Pelican Press

Lotto: One player hits the Millionaire Medley jackpot with $1 million win Lotto: One player hits the Millionaire Medley jackpot with $1 million win Friday’s Millionaire Medley has one Aussie rolling in stacks of cash on the eve of the weekend. The lucky Lotto player has snagged a division one win after matching all six numbers needed to secure the $1 million prize. Division two produced 11 winners — three of which are from WA — who will pocket more than $7,900 each. A handy haul worth $775.50 will be making its way to the wallets of 175 players who landed division three wins. The winning numbers for draw #4547 are 8, 23, 1, 21, 10 and 2. The supplementary numbers are 16 and 6. Friday’s win comes after a handful of Aussies became instant millionaires in Saturday Lotto’s $20m superdraw. Each of Saturday’s winners bagged $3.3m after hitting the division one jackpot. Source link #Lotto #player #hits #Millionaire #Medley #jackpot #million #win Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New US Army helo engine lifts off, but may be headed for cancellation New US Army helo engine lifts off, but may be headed for cancellation NASHVILLE, Tenn. − For the first time, the Army’s UH-60M ****** Hawk utility helicopter lifted off the ground into a hover at a Sikorsky test facility, powered by the improved turbine engine that has been in development since the mid-2000s, according to the service’s program executive officer for aviation. But as the Improved Turbine Engine Program leaps that hurdle toward the finish line, the effort is in jeopardy as the service looks to cut large programs to make way for the pursuit of what it sees as higher priorities amid the need to cut its budget by 8% as directed by the defense secretary. Army Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. James Mingus told reporters at the Army Aviation Association of America confab here that the service is waiting to see where it lands with the fiscal 2026 budget. Officials are trying to gauge how much flexibility the service has in the budget reconciliation process to fully understand if it can afford to pay for ITEP. “The future of ITEP is largely going to depend on where all these things land inside the ’26 budget,” Mingus said. Currently, there is no funding planned to move the program from development into production. Amid mixed messages on the engine’s fate over the past several weeks, following the release of an Army directive outlining sweeping change to the service dubbed by the service secretary as the Army Transformation Initiative, Army aviation leaders are working on various potential paths for the engine. Options include outright cancellation, a continuation of the development program followed by its closeout, or a decision to proceed into production. “We have two weeks, and now there are several programs named, you know, each of them come with a set of courses of action that we have been working on to make sure that we can meet Army senior leaders’ intent,” Brig. Gen. David Phillips, the Army’s program executive officer for aviation, told reporters May 15 at the Army Aviation Association of America. The ITEP program kicked off in a competition 15 years ago to replace the engines in both the UH-60 and the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. But the engine effort has been plagued by various delays across its life as the service wrestled with funding, development strategies and a protest from the Advanced Turbine Engine Company – a Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney team, which competed against General Electric’s aerospace division to build the engine for the Army. More recently, the engine was hit with more delays due to technical issues as well as the coronavirus pandemic, which caused supply chain problems. When GE won the contract, it touted a plan to move more quickly, but that window to accelerate closed and the Army subsequently predicted a two-year delay getting the T901 engine into the UH-60 ****** Hawk, the first aircraft in the current fleet to receive the new tech. The Army was able to garner some important data when it chose to integrate the ITEP onto two competitive prototypes for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft. The companies in that competition – Bell and Sikorsky – had both received the engines and were installing them when the service decided to cancel the FARA program early last year. When the service canceled the FARA pursuit, it also delayed a production decision for the ITEP engine by three years. Sikorsky had taken advantage of fiscal 2024 FARA program funding before the Army officially closed the program at the end of the year to run tests of the ITEP in the prototype, ahead of integrating the engine into the UH-60, in order to drive down risk. The company received the first ITEP engines for the ****** Hawk last fall and began ground runs earlier this year. “We’re currently still under contract to execute the program we were for ITEP,” Rich Benton, Sikorsky’s head, told Defense News in an interview at the AAAA event. “There’s still budget in 2025 to continue that work. Will there be budget in the future years or not? You know, that’s up to the Army and the [congressional] appropriators,” he said. “The budget we have today, we’ll get the ****** Hawk in the air,” he said in a May 14 interview. “How much flying and how much data we get from that will be up to the Army,” Benton said. “We’re looking at a path ahead in real time on the options and the options could be finish [integration], because there’s not just the aircraft integration going on, but there’s also the engine qualification testing that is going on in test stands,” Phillips said. “We’ve had engines in test stands now for several years gathering low altitude, high altitude, low performance, high performance data. All of that data is very rich and informing the path ahead.” Additionally, the Army continues to have discussions with its joint partners regarding their interest in the engine and how they might integrate it onto their aircraft and a potential path forward there, according to Phillips. And foreign partners have also asked the same question about how they could potentially move forward with the ITEP engine as well. “We’re presenting all those, on how we could get Army senior leaders to meet their intent but get the most out of the dollars that we’ve invested in the program,” he said. Overall, the Army has spent over an estimated $1.5 billion over the past two decades on ITEP and its precursor development. The service had spent approximately $720 million on the program by 2016. The Army’s contracts to competitors in 2016 totaled $256 million and the service awarded a $517 million contract for the engineering and manufacturing development phase to GE in 2019. What is under consideration for a different path to modernize the ****** Hawk and Apache’s engines, if the Army chooses to end the ITEP program prior to production, is unclear. “If I had to decide today, hey, if that engine isn’t going to be available in the future, what would I do differently? Integrate a different engine? I would quickly pivot to the engine the [Special Operations forces] flies. The SOF flies with a more powerful engine,” Benton said. “Today it’s been integrated in ****** Hawk, it has been demonstrated. It is available today, so there would be commonality that would provide some more capability than I have today, [but] not as much as ITEP.” The Army is “always looking at new ways to provide more performance to the aircraft, whether it’s making components lighter, whether it’s adding more power, whether it’s adding additional fuel consumption capabilities,” Phillips said, “We always look at that and I think we’ll continue to look at that regardless of the outcome.” Source link #Army #helo #engine #lifts #headed #cancellation Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Stellar Blade On PC Has Been Blocked In Over 130 Countries, Catching Its Developer By Surprise Stellar Blade On PC Has Been Blocked In Over 130 Countries, Catching Its Developer By Surprise Stellar Blade is coming to PC on June 11, but strangely, the Steam version of the game won’t be available for over 130 countries. This news has come as a surprise to developer Shift Up, as the studio has been bombarded with messages on its social media platforms from players sharing screenshots of the game being blocked from ***** in their respective countries. Major markets like Europe and the US are unaffected, but the game will be unavailable to players in other countries like Bangladesh, Fiji, and Botswana. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. Size:640 × 360480 × 270 Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? Sign up or Sign in now! Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos. This video has an invalid file format. Sorry, but you can’t access this content! Please enter your date of birth to view this video JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031Year202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900 By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy enter Now Playing: Stellar Blade – PC Features And Release Date Reveal Gameplay Trailer So what’s the cause here? That’s currently unclear, but this might be a case that’s similar to Helldivers 2. Shortly after the game was released on PC, it became mandatory for players on that platform to create and link a PlayStation Network account to keep playing the game. There was a huge backlash to this move–that was later scrapped–and Helldivers 2 was subsequently unavailable for purchase because of it in many countries at the time. While Stellar Blade doesn’t require a PSN account to be playable on PC, one of the new costumes being added to the game can only be unlocked when a Steam account is linked to Sony’s service. It’s also worth noting that PSN isn’t available in the list of countries impacted. The countries where Stellar Blade won’t be sold for PC on Steam (via SteamDB) For everyone else looking to pick up the action game when it arrives next month, Stellar Blade will offer quite a few graphical enhancements. Support for upscaling tech like Nvidia DLSS 4 and AMD FSR 3 will be available, and there’ll be lots of new content as well. A total of 25 new Nano Suits are being added to the game, and if you feel like testing your skills, you can fight Xionn’s guardian Mann in the Boss Challenge mode. PS5 owners can also get this content, as it’ll be added to Stellar Blade for free in an upcoming update. Source link #Stellar #Blade #Blocked #Countries #Catching #Developer #Surprise Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Live Updates: Cassie to Start 18th Hour of Testimony in Sean Combs’s Sex-Trafficking Trial Live Updates: Cassie to Start 18th Hour of Testimony in Sean Combs’s Sex-Trafficking Trial Sean Combs’s lawyers cannot dispute that their client brutally assaulted Casandra Ventura, his girlfriend at the time, at the InterContinental hotel in Los Angeles in 2016. Much of the public has seen the footage of the assault since it was shown last year on CNN. And now it has been shown to the jury that is hearing Mr. Combs’s sex trafficking and racketeering trial in federal court. Wearing a towel around his waist, Mr. Combs approaches Ms. Ventura as she is trying to leave the hotel. He grabs the back of her sweatshirt and throws her to the ground, kicks her and starts to drag her around the corner of the hallway. After Ms. Ventura takes the witness stand again on Friday morning for what will likely be her final day of testimony, the defense is expected to focus on the motivation for the attack. Their goal is to undermine the government’s contention that the assault is evidence that Mr. Combs sex trafficked Ms. Ventura by coercing her into drug-dazed sex marathons at hotels with male prostitutes that could last days. The security footage showed Mr. Combs wearing a towel around his waist and assaulting Ms. Ventura as she is trying to leave the hotel.Credit…via CNN Based on Ms. Ventura’s account of the events surrounding that day — March 5, 2016 — the couple was at the hotel for one of those ******* encounters, called “freak-offs,” which typically involved alcohol and drugs such as ecstasy. “In the middle of it, I’m not sure what happened, but I got hit by Sean and I had a ****** eye,” Ms. Ventura testified during direct testimony. “And at that point, all I could think about was getting out of there safely.” When Mr. Combs was distracted, Ms. Ventura testified, she tried to leave the hotel with her belongings, which is when Mr. Combs attacked her by the hotel elevators. In court hearings ahead of the trial, the defense has given a different account of events. They have asserted that the attack was precipitated by Ms. Ventura finding evidence of infidelity on Mr. Combs’s phone, then hitting him in the head while he was sleeping and leaving the room with a bag of his clothes. During the trial, the defense has alluded to the altercation being a “fight about a phone” but it is not clear whether they will go deeper into Mr. Combs’s version of events. During the cross-examination of Ms. Ventura on Thursday, the defense focused on the text messages between the couple leading up to the hotel assault. Anna Estevao, the lawyer leading the cross-examination, highlighted texts from before the attack in which Mr. Combs indicated that he was sick. She suggested that he could have been experiencing withdrawal from opiates — which, Ms. Ventura testified, both of them were addicted to through much of their relationship. “Drink water and Gatorade and get rest,” Ms. Ventura wrote to Mr. Combs a couple of days before the incident. Mr. Combs’s lawyers have also highlighted texts between the couple before the hotel stay in an attempt to show that Ms. Ventura was a willing participant in the freak-offs. “So what you gonna do so I can plan the rest of my night,” Mr. Combs texted her. “Baby I want to FO so bad,” she replied, using an abbreviation for freak-off. But she also expressed some hesitation, noting that she didn’t want to mess herself up before a movie premiere that was quickly approaching. “I don’t want you thinking I don’t want to,” she later wrote, before agreeing, “let’s do it.” The exchange is emblematic of what Ms. Ventura has testified were complicated feelings about freak-offs: deep discomfort surrounding the ******* encounters themselves, but eagerness to please her boyfriend and fear of what he might do if she rejected him. The jury was also shown a report written by a former hotel security guard, Israel Florez, who testified that he responded to a call about a woman in distress on the sixth floor of the hotel that day. “Mr. Combs began to offer me a bribe ‘you take care of this I got you lets go to my room,’” the report said. The report described a later confrontation between Mr. Combs, the guard and a member of the hotel’s staff, which it said ended when Mr. Combs “calmed himself down” and apologized. “It’s just that I don’t want to lose anything and I can lose it all,” the report quoted Mr. Combs as saying. The government contends that Combs later bought the surveillance footage of the assault from security for $100,000. Source link #Live #Updates #Cassie #Start #18th #Hour #Testimony #Sean #Combss #SexTrafficking #Trial Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How much a 100% ‘Made in the USA’ vehicle might cost How much a 100% ‘Made in the USA’ vehicle might cost A 2025 Ford Expedition with bronze trim on April 30, 2025 at the automaker’s Kentucky Truck Plant. Michael Wayland | CNBC LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A white 2025 Ford Expedition SUV with bronze exterior trim rolls off the assembly line at Ford Motor’s Kentucky Truck Plant. It was assembled — from its frame to completion — by American workers at the factory. But it’s far from being completely “Made in the USA.” A majority of its main parts — at least 58% as stated on a window sticker — were made outside of the country, including 22% from Mexico. That includes its Ford-engineered, 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 Ecoboost engine, the heart of the vehicle. The popular large SUV is a prime example of how complicated the global automotive supply chain is, and underscores the reality that even vehicles rolling off U.S. assembly lines from quintessentially American companies such as Ford can rely heavily on non-domestic content. The massive Kentucky assembly plant that has more than 9,000 people building the Expedition, F-Series pickup trucks and Lincoln Navigator SUV is exactly the kind of facility President Donald Trump is pressuring automakers to build in the U.S. through his use of aggressive tariffs. After Trump put 25% tariffs on imported vehicles and many automotive parts, automakers started scrambling to tout U.S. investments and localize supply chains as much as possible. But while the country would benefit from jobs and economic output if all auto parts were sourced and manufactured in the U.S., experts say it’s just not feasible. “Some parts that have been offshored will still be cheaper to manufacture in those locations rather than the USA at scale even with some of the imposed tariffs,” said Martin French, a longtime supplier executive and partner at Berylls Strategy Advisors USA. Processing and production plants for things such as steel, aluminum and semiconductor chips, especially older ones used for autos, as well as raw materials like platinum and palladium, aren’t prevalent enough in the U.S. without establishing new plants or mines. Those are processes experts say would take a decade or more to create in scale. On top of that, the increased costs of a 100% U.S.-made vehicle could price many consumers out of the new vehicle market. That could in turn lead to less demand and likely lower production. “We can move everything to the U.S., but if every Ford is $50,000, we’re not going to win as a company,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said last week on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “That’s a balancing act that every [automaker] will have to do, even the most American company.” Farley said 15% to 20% of commoditized vehicle parts are difficult, if not impossible, to currently source in the U.S. That includes things such as small fasteners, labor-intensive wiring harnesses and almost $5,000 in semiconductors per vehicle, which are currently sourced largely from Asia. S&P Global Mobility reports there are on average 20,000 parts in a vehicle when it’s torn down to its nuts and bolts. Parts may originate in anywhere from 50 to 120 countries. For example, the Ford F-150, which shares a platform and some parts with the Expedition, is exclusively assembled in the U.S. but has roughly 2,700 main billable parts, which exclude many small pieces, according to Caresoft, an engineering benchmarking and consulting firm. The Trump administration could ease higher prices for an American-made vehicle by offering tax breaks or consumer incentives, much like the up to $7,500 electric vehicle credit Trump previously promised to eliminate. But the costs of a 100% American-made vehicle are far greater and more complex than they might seem at first blush. It’s even hard to track what comes from the U.S., as automakers are required to report a combined percentage of ********* and U.S. content in a vehicle, not just U.S. content. The material costs alone, excluding manufacturing investments, would add thousands of dollars to a vehicle’s price point, which would wipe out profits for automakers and force price increases for consumers, a handful of automotive analysts and executives told CNBC. The people, who were given anonymity to speak freely, estimated it would add thousands of dollars with each step you took to get closer to 100% U.S. and ********* parts. 100% U.S.-made vehicle Mark Wakefield, a partner and global automotive market lead at consulting firm AlixPartners, said nothing’s necessarily impossible with time, but the investment needed for U.S. and ********* sourcing and added costs would increase exponentially the closer a company came to a 100% “Made in the USA” vehicle. “The cost gets quantumly more the higher the closer you get to 100%,” Wakefield said. “Getting above 90% gets expensive, and getting about 95% would get really expensive, and you just start getting into things that you’d have to a take a long time [to do].” A worker at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant on April 30, 2025. Michael Wayland | CNBC To get that last 5% to 10%, if, or when, you could, Wakefield said, it would start “getting really expensive” and likely take a decade or more to set up raw material sourcing and reshore production of some parts. “I don’t think you could do it more than about 95% on average, at any cost at the moment, just because you need to build a lot of stuff that’s going to take a long time,” he said. “The processing and the raw material stuff, it takes a really long time, because those are multibillion dollar facilities that process it.” Two executives with auto suppliers told CNBC it would be “unrealistic,” if not impossible, for a company to profitably build a 100% U.S.-made vehicle at this time. Another executive at an automaker estimated the average cost increase for an American-assembled U.S. full-size pickup would jump at least $7,000 to source as many components as currently possible from the U.S. and Canada. One expert, generalizing the costs, said it could cost $5,000 more to get a vehicle that’s under 70% U.S./********* parts to 75% or 80%; another $5,000 to $10,000 to hit 90%; and thousands more to a higher percentage than that. Using that as a basis, the average transaction price of a new vehicle in the U.S. is currently around $48,000, according to Cox Automotive. Say that vehicle is made up of $30,000 in materials and parts. Adding the above costs would come out to roughly $10,000 to $20,000 more for companies. Cars.com reports the U.S. is by far the most expensive country to manufacture a vehicle in. The average new-car price of a U.S.-assembled vehicle is more than $53,200, according to its data. That compares with roughly $40,700 in Mexico, $46,148 in Canada and roughly $51,000 in China. Excluding raw materials, someone could theoretically start a new car company — let’s call it U.S. Motors — from scratch. U.S. Motors could spend billions of dollars to build new factories and establish an exclusively American supply chain, but the vehicle it would produce would likely be low-volume and excessively expensive, experts say. Think of Ferrari: Every car from the iconic automaker comes from Italy, with as many components as possible sourced from the company’s homeland. But even Ferrari’s multimillion-dollar sports cars have parts or raw materials for things such as airbags, brakes, tires, batteries and more that come from non-Italian suppliers and facilities. “If you did it at really low volume and you’re extremely innovative and different with the vehicle, you could make $300,000-$400,000 vehicles that are all-American,” Wakefield said. “To do it at scale, it would be 10-15 [years] and $100 billion to do that.” What’s more realistic? Getting vehicles to 75% U.S. and ********* parts and final assembly in the America is a far more achievable target that “doesn’t really force you to do uneconomic things,” Wakefield said, noting that a few vehicles meet that standard today. But even reaching that threshold on a larger scale would likely take billions of dollars in new investments from automakers and suppliers to localize production. Some automakers could make the move more easily, while others would require massive shifts in sourcing and production. Vehicles that meet the 75% U.S./Canada parts standard for the 2025 model year include the Kia EV6, two versions of the Tesla Model 3 and the Honda Ridgeline AWD Trail Sport, according to the latest vehicle content data required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Nearly 20 others are at 70% or higher, while some vehicles still need to be added to the data. That compares to 2007 model-year NHTSA data, where the top 16 vehicles — all from GM and Ford — had 90% or more U.S. and ********* content. Ford’s Expedition at that time was among the highest at 95%, but that was before the expanded globalization of the auto industry supply chain after the Great Recession — and before several major technological advances in cars made new parts and materials more important. For decades, there has been a trend for less U.S./********* content because of the globalization of supply chains and the increase in the use of Mexico as a source of parts and components, according to American University’s Kogod School of Business. Imported vehicles from many luxury brands, specifically ******* manufacturers as well as Toyota’s Lexus, feature little U.S.-sourced content. Many have none or 1%, according to the federal data. The U.S./Canada percentages, under the American Automobile Labeling Act of 1992, are calculated on a “carline” basis rather than for each individual vehicle and may be rounded to the nearest 5%. They are calculated by automakers and reported to the government. However, a high threshold of North American parts also doesn’t mean the vehicles are produced in the U.S. The 2024 Toyota RAV4, for example, was reported to have 70% U.S./********* parts and is built in Canada. “You could have a vehicle, theoretically, that is made in the U.S., but only has 1% parts, content,” said Patrick Masterson, a lead researcher for Cars.com’s “American-Made Index.” Cars.com’s annual index of the top U.S. vehicles takes vehicle assembly, parts and other factors into account. No vehicles from Ford or General Motors made the top 10, while two Teslas, two Hondas and a Volkswagen took the top five spots. The study ranks 100 vehicles judged through the same five criteria it’s used since the 2020 edition: assembly location, parts content, engine origin, transmission origin and U.S. manufacturing workforce. More than 400 vehicles of model-year 2024 vintage were analyzed to qualify the 100 vehicles on the list. The white 2025 Ford Expedition that recently rolled off the assembly line in Kentucky is expected to score higher than the prior model year, which ranked 78th, because of an increase in domestic content. Masterson said there’s been increased interest and popularity for the “American-Made Index” this year amid Trump’s tariff policies and nationalism. “Traffic on the ‘American-Made Index’ this year is way, way up. … People are concerned about this, perhaps more than ever,” Masterson said, later adding “it would be extremely difficult to make a 100% U.S.-made [vehicle].” Source link #USA #vehicle #cost Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Take-Two Boss Reacts To Grand Theft Auto 6 Delay Take-Two Boss Reacts To Grand Theft Auto 6 Delay Prior to this month, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick assured investors that Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto 6 was on track for a 2025 debut, while also acknowledging the possibility of a delay. However, the game was pushed back to a May 2026 release earlier this month. Now, Zelnick has shared his reaction to GTA 6’s delay after offering an explanation. While speaking with IGN, Zelnick noted that GTA 6 needed the extra time for the developers to polish the title and turn it into become the game that fans want it to be. “As we get closer to completion of a title that’s seeking perfection, the needs or lack thereof, for continued polish become clear,” said Zelnick “In this case there was an opportunity with a small amount of incremental time, we thought, to make sure Rockstar Games achieves its creative vision with no limitations. And I supported of course that approach.” “While of course, delays pain me–how could they not?–the most important thing to do is to support your teams in their search for perfection,” added Zelnick. According to Take-Two Interactive’s investors info sheet, GTA 6 only entered full development around 2020. The document also stated that, “affording Rockstar additional time for such a groundbreaking project is a worthy investment,” before adding that GTA 6 is now “the most anticipated entertainment property of all time.” Considering that the newly released GTA 6 trailer amassed a half-billion views within the first few days, Take-Two may be right about the game’s prerelease demand. Grand Theft Auto 6 will hit PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on May 26, 2026. A PC version is expected to be released at a later date. Source link #TakeTwo #Boss #Reacts #Grand #Theft #Auto #Delay Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cable Giants Charter and Cox to Merge in $34.5 Billion Deal – The New York Times Cable Giants Charter and Cox to Merge in $34.5 Billion Deal – The New York Times Cable Giants Charter and Cox to Merge in $34.5 Billion Deal The New York TimesTwo of America’s largest cable companies are merging CNNCharter agrees $34.5bn cable tie-up with Cox Financial TimesCharter Communications to Merge With Cox in $21.9 Billion Deal WSJUS cable giants Charter and Cox pursue $34.5 billion merger Yahoo Finance Source link #Cable #Giants #Charter #Cox #Merge #Billion #Deal #York #Times Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Helldivers 2 Super Earth Flag Support Stratagem Is Once Again Dividing Fans Helldivers 2 Super Earth Flag Support Stratagem Is Once Again Dividing Fans Wave your flag, but maybe not in the support slot. Helldivers 2’s latest Masters of Ceremony Warbond is out, and with it comes the highly anticipated and now hotly debated CQC-1 One True Flag. It looks glorious, it flaps patriotically, and it’s perfect for spreading democracy, at least in theory. But instead of rallying the troops to achieve the victory, the flag has rallied controversy and ended up dividing the community. As with many things in the game, what starts as hype quickly turns into a firefight if not done correctly. This time, it’s the highly requested Super Earth Flag Support Stratagem. Helldivers 2’s Flag support stratagem: Glorious in looks, divisive in function There’s no denying that the CQC-1 One True Flag nails the Helldivers 2 vibe. It’s flashy, ridiculous in the best way, and fits right into the game’s over-the-top militarized propaganda aesthetic, especially how it flaps patriotically. Wielding a massive flag and charging into combat feels like peak Super Earth energy, but its 10/10 looks alone don’t win battles. And when it comes to gameplay, that’s where the cracks begin to show. Functionally, the flag is just a melee weapon, a reskinned Stun Lance with patriotic flair. That might be fun for a few laughs, but the problem is where it sits in your loadout. The flag takes up a support stratagem slot, one of the most valuable and limited slots in the game. Players rely on that slot for key tools, and replacing that with a melee weapon, no matter how glorious, feels like a poor trade. This has split the Helldivers 2 community in half. In a now locked Reddit post, the user argues that Arrowhead is simply delivering what fans asked for, a flag-based support weapon, and it’s unfair for those same fans to now complain. The other side, however, contends that this isn’t what they asked for at all. They wanted a meaningful support item, an item that helps spread democracy. As Greaterdivinity puts it clearly, it should have “boost the morale (and stats like movement speed, armor, reload speed, etc) of nearby helldivers,” adding real strategic value to its patriotic presentation. The disappointment deepens when users like Mors_Umbra ask the important question: “does the flag actually do anything?” This shows, for many, that the core issue isn’t the idea of the flag itself, but that it lacks purpose. Another user, Redninja0400, also lamented, “I think it was implied we expected it to actually do something,” capturing the frustration of a fanbase that expected utility, not just flair alone. Instead, what they got was a flashy melee weapon with no added utility, and that feels like a missed opportunity. The potential was there, but the payoff wasn’t. And that’s why many are frustrated. It’s a moment for reflection for Arrowhead Super Earth gave us a flag but forgot to give it a purpose. | Image Credit: Arrowhead While the One True Flag is the latest catalyst, this isn’t the first time Helldivers 2’s community has been at odds. Everything from weapon buffs to enemy nerfs, and even changes to mission structure, has caused a ruckus in the community over the year. This won’t be the last time the community is divided. That’s just part of live-service game development. But it does raise an important point: Arrowhead needs to tread carefully moving forward. When players ask for new weapons or stratagems, the “how” of implementation is just as important as the “what.” It’s not enough to add a flag because fans wanted one; the flag needs to fulfill a gameplay role that feels worthwhile and cohesive with the rest of the system. Arrowhead has proven it listens to its community, but it also needs to balance that with a clear design vision and player communication. The CQC-1 One True Flag wasn’t just a new item; it was a chance to innovate. Instead, it became a lesson in how good ideas can fall flat without thoughtful execution. In the end, Super Earth’s Flag support stratagem is equal parts spectacle and controversy. It effectively embodies the satire and swagger of Helldivers 2, but struggles to earn its place in actual gameplay. So, whether you’re waving it proudly or leaving it behind, one thing’s for sure: the Helldivers community will always have strong opinions. Here’s hoping the next stratagem finds a better balance between flair and function. Source link #Helldivers #Super #Earth #Flag #Support #Stratagem #Dividing #Fans Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Acer has a new pair of 14.5-inch laptops for gaming on the go Acer has a new pair of 14.5-inch laptops for gaming on the go Acer is kicking off its Computex announcements with a pair of 14-inch gaming laptops. The company’s two new gaming laptops, the Predator Triton 14 AI and Helios Neo 14 AI, are both being targeted at both gamers and creative professionals. The Triton 14 AI is extremely sleek (0.68 inches at its thickest point), but to get there, Acer is using a productivity-class processor. The Intel Core Ultra 9 288V is one of Intel’s “Lunar Lake” processors with integrated RAM. This chip runs between 30W at base power, which isn’t as powerful as most gaming laptop processors. We saw a similar case in the Razer Blade 16, which opted for a 28W AMD Ryzen chip to enable a thinner design. Acer is using graphene on the CPU to serve as the thermal interface material, which the company says outperforms regular thermal paste by 14.5%. Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell – Column 0 Acer Predator Triton 14 AI Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 AI CPU Intel Core Ultra 9 288V Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 285H GPU Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU RAM Up to 32GB DDR5-8533 Up to 32GB LPDDR5X-7467 Storage Up to 2TB PCUe Gen 4 NVMe SSD Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD (2 slots) Display 14.5-inch, 2880 x 1800, 120 Hz, 16:10, OLED, touch 14.5-inch, 2880 x 1800, 120 Hz, MUX Switch or 2560 x 1600, 165 Hz, Nvidia Advanced Optimus Battery 76 WHr 76 WHr Wireless Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 Acer is pairing Lunar Lake with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU using Nvidia’s Studio drivers, which are optimized for creative applications. The system goes up to 32GB of RAM (on the CPU) and 2TB of storage. The Triton also features a 14.5-inch, 2880 x 1800 OLED touchscreen that runs up to 120 Hz and is Calman verified.There’s also a haptic touchpad built into the wrist rest, similar to the MSI Titan and Dell XPS 13, that supports a stylus, which seems limited in terms of writing. You may like Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The system looks sleek, with a sparse design and a silver hinge with diamond cut edge designed to reflect different colors from different angles. Despite the slim design, you still get some gaming accouterments, like a per-key RGB keyboard. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) If you want a more traditional gaming laptop, the Helios Neo 14 AI is a bit more conventional in its components. Here, Acer is using Intel’s H-series “Arrow Lake” chips, going up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H, though still using up to 32GB of RAM, up to 2 TB of storage, and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Laptop GPU. It’s also thicker than the Triton at 0.82 inches. Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) The Helios Neo will have two screen options. You get a 14.5-inch panel either way, but one is 2880 x 1800 at 120 Hz with a MUX switch (that typically requires rebooting the system), while a lower-res 2560 x 1600 option is faster at 165 Hz and uses Nvidia’s Advanced Optimus to switch between the integrated GPU and the discrete one. The Predator Helios Neo has a metal lid with an RGB logo that you can customize, as well as a three-zone RGB keyboard. Of the two laptops, only the Triton is certified as a Copilot+ PC. The Lunar Lake NPU, at 48 TOPS, is far more powerful than the Arrow Lake’s 13 TOPS. Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC requirements demand a minimum of 40 TOPS. Acer is also using Computex to update its Predator Orion 3000 to the latest chips from Intel and Nvidia, including up to an Intel Core Ultra 7 265F and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070. The company hasn’t announced North American pricing or release dates for any of these machines. Acer said it will release that information for the U.S. and Canada “closer to market availability.” In Europe, the systems will launch in July, which might give us a rough window of when to expect them elsewhere. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Acer #pair #14.5inch #laptops #gaming Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) forward Tyler Brockman reveals special connection to new First Nations jumper Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) forward Tyler Brockman reveals special connection to new First Nations jumper When Tyler Brockman runs out for Waalitj Marawar (West Coast) against Euro-Yroke (St Kilda) at Optus Stadium he will do so with his twin daughters firmly by his side. Source link #Waalitj #Marawar #West #Coast #Tyler #Brockman #reveals #special #connection #Nations #jumper Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Acer announces new Swift and Aspire laptop line-ups – here are 4 big things you need to know about them Acer announces new Swift and Aspire laptop line-ups – here are 4 big things you need to know about them With Computex 2025 now just a few days away, we can expect a whole host of new PC hardware announcements soon – and fortunately, Acer has already made a start on that, with its new Swift and Aspire laptops ready to hit the market for consumers as early as June and, in the case of the ones below, July. While there are plenty of new Acer devices coming your way, we’ve cherry-picked a few in particular that stand out the most; the Acer Swift X 14, Swift X 14 AI, the Swift Go 16 AI, and the Acer Aspire 16 AI (Intel). All of these new laptops share similar specifications, such as processors that are built to provide great performance in a number of scenarios including gaming – most importantly for AI workloads as Copilot+ PCs. But here are the four main things you need to know about Acer’s new laptops… You may like 1. Acer’s Swift X 14 AI, Swift Go 16 AI, and Aspire’s 16 AI laptops will all have OLED displays (Image credit: Acer) Yet again, OLED is getting the attention it deserves, and Acer is using OLED panels across a wide range of its new laptops – fortunately, all of these cherry-picked laptops are among them. The Acer Swift X 14 AI will feature an OLED 14.5 WQXGA+ (2880 x 1800) touchscreen display, which will also take advantage of the VESA DisplayHDR True ****** 500 certification. It’s ideal for accurate image quality with deep *******, with a minimum of 500 nits in brightness. The Acer Swift Go 16 AI will fare slightly differently, with a 16-inch OLED WUXGA+ (2048 x 1280) display. It uses a lower-resolution panel, but to compensate for the difference in graphics capabilities (which I’ll get into soon). With the Acer Aspire 16 AI, only one of the configurations features an OLED (2048 x 1200) display; unlike the Swift X 14 AI, it won’t be touchscreen but its IPS configuration will. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. 2. All of them will be powerful gaming machines, especially the Swift X 14 AI (Image credit: Acer) I must note that these aren’t gaming laptops, as they’re made for creators using tools like Copilot+. However, both processors and GPUs (including iGPUs) are powerful enough to yield great gaming performance. The Acer Swift X 14 AI will be the most powerful among the group; configurations up to Nvidia’s RTX 5070 (the laptop GPU, including Nvidia Studio Drivers) and AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 365 processor will be available, which are both capable of great performance in demanding creative AI workloads, or gaming. Its non-AI counterpart (Swift X 14) will feature up to Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285H processor. While the Swift Go 16 AI and Aspire 16 AI won’t feature any discrete GPUs, they’ll both be powered by (depending on the configuration) Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V – the same processor and Arc 140V iGPU featured in the MSI Claw 8 AI+ handheld gaming PC, known for its great gaming performance. 3. The Swift Go AI models are among the thinnest and lightest Acer laptops Acer Swift X 14 (Image credit: Acer) While it packs a powerful processor, fast Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and an OLED display, Acer claims the Swift Go (its 14-inch model in particular) is “as light as 15.9mm and as light as 1.39kg”. To put it simply, this means it will be one of Acer thinnest and lightest laptops, easy for travel and packing – even with its 14-inch screen size. It’s a similar story with the Swift Go 16 AI. While it’s not exactly as thin or light as its counterpart, it only weighs 1.6kg, which shouldn’t be enough of a noticeable jump in weight. They will both also take advantage of an “all-day battery life”, ensuring you don’t miss a beat during productive and creative workflows, and will have a 64Wh battery that should last a claimed 16 hours (likely with adjusted brightness levels or settings). 4. They will be available starting from July going into August These new Acer laptops in particular will arrive as early as July; the Acer Swift X 14 AI (and Swift X 14) will be available in Europe in July, starting at €1,799 – prices in North America and Australia are yet to be announced, but that converts to around $2,015 / £1,515 / AU$3,140. Unlike the Swift X 14 AI, the Acer Swift Go 16 AI will be available in Europe in August, starting at €1,299 – again, prices in North America and Australia have not been announced, but that converts to about $1,455 / £1,095 / AU$2,270) In similar fashion, the Aspire 16 AI (Intel) will be available in Europe in August, starting at €1,099 as the cheapest of the group – there is again currently no word on prices in North America and Australia, but that equates to around $1,230 / £925 / AU$1,920. It’s worth noting that each laptop’s price will vary depending on the chosen configuration, which ranges in processors, GPU, RAM, storage, and display. You may also like… Source link #Acer #announces #Swift #Aspire #laptop #lineups #big Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Brandon Johnson slams migrant busing, then celebrates the results. Please. Brandon Johnson slams migrant busing, then celebrates the results. Please. Not long ago, when busloads of migrants were arriving in Chicago from Texas, Mayor Brandon Johnson denounced the move as “evil.” Fast forward to 2025, and Johnson is now touting population growth as a sign of his administration’s success — growth made possible by the very migrant arrivals he once condemned. It can’t be both, Mayor Johnson. Was the mass busing of migrants from Texas an unconscionable humanitarian disaster, as you once claimed — or a population boost worth celebrating? It can’t be both. This kind of rhetorical whiplash doesn’t sit right. We remember how forcefully Johnson denounced the busing in 2023. And we remember it so well because we wrote several times that we agreed with him. “Do you hear me? (Migrants are) showing up sick. The issue is not just how we respond in the city of Chicago, it’s the fact that we have a governor — a governor, an elected official in the state of Texas — that is placing families on buses without shoes, cold, wet, tired, hungry, afraid, traumatized,” Johnson said in 2023 after the death of a 5-year-old migrant boy staying at a Pilsen shelter. But then the U.S. Census Bureau started reporting population growth. Thanks to Texas’ migrant busing, newly released data shows Chicago’s population grew for the second year in a row. The city of Chicago added 22,164 residents between mid-2023 and mid-2024, according to new estimates from the U.S. census, the Tribune reported. Johnson said this population growth shows “Chicago is leading Illinois in the right direction.” In other words, he’s taking a victory lap, and would have us believe that Chicago is booming because the mayor’s tenure has been one filled with economic growth and prosperity. We don’t see it that way. True growth means people choosing to come here, not being involuntarily delivered by the busload. And, to be clear, without migrants from Texas, Chicago would not be experiencing such significant population growth. The city reports that since Aug. 31, 2022, more than 51,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago by plane or bus from Texas. Most of them — more than 41,000 — came during the mid-2023 to mid-2024 window in which the city gained population, according to reporting from WGN-TV. The total does not include people who came to Chicago via Greyhound or on their own, so the true amount of migrant arrivals could be higher. Prior to 2022, international immigration to Chicago had slowed significantly. Net domestic migration (movement between states) continues to be negative — meaning more U.S. residents moved out of Chicago than into it. The Chicago metro area lost more than 45,000 residents to domestic outmigration between 2023 and 2024. And, despite a slight uptick in the past two years, Chicago’s population is nearly 30,000 lower than it was in 2020. While the migrant influx boosted Chicago’s population, it came at a high cost. The city reports it has spent nearly $640 million on new arrivals, money many would’ve liked to see spent in other ways. “When are we going to help us? When are we going to help the people here?” asked Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, last April. Public frustration has also been evident during City Council meetings. In one instance last September, a resident questioned the city’s spending, asking, “Are y’all lying to us?” and highlighting a $400 million expenditure on migrants amid a $235 million budget deficit. The city’s ongoing population loss prior to migrant population growth was even more costly, a symptom of lost confidence in Chicago’s future and a laggard economy. Chicago’s population dropped to 2,664,452 in July 2023 — the lowest it had been since 1920. The city lost more than 8,000 residents between July 2022 and July 2023, according to Census Bureau data, part of a nine-year population loss trend. Johnson can’t have it both ways. If this population growth is worth celebrating, he owes the public a more honest account of how we got here — and at what cost. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email *****@*****.tld. Source link #Brandon #Johnson #slams #migrant #busing #celebrates #results Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Acer’s new Swift Edge 14 AI is a bunch of ports and a ‘soft-touch’ keyboard Acer’s new Swift Edge 14 AI is a bunch of ports and a ‘soft-touch’ keyboard In high-end laptops, thin is always in, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice connectivity. Acer’s new Swift Edge 14 AI, leading its ultraportable lineup ahead of Computex in Taipei, is a sleek notebook that weighs less than 1 kilogram (approximately 2.18 pounds) but still has plenty of ports. Swipe to scroll horizontally Header Cell – Column 0 Acer Swift Edge 14 AI CPU Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 288V Graphics Up to Intel Arc graphics 140V (integrated) RAM Up to 32GB LPDDR5x Storage Up to 1TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD Display 14-inch, 2880 x 1800, OLED touchscreen, matte Battery 65 WHr Wireless Connectivity Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Weight 2.18 pounds (0.99 kg) The Swift Edge 14 AI will use Intel’s “Lunar Lake” chips, ranging from a Core Ultra 5 226V up to a Core Ultra 9 288V, with up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. That’s all in a chassis that’s 0.65 inches thick. Image 1 of 2 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware) It’s notable that Acer isn’t skimping on ports here. While many 13, 14, and even some 15-inch laptops have dropped to just a pair of USB-C ports, Acer’s got two USB Type-C ports (supporting Thunderbolt 4), a pair of USB Type-A ports, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. That’s a lot of connectivity on the go. We saw this with HP’s OmniBook 7 Aero, but that much I/O on an ultrabook is still pretty rare these days. Like many high-end laptops, Acer’s chassis is built from a mix of magnesium and aluminum. But unlike those laptops, the company is pushing a “soft-touch” keyboard that the company says has a “unique UV-cured coating that feels like velvet and is wear- and stain-resistant.” We didn’t get too much time to play with this keyboard, but we’re certainly hoping it stays clean in the long term, especially considering this is a white laptop. Acer is promising up to 21 hours of battery life from the 65 WHr battery, but doesn’t say how it got there. If it comes close, that would match the longest-lasting laptop we’ve ever tested. You may like Unfortunately, Acer hasn’t removed the weird AI indicator light from its touchpad, which glows whenever you use the NPU or use Copilot (which uses the internet and does not run locally). It is, at best, a distraction. Acer is also using Computex as a launch pad for its Swift Go 14 AI and Swift Go 16 AI, each with OLED displays and media controls built into the touchpad. All of these Swift laptops have 1080p webcams with IR support for Windows Hello. North American pricing and availability haven’t been revealed just yet. Acer said that this information will be announced “closer to market availability.” In Europe, the Swift Edge will release in June, while Australia has a more vague “Q2” release date. The Swift Go 16 AI and Swift 14 AI will ship in July and August in Europe, respectively. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #Acers #Swift #Edge #bunch #ports #softtouch #keyboard Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Drop Duchy is a deck-building, Tetris-like, Carcassonne-esque puzzler – Ars Technica Drop Duchy is a deck-building, Tetris-like, Carcassonne-esque puzzler – Ars Technica Drop Duchy is a deck-building, Tetris-like, Carcassonne-esque puzzler Ars TechnicaTetris and Dungeon Heroes. Drop Duchy Game review Mezha.MediaDrop Duchy review: Tetris meets Catan DigitecDrop Duchy review Rock Paper Shotgun Source link #Drop #Duchy #deckbuilding #Tetrislike #Carcassonneesque #puzzler #Ars #Technica Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Piastri leads McLaren one-two in Imola practice Piastri leads McLaren one-two in Imola practice Oscar Piastri is quickest in first practice for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, ahead of McLaren team-mate Lando Norris. Source link #Piastri #leads #McLaren #onetwo #Imola #practice Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Burton trumps Nawaqanitawase as Dogs stun Roosters Burton trumps Nawaqanitawase as Dogs stun Roosters Canterbury have kept their buffer at the top of the NRL ladder, but Mark Nawaqanitawase scored one of the great tries in the Sydney Roosters’ 24-20 loss. Source link #Burton #trumps #Nawaqanitawase #Dogs #stun #Roosters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Tesla April sales by the numbers: Demand weakness continues Tesla April sales by the numbers: Demand weakness continues In the first three months of the year Tesla reported deliveries of 336,681, a drop of 13% versus a year ago, missing estimates of 390,000 units. It was Tesla’s worst quarter for deliveries since the second quarter of 2022. The concern for Tesla (TSLA) bulls is the sales drop continuing, with April sales figures coming in — and not looking good. Tesla only reports sales or delivery totals on a quarterly basis, and does not break out sales across its critical regions. In order to view performance on a monthly basis and across regions, registration data is often used a proxy for sales, which is usually reported by national automobile authorities or research firms. The first registration data sets to come through were in the *** and EU territories, and those sales drops turned out to be some of the worst. *** Tesla registrations tallied only 512 new vehicles in April, per the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders auto trade group. That figure is down 62% from a year earlier. Tesla’s *** underperformance follows weakness in other key regions. Germany’s KBA trade group reported registrations dipped 46% in the country to 885. The country is home to Tesla’s only European factory, Giga Berlin. Tesla registrations also fell in key territories like France (down 59%), Denmark (down 67%), and Sweden (down 81%), per Bloomberg data polling national auto associations. The drops in April mirror tumbling European sales in March as well. Weakness in the EU and protests at US Tesla showrooms recently follows CEO Elon Musk’s foray into the politics, resulting in some Tesla owners alienated by Musk and his right-leaning tendencies, and outward support of President Trump. A different set of issues affects China, a huge engine for Tesla sales in the recent past and a territory Tesla is counting on for future growth, saw more weakness despite the fact ******** citizens are mad for EVs. Tesla China sold 58,459 vehicles in April, which includes EVs sold in China and those exported to other markets, down 6% versus a year ago according to data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) as reported by China EV blog CnEVPost. That figure is down a whopping 25.8% sequentially compared to March. Looking at year to date including April, Tesla’s China sales and exports are down 18.3%. This comes as ******** domestic competitors like BYD (BYDDY), Nio (NIO), and XPeng (XPEV) eat into Tesla’s sales by offering cheaper products with competitive feature sets, including software that is deeply integrated into the car’s HMI (human machine interface) that local customers demand. Story Continues April data for the US, Tesla’s home market, will come in early June via registration data provided by S&P Global Mobility. Tesla bulls will argue a full month sales for the refreshed Model Y will boost sales in April, as they fell in March due to limited availability. However, demand may be an issue as Tesla just announced a cheaper version of the all-new Model Y in the US, the Long Range RWD version starting at $44,990, a $4,000 discount compared to the AWD version. Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram. For the latest earnings reports and analysis, earnings whispers and expectations, and company earnings news, click here Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Source link #Tesla #April #sales #numbers #Demand #weakness #continues Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Charter Communications to Merge With Cox in $21.9 Billion Deal – WSJ Charter Communications to Merge With Cox in $21.9 Billion Deal – WSJ Charter Communications to Merge With Cox in $21.9 Billion Deal WSJTwo of America’s largest cable companies are merging CNNUS cable giants Charter and Cox, under assault by streaming services, pursue $34.5 billion merger Los Angeles TimesCable companies Charter and Cox agree to merge CNBCCharter & Cox Announce Definitive Agreement to Combine Companies Charter Communications Source link #Charter #Communications #Merge #Cox #Billion #Deal #WSJ Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Thames Water bonuses could be blocked by regulator Ofwat Thames Water bonuses could be blocked by regulator Ofwat Karen Hoggan Business Reporter Getty Images Thames Water and other water companies could be prevented by the industry regulator from paying any bonuses, under rules due to come into effect next month. Environment Secretary Steve Reed said new measures would stop water companies dumping a “tidal wave of sewage into our rivers while pocketing millions of pounds of bonuses”. Regulator Ofwat has been able to stop firms using customer money to fund bonuses, but the new rules mean they could not use funds from shareholders or lenders either. Thames’ chairman has told MPs that bosses could get millions in bonuses as part of a recent £3bn loan with the firm saying it is “critical” it keeps the staff “best placed” to improve its performance. Thames Water is the ***’s biggest water company, serving about a quarter of the ***’s population, but has come under fire in recent years. It has huge debts and is struggling to fix leaks, sewage spills and modernise outdated infrastructure. Earlier this year, it secured £3bn in emergency funding, which it said would give it the space needed to complete a restructuring of its debts and attract a cash buyer. Subsequently it picked US private equity giant KKR as its “preferred partner” to buy the firm. Under its new powers contained in the the Water (Special Measures) Act, Ofwat will be able to ban “undeserved bonuses when high standards on the environment and financial management of water companies are not met”. It could mean that Thames Water’s bonuses could be blocked as soon as next month. The ban would also be retrospective, meaning bonuses paid in the last financial year could be clawed back. “The government will ban the payment of unfair bonuses for polluting water bosses,” Reed said. “The days of profiting from failure are over.” Earlier this week, Thames chairman Sir Adrian Montague told MPs that hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of recent bonuses for bosses had been justified. “We live in a competitive marketplace and we have to provide the right sort of packages to these people otherwise the head hunters come knocking,” he said. Sir Adrian said top executives could get millions of pounds in bonuses as part of the emergency loan agreement. Source link #Thames #Water #bonuses #blocked #regulator #Ofwat Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Frank Skinner finally gets married after four proposal rejections Frank Skinner finally gets married after four proposal rejections Annabel Rackham Culture reporter Getty Images Frank Skinner and Cath Mason: He had asked her four times previously if she would marry him Frank Skinner has revealed he has married his girlfriend Cath Mason after 24 years together. The comedian and presenter shared the news on his podcast, Frank Off The Radio on an episode broadcast on Friday morning, alongside co-hosts Emily Dean and Pierre Novellie. “You’ll never guess what I did on Monday, I got married”, the 68-year-old said, adding: “Don’t be offended, we didn’t invite anyone”. He confirmed that their only witness was their son Buzz, who was born in 2012, and that the marriage took place at Camden Town Hall. Getty Images Frank Skinner, 68, revealed he had proposed to his now-wife Cath Mason four times previously Skinner previously said during an interview with The Sun in 2024 that he had asked Mason to marry him four times, but she had always declined. “Maybe it’s some terrible personal reason that I don’t know about,” he said, “that she doesn’t actually like me as much as I think she does. “Her parents got divorced, so she got a bit cynical about it and thinks if we get married it would be like a slight curse on the thing,” he went on to add. Skinner, who met Mason when she was working for his management company, says their wedding was not a traditional one at her request. “I don’t want a load of guests, I’m not going in a church. I don’t want a ring,” he says she told her. He added: “The thing that no one ever says about getting married is it’s quite embarrassing. How can I put it? It’s a bit basic getting married.” Instead of a white dress, Skinner says “she wore a flowery dress” and they walked down the aisle to Lie Dream Of a Casino Soul by The Fall as the Manchester post-punk group “meant so much to me and Cath when we were in our early days”. He says Mason also kept her own name and does not wear a ring now that they are married. When he was asked why they had decided now was the right time, he said: “I don’t know why. I just thought, “Maybe I’ve got too much money, I’ll give her half in about five years time!” and denied that it was “a tax thing”, adding “I’m not planning on dying anytime soon”. Skinner, whose real name is Christopher Graham Collins, is probably best-known for writing the lyrics and singing on football song Three Lions, with David Baddiel and The Lightening Seeds, and for his TV and radio work. He hosted The Frank Skinner Show on Absolute Radio from 2009 to 2024, before moving the format over to the podcast. He also hosted The Frank Skinner show for 10 years on ITV from 1995 to 2005 and Room 101 on the BBC between 2012 and 2018. Source link #Frank #Skinner #finally #married #proposal #rejections Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Heeney inspires Swans to comeback win over Blues Heeney inspires Swans to comeback win over Blues Isaac Heeney has inspired a resurgent Sydney to flex their fourth-quarter muscle for a 16-point comeback AFL win over Carlton. Left smarting after falling short of a last-gasp victory over Essendon, the Swans dug deep to overcome a slow start and secure an 11.12 (78) to 9.8 (62) win at the SCG on Friday night. The result keeps Sydney in touch with the top eight, sitting 11th (4-6) ahead of the weekend’s matches. Heeney was awarded the Goodes-O’Loughlin medal as best on ground in the annual Marn Grook match, finishing with a monster haul of two goals, 38 disposals and 10 clearances. Meanwhile, Carlton remain 10th after suffering their fourth-straight SCG defeat since 2021. Adam Cerra led the Blues with 33 disposals, while Charlie Curnow slotted three majors to reach then surpass the 300-goal milestone. The visitors started the cleaner team with 20 inside-50s to Sydney’s nine in the first quarter, but could only lead by six points at quarter-time. Patrick Cripps, after kicking two goals in the opening term, sent a scare through the Blues camp when he limped off in the second quarter. The two-time Brownlow medallist looked to have injured his left ankle during a marking contest with Chad Warner, but was able to return after receiving treatment on the bench. Heeney and Justin McInerney slotted a goal each to level the scores at 5.3 (33), before Harry McKay (two goals) hit back to restore Carlton’s lead before the main break. After struggling to break away in a third-quarter slog, the Swans found their spark when a streaming Brodie Grundy launched the home side ahead before Joel Amartey added another. Amartey, returning from a hamstring injury, could come under scrutiny from the match review officer for his fourth-quarter bump against Carlton defender Jordan Boyd. Source link #Heeney #inspires #Swans #comeback #win #Blues Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

I’ve relied on Medicaid for years — but after inheriting $250K recently, I’m worried about losing my benefits I’ve relied on Medicaid for years — but after inheriting $250K recently, I’m worried about losing my benefits Imagine this scenario: Two decades ago, Kristin was driving home from a friend’s house when she was struck by a drunk driver, who hit her car head-on. After surviving a coma and suffering a brain injury that made it impossible to work, she’s been on Medicaid ever since. While she has enough money to get by — she has no debt and owns her house — she doesn’t have much left over at the end of the month. That’s why, when she found out she had inherited $250,000 from her best friend, she was incredibly grateful. But also a little worried. A large lump sum of cash would bump Kristin over the income eligibility limit for Medicaid, so she could lose her benefits. She’s now worried about Medicaid’s five-year Look-Back Rule, a ******* during which Medicaid can evaluate a recipient’s financial history to ensure they’re not artificially reducing their net worth. If so, a penalty ******* would apply. Not only is Kristin worried about losing her Medicaid coverage, she’s also worried she might end up in violation of the Look-Back Rule and that a Medicaid lien would be placed on her property when she dies, so she wouldn’t be able to pass on her remaining assets to her children. Are her concerns valid or are there ways to make the windfall work more in her favor? The Affordable Care Act determines income eligibility for Medicaid based on Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). To receive Medicaid, you can’t exceed monthly income and asset limits, which differ by state. In most cases, a single senior applicant can’t exceed $2,901 a month in income, according to the American Council on Aging (ACOA). “In 2025, most states have an asset limit of $2,000 for an individual senior applicant and $3,000 for an elderly couple,” the ACOA writes. Some assets are exempt, such as the applicant’s house, vehicle and personal belongings. Each state sets its own rules around how IRAs, 401(k)s and pensions are accounted for, too. An inheritance would count as income in the month it’s received; in Kristin’s case, it would push her way over the income limit for Medicaid benefits. Story Continues The first thing Kristin should do is report the inheritance to her state Medicaid agency. “Medicaid will view the inheritance either as income and/or assets, depending on when the inheritance was received and how long it has been since receipt,” the ACOA writes. But she should do it as soon as possible. “While a Medicaid beneficiary generally has 10 calendar days to report the receipt of an inheritance, this timeframe could be shorter or longer, depending on the state,” the ACOA says. If you don’t, and the inheritance disqualifies you from Medicaid, then you’d be responsible for reimbursing Medicaid for any benefits you received during that time. Each state has different rules, which can add to the confusion. A Medi-Cal recipient in California, for example, is allowed to gift an inheritance to a third party, so long as it’s done in the same month it’s received. The state also has no Look-Back Rule in place for assets transferred after Jan. 1, 2024. Read more: You’re probably already overpaying for this 1 ‘must-have’ expense — and thanks to Trump’s tariffs, your monthly bill could soar even higher. Here’s how 2 minutes can protect your wallet right now It’s possible to “spend down” your inheritance, too — so long as it doesn’t violate the Look-Back Rule. “If the money is spent in its entirety during the month of receipt and without violating Medicaid’s Look-Back Rule, one will be eligible for Medicaid again the following month,” according to the ACOA. That might mean paying off debt, paying for long-term care, making home modifications or renovations for accessibility purposes or buying assets that are exempt from the asset limit, such as clothing or home appliances. You could even pre-pay ******** expenses through an Irrevocable ******** Trust. There are also strategies that may allow someone to benefit from an inheritance without losing Medicaid. These include: Pooled Special Needs Trusts (SNTs): To get around the Look-Back Rule, Kristin could transfer the inheritance into a Pooled Special Needs Trust (SNT), which is typically run by a charitable or philanthropic organization (there are several hundred to choose from in the U.S.). These transfers are exempt from the Look-Back Rule since they no longer count toward the recipient’s income or assets, according to the Brain Injury Association of America, but ensures they still have resources for long-term care. Medicaid-Compliant Annuities (MCAs): Buying an MCA means you give an insurance company a lump sum of cash, which is then converted into a steady income stream. When properly structured, it allows you to lower your countable assets so you don’t lose Medicaid benefits — but not all states treat annuities the same way. Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts (MAPTs): Sometimes called a Medicaid Planning Trust or Medicaid Trust, a MAPT protects a Medicaid recipient by putting their excess assets into a trust. The recipient names a trustee and beneficiary who will inherit those assets. Since the recipient who created the trust no longer owns those assets, it won’t count toward Medicaid’s asset limit. A MAPT can also be used to protect assets for a recipient’s children or other family members. For example, it can help to protect assets from Medicaid’s Estate Recovery, where the agency tries to reimburse the cost of the recipient’s care from their estate after they pass away. Before Kristin makes a decision, she may want to consult with an attorney. It’s worth looking for an attorney who is a member of the National Elder Law Foundation or the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and is familiar with the challenges that older adults can face. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Source link #Ive #relied #Medicaid #years #inheriting #250K #worried #losing #benefits Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mike Novogratz describes path to Galaxy Digital’s Nasdaq listing Mike Novogratz describes path to Galaxy Digital’s Nasdaq listing Michael Novogratz, founder and chief executive officer of Galaxy Digital LP, left, during an interview on an episode of Bloomberg Wealth with David Rubenstein in New York, US, on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. Victor J. Blue | Bloomberg | Getty Images TORONTO — Mike Novogratz said he spent nearly four years and more than $25 million trying to take crypto firm Galaxy Digital public in the United States. “It felt un-American, unfair, infuriating,” Novogratz said. Novogratz told CNBC that a process that should take 45 to 90 days stretched out to 1,320 days. He said it took nine rounds of comments with the Securities and Exchange Commission. “One of the things that people didn’t understand about the crypto tax is that you needed to be very well capitalized — and a pretty big, strong company — just to stay in the game,” he said. The billionaire crypto mogul will finally ring the opening bell at the Nasdaq Friday under the ticker GLXY with his company trading on U.S. public markets for the first time in a direct listing. Novogratz said Galaxy’s auditing costs were significantly higher than those of firms like Jefferies — a consequence of the regulatory scrutiny that comes with being a crypto company. He said he expects those fees to drop by as much as 40% now that Galaxy is listed on the Nasdaq. Yet instead of breaking Galaxy, the ordeal seemed to harden it. “Scarcity makes you tougher,” Novogratz said. “We funded our company mostly through investment gains and trading.” “We weren’t the only company that suffered,” Novogratz said, pointing to eToro, the Israeli trading platform, that went public on Nasdaq this week. Its listing was one of the first major fintech IPOs since 2021, signaling that investor appetite for crypto-adjacent firms is returning after years of regulatory caution and market volatility. Until now, Galaxy Digital’s home on the public markets has been on the Toronto Stock Exchange, where the New York-based company went public in 2020, because U.S. regulators were too wary of crypto. The TSX has become a testing ground for digital asset firms that couldn’t gain traction in American markets, even as U.S. investors and capital loomed just across the border. But for Novogratz, whose ambitions were always *******, the U.S. was the stage that mattered. “Our visibility, volume, and notoriety in the ********* market versus the U.S. is one to 30 — the U.S. market is 30 times deeper,” he said. “If we had been in the U.S. markets those four years, we’d be a different company.” The former hedge fund manager turned crypto entrepreneur has built a reputation for direct and candid conversations. In Washington, he witnessed first-hand how crypto evolved from a fringe curiosity to a central issue in American politics. “I was at the vice president’s inaugural ball as a representative Democrat,” Novogratz said. In a room of roughly 300 attendees, he said he counted around 20 crypto CEOs — a striking show of the industry’s growing influence in Washington. “I mean, it was shocking — the crypto representation down in D.C. over the inauguration — and Democrats noticed that. So I think, in earnest, there’s a core group of Democrats, and a big one, probably the majority of Democrats, that just want to pass crypto legislation that’s good for America, and move on, and, quite frankly, get crypto off the map as an electoral issue,” he said. The turning point came with the election of President Donald Trump, a political shift that Novogratz saw unfolding in real-time. “The flip got switched… the old regime knew the new regime was coming, and so they started to be much more supportive,” he said. Conversations that had once been closed suddenly opened. Novogratz met incoming SEC Chair Paul Atkins around the time of the inauguration. Atkins wasn’t yet in the role, but his stance was clear — he prioritized fair disclosure and leaned pro-business, pro-risk. Their conversation was high-level, focused on the regulator’s approach, but it left Novogratz with a sense of optimism. “Ringing the bell is kind of the starting line, not the finish line,” said Novogratz. Read more about tech and crypto from CNBC Pro Source link #Mike #Novogratz #describes #path #Galaxy #Digitals #Nasdaq #listing Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Trump's big bill faces next hurdle in Congress as GOP conservatives warn they may vote against it – AP News Trump's big bill faces next hurdle in Congress as GOP conservatives warn they may vote against it – AP News Trump’s big bill faces next hurdle in Congress as GOP conservatives warn they may vote against it AP NewsConservative Republicans Revolt Over Domestic Policy Bill, Threatening Its Path The New York TimesHouse’s Latest Budget Is a Fiscal Time Bomb Bloomberg.comTrump agenda bill negotiations and Newsom’s changing tune on the homeless crisis: Morning Rundown NBC NewsMorning Report — Budget forecast: Skating on thin ice The Hill Source link #Trump039s #big #bill #faces #hurdle #Congress #GOP #conservatives #warn #vote #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Russia jails *********** man for fighting for Ukraine Russia jails *********** man for fighting for Ukraine Russia has sentenced an *********** citizen to 13 years in a maximum-security prison for fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, state prosecutors in a part of eastern Ukraine controlled by Russia say. Oscar Jenkins, 33, was found guilty by a court of taking part in an armed conflict as a mercenary, a statement from the prosecutors said on Friday. The court had ruled he had taken part in combat operations against Russian troops between March and December 2024. *********** media reported in 2024 that Jenkins, a teacher from Melbourne, was serving alongside Ukraine’s military when he was captured by Russian forces. In January, Australia summoned the Russian ambassador over what turned out to be false reports that Jenkins had been killed after being captured by Russia. Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has previously said his government added Jenkins to its list of prisoners of war and would negotiate for his release in an exchange. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said Australia has made representations to Ukraine, including a one-on-one discussion he had with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. with AAP Source link #Russia #jails #*********** #man #fighting #Ukraine Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]