Latest news with #DimitarDILKOFF
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nintendo forecasts 15 million Switch 2 sales in 2025-26
In early April, Nintendo revealed details about the Switch 2, a hybrid console like its predecessor (Dimitar DILKOFF) Japanese gaming giant Nintendo forecast Thursday that it would sell 15 million units of its hotly awaited Switch 2 console in the current financial year but warned US tariffs could hit its bottom line. The successor to the Switch -- the third best-selling console ever behind Sony's PlayStation 2 and the Nintendo DS -- is set to hit shelves worldwide on June 5. While the "Super Mario" maker is diversifying into theme parks and hit movies, around 90 percent of its revenue still comes from the Switch business, analysts say. However the unit sales forecast is more conservative than the 16.8 million expected in a survey of Bloomberg economists. The Switch, a handheld and TV-compatible device that became a must-have gadget during pandemic lockdowns, has sold around 150 million units since its launch in 2017. For the financial year that ended on March 31, Nintendo reported a 43.2 percent fall in full-year net profit to 278.8 billion yen ($1.9 billion), as gamers wait to splash their cash on the Switch 2. It sold 10.8 million Switches, down 31.2 percent year-on-year, while software sales hit 155.4 million units, a decrease of 22.2 percent. Nintendo forecast a net profit of 300 billion yen for the current financial year but warned that US trade tariffs could impact its earnings. "Changes to tariff rates may affect our financial forecast. We will continue to monitor the situation to respond to changes in market conditions," it said. - Hot pre-orders - The company last month revealed details about the Switch 2, a hybrid console like its predecessor. However the price has raised eyebrows at over a third more than the original Switch in major markets including the United States, where it will cost $449.99. A Japanese-only version for domestic consumers will cost 49,980 yen ($350). Nintendo delayed pre-orders for the Switch 2 in the United States by two weeks as it assessed the fallout from President Donald Trump's trade levies. But last month it boasted of higher-than-expected demand in Japan for pre-orders of the new console. "If final tariffs do not come down... then prices will need to rise further, which will dampen demand," David Gibson of MST Financial told AFP ahead of the earnings release. "But keep in mind Nintendo tends to set the price of its hardware and not change them," he said. Since Trump's first term, Nintendo has been shifting production from China to Vietnam, Gibson said. "So it is likely that 70 percent plus of shipments to the USA for Switch 2 can come from Vietnam and tariffs can be minimised."
eNCA
08-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
All eyes on Sistine Chapel chimney as conclave enters day two
VATICAN - Anticipation gripped the Catholic world Thursday as the cardinals tasked with choosing a new pope prepared to retreat behind the heavy doors of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel for their second day of voting. A plume of black smoke rose over the crowds thronging St Peter's Square late Wednesday, confirming that the conclave's first ballot had not secured a two-thirds majority to name a successor to the late Pope Francis. The 133 "Princes of the Church" spent the night sequestered in the Santa Marta guesthouse, and were to seek divine inspiration at private mass early Thursday before embarking on a second day of voting. If the morning's first secret ballot fails again to identify a clear winner from the crowded pack, a second vote will be held. If there is no consensus again, two more votes will be held in the afternoon. The cardinals will remain behind closed doors until the newly elected 267th pontiff has a clear blessing to lead the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. They are sworn to secrecy about the centuries-old process under threat of excommunication. - 'Black smoke' - Locked away to avoid distraction and leaks, their only means of communicating the outcome of their votes is by burning their ballots with chemicals to produce smoke. It is black if there is no decision, or white if they have chosen a new pope. The previous two papal elections in 2005 and 2013 lasted two days apiece, but some in the previous century took as long as five. The longest ever lasted almost three years, between November 1268 and September 1271. AFP | Dimitar DILKOFF Ahead of the smoke, tens of thousands of people - pilgrims, tourists and curious Romans - had gathered in St Peter's Square, as warm dusk light flooded over the city's monuments. Groans erupted when the smoke signal failed to turn white - the hoped-for signal of a successful vote. But the mood was not sour. "I don't mind that it's black smoke, it shows the Holy Spirit is at work. There will be other votes soon enough, we will get our pope," said 37-year-old James Kleineck, from Texas. Barbara Mason, 50, travelled from Canada for the conclave, hoping to see a pope who would continue in Francis's progressive footsteps. "I'm glad they've taken so much time because that means they're thinking carefully about who the pope will be," she said, suggesting that Francis's popular, bicycle-riding special envoy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, would be a worthy choice. The 2025 conclave is the largest and the most international ever, assembling cardinals from around 70 countries - many of whom did not previously know each other. Ahead of the vote there was no clear front-runner to succeed the charismatic Argentine Francis, with the cardinals representing a range of progressive and conservative traditions within the Church. But the challenges facing the two-millennia-old institution are clear, and the new pope after his election will need to harness keen diplomacy amid geopolitical uncertainty, while addressing deep fractions within the Church. There is also the continued fallout from the global clerical sex abuse scandal and, in the West, increasingly empty pews. - What the Church needs - The start of the conclave, with a solemn procession of cardinals and other clergy into the Sistine Chapel, was streamed live on large screens in front of St Peter's Basilica. VATICAN MEDIA/AFP | Handout After first gathering for silent prayer in the Vatican's Pauline Chapel, they proceeded in a colourful procession escorted by Swiss Guards to the famed 15th-century chapel decorated by Michelangelo's frescoes. During a mass in St Peter's Basilica on Wednesday morning, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, offered some final advice. "We are here to invoke the help of the Holy Spirit, to implore his light and strength so that the pope elected may be he whom the Church and humanity need at this difficult and complex turning point in history," he said. Battista Re himself is too old to vote, with cardinal electors required to be under the age of 80. - Balcony address - The mass marked the last rite to be celebrated publicly before the new pope is presented to the world from a balcony of St Peter's Basilica. Around 80 percent of the cardinals voting were appointed by Francis -- an impulsive yet charismatic champion of the downtrodden. But while some cardinals are looking to a new pope to protect and develop his legacy, others want a more conservative defender of doctrine. More than a dozen names are circulating, from Italian Pierbattista Pizzaballa to Hungary's Peter Erdo and Sri Lanka's Malcolm Ranjith.
eNCA
05-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Catholic Church's direction in the balance as conclave looms
VATICAN CITY - Catholic cardinals will enter into conclave this week to choose a new pope, with the Church's 1.4 billion members holding their breath over an uncertain outcome. A total of 133 "Princes of the Church" will meet on Wednesday to elect from among their number a successor to Pope Francis, who died on 21 April aged 88. At issue is whether the new pontiff will follow the popular Argentine's progressive line or whether the Holy See will pivot to a more conservative traditionalist. Francis, an energetic reformer from Buenos Aires, ran the Church for 12 years and appointed 80 percent of the current cardinal electors. Representing 70 countries across five continents, the group is the largest and the most international ever, and many of the cardinals do not know each other. AFP | Dimitar DILKOFF Some experts say the progressive camp will have the edge, seeking a pope that will follow in Francis's footsteps and energise his supporters. But others warn no-one can predict how voting will go once the cardinals are shut inside the Sistine Chapel. Vatican affairs specialist Marco Politi told AFP that the conclave could be "the most spectacular in 50 years". - 'Calm the waters' - Cardinals met on Monday morning for the latest in a series of preparatory meetings, so-called general congregations, and will gather again in the afternoon. All cardinals are invited to these, not just those under 80 who are eligible to vote in conclave, taking the opportunity to discuss the issues that will face Francis's successor. "Nobody campaigns, for crying out loud. That would be extraordinarily stupid and indiscreet, and improper and counterproductive," said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York. "But you just want to get to know folks, and it works well," he said on his own podcast. The cardinals will vote once on the first day and then, on subsequent days, twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon until one candidate has a two-thirds majority -- 89 votes. They will inform the outside world of the outcome by burning their ballots in a stove in the chapel. The chimney will emit black smoke if no-one has been elected, white if there is a new pope. VATICAN MEDIA/AFP | Handout On Monday morning, technicians installed red curtains on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, where the new pontiff will make his first appearance. Among the pilgrims and sightseers who gathered in the square on Monday, opinions varied widely about who could or should take over. "Maybe more of Pope Francis than Pope Benedict," said German visitor Aurelius Lie, 36. "As long as he's not too conservative (and) influenced by modern political leaders -- (Giorgia) Meloni, (Donald) Trump," he said, referring to the Italian prime minister and the US president. "Maybe the church will be thinking: 'We need a tough pope now to deal with these people.' But their terms will end in a couple of years." But Canadian priest Justin Pulikunnel did not hide his frustration at the direction Francis tried to take the Church, seeking a return to more traditional leadership. "Well, I hope and I pray that the new pope will kind of be a source of unity in the Church and kind of calm the waters down after almost a dozen years of destabilisation and ambiguity," he said on Sunday. - 'Changing world' - The conclave begins on Wednesday afternoon and could continue for days, weeks or even months -- although both Francis and Benedict -- who was pope from 2005 until his resignation in 2013 -- were elected within two days. Italy's Pietro Parolin, who was secretary of state under Francis, is one of the favourites, as is Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. Among the so-called "papabili" are also Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines and Hungary's conservative Peter Erdo. AFP | Francesco GILIOLI Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako of Iraq told reporters before Monday's meetings that he wanted "a pastor, a father who preserves the unity of the Church and the integrity of the faith but who also knows the challenges of today". "The world is always changing. Every day there is news. The pope must read the signs of the times to have the right answer and not be closeted in his palace."
The Citizen
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
Catholic Church's direction in the balance as conclave looms
The conclave may shape the Church's future as cardinals weigh conservative or progressive leadership paths. Members of Knights Templars walk in procession to the holy door of St Peter's basilica in The Vatican, on May 4, 2025. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP) All 133 Catholic cardinals who will vote for a new pope have arrived in Rome, the Vatican said on Monday, two days before they gather at a conclave to elect the next head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Hailing from 70 countries across five continents, the group — summoned following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 — is the largest and the most international ever. At stake is the direction of the Catholic Church, a 2,000-year-old institution with huge global influence but which is battling to adapt to the modern world and recover its reputation after the scandal of widespread child sex abuse by priests. The 133 so-called 'Princes of the Church' who will vote — all those aged under 80, minus two who are absent for health reasons — will gather on Wednesday afternoon under the frescoed splendour of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. Voting once that day and four times a day thereafter until a pope is chosen, they will stay at the nearby Santa Marta guesthouse but are forbidden from contacting the outside world until they have made their choice. ALSO READ: Cardinals meet ahead of election of new pope They will inform the waiting world of their progress by burning their ballots and sending up smoke — black if no candidate has reached the two-thirds majority of votes, or white if they have a winner. On Monday morning, technicians installed red curtains on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, where the new pontiff will make his first appearance. At issue is whether the new pontiff will follow the popular Argentine pontiff's progressive line or whether the Holy See will pivot towards a more conservative traditionalist leader. Francis, an energetic reformer from Buenos Aires, ran the Church for 12 years and appointed 80 percent of the current cardinal electors. But experts caution they may not choose someone in his model, with many warning there could be surprises. ALSO READ: Cardinals lay groundwork for conclave, hope for quick vote Vatican affairs specialist Marco Politi told AFP that, given the unknowns, the conclave could be 'the most spectacular in 50 years'. 'Calm the waters' Cardinals met on Monday morning for the latest in a series of preparatory meetings, so-called general congregations, and will gather again in the afternoon. All cardinals are invited to these, not just those eligible to vote in the conclave, taking the opportunity to discuss the issues that will face Francis's successor. 'Nobody campaigns, for crying out loud. That would be extraordinarily stupid and indiscreet, and improper and counterproductive,' said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York. 'But you just want to get to know folks, and it works well,' he said on his own podcast. ALSO READ: Africans eye a pope from among their own Among the pilgrims and sightseers who gathered in the square on Monday, opinions varied widely about who could or should take over. 'Maybe more of Pope Francis than Pope Benedict,' said German visitor Aurelius Lie, 36. 'As long as he's not too conservative (and) influenced by modern political leaders — (Giorgia) Meloni, (Donald) Trump,' he said, referring to the Italian prime minister and the US president. 'Maybe the Church will be thinking: 'We need a tough pope now to deal with these people.' But their terms will end in a couple of years.' But Canadian priest Justin Pulikunnel did not hide his frustration at the direction Francis tried to take the Church, saying he personally sought a return to a more traditional leadership. ALSO READ: Death of Pope Francis reignites debate on African spirituality 'Well, I hope and I pray that the new pope will kind of be a source of unity in the Church and kind of calm the waters down after almost a dozen years of destabilisation and ambiguity,' he said on Sunday. 'Changing world' The conclave begins on Wednesday afternoon and could continue for days, weeks or even months — although both Francis and Benedict XVI — who was pope from 2005 until his resignation in 2013 — were elected within two days. Italy's Pietro Parolin, who was secretary of state under Francis, is one of the favourites, as is Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. Among the so-called 'papabili' are also Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines and Hungarian conservative Peter Erdo. But many more names have been discussed, and just like when Francis — then an Argentinian known as Jorge Bergoglio — was picked in 2013, a surprise candidate could emerge. ALSO READ: Pope Francis' will says he wants to be buried in 'simple tomb' in Rome [VIDEO] Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako of Iraq told reporters before Monday's meetings that he wanted 'a pastor, a father who preserves the unity of the Church and the integrity of the faith but who also knows the challenges of today'. 'The world is always changing. Every day there is news. The pope must read the signs of the times to have the right answer and not be closeted in his palace.' – By: © Agence France-Presse
IOL News
05-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Catholic Church's direction in the balance as conclave looms
Catholic cardinals have set May 7 as the starting date for the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis Image: Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP Catholic cardinals will enter into conclave this week to choose a new pope, with the Church's 1.4 billion members holding their breath over an uncertain outcome. A total of 133 "Princes of the Church" will meet on Wednesday to elect from among their number a successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21 aged 88. At issue is whether the new pontiff will follow the popular Argentine's progressive line or whether the Holy See will pivot to a more conservative traditionalist. Francis, an energetic reformer from Buenos Aires, ran the Church for 12 years and appointed 80 percent of the current cardinal electors. Representing 70 countries across five continents, the group is the largest and the most international ever, and many of the cardinals do not know each other. Some experts say the progressive camp will have the edge, seeking a pope that will follow in Francis's footsteps and energise his supporters. But others warn no-one can predict how voting will go once the cardinals are shut inside the Sistine Chapel. Vatican affairs specialist Marco Politi told AFP that the conclave could be "the most spectacular in 50 years". 'Calm the waters' Cardinals met on Monday morning for the latest in a series of preparatory meetings, so-called general congregations, and will gather again in the afternoon. All cardinals are invited to these, not just those under 80 who are eligible to vote in conclave, taking the opportunity to discuss the issues that will face Francis's successor. "Nobody campaigns, for crying out loud. That would be extraordinarily stupid and indiscreet, and improper and counterproductive," said Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York. "But you just want to get to know folks, and it works well," he said on his own podcast. The cardinals will vote once on the first day and then, on subsequent days, twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon until one candidate has a two-thirds majority -- 89 votes. They will inform the outside world of the outcome by burning their ballots in a stove in the chapel. The chimney will emit black smoke if no-one has been elected, white if there is a new pope. On Monday morning, technicians installed red curtains on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, where the new pontiff will make his first appearance. Among the pilgrims and sightseers who gathered in the square on Monday, opinions varied widely about who could or should take over. "Maybe more of Pope Francis than Pope Benedict," said German visitor Aurelius Lie, 36. "As long as he's not too conservative (and) influenced by modern political leaders -- (Giorgia) Meloni, (Donald) Trump," he said, referring to the Italian prime minister and the US president. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ "Maybe the church will be thinking: 'We need a tough pope now to deal with these people.' But their terms will end in a couple of years." But Canadian priest Justin Pulikunnel did not hide his frustration at the direction Francis tried to take the Church, seeking a return to more traditional leadership. "Well, I hope and I pray that the new pope will kind of be a source of unity in the Church and kind of calm the waters down after almost a dozen years of destabilisation and ambiguity," he said on Sunday. 'Changing world' The conclave begins on Wednesday afternoon and could continue for days, weeks or even months -- although both Francis and Benedict -- who was pope from 2005 until his resignation in 2013 -- were elected within two days. Italy's Pietro Parolin, who was secretary of state under Francis, is one of the favourites, as is Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. Among the so-called "papabili" are also Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines and Hungary's conservative Peter Erdo.
