Pelican Press

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]

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]

Testimony Resumes in Trial of ******** Immigrant Accused of ******** Georgia Student Laken Riley Testimony Resumes in Trial of ******** Immigrant Accused of ******** Georgia Student Laken Riley ATHENS, Ga. (AP) – Testimony resumed Monday in the trial of the man accused of ******** Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, a case that became a flashpoint in the national debate over immigration during this year’s presidential campaign. Jose Ibarra, who entered the U.S. illegally two years ago, is charged with ******* and other ******* in Riley’s February ********. He waived his right to a jury trial, meaning Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard will hear and decide his case. The trial began Friday with testimony from Riley’s roommates and from law enforcement officers. Prosecutor Sheila Ross used security and doorbell camera video, as well as data from Riley’s watch and phone, to establish a timeline of the 22-year-old student’s final moments. Ross said during her opening statement that Ibarra encountered Riley while she was running on the University of Georgia campus and ******* her during a struggle. Riley was a student at Augusta University College of Nursing, which also has a campus in Athens, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) east of Atlanta. Defense attorney Dustin Kirby said in his opening that Riley’s ****** was a tragedy and called the evidence in the case graphic and disturbing. But he said there is not sufficient evidence to prove that his client ******* Riley. The ******** added fuel to the national debate over immigration when federal authorities said Ibarra illegally entered the U.S. in 2022 and was allowed to stay in the country while he pursued his immigration case. Riley’s parents, roommates and other friends and family packed the courtroom on Friday and again on Monday. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Source link #Testimony #Resumes #Trial #******** #Immigrant #Accused #******** #Georgia #Student #Laken #Riley Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Target-Exclusive Disney Villain Icons Lego Set Is On ***** For A Limited Time Target-Exclusive Disney Villain Icons Lego Set Is On ***** For A Limited Time Target’s current batch of early ****** Friday Lego deals includes the very cool Disney Villain Icons display model commemorating Disney’s 100th anniversary. Exclusive to Target and the Lego Store, this 1,540-piece kit will appeal to older Disney fans, especially those who grew up watching the classic animated movies on VHS. You can get the Disney Villain Icons building set for $104 (was $130). Best Disney Lego Deals Check out more Disney Lego deals at Amazon, Walmart, and Target below. Walmart is offering a big discount on large-scale Royal Clamshell Lego set based on The Little Mermaid, and Amazon has The Enchanted Treehouse for $40 off. This one includes 13 Disney Princess mini-dolls. Lego Disney Villain Icons (1,540 pieces) $91 ($130) Lego Disney Villain Icons for Disney 100th Anniversary With over 1,500 pieces, you can assemble two VHS cases referencing Disney’s Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty, a non-functioning VHS tape of The Little Mermaid, a book representing Beauty and the ******, a Queen of Hearts playing card for Alice in Wonderland, a (non) poisonous apple for Snow White, and a pocket watch representing Captain ***** from Peter Pan. There are even a few hidden details here, and once completed, this will fit on your bookshelf as a retro-themed piece of Lego art. For minifigures, you’ll get Maleficent in her witch and disguise forms, Gaston, and Jafar. Source link #TargetExclusive #Disney #Villain #Icons #Lego #Set #***** #Limited #Time 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 Trump Media in reported talks to buy crypto trading platform Bakkt, sending shares soaring Source link #Trump #Media #reported #talks #buy #crypto #trading #platform #Bakkt #sending #shares #soaring Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Homophobic ****** of mum-to-be Kerr condemned by fans Homophobic ****** of mum-to-be Kerr condemned by fans Homophobic ****** targeting Matildas captain Sam Kerr and her pregnant fiancee Kristie Mewis has been condemned by the Chelsea Pride LGBTQ+ supporters group. Source link #Homophobic #****** #mumtobe #Kerr #condemned #fans Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

With landmark ‘Inside the NBA’ trade, ESPN and boss Jimmy Pitaro win big With landmark ‘Inside the NBA’ trade, ESPN and boss Jimmy Pitaro win big One of the trademarks of ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro’s era is being unbound by how things have been done in the past at the network. The idea that Bristol, the birthplace of ESPN, has to be the epicenter of the network is now a yesteryear idea. When Pitaro aims for the biggest names on his air, he doesn’t care who produces them or from where, just that they are on ESPN’s platforms. Pitaro brought in Peyton Manning with a work-from-home arrangement in Denver for the “Manningcast” alternative broadcasts to “Monday Night Football.” He lured Joe Buck and Troy Aikman from Fox to MNF with the promise of millions and remaining together. Pitaro allowed Pat McAfee to keep control of his show from Indianapolis, while ESPN, now in its mid-40s, received a direct line to the young target audience it craves. With Amazon Prime Video and NBC Sports entering the NBA, Pitaro wanted to finally solve the issue of ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” failing to be as good as rival **** Sports’ iconic “Inside the NBA.” He wanted Charles Barkley, the famed “Inside” analyst, on ESPN’s air. The Pulse Newsletter Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox. Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox. Sign Up Three weeks ago, according to sources briefed on the discussions, Pitaro called Luis Silberwasser, his counterpart at **** Sports, and told him, essentially: We can solve each other’s problems. **** had contested its ******** to retain NBA games by suing the league and demanding Prime Video’s package. It was never going to happen, so the league and **** Sports’ parent company were moving forward on a way forward. Still, “Inside the NBA” needed a regular home around the league’s games. This is where Pitaro stepped in. In one of the landmark trades in sports media history, officially announced Monday, Pitaro has brought in Barkley and friends in exchange for 13 Big 12 football games and 15 Big 12 basketball games. No money is being exchanged between the sides, according to sources briefed on the deal. The agreement is for six seasons. **** Sports needs the inventory, though the games will not be the top ones from the conference. **** Sports has not folded since losing the NBA. Besides keeping a relationship with the league that will result in hundreds of millions in profits, it also has first-round College Football Playoff games, with an opportunity to license more from ESPN. It has also added tennis’ French Open, Big East hoops and NASCAR. Starting next year, Barkley and studio host Ernie Johnson Jr. will lead ESPN’s big-game NBA coverage for opening night, Christmas Day, the ABC regular-season games (primarily on Saturday after college football) and throughout the playoffs, and the NBA Finals. When ABC doesn’t have the space for the postgame, it will shift over to ESPN. ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” moves down to No. 2 in the order. “Inside the NBA” will emanate from ****’s Atlanta studios with **** producers. There is no reason to think it will sound different. Though fellow analyst Shaquille O’Neal still needs a new contract, he has indicated to top decision-makers he wants to stay with the band. Analyst Kenny Smith, with no other options, is not going anywhere. Barkley and Johnson are under contract. It is a win for everybody, except maybe Amazon Prime Video and NBC, the new kids on the TV block next season. They wanted Barkley and company, but Pitaro beat them by going to Silberwasser. ESPN’s Jimmy Pitaro, at the 2023 ESPYs. (Kirby Lee / USA Today) After losing the NBA to Amazon and NBC, **** Sports’ David Zaslav invoked matching rights on the Prime Video deal. There was no real expectation that **** would claw back games, but it was a pain in the Naismith for the NBA. A trial could have led to a discovery process that the NBA likely didn’t want to go through. Instead, **** Sports stays in business with the league with game rights in places like Norway and Poland and the ability to use House of Highlights as a ***** hose for the league’s best plays around the world. It figures to make hundreds of millions on the deal — $70 million per year over the first five seasons, according to sources briefed on the contract — and can say it is still in the NBA business over the next 11 years. So give **** Sports a “W” after taking the major “L” of losing the game rights in the States. Pitaro needed this win on his NBA coverage. Next year, NBC will start strong with Mike Tirico and Noah Eagle as its play-by-players. Amazon already has agreed with the best basketball game caller, Ian Eagle. ESPN fumbled after its poor decision to ***** Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson from its top NBA team and replace them with the coaches-in-waiting Doc Rivers and JJ Redick. Now, it is waiting to see if it will add Richard Jefferson, Jay Bilas or Tim Legler or stay pat with Mike Breen and Doris Burke. There is still more for Pitaro to fix. ESPN’s “Countdown” has been a misguided show forever, never nailing the ending. Though Stephen A. Smith might still be the network’s biggest star, a pregame show focusing on his entrance into a New York Knicks playoff game last year is something the “Inside the NBA” crew would skew with flair. Smith can’t lead every show, which is a mistake for the network and him when they try to program that way. But ESPN producers have ******* to ever counter “Inside the NBA.” This has led to Pitaro fortifying from the outside. This is now the Pitaro playbook. He pursued Manning forever before handing him the keys to outsource with Omaha Productions and work from the remote office of his choice. McAfee’s show might not work on linear TV, but he is socially relevant and has leaped to another level on “College GameDay” this season. Buck and Aikman are largely recognized as the best broadcast duo in the NFL. Now, Pitaro has brought in Charles, Ernie, Shaq and Kenny. They are first-name-only guys in the NBA. ****’s iconic show ******** the same, just on another channel. Since that network is ESPN, Pitaro won. GO DEEPER ‘Inside the NBA’ moving to ABC and ESPN as ****, NBA settle suit (Top photo of “Inside the NBA” panelists Ernie Johnson Jr., Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley: Mike Kirschbaum / NBAE via Getty Images) Source link #landmark #NBA #trade #ESPN #boss #Jimmy #Pitaro #win #big Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

*********’s Creed Syndicate’s 4K 60 FPS Update is Now Live *********’s Creed Syndicate’s 4K 60 FPS Update is Now Live Ubisoft has released a new update for *********’s Creed Syndicate, introducing a resolution and performance boost for PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X/S. *********’s Creed Syndicate 4K 60 FPS Update Thanks to the latest update, Ubisoft’s 2015 title, *********’s Creed Syndicate, now features 4K 60 fps modes for the PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X. The Xbox Series S also has received a 60 fps mode, but its resolution is limited to 1080p. This free update will require 750 MB of storage on the PS5/PS5 Pro and 31.8 GB of storage on the Xbox Series X/S consoles. About *********’s Creed Syndicate *********’s Creed Syndicate transports players to London during the Industrial Revolution in 1868. In this game, you take on the roles of twin assassins Jacob and Evie Frye who are fighting to free London from the Templars. There are also sections of the game that follow Lydia Frye, Jacob’s granddaughter. *********’s Creed Syndicate features a fast-paced, dynamic combat system where players can perform multi-****** and counterattacks to defeat enemies. Players can utilize various stealth weapons and tools to do their bidding, including a rope launcher, the Hidden Blade, a kukri ******, brass knuckles, and more. The game’s Victorian London setting is an open-world environment that allows players to explore how they see fit while also encountering historical figures such as Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, and Queen Victoria, among others. With the arrival of systemic vehicles, players can drive carriages, engage in battles on top of high-speed trains, and navigate the River Thames using boats. Players also have handy parkour skills to help them traverse the city. In other news, Ubisoft clarified rumours about the *********’s Creed Animus Hub. Also, the *********’s Creed Shadows boss has revealed why the game was delayed. What are your thoughts on *********’s Creed Syndicate’s 4K 60 fps update? Let us know in the comments or our new community forum! For more from Insider Gaming, read about Hitman WOA’s PS VR2 launch being delayed to March 2025. Don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Assassins #Creed #Syndicates #FPS #Update #Live Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

E. Coli Outbreak Across At Least 18 States Causes Organic Carrot Recall E. Coli Outbreak Across At Least 18 States Causes Organic Carrot Recall Here’s what we know and which stores sold the impacted vegetables. Before you serve up a veggie tray to your holiday guests, start a batch of roasted carrot soup, or bake a carrot cake, check your carrots. That’s because there is a massive recall underway of baby carrots and organic whole carrots sold at grocery stores across the South and the rest of the country. Grimmway Farms, a large California carrot grower that sells to grocery stores across the country, has issued the recall after a possible outbreak of E. coli that has already ******* one person. The recall of packaged organic carrots was issued on Saturday after nearly 40 cases of illness were recorded in 18 states. At least 15 people were hospitalized and one person has *****, the Centers for ******** Control and Prevention said. “State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got *****,” the U.S. Food and ***** Administration said Sunday. “Of the 27 people interviewed, 26 reported eating carrots. The FDA’s traceback investigation identified Grimmway Farms as the common supplier of organic whole and baby carrots in this outbreak. The carrots were sold in stores across the country, including Puerto Rico. If you picked up carrots at Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, Publix, Food Lion, Target, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe’s be sure to check the brand and the best-if-used-by date. The recalled baby carrots had best-if-used by dates from 9/11/2024 to 11/12/2024 and brands include 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Grimmway Farms, Marketside, Nature’s Promise, O-Organic, President’s Choice, Raley’s, Simple Truth, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Wholesome Pantry. The recalled whole organic carrots don’t have best-buy dates, but were available for purchase in stores approximately from 8/14/2024 through 10/23/2024, per the CDC. Brands included in the recall are 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Marketside, Nature’s Promise, O-Organic, President’s Choice, Simple Truth, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Wholesome Pantry If you have any recalled carrots from Grimmway in your home (I did!), the CDC recommends throwing them out or returning them to the store. Source link #Coli #Outbreak #States #Organic #Carrot #Recall Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Iga Swiatek finds Billie Jean King Cup joy, ATP Tour Finals sets up *********** Open draw Iga Swiatek finds Billie Jean King Cup joy, ATP Tour Finals sets up *********** Open draw Welcome back to the Monday Tennis Briefing, where The Athletic will explain the stories behind the stories from the past week on court. This week, Jannik Sinner further stamped his authority on men’s tennis by winning the ATP Tour Finals against Taylor ******. Elsewhere, the Billie Jean King Cup took center stage on the women’s tour and Nick Kyrgios announced his return to the sport. If you’d like to follow our fantastic tennis coverage, click here. The end to a season Iga Swiatek needed? She split with her coach, breaking up a partnership that won four Grand Slams. She lost her No. 1 ranking to Aryna Sabalenka. She lost a match to Coco Gauff, in a rivalry she leads 12-2. Then Iga Swiatek went to the Billie Jean King Cup in Malaga to play team tennis for Poland and got back on track. She battled back from dropping several healthy leads against Linda Noskova, who knocked her out of the *********** Open in January, then walked on court 30 minutes after that with Katarzyna Kawa for a 6-2, 6-4 win over Marie Bouzkova and doubles world No. 1 Katerina Siniakova to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 and move into the semifinals. Swiatek skipped the past two editions to recover from the WTA Tour Finals. A flourish of wins and camaraderie in Malaga appears to be just what the doctor ordered at the start of her new partnership with Wim Fissette. GO DEEPER Emotional intelligence, data, and tough love: Who is Wim Fissette the coach? Matt Futterman Will rankings help Great Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup? Great Britain’s doubles players Heather Watson and Olivia Nicholls have been spectators at the Billie Jean King Cup. Britain have beaten Germany and 2023 champions Canada 2-0 with all four victories in straight sets — thanks to the excellent performances of singles players Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu. The pair are No. 24 and No. 58 in the world but their rankings would be closer were it not for Raducanu’s various injuries over the last few years. They play to a very similar level and both raise their game in a team environment. Emma Raducanu has thrived in the Billie Jean King Cup in 2024. (Fran Santiago / Getty Images for ITF) Great Britain’s singles team effectively features two players worthy of top singles billing, a handy advantage when the second-tier players by world ranking go head-to-head in the opening rubber of a tie. Raducanu led off for Great Britain against Germany and Canada and was a level above her opponent. She thrashed world No. 91 Jule Niemeier 6-2, 6-2 in the win over Germany on Friday and then beat Canada’s world No. 103 Rebecca Marino 6-0, 7-5. Boulter followed up with straight-sets victories of her own. Next up for Britain is a semifinal on Tuesday against Team USA’s conquerors Slovakia, with world No. 41 Rebecca Sramkova in remarkable form. If Boulter and Raducanu keep playing the way they are then Watson and Nicholls will remain as active on the Malaga match court as the rest of us watching. GO DEEPER Emma Raducanu has done all-or-nothing tennis. Now, can she just play? Charlie Eccleshare How do the ATP Tour Finals affect the *********** Open? The biggest knock-on from the men’s tour finals to the first Grand Slam of 2025 probably happened before the event started in Turin, Italy. When Novak Djokovic decided not to play — and to relinquish his 1,300 ranking points as defending champion — he sealed his fate of falling outside the top four seeds in Melbourne, making him a pretty nightmarish quarterfinal opponent for anyone in that top four if he goes deep in Australia, the major he has won more than any other. The rest of men’s tennis has roughly two months to obsess about how far ahead of them Jannik Sinner is. Carlos Alcaraz is excused after beating Sinner three times out of three in 2024 and winning the two majors that Sinner did not, but the Italian’s destruction of the field on Turin’s hard court made plain what all of them have sensed: the era of tennis as chess is on hiatus. Casper Ruud, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, has declared himself a dinosaur at 25. “I’m not going to start playing a different style of tennis now,” he said in a news conference in Turin. “I need to flatten out the shots more. From defense, especially on hard court, I need to take a bit more risk.” A few other strays: Alex de Minaur knows he needs to take a break and get healthy. Taylor ****** is going to feel very good about a potential match-up with Alexander Zverev. Alcaraz will kiss the ground knowing that he will be playing an outdoor tournament. GO DEEPER Jannik Sinner wins ATP Tour Finals with serve masterclass against Taylor ****** Matt Futterman What does Nick Kyrgios have in store for tennis? While the best players in the world were duking it out in Turin last week, Nick Kyrgios announced that his on-court comeback is imminent. Kyrgios hasn’t played competitively since reaching the 2022 U.S. Open quarterfinals because of serious knee and wrist injuries, but he has pencilled in a return to tennis at next month’s Brisbane International, one of the tune-up tournaments for the *********** Open. Kyrgios, 29, also intends to compete at his home Grand Slam in January. “This is probably the best I’ve felt in two years,” Kyrgios said in an interview with *********** broadcaster 9News as he announced his comeback. “It was a 15 percent chance that I was going to get back to playing at this level and here we are. “To get back out there in front of the home fans is going to be *****.” Kyrgios, who also reached the Wimbledon final and won the men’s doubles at the *********** Open in 2022, may struggle to make a major impact straight away, but he could play a big part in Melbourne as a disruptor; no one will want to face him in front of his home fans in the early rounds. Some of the wider tennis community will also have misgivings about his return. In early 2023, Kyrgios pleaded guilty to assaulting former girlfriend Chiara Passari in 2021, but was not convicted. In March this year, he suggested in a post on X that Sinner should be “gone for two years” following his two positive tests for clostebol, an anabolic steroid; in September 2024, Kyrgios was criticized for writing “second serve” under a picture of himself and Sinner’s girlfriend, top-20 WTA player Anna Kalinskaya. Ridiculous – whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance… you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream…. Yeah nice — Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 20, 2024 Kyrgios, who has been praised for his analysis as a broadcaster for ESPN and the BBC at the Grand Slam tournaments during his lay-off — including interviewing WTA players on court in post-match interviews — was fined $10,000 in 2015 after on-court microphones picked up the *********** telling Stan Wawrinka that Thanasi Kokkinakis had “banged his girlfriend” during a Rogers Cup match in Montreal, Canada. Kyrgios later apologized for the remark on Facebook, writing: “My comments were made in the heat of the moment and were unacceptable on many levels.” Charlie Eccleshare Shot of the week Viktoria Hruncakova slingshotting Slovakia into the last four in Malaga. Power Unbelievable shot from Hruncakova#BJKCup pic.twitter.com/sGrNuVFLdG — Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) November 17, 2024 Recommended reading: The winners of the week ATP: Jannik Sinner (1) def. Taylor ****** (5) 6-4, 6-4 to win the ATP Tour Finals in Turin. It is the Italian’s eighth title of 2024. Kevin Krawietz / Tim Puetz (8) def. Marcelo Arevalo / Mate Pavic (1) 7-6(5), 7-6(6) to win the ATP Tour Finals in Turin. It is the ******* pair’s third ATP title together. Alexander Blockx def. Jurij Rodionov 6-3, 6-1 to win the Hyogo Noah Challenger (Challenger 100) in Kobe, Japan. It is the Belgian’s first ATP title. Ethan Quinn def. Nishesh Basavareddy 6-3, 6-1 to win the Paine Schwartz Partners Challenger (Challenger 75) in Champaign, Il. It is the *********’s first ATP title. On the rise / Down the line ****** moves up one place to No. 4 in the world, a career-high ranking, while Casper Ruud moves up to No. 6 ahead of Novak Djokovic. Caroline Garcia benefits from compatriot Diane Parry dropping 56 ranking points, moving up one place and returning to the top 50. Blockx reaches a career-high of No. 204, up 45 places from No. 249. Daniil Medvedev falls one place from No. 4 to No. 5; Djokovic falls from No. 6 to No. 7. Harriet Dart drops out of the top 100, falling 13 places from No. 88 to No. 101. Coming up ATP Malaga, Spain: Davis Cup featuring Rafael Nadal, Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor ******. Rovereto, Italy: Citta’ Di Rovereto (Challenger 100) featuring Borna Coric, Martin Landaluce, Luca Nardi, Dino Prizmic. Montemar, Spain: Il Montemar (Challenger 75) featuring Fabio Fognini, Sumit Nagal, Pablo Carreno Busta, Albert Ramos-Vinolas. ***: Sky Sports; U.S.: Tennis Channel Tennis TV, Challenger TV WTA Malaga, Spain: Billie Jean King Cup featuring Iga Swiatek, Emma Raducanu, Jasmine Paolini, Rebecca Sramkova. Colina, Chile: LP Open (125) featuring Robin Montgomery, Mayar Sherif, Suzan Lamens, Chloe Paquet. Charleston, South Carolina: Fifth Third Charleston (125), featuring Renata Zarazua, Alycia Parks, Iva Jovic, Varvara Lepchenko. WTA Unlocked Tell us what you noticed this week in the comments below as the men’s and women’s tours continue. (Top photo: Angel Martinez / Getty Images; Design: Eamonn Dalton) Source link #Iga #Swiatek #finds #Billie #Jean #King #Cup #joy #ATP #Tour #Finals #sets #*********** #Open #draw Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

2024 Game of the Year Nominations Signal the Fall of Nintendo Right Before Switch 2 Release 2024 Game of the Year Nominations Signal the Fall of Nintendo Right Before Switch 2 Release As games make their way to the end of 2024, they are eagerly waiting for the announcement of the year’s biggest honor: the Game of the Year (GOTY) nominations. For years, if not winning, Nintendo has made the list with its original titles. However, as the 2024 nominees were revealed, there was a surprising absence: not a single Nintendo title. The GOTY list for 2024 has been revealed and it has been making buzz. | Image Credit: Game Science’s ****** Myth Wukong The 2024 GOTY nominations are dominated by titles from other major studios with even the indie darling Balatro securing a spot. With the Switch 2 set to debut soon, this absence is a worrying sign for a company that has long been synonymous with innovative gaming experiences. Is this the beginning of the end of Nintendo’s reign as a gaming powerhouse? A Historic Omission Of Nintendo From The Game of the Year Nominations Players are surprised to see no Nintendo Titles in the nomination list. | Image Credit: Team Asobi’s Astro **** Historically, Nintendo has always been in the talk of GOTY conversations, with titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons earning widespread acclaim. However, it seems the company’s reliance on safe, well-established franchises has begun to backfire. While it’s clear that Nintendo games continue to sell well and maintain a loyal fanbase across the globe, many critics argue that the company has ******* to sustain the cultural highs it once reached. One of the reasons behind this shift is likely the delay of the Switch 2, which still has not been officially announced. It seems like the company wants to stick to its formula of beloved sequels and remasters, emphasizing family-friendly, nostalgia-driven content. This approach may no longer be enough as shown with the GOTY 2024 nominations. Meanwhile, the rest of the industry has continued to look forward with ambitious, new titles pushing the boundaries of storytelling and technology. The nominees for GAME OF THE YEAR at #TheGameAwards on December 12. Vote Now: pic.twitter.com/75AZeqo6KS — The Game Awards (@thegameawards) November 18, 2024 From ****** Myth: Wukong showing that a ******** Studio can create AAA titles to Balatro, an indie title that is considered a dark horse, none of these are Nintendo exclusives. In fact, all of the nominated titles have shown that pushing the boundaries of conventional gaming is the only way a studio can achieve true success. The Super Mario franchise, The Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon still dominate the revenue charts, but the company has yet to release a new game in recent years that matches the level of innovation seen in its prime. It’s time for the once-innovative company to stop worrying about others stealing their IPs and focus on creating new ones. Otherwise, the omission of its title from the GOTY list won’t be a surprise in the following years, instead, it may become a trend. The Bad News Hitting At a Critical Point The company needs to step up otherwise not being able to make the GOTY list will become common. | Image Credit: FromSoftware’s Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree This news comes at a very critical time. The hype for the much-anticipated Switch 2 is growing and as the company slowly releases information about the much-anticipated console, this GOTY news will sting a lot. The original Switch, despite being one of the best-selling consoles of all time, has aged significantly. Many fans were hoping for a successor to breathe new life into the company’s offerings, but the delay of the Switch 2 has left many questioning the company’s ability to innovate in the same way it did in the past. For now, the 2024 Game of the Year nominations should serve as a wake-up call for the company. While its legacy as the king of innovative and beloved franchises ******** intact, the absence from this year’s nominations shows the pressure the company has to face if it wants to evolve with the times. In the end, only time will tell if the Switch 2 will mark a return to form for Nintendo, or if the company will be forced to accept that its era of being at the top has ended. Either way, the 2024 GOTY nominations have made one thing very clear: innovation is the key to success. Source link #Game #Year #Nominations #Signal #Fall #Nintendo #Switch #Release Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

New lunar map can help guide future sample return missions New lunar map can help guide future sample return missions 1:3M mapping (originally mapped at 1:200,000) of a portion of the Orientale basin. Credit: The Planetary Science Journal (2024). DOI 10.3847/PSJ/ad862f Billions of years ago, a giant asteroid struck the moon with so much energy that it melted rock until it was super-heated and white-hot, or what scientists call impact melt. This eventually cooled and hardened, creating a multi-ringed impact crater that is known today as Orientale basin. Having samples of impact melt is valuable because scientists can use laboratory techniques to determine the exact time of the melt’s solidification, and therefore the age of the impact. The problem is, geologic processes after impact—such as lava flows and smaller impacts—have ******* and mixed up much of the original impact melt. But parsing out the impact crater from which a rock originated is worth the effort because that knowledge can help scientists understand how the impact rate changed throughout the solar system’s history, as well as how impacts shaped the moon, Earth, and early life on our planet. Planetary Science Institute Research Scientist Kirby Runyon is a lead author on a paper published in The Planetary Science Journal and containing a new high-resolution geologic map of Orientale basin that attempts to identify the original basin impact melt. The hope is that future researchers will use this map to target sample return missions and pin down impact dates for this and other impact basins. “We chose to map Orientale basin because it’s simultaneously old and young,” Runyon said. “We think it’s about 3.8 billion years old, which is young enough to still have its impact melt freshly exposed at the surface, yet old enough to have accumulated large impact craters on top of it as well, complicating the picture. We chose to map Orientale to test melt-identification strategies for older, more degraded impact basins whose ages we’d like to know.” The map uses BFsc—shorthand for smooth, cracked basin floor material—to map original, unpolluted impact melt from Orientale basin’s formation. Those rocks record the age of Orientale basin, and parts of this melt ******** would have been ******* beneath other geologic units, such as the lava flows mapped in red. Stars mark rims and debris from smaller impact craters that have unearthed previously ******* Orientale melt. So, if rocks from starred locations turn out to be the same age as rocks from the BFsc areas, geologists know they can rely on rocks from similar small craters in other, more degraded basins to record the ages of those basins’ formation. ‘Earth’s attic’ Earth’s early impact record from its first billion years—about 4.5 to 3.5 billion years ago—has been erased by shifting continents, water, weather and the general disturbance by living things. In fact, Earth itself is 4.5 billion years old, while most of its surface rocks are less than about a half-billion years old. In contrast, most of the moon’s surface rocks are older than about 2.5 billion years. Luckily, the moon is close enough in the solar system that scientists can infer that the rate of impacts that happened there was likely the same for Earth, scaled for Earth’s larger size and higher gravity. “The moon is sort of like Earth’s attic in terms of preserving the impact records; it’s the only place where we can get Earth’s baby photos,” Runyon said. “The moon is so nearby to us that its impact record is a reliable proxy record for early Earth’s, and we can scale impact statistics to have some reasonable approximation for what Earth’s first billion years were like, impact-wise. Earth has more gravity and we’re *******, so we would have gotten hit a little more often and ******* than the moon.” Understanding Earth’s early environment is key to understanding when and even how life first arose on Earth. “Giant impacts—like the one that formed Orientale—can vaporize an ocean and ***** any life that had already started,” Runyon said. “Some recent modeling has shown that we probably never totally sterilized Earth during these big impacts, but we don’t know for sure. At some point, our oceans could have been vaporized from impacts, then recondensed and rained out repeatedly. If that happened a number of times, it’s only after the last time that life could have gotten a foothold.” Runyon and his co-authors hope that their mapping method can be used in other impact basins across the moon so that future sample return missions could test this approach by sampling rocks from areas similar to those highlighted on their map. “If samples collected from any of the starred areas on our map are the same age as samples collected from the BFsc areas that denote original impact melt, then we have confidence that we can apply the impact melt sampling technique to other basins,” Runyon said. More information: Kirby Runyon et al, Orientale Basin as a Guide for Identifying Lunar Basin Datable Impact Melt and Assessing Impact Melt Differentiation, The Planetary Science Journal (2024). DOI: 10.3847/PSJ/ad862f. iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/PSJ/ad862f Provided by Planetary Science Institute Citation: New lunar map can help guide future sample return missions (2024, November 18) retrieved 18 November 2024 from This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only. Source link #lunar #map #guide #future #sample #return #missions Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

The PS5 Pro is surprisingly efficient — 30% performance uplift while operating at nearly the same power draw as the base PS5 The PS5 Pro is surprisingly efficient — 30% performance uplift while operating at nearly the same power draw as the base PS5 Digital Foundry tested the PlayStation 5 Pro’s power consumption and discovered some surprising results. According to its three-way discussion piece on YouTube featuring Richard Leadbetter, John Linneman, and Oliver Mackenzie, the PlayStation 5 Pro consumes practically no additional power than the base PS5, despite featuring a significantly more powerful GPU. Digital Foundry tested the PS5 Pro in Elden Ring, Spider-Man 2, and F1 24. All three games were compared to the launch model of the PS5, the refreshed variant dubbed the PS5 Slim, and the Pro model, with the Pro running the Pro-exclusive version of all three games with enhanced graphical capabilities. PS5 Pro Power Consumption Tested vs PS5 Slim vs Launch PS5 – YouTube Watch On Elden Ring saw the PS5 Pro operating at virtually identical power draw to the PS5 Slim. In one instance of the video, the Pro model operated at 214.1 watts of power consumption, the PS5 Slim model at 216.2 watts, and the PS5 Launch model at 201.3 watts. Frame rates were inevitably much higher on the Pro, operating at 52 FPS, the PS5 Slim at 40 FPS, and the PS5 launch model at 37 FPS. (The frame rate variance between the Slim and launch models should be taken lightly, as the information displayed was taken from one snapshot of Digital Foundry’s benchmark run. Both consoles are the same in terms of performance.) Effectively, the PS5 Pro was operating at the same power as the PS5 Slim, while providing a 30% higher frame rate. Spider-Man 2 showed a slightly different story due to the game being locked to 60 FPS on all three consoles. In the same scenario, the PS5 Pro yielded the highest wattage at 232 watts, the PS5 Slim at 218.2 watts, and the PS5 launch model at 208.1 watts. In Spider-Man 2, the Pro consumed 6% more power than the PS5 Slim and 11% more power than the launch version. There were no comparisons for the F1 24 title, but Digital Foundry showed the PS5 Pro operating at around 235 watts in-game, locked at 60FPS. Note the launch model and Slim should not be taken lightly; power consumption can change based on silicon quality, which explains why the Slim is performing worse than the launch model. Variance in silicon quality means that certain consoles can operate at their advertised CPU clock speeds at lower voltages compared to others. Digital Foundry’s testing confirmed that the PS5 Pro operates at very similar power consumption targets as the base PS5 models, despite featuring a significantly more powerful GPU. This came as a surprise to Digital Foundry, who thought the console might consume upwards of 300 watts. The PS5 Pro is armed with an 8-core Zen 2 CPU and a 16.7 TFLOP capable RDNA-based GPU, with 576 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The regular PS5 models ship with the same CPU (though CPU clocks could be different) but with a significantly weaker 10.28 TFLOP RDNA-based GPU, featuring and 448 GB/s of memory bandwidth. Get Tom’s Hardware’s best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Source link #PS5 #Pro #surprisingly #efficient #performance #uplift #operating #power #draw #base #PS5 Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Undersea cable between Germany and Finland severed Undersea cable between Germany and Finland severed Germany and Finland say they are “deeply concerned” after an undersea cable linking the countries was severed. The rupture of the 1,170km (730-mile) telecommunications cable – which is being investigated – comes at a time of heightened tension with Russia. The two countries’ foreign ministers said in a ****** statement: “Our ********* security is not only under threat from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors.” Damage to pipelines in the Baltic Sea has raised fears of sabotage in recent years. In October 2023 a natural gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was severely damaged. Finnish officials later said the incident had been caused by a ******** container ship dragging its anchor. And ******* prosecutors are still investigating the ********** of Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany in 2022. There have been *********** theories around that *******, with unconfirmed rumours that either the Ukrainian, Russian or US government was behind it. The latest incident involves a C-Lion1 fibreoptic cable linking the Finnish capital, Helsinki and the ******* city of Rostock. Finnish network operator Cinia said all fibre connections in it had been cut. “These kinds of breaks don’t happen in these waters without an outside impact,” a Cinia spokesperson told local media. Samuli Bergstrom, a Finnish government cybersecurity expert, said the ******** had not affected internet traffic between the two countries as other cable routes were available. Source link #Undersea #cable #Germany #Finland #severed Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]