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Ex-IO Interactive Boss Hasn’t Forgotten the Greatest Hitman Bug That Became a Legendary Meme Ex-IO Interactive Boss Hasn’t Forgotten the Greatest Hitman Bug That Became a Legendary Meme Hitman’s last trilogy, the World of ************** series, provides what we consider some of the finest stealth-action gameplay that someone can get into, offering what is, without a doubt, one of the most intricate sandbox environments in all of gaming. Agent 47 in Chongqing – Image Credit: IO Interactive. That’s quite the hyperbole for one series, though, isn’t it? But you see, for our money, such a statement is well deserving of a franchise that has given birth to one of the greatest memes in gaming, a bug that even the developers could never forget even by the trilogy’s end. The Homing Briefcase Was One of the Hitman Series’ Greatest Gifts to Mankind A ******* next in Mendoza – Image Credit: IO Interactive. Before we get into the meat of things, let us refresh our memories and take a trip down memory lane. So, you might remember the “homing briefcase” meme that went wild back in the Hitman 2 days due to its unintended hilarity. Due to a minor bug tied to the PC version’s frame rates, a thrown briefcase would continue to move at an unbelievably slow pace but with a relentless trajectory, curving mid-air just to ensure it slowly reached its victim. As one might expect, people absolutely loved the absurd bug, mostly due to how easily it aligns with the rest of the insane stuff you get to do in these games. But of course, IO Interactive had to reluctantly remove the bug from the game, though big props to them for allowing players to enjoy the “feature” for a while, at the very least. Looking back on it, and when asked whether Hitman 3 will contain such instances of unintentional, ***** fun back in 2021, Travis Barbour, one of IO Interactive’s ex-managers, explained the team’s approach to such things in an interview: “The whole thing with the briefcase—it was a bug! It wasn’t supposed to be that way. Nobody put it in there, it was some quirk tied to the frame rate of your PC or something. But then we saw it and were like, you know what, just keep it there…That was fun. That’s what I like about IO; it’s one of those IO moments where we embraced it, ran with it, and made something fresh out of it.” Thankfully for all of us, the team also decided to immortalize the gag with the “MK II Briefcase” back in 2019. Although not as fun as the old bug, it still lets you chuck a whole briefcase at hostiles as it follows them menacingly. More importantly, three years later, with the benefit of hindsight, it’s somewhat remarkable how well Travis’ words captured IOI’s ability to embrace the insane side of its game, the one thing that made it stand out from its tonally serious contemporaries. Plus, there is most certainly a discussion to be made about what exact aspects of IOI’s philosophy we see within the Hitman games we can expect more of in the future. How Will IO Interactive Continue to Evolve as a Studio in the Future? The Isle of Sgàil in the second game – Image Credit: IO Interactive. Digging a little deeper into the studio’s ability to turn a mishap into a feature, you get the feeling that experimentation and other elements that encourage creativity are what these guys are all about. From disguises that make even the wildest infiltrations plausible to elaborate ***** setups to just chucking a banana at a witness on the spur of the moment, these games have always rewarded players for thinking outside the box. Aside from the game design being grounded in creativity, storytelling has also been integral to the success of the WoA trilogy—a feat achieved through meticulous writing and world-building. Silly characters and moments you encounter during the missions are fantastic, but sometimes, it’s those interconnected storylines with layered and complex character arcs throughout the trilogy that ***** us into going for “just one more mission,” after all. With how easily you can trace the path of IOI’s evolution as a game development studio through the trilogy, there’s little doubt that we’ll see the culmination of all that accumulated knowledge in that 2026 James Bond title or perhaps the other online fantasy title that they’re working on. But with all that said, what do you think about IO Interactive’s ability to blend fun with sophisticated design? Can their storytelling talents make the upcoming James Bond game one for the ages? Let us know in the comments below! Source link #ExIO #Interactive #Boss #Hasnt #Forgotten #Greatest #Hitman #Bug #Legendary #Meme Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Super Micro hires new auditor to maintain Nasdaq listing; shares pop Super Micro hires new auditor to maintain Nasdaq listing; shares pop Charles Liang, chief executive officer of Super Micro Computer Inc., during the Computex conference in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. The trade show runs through June 7. Annabelle Chih | Bloomberg | Getty Images Embattled server maker Super Micro Computer said on Monday that it had hired BDO as its new auditor and submitted a plan to Nasdaq detailing its efforts to regain compliance with the exchange. The shares jumped 16% in extended trading. “This is an important next step to bring our financial statements current, an effort we are pursuing with both diligence and urgency,” Super Micro CEO Charles Liang said in a statement. Super Micro is late in filing its 2024 year-end report with the SEC, and said earlier this month that it was looking for a new accountant after its previous auditor, Ernst & Young, stepped down in October. Ernst & Young was new to the job, having just replaced Deloitte & Touche as Super Micro’s accounting firm in March 2023. Super Micro said that it told Nasdaq that it believes it will be able to file its annual report for the year ended June 30, and quarterly report for the ******* ended Sept. 30. The company said it will remain listed on the Nasdaq pending the exchange’s “review of the compliance plan.” Shares of Super Micro soared more than 14-fold from the end of 2022 to their peak in March of this year. But the stock has been hammered on troubling news about its compliance with Nasdaq. Once valued at about $70 billion, the company’s market cap was at $12.6 billion on Monday, following a 16% rally during regular trading. Super Micro has been one of the primary beneficiaries of the artificial intelligence *****, due to its relationship with Nvidia. Sales last fiscal year more than doubled to $15 billion. On Monday, Super Micro announced that it was selling products featuring Nvidia’s next-generation AI chip called Blackwell. WATCH: Super Micro is a sell due to accounting irregularities Source link #Super #Micro #hires #auditor #maintain #Nasdaq #listing #shares #pop Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Pennsylvania’s high court orders counties not to count disputed ballots in US Senate race Pennsylvania’s high court orders counties not to count disputed ballots in US Senate race HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s state Supreme Court on Monday weighed in on a flashpoint amid ongoing vote counting in the U.S. Senate election between Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and *********** David McCormick, ordering counties not to count mail-in ballots that lack a correct handwritten date on the return envelope. The order is a win for McCormick and a loss for Casey as the campaigns prepare for a statewide recount and press counties for favorable ballot-counting decisions. The Democratic-majority high court’s order reiterates the position it took previously that the ballots shouldn’t be counted in the election, a decision that three Democratic-controlled counties nevertheless have challenged. The Associated Press called the race for McCormick last week, concluding that not enough ballots remained to be counted in areas Casey was winning for him to take the lead. As of Monday, McCormick led by about 17,000 votes out of almost 7 million ballots counted — inside the 0.5% margin threshold to trigger an automatic statewide recount under Pennsylvania law. Republicans last week had asked the court to bar counties from counting the ballots, saying those decisions violate both the court’s recent orders and its precedent in upholding the requirement in state law that a voter write the date on their mail-in ballot’s return envelope. Democratic-majority election boards in Montgomery County, Philadelphia and Bucks County voted to count the ballots that lacked a correct date, echoing election officials around the state who say the date tells them nothing about a voter’s eligibility or a ballot’s legitimacy. Republicans maintain that the date is a critical element of ballot security. At first, the GOP also asked the court to block the count in Centre County, but later said the county had only counted three ballots that GOP officials found to be reasonable. Statewide, the number of mail-in ballots with wrong or missing dates on the return envelope could be in the thousands. However, most counties — including several heavily populated counties controlled by Democrats — didn’t count them. Democrats cast more mail-in ballots than Republicans, and Democrats in the past have supported counting ballots that trip over what they view as meaningless clerical requirements in state law. Various courts have ruled against the dating requirement in at least a half-dozen cases — including once by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — but higher courts have always reinstated it. Meanwhile, the state Supreme Court has put off ruling on a pending case that calls into question whether the law violates the constitutional right to vote. McCormick took a position aligned with Democrats in his ******* eleventh-hour bid to close the gap in votes with celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania’s *********** primary contest for U.S. Senate. In that case, McCormick’s lawyer told a state judge that the object of Pennsylvania’s election law is to let people vote, “not to play games of ‘gotcha’ with them.” ___ Follow Marc Levy at twitter.com/timelywriter Source link #Pennsylvanias #high #court #orders #counties #count #disputed #ballots #Senate #race Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The arcade Snowboarding game “Tricky Madness” is now available for PC via Steam EA The arcade Snowboarding game “Tricky Madness” is now available for PC via Steam EA “The Austin-based (Texas) solo indie games developer Nathan Dearth today announced with great excitement and happiness, that his arcade Snowboarding game “Tricky Madness”, is coming to PC via Steam Early Access this year (2024) (a playable demo for the game is available right now for PC via *****.io).” – Jonas Ek, TGG. Source link #arcade #Snowboarding #game #Tricky #Madness #Steam Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Trump Media in reported talks to buy crypto trading platform Bakkt, sending shares soaring Trump Media in reported talks to buy crypto trading platform Bakkt, sending shares soaring President-elect Donald Trump gestures at the Bitcoin 2024 event in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 27, 2024. Kevin Wurm | Reuters Trump Media is reportedly in “advanced talks” to buy the cryptocurrency trading firm Bakkt, the Financial Times reported Monday, citing two people with knowledge of the talks. The news sent shares of both companies soaring. Trump Media, which is majority-owned by President-elect Donald Trump, shot up by double digits minutes after the FT report was published. The company, which operates the Truth Social app and trades on the Nasdaq as DJT, closed more than 16% higher. Shares of Bakkt — which was created by Intercontinental Exchange, the owner of the New York Stock Exchange — skyrocketed more than 162% amid repeated trading halts due to volatility. Kelly Loeffler, a previous CEO of Bakkt, is the co-chair of Trump’s inauguration committee. Loeffler, who is married to Intercontinental Exchange CEO Jeffrey Sprecher, left as Bakkt’s top executive in 2019 when Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp appointed her to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Sen. Johnny Isakson, who resigned due to health reasons. Loeffler was defeated by Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in a runoff for a special election for her Senate seat. Trump Media has seen its market value rise and fall by billions of dollars in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, as retail investors bet on the ***********’s momentum and political prospects. While Trump Media has reported a $363 million net loss on revenues of just $2.6 million so far this year, it boasts a market cap above $7 billion. The company said in its third-quarter earnings report that it holds nearly $673 million in cash and cash equivalents. A Trump Media spokeswoman did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment. The reported acquisition moves show Trump further developing his business interests in the cryptocurrency realm, even as he is set to enter the White House on Jan. 20, 2025. Just three weeks before the Nov. 5 presidential election, Trump hyped the launch of a token pegged to a new crypto venture dubbed World Liberty Financial. As part of the deal with WLF, Trump and his family are poised to rake in 75% of its net coin revenue while assuming no liability. Bakkt was founded in 2018 to offer tech services for crypto investors. The Alpharetta, Georgia-based company in its latest fiscal quarter reported total revenues of $328.4 million and an operating loss of $27.4 million, a 48% improvement from the prior year. — CNBC’s Dan Mangan contributed to this report. Source link #Trump #Media #reported #talks #buy #crypto #trading #platform #Bakkt #sending #shares #soaring Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Two Baltic Sea communications cables have been knocked offline Two Baltic Sea communications cables have been knocked offline Two undersea communications cables in the Baltic Sea have been knocked offline, and at least one appears to have been physically cut. CNN received confirmation from a local telecom company that a cable between Lithuania and Sweden was cut on Sunday morning. A second cable, about 60 to 65 miles from the first, routes communications between Finland and Germany. The cause of that outage has yet to be determined, but officials suspect “intentional damage.” The outages follow a September warning from the US about an increased risk of Russian “sabotage” of undersea cables. That came after a ****** investigation from public broadcasters from Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland that Russia had deployed a fleet of spy ships in Nordic waters. They were reportedly part of a program designed to sabotage the cables (and wind farms). This doesn’t leave the ********* nations entirely without online communications, as data is typically routed through multiple cables to avoid overreliance on a single one. Cinia, the state-controlled Finnish company that oversees the second cable, said it wasn’t yet determined what caused the outage since they haven’t yet physically inspected it. However, the sudden outage reportedly suggests it, too, was cut by an outside force. The foreign ministers of Finland and Germany released a ****** statement on Monday. “We are deeply concerned about the severed undersea cable connecting Finland and Germany in the Baltic Sea,” they wrote. “The fact that such an incident immediately raises suspicions of intentional damage speaks volumes about the volatility of our times. A thorough investigation is underway. Our ********* security is not only under threat from Russia‘s war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors. Safeguarding our shared critical infrastructure is vital to our security and the resilience of our societies.” The Lithuania-Sweden cable, which handles about a third of Lithuania’s internet capacity, is expected to be repaired “over the next few weeks,” and weather could determine the precise timing. Source link #Baltic #Sea #communications #cables #knocked #offline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Farmers gather at Eikon for protest over inheritance tax changes Farmers gather at Eikon for protest over inheritance tax changes Pacemaker Thousands of farmers gathered at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn Thousands of farmers have come together to protest against changes to inheritance tax. The event at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Lisburn, organised by the Ulster Farmers’ Union, was also attended by politicians as well as agricultural leaders. Farmers say the cap of £1m on agricultural property relief (APR) announced in the budget last month will see the next generation deterred from taking over family enterprises. The rally was called ahead of national protests in London on Tuesday. Earlier, a cross-party letter signed by all of Northern Ireland’s MPs was sent to Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The letter called on her to reconsider her plans to change APR, which reduces the amount paid when farmland is passed to the next generation. Pacemaker First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir were among the politicians there – they are pictured with Ulster Farmers’ Union president William Irvine Farmer Martin Cunningham, who is among those set to be affected, spoke to BBC News NI. Martin has always dreamed of taking on his family’s farm in the Belfast Hills and building on what his great-grandfather started. But he says the Budget announcement ending APR on inheritance tax has ended that. “If this farm’s handed down to me, I’ll have an incredible tax bill to pay,” Mr Cunningham said. Martin Cunningham is worried about the future of his family’s farm “I’ll have to sell land in order to pay that, I’m going to have to sell land over the value of £200,000,” he said. “It’s not simple to sell land up here, it’s either all or nothing.” How is inheritance tax changing? Since 1984, APR has allowed land used for crops or raising animals, as well as farm buildings, cottages and houses, to be exempt from inheritance tax. From April 2026, it will only apply to the first £1m of the estate, with anything over that value taxed at 20% – half the usual rate. Research by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs suggests a third of farmers in Northern Ireland will be affected, with the dairy sector particularly badly hit. The average farm in Northern Ireland is about 100 acres and land values have risen in recent years. For Mr Cunningham, this means the value of his family’s almost-200 acres alone puts the farm over the £1m tax-free bracket. That’s before any equipment, farm buildings and house are taken into account. The average farm in Northern Ireland is about 100 acres and land values have risen in recent years Impact on farming community Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme on Monday, farmer Ian Buchannan said he believes changes to inheritance tax will be “the final straw that has broken the camel’s back” for many farmers. Mr Buchannan, who has a farm outside Dungiven, County Londonderry, said he, like many other farmers, are very concerned over what this will mean for the future of farming in Northern Ireland. “The return we get on an investment on a farm, say it is worth one million or two million pounds, whatever the farm value is, it is well known that the return on that is 0.5% net profit per year – which is peanuts,” he said. “60%-80% of all farm income over the last 10 years in Northern Ireland comes from subsidies.” Farmer Ian Buchannan says there is “a lot of mental stress” within the farming commmunity “Farms are like parcels that are passed down; you don’t open it but you just pass it on – farms are not generally sold unless a [family] line ***** out,” Mr Buchannan said. “This is incredibly tough for a lot of farmers and I do feel there is a lot of mental stress within the community.” Farmers from across the *** are preparing for a rally in London on Tuesday, calling on the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to reverse the changes. But the Treasury has rejected proposals that would soften the impact. Source link #Farmers #gather #Eikon #protest #inheritance #tax Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Inside Out 2’s Adorable Lego Set Gets Rare Discount At Amazon Inside Out 2’s Adorable Lego Set Gets Rare Discount At Amazon The Inside Out 2 Mood Cubes Lego Set has received a rare price cut at Amazon and Target. Normally $35, this imaginative building kit based on the biggest movie of the year is available for only $29. Lego sets based on Pixar animated films are always popular, but the 394-piece Mood Cubes Lego set will probably be really popular during the holiday shopping season. Inside Out 2 is Pixar’s highest-grossing film ever, and its $1.7 billion theatrical run puts it in the top 10 movies of all time. $29 (was $35) The Mood Cube Lego Set clocks in at 394 pieces and is suitable for ages nine and up. So if your kids loved Inside Out 2, this could make for a great gift. When completed, you’ll have two Mood Cubes with nine swappable mood plates. It also features a display stand along with Joy and Anxiety figurines. Additionally, the two Mood Cubes can be used to store small objects, as their interior is completely hollow–allowing kids to stash stickers, toys, or more Legos inside. If you haven’t picked up a copy of Inside Out 2 on Blu-ray, the 4K Collector’s Edition is back in stock at Amazon for $60. This edition includes 4K and 1080p Blu-ray discs as well as a voucher for the digital version. For a cheaper option, the standard 1080p Blu-ray is available for $25. Best Disney Lego Deals Check out more Disney Lego deals at Amazon, Walmart, and Target below. Pixar fans can save 20% on a building set that recreates the house from the beloved film Up. More Inside Out 2 Merch There are plenty of other cool Inside Out 2 toys and collectibles to consider, including a five-figure pack for $15, an adorable weighted Embarrassment plush, and talking Sadness and Joy plushies. Left: Embarrassment Weighted Comfort Plus, Right: Talk It Out Sadness Plush Source link #Adorable #Lego #Set #Rare #Discount #Amazon Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Understand the power usage effectiveness metric Understand the power usage effectiveness metric Power usage effectiveness is a metric that evaluates the energy efficiency of data centers worldwide. However, comparing measurements is difficult since factors like a data center’s location and server workloads impact PUE readings. Look further into how to calculate PUE, how data centers benefit from the calculations and how to understand PUE ratings. Defining PUE The calculation to determine PUE is the total data center energy divided by IT energy. Power samples are indicators of efficiency, but they are not acceptable PUE nor representative of actual facility operation — particularly when taken at the most favorable part of a day. Data from specific areas within the data center helps calculate PUE. The primary area is the “white space” that contains all the computing equipment. Also, include all operation centers, test labs and other areas that use the same dedicated power and cooling systems as the white space. Separate power systems or mixed-use systems are not part of the calculation. Admins must convert any sustainable energy resources that run the dedicated power and cooling system into electrical energy equivalents. Understanding PUE numbers PUE must always be greater than 1.0. PUE of 1.0 indicates the perfect condition of power delivery. Perfect conditions include no loss of electricity through the wires and passive cooling without fans moving air. PUE in the range of 1.3 to 3.0 is most common. PUE of 1.6 or better is achievable in most data centers with proper attention to both electrical and mechanical design, as well as operational practices. PUE numbers are not intuitive and are easily misunderstood. PUE of 2.0 means IT equipment (ITE) uses the same amount of energy as the power and cooling equipment. PUE of 3.0 means power and cooling use twice the energy consumed by ITE they support. Data center infrastructure efficiency (DCiE) also measures energy efficiency. DCiE is the reciprocal of PUE, reported as a number between 0 and 100. PUE of 1.0 is equal to DCiE 100, or 100% efficiency. PUE of 2.0 is equal to DCiE 50, or 50% efficiency. PUE of 3.0 is equal to DCiE 33, or 33% efficiency. PUE metrics are most commonly reported, although DCiE yields a more intuitive number. PUE of 2.0 leaves more room for interpretation than an energy efficiency report of 50%. PUE levels PUE measurements include Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. Other labels include L1, L2, L3 or PUE1, PUE2 and PUE3. Each level provides a more accurate ratio of IT energy to total data center energy. PUE1 is most frequently reported. This chart shows requirements for each level. How to measure PUE levels Record PUE1 readings manually, as well as PUE2 daily readings if they’re at the same time every day. More frequent readings for PUE2 or PUE3 require automatic recording for consistency. The energy number used for PUE calculations is the average of readings over a specific time frame. This can take several months and best represents reality if taken over a full year. Combine readings from multiple uninterruptible power supplies, power distribution units or intelligent PDUs to obtain a total energy number. Measuring actual energy in kilowatt-hours, rather than power in amps, kilowatts or kilovolt-amperes, requires good recording power meters that can be costly to install. Power meters measure and integrate voltage, amperage and power factors in real time. Meters should guarantee utility rate accuracy of at least 1%. Special uses of PUE Partial PUE, which is a load measured on specific systems or equipment, identifies low-efficiency systems and tracks improvements when changes occur. Partial PUE is for internal use only. It is not a reportable number since there is no standard definition for what it encompasses. PUE numbers can compare one data center’s energy efficiency with another. However, this comparison is only accurate if measurements are taken the same way in all locations and over the same time frame. When making comparisons, admins must understand that different locations have different climate conditions that significantly affect cooling requirements and PUE. Admins should also keep in mind that reduced energy consumption does not always lead to a low PUE level. Neither ITE nor power and cooling configurations are identical in two locations. The most accurate comparisons are possible over the longest realistic time frame. This is because compute loads in different locations can peak at different times of the day and on different days of the year. Robert McFarlane is senior principal in charge of data center design for the international consulting firm Shen Milsom and Wilke LLC. McFarlane has spent more than 40 years in communications consulting and has experience in every segment of the data center industry. Source link #Understand #power #usage #effectiveness #metric Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Extra $110m for schools ups pressure on holdout states Extra $110m for schools ups pressure on holdout states Public schools in Canberra will receive extra Commonwealth cash, putting pressure on ******* states holding out for a better funding deal. The federal government will increase its percentage of funding in the ACT to 22.5 per cent in 2026, up from 20 per cent. It equals an extra $110.5 million between 2025 and 2029, bringing the Commonwealth’s total contribution to more than $1 billion across the five years. Funding will be tied to school performance, including identifying and helping struggling students in their early years, whole-of-school support systems and tackling bullying. The *********** Education Union has joined some of the other states in pushing for more federal funding so teachers can properly implement the 10-year Better and Fairer Schools agreement that aims to increase education standards. Education Minister Jason Clare has struck updated funding agreements with Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and the ACT, with NSW and Victoria holding out for an increase to 25 per cent. “This is great news for ACT students, families, teachers and school communities and is an important step in building a better and fairer education system,” Mr Clare said. ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry said the extra funding would boost school quality in the territory and help set children up for success. It would help deliver more school psychologists and mental health professionals, reduce teacher workload to help improve wellbeing and safeguard the delivery of evidence-based literacy and numeracy teaching, she said. Source link #Extra #110m #schools #ups #pressure #holdout #states Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

When is the Next Gray Zone Warfare Update? When is the Next Gray Zone Warfare Update? As someone still actively playing Gray Zone Warfare as a sherpa for new players, I am excited and eager to try out the upcoming update. I’m certainly not alone. Most players can’t wait to return, but they want quality-of-life tweaks and AI improvements before returning. I can’t blame anyone, especially when helicopter wait times prove formidable. But this new Gray Zone Warfare update should change everything! When Does the Next Gray Zone Warfare Update Release? Gray Zone Warfare’s next major update—0.2 Night Ops—is out on November 27. We’re many months out since release, with the game launching in Early Access on April 30. Most players finished the entire storyline and all available quests within the first month of the game’s lifespan and have since eagerly awaited more or moved on to a different tactical shooter. A few of us continue playing, repeatedly running the same tasks and points of interest. This is a major game update, and alongside countless fixes for the AI and additional content, like weapons, tasks, and night operations gear, there’s a wipe. Essentially, this means you’ll lose all your current progress and equipment, resetting to zero alongside everyone else. Related: Gray Zone Warfare’s Major Update is So Big a ‘Wipe Will Be 100% Necessary’ What Does the Next Gray Zone Warfare Update Include? The next major update for Gray Zone Warfare, dubbed Night Ops, focuses primarily on resolving many of the community’s notable issues with the gameplay experience, namely helicopter wait times and AI one-shotting everything in sight. However, it’s not without significant content additions. The update expands the core gameplay with a day and night cycle, night vision optics, IR laser sights, canted sights, new weapons, and tasks. Here’s an overview of what’s to come: Day/Night Cycle: A 2:1 ratio with three hours of real-time gameplay making up a single day in Lamang. Exterior and Interior Lighting: In addition to NVGs, you can activate lamps, light barrels, and candles and illuminate or snuff out the light in your environment to gain an advantage. New Missions: This update features 22 tasks across the various vendors, with some designed specifically for nighttime. AI Improvements: AI will no longer one-shot players; they now adapt to their surroundings, taking cover and hiding in the tall grass, and will pose unique challenges by patrolling or remaining indoors at night. New Equipment: Night vision goggles, flashlights, laser sights, and new ******* customization attachments enter the fray. New Weapons: MP5, AKS-74U, and various modern AK variants. Furthermore, we’ll see high-value loot, in-game economy alterations, reduced landing zone times, an aim-down-sight toggle option, enhanced progression systems, and more! Are you looking for someone to run Gray Zone Warfare tasks with? Check out our community forum to find like-minded players who enjoy the same games as you! If you’re playing on Mithras, feel free to contact me on social media! Do you need a bit more GZW in your life? Me too! Thankfully, according to the game’s roadmap, three years of content updates are coming! Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Gray #Zone #Warfare #Update Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dental company stocks jump amid RFK Jr.’s health claims about fluoride Dental company stocks jump amid RFK Jr.’s health claims about fluoride Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s concerns about the health effects of fluoride may already be helping some Americans — investors in dental services companies. Shares in Dentsply Sirona, Envista, Henry Schein Patterson Companies, and other providers of dental products are jumping, with Wall Street ******** that a potential push by the incoming Trump administration to remove fluoride from the nation’s drinking water could spur demand for the companies’ services. Kennedy, tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said on social media just ahead of the November 5 presidential election that Trump would rid fluoride from the public water supply on his first day in office. Kennedy, a noted vaccine skeptic, has described fluoride as an “industrial waste” and linked it to arthritis, neurological deficiencies in children and other serious health problems. “The thought here is RFK will bring to HHS a voice that is in favor of reducing, or eliminating, the amount of fluoridation that is added to drinking water,” Don Bilson, Gordon Haskett’s head of event-driven research, told investors in a report, according to NBC News. “This will, in turn, lead to an acceleration of tooth decay and more dental visits.” Dental experts have largely refuted such claims. Dr. Aaron Yancoskie, associate dean of academic affairs at Touro College of Dental Medicine, told “CBS Mornings Plus” on November 13 that there is “excellent, solid data going back 75 years showing that fluoride is both safe, and it’s extremely effective at decreasing dental decay, that is, cavities, by strengthening the enamel of our teeth.” Why fluoride is added to water systems and why some want to get rid of it 03:08 According to KFF Health News, some studies have linked fluoride exposure among pregnant women to a higher risk of childhood neurobehavioral problems and lower IQs, leading experts to call for further research. Fluoride is a mineral that keeps teeth healthy and reduces cavities by protecting them against bacteria that produces potentially damaging acid, according to the U.S. Centers for ******** Control and Prevention. To prevent tooth decay, the U.S. has been adding a small quantity of fluoride to water since the 1950s. Stocks have surged since Trump won a second term in the White House, with investors buoyed by his pledges during the campaign against Vice President Kamala Harris to cut corporate taxes and eliminate red tape for businesses. Sara Moniuszko contributed to this report. Alain Sherter Alain Sherter is a senior managing editor with CBS News. He covers business, economics, money and workplace issues for CBS MoneyWatch. Source link #Dental #company #stocks #jump #RFK #Jr.s #health #claims #fluoride Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Critical undersea internet cable severed amid fears of Russian sabotage Critical undersea internet cable severed amid fears of Russian sabotage A critical underwater internet cable linking Finland to Germany has been severed, sparking fears of Russian sabotage. The incident happened in the vicinity of the Swedish island of Gotland, in the Baltic Sea, early on Monday morning. Cinia, the Finnish state-owned data service provider, said a repair ship had been sent to investigate the cause of the outage, which has hit the only cable connecting the country to central Europe. Finland’s communications agency said most internet users would not notice Monday’s outage, with the country able to fall back on cables running through other parts of the continent. The company said that, while there was no indication that the damage was sabotage, it was likely to have been the result of human activity. Work on the initial installation of the cable – Heikki Saukkomaa / Lehtikuva / AFP “At the moment, there is no way to assess the cause of the cable break, but such breaks without external impact do not happen in these waters,” said Ari-Jussi Knaapila, the chief executive of Cinia. However, he cautioned that the damage could have been caused by a trawler or a ship that had put down an emergency anchor. The company pointed out that the fibre optic cables are sheathed in a double-armoured steel casing. Finland is on high alert about possible espionage from Russia after it joined Nato, ending decades of neutrality. Nato intelligence officials warned in September that Russia was building up a secretive submarine unit tasked with sabotaging undersea infrastructure, while Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president, said such cables were fair game because of Western “complicity” in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline. On Monday, the transport and communications ministry in Helsinki issued new crisis guidelines to the country’s population, which include information on what to do in the event of disruptions to telecommunications infrastructure. With Russia now surrounded by Nato states in the Baltic, its waters are seen as most vulnerable to attempts to disrupt key energy and communications lines. Most dramatically, the Nord Stream pipeline, which brought Russian natural gas to Germany, was blown up half a year after Russia invaded Ukraine. While investigations into that incident continue, the saboteurs are believed to have been sent from Kyiv. In October last year, a ******** cargo vessel damaged a gas line between Finland and Estonia with its anchor. The ******** authorities’ explanation that the incident was an accident has been viewed with suspicion in the West. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Source link #Critical #undersea #internet #cable #severed #fears #Russian #sabotage Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Astro **** and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth lead The Game Awards 2024 nominations Astro **** and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth lead The Game Awards 2024 nominations The nominees for The Game Awards 2024 have been announced. Astro **** and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are both up for seven prizes, including Game of the Year. Sony Interactive Entertainment is The Game Awards’ most nominated publisher in 2024 with 16 nominations, followed by Square Enix and Xbox with 12 nominations each, and ***** with 11. The nominees were announced on Monday by event host and producer Geoff Keighley, and were chosen by a voting jury of media publications, including this website, VGC. There are 27 awards up for grabs in total (see the full list of nominees below), with the winners set to be determined by a blended vote between the voting jury (90%) and public fan voting (10%). From today until December 11 at 6 pm PT, fans can vote for their winners in all categories via online voting on www.thegameawards.com. The Game Awards will be streamed live from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Thursday, December 12, starting at 4.30pm PT / 7.30pm ET (December 13 at 12:30am GMT). Organisers say to expect “awards, world premiere new game announcements, and musical performances by The Game Awards Orchestra, conducted by Lorne Balfe”. The Game Awards 2024 Nominations Game of the Year Best Game Direction ASTRO **** (Team Asobi/SIE) Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack) ****** Myth: Wukong (Game Science) Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix) Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/*****) Best Narrative Best Art Direction ASTRO **** (Team Asobi/SIE) ****** Myth: Wukong (Game Science) Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco) Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/*****) Neva (Nomada Studio/Devolver) Best Score and Music ASTRO **** (Team Asobi/SIE) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix) Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/*****) Silent Hill 2 (Bloober Team/Konami) Stellar Blade (Shift Up/SIE) Best Audio Design Best Performance Briana White, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Hannah Telle, Life is Strange: Double Exposure Humberly González, Star Wars Outlaws Luke Roberts, Silent Hill 2 Melina Juergens, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 Innovation in Accessibility Games for Impact Closer the Distance (Osmotic Studios/Skybound Games) Indika (Odd Meter/11 Bit Studios) Neva (Nomada Studio/Devolver) Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine/Square Enix) Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory/Xbox Game Studios) Tales of Kenzera: Zau (Surgent Studios/EA) Best Ongoing Game Best Community Support Best Independent Game Animal Well (Shared Memory/Bigmode) Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack) Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo/Annapurna Interactive) Neva (Nomada Studio/Devolver) UFO 50 (Mossmouth) Best Debut Indie Game Animal Well (Shared Memory/Bigmode) Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack) Manor Lords (Slavic Magic/Hooded Horse) Pacific Drive (Ironwood Studios/Kepler Interactive) The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures/Devolver) Best Mobile Game AFK Journey (FARLIGHT/Lilith Games) Balatro (LocalThunk/Playstack) Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket (Creatures Inc/TPCI) Wuthering Waves (Kuro Games) Zenless Zone Zero (miHoYo) Best VR/AR Game Arizona Sunshine Remake (Vertigo Games) Asgard’s Wrath 2 (Sanzaru Games/Oculus Studios) Batman: Arkham Shadow (Camouflaj/Oculus Studios) Metal: Hellsinger VR (Lab 42/The Outsiders/Funcom) Metro Awakening (Vertigo Games) Best Action Game ****** Myth: Wukong (Game Science) Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox) Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios/SIE) Stellar Blade (Shift Up/SIE) Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment) Best Action/Adventure Game Best RPG Dragon’s Dogma 2 (Capcom) Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware/Bandai Namco) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix) Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio/*****) Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero/Atlus/*****) Best Fighting Game Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO (Spike Chunsoft/Bandai Namco) Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising (Arc System Works/Cygames) Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics (Capcom) MultiVersus (Player First Games/WB Games) Tekken 8 (Bandai Namco) Best Family Game ASTRO **** (Team Asobi/SIE) Princess Peach: *********! (Good-Feel/Nintendo) Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo Cube/Nintendo) The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Grezzo/Nintendo) The Plucky Squire (All Possible Futures/Devolver) Best Sim/Strategy Game Age of Mythology: Retold (World’s Edge/Forgotten Empires/Xbox Game Studios) Frostpunk 2 (11 Bit Studios) Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (Capcom) Manor Lords (Slavic Magic/Hooded Horse) Unicorn Overlord (Vanillaware/*****/Atlus) Best Sports/Racing Game Best Multiplayer Game Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 (Treyarch/Raven/Activision/Xbox) Helldivers 2 (Arrow Game Studios/SIE) Super Mario Party Jamboree (Nintendo Cube/Nintendo) Tekken 8 (Bandai Namco) Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (Saber Interactive/Focus Entertainment) Best Adaptation Arcane (Riot/Fortiche/Netflix) Fallout (Bethesda/Kilter Films/Amazon MGM Studios) Knuckles (*****/Paramount) Like a Dragon: Yakuza (*****/Amazon MGM Studios) Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (Crystal Dynamics/Legendary/Netflix) Most Anticipated Game Content Creator of the Year CaseOh IlloJuan Techno Gamerz TypicalGamer Usada Pekora Best Esports Game Baldur’s Gate 3 was the biggest winner at The Game Awards 2023, taking home six of the eight prizes it was nominated for. According to The Game Awards, its 2023 event delivered a “record-setting” 118 million global livestreams, which it said was up 15% over 2022’s showcase. Larian’s RPG took the coveted Game of the Year award as well as prizes for Best Performance, Best Community Support, Best RPG, Best Multiplayer and Player’s Voice. Alan Wake 2, which was also nominated for eight prizes, won three awards in the form of Best Game Direction, Best Art Direction and Best Narrative. Source link #Astro #**** #Final #Fantasy #Rebirth #lead #Game #Awards #nominations Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Two women told House ethics panel Gaetz sent Venmo payments “for ****” and asked about “party favors,” their attorney says Two women told House ethics panel Gaetz sent Venmo payments “for ****” and asked about “party favors,” their attorney says Two women interviewed by the House Ethics Committee about former GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be attorney general, testified that Gaetz paid them directly and repeatedly in Venmo transactions “for ****,” and that those transactions were obtained by the committee, an attorney for the women told CBS News. The attorney, Joel Leppard, also said the women testified that Gaetz inquired in text messages about “party favors” and “vitamins” at upcoming parties, which was understood to be code for drugs. Leppard, who is based in Orlando, said his clients testified that they attended parties from 2017 to January 2019 where Gaetz was present and **** and ***** use took place. In an interview Monday with CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett, Leppard said one of his clients testified before the House Ethics Committee that she witnessed Gaetz having **** with a 17-year-old girl against a game table at a July 2017 party. Gaetz was sworn into Congress in January 2017, so all of the events the women allege took place while he was a member of the House. Officials with the Trump transition team and attorneys for Gaetz did not respond to requests for comment Monday. One source familiar with Gaetz’s legal position questioned the credibility of the women and argued their recollections would not have withstood cross examination in court, had it come to that. Gaetz, who has denied all wrongdoing, including having **** with a minor, has blasted the committee’s investigation against him and on Thursday called the testimony about him a “false smear.” Gaetz’s conduct was also investigated by federal prosecutors, but they ended the probe in 2023 without filing charges. As the House Ethics Committee weighs whether to release its report, which investigated allegations that Gaetz engaged in ******* misconduct, illicit ***** use and bribery, Leppard said his clients want the public to know they are telling the truth. One of his clients said in a text to Leppard, “‘Regardless of how many times he tries to distract from the truth, the public deserves to know that what we all experienced was real and actually happened.'” “My clients are not political; they didn’t vote in the last two elections — they don’t care one way or another,” Leppard told Garrett. “But they do want the public to know that they are not lying. They did not come forward willingly — they have never spoken to anyone without a force of a legal subpoena.” He continued, “And if the ********* people would know, then they could decide if that’s the person they want to be the next attorney general.” One of Leppard’s clients is among at least four women who have told the committee they were paid to attend parties with drugs and **** where Gaetz was present, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. Her account corroborates the testimony of the then-minor, who told the committee that she had **** with Gaetz when she was 17 years old. At the July 2017 party where his client alleges this occurred, Leppard said she and others were “at the party in order to provide entertainment, to be happy, to be lively and provide ******* favors for the gentlemen that were present.” “The expectation was that they would have ******* ************,” Leppard said his clients testified about these parties. “They testified to the House that — and the House actually had their Venmo transactions, PayPal transactions, of Representative Gaetz.” Leppard said the House panel asked the women about Gaetz’s PayPal and Venmo transactions. “‘What was this for? What was this for,'” Leppard said his clients were asked. “‘This was for ****,'” he said they responded. “‘This was for ****. This was for ****.'” Leppard said the payments were typically between $200 and $500 at a time. He said his clients also testified that sometimes, someone other than Gaetz would make a payment on his behalf. On at least one occasion, according to Leppard, that was Nestor Galban, a Cuban immigrant who is close to Gaetz and whom Gaetz has referred to as his “son.” He said other payments on Gaetz’s behalf were made by Gaetz associate Joel Greenberg, who was convicted in 2022 of **** trafficking of a minor and other *******. Leppard said his client who testified that she saw Gaetz having **** with the 17-year-old also told the panel she did not believe Gaetz was aware of her age at the time. “My client, at least, testified that he did not know her age,” Leppard said. Leppard’s client testified that she knew the 17-year-old girl and her age, and said the two attended high school together. His client testified that she had **** with Gaetz after arriving at the July 2017 house party. Later during the party, his client testified, she was walking outside when she saw Gaetz having **** with her friend, the 17-year-old, against the gaming table. Leppard said one of his clients provided more than 100 texts involving Gaetz to the committee. Frequently, Leppard said, the texts his client provided showed Gaetz would have to be reminded to pay. “There was a lot of texts requesting payment, like, ‘Hey, when are you going to pay me?'” Leppard said. “Or, ‘I don’t want to be that girl, but can you please go ahead and pay me what we agreed upon?’ Text messages along those lines. The texts the House was more interested in was the ones where Representative Gaetz was seemingly requesting that drugs be present.” “So, in my line of work as a ********* defense attorney, no one ever requests, ‘Can you give me some drugs, please?'” Leppard said. “They usually use code words. And so Representative Gaetz would use terms like, ‘Can you make sure that there are party favors present?’ Or, ‘Who’s in charge of party favors?’ He used the term ‘party favor mecca’ when he was referring to another individual who was bringing party favors. He also used the term ‘vitamins,’ I believe.” Still, Leppard’s clients told the House panel they could not specifically recall whether they had seen Gaetz use ********** or other drugs. The texts also included a “lot of positive emojis,” Leppard said, like hearts, and “positive statements” back and forth between Gaetz, his clients and others. Leppard characterized the relationship with Gaetz as a complicated one, but also one of friendship, and he also told Garrett that his clients knew Gaetz’s girlfriend at the time. “At least one of my clients testified that, in a sense, they were required to please Mr. Gaetz before going out and attending their [Electronic Dance Music] show,” Leppard said of one alleged occasion about which his client testified. “And that was something that was of particular interest to the House. Representative Gaetz’s girlfriend texted them, and they essentially took care of their duties, and later on, they went to see their show.” Leppard said his clients have “been through heck” and are worried that if they testify before the Senate or anywhere else publicly, “they might not be safe in their jobs.” The House Ethics Committee had planned to vote Friday, Nov. 15, on releasing its report, but the meeting was canceled after Trump announced his intention Wednesday to nominate Gaetz, and then a few hours later, the Florida *********** abruptly resigned from Congress. The panel is now set to meet Wednesday, two sources told CBS News. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday he would “strongly request” that the House Ethics Committee withhold the report on its investigation into Gaetz. The committee has equal representation among Democrats and Republicans — five Democrats and five Republicans. Democratic and *********** senators who would vote on Gaetz’s confirmation as attorney general have said they want access to the ethics panel’s report. Kathryn Watson Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C. Source link #women #told #House #ethics #panel #Gaetz #Venmo #payments #**** #asked #party #favors #attorney Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

British Airways flights delayed due to ‘technical issue’ British Airways flights delayed due to ‘technical issue’ British Airways passengers are stranded on the tarmac in multiple airports in the *** and internationally after a “technical issue” disrupted operations. The problems started at around 17:00 on Monday, with passengers posting to social media that they were standing in the cold waiting to find out what was happening to their flights. British Airways has confirmed there is a problem affecting some of its computer systems that is causing delays. But it said no flights were currently being cancelled. “Flights are operating and we’ll finish our schedule this evening as planned. No cancellations. Some delays. All of our critical operations are running,” BA said in a statement. Downdetector, a website that logs complaints with websites that are not working, indicated a sharp increase in problems with the BA site after 17:00. It is not clear how widespread the disruption is, but it is reported to have affected flights globally, as well as some domestic *** flights. The travel expert and journalist Simon Calder estimated the problems could be affecting tens of thousands of passengers, although the delays seem to be limited to one to two hours for affected flights. One passenger wrote on X that they were “being made to stand on the tarmac in a very cold Verona waiting for an already delayed flight”. Others said they were trying to check in for flights and the “systems are down” or that technical problems had prevented them from booking flights. Sources within the airline suggest the situation is being brought under control, but there are concerns that delays this evening could have a knock-on effect on Tuesday’s flights. Some travellers commenting on social media said they had been told that pilots were unable to generate loading data for their aircraft and have been struggling to get through to colleagues by phone. A spokesperson for Heathrow Airport said it was aware of the technical problems at BA, but that its own systems were operating normally. It is not the first time BA has faced severe disruption due to an IT ********. In May last year, flights were grounded. A similar thing happened in spring 2017, disrupting Bank Holiday plans, and in February 2020. Source link #British #Airways #flights #delayed #due #technical #issue Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

These Canada-U.S. border crossing hours are changing next year. Here’s why – National These Canada-U.S. border crossing hours are changing next year. Here’s why – National The Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) is changing the hours you can cross the border at dozens of crossings between Canada and the ******* States, starting next year. The CBSA said in a statement Monday that it “intends to adjust hours of service at 35 land ports of entry across Canada” starting midnight on Jan. 6, 2025. The changes are being brought into effect in collaboration with the ******* States, the CBSA said. “It will allow the CBSA to use its resources more efficiently by deploying officers at busier ports of entry. This will support the CBSA’s ability to process travellers and goods as well as to manage enforcement activities,” the agency said in a statement. CBSA said the adjustments are based on “an analysis of operational pressures, peak periods, and services required at the ports of entry, to minimize the impacts on border communities.” Story continues below advertisement 23:22 The West Block: Canada will ‘do the work’ to ease Trump officials’ border worries, minister says The news comes after Immigration Minister Marc Miller said last week that the federal government may be looking at boosting enforcement resources to ****** down on irregular migrants who don’t leave Canada, and addressed the need for mutual enforcement of the Safe Third Country Agreement with the U.S. The government has been pressed by opposition parties and provinces on its plan to add additional resources at the U.S.-Canada border in anticipation of a potential increase in people seeking to enter Canada from the U.S., where president-elect Donald Trump has vowed mass deportations. 1:09 Immigration minister takes on tough topics in appearance with B.C. business leaders Canada’s public safety minister told The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson last week that he’s confident in the work of agencies tasked with detaining and removing people in the country illegally and preventing security threats crossing into the U.S., but will boost enforcement resources if necessary. Story continues below advertisement Dominic LeBlanc says that work by the RCMP and CBSA should prove to the incoming Donald Trump administration — whose newly appointed “border czar” has called the Canada-U.S. border a “huge national security issue” — that Ottawa shares their concerns about border security. “I’m very confident in the work that they can do with their ********* counterparts, and we’ll reassure the ********* administration that we’re prepared to do the work that’s necessary,” LeBlanc said. 2:06 Trump’s border czar to focus on ********* side, says it ‘can’t be a gateway to terrorists’ Which border crossing will see the changes? The new hours of service (in local time) will be as follows: Story continues below advertisement Alberta Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Del Bonita Travellers: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week British Columbia Cascade Travellers: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week Nelway Travellers: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week Manitoba More on Canada More videos Cartwright Travellers: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 7 days a week Coulter Travellers: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 7 days a week Commercial: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday (except holidays) Crystal City Travellers: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week Goodlands Travellers: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week Gretna Travellers: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week Story continues below advertisement Lena Travellers: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 7 days a week Commercial: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday (except holidays) Piney Travellers: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week Snowflake Travellers: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week South Junction Travellers: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week Tolstoi Travellers: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week Windygates Travellers: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week Winkler Travellers: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week Quebec Chartierville Travellers: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week Story continues below advertisement Clarenceville Travellers: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 7 days a week Frelighsburg Trending Now Taylor Swift in Toronto: $70K in losses from ‘undelivered tickets’ under investigation Canada Post strike explained: What you need to know about your mail Travellers: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week Herdman Travellers: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week Hereford Road Travellers: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week Highwater Travellers: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week Lacolle Route 221 Travellers: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week Lacolle Route 223 Travellers: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week Noyan Travellers: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week Trout River Travellers: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week Story continues below advertisement New Brunswick Bloomfield Travellers: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Saturday (except ********* and U.S. holidays) Commercial: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday (except ********* and U.S. holidays) Gillespie Portage Travellers: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week Fosterville Travellers (7 days a week): 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., last Monday of May to first Monday of September 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., remainder of the year Commercial (7 days a week): 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., last Monday of May to first Monday of September 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., remainder of the year St. Croix Travellers: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 7 days a week Commercial: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday Saskatchewan Carievale Travellers (7 days a week) Story continues below advertisement 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., second Sunday of March to first Saturday of November 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., remainder of the year Estevan Highway Travellers (7 days a week) 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., second Sunday of March to first Saturday of November 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., remainder of the year Monchy Travellers (Monday to Friday) 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., second Sunday of March to first Saturday of November 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., remainder of the year Commercial (Monday to Friday, except holidays) 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., second Sunday of March to first Saturday of November 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., remainder of the year Northgate Travellers (7 days a week) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. , second Sunday of March to first Saturday of November 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., remainder of the year Commercial (Monday to Friday, except holidays) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., second Sunday of March to first Saturday of November 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., remainder of the year Oungre Travellers (7 days a week) Story continues below advertisement 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., second Sunday of March to first Saturday of November 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., remainder of the year West Poplar River Travellers (7 days a week) 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., second Sunday of March to first Saturday of November 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., remainder of the year Commercial (Monday to Friday, except holidays) 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., second Sunday of March to first Saturday of November 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., remainder of the year With files from Global’s Sean Boynton Source link #CanadaU.S #border #crossing #hours #changing #year #Heres #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

‘One of the great success stories’: Newcastle to host inaugural NRLW Magic Round in 2025 ‘One of the great success stories’: Newcastle to host inaugural NRLW Magic Round in 2025 The ever-expanding NRLW will go to new heights next year, with the new 12-team competition set to include a Magic Round for the first time, with the two-day event to be held in Newcastle. The concept has been widely successful in the NRL for a number of years now at Suncorp Stadium, with Tuesday’s announcement part of a three-year agreement with the NSW government which will see Magic Round played in different regional locations. “Magic Round has been one of the great success stories for the game and it is wonderful to be able to replicate the carnival and fun for the NRLW Premiership,” ARLC chairman Peter V’landys said. Camera IconMagic Round has been a huge success in the men’s competition, and it’s set to expand with an NRLW event in Newcastle next year. Richard Walker Credit: News Corp Australia “The Commission is invested in women’s Rugby League and NRLW Magic Round is the next important step in the growth of the game. “All 12 teams will play across two days in Newcastle, with all the innovation and excitement of Magic Round but now with our best female players. “I’d like to thank the NSW government for their investment in women’s sport. Importantly, this is an investment which will directly support pathways in rugby league while also driving economic growth and prosperity in regional NSW.” The announcement is another big win for rugby league in Newcastle which will also host the third game of the women’s State of Origin series on May 29. The locals have seen plenty of big matches at McDonald Jones Stadium over the years, with the Knights winning back-to-back NRLW titles in 2022 and 2023, while a record crowd of 25,782 attended the second game of this year’s women’s Origin series. Magic Round will be played on a Saturday and Sunday and will feature the 10 current teams as well as the Bulldogs and Warriors who will join the competition next season. The full draw will be revealed on Thursday, with NSW Premier Chris Minns excited to partner with the NRL on this historic event. “This is fantastic news for footy fans and regional communities alike. Not only will this provide an incredible experience for fans, but it will also provide a massive boost to local economies,” he said. “It’s great to have seen the growth of women’s sport across all codes and all levels over the past few years and initiatives like this are an important way we can engage the next generation of sporting superstars all across the state.” Source link #great #success #stories #Newcastle #host #inaugural #NRLW #Magic Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Three Upcoming Free to Play Games May Dominate the End of 2024 Three Upcoming Free to Play Games May Dominate the End of 2024 2024 has been a genuinely excellent year for video game releases, but most to date have been full price titles that drain your wallet and bank account. I don’t know about you, but even doing this job, I can’t afford every new release. It’s nice to download a new title, play it for tens or hundreds of hours, and not spend a dime. Well, that’s about to become much easier, as three upcoming free-to-play games are coming before the year’s end, and I’m sure they’ll dominate! Upcoming Free-to-Play Games Coming Before 2024 Ends Three high-profile free-to-play titles are launching in December, each within a different genre, and they’re all building momentum before release for various reasons. We have Delta Force, the upcoming “Battlefield *******,” Marvel Rivals, a hero shooter with team-based PvP, and Path of Exile 2, the positively monumental ARPG with its iconic passive skill tree and class roster. Delta Force Image via Team ***** Title: Delta Force Developer: Team ***** Release Date: December 4 Price: Free to Play Genre: First-Person Shooter The free-to-play first-person shooter from developer Team *****, which many consider the ultimate “Battlefield *******” (as if we haven’t had a thousand of those), has enjoyed immense success with its multiple beta test periods over the past few months. We here at Insider Gaming spent a lot of time with the Delta Force and even called it the “best Battlefield game played in years.” It includes countless weapons and ******* customization opportunities, vehicle combat, multiple game modes, a single-player story-driven experience, an extraction game mode, and large-scale infantry combat encounters with sizeable maps that ensure every round feels unique and thrilling. Marvel Rivals Image via NetEase Games Title: Marvel Rivals Developer: NetEase Games Release Date: December 5 Price: Free to Play Genre: Hero Shooter While I’m personally exhausted by the hero shooter genre after playing a few rounds of Overwatch six years ago, I know it’s still a popular competitive scene with an entire subset of the gaming community champing at the bit for a hit to release. Marvel Rivals, from NetEase Games, may be that hit as a free-to-play third-person shooter that combines the classic arena-style combat of titles like Overwatch and Concord with Marvel’s roster of heroes and villains. Marvel Rivals features 6v6 arena-based combat with evolving battlefields in which superheroes and supervillains utilize abilities and powers to dominate objectives and the ****** team. You can play as Rocket Raccoon, Hulk, Spider-Man, Thor, and countless others, dealing damage and stomping through the environment in unbeatable action! Related: Here’s What You Need to Know About The Game Awards 2024 Path of Exile 2 Image via Grinding Gear Games Title: Path of Exile 2 Developer: Grinding Gear Games Release Date: December 6 Price: Free to Play Genre: Action RPG I genuinely cannot get enough of the ARPG genre. I grew up playing the likes of Champions of Norrath and the original Diablo titles alongside my stepfather, and the love for the grind stuck with me decades later. Now, you’ll often find me in either Diablo IV or Path of Exile, and like many of you, I’m eagerly awaiting the latter’s sequel. Well, it’s time. Path of Exile 2 launches in Early Access on December 6, featuring an expansive campaign, a six-player co-op, an enhanced passive skill tree, and more class and play style variety than ever before. With six acts, more than 100 boss fights, over 600 unique enemies, 12 base classes, and 36 Ascendancies, Path of Exile 2 promises to be *******, better, and more time-consuming than ever before. I welcome the challenge! Which free-to-play game is going to eat up all of your free time? Let us know in the comments below, or start a thread on our community forum discussing your favorite of the three! Along with these free-to-play titles, December is chock full of video game releases that should cater to everyone’s tastes and play styles! Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Upcoming #Free #Play #Games #Dominate Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to optimize your holiday travel budget on ‘Travel Tuesday’ How to optimize your holiday travel budget on ‘Travel Tuesday’ If you still haven’t booked your holiday travel plans, take note: Prices tend to rise the closer you get to the days you’re looking to travel. To afford holiday trips, about 50% of respondents are cutting back on other expenses while 49% are picking up discounts and deals, according to the 2024 Holiday Travel Outlook by Hopper, a travel site. Some last-minute holiday travelers are leaning into so-called “Travel Tuesday” — or the Tuesday after Cyber Monday and ****** Friday — which falls on Dec. 3 this year. Search interest for Travel Tuesday rose more than 500% from 2021 to 2023, according to a recent report by McKinsey and Company. More from Personal Finance: ****** Friday deals aren’t always the best 28% of credit card users are still paying off last year’s holiday tab Here’s who can ‘easily afford’ holiday costs There’s a reason why shoppers are searching for the term. Last year, 83% more deals were offered on Travel Tuesday versus Cyber Monday and 92% more than ****** Friday, according to Hopper data. Yet, there may be some limitations on the deals available, experts say. “The challenge for a lot of people is, ‘Do I wait?'” said Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet. For travelers who are set on specific days and places to visit, the answer might be “no.” “While airlines and online travel agencies are going to offer flight deals on Travel Tuesday, there is no reason to wait,” said Phil Dengler, co-founder of The Vacationer, a travel platform. How much you benefit from potential discounts on Travel Tuesday will depend on your flexibility, experts say. “If you have zero flexibility,” said Hayley Berg, economist at Hopper, then “if you see a good deal before Travel Deal Tuesday, feel free to book it.” How Travel Tuesday works People wait in line for security checkpoints ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. November 22, 2023. Vincent Alban | Reuters Similar to ****** Friday and Cyber Monday sales, Travel Tuesday deals sometimes begin to roll out before the day itself, said Dengler. They might even stretch into the day after. Nonetheless, you will typically need to book the flight, hotel stay or cruise trip by the end of the day in order to reap the benefits, he said. As you shop, make sure to read the fine print in case discounts only apply for certain routes and days, Dengler explained. Retailers often have a limited stock for ****** Friday and Cyber Monday doorbusters. With Travel Tuesday, there may be a limited number of airline seats or hotel rooms, NerdWallet’s French said. “They’re not going to fly two planes on the same route at the same time,” she said. ‘Be ready’ to book Travel Tuesday might be better suited for deciding when and where you’ll go for an upcoming vacation in 2025, versus a very specific itinerary home over the holidays. If you are not flexible on the days and destinations you plan to travel to and you find a flight available at a price you’re comfortable with, “book that trip right now,” French said. “If you wait until Travel Tuesday, then that deal could be gone,” she said. “You don’t want to wait for Travel Tuesday for it to be sold out.” In some cases, it doesn’t hurt to book ahead and keep browsing for potential price drops, experts say. You typically have 24 hours from booking to cancel for a full refund as long, as it’s seven days before a flight’s scheduled departure time, Dengler said. Plus, some airlines don’t have change fees for non-basic economy fares, he said. If those terms are in your favor, “if you see a better deal on Travel Tuesday, simply cancel your current bookings and book the Travel Tuesday offer,” Dengler said. On the flip side, if you’re less tied to specific dates and places, but have a general sense of where and when you want to travel, then holding off until discount days may be worthwhile. “We tend to see the deals do get better and better the closer we are to actual ****** Friday or actual Travel Tuesday,” French said. The biggest takeaway for travelers is to start thinking about what you might want to book, Berg said. “I really encourage travelers to do that exploration now so that on Travel Deal Tuesday, they can be ready to actually book,” she said. Source link #optimize #holiday #travel #budget #Travel #Tuesday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Boeing layoffs so far total nearly 2,200 workers in Washington state Boeing layoffs so far total nearly 2,200 workers in Washington state SEATTLE (AP) — Boeing said in a notice filed with Washington’s Employment Security Department on Monday that it has so far ***** off 2,199 workers in the state, among job cuts that will eventually total about 17,000 across the company. The aerospace giant announced in October that it planned to cut about 10% of its workforce in the coming months as it struggles to recover from financial and regulatory troubles as well as a strike by its machinists that lasted nearly two months. The planned cuts include workers at Boeing facilities across the country, from Washington to Missouri to Arizona to South Carolina, The Seattle Times reported. They also appeared to impact workers in all three of Boeing’s divisions: commercial airplanes, defense and global services. Before the layoff notices delivered last week, Boeing had 66,000 workers in Washington. Among the layoffs so far are notices that went out last week to more than 400 members of Boeing’s professional aerospace labor union, the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, or SPEEA. The workers will remain on the payroll through mid-January. Boeing’s unionized machinists began returning to work earlier this month following the strike. The strike strained Boeing’s finances. But CEO Kelly Ortberg said on an October call with analysts that it did not cause the layoffs, which he described as a result of overstaffing. Boeing, based in Arlington, Virginia, has been in financial trouble since two crashes of its 737 Max jetliner ******* 346 people in 2018 and 2019. The company’s fortunes and reputation took a further hit when a panel blew off the fuselage of an Alaska Airlines plane in January. Production rates slowed to a crawl, and the Federal Aviation Administration capped production of the 737 MAX at 38 planes per month, a threshold Boeing had yet to reach when the machinists’ strike halted assembly lines. Source link #Boeing #layoffs #total #workers #Washington #state Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Xbox’s ****** Friday deals include $50 off select Series X/S consoles Xbox’s ****** Friday deals include $50 off select Series X/S consoles Microsoft has launched Xbox’s ****** Friday 2024 deals online. On the hardware front, players can save $50 on the standard Xbox Series X console through November 23. The same discount will be applied to the standard Xbox Series S console from November 21 through December 2. Select Xbox wireless controllers will be discounted by $10 from November 21 until December 2, and from December 13-22. On the software front, Microsoft said over 1,000 games have been discounted until December 2, with savings of up to 55% on Xbox titles and up to 60% on PC games. In interviews conducted last week, Microsoft’s head of gaming said Xbox “will definitely do more consoles in the future”, and that it’s working on handheld prototypes. Phil Spencer also said he wouldn’t rule out any first-party game coming to PS5 or Switch in the future. Nintendo of Europe has launched its ****** Friday ***** online too. It includes discounts on over 2,000 games, according to the company. Nintendo of America recently revealed a range of upcoming ****** Friday deals, which are expected to go live later this week. And PlayStation’s ****** Friday deals have seemingly leaked early, including significant price cuts for the base PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2 headset. Source link #Xboxs #****** #Friday #deals #include #select #Series #consoles Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

How to optimize your holiday travel budget on ‘Travel Tuesday’ How to optimize your holiday travel budget on ‘Travel Tuesday’ If you still haven’t booked your holiday travel plans, take note: Prices tend to rise the closer you get to the days you’re looking to travel. To afford holiday trips, about 50% of respondents are cutting back on other expenses while 49% are picking up discounts and deals, according to the 2024 Holiday Travel Outlook by Hopper, a travel site. Some last-minute holiday travelers are leaning into so-called “Travel Tuesday” — or the Tuesday after Cyber Monday and ****** Friday — which falls on Dec. 3 this year. Search interest for Travel Tuesday rose more than 500% from 2021 to 2023, according to a recent report by McKinsey and Company. More from Personal Finance: ****** Friday deals aren’t always the best 28% of credit card users are still paying off last year’s holiday tab Here’s who can ‘easily afford’ holiday costs There’s a reason why shoppers are searching for the term. Last year, 83% more deals were offered on Travel Tuesday versus Cyber Monday and 92% more than ****** Friday, according to Hopper data. Yet, there may be some limitations on the deals available, experts say. “The challenge for a lot of people is, ‘Do I wait?'” said Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet. For travelers who are set on specific days and places to visit, the answer might be “no.” “While airlines and online travel agencies are going to offer flight deals on Travel Tuesday, there is no reason to wait,” said Phil Dengler, co-founder of The Vacationer, a travel platform. How much you benefit from potential discounts on Travel Tuesday will depend on your flexibility, experts say. “If you have zero flexibility,” said Hayley Berg, economist at Hopper, then “if you see a good deal before Travel Deal Tuesday, feel free to book it.” How Travel Tuesday works People wait in line for security checkpoints ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. November 22, 2023. Vincent Alban | Reuters Similar to ****** Friday and Cyber Monday sales, Travel Tuesday deals sometimes begin to roll out before the day itself, said Dengler. They might even stretch into the day after. Nonetheless, you will typically need to book the flight, hotel stay or cruise trip by the end of the day in order to reap the benefits, he said. As you shop, make sure to read the fine print in case discounts only apply for certain routes and days, Dengler explained. Retailers often have a limited stock for ****** Friday and Cyber Monday doorbusters. With Travel Tuesday, there may be a limited number of airline seats or hotel rooms, NerdWallet’s French said. “They’re not going to fly two planes on the same route at the same time,” she said. ‘Be ready’ to book Travel Tuesday might be better suited for deciding when and where you’ll go for an upcoming vacation in 2025, versus a very specific itinerary home over the holidays. If you are not flexible on the days and destinations you plan to travel to and you find a flight available at a price you’re comfortable with, “book that trip right now,” French said. “If you wait until Travel Tuesday, then that deal could be gone,” she said. “You don’t want to wait for Travel Tuesday for it to be sold out.” In some cases, it doesn’t hurt to book ahead and keep browsing for potential price drops, experts say. You typically have 24 hours from booking to cancel for a full refund as long, as it’s seven days before a flight’s scheduled departure time, Dengler said. Plus, some airlines don’t have change fees for non-basic economy fares, he said. If those terms are in your favor, “if you see a better deal on Travel Tuesday, simply cancel your current bookings and book the Travel Tuesday offer,” Dengler said. On the flip side, if you’re less tied to specific dates and places, but have a general sense of where and when you want to travel, then holding off until discount days may be worthwhile. “We tend to see the deals do get better and better the closer we are to actual ****** Friday or actual Travel Tuesday,” French said. The biggest takeaway for travelers is to start thinking about what you might want to book, Berg said. “I really encourage travelers to do that exploration now so that on Travel Deal Tuesday, they can be ready to actually book,” she said. Source link #optimize #holiday #travel #budget #Travel #Tuesday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Canva hires Kelly Steckelberg as CFO ahead of expected IPO Canva hires Kelly Steckelberg as CFO ahead of expected IPO Kelly Steckelberg attends as the John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health hosts an Evening from the Heart LA 2022 Gala at Valley Relics Museum on May 05, 2022 in Van Nuys, California. Araya Doheny | Getty Images Canva, a high-valued design software startup that competes with Adobe, said Monday that it hired Kelly Steckelberg as CFO, five years after she helped take Zoom public and then guided the company through its pandemic surge. Founded in 2013, Canva was valued recently at $32 billion, a drop from its peak of $40 billion in 2021. “Kelly’s impressive track record as a strong leader and strategic thinker, combined with her proven expertise in scaling enterprise companies, make her the perfect addition to our leadership bench,” Canva said in an emailed statement. Canva is generating about $2.5 billion in annualized revenue and boasts 220 million monthly users. The company is widely viewed as a top IPO candidate for venture-backed tech companies after a historically slow ******* for new offerings dating back to early 2022. On Monday, ServiceTitan, which sells software for the trades, filed to list on the Nasdaq. Cerebras, a maker of artificial intelligence chips, has been on file since late September, and online lender Klarna said last week that it’s confidentially filed its IPO paperwork with the SEC. A Canva spokesperson declined to comment on the startup’s timeline for an IPO. Steckelberg held financial positions at Cisco and was CEO of online dating company Zoosk before joining Zoom in 2017. Steckelberg is based in Austin, Texas, while Canva has its headquarters in Sydney, Australia. Zoom went public with Steckelberg’s help in 2019. The video-chat company saw its market cap soar to over $160 billion in October 2020, early in the Covid pandemic, as users working from home swarmed to the app. Zoom has since lost more than 85% of its value. Steckelberg announced her departure from Zoom in August after seven years at the company. Last month, former Microsoft executive Michelle Chang replaced Steckelberg as Zoom’s CFO. Canva’s previous finance chief, Damien Singh, resigned in February after the company said it was conducting an internal investigation surrounding inappropriate behavior. WATCH: Zoom deserves another look from investors despite its weak growth Source link #Canva #hires #Kelly #Steckelberg #CFO #ahead #expected #IPO Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Shieldwall Review | TheXboxHub Shieldwall Review | TheXboxHub Review – Shieldwall is an interesting game. While it functions well and offers an enjoyable campaign, the gameplay loop can become repetitive. Source link #Shieldwall #Review #TheXboxHub Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]