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The U.S. has struggled for crypto clarity. Canada may have the answer The U.S. has struggled for crypto clarity. Canada may have the answer TORONTO — Canada has quietly become a global leader in digital assets. Canada was among the first countries to enact rules for crypto, starting with anti-money laundering guidelines in 2014. The country has repeatedly evolved its regulatory guidance in recent years, while U.S. lawmakers remain stuck in gridlock — even with a pro-crypto White House and a Republican-controlled Congress. That regulatory clarity has made Toronto a launchpad for blockchain growth, and Wall Street is taking notice. Robinhood‘s recent acquisition of ********* crypto firm WonderFi, owner of Bitbuy and Coinsquare, plugs it into Canada’s established user base. “Canada is a very attractive market for us,” said Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood’s crypto chief. “It’s projected to be more than 30 million users using crypto here in Canada, with revenue projections of about $900 million in 2025.” The company’s decision to spend just under $180 million to buy WonderFi, which has one of the longest-standing crypto licenses in the country, is a direct bet on that growth. Galaxy Digital, the digital asset investing giant founded by Mike Novogratz, is headquartered in New York but listed in Canada because it couldn’t go public in the United States. After being among the first to launch spot bitcoin ETFs in the U.S., Galaxy will finally debut on the Nasdaq on Friday. DeFi Technologies, a ********* player focused on being the Strategy of Solana, is also planning a U.S. listing. “A lot of companies have started on the Toronto Stock Exchange and are trying to uplist into the Nasdaq,” said Ondo Finance CEO Nathan Allman. “I think we’re going to see more of that.” At Consensus 2025 in Toronto, one of the world’s largest crypto conferences, JPMorgan, Ondo, and Chainlink announced a $100 billion bet on blockchain with a new platform to tokenize real-world assets. The two firms say the new offering allows treasuries to be tokenized and settled using blockchain, combining JPMorgan’s Kinexys Digital Payments network with Ondo’s blockchain infrastructure. “It’s really the first time that there’s been this interoperability between a bank’s permissioned blockchain environment and a public blockchain,” Allman said. Crypto dealmaking has shown signs of life in recent months, as the United States has shifted its regulatory approach under President Donald Trump. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and Federal Reserve have eased restrictions on banks handling crypto, rolling back prior guidance that required pre-approval for digital asset activities. The Securities and Exchange Commission has also taken a significant step by rescinding its restrictive accounting bulletin, which had forced companies holding crypto assets for clients to record them as liabilities. The new approach aligns crypto custody with traditional financial instruments. At the same time, the SEC has launched a new Crypto Task Force, inviting public input on how to better regulate digital assets. Read more about tech and crypto from CNBC Pro “They want large enterprises like Citi to have a seat at the table,” said Ryan Rugg, global head of digital assets for Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions division. “They’re asking for our opinion, where I think in the past, it was not quite the case.” The booking of Eric Trump, the president’s son and a leader of the newly-formed American Bitcoin, as a headline speaker, highlighted the growing presence of the U.S. in the crypto arena. The firm made waves when it launched in March, and already intends to go public through a merger with Gryphon Digital Mining. “It’s important to remember: Most countries are totally neutral on blockchain,” said Dan Morehead, CEO of Pantera Capital. “The U.S. had a fairly antagonistic stance on blockchain which made it difficult for companies to get bank accounts, made it difficult for companies to go public.” He said he believes many companies that would have gone public a few years ago will hit U.S. markets in the next six months. “There’s obviously tremendous appetite in the public markets,” he said. Israel-based crypto and stock trading platform eToro went public on Wednesday after pricing above its expected range. Shares soared nearly 29% on its first trading day. The advancements in the U.S. aren’t without setbacks. A first-of-its-kind stablecoin regulation bill failed to advance in the Senate after Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about national security, while others expressed concerns about the president’s ties to crypto. Still, the payment giants are charging ahead. Mastercard announced Thursday that it’s partnering with Moonpay to let customers use debit cards to transact using their stablecoin balances. PayPal announced Wednesday that it’s partnering with artificial intelligence platform Perplexity to enable chat-powered shopping. PayPal’s senior vice president of blockchain, crypto, and digital currencies told CNBC at Consensus 2025 that he sees a future where customers could transact in AI chats with their PayPal stablecoins or other crypto holdings. “We are trying to make sure that PayPal and Venmo are the gateway product to get more people into crypto,” said Jose Fernandez da Ponte, PayPal’s senior vice president of blockchain, crypto, and digital currencies. “A lot of people get into crypto through us, and that leads us to continue to add tokens.” While PayPal leans on accessibility and payments, Robinhood is doubling down on tokenization and staking to capture both retail and institutional users. “This debate here in the U.S. is really important — it shows that we want to embrace the technology instead of just regulating it and turning it off like it was before,” Kerbrat said, describing his appearance at an SEC roundtable under new chair Paul Atkins. The company sees blockchain technology as a way to transform everything from stocks to private equity markets and real estate into digital tokens that can be traded instantly. “We think at Robinhood that it is actually the future, and we can bring a lot more traditional assets on-chain using tokenization,” Kerbrat added. WATCH: Crypto and stock trading app eToro shares soar in Nasdaq debut: CNBC Crypto World Source link #U.S #struggled #crypto #clarity #Canada #answer Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Buffett exits Citigroup and doubles stake in Constellation Brands Buffett exits Citigroup and doubles stake in Constellation Brands Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway dumped even more bank stocks in the first quarter, exiting Citigroup entirely and selling more Bank of America shares. The Omaha-based conglomerate sold out of its Citigroup position by the end of March, according to a new regulatory filing. The holding was worth more than $1 billion at the end of 2024 and Berkshire had owned the stock since the first quarter of 2022. Berkshire trimmed its Bank of America stake for a third straight quarter, bringing its bet to 631.6 million shares worth more than $26 billion. Even after the latest *****, the nation’s second-largest bank is still Berkshire’s fourth largest equity holding. Meanwhile, Berkshire doubled its stake in beer-and-wine producer Constellation Brands last quarter, increasing the value of the position to some $2.2 billion. Constellation, which Berkshire first invested in during the fourth quarter of 2024, recently came under pressure after President Donald Trump announced steep tariffs on ******** imports. Constellation imports all of its beer from Mexico, including Modelo and Corona. Beer accounted for 86% of Constellation’s sales in the first half of its fiscal year. The stock is down about 14% this year. Buffett is stepping down as CEO at Berkshire after an unmatched 60-year run . The 94-year-old is handing over the reins to Greg Abel at the start of 2026, although Buffett will remain chairman of the board. Source link #Buffett #exits #Citigroup #doubles #stake #Constellation #Brands Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ukrainian Is Arrested After Fires at U.K. Primer Minister’s Properties Ukrainian Is Arrested After Fires at U.K. Primer Minister’s Properties The police in Britain on Thursday charged a man with arson in connection with three fires, including two at properties linked to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The Metropolitan Police in London said in a statement that the man, Roman Lavrynovych, 21, had been charged with arson with intent to endanger life. The police identified Mr. Lavrynovych, who was arrested on Tuesday, as a Ukrainian national. One of the fires erupted outside the doorway of Mr. Starmer’s family home in Kentish Town, in north London, which is currently being rented out. Another blaze broke out at a separate property in north London, which the BBC reported Mr. Starmer had lived in previously. Mr. Starmer and his family currently occupy the prime minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Source link #Ukrainian #Arrested #Fires #U.K #Primer #Ministers #Properties Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘My Mom Says We Don’t Have Enough Money’ Complains A Frustrated Family Member ‘But I Catch Her Giving Thousands To A Megachurch Every Month’ ‘My Mom Says We Don’t Have Enough Money’ Complains A Frustrated Family Member ‘But I Catch Her Giving Thousands To A Megachurch Every Month’ A Reddit user recently shared a frustrating discovery in a post titled, “My mom says we don’t have enough money, but I catch her giving thousands of dollars monthly to a megachurch.” The post included a screenshot of a recent $600 donation receipt to Bill Winston Ministries. It showed $300 for tithes, $100 for missions, and $30 for the ‘Airplane Fund.’ Don’t Miss: The post blew up with responses, with many calling out how wild some of the expenses were. One user pointed out the irony of the airplane fund, saying, “Airplane Fund is literally paying for the owner’s private jet lol.” Another added, “And ‘tributes to BWM’ is a typo: they meant BMW.” Some jumped in to share their own stories about parents who put church donations ahead of basic needs. One wrote, “I grew up in one of these churches. My mom was tithing 20 percent during the ‘08 financial crisis. We were on a Spaghetti-O diet because of this sh’t. It’s f**ed because the deeper you go, the worse it gets.” Others expressed frustration over the perceived financial exploitation. One user said, “She’s correct. That’s why you don’t have enough money.” Trending: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — Invest before it’s too late. Others noted the emotional and psychological hold these churches can have. One person commented, “She is playing slots. They promise if she gives enough that God will also make her wealthy beyond her dreams.” Another added, “Slots have better odds. Lotto has even better odds.” The post also sparked a debate about the morals of prosperity gospel teachings, which often promise financial blessings in exchange for donations. One user summed it up by saying, “Prosperity gospel is poison.” Some even shared advice for the original poster, suggesting they confront their mother or find creative ways to intervene. One comment read, “Make a fake version of that site, so it sends payments to your bank account instead,” while others suggested blocking the church’s website at the router level or trying to educate their loved ones about the realities of financial manipulation. See Also: Nancy Pelosi Invested $5 Million In An AI Company Last Year — Here’s How You Can Invest In Multiple Pre-IPO AI Startups With Just $1,000. A lot of people also pointed out that some people keep giving money to these churches even when they can barely pay their own bills. One user reflected on a family member’s situation, saying, “I work with a lady in a nursing home that receives $85 a month from Medicaid. She’s constantly bugging people about a dollar here or there for a Coke or snack because ‘$85 can’t buy anything.’ Few years back I learned she gives $1,000 to $1,200 to the church every year. You do the math.” Story Continues The thread became a broader discussion about the ethics of megachurches and the financial pressures they place on their followers, with some comparing the practice to a form of financial addiction. One person wrote, “They promise if she gives enough that God will also make her wealthy beyond her dreams,” showing how these churches can use emotional appeals to keep people giving. Another commenter captured the frustration many felt, writing, “It breaks my heart to see these charlatans deluding gullible people like this. They’re cynically exploiting greed in the guise of generosity. It’s infuriating.” As the original poster hinted at confronting their mother, the thread served as a stark reminder of the deep divides such financial choices can create within families. Read Next: Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article ‘My Mom Says We Don’t Have Enough Money’ Complains A Frustrated Family Member ‘But I Catch Her Giving Thousands To A Megachurch Every Month’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com © 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Source link #Mom #Dont #Money #Complains #Frustrated #Family #Member #Catch #Giving #Thousands #Megachurch #Month Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

There's already a quick HDR fix for DOOM: The Dark Ages to prevent washed-out colors There's already a quick HDR fix for DOOM: The Dark Ages to prevent washed-out colors HDR implementation in DOOM: The Dark Ages leaves much to be desired. Luckily, users have already found a quick and easy workaround. Source link #There039s #quick #HDR #fix #DOOM #Dark #Ages #prevent #washedout #colors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

This SSD is smaller than a coin and dangerously easy to ******** – and that’s not even the worst part This SSD is smaller than a coin and dangerously easy to ******** – and that’s not even the worst part Suneast Portable SSD Nano is smaller than a coin Weighing just 2.8g, the drive is easy to carry and just as easy to lose Read and write speeds are decent, but far from what power users might expect today We’ve seen some impressively small SSDs over the years, and some, like the Buffalo 1TB SSD, resemble oversized flash drives more than traditional storage devices. The Portable SSD Nano, released by Asahi Electronics under the Suneast brand, is a USB-C external SSD that weighs just 2.8 grams and measures a mere 10.6 x 20 x 13.5mm. There’s plenty of buzz around the size and portability of this device, but that small form factor isn’t all upside. It’s smaller than a coin, could easily be mistaken for a piece of candy, and its toy-like appearance and feather-light build raise valid concerns about how easily it could be misplaced, or worse, accidentally ingested. For that reason, it’s best kept out of reach of children. You may like Not a replacement for the largest SSDs just yet Despite its tiny size, the drive packs up to 512GB of solid-state storage, with advertised read speeds of up to 450MB/s and write speeds of up to 400MB/s. While those figures don’t place it among the fastest external SSDs in terms of raw performance, they’re more than adequate for everyday tasks like document transfers, photo backups, or carrying around a library of media files. When inserted into a laptop or mobile device, only 10.6mm remains visible, meaning it sits nearly flush with the host device, a discreet and convenient design. The drive uses a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C interface and comes preformatted in exFAT, ensuring plug-and-play compatibility across a wide range of devices. Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Supported platforms include Windows PCs, macOS, Linux, Android 14 and above, and iPhones and iPads with USB-C running the latest iOS and iPadOS versions. Despite the novelty, it’s important to remember that this is still a relatively low-capacity drive by today’s standards. With a maximum capacity of 512GB, it won’t replace higher-end SSDs used for content creation or gaming. But for sheer portability, it’s hard to beat. Via PCWatch You might also like Source link #SSD #smaller #coin #dangerously #easy #******** #worst #part Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Smokey Robinson Faces Criminal Investigation After Assault Allegations Smokey Robinson Faces Criminal Investigation After Assault Allegations The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has opened a criminal investigation into the Motown legend Smokey Robinson, who was accused in a civil suit this month of ********* assaulting four women, the department said Thursday. Mr. Robinson, 85, was sued earlier this month by four former housekeepers, who accused him of abusing them dozens of times over the years. His lawyer has denied the accusations. Now he is the subject of a criminal investigation. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau is actively investigating criminal allegations involving William Robinson a.k.a. ‘Smokey Robinson,’” Nicole Nishida, a spokeswoman for the department, said in a statement. “The investigation is in the early stages, and we have no further comment.” The civil suit, filed in Los Angeles, identified the accusers only as Jane Does 1 through 4. They accused Mr. Robinson of raping them repeatedly over the years while they were employed cleaning several of his homes. The suit claimed that Mr. Robinson’s wife, Frances Robinson, has known about his ******* misconduct but failed to protect the women. Mr. Robinson’s lawyer, Christopher Frost, said in a statement that the unnamed plaintiffs had “filed a police report only after they filed a $50 million lawsuit,” which he said that the police would be required to investigate. “We feel confident that a determination will be made that Mr. Robinson did nothing wrong, and that this is a desperate attempt to prejudice public opinion and make even more of a media circus than the plaintiffs were previously able to create,” Mr. Frost said in a statement. “The record will ultimately demonstrate that this is nothing more than a manufactured lawsuit intended to tarnish the good names of Smokey and Frances Robinson, for no other reason than unadulterated avarice.” The lawyers for the plaintiffs, John Harris and Herbert Hayden, said in a statement that they were pleased to learn that the sheriff’s department had “opened a criminal investigation into our clients’ claims of ******* assault against Smokey Robinson.” “Our clients intend to fully cooperate with L.A.S.D.’s ongoing investigation in the pursuit of seeking justice for themselves and others that may have been similarly assaulted by him,” they said in the statement. Source link #Smokey #Robinson #Faces #Criminal #Investigation #Assault #Allegations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

******** Mayor Implicated in Drug Cartel Ranch Inquiry ******** Mayor Implicated in Drug Cartel Ranch Inquiry The mayor of a small ******** town has been accused of colluding with one of the country’s most violent drug cartels to operate a recruitment and training center that was uncovered in March. The mayor, José Asunción Murguía Santiago was charged with organized crime offenses and forced disappearance, prosecutors said at a hearing on Friday. The site of the center, in the western state of Jalisco, gained notoriety after volunteer searchers announced the discovery of hundreds of shoes piled together, heaps of clothing and what seemed to be human bone fragments found in an abandoned ranch surrounded by sugar cane fields in Teuchitlán, a town outside Guadalajara, sending shock waves across the nation. The searchers claimed the ranch was the site of human cremations, but authorities have since said there is no proof of that. The allegations against Mr. Murguía Santiago served as a stinging reminder of ******** officials’ long history of collusion with organized crime, at a time when President Trump has proposed using American troops to crack down on cartels. Mexico’s president refused. Attorney General Alejandro Gertz said last week that until recently the ranch in Teuchitlán had been used by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel for training and recruiting. ******** officials have said that the cartel lured new recruits with fake job offers to the ranch. But in a departure from previous comments, Mr. Gertz insisted that there was no proof of cremations carried out there, and said claims that the site had been an “extermination camp” were unfounded. Volunteer groups have disputed the federal findings, insisting that 17 batches of charred human remains, including teeth and bone fragments, have been recovered from the ranch. Mr. Gertz said his office did not know how many people could have disappeared at the ranch and that investigators would “go after those who were covering up or participating in” the cartel’s operations. The case has brought renewed attention to the more than 127,000 people who have disappeared in Mexico since the 1960s. It has also become a thorn in the side of the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, who is under pressure to solve the country’s disappearance crisis once and for all. Since she took office in October, nearly 8,700 people have vanished, according to government data. While Ms. Sheinbaum has vowed to use her forces to counter the cartels — and has stepped up those efforts since Mr. Trump came to power — the nexus between ******** authorities and drug groups remains a problem. So far, more than a dozen suspects have been arrested in connection with the Teuchitlán case. They include four former police officers and a police chief, as well as a cartel leader identified as José Gregorio Lastra, who the authorities say oversaw the training center. According to Mr. Lastra’s testimony, revealed in part by ******** officials, his group would kill, beat and torture people who resisted training or tried to escape from the ranch. Mr. Murguía Santiago, now in his third term in office, is the first government official to have been detained. His arrest on May 3, experts say, signals the close-knit relationship that organized crime has established with local authorities in some parts of Mexico, either through collaboration or coercion. “Either you try to stop the territorial advance of organized crime, and you pay dearly for that,” said David Mora, a senior analyst for the International Crisis Group, an organization that monitors and tries to mitigate armed conflicts, “or you bend and cooperate.” Details of the case against the mayor came out on Friday during a hearing. According to prosecutors, he allegedly visited the ranch several times in 2024. Prosecutors also accuse Mr. Murguía Santiago of being on the cartel’s payroll. In exchange, they say, the mayor allowed them to operate the training center and offered surveillance through the municipal police to make sure recruits wouldn’t escape. “How is it possible that the person who is supposed to take care of us is part of this criminal organization?” said Víctor Manuel Guajardo, one of the federal prosecutors overseeing the case, during the Friday hearing. “He allowed this criminal group to develop and grow.” Mr. Murguía Santiago has so far refused to testify. During the hearing, his defense team brought a witness, his secretary, who said that the mayor could not have visited the ranch in the months he is accused of having been there because she was with him “most of the time” — though she would sometimes lose track of him in the afternoons, she said. In March, Mr. Murguía Santiago told reporters that he had no knowledge of what was happening at the ranch. “I am not worried,” he said in a televised interview. “We are not involved in anything. What I have always tried to do as mayor is to help people.” Since taking office in January, the Trump administration has accused the ******** government of being controlled by the cartels, suggesting that U.S. forces are needed to counter their vast drug making and smuggling empire. That has led to bouts of tension with the ******** government, which insists that a unilateral attack by the Pentagon against the cartels would be a violation of Mexico’s sovereignty and set back bilateral relations by decades. Carolina Solís contributed reporting from El Salto, Jalisco. Source link #******** #Mayor #Implicated #Drug #Cartel #Ranch #Inquiry Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Was the rumoured Switch Pro actually Switch 2 all along? Was the rumoured Switch Pro actually Switch 2 all along? neutralgamer19929m ago I’ve seen a lot of people projecting that the Switch 2 will sell over 100 million units by 2029. While I understand the optimism—especially considering the original Switch’s success—I think those numbers might be overlooking the current state of the market and how much it’s shifted. First off, we need to stop using early sellouts or pre-order hype as a reliable indicator of long-term success. Every major console that’s launched in the last 25 years has sold out during its pre-order window. Even consoles that were ultimately considered commercial disappointments—like the Wii U—sold out at launch. The PS3, which launched at a hefty $600 back in 2007, still had people lining up. That early rush is almost always driven by the core gaming audience, not the mass market. The real test comes after that honeymoon phase, when sales depend on casual gamers and broader adoption. And that’s where things get trickier now. The gaming landscape has changed dramatically. Mobile gaming has completely taken over in terms of both revenue and number of players. It’s ******* than console and PC gaming combined, and it’s still growing. That makes sense when you think about it: everyone already has a phone, and many have tablets too. Pair that with a Bluetooth controller and you’ve got a portable, high-quality gaming experience with almost no extra cost. Consoles and gaming PCs, on the other hand, require a substantial investment just to get started. When money is tighter for a lot of households and the average consumer is more price-conscious, it becomes harder to justify spending $400–600+ on a single-use gaming device—especially when they already own something that plays games well enough. I’m not saying the Switch 2 won’t be successful. Nintendo has a strong brand and a loyal fanbase. But I do think people are underestimating how much harder it is today to move that kind of hardware volume. The market’s more competitive, more fragmented, and more mobile than ever before Source link #rumoured #Switch #Pro #Switch Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Weinstein’s office kept a list of women ‘friends of Harvey,’ an ex-aide testifies Weinstein’s office kept a list of women ‘friends of Harvey,’ an ex-aide testifies NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein ‘s assistants kept a list of female “friends of Harvey” to invite to events and sometimes considered them a special category for guest lists, an ex-aide testified Thursday at the former movie mogul’s sex crimes retrial. “A ‘friend of Harvey’ was a woman that he’d meet at events or parties or festivals or — somewhere,” said Elizabeth Perz, one of his executive assistants from 2011 to 2013. The then-married Weinstein asked his assistants to invite these women to events, Perz said. It was such common practice that Weinstein’s subordinates had a shorthand: “Might as well add a FOH column,” Perz advised colleagues by email as they discussed the attendee list for some 2013 awards-season events. Jurors were shown a roster of well over a dozen names, which Perz said was kept in the office at Weinstein’s now-defunct production company. The names were broken down by geography, such as “LA Friends” or “Cannes/Etc/all invites.” One “LA Friends” entry was Jessica Mann, one of the three women whose allegations are at the heart of the retrial. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty. The once-powerful studio boss, who became a prime target of the #MeToo movement’s campaign against ******* misconduct, maintains that he’s never had ******* encounters that weren’t consensual. During the last five years, he was convicted of various sex crimes in both New York and California. But he’s on trial again because an appeals court found that his New York trial was tainted by prejudicial testimony and overturned that conviction. He’s charged with raping Mann in 2013 and forcing ********* on two other women, separately, in 2006. Mann, who was a hairstylist and aspiring actor when she met Weinstein in the early 2010s, is expected to testify in the coming days or week. The other accusers, Miriam Haley and Kaja Sokola, already have taken the stand. At Weinstein’s 2020 trial, Mann painted a complex and emotional picture of a yearslong relationship that began consensually but became “degrading” and volatile and eventually exploded into *****. Still, she kept seeing him and sending warm messages because she wanted him to believe she “wasn’t a threat,” she testified. Weinstein’s lawyers at the time argued that Mann willingly had a ******* liaison with him to serve her acting ambitions. At one point during his defense’s questioning in 2020, she began sobbing so forcefully that court ended early that day. At the retrial on Thursday, jurors saw messages that Perz had sent to Mann about some Oscars-related parties in 2013. “Harvey would like to extend an invitation to you” and a friend, Perz wrote. The Associated Press generally does not identify people who alleged they have been ********* assaulted unless they agree to be identified, which Sokola, Haley and Mann have done. Source link #Weinsteins #office #list #women #friends #Harvey #exaide #testifies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

16 Ubisoft Titles Can Now Be Purchased on The Xbox PC Store 16 Ubisoft Titles Can Now Be Purchased on The Xbox PC Store In a very intriguing and interesting move, 16 Ubisoft titles can now be purchased on the Xbox PC Store. Of course, this is a first as Ubisoft PC titles have never been purchasable on the Xbox PC Store previously. Source link #Ubisoft #Titles #Purchased #Xbox #Store Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Cava (CAVA) Q1 2025 earnings Cava (CAVA) Q1 2025 earnings A customer exits a Cava restaurant in New York City on June 22, 2023. Brendan McDermid | Reuters Cava on Thursday reported better-than-expected sales in its latest fiscal quarter, shaking off the malaise the broader restaurant industry has felt as consumers cut back on dining. The Mediterranean chain said its same-store sales grew 10.8% in the three months ended April 20, lifted by traffic growth of 7.5%. Analysts surveyed by StreetAccount were projecting same-store sales growth of 10.3%. “When we look at our consumers in the quarter, we saw an increase in premium attachment on higher priced items, like our pita chips or amazing housemade juices. We also saw that our per person average continued to increase, and then when we look at our results, there’s positive traffic across all of our geographies, across all of our income cohorts, as well as the different formats of our restaurants and dayparts,” CFO Tricia Tolivar told CNBC. She added that diners have been trading up from fast food and down from casual-dining restaurants into Cava’s bowls and pitas, a trend that the company has seen for several quarters. Elsewhere in the restaurant industry, companies have been reporting very different behavior from consumers, although many companies’ results didn’t include any time in April, when the industry’s sales and traffic performance improved. Fast-casual rival Chipotle said its transactions fell 2.3% in the first quarter as consumers pulled back their spending in February, spooked by economic uncertainty. Sweetgreen reported its first quarterly same-store sales decline since it went public in 2021. And McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said fast-food industry data showed both low- and middle-income consumers spending less; the burger giant said U.S. same-store sales declined 3.6% for the first quarter. Despite the strong quarterly performance, Cava reiterated its same-store sales forecast, sticking with its projections of a 6% to 8% increase. The chain said last quarter that it’s expecting slower growth in the back half of its fiscal 2025. So far this year, Cava shares have slid 11%, hurt by investor concerns over its conservative outlook for the fiscal year and the economic fallout from the Trump administration’s tariffs. Here’s what the company reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG: Earnings per share: 22 cents. That may not compare with the 14 cents per share expected by LSEG.Revenue: $332 million vs. $327 million expected The company reported fiscal first-quarter net income of $25.71 million, or 22 cents per share, up from $13.99 million, or 12 cents per share, a year earlier. Cava reported an income tax benefit of $10.7 million related to stock-based compensation, which boosted its earnings this quarter. Net sales climbed 28% to $332 million. On a 12-month trailing basis, Cava’s revenue has surpassed $1 billion, representing a major milestone for the company. The company did raise some of its projections for the fiscal year. Cava now anticipates adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $152 million to $159 million, up from its prior forecast of $150 million to $157 million. The company also plans to open between 64 and 68 new locations, higher than its previous outlook of 62 to 66 restaurant openings. Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO Source link #Cava #CAVA #earnings Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The flying ship-themed adventure/RPG "Void Sails" is now available for PC via Steam The flying ship-themed adventure/RPG "Void Sails" is now available for PC via Steam “The Argentina-based indie games developer Ticking Clock Games are today ultra excited and proud to announce that their flying ship-themed adventure/RPG “Void Sails”, is now available for PC via Steam.” – *Jonas Ek, TGG. Source link #flying #shipthemed #adventureRPG #quotVoid #Sailsquot #Steam Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

World Catholics See the First American Pope as Hardly American World Catholics See the First American Pope as Hardly American The surprising election of the first American pope felt fraught and disorienting to Roman Catholics around the world, who had considered such an outcome unlikely and perhaps unwelcome — until Pope Leo XIV stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and chose to speak a few sentences in Spanish. In an instant, the new pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, signaled that his identity would defy easy categorization. He chose in that pivotal moment on Thursday evening not to say anything in English or mention the United States. He seemed intent on conveying the message that he was not a typical American. It worked. Pope Leo, who was born in Chicago, has Creole heritage, lived in Peru for decades and speaks at least three languages, established himself as a citizen of the world. Catholics around the globe raced to claim pieces of his multicultural and multilingual background as their own. “He considers himself American, but he also considers himself Peruvian,” said Julia Caillet, a 33-year-old osteopath, who was in line outside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris for a special service for young Catholics celebrating the new pope on Friday evening. “He is a priest of the world.” At a time when President Trump has isolated the United States from its diplomatic allies and trade partners and upended much of the world order, some Catholics worried that an American pontiff might somehow bring the Roman Catholic Church closer to the tumultuous American government. Instead, Pope Leo appears to have reassured them, at least for now, that he would preserve the church as a global moral voice calling for peace and justice, especially for migrants, the poor and victims of war, in the mold of Pope Francis. He is described as more reserved and diplomatic than Francis. Yet Pope Leo’s warm words for Peru, where he holds dual citizenship after having lived and worked there for more than 20 years, reminded Catholics of Francis, who was from Argentina. The ******** News called Leo, 69, not the first pope from the United States, but the second pope “from the Americas.” And South Americans were quick to declare him theirs. “He is more Peruvian than American,” Cardinal Odilo Scherer of Brazil said in a news conference on Friday. He and several other Brazilian cardinals batted away question after question about the new pope’s nationality; one Brazilian reporter said an American pope had seemed taboo, because of the power of the United States. It came as a relief to Araceli Torres Hallal, 64, a Catholic entrepreneur in Mexico City, to learn in the last few days that the new pope is not “purely American.” “We feel threatened by them,” she said of the United States. “So it would’ve been a total disaster and a cold slap in the face if the pope had been full-on American.” Mrs. Torres saw Pope Leo’s experience as a bishop and a missionary in Peru for the Order of St. Augustine, and his 12 years leading the order worldwide, as crucial in shaping him as a pastor in touch with the needs of poor and vulnerable people. She said she expects him to serve as a counterweight to some of Mr. Trump’s anti-migrant policies. Even calling Pope Leo “American” has bothered those Latin Americans who resent the use of the word to describe someone from the United States, because they see it as a form of imperialism. They think “American” should apply to anyone from the entire continent — that is, from North, Central or South America. The 133 cardinals who elected Pope Leo in a two-day conclave were surely aware of the possible criticism they could face for choosing a pope from a superpower where about 80 percent of the people are not even Catholic — especially to succeed Francis, who focused on what he called the church’s “peripheries,” far from Rome, and mostly in the global south. Many of the cardinals in the conclave were named by Francis. They came from more countries than ever before and shared his views, and yet elected an American anyway, in what they described as a deeply spiritual and fulfilling process. Several cardinals said after conclave that Pope Leo’s nationality hardly mattered. “In the end, I don’t think the country of origin is the determining factor,” Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines, who was considered a top contender going into the conclave, said in a news conference on Friday. “Ultimately, it’s about the person who can truly serve the church.” In the Philippines, many of the faithful had rooted for Cardinal Tagle, one of several potential contenders to become the first Asian pope. But some said they were already won over by Pope Leo. Sister Mary John Mananzan, a Benedictine nun, superior and directress of St. Scholastica’s Academy in the city of San Fernando in the Philippines, was encouraged by news that on social media, an account under Cardinal Prevost’s name criticized Vice President JD Vance for trying to claim that Catholic teaching could be used to defend mass deportations of immigrants from the United States. “Although he has a gentle quality,” she said of the new pope, “he has the integrity to be able to express his opinion when somebody is violating human rights.” In Africa, where the church is growing faster than anywhere else in the world, Adelaide Ndilu said she gasped in surprise that the new pope was American. Then she danced with joy. Ms. Ndilu, 59, a producer and presenter with Radio Waumini, a national Catholic radio station in Kenya, said that she trusted Pope Leo because of his proficiency in several languages, years in Peru and Creole heritage. After he was elected, genealogists turned up records showing that his grandparents may have come from Haiti, the Dominican Republic and France. She hoped that background would help him navigate the growing cultural and spiritual diversity among the church’s members. “We want a pope who can reach out to the peripheries and get the church out of its comfort zone,” she said. “We want a pope for all the people.” Laurent Stalla-Bourdillon, a priest and theologian in the Diocese of Paris, said it seemed normal to him that the first American pope would have a very mixed heritage. “For us, that’s what America is: mixed, many origins, many generations of migration,” he said. “It’s a melting pot.” In the end, the most fundamental part of Pope Leo’s identity may not be either his American or his Peruvian nationality, argued some members of the clergy and religious experts. It may be that, from a very young age, the new pope identified as an Augustinian, a member of a religious order known for its emphasis on missionary service and community. “He entered the Augustinians when he was 17!” said Cardinal Jean-Paul Vesco, the archbishop of Algiers and a member of a different order. “I’m a Dominican. It’s another citizenship,” he said on Friday. “You belong to another reality. When you are in an order, the difference of the countries comes in second. In his mind, I’m sure it’s that.” Reporting was contributed by Aie Balagtas See in Manila; Aurelien Breeden and Catherine Porter in Paris; Lynsey Chutel in London; Tatiana Firsova and Clay Risen in Berlin; Jason Horowitz in Rome; Ana Ionova and Jack Nicas in Rio de Janeiro; Vjosa Isai in Toronto; Abdi Latif Dahir in Nairobi, Kenya; Ruth Maclean in Dakar, Senegal; Choe Sang-Hun in Seoul; Paulina Villegas in Mexico City, and Sui-Lee Wee in Davao City, the Philippines. Source link #World #Catholics #American #Pope #American Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Avowed 2025 Roadmap Includes New Game Plus, Photo Mode, And More Avowed 2025 Roadmap Includes New Game Plus, Photo Mode, And More As hard as this may be to believe, Avowed–the first-person RPG from Obsidian Entertainment–has already been out for three months. Obsidian isn’t resting on its laurels, however, as the studio has released a full roadmap for the rest of 2025 that includes some juicy additions to the open-world adventure. The Spring update, Update 1.4, released today on Xbox and PC. It adds improvements to the map’s fog of war mechanics, an Arachnophobia Safe Mode for players who hate spiders, and support for a mouse and keyboard control scheme on Xbox, among other things. Today’s patch also allows players to wait at the Party Camp to pass in-game time, view chests on the minimap, or perform a new cancel ability with Bow and Arquebus power attacks. Avowed Roadmap Looking ahead to the rest of the year, the Summer patch will bring improvements to cooking and crafting, custom map markers, and new NPC abilities and behaviors throughout. The Fall update, meanwhile, will add New Game Plus, a Photo Mode, new character presets, and a new weapon type–though Obsidian’s blog post on the roadmap doesn’t go into specifics on what that new weapon type will be. Avowed launched in February to critical acclaim, as it currently sits at an 81 average score on GameSpot’s sister site Metacritic. It was first announced in July 2020, during Xbox’s summer showcase just before the launch of the Xbox Series X|S the following November. Avowed is available now for Xbox Series X|S and PC. Source link #Avowed #Roadmap #Includes #Game #Photo #Mode Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump, US Army birthday bash plans include 25 Abrams tanks – Reuters Trump, US Army birthday bash plans include 25 Abrams tanks – Reuters Trump, US Army birthday bash plans include 25 Abrams tanks ReutersPrice tag for Trump’s military parade could reach $45 million The Washington PostTanks, cannons and soldiers sleeping in DC offices: Inside Trump birthday military parade USA TodayTrump to house 7,500 soldiers for military parade in government office buildings: Report The HillAround the Beltway: Trump parade protest Axios Source link #Trump #Army #birthday #bash #plans #include #Abrams #tanks #Reuters Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The fantasy tactical RPG “Shuffle Tactics” is coming to PC via Steam on June 24th (2025) The fantasy tactical RPG “Shuffle Tactics” is coming to PC via Steam on June 24th (2025) “The Paris-based (France) indie games publisher Publisher The Arcade Crew (“Blazing Chrome”, “Young Souls”, “Infernax”) and indie games developer Club Sandwich, are today very thrilled and proud to announce that their fantasy tactical RPG “Shuffle Tactics”, is coming to PC via Steam on June 24th (2025).” – Robin TGG. Source link #fantasy #tactical #RPG #Shuffle #Tactics #coming #Steam #June #24th Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

When is Eurovision 2025 final and who is in it? When is Eurovision 2025 final and who is in it? EPA-EFE/Shutterstock *** entry Remember Monday perform during a Eurovision dress rehearsal The Eurovision Song Contest is back – this time in Basel, Switzerland. The ***’s entry this year is Remember Monday – a country-pop trio who will perform their song What The Hell Just Happened. What is the Eurovision Song Contest? The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual televised competition organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The theme for the 2025 edition is “Welcome Home”, as the first contest was held in Switzerland in 1956. Songs must be original and no more than three minutes long. They cannot have been released or publicly performed before 1 September 2024. Lead vocals must be live, with no lip-syncing or auto-tuning allowed and a maximum of six singers and dancers. How to watch the Eurovision finalEPA-EFE/Shutterstock The French contestant is Louane, who gave a heartfelt performance in dress rehearsals The grand final of the contest will take place in St Jakobshalle, an indoor arena in Basel, on Saturday 17 May. It will be broadcast live on TV on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 20:00 BST, hosted by Graham Norton. You can also listen on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, hosted by Scott Mills and Rylan Clark. Inside the arena, the international Eurovision coverage will be hosted by presenters Hazel Brugger, Sandra Studer and Michelle Hunziker. Which countries take part in Eurovision?EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Czech Republic’s Adonxs performs as part of preparations for Eurovision 2025 A total of 37 countries are taking part in Eurovision 2025 – all but one took part in last year’s contest in Malmö, Sweden. Montenegro returns to the competition this year for the first time since 2022, replacing Moldova – which withdrew because of financial and logistical challenges. Most Eurovision countries are European, but Australia takes part every year, after being invited to join Eurovision’s 60th anniversary celebrations in 2015. Australia, however, cannot host if it ever wins. Other non-European countries including Israel participate because they are members of the EBU. Russia has been banned since 2022, following its invasion of Ukraine. Why is the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland? Switzerland is playing host to Eurovision 2025 after contestant Nemo won the 2024 contest with the song The Code. Nemo is due to appear as a guest performer this year too, despite accusing the contest of not supporting artists enough in 2024. This is the third time that Switzerland has hosted Eurovision. Its contestant this year is Zoë Më, with the song Voyage. PA Media Swiss Eurovision entry Zoë Më Who is in the Eurovision final? The “big five” nations who provide extra financial support to Eurovision get an automatic qualification for the final. These are the ***, Italy, Spain, France and Germany. Switzerland also gets a golden ticket to honour last year’s victory. In the first semi-final on 13 May, Céline Dion, who won the contest for Switzerland in 1988, delivered a pre-recorded message celebrating the “beautiful” return of the contest to Basel. These countries qualified from the first semi-final: Norway: Kyle Alessandro – LighterAlbania: Shkodra Elektronike – ZjermSweden: KAJ – Bara Bada BastuIceland: VÆB – RÓANetherlands: Claude – C’est La ViePoland: Justyna Steczkowska – GAJASan Marino: Gabry Ponte – Tutta L’ItaliaEstonia: Tommy Cash – Espresso MacchiatoPortugal: NAPA – DeslocadoUkraine: Ziferblat – Bird of Pray These countries were knocked out: Slovenia: Klemen – How Much Time Do We Have LeftBelgium: Red Sebastian – Strobe LightsAzerbaijan: Mamagama – Run With UCyprus: Theo Evan – ShhCroatia: Marko Bošnjak – Poison Cake Who joins them will be decided at the second-semi final. EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Australia’s Go-Jo performs the song ‘Milkshake Man’ in Eurovision rehearsals When is the second Eurovision semi-final? This takes place on Thursday 15 May. It is being broadcast on BBC iPlayer, BBC One, Radio 2 and BBC Sounds from 20:00. You can also watch it on the BBC News website live stream. This is the running order: Australia: Go-Jo – Milkshake ManMontenegro: Nina Žižić – DobrodošliIreland: EMMY – Laika PartyLatvia: Tautumeitas – Bur Man LaimiArmenia: PARG – SURVIVORAustria: JJ – Wasted LoveUnited Kingdom: Remember Monday – What The Hell Just Happened?Greece: Klavdia – AsteromátaLithuania: Katarsis – Tavo AkysMalta: Miriana Conte – SERVINGGeorgia: Mariam Shengelia – FreedomFrance: Louane – mamanDenmark: Sissal – HallucinationCzechia: ADONXS – Kiss Kiss GoodbyeLuxembourg: Laura Thorn – La Poupée Monte Le SonIsrael: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will RiseGermany: Abor & Tynna – BallerSerbia: Princ – MilaFinland: Erika Vikman – ICH KOMME Who is the *** entry Remember Monday?Reuters Two of the three members of Remember Monday during a dress rehearsal Girl band Remember Monday are made up of Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele. They will be performing a song titled What The Hell Just Happened, full of harmonies and pop melodies. The band formed at school in Farnborough, Hampshire, and appeared on TV talent show The Voice, in 2019. Lauren and Holly-Anne have also appeared in West End shows like Phantom of the Opera and Six: The Musical. They’ll be hoping to turn around the ***’s fortunes, after the last two contestants Olly Alexander and Mae Muller both finished at the bottom end of the table in 2024 and 2023 respectively. Why is Israel’s Eurovision entry controversial? More than 70 former Eurovision contestants, including Britain’s Mae Muller, have signed an open letter demanding that Israel’s public broadcaster KAN be banned from the contest, alleging that it was “complicit in Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza”. Eurovision, which has always billed itself as non-political, has resisted calls for Israel to be excluded. Yuval Raphael, Israel’s contestant this year, told BBC News she was “expecting” to be booed during her performance. The inclusion of Israel sparked controversy last year, when its contestant Eden Golan also faced boos during a rehearsal and thousands of pro-************ protesters gathered outside the venue. Golan was also forced to change the lyrics of her entry, titled Hurricane, to remove references to the deadly attacks by ****** on Israel, on 7 October 2023. EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Israel’s entry Yuval Raphael performs during rehearsals The last major music event Raphael attended was the Nova festival, in Israel, when it came under attack by ****** gunmen during the 7 October attacks and more than 360 people were killed. Around 1,200 people were killed in Israel by gunmen led by ****** that day, and 251 were taken hostage. During Israel’s ensuing military campaign in Gaza more than 53,000 people have been killed, according to the territory’s ******-run health ministry. How does Eurovision voting work? In the final, every participating country is awarded two sets of scores – one from a jury of music experts and one from fans around Europe. Fans get a maximum of 20 votes, cast via phone call, SMS or via the official Eurovision app. They can vote for as many different acts as they like, but votes for your home country are banned. Once the lines close, each country will have chosen a “Top 10” of their favourite songs. The most popular song gets 12 points, the second choice gets 10, and the rest are scored from eight to one. Viewers from countries that don’t participate in Eurovision also get a say. Their choices are bundled into a single bloc known as the “rest of the world vote”. Source link #Eurovision #final Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Helldivers Dev Self-Funding Next Game, PlayStation Not Involved Helldivers Dev Self-Funding Next Game, PlayStation Not Involved Arrowhead Studios and PlayStation enjoyed a successful business relationship together for Helldivers 2, but the studio is self-funding its next game, with PlayStation not directly involved. Arrowhead boss Shams Jorjani said on Discord (via Forbes) that its next game is “100% funded by ourselves,” so the studio will get to make all the key decisions about it. Arrowhead splitting up with PlayStation for its next game is not anything to do with PlayStation. Jorjani said the PlayStation team is “great,” and that Helldivers 2 would not exist without PlayStation. “We’re open to working with them again in the future. They are incredibly game/dev oriented. Solid partners. And this is me just saying it like it is. Not blowing smoke up their ******,” he said. Whatever Arrowhead makes next will be the Swedish studio’s sixth game, following Magicka (2011), The Showdown Effect (2013), Gauntlet (2014), Helldivers (2015), and Helldivers 2 (2024). Helldivers 2 has been Arrowhead’s biggest success so far, finishing 2024 as the No. 3 best-selling game of the year in the US. Sony owns the Helldivers IP, so if Arrowhead is done with the series, the PlayStation company could assign another developer to continue it. In January, Arrowhead confirmed it was working on a new game and shared concepts for some of its unreleased games, including a Star Fox-style project. Arrowhead will develop whatever is coming next at the same time that it continues to produce new content for Helldivers 2. Source link #Helldivers #Dev #SelfFunding #Game #PlayStation #Involved Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Colombia Grants Asylum to Ricardo Martinelli, Ex-President of Panama Colombia Grants Asylum to Ricardo Martinelli, Ex-President of Panama The Colombian government said on Saturday that it had granted asylum to Ricardo Martinelli, a former president of Panama who had been sheltering for more than a year in the Nicaraguan Embassy in Panama City to evade a prison sentence for money laundering. Colombia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it had granted Mr. Martinelli asylum and arranged for him to travel by diplomatic car from the Nicaraguan embassy to a local airport to catch a flight to Colombia. Mr. Martinelli, 73, a businessman who led Panama from 2009 to 2014, said on social media late Saturday that he had arrived in Bogotá, the Colombian capital. He said he had been granted asylum as a political refugee. In 2023, Mr. Martinelli was convicted of money laundering in a case in which prosecutors said that funds were obtained from government contractors for the 2010 purchase of a publishing house. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $19 million. Panama’s Supreme Court upheld the conviction on appeal. Mr. Martinelli said the case was politically motivated. Nicaragua granted Mr. Martinelli asylum last year, and he holed up in the country’s embassy in Panama City with some furniture and his dog, Bruno. He initially said that he intended to campaign in Panama’s May 2024 presidential election from the embassy. Two months before the election, Panama’s electoral tribunal disqualified Mr. Martinelli from running because of his sentence in the money laundering case. Mr. Martinelli’s running mate, José Raúl Mulino, took his place on the ballot and leaned heavily on his presidential legacy in the campaign. Mr. Martinelli supported him from inside the embassy. Mr. Mulino won the election handily. Source link #Colombia #Grants #Asylum #Ricardo #Martinelli #ExPresident #Panama Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Nintendo Store San Francisco Photo Tour Nintendo Store San Francisco Photo Tour This week signals the opening of the second official Nintendo Store in the United States. Nintendo New York opened in 2001 as a Pokémon Center before being converted to Nintendo World in 2005, then rebranded as Nintendo New York in 2016. Since then, Nintendo has opened first-party stores in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, Japan, but outside of the employees-only store in Nintendo of America’s headquarters, the New York location has been the only US-based store. The two-story shop features exclusive merchandise, hard-to-find Amiibo figures, various statues of iconic Nintendo characters, and the ability to build a custom Nintendo Switch. You’ll find dedicated sections to Nintendo and its biggest franchises throughout the storefront. On the main floor, you’ll spot areas devoted to Mario (including Mario Kart), Animal Crossing, Donkey Kong, and a section dedicated to Nintendo San Francisco merchandise. If you walk down the stairs in the middle of the store, you can descend to the bottom floor, which includes Zelda, Splatoon, Metroid, Kirby, Pikmin, and Pokémon sections. Additionally, each floor features dedicated gaming areas, with loads of Switch games, a few playable Switch kiosks, and an absolutely loaded wall of Amiibo figures. Game Informer recently attended an invite-only media day for Nintendo San Francisco, which opens today for those with Warp Pipe reservations. However, for everyone else, Nintendo San Francisco opens on Monday, May 19. You can see what shoppers can expect when they step through the doors of the brand-new Nintendo San Francisco below. You enter the store through the Powell St. entrance. Along the front and side windows, various Nintendo characters are depicted walking towards the entrance. The front section of the store includes mostly Nintendo San Francisco merchandise, as well as exclusive items to official Nintendo Stores. Statues of characters like Mario and Link are found throughout the store, and if you want to take a miniature version home of your favorite statue, Nintendo San Francisco has replicas on its shelves. This is an often-used design on exclusive merch throughout the store. It can be found on bags, shirts, and other items. Near the front, you’ll find the Donkey Kong section. A huge Mario statue welcomes you to the Mario section of the store. Here, you can find all kinds of merch from Mario’s long history, including this dish set that was originally only for ***** at the Japanese Nintendo Stores. If you’re looking to start a Mario plushie or Lego collection, this store has you covered. Similar to the Mario section, the Animal Crossing section is hard to miss. Here, you can shop from various home items ripped straight from your island getaway. Since the Animal Crossing section relies heavily on home items, The Roost line lets you put an Animal Crossing touch on your at-home coffee station. If you’d prefer to show off your Animal Crossing love through apparel instead of home decor, you also have plenty of options. Right next to the main floor registers, you have another chance to pick up some of the exclusive Nintendo San Francisco merchandise. One of the coolest sections of Nintendo San Francisco lets you use tablets to build a custom Nintendo Switch. You can select different Joy-Cons, straps, and docks. Once you place your order, your Switch will be ready for pickup the same day. If you’re just visiting the Nintendo Store to pick up the latest game or a title you missed out on, you can select from a wide range of Switch titles. Though you normally need to go to the Nintendo website and have a Switch Online subscription to purchase the Nintendo Switch Online classic controllers, you can grab them in-person (and without a paid subscription) at the Nintendo Store. Yes, you can get Alarmo at Nintendo San Francisco. You can look over a railing from the main floor to see the massive gaming screen on the bottom floor. A staircase in the middle of the store takes you to the bottom floor. The first section you’re greeted by on the bottom floor is the Legend of Zelda area. The Zelda collection is geared towards a more mature audience, with items like messenger bags, replica swords, notebooks, wine glasses, and more. Across from the Zelda section, you can find a ton of colorful Splatoon merchandise. The giant screen you could spot from the main floor is playable on the bottom floor. After the store tour, a few invitees fired up a round of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. If you’d rather check games out on a smaller, more personal screen, the back corner of the bottom floor has kiosks for you to test out some games or watch some trailers. The bottom floor has more games for you to peruse. The back wall features an impressive display of Amiibo figures, including several difficult-to-find figures. Pikmin and Mario share some space on the back wall. Some of the Pikmin apparel includes fun instances of the Pikmin carrying away items like the pocket on a T-shirt or a button from a dress shirt. The Pokémon section features a ton of plushies and apparel from the Pokémon Center. Though I didn’t spot any Pikachu plushies exclusive to this particular store, Nintendo San Francisco has several of the Nintendo Store-exclusive plushies. In addition to the sections highlighted in this photo tour, you can also find smaller sections featuring franchises like Kirby and Metroid. Source link #Nintendo #Store #San #Francisco #Photo #Tour Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Walmart Stock Alert: Big Price Move Expected Soon Walmart Stock Alert: Big Price Move Expected Soon Walmart’s stock price is set for a big move due to underlying strengths, market positioning, guidance, high potential for positive catalysts, and analysts’ sentiment. The analysts’ sentiment trends ahead of the FQ1 2026 earnings report were bullish, leading this market to new highs, and are unlikely to reverse now. The risk is that analysts may only reaffirm their targets, potentially capping a rally that still has 10% or more left to run. The critical details are the increasing coverage, firming sentiment, a Buy rating, and steadily increasing price targets that implied a move to the high-end range, a 10% to 20% increase from the pre-release trading levels in mid-May. Walmart’s Cautious Tone Hints at Positive Surprises Later in the Year Walmart’s guidance is the only negative aspect of its Q1 release and update, even though it isn’t bad. The company reaffirmed its forecast for 3.5% revenue growth for the year, with strength in the front half and slightly weaker results in the back. The guidance included commentary that consumers may experience higher retail prices before the end of FQ2 due to tariffs, but this is insufficient for execs to alter the outlook. Results in Q1 included slower growth but a still stronger-than-expected 2.5% increase driven by digital, U.S. comps, and Sam’s Club. Segmentally, U.S. Walmart (NYSE:) sales grew by 3.2% on a 4.5% comp. International sales were weaker, flat compared to last year, while Sam’s Club grew by 2.9%. Sam’s sales ex-fuel grew by a stronger 5.5%, driven by a 14% increase in membership revenue, a mid-single-digit increase in tickets and a slight decline in check average. The advertising business is also doing well, growing by 50%, including the addition of Vizio and a 31% increase in Walmart Connect in the U.S. The margin news is also good. The company widened its gross margin and produced a better-than-expected bottom line result. The $0.61 in adjusted EPS is up a penny compared to last year, a slower 1.6% growth pace compared to the 2.5% top line, but fully 500 basis points better than our reported consensus. Earnings strength is also seen in operating cash flow, which is up 25%, and free cash flow, which increased by $0.9 billion compared to last year’s negative figure, producing $0.4 billion in positive FCF. As for the guidance, it is slightly weaker than the consensus forecasts but includes growth and an expectation for solid margin, cash flow, and free cash flow. Walmart’s Capital Return Helps Drive Market Sentiment Walmart’s results and guidance highlight the strength and reliability of its capital return. The capital return includes dividends and share buybacks that reduce the count incrementally on a quarter-to-quarter basis. The dividend is reliable because it is less than 40% of the earnings outlook and backed up by a strong balance sheet. The company raised some cash via debt in Q1, but not an alarming amount, and favorable rates were cited. The net impact is that the cash balance is relatively flat compared to last year, and debt is slightly higher. Still, other liabilities have decreased, leverage remains low, and equity is rising. Walmart’s price action following the release was mixed and could result in some near-term volatility. An initial stock price increase was followed by a decline, foreshadowing a potentially mixed market after the open. However, the market remained above critical support levels, aligning with near, mid and long-term trends, and looked poised to rally higher. The critical support level in mid-May is the 30-day EMA near $94.50; a move below it could take this market down to 490 or lower. The critical resistance target is near $100; a move above it will likely lead to another 10% to 20% upswing. Original Post Source link #Walmart #Stock #Alert #Big #Price #Move #Expected Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

White House announces AI data campus partnership with the UAE – CNBC White House announces AI data campus partnership with the UAE – CNBC White House announces AI data campus partnership with the UAE CNBCTrump’s Rush to Cut AI Deals in Saudi Arabia and UAE Opens Rift With China Hawks BloombergUS close to letting UAE import millions of Nvidia’s AI chips, sources say ReutersSchumer slams Trump-led deals to sell AI chips to Saudi Arabia, UAE The HillHow China’s tech giants wired the Gulf Defense One Source link #White #House #announces #data #campus #partnership #UAE #CNBC Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Nintendo Has A Plan For ‘Continuous Flow’ Of Switch 2 Through The Holidays Nintendo Has A Plan For ‘Continuous Flow’ Of Switch 2 Through The Holidays We’re just three weeks away from the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, the sequel to the second-best-selling console in the company’s history. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa announced last week that it forecasts selling 15 million Switch 2 units worldwide and another 4.5 million units of the original Switch during the current fiscal year. Despite many fans out there unable to secure a preorder for the upcoming console, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser says the company plans to keep the Switch 2 available through the holidays. In an interview with IGN to discuss the new Nintendo store opening up next week in San Francisco, California, Bowser discussed this forecast and what it means for Switch 2 supply over the coming months. When asked by IGN if Nintendo will be able to meet demand in the U.S. at launch, Bowser explained the company believes it will be able to do so. “That forecast [Furukawa’s 15 million units sold] was really driven by wanting to match, if you will, what we accomplished with Nintendo Switch in the first 10 months of its release,” Bowser told IGN. “As we look at our plans here in the U.S., we do believe we’ll have production and supply that will allow us to meet consumer demand. “We know there’s been strong positive reaction to Nintendo Switch 2 early on and we’ve seen that through our preorders, but we do have a plan to have a continuous flow of product that’ll be available through the holidays.” IGN then asks Bowser about the price and whether people unable to secure a Switch 2 around launch should be concerned about possible price increases in the future due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s shifting policies around tariffs. Bowser says Nintendo made a commitment by announcing the price of Switch 2, but notes that the situation is still in flux. “Well, we made a commitment by announcing the price of both the single SKU at $449 and then the bundled SKU with Mario Kart World at $499,” Bowser said. “And we really thought it was important that we established that price point, even after further tariffs were announced, to give consumers that comfort that they would be able to purchase at that price point. Obviously, it’s still a very fluid situation and it’s difficult to determine what may be happening in the upcoming months or weeks. “But our commitment is to find ways within existing market conditions or changing market conditions to make our products, including Nintendo Switch 2 hardware, as obtainable as we possibly can.” The rest of the IGN interview is a great read and covers a variety of topics so be sure to check it out. For more about the Switch 2, check out the 2025 Switch 2 game release schedule, and then read about how Bowser says fans should “stay tuned” about a new mainline Mario game. Were you able to preorder a Nintendo Switch 2? Let us know in the comments below! Source link #Nintendo #Plan #Continuous #Flow #Switch #Holidays Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Administration Live Updates: Republicans Divided Over Bill to Enact Trump’s Agenda Trump Administration Live Updates: Republicans Divided Over Bill to Enact Trump’s Agenda In the past four months, the Pentagon has sent thousands of active-duty combat troops and armored Stryker combat vehicles to the southwestern border to confront what President Trump declared on his first day in office was an “invasion” of migrants, drug cartels and smugglers. That’s not all. The military has also dispatched U-2 spy planes, surveillance drones, helicopters and even two Navy warships to surveil the borders and coasts round the clock. The buildup of forces underscores how Mr. Trump is breaking with his predecessors’ practice of mostly limiting deployments along the U.S.-Mexico border to small numbers of active-duty soldiers and reservists. About 2,500 active-duty troops were on the border at the end of the Biden administration. Now there are about 8,600. In a recent visit with troops in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, the border was fairly calm. Crossings, which decreased sharply in the waning months of the Biden administration, have plummeted even further since the Trump administration declared its goal to obtain “100 percent” operational control of the boundary with Mexico. In April, about 8,000 people were arrested after crossing the border illegally, down from about 128,000 people a year earlier, according to U.S. government statistics. Even so, there is no end in sight for the military mission on the border, which the Pentagon says has cost $525 million so far. The deployments continue to grow in size, scope and sophistication even as the debate over the benefits and drawbacks rages on, and the military expands its territorial authorities to help interdict migrants. These initial steps have provided evidence to both sides of the debate over the utility of sending frontline combat forces to the border: They appear to be deterring cartels, making life somewhat harder for human smugglers and giving infantry troops, or at least Stryker crews, a chance to hone some skills. But the costs in dollars and to long-term combat readiness are still unclear. On the border, commanders say a Stryker combat vehicle is particularly useful when positioned on a strategic overlook where smugglers and cartel members can see it. The military has also dispatched U-2 spy planes, surveillance drones, helicopters and even two Navy warships to surveil the borders and coasts round the clock. The U.S. border with Mexico is nearly 2,000 miles, along which the military has set up two narrow strips that have effectively been turned into parts of U.S. bases. Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, the head of the military’s Northern Command, recently told Congress that the border mission would probably be “measured in years, not months.” He added that troops would need to stay longer to thwart cyclical increases in migration. The Pentagon has created two narrow strips of land along the 2,000-mile U.S. border with Mexico — one in New Mexico and another in Texas — effectively turning them into parts of nearby U.S. military bases. Migrants entering the strips, which are about 200 miles and 63 miles long, are considered trespassing on military land and can be temporarily detained by U.S. troops until Border Patrol agents arrive. During a visit to the border on April 25, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held up signs in English and Spanish warning migrants against entering the areas. A federal judge in New Mexico has dismissed charges against nearly 100 migrants arrested after entering the zone in the state, saying that the federal government had failed to show that the migrants knew they were unlawfully entering a restricted military area. But “as a practical matter, I would be surprised if many people are actually detained by the military in the narrow albeit long military base,” said retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Charles J. Dunlap Jr., who was a deputy judge advocate general in the military. “Rather, I expect that the overwhelming majority of the military will be involved in supporting civilian law enforcement, not detaining border crossers.” So far, the troops have been supporting law enforcement agencies, fanning out on foot patrols, in helicopters and in combat vehicles to serve as a deterrent and to give the authorities far more eyes and ears on the ground. There are now 8,600 active-duty personnel stationed at the border. For now, top Trump aides have ruled out invoking the Insurrection Act, a more than 200-year-old law that would allow the use of the armed forces for law enforcement duty. Mr. Trump confirmed this month that he had pressed Mexico’s president to let U.S. troops into the country to help fight the drug cartels, an idea she summarily rejected. Some members of Congress have questioned whether this is the best use of active-duty troops who would otherwise be training for deployments to Eastern Europe, the Middle East or the Indo-Pacific. Lawmakers and independent analysts have voiced concerns that the border missions will distract from training, drain resources and undermine readiness. A Stryker battalion stationed in the El Paso area was scheduled for a rotation at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., and then a deployment to South Korea. Both of those assignments have been pushed off for now. “It is difficult to explain the border missions as anything but a distraction from readiness,” Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, said in remarks on the Senate floor on May 8. Mr. Reed said that one Marine battalion had been stringing miles of barbed wire across the California mountains. Navy aircrews are flying P-8 Poseidons — the most advanced submarine-hunting planes in the world — over the desert. The two Navy destroyers are loitering off the West Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, looking for migrant boats in the water. But several commanders and some troops stationed along the border said in interviews that serving in one of Mr. Trump’s highest-priority missions gave them purpose. They are using many of their skills — route planning, mission rehearsals, patrols, surveillance flights — in the real world against criminal smuggling gangs and ******** drug cartels, instead of just practicing at their home bases or in exercises, they said. Col. Hugh Jones, the commander of the Stryker brigade deployed along the border, said military readiness levels, as measured by Army standards such as equipment maintenance, were at 94 percent in April, up from 78 percent in December for his 2,000-soldier unit of the Fourth Infantry Division based at Fort Carson, Colo. Col. Hugh Jones commands the Stryker brigade deployed along the border. Fort Huachuca’s airfield in Sierra Vista, Ariz. Soldiers in Douglas, Ariz., along the border wall. Commanders say they must be creative to find training areas and ways to carve out time to keep their soldiers’ lethal skills sharp, from basic marksmanship to firing heavier weapons. Re-enlistments among younger soldiers in the Stryker units — who never had the opportunity to serve combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq like their more senior commanding officers — have soared in recent months, commanders say. “This is their mission for their generation, and they’re embracing it,” said Maj. Gen. Scott M. Naumann, the head of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, who moved his headquarters staff to Fort Huachuca, Ariz., in February to oversee what the military calls Joint Task Force-Southern Border. The increased military patrols, working closely with Customs and Border Protection, have pushed ******** cartels and smugglers into more remote mountainous areas to evade detection, driving up the costs of doing business, said General Naumann, who also consults with his ******** military counterparts. “This is their mission for their generation, and they’re embracing it,” Maj. Gen. Scott M. Naumann said of young soldiers in the Stryker units. U.S. intelligence officials say that human traffickers are now charging migrants about $20,000 per person to be smuggled into the country, up from $7,000 a year ago. With the flow of migrants vastly diminished, military officials say they are also focusing on arguably a more difficult job: helping domestic law enforcement agencies curb the flow of illicit drugs and other contraband into the United States, even though most such drugs are smuggled through legal ports of entry. The centerpiece of the military’s ground support is more than 100 Stryker combat vehicles. The Stryker is a 25-ton, eight-wheeled vehicle that can carry 11 soldiers and weapons at speeds of more than 60 miles an hour. With its giant rubber tires instead of noisy tracks, it is fast and relatively quiet. The vehicles, which were widely used in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, have an array of sensors that can pinpoint a target and share that information through satellite links with intelligence centers, essential in areas like Big Bend National Park in Texas, where cell coverage is poor or nonexistent. On the border, commanders say a Stryker is particularly useful when positioned on a strategic overlook where smugglers and cartel members can see it. The vehicle’s optical sights can spot individuals or groups of individuals up to about six miles away. The centerpiece of the military’s ground support is more than 100 Stryker combat vehicles. The Stryker is a 25-ton, eight-wheeled vehicle that can carry 11 soldiers and weapons at speeds of more than 60 miles an hour. The vehicles have an array of sensors that can pinpoint a target and share that information through satellite links with intelligence centers. The drab green combat vehicles and the troops operating them initially raised suspicions in some remote communities. Residents in Presidio, Texas, feared that the soldiers would come into schools searching for undocumented migrant children. Commanders sought to dispel those worries by having troops stay in local hotels to become part of the community, and they drove a Stryker to an elementary school so children could climb on it. The military’s growing presence has drawn sharp reaction from criminal groups and drug cartels, commanders say. Rock throwing against troops stationed near the border has increased, instigated by criminal groups, commanders said. In an incident near El Paso, Border Patrol agents were forced to deploy tear gas to disperse a crowd taunting U.S. soldiers and threatening to kill them. American troops are armed for their self-protection but rely on Border Patrol for crowd control. Several suspicious unarmed surveillance drones monitoring U.S. troops have posed a potentially more serious hazard, General Naumann said. Based on electronic intercepts, commanders believe the cartels are spying on soldiers to figure out how to bypass them. Commanders have the authority to shoot down any drone deemed to be hostile to U.S. troops, a step they have not yet taken. “This is a real-world mission with real consequences,” said Lt. Col. Chad Campbell, the commander of the Stryker battalion stationed outside El Paso. Indeed, two Marines were killed and another was critically injured in a vehicle accident near Santa Teresa, N.M., a few miles from El Paso. Soldiers at the border are also working to support Border Patrol and local law enforcement. Pentagon leaders have previously been lukewarm at best about using troops to seal the border, calling such efforts the beginning of a slippery slope that could pull the military into domestic political issues. In Mr. Trump’s first term, both of his defense secretaries wanted to avoid deploying troops to the border and, if they could not, to minimize their presence there. Mr. Trump’s first defense secretary, Jim Mattis, tried to protect troops from any perception that they might be engaging in partisan political activity. In April 2018, Mr. Mattis responded to the president’s initial demand for a military deployment by sending 2,100 unarmed National Guard troops. That was not much different from past deployments of National Guard soldiers to the border. Later that year, in the run-up to the midterm vote in 2018, Mr. Trump ordered that troops be deployed to the border to help deal with an approaching migrant caravan. The president asked for 10,000 troops, then 15,000. Mr. Mattis responded by sending 6,000 and told them to stick to support roles. The military announced that the border mission would be called Operation Faithful Patriot. But on Election Day, Mr. Mattis told officials to drop the name, and the Pentagon sent out a terse news release saying that the operation from then would be known simply as border support. The term “faithful patriot,” officials said, had political overtones. Mr. Mattis’s successor as defense secretary, Mark T. Esper, knocked back a White House proposal in the spring of 2020 to send 250,000 troops to the border. There are plenty of examples in which the military has been used for domestic purposes. With the exception of what experts call the “feel good” stuff like natural disaster relief, the military has “come away from those instances saying, ‘Yeah, we don’t want to do that again,’” said Peter Feaver, a political science professor at Duke University and an expert on civil-military relations. “The military prefers to orient itself towards foreign adversaries,” Mr. Feaver said. “It prefers to have other branches of the government, to include other security sectors like police, border police, homeland security, who train for and are optimized for domestic missions — have them do it.” There is no end in sight for the military deployments at the border, which the Pentagon says have cost $525 million so far. Source link #Trump #Administration #Live #Updates #Republicans #Divided #Bill #Enact #Trumps #Agenda Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]