bungie pulls Marathon gameplay after art plagiarism storm, and say it’s reviewing all art Bungie pulls Marathon gameplay after art plagiarism storm, and say it’s reviewing all art Bungie pulled all Marathon gameplay from its latest live stream on Friday, while it said it reviews and removes artwork that one of its former artists took without permission. Earlier this week, Scottish artist Fern ‘4nt1r34l’ Hook accused Bungie of taking assets from her previous work and using it in the alpha for Marathon. Bungie later acknowledged that Hook’s claims were accurate, and claimed that a former staff member was responsible for taking her art. On Friday, the developer kicked off its weekly Marathon live stream in sombre fashion, first announcing that it would not have any gameplay, due to the ongoing investigation into the lifted artwork. Joseph Cross, Marathon’s art director, then claimed Bungie was conducting a thorough review process to remove any art from the game that was “inappropriately sourced” and ensure that the situation doesn’t happen again in the future. Cross claimed that Bungie had reached out to Fern Hook to apologize and make sure they “do right” by her, though no specific details were shared on how it plans to do so. “It came to our attention that an artist who worked on Marathon in the early stages of pre-production took a number of graphic elements from a graphic designer without permission or acknowledgement, and then placed them on a decal sheet that was then checked in in 2020,” Cross said. “The decal sheet included icon and text elements, which ended up in our alpha build. There’s absolutely no excuse for this oversight, and we are working on and are 100% committed to a review process to ensure that instances like this don’t happen again at Bungie.” Cross claimed that, over the last 24 hours, he had reached out to Fern Hook, and was auditing all work done by the former Bungie artist responsible, and that it would remove anything deemed “questionably or inappropriately sourced”. “Hundreds of artists have worked on this project for years, internally and externally, and we share many influences, including modernism, 2000s style vector art, cyberpunk, and of course the original Marathon trilogy,” he said. “Our style is a result of all of those inspirations, and it’s worth noting that none of our external partners who have worked on branding or any part of the visual design of the game were designed with this situation. “Lastly, personally I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for artists working independently, producing, making a living, doing commercial or fine art. We’ve worked with many of them. It’s one of my favorite parts of the job, to make those connections, create content, and collaborate. “So to that extent, I want to send my personal apology to 4nt1r34l, whose work was used in this case. I know how unfair this feels, and we’re doing everything we can to make this right. Her work is fantastic, and we clearly share a mutual appreciation for a specific genre of graphic design, and I’m excited to have folded that into our style in general.” Marathon is set for release on September 23 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and PC. Bungie has confirmed that the game will be a “premium product”, though the studio has yet to confirm the price. Source link #Bungie #pulls #Marathon #gameplay #art #plagiarism #storm #reviewing #art Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Grok’s ‘white genocide’ responses show gen AI tampered with ‘at will’ Grok’s ‘white genocide’ responses show gen AI tampered with ‘at will’ Muhammed Selim Korkutata | Anadolu | Getty Images In the two-plus years since generative artificial intelligence took the the world by storm following the public release of ChatGPT, trust has been a perpetual problem. Hallucinations, bad math and cultural biases have plagued results, reminding users that there’s a limit to how much we can rely on AI, at least for now. Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot, created by his startup xAI, showed this week that there’s a deeper reason for concern: The AI can be easily manipulated by humans. Grok on Wednesday began responding to user queries with false claims of “white genocide” in South Africa. By late in the day, screenshots were posted across X of similar answers even when the questions had nothing to do with the topic. After remaining silent on the matter for well over 24 hours, xAI said late Thursday that Grok’s strange behavior was caused by an “unauthorized modification” to the chat app’s so-called system prompts, which help inform the way it behaves and interacts with users. In other words, humans were dictating the AI’s response. The nature of the response, in this case, ties directly to Musk, who was born and raised in South Africa. Musk, who owns xAI in addition to his CEO roles at Tesla and SpaceX, has been promoting the false claim that violence against some South African farmers constitutes “white genocide,” a sentiment that President Donald Trump has also expressed. Read more CNBC reporting on AI “I think it is incredibly important because of the content and who leads this company, and the ways in which it suggests or sheds light on kind of the power that these tools have to shape people’s thinking and understanding of the world,” said Deirdre Mulligan, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley and an expert in AI governance. Mulligan characterized the Grok miscue as an “algorithmic breakdown” that “rips apart at the seams” the supposed neutral nature of large language models. She said there’s no reason to see Grok’s malfunction as merely an “exception.” AI-powered chatbots created by Meta, Google and OpenAI aren’t “packaging up” information in a neutral way, but are instead passing data through a “set of filters and values that are built into the system,” Mulligan said. Grok’s breakdown offers a window into how easily any of these systems can be altered to meet an individual or group’s agenda. Representatives from xAI, Google and OpenAI didn’t respond to requests for comment. Meta declined to comment. Different than past problems Grok’s unsanctioned alteration, xAI said in its statement, violated “internal policies and core values.” The company said it would take steps to prevent similar disasters and would publish the app’s system prompts in order to “strengthen your trust in Grok as a truth-seeking AI.” It’s not the first AI blunder to go viral online. A decade ago, Google’s Photo app mislabeled African Americans as gorillas. Last year, Google temporarily paused its Gemini AI image generation feature after admitting it was offering “inaccuracies” in historical pictures. And OpenAI’s DALL-E image generator was accused by some users of showing signs of bias in 2022, leading the company to announce that it was implementing a new technique so images “accurately reflect the diversity of the world’s population.” In 2023, 58% of AI decision makers at companies in Australia, the U.K. and the U.S. expressed concern over the risk of hallucinations in a generative AI deployment, Forrester found. The survey in September of that year included 258 respondents. Experts told CNBC that the Grok incident is reminiscent of China’s DeepSeek, which became an overnight sensation in the U.S. earlier this year due to the quality of its new model and that it was reportedly built at a fraction of the cost of its U.S. rivals. Critics have said that DeepSeek censors topics deemed sensitive to the ******** government. Like China with DeepSeek, Musk appears to be influencing results based on his political views, they say. When xAI debuted Grok in November 2023, Musk said it was meant to have “a bit of wit,” “a rebellious streak” and to answer the “spicy questions” that competitors might dodge. In February, xAI blamed an engineer for changes that suppressed Grok responses to user questions about misinformation, keeping Musk and Trump’s names out of replies. But Grok’s recent obsession with “white genocide” in South Africa is more extreme. Petar Tsankov, CEO of AI model auditing firm LatticeFlow AI, said Grok’s blowup is more surprising than what we saw with DeepSeek because one would “kind of expect that there would be some kind of manipulation from China.” Tsankov, whose company is based in Switzerland, said the industry needs more transparency so users can better understand how companies build and train their models and how that influences behavior. He noted efforts by the EU to require more tech companies to provide transparency as part of broader regulations in the region. Without a public outcry, “we will never get to deploy safer models,” Tsankov said, and it will be “people who will be paying the price” for putting their trust in the companies developing them. Mike Gualtieri, an analyst at Forrester, said the Grok debacle isn’t likely to slow user growth for chatbots, or diminish the investments that companies are pouring into the technology. He said users have a certain level of acceptance for these sorts of occurrences. “Whether it’s Grok, ChatGPT or Gemini — everyone expects it now,” Gualtieri said. “They’ve been told how the models hallucinate. There’s an expectation this will happen.” Olivia Gambelin, AI ethicist and author of the book Responsible AI, published last year, said that while this type of activity from Grok may not be surprising, it underscores a fundamental flaw in AI models. Gambelin said it “shows it’s possible, at least with Grok models, to adjust these general purpose foundational models at will.” — CNBC’s Lora Kolodny and Salvador Rodriguez contributed to this report WATCH: Elon Musk’s xAI chatbot Grok brings up South African ‘white genocide’ claims. Source link #Groks #white #genocide #responses #show #gen #tampered Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Eating these carbs can help boost healthy aging, according to a 30-year study Eating these carbs can help boost healthy aging, according to a 30-year study Time and time again, nutrition experts and dietitians praise the health benefits of eating a high-fiber diet, but 95% of Americans are fiber-deficient, missing out on its numerous perks. Eating a diet full of fiber-rich foods—like whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables—can help lower your ******* risk and cardiovascular disease, and improve your gut health. Now a new study, published in JAMA Network Open, links fiber and high-quality carbs in particular to healthy aging. The study found that older women who had a high intake of fiber and high-quality carbohydrates—defined as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes—in midlife experienced healthier aging. Women who ate those carbs had a 6% to 37% greater likelihood of healthy aging. Meanwhile, those who ate more refined carbs—found in added sugars, refined grains, and potatoes—and starchy vegetables had 13% lower odds of healthy aging. The authors defined healthy aging as the absence of 11 major chronic diseases (including *******, Type 2 diabetes, heart failure, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]), lack of cognitive and physical function impairments, and having good mental health, as self-reported in questionnaires. “Our findings suggest that carbohydrate quality may be an important factor in healthy aging,” said Andres Ardisson Korat, a scientist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) and lead author of the study in the press release. Researchers from the HNRCA at Tufts University and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed data from the Nurses’ Health Study questionnaires, which were collected every four years between 1984 and 2016 to examine the midlife diets and health outcomes of over 47,000 women who were between ages 70 and 93 in 2016. “We’ve all heard that different carbohydrates can affect health differently, whether for weight, energy, or blood sugar levels. But rather than just look at the immediate effects of these macronutrients, we wanted to understand what they might mean for good health 30 years later,” Ardisson Korat said. “Our results are consistent with other evidence linking consumption of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes with lower risks of chronic diseases, and now we see the association with physical and cognitive function outcomes,” said senior author Qi Sun, associate professor in the nutrition and epidemiology departments at Harvard Chan School, in the press release. “Studies are starting to find an association between food choices in midlife and quality of life in later years,” Ardisson Korat added. “The more we can understand about healthy aging, the more science can help people live healthier for longer.” Healthy, fiber-packed carbs to add to your diet The study centered on diet and not fiber supplements—and dietitians generally recommend getting your fiber from whole foods. Legumes, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are the most high-fiber food groups. Here are some specific dietitian-recommended options for adding more fiber to your diet: Fresh fruits like strawberries, oranges, blueberries, apples, and pears with skin Fresh vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green peas, and potatoes with skin For more on fiber and carbs: This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Source link #Eating #carbs #boost #healthy #aging #30year #study Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sierra made the games of my childhood. Are they still fun to play? – Ars Technica Sierra made the games of my childhood. Are they still fun to play? – Ars Technica Sierra made the games of my childhood. Are they still fun to play? Ars Technica Source link #Sierra #games #childhood #fun #play #Ars #Technica Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Combat sport clubs used to boost recruitment for white nationalist hate group, report says Combat sport clubs used to boost recruitment for white nationalist hate group, report says Combat sport clubs have been used to boost recruitment for a white nationalist hate group, according to a report released by the legal advocacy organization Southern Poverty Law Center. The report tracks the efforts of the Patriot Front — one of the most visible groups in the white nationalist movement, formed following the deadly ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 — and their focus on recruiting new members through Active Clubs. These clubs are smaller, ******* networks of white supremacist groups, where members train in mixed martial arts. Through sport, they bond over white nationalist ideologies, SPLC said. The clubs also maintain a robust online presence to encourage young men to become radicalized. Patriot Front is using these groups to expand their reach while maintaining a low profile, the report said, to evade researchers and law enforcement. “It serves as a way to hide some of the Patriot Front’s movements,” said Jeff Tischauser, the SPLC report’s author and a researcher at the not-for-profit legal advocacy organization. Patriot Front and other white nationalist groups are fueling the expansion of extremist groups in the U.S. – and control at least a dozen clubs nationwide. Since 2023, there has been a 14% increase in hate groups, according to the SPLC, which says it tracks 1,430 hate and antigovernment groups across the country. Active Clubs have had a presence since 2023 in at least 34 states, including Arizona, California, Ohio, Kansas, Montana, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Florida, according to the Counter Extremism Project. The SPLC says white nationalists use active clubs for recruitment. The groups host training sessions, create propaganda videos and participate in demonstrations and flash rallies, according to experts. They push male supremacy ideology, share workout selfies and encourage each other to reach peak physicality in preparation for marches or possible future conflicts, experts say. Robert Rundo, the founder of a white supremacist group based in Southern California, is credited with introducing the idea of Active Clubs, according to the Anti-Defamation League. In 2021, Rundo began hosting a podcast called “Active Club Podcast,” where he and his co-host encouraged listeners to establish their own clubs. He hawked what he called “white nationalism 3.0” — a more local, decentralized approach to the white nationalist movement. Rundo was arrested in Romania in 2023 after the U.S. requested his extradition on federal rioting charges. He was sentenced to two years and effectively received a time-served sentence, being released in December 2024. The shift to “white nationalism 3.0” is similar to leaderless resistance concepts across the far right ecosystem, said Jon Lewis, a research fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University. “I think a lot of these groups really function more like brands,” he said. Audio messages and a leaked internal memo obtained by the SPLC confirmed direct affiliations between Patriot Front and certain Active Clubs. The founder of a Texas active club was berated for recruiting “non-European” members. “Is our organization something you are totally committed to, or are you going to be the active club guy doing your own thing?” The Patriot Front member asked, according to the SPLC report. The new recruitment method has coincided with Patriot Front’s faltering brand, the SPLC says, after years of controversies stemming from various lawsuits and acts of vandalism. In January, Patriot Front was ordered to pay $2.7 million in damages to a ****** musician the group attacked during a march in Boston in 2022. In February, a settlement was reached between Patriot Front and two North Dakota nonprofits over allegations that the group intimidated immigrant business owners. Patriot Front has also faced scrutiny from within the right-wing movement. “In some sections of this larger far right, Patriot Front is branded as federal agents,” Tischauser said. “So to avoid that accusation, they use Active Clubs and start trying to groom people into Patriot Front membership from there.” The conspiracy theory even gained enough traction on social media to reach Elon Musk. Last year, he posted on X, “This does seem odd. Why no mask removal after arrest?” in reaction to a post of Patriot Front members being detained, where an X user dubbed the group “Fed Front.” The conspiracy that FBI agents pose as right-wing activists goes beyond Patriot Front. A Washington Post-University of Maryland poll found that a quarter of Americans believe the FBI instigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. CBS News has reached out to the FBI and Patriot Front’s founder and leader, Thomas Rosseau, via email. Lewis said that there has been a mainstreaming of conspiracy theories and hateful beliefs once confined to neo-Nazi forums and considered to be fringe. “Today, you have the richest man in the world, members of Congress tweeting this out, as if it’s like a real thing that’s happening,” Lewis said. “That just broadens out the aperture of disaffected young, predominantly white men who are looking for someone to blame, something to blame.” Since these clubs are scattered, unaffiliated entities, Patriot Front has faced challenges in its recruitment efforts. “They want to project themselves as much larger and much more serious than they actually are,” said Lewis. Source link #Combat #sport #clubs #boost #recruitment #white #nationalist #hate #group #report Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Five dead after tornado tears through St Louis Five dead after tornado tears through St Louis At least five people have died and more than 5,000 buildings were damaged after a tornado tore through St Louis in Missouri. The tornado swept along a major road, tearing roofs off houses, uprooting trees and knocking down power lines on Friday evening. About 100,000 properties were left without power and the fire department said house-by-house searches were conducted in the worst-affected areas. The US National Weather Service reported at least six other tornadoes in Missouri and neighbouring Illinois, with more severe weather conditions stretching eastwards to the Atlantic coast. National Weather Service radar suggested the tornado touched down shortly after 14:30 local time in the west of the city close to Forest Park – home to St Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 Olympic Games. St Louis Fire Department said three people had to be rescued after part of the nearby Centennial Christian Church collapsed. One of those people died. A curfew was imposed from 21:00 to 06:00 local time in the two areas where most of the damage took place, to prevent injuries from debris and reduce the potential for looting. St Louis Mayor Cara Spencer said: “Our city is grieving tonight. The loss of life and the destruction is truly, truly horrendous. “We’re going to have a lot of work to do in the coming days. There is no doubt there, but tonight we are focused on saving lives and keeping people safe and allowing our community to grieve.” Source link #dead #tornado #tears #Louis Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Brumbies fend off Reds again to hit top Super spot Brumbies fend off Reds again to hit top Super spot The ACT Brumbies have shot to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder, but it may have come at a cost in their 24-14 defeat of rivals Queensland Reds. The hosts defied a lack of possession and territory in the first half in Canberra on Saturday, Rob Valetini leading their defence as they forced 12 turnovers. A fifth straight loss to the Brumbies now has the Reds in danger of slipping out of the top four with two home games remaining. A lower-leg injury to Brumbies captain and Wallabies warhorse Allan Alaalatoa dampened the mood though, the Test veteran likely sweating on scans, with the British and Irish Lions tour on the horizon. The Brumbies have a bye next week, then finish their regular season against the Crusaders, who are two points behind and level with the Chiefs in second. “We were half asleep, the Reds bombed us and we were on the back foot,” fullback and try-scorer Tom Wright said. “Went in, gave ourselves a good look in the mirror and were able to come out with a little bit of what we wanted to do.” Les Kiss’s Reds are now just two points ahead of the Hurricanes, who they host next week in Brisbane. The Reds started clinically, Tate McDermott beating two men at the ruck and setting up Tim Ryan, who picked a pass off his laces to score under the posts. Alaalatoa had the reply though, his seventh try of the season a typical close-range effort. Despite entering the Brumbies’ 22 seven times in the half, the Reds left with nothing more. And they were quickly behind 21-7 when Andy Muirhead and Wright found space in a defensive line exposed by a yellow card for Hunter Paisami’s high shot on Corey Toole. Kiss’s substitutions had an impact, hooker Josh Nasser scoring from a rolling maul after some go-forward from their fresh forwards. They had three more chances in open play to find the equaliser but spilt possession each time, and the Brumbies continued to punish every loose Reds pass or poor decision. A Ryan Lonergan penalty goal pushed the Brumbies out beyond a converted try. The match finished in bizarre scenes, Wright opting not to find touch and instead dart towards the line. He was turned over, Kalani Thomas triggering an 80-metre break, before Connor Vest spilt possession with the line in sight. “We had them right where we wanted them, but we coughed up the ball, and against a team like the Brumbies that’ll hurt you,” McDermott said. “Two huge home games for us … those games decide where we finish, so really important for us.” Source link #Brumbies #fend #Reds #hit #top #Super #spot Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Post office destroyed, houses damaged by tornadoes in Bloomington, surrounding counties Post office destroyed, houses damaged by tornadoes in Bloomington, surrounding counties Tornadoes touched down in Bloomington, Greene County, Brown County and elsewhere across Indiana on Friday, May 16, as a line of storms caused destruction across parts of the Midwest. Some of the first reports were from Linton, where the police department sent out a news release stating that at 6:50 p.m., “a confirmed tornado was located over Linton, or 31 miles southeast of Terre Haute, moving east at 45 mph.” The release said weather spotters had confirmed the tornado. A transformer and power lines lay in the road along South Rogers Street while damage can be seen in the trees and houses in the background. Just down the street, the Clear Creek Post Office was destroyed by the tornado that hit the area on Friday, May 16, 2025. Social media reports from Greene County showed photos of softball-sized hail. At 7:30 p.m. Ashley Byarlay was driving home when she watched a tornado form over the housing subdivision off Gordon Pike just south of Batchelor Middle School. She took videos on Facebook as she drove and explained what she was seeing. Michael and Ashley Byarlay survey the damage left behind by a tornado that touched down Friday, May 16, 2025, in the Clear Creek area of Monroe County. People in vehicles, behind them, were driving to the area to see the damage for themselves. “My dream job was to be a storm chaser,” she said, “so I got to live my dream job today.” She said she watched the tornado touch down near South Rogers and That Road and then lift up and travel farther east before dropping down again. The Clear Creek Post Office was hit as were several other buildings. Transformers and power lines were laying in the street as people came out from their homes and drove by in cars to see the damage. Her husband, Michael Byarlay, was waiting at home. Both were surveying the damage later, instead of going on the date they had planned. While the sun set and sheriff deputies began to walk down the road, looking at the damage, the scanner on Michael’s cell phone was alerting emergency personnel in Brown County that Ind. 135 was closed due to debris in the road, hindering ambulances from helping people in the line of the storms there. “I heard there were two dead horses south of here,” Michael said, pointing toward the area close to the Bloomington Speedway. At 9 p.m. Friday, the Monroe County Emergency Management Facebook page posted an alert that the county had issued a travel advisory due to hazardous road conditions. Ind. 45 near Abel Nursery just west of Bloomington was closed to traffic. A transformer and power lines lay in the street along South Rogers Street near the intersection with That Road, where a tornado caused damage on Friday, May 16, 2025. Contact Carol Kugler at *****@*****.tld. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Clear Creek Post Office, homes damaged by tornadoes Friday night Source link #Post #office #destroyed #houses #damaged #tornadoes #Bloomington #surrounding #counties Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Pope Leo’s grandfather was immigrant from Sicily, genealogists reveal – The Guardian Pope Leo’s grandfather was immigrant from Sicily, genealogists reveal – The Guardian Pope Leo’s grandfather was immigrant from Sicily, genealogists reveal The GuardianLong Drives and Short Homilies: How Father Bob Became Pope Leo The New York TimesMoving back in: Pope Leo expected to live at ********’s Apostolic Palace ReutersPope Leo XIV says family is ‘between a man and a woman’ and asserts the dignity of the unborn PBSPope Leo XIV expected to live in traditional papal apartment unused by Pope Francis Catholic News Agency Source link #Pope #Leos #grandfather #immigrant #Sicily #genealogists #reveal #Guardian Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Five people stabbed during event at Thamesmead Five people stabbed during event at Thamesmead Getty Images Five people have been taken to hospital with stab wounds Five people have been taken to hospital after a number of people were stabbed at an event in south-east London. Emergency services were called to Nathan Way in Thamesmead shortly after 04:15 BST to reports that a number of people had been injured. Officers and paramedics found five people with stab wounds. All of them were taken to hospital and no arrests have been made. A cordon remains in place and inquiries are ongoing, the Met Police said. Source link #people #stabbed #event #Thamesmead Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Walyalup (Fremantle Dockers) coaches are mourning the passing of former Eagle Adam Selwood Walyalup (Fremantle Dockers) coaches are mourning the passing of former Eagle Adam Selwood The Dockers’ coaches went to work on Saturday with heavy hearts as they mourned Adam Selwood’s shock passing, with the panel including a former teammate, an ex-coach and and close friend of his brother. Source link #Walyalup #Fremantle #Dockers #coaches #mourning #passing #Eagle #Adam #Selwood Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hidden source of clean energy could power Earth for 170,000 years Hidden source of clean energy could power Earth for 170,000 years A hidden source of clean energy could power the planet for more than a hundred thousand years if tapped into, according to new research. Sources of hydrogen could be hiding amid the Earth’s crust — enough to power Earth at its current energy needs for the next 170,000 years, according to a paper published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment on Wednesday. MORE: How to turn ocean waves into renewable energy The concept of using hydrogen as renewable energy isn’t new, but so far only 0.1% of the hydrogen power is considered “green,” or produced in a “climate-neutral” way, according to the World Economic Forum. Hydrogen today is produced using thermal processes of steam and hydrocarbon, the byproduct of which contributes to 2.4% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the researchers said in a University of Oxford press release. There are likely “hydrogen systems” buried beneath continents all over the world, including in at least 30 U.S. states, according to the paper. The hydrogen gas has been building within the Earth’s crust for the past billion years, the researchers said. PHOTO: Green Hydrogen renewable energy production pipeline – green hydrogen gas for clean electricity solar and windturbine facility (Audioundwerbung/Getty Images) The researchers developed an “exploration recipe” to assess where the hydrogen reservoirs could be as well as where it would make the most economic sense to feasibly extract them. “We have successfully developed an exploration strategy for helium and a similar ‘first principles’ approach can be taken for hydrogen,” said Jon Gluyas, chair of geoenergy, carbon capture & storage at Durham University in England and co-author of the study, in a statement. MORE: Texas could become a major producer of another source of renewable energy The “geological ingredients” required for potential extraction sites are ample supplies of the gas itself, reservoir rocks and a geologic formation that prevents the hydrogen from escaping into the atmosphere, the researchers said. “We know for example that underground microbes readily feast on hydrogen,” said Barbara Sherwood Lollar, professor of earth sciences at the University of Toronto in Canada, in a statement. “Avoiding environments that bring them into contact with the hydrogen is important in preserving hydrogen in economic accumulations.” The exploration recipe to find accumulated hydrogen is “likened to cooking a soufflé,” said Chris Ballentine, chair of geochemistry at Oxford University and lead author of the paper, in a statement. “Get any one of the ingredients, amounts, timing, or temperature wrong and you will be disappointed,” Ballentine said. MORE: Batteries, solar, wind and hydropower: Why renewable energy is essential to curbing climate change The researchers believe that “one successful exploration recipe” that can be repeated will unlock a commercially competitive, sustainable hydrogen source that could significantly contribute to energy transition, Ballentine said. Conversely, the research shows that other sources of hydrogen gas, such as from the Earth’s mantle, are not viable sources of hydrogen, despite much speculation, the researchers said. “We have the right experience to combine these ingredients and find that recipe,” he said. MORE: Why green hydrogen is the renewable energy source to watch A reliable supply of hydrogen is vital for the function of a modern world, the researchers said. Fertilizer used for agriculture is produced by hydrogen, and the gas also serves as a “key energy component” to a carbon-neutral future, the researchers said. Global demand for hydrogen reached 97 million tons in 2023, but by 2050 demand is expected to increase to 540 tons, the researchers said. Production followed by the burial of CO2 waste or from renewable energy sources — such as wind or solar — could also be future sources of hydrogen, the researchers said. Hidden source of clean energy could power Earth for 170,000 years originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Source link #Hidden #source #clean #energy #power #Earth #years Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

At least 16 killed, dozens injured as suspected tornadoes hit Missouri and Kentucky At least 16 killed, dozens injured as suspected tornadoes hit Missouri and Kentucky Residents inspect their home after a tornado completely tore off the back wall of a two-story house in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., on May 16, 2025. Lawrence Bryant | Reuters At least 16 people were killed when severe weather, including possible tornadoes, swept through parts of Missouri and Kentucky from Friday into Saturday morning, authorities said. Nine were dead in Laurel County, Kentucky, said Sheriff John Root, with “numerous severe injuries.” He said a tornado touched down late Friday night and that the search for survivors continued. Five were killed in St. Louis, and two others in Scott County, in southeastern Missouri, according to officials. Speaking at an evening news conference, St. Louis officials said over 5,000 homes may have been affected by the afternoon’s outbreak of severe weather. A spokesperson for both St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital said the facilities have received at least 35 patients in total, with the children’s facility getting 15 and Barnes-Jewish seeing at least 20, possibly 30 who were injured as a result of the severe weather. The spokesperson said all but two patients at the children’s facility were expected to be released Friday night; one was reported earlier to be in critical condition. Some of those at Barnes-Jewish were to be released, while others were said to be in serious condition, the spokesperson said. At the late news conference, Mayor Cara Spencer announced that the number of fatalities has risen from four to five. She had said earlier that two of the dead were killed in North City, where a vortex was reported. A northern swath of the city from Forest Park to the northern boundary was subject of a curfew through 6 a.m., the mayor said. Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said severe weather hit about 20 square blocks of the city. St. Louis police spokesperson Mitch McCoy said search-and-rescue operations were still underway with the help of the Missouri State Highway Patrol and surrounding county first responders. “It’s all hands on deck to rescue as many people as we can and save lives,” he told NBC affiliate KSDK of St. Louis. Search crews will find much darkness in the city, with more than 40,000 utility customers in the St. Louis region without power Friday night, according to utility tracker PowerOutage.us. Missouri has more than 97,000 customers in the dark, according to the site. The tornado was reported after 2:30 p.m. in the city near Forest Park and moving east toward Granite City, Illinois, said National Weather Service meteorologist Marshall Pfahler. Its force level is unlikely to be known until Saturday when weather service spotters are able to get to the scene and measure damage, tracks and other elements of the vortex, he said. The weather service office that covers St. Louis later said on X, “Damage reports and radar imagery suggest a tornado likely occurred across parts St Louis this afternoon. We will have a survey team on the ground tomorrow to confirm and assign a rating.” KSDK reported that two tornadoes may have touched down in the region on Friday. The National Weather Service said it was working to confirm the second twister. The station reported that a man was rescued from the rubble of a home after an hourslong operation. The residence was most likely smashed by a tornado or the severe weather’s associated potent winds in the area Friday, the station said. Debris lies around damaged houses the morning after a tornado touched down in Florissant, Missouri, U.S. on March 15, 2025, in a drone view. Lawrence Bryant | Reuters “Considering the building collapsed on him, he’s doing great,” a fire official said after the man was pulled out. The man had sought shelter in the home and ended up stuck inside, possibly in a pantry, KSDK said. Coverage from the region included imagery of a decimated Harlem Tap Room, a historic bar on the city’s north side that has been at the same location for roughly 80 years. A witness who was in the bar told KSDK that a fellow patron’s warning and the establishment’s flickering lights preceded his move and that of others there to the rear of the building, which he said likely saved lives. St. Louis city officials and police asked the public to stay put on Friday as they respond to the storm’s effects. Utility Spire energy, which serves 1.7 million customers in the region, said there is “severe damage” to homes. Video of the damage showed toppled brick walls and downed tree limbs and power lines in the region. The nearby city of Clayton said its City Hall is closed as it coordinates a response to the severe weather. In Scott County, Sheriff Derick Wheetley said in a social media post that two people died in a “devastating tornado” there. “The tornado moved from the eastern part of the county, leaving behind a trail of destruction, with multiple homes completely lost and areas left unrecognizable,” he said. The worst of the weather seemed to have passed St. Louis late in the afternoon, although federal forecasters said a dry night could be followed by the return of thunderstorms on Saturday. The vortexes were products of a fast-moving low pressure system headed east-northeast from its location over parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri, a region under tornado watch until 10 p.m. The cool, winter-like storm is clashing with a heat wave to the southwest, producing unstable air and eruptions of thunderstorm activity. Severe weather, including 11 unconfirmed tornadoes, was reported Thursday in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois, according to the weather service and NBC News forecasters. A Beyoncé concert at Chicago’s open-air Soldier Field on Thursday was delayed because of the weather. Spectator video showed a ferocious downpour ahead of the show. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Source link #killed #dozens #injured #suspected #tornadoes #hit #Missouri #Kentucky Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Valve May Be About to Release the Orange Box 2 Valve May Be About to Release the Orange Box 2 Valve’s updates about their upcoming titles are so dry that even the slightest bit of news causes chaos in the gaming community. Fans of the critically-acclaimed developer survive on pure copium that maybe, just maybe, Valve will drop something in the future and quench their thirst. For far too long, we have been fed the delusion that the next Half-Life is in development and nearly ready for release, yet we can’t help but get excited at even the smallest possibility that the rumor has some credibility. However, recent leaks have hinted at a dish that may be cooking inside Valve’s heavily guarded kitchens. The Orange Box 2 may be in the cards for Valve If you didn’t know, “The Orange Box” was a bundle of games released by Valve nearly two decades ago, that contained some of their finest titles like Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2, and Portal, with their DLCs at a reasonable price. According to recent leaks and reports from dataminers like Tyler McVicker, Valve has been developing a new project codenamed “Tf”, which indicates that the next Team Fortress game might be in the works. What’s exciting about this leak is the possibility of Valve being back in the development saddle to make more games, and that isn’t the end of it. Valve is also working on a project codenamed ‘HLX’ that suspiciously sounds like a potential Half-Life 3. When even the actor behind G-Man, Mike Shapiro, fueled the possibilities of a third Half-Life game, you know they’re up to something. If the stars align and we somehow end up getting new Team Fortress and Half-Life games, it’ll take us one step closer to The Orange Box 2. With Portal 3 not in development and Left 4 Dead 3 being literally left for dead, it won’t be a true sequel to the previous Orange Box, but add Deadlock to that combo, and you get a new Box regardless. Unfortunately, take all of it with a grain of salt as it’s Valve at the end of the day, and “Tf” could just be a string of codes, nothing more. Even if “Tf” ultimately leads to nothing, Half-Life 3 has a high chance of becoming a reality, which is honestly an insane thing to say, but so damn exciting. It’s unreal to think that Gordon Freeman might be picking up the crowbar sooner than expected. We’re potentially getting Half-Life 3 before Grand Theft Auto VI Valve’s potential return to form just feels right | Image Credit: Valve Valve could do the funniest thing ever and drop Half-Life 3 just before Grand Theft Auto VI takes the spotlight. Rumors of the title being in development have been circling for years, but 2025 might be the year when all those rumors take shape and breach into reality. Recently, credible leaker Tyler McVicker uploaded an “Ask Me Anything” video on YouTube, revealing that Half-Life 3 is not only in development, but it’s also “playable end-to-end”, which leads us to believe that Valve has been developing it for a long time. He further explained that it’ll not be a VR title like Half-Life: Alyx, indicating that it’ll be a traditional Half-Life story. With Half-Life 3‘s existence being constantly validated, and players on Reddit also discovering “HLX” files in Deadlock’s code, it’s just a matter of time before we see an official full-fledged reveal of the highly anticipated title. The copium of fans might be rewarded after all, and you know what? The world could use a new Half-Life game right now. If they finally decide to release Half-Life 3, hopefully, it arrives on consoles, unlike previous Valve titles. So, what do you think about a potential Orange Box sequel by Valve? Do you think there is truth to this rumor? Or is it just another day at the copium office? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below. Source link #Valve #Release #Orange #Box Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia demanded Ukraine cede more territory at Turkey talks, Ukrainian source says – Reuters Russia demanded Ukraine cede more territory at Turkey talks, Ukrainian source says – Reuters Russia demanded Ukraine cede more territory at Turkey talks, Ukrainian source says ReutersLive updates: Ukraine’s allies call Russian demands unacceptable after first talks in years CNNKremlin Sets Conditions for Putin-Zelenskiy Meeting: Interfax BloombergPutin-Zelensky Meeting Possible After ‘Agreements’ Reached The Moscow TimesKremlin cites past wars as it threatens long conflict in Ukraine The Guardian Source link #Russia #demanded #Ukraine #cede #territory #Turkey #talks #Ukrainian #source #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid: How Bournemouth defender became one of Europe’s most coveted. Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid: How Bournemouth defender became one of Europe’s most coveted. Huijsen ranks highly in many different categories for Premier League defenders to play at least 1,000 minutes this season, per 90 minutes. Second for clearances Third for interceptions Fourth for headed clearances Fourth for successful long passes Sixth for centre-backs playing passes ending in the final third 11th for forward passes 15th for fewest goals conceded 16th for aerial duels On top of that, in his 30 Premier League appearances, he has scored three important goals – a winner against Tottenham, opener against Manchester United and equaliser against Arsenal – all in wins. Jordan Clark, BBC Radio Solent’s Bournemouth commentator, has been hugely impressed by the youngster. “He looks like he’s a second ahead of the strikers,” he says. “He reads the game so well. He’s a brilliant ball player, playing it out from the back, and he’s defensively strong, physically solid. “It’s tough to see any downsides to his game. He does the basic things well. If a player is under pressure you see modern-day defenders take risks and play it out from the back. “But he’ll assess the situation quickly and if he feels the pass isn’t on, he’ll just put the ball out of play. It’s like an old-school defender; no risks, if in doubt put it out.” Huijsen actually began the season in the starting XI before dropping to the bench for a few months before Senesi’s injury. “He played the first game at Forest and I remember saying on commentary it was the first time we’d seen him properly, a 19-year-old, but he looked like he’d been playing in the Premier League for years. “He had something about him physically, he dealt brilliantly with Chris Wood but the ball playing as well was impressive. He stood out that day. But then he had to wait for his opportunity.” The CIES Football Observatory recently put Huijsen second in the world of 2024-25 signings whose values have risen, saying the Cherries could have made a £57.7m profit had he not had a release clause. The only player above him was new Real Madrid team-mate Kylian Mbappe, who joined them on a free transfer from Paris St-Germain last year and is now worth, according to them, £153.6m. Source link #Dean #Huijsen #Real #Madrid #Bournemouth #defender #Europes #coveted Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Big hit for Perth homebuyers as ‘severely unaffordable’ housing market ranked 14th most expensive globally Big hit for Perth homebuyers as ‘severely unaffordable’ housing market ranked 14th most expensive globally Perth property is now more unaffordable than major global markets like London, New York and Chicago. Source link #Big #hit #Perth #homebuyers #severely #unaffordable #housing #market #ranked #14th #expensive #globally Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Is Super Micro Computer Stock a Buy Now? Is Super Micro Computer Stock a Buy Now? Supermicro’s stock has dropped about 60% from its all-time high. Its revenue growth is slowing down, and its gross margins are declining. But if it stabilizes its business, it looks undervalued relative to its growth potential. 10 stocks we like better than Super Micro Computer › Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI), more commonly known as Supermicro, went on a wild ride over the past year. The maker of artificial intelligence (AI) servers closed at a record split-adjusted high of $118.81 on March 13, 2024, which marked a 1,020% gain over the previous 12 months. At the time, investors were impressed by its brisk sales of liquid-cooled AI servers, which ran on Nvidia’s high-end data center graphics processing units (GPUs). But today, Supermicro trades at about $47. Image source: Getty Images. Supermicro lost its luster as it struggled with a delayed 10-K filing due to accounting issues, the departure of its auditor, delisting threats, and regulatory probes. Its slowing growth and declining gross margins also indicated it was losing its pricing power against its larger competitors. The company finally hired a new auditor, filed its overdue 10-K this February, dodged a delisting, and seemed to placate the regulators. But its growth is still cooling off as the macro and competitive headwinds intensify across the evolving AI market. So should investors still buy its stock today? Supermicro is still an underdog in traditional servers compared to market leaders like Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Dell Technologies. But it carved out a niche with its dedicated AI servers, and Raymond James estimates it now controls about 9% of that growing market. Its close relationship with Nvidia also gave it access to a steady supply of top-tier data center GPUs. Supermicro’s revenue surged 46% in its fiscal 2022 (which ended in June 2022), 37% in fiscal 2023, and 110% in fiscal 2024. Its gross margin expanded from 15.4% in fiscal 2022 to 18% in fiscal 2023 as the AI market heated up. But its gross margin declined to 14.1% in fiscal 2024 as it faced tougher competition and relied on aggressive pricing strategies to sell more servers. Over the past year, its revenue growth continued to cool off as its gross margins shrank. Metric Q3 2024 Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 Q3 2025 Revenue growth (YOY) 201% 144% 180% 55% 19% Gross margin 15.5% 11.2% 13.1% 11.8% 9.6% Data source: Supermicro. YOY = year-over-year. Many of its customers postponed their new AI server purchases in anticipation of Nvidia’s next-gen Blackwell chips, while supply chain constraints made it harder to fulfill its existing orders. The macro headwinds exacerbated that pressure by forcing many companies to rein in their spending on pricey AI servers. As a result, its inventory levels rose, its pricing power waned, and its gross margins contracted. Story Continues For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, Supermicro expects its revenue to grow at a midpoint of 13% year over year as it ramps up its production of Blackwell-powered servers and data center building block solutions — which bundle its AI servers and software for quick deployments. For the full year, it expects its revenue to rise 46% to 51%. That outlook is still impressive, but it was scaled back from its prior outlook for 57% to 67% growth. Analysts expect its revenue to rise 48% in fiscal 2025, 36% in fiscal 2026, and 25% in fiscal 2027. We should take those estimates with a grain of salt, but investors shouldn’t expect it to grow as rapidly as it did over the past three years. That slowdown wouldn’t be surprising, since Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Dell, and other major server makers have been rolling out more dedicated AI servers for the booming market. Supermicro established an early mover’s advantage in the space, but it doesn’t have much of a moat against those rivals. Supermicro still faces a lot of macro and competitive challenges, but it also looks like a bargain at 18 times next year’s earnings. The AI server market could still have a compound annual growth rate of 34.3% from 2024 to 2030, according to MarketsandMarkets Research, so there could be plenty of room for Supermicro, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Dell to grow without trampling one another. If you believe Supermicro can defend its niche with its high-end liquid-cooled servers, its stock might be worth accumulating as it trades far below its all-time highs. But investors should watch its gross margins closely to see if it can maintain its pricing power in this tough market. Before you buy stock in Super Micro Computer, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Super Micro Computer wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $635,275!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $826,385!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 967% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 12, 2025 Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is Super Micro Computer Stock a Buy Now? was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #Super #Micro #Computer #Stock #Buy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

A Russian drone strike in northeastern Ukraine kills 9 people, officials say – AP News A Russian drone strike in northeastern Ukraine kills 9 people, officials say – AP News A Russian drone strike in northeastern Ukraine kills 9 people, officials say AP NewsView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Russian #drone #strike #northeastern #Ukraine #kills #people #officials #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New Study Reveals Recent Ice Gains in Antarctica, But Long-Term Melting Continues New Study Reveals Recent Ice Gains in Antarctica, But Long-Term Melting Continues Global warming and climate change have been subjects of major concern for a long time. One of the key indicators of this phenomenon is the melting of ice in the polar regions. Researchers from Tongji University in Shanghai have been using NASA satellite data to track changes in Antarctica’s ice sheet over more than two decades. Their newest study states that despite the increase in global temperature, Antarctica has gained ice in recent years. However, it cannot be considered as a miraculous reversal in global warming because over these two decades, the overall trend is substantial ice loss. Most of the gains have been caused by unusual increased precipitation over Antarctica. About the New study According to the new study , NASA’s Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow-On satellites have been monitoring this ice sheet since 2002. The ice sheet covering Antarctica is the largest mass of ice on Earth The satellite data revealed that the sheet experienced a sustained ******* of ice loss between 2002 and 2020. The ice loss accelerated in the latter half of that *******, increasing from an average loss of about 81 billion tons (74 billion metric tons) per year between 2002 and 2010, to a loss of about 157 billion tons (142 billion metric tons) between 2011 and 2020, according to the study. However, the trend then shifted. The ice sheet gained mass from 2021 to 2023 at an average rate of about 119 billion tons (108 metric tons) per year. Four glaciers in eastern Antarctica also flipped from accelerated ice loss to significant mass gain. General Trend in global warming Climate change doesn’t mean that everywhere on Earth will get hotter at the same rate, so a single region will never tell the whole story of our warming world. Historically, temperatures over much of Antarctica have remained relatively stable, particularly compared to the Arctic. Antarctica’s sea ice has also been much more stable relative to the Arctic, but that’s been changing in recent years. Source link #Study #Reveals #Ice #Gains #Antarctica #LongTerm #Melting #Continues Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The FA Cup The FA Cup Can Crystal Palace beat seven-time winners Manchester City to claim their first FA Cup? Source link #Cup Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

iPhone Supplier TDK Readies Batteries Geared for Thin AI Gadgets iPhone Supplier TDK Readies Batteries Geared for Thin AI Gadgets TDK is readying a new generation of batteries to power smartphones through AI tasks at a time that major client Apple Inc. is also preparing to launch a slimmer handset. The Tokyo-based component maker will begin shipping its third iteration of silicon-anode batteries by the end of June, Chief Executive Officer Noboru Saito said. That’s ahead of TDK’s original schedule for shipments in the September quarter and may give smartphone makers enough time to use these cells in thinner models launching this year, he said. “We’ve made good progress, and we’re shipping them very soon,” he said in an interview. “Some handset makers might be able to use the new battery in their product one generation early.” TDK’s battery technology is helping the world’s biggest smartphone makers slim down their gadgets without shortening battery run times. Its latest lithium-ion batteries use silicon for anodes instead of the graphite commonly used, and can pack 15 percent more energy into the same space compared with conventional rechargeable battery packs. Samsung Electronics Co. this week rolled out the 5.9-millimeter-thin Galaxy S25 Edge, which is 30 percent slimmer than the company’s high-end S25 Ultra, while also promising a camera with new editing features and other AI capabilities. Apple is also set to debut a slimmer handset — the iPhone 17 Air — ushering in a new industrial design that may lead to thinner models from the Cupertino-based company in the future. Apple and Samsung are TDK’s biggest customers, each contributing about 10 percent of the Japanese company’s overall revenue, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Saito declined to disclose the new battery’s pricing or its customers, but said TDK’s offering the component to all customers who recognize the technology’s value. Silicon-anode battery technology can be applied to a range of cell sizes for use in a variety of products, from gadgets to electric vehicles. TDK’s battery subsidiary Amperex Technology Ltd. is the leading manufacturer of smaller silicon batteries used in smartphones and holds a “very large share,” according to Saito. “We plan to introduce fourth-generation silicon batteries some time in the next fiscal year to widen our lead even further,” he said. “Mass-producing silicon batteries requires special knowhow. It’s not like you can do it by just putting the materials together.” TDK expects global smartphone production to grow one percent to 12 billion units this year, although it’s warned that US trade policies may ultimately erase that growth. Last month, the company presented its annual outlook as a range rather than a single number for the first time, citing uncertainty around US tariffs. Companies need to be ready to react to developments outside their control and be dynamic and flexible in response to customer requests, Saito said. For TDK, that means diversifying production locations. Amperex has mainly assembled batteries in China, but it’s setting up a new factory in India that’ll go online by September. Initial production capacity at the Indian facility is not large, but it’s not difficult to produce silicon batteries on graphite battery production lines, Saito said while declining to disclose which batteries TDK plans to make there. More manufacturers are building manufacturing capabilities outside China, with Apple expanding capacity in India and Nintendo Co. doing so in Vietnam and Cambodia. Saito said that how TDK allocates production between China and India will hinge on customer requests. © 2025 Bloomberg LP (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Source link #iPhone #Supplier #TDK #Readies #Batteries #Geared #Thin #Gadgets Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cassie testimony against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs ends after she spent days describing abuse she will ‘never forget’ Cassie testimony against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs ends after she spent days describing abuse she will ‘never forget’ R&B singer Cassie Ventura has finished testifying in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial after four emotional days on the witness stand during which she was questioned about the deepest, most disturbing secrets of her sex life and described being beaten and ****** by a man she once loved. When Judge Arun Subramanian told her she could leave, saying, “you’ve been here a long time,” Cassie glanced once toward the jury but never looked in Combs’ direction as she walked out of the courtroom for the final time. After departing, Cassie, who dated Combs for a decade, released a statement through her lawyer saying she hoped her testimony helps others “heal from the abuse and fear.” “For me, the more I heal, the more I can remember,” she said. “And the more I can remember, the more I will never forget.” Combs, 55, is on trial in New York on charges that he exploited his status as an entertainment executive to force women, including Cassie, into drug-fuelled “freak-offs” with male sex workers and engaged in other abusive acts against people who relied on him for their careers. Camera IconSean “Diddy” Combs raises his hands as he is pointed out by Dawn Richard, during Combs’ sex trafficking trial in New York. Credit: Jane Rosenberg/REUTERS Combs has pleaded not guilty to federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. His lawyers say that, although he could be violent, nothing he did amounted to a criminal enterprise. And Combs insists all the sex at the freak-offs was consensual. Shortly after Cassie finished testifying on Friday, local time, prosecutors called another witness who was once close to Combs: Dawn Richard, a singer who appeared on his reality show “Making the Band,” which launched her group act Danity Kane. Richard testified that she witnessed Combs physically attack Cassie on multiple occasions. During a visit to Combs’ home recording studio in 2009, Richard said she and another woman saw Combs hit Cassie “on the head and beat her on the ground.” Combs brought them back the next day, she said, giving Richard flowers and putting a spin on what happened. “He said that what we saw was passion and what lovers in relationships do,” she testified. But he also locked them in his recording studio and threatened them to stay silent or else, she said. Camera IconDawn Richard sued Combs last year, accusing him of physical abuse, groping and psychological abuse during the years they worked together. Credit: Sarah Yenesel /EPA Richard sued Combs last year, accusing him of physical abuse, groping and psychological abuse during the years they worked together. Her testimony is to resume Monday. Throughout Friday’s testimony, Combs kept lowering his head to write a steady stream of messages on small sheets of paper that he passed to his defence attorneys. Cassie’s texts to Diddy are a key part of cross-examination. Over her hours of testimony during the week, Cassie said she was ashamed and loathed taking part in “hundreds” of the freak-offs, which could go on for days. But she said she felt compelled because Combs threatened her with violence, and was physically abusive “a lot” during the encounters. He also threatened to publicly release sex videos of her if she made him angry, she said. I’m not a rag doll. I’m somebody’s child. Combs’ lawyers, however, have sought to portray her as an eager participant. On Thursday and Friday, they had Cassie read texts and emails in which she expressed willingness to engage in the encounters. In a 2012 exchange, Combs told Cassie he wanted to “FO one last time tonight,” using initials for freak-off. Cassie replied, “What?” Combs said, “You can’t read?” Then Cassie replied, “I don’t want to freak off for the last time. I want it to be the first time for the rest of our lives.” Combs’ lawer, Anna Estevao, ended her questioning there, but prosecutor Emily Johnson had Cassie read more messages for context. “I want to see you, but I’m emotional right now,” Cassie wrote. “I don’t want to do one last time. I’d rather not do it at all.” Cassie testified she was initially open to the encounters because she wanted to make Combs happy and spend time with him, but grew weary as the years went on. Cassie filed a lawsuit in 2023 accusing Combs of physical and ******* abuse, but they settled within hours for $20 million — an amount she disclosed publicly for the first time during the trial. Dozens of other people have since made similar legal claims. Cassie’s testimony ended with another disclosure: She said she recently reached an estimated $10 million settlement with the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles, where a security camera in 2016 recorded Combs hitting her, kicking her, and dragging her down in a hallway. Camera IconAmerican lawyer Douglas Wigdor representing Casandra ‘Cassie’ Elizabeth Ventura. Credit: Sarah Yenesel /EPA After that incident, Cassie texted Combs saying, “I’m not a rag doll. I’m somebody’s child.” Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, also told Combs in a text that he was out of control from drugs and alcohol that day. Yet, days later, according to texts read at the trial, she and Combs were expressing love for each other. “We need a different vibe from Friday,” she wrote. After hotel security video of the assault was released last year, Combs apologised and said he was “disgusted” by his actions. Estevao also questioned Cassie on Friday about her testimony that Combs ****** her in 2018 after she ended their nearly 11-year relationship, noting that she gave differing descriptions of his demeanour and the timing of the alleged assault in interviews with investigators and in her trial testimony. Camera IconPeople wearing shirts showing support for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs stand outside a federal courthouse during Combs’ trial. Credit: Sarah Yenesel /EPA Cassie contends the ***** happened at her Los Angeles home after she and Combs had dinner in Malibu, California, to discuss their breakup, either in August or September 2018. While Cassie testified this week that Combs was “really nice” and “playful” at the dinner, Estevao pointed out that Cassie told investigators in 2023 that Combs had been “acting very strangely” that night. Cassie clarified, “Nice, but strangely.” Cassie also testified this week that Combs, during the dinner, was trying to get her to go to the Burning Man festival in Nevada, but previously told investigators that the dinner and ***** happened after Combs returned from Burning Man. Cassie acknowledged she stayed in touch with Combs and had consensual sex with him a few weeks after she says he ****** her. She also exchanged warm messages with Combs after they broke up, even after she married Alex Fine in 2019. The trial is expected to last well into June. Source link #Cassie #testimony #Sean #Diddy #Combs #ends #spent #days #describing #abuse #forget Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]