******** Tank’s Active Protection System Seen Intercepting Drone-Fired Rocket Propelled Grenade
******** Tank’s Active Protection System Seen Intercepting Drone-Fired Rocket Propelled Grenade
A recently emerged video shows testing of the ******** GL-6 active protection system (APS), including against a drone-launched rocket-propelled grenade. High-angle top-down attacks are particularly threatening to tanks and other armored vehicles and can present challenges for many APSs. The footage also highlights the potential of hard-kill APSs to provide a valuable additional layer of defense against uncrewed aerial threats, including highly maneuverable first-person view (FPV) kamikaze drones, something TWZ has previously explored in an in-depth feature.
The video of the GL-6 testing, seen below, first began circulating on social media yesterday after being broadcast by state-run television outlets in China. The footage shows variants of the Soviet-designed RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade, or of the ******** copy, the Type 69, being fired at a Type 96 tank, or at least the turret from one, fitted with the APS. The rocket-propelled grenades are seen fired from a commercial-style hexacopter drone, as well as a test fixture at ground level. One clip notably shows the GL-6 engage a top-down threat and then quickly shift to respond to one coming in laterally.
China’s GL-6 active protection system (APS) tests has been released.
The program includes intercepting top-down and horizontal attacks.
The GL-6 system is designed to counter various threats, including ATGMs and RPGs, even those launched from drones. pic.twitter.com/w8Pwg9126v
— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 7, 2025
At its core, the GL-6 consists of two main components, turreted launchers that fire projectiles with explosive warheads and an array of small radars to detect incoming threats and cue turrets to engage them. Many hard-kill APS designs on the market globally, such as the combat-proven Trophy from Israel’s Rafael, use some combination of projectiles designed to destroy or at least disrupt their targets and associated sensor arrays. Israeli firms have been and continue to be particular pioneers in this space.
Detailed shots of the
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VT4A1 tank vehicle APS (Active Protection System) exhibited by China North Industries Corporation at the Defense Military and Police Exhibition (IDEAS) in Karachi, Pakistan
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pic.twitter.com/8zB5HcHGjg
— Sajawal Rana (@Saju__302) November 18, 2022
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Footage from testing of China’s GL-6 active protection system
The system is used to protect PLA armored vehicles from infrared- or laser-guided anti-tank missiles and other precision-guided munitions capable of penetrating armor. pic.twitter.com/BNXCwDSSBJ
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) November 17, 2024
The GL-6’s turrets are designed to allow for high-angle engagements against top-down threats. ******** media reports say that the system is capable of defending against anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), infantry anti-armor rockets, rocket-propelled grenades, and uncrewed aerial threats like loitering munitions.
The GL-6 is not new, having been seen publicly displayed since at least 2022. There is evidence that it has been tested, if not fielded on several ******** armored vehicles already. This includes the Type 99/ZTZ-99 main battle tank and a new infantry fighting vehicle capable of being air-dropped that first emerged last year, the official designation of which is not yet known. It is also being offered for export, including as an option for the VT-4A1 main battle tank.
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#China has modernized the Type 99 main battle tank (ZTZ-99).
The tank is equipped with a new GL-6 active protection system against anti-tank missiles and high-explosive fragmentation shells. The GL-6 includes two launchers and four threat detection radars. pic.twitter.com/H23tpIkOlH
— OSINT Expert (@OsintExperts) September 28, 2024
Hard-kill APSs are already becoming an ever more common feature on tanks and other heavy armored vehicles in armed around the world just due to threats posed by the steady proliferation of increasingly more capable ATGMs and other infantry anti-armor weapons. Within this, there has also been work to expand the ability of APSs to tackle threats with specialized top-down-attack capabilities, as well as typical lateral attack profiles. A prime example of the former is the U.S. TOW 2B anti-tank missile, which has a tandem warhead that detonates downward as it passes over its target.
There is also just the danger of enemy forces using high ground to launch high-angle top-down attacks, especially in dense urban environments. The tops of tanks and other armored vehicles are typically their most vulnerable points and their crews often have limited situational awareness even in open field conditions, especially if they are buttoned up inside the hull for added protection.
In addition, as noted, the new GL-6 testing footage highlights the additional role defensive systems could play against similarly expanding dangers posed by uncrewed aerial systems. Drones, especially highly maneuverable maneuverable FPV kamikaze types, can be used to conduct both top-down and lower-angle attacks.
Though the threat of drone attacks, including on armored vehicles specifically, is not new, something TWZ regularly highlights, the ongoing war in Ukraine has been instrumental in thrusting that reality into the public consciousness. Both Russian and Ukrainian forces now make daily use of FPV kamikaze types, as well as weaponized commercial designs capable of dropping small munitions. Various tiers of armed uncrewed aerial systems are now a common feature in hotspots globally and new advances driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning promise to make them even more deadly, as you can read more about here.
A Ukrainian drone from the 79th Air Assault Brigade drops a 40mm HEDP grenade on a Russian UR-77 Meteorit, causing a catastrophic payload explosion. pic.twitter.com/SsaQCKXsNL
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 14, 2023
China has already clearly been taking note of what is happening in Ukraine and elsewhere when it comes to its own expanding drone capabilities, as well as ways to defend against them. ******** media has shown several videos in the past year or so highlighting new training for members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) around the use of FPV kamikaze drones in particular.
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The ******** army has released video from a UAV training base where FPV drone operators are honing their piloting skills.
The footage shows pilots practicing combat stunts and improving their control skills. Aerobatic stunts include ‘snake’ flying in confined spaces, flying… pic.twitter.com/Nkiyn22sHU
— Zlatti71 (@Zlatti_71) January 22, 2025
******** PLA troops train with FPVs for bomb dropping and situational awareness, including operating from moving armored vehicles.But I’m sure Western militaries are exercising hard to better understand the use of FPVs as well… pic.twitter.com/m3C4uJ67Nv
— Roy
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(@GrandpaRoy2) December 29, 2024
When it comes to adding additional defenses to armored vehicles, various ******** types have already emerged sporting so-called “cope cage” anti-drone armor screens. Copes cages first appeared on Russian tanks in the immediate lead-up to the all-invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and have now become commonplace on both sides of that conflict. Such screens have been increasingly showing up on vehicles elsewhere around the world. Cope cage-type armor has popped up on platforms beyond ground vehicles, too.
A ZTZ-96A Tank With Cope Cage.
The ******** Army is widely installing cages on military vehicles. pic.twitter.com/DmdGeZb1E9
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝕯𝔢𝔞𝔡 𝕯𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔦𝔠𝔱△
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(@TheDeadDistrict) February 1, 2025
With all this in mind, hard-kill APSs like the GL-6 continue to present a potential route to adding an additional layer of counter-drone defenses to tanks and other armored vehicles, many of which already have such systems installed. In our feature last year, TWZ noted that there were already examples of defense contractors adding anti-drone capability to their APSs or at least looking to do so. This past October, Israel’s Rafael notably announced that it had added new functionality to the Trophy systems specifically to enable it to defeat drone attacks.
It is important to note that hard-kill APSs, even just against ATGMs and other infantry anti-armor threats, are not a silver bullet solution in themselves. Modern armored vehicle design is defined by continually evolving layers of defensive capabilities.
The new GL-6 testing footage is the latest evidence of the general trend toward hard-kill APSs becoming not just valuable, but essential additions to tanks and other armored vehicles. This only looks set to be increasingly the case if systems like this can also demonstrate their ability to provide added protection against drones.
Contact the author: *****@*****.tld
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Latest ****** Ops 6 Terminator Event Is Call of Duty’s Biggest L of 2025
Latest ****** Ops 6 Terminator Event Is Call of Duty’s Biggest L of 2025
Call of Duty‘s new Terminator event has begun in ****** Ops 6 and Warzone, but many players are not happy for a variety of reasons. The event will continue until February 20 and will give players of Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 and Warzone access to a number of new rewards, including a new weapon blueprint, double XP tokens, a full auto weapon mod for the AEK-973, and more.
The Terminator Event in Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6 started on February 6. | Credit: Activision.
Once again, fans have been let down by the event’s repetition and the expensive bundle in the store. Before the Terminator collaboration, Activision and Netflix collaborated to create a new Squid Game event for ****** Ops 6 and Warzone. In order to obtain high-end cosmetic items like the Front Man operator skin, players had to pay 1,100 for a contentious event pass.
Fans are absolutely disgusted with The Terminator Event in Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6
The Terminator Event has been heavily criticized. | Credit: Activision.
Nothing has changed as it appears that controversy has returned to the latest Call of Duty event. On the ****** Ops 6 subreddit, numerous posts have been made since the event began on February 6 criticizing it as “boring” and a “big L.”
Posts from the blackops6 community on Reddit
The fact that both of the new Terminator operator skins must be bought through the Call of Duty store has disappointed fans who were hoping it would be like the Squid Game event, with skins that could be unlocked in the event pass. A new weapon blueprint, calling card, and other free rewards are also available, but fans called them “mid.”
Comment byu/stealthnice from discussion inblackops6
Comment byu/stealthnice from discussion inblackops6
Comment byu/stealthnice from discussion inblackops6
Comment byu/stealthnice from discussion inblackops6
But it isn’t just the event rewards that fans are disappointed with, as many are blasting the price of the new Terminator operator bundle in Call of Duty. Unlike the recent Squid Game event, fans must fork out 3,000 COD Points if they want to obtain either of the new Terminator operator skins for ****** Ops 6 and Warzone. While most bundles are usually priced between 2,000 and 2,800 COD Points, 3,000 is one of the more expensive purchases in the store.
However, if recent leaks are to be believed, a more costly bundle may be on the horizon. Although it hasn’t yet appeared in the in-game store, data miners recently discovered a new operator skin that will be part of a bundle that costs an incredible 3,300 COD Points. Despite all the backlash, it’s surprising that there’s no stopping of ****** Ops 6.
How is The Terminator Event in Call of Duty: ****** Ops 6?
You need to collect skulls to make the most out of The Terminator Event. | Credit: Activision.
The first significant event for Season 2 is a partnership with The Terminator, which will introduce a line of science fiction-themed cosmetics modeled after the renowned cyborg killer played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Terminator event in ****** Ops 6 and Warzone allows players to exchange in-game Skulls to claim rewards in any order. There are 13 free rewards and 14 more that require Skulls to unlock. Players must secure eliminations in Multiplayer or Zombies to earn Skulls, which are dropped for collection with each elimination. For players in Warzone, Skulls are located in Supply Caches, which makes them slightly easier to gather.
Players can redeem their desired rewards by going to the Terminator section under the Events tab in the main menu after they have accumulated enough Skulls. In ****** Ops 6, the Judgment PP-919 SMG Weapon Blueprint and the War Machine Scorestreak are obtained by unlocking all 12 of the free rewards.
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Walgreens suspended its dividend. How investors can deal when stocks turn off the taps
Walgreens suspended its dividend. How investors can deal when stocks turn off the taps
Investors clinging to their Walgreens Boots Alliance shares got some bad news on the income front last week as the pharmacy chain suspended its dividend . The move comes about a year after Walgreens slashed its dividend roughly in half. It’s been a rough go for the pharmacy chain. Shares have tanked 56% in the past 12 months as Walgreens contends with declining reimbursement rates for prescription drugs and softening consumer spending . WBA 1Y mountain Walgreens Boots Alliance in the past 12 months “With the stock at $11 and WBA facing other obligations, it seemed pretty obvious that a meaningful cut was coming,” wrote Don Bilson, head of Gordon Haskett’s event-driven research team, in a Jan. 31 report. “What might not have been expected was an outright suspension.” Companies can reinstate dividends. Most of the 43 S & P 500 names that halted payments during Covid have since resumed them, according to Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst, product management, at S & P Global. However, when such an action occurs, shareholders have a tough call to make. “Once you hit the point where the dividend is suspended, you have to decide what your priority is from an investment standpoint,” said Kim Abmeyer, CFP and CFA at Abmeyer Wealth Management in Dallas. “If income is your main objective, you probably should cut bait and move on,” she said. Looking for red flags For investors, a dividend suspension is typically the last red flag in a series of warnings. “Suspending your dividend is the last thing you do, and it usually means you have a cash-flow problem,” Silverblatt said. The upshot in the short term? “The company has admitted that they have a problem and are taking the difficult action to address it,” he said, noting that it’s not unusual for a company’s stock to rise on the announcement. High dividend yields and a deterioration in cash flow are some of the flashing signs for investors to watch for, Silverblatt said. The former may suggest that the share price is tumbling, while the latter could offer insight on the sustainability of the dividend payment. Headlines are also an indicator for investors, and a company that’s making the news for the wrong reasons should spur investors to take a step back, said Abmeyer. To that end, she parted ways with Intel after the company announced last August that it would suspend its dividend. Shares of the chipmaker have slid 55% in the past 12 months. INTC 1Y mountain Intel shares in the past year “It was one of the things that kept many investors holding on for the longest time: As long as the dividend gets paid, it can help you ride out the storm from a return standpoint,” Abmeyer said. “If there is no light at the end of the tunnel, cut your losses and return to your original investment objective.” How an income investor should respond to a dividend suspension from a portfolio perspective will depend on their strategy and goals. “We wouldn’t necessarily immediately replace one stock with another just for the sake of maintaining yield,” said Ashton Lawrence, CFP and senior wealth advisor at Mariner Wealth Advisors in Greenville, South Carolina. “Instead, we reassess the broader income strategy.” That could mean diversifying across other high-quality dividend payers, integrating alternative income sources like structured notes or bonds, or shifting toward a total return approach where capital appreciation complements income needs, he said. Start with the right names Head off trouble by performing solid due diligence on your dividend payers before you buy them. In addition to the strength of the balance sheet and the free cash flow, investors should also dig into the consistency of a company’s earnings and understand its dividend payout ratio. “A high payout ratio, for example, can be a red flag if a company is paying out most of its earnings in dividends with little cushion for economic downturns,” Lawrence said. Other factors he considers include the company’s positioning within its industry, its debt levels and history of dividend growth. “Companies with a strong track record of growing dividends through different market cycles are often more resilient,” he said. Diversifying across an array of dividend payers through an ETF also helps. Consider the S & P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) , made up of names that have grown their dividends for at least 25 years. Household names have made the cut, including big box retailer Walmart , tech stalwart IBM and soft drinks giant Coca-Cola . “Take a step back and realize that this speaks to the importance of having that diversified portfolio,” said Lawrence. “Be it income from bonds, dividends, income notes, you still get that income stream.”
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Judge to consider temporary order blocking Trump's dismantling of USAID – ABC News
Judge to consider temporary order blocking Trump's dismantling of USAID – ABC News
Judge to consider temporary order blocking Trump’s dismantling of USAID ABC NewsRecall of USAID’s global workforce causes havoc and distress The Washington Post
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#Judge #temporary #order #blocking #Trump039s #dismantling #USAID #ABC #News
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GTA 6 Finally Gets a Release Window in 2025 from Take-Two Interactive After Debunking a Rumor
GTA 6 Finally Gets a Release Window in 2025 from Take-Two Interactive After Debunking a Rumor
The anticipated release window for GTA 6 might have been confirmed by official information from Take-Two Interactive, so fans may be in luck. With 2025 approaching and no new trailers or fanfare, fans have been growing increasingly nervous, but it appears that the business is still on schedule for release.
GTA 6 is slated to be released in the fall of 2025. | Credit: Rockstar Games.
Expectations are high for the upcoming title, which may be hard to meet, but players are more worried about the game’s delay than anything else lately. The highly anticipated GTA title is expected to be one of the biggest game launches in recent memory. Rockstar Games has had a string of hits since it revived the series with Grand Theft Auto 3, with each subsequent GTA game being a massive seller for the company.
The 2025 release window of GTA 6 stays
During a quarterly earnings call, Take-Two Interactive acknowledged that Grand Theft Auto 6 is still scheduled for release in 2025. Specifically, the company anticipates that Grand Theft Auto 6 will launch in the fall of 2025, which would place the game’s release between late August and December of that year. This would be consistent with some previous rumors, though a recent claim that GTA 6 would launch in September has been ruled untrue.
Take-Two Interactive seems confident in GTA 6‘s current release window, but anything can happen. The company will make a lot of money from the game, and the purpose of its investment report is to reassure its shareholders about the company’s financial outlook for the year.
This release window is hopefully realistic and won’t revert to the so-called death march that the Red Dead Redemption 2 team underwent in order to finish the game on time, as Rockstar Games has also previously backed off on its crunch culture.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is still anticipated for the time being. Fans should find something to occupy them until the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 because 2025 is looking to be a pretty exciting year for games in general. Having said that, players are becoming impatient as they wait for the next Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer in order to find out more about the game’s features, gameplay, and other aspects.
Take-Two feels “really good” about GTA 6‘s release date
As of now, there’s no chance of any delay. | Credit: Rockstar Games.
During an interview with IGN prior to the investor call being made public, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick took the opportunity to allay fans’ concerns, even though many fans immediately recalled a similar scenario with Red Dead Redemption 2, where it was allegedly not going to be delayed early in the year and then pushed back in May.
Zelnick acknowledged that Take-Two feels “really good about” the Fall 2025 release date, despite the risk of “slippage” when it comes to big game releases, according to IGN. The investor call also reflected Take-Two’s apparent expectation that 2025 will be a huge year for it, which will undoubtedly occur if GTA 6 is released. This is what the CEO stated:
Look, there’s always a risk of slippage and I think as soon as you say words like absolutely, you jinx things. So we feel really good about it.
Zelnick provided little information about GTA 6, aside from restating Take-Two’s conviction that the game would be released this year. While acknowledging that Rockstar “seeks perfection” with its games, he did mention the enormous enthusiasm for the upcoming game both internally and externally. Even so, Zelnick knows that “the competition is not asleep” and that GTA will have to work hard.
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More hot air from a Government that can’t keep the lights on
More hot air from a Government that can’t keep the lights on
How can the Cook Labor Government promise $89 million to upgrade air-conditioning in 45 public schools when they can’t keep the lights on?
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One Small Change Makes It an S-Tier Bug Blower
One Small Change Makes It an S-Tier Bug Blower
Arrowhead Game Studios’ Helldivers 2 offers a wide variety of weapons that Super Earth’s brave soldiers can use to spread democracy. As the game is gaining popularity again, not many beginners know that some weapons can become much stronger if players make the right choices. The LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle is one of those weapons.
The LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle is capable of becoming one the best weapons in Helldivers 2, thanks to this trick (Image via Arrowhead Game Studios)
The LAS-16 Sickle and LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle are like heat-based Assault Rifles, but they fire laser pulses. Unlike the regular Sickle, the Double-Edge Sickle has all its overheating protections removed, so it can damage the players, however, there is a way to avoid getting damaged by the weapon.
This one trick makes the Double-Edge Sickle one of the best weapons in Helldivers 2
The LAS-17 Double-Edge Sickle is just a variation of the LAS-16 Sickle but it doesn’t have any overheating protections, which means that prolonged shooting can damage players. It has some advantages as it allows players to inflict more damage on enemies but how do you make the most out of its buffed capabilities without dying? Well, this trick will help you out.
Many players, who used just their common sense, figured out that using a Fire Resistant armor would keep players safe from Double-Edge Sickle’s damage. This trick will allow players to keep firing the weapon as long as they want without losing health. Once you start using this trick, there’s no going back as it makes Double-Edge Sickle one of the best weapons in the game, especially against Terminids. To get your hands on this weapon, head over to the first page of the Servants of Freedom Premium Warbond.
One trick will allow you to reduce fall damage in Helldivers 2
Players will never have to worry about fall damage if they use this one trick (Image via Arrowhead Game Studios)
Just like the Double-Edge Sickle trick, the game has some secrets that would give you an advantage on the battlefield. In a recent update, Arrowhead decided to bring back a fan-favorite feature that allowed players to emote while ragdolling. In case you ever find yourself stuck on top of a tall structure, don’t worry, just jump and hit the emote button as emoting while ragdolling reduces fall damage.
In December, Arrowhead announced the Omens of Tyranny update for Helldivers 2, adding the long-awaited Illuminate faction to the game. Initially, it was confirmed that only a few Illuminate enemies have been added but now, it seems like more stronger enemies are around the corner. Thanks to this update, the game has made a strong comeback but fans are eagerly waiting for the new enemies, weapons, and Stratagems.
When new enemies appear on the battlefield, make sure you make the most out of Double-Edge Sickle trick because it might soon get nerfed by Arrowhead Game Studios.
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Story of a Restaurant: The Magic of New York City on a Plate
Story of a Restaurant: The Magic of New York City on a Plate
All right. This is it. This is my favorite dish on the menu. [JAZZY MUSIC] I’m going to tell you why. [UPBEAT MUSIC] I’m so glad we’re having dinner together. We’re at Torrisi, which is an Italian-American restaurant in Manhattan. And we’re here because restaurants tell stories about the places that they exist in, the places that they aspire to. We’re going to explore one of those stories today, through the food that Rich Torrisi, the chef here, creates and serves. This is a very exciting restaurant. It’s an expensive restaurant, but it’s a restaurant that helps tell the story of New York City in a way that I find exciting. “I never knew that my first restaurant in New York would end up being on Mulberry Street. The interesting thing about Mulberry Street is, you can easily make the case that it’s just as much Chinatown as it is Little Italy. There’s nothing, really, more Italian than only cooking what’s around you.” “Hi.” Hey. “Welcome to Torrisi.” How are you? Thank you very much. “I’m doing well. May I offer you some still water, sparkling water, or just plain iced water today?” What do you guys think? I’m going to say New York City tap water. “You got it.” Thank you. “And for the first course here, I have the cucumbers, New Yorkese.” Fantastic. All right. I’m going to dig in here. [JAZZY MUSIC] Salty, dilly, cilantro-y. Tastes like a pickle. Doesn’t taste like a pickle. It tastes like a poem about a pickle. That’s what Pete Wells said, the restaurant critic here, at the ‘Times.’ In his review of Torrisi, he recalled that this dish is an homage to a dish that was served 15 years ago, at Torrisi Italian Specialties, just down the street. A different salad there, but similar, both paying homage to the pickle stores of the Lower East Side. The same flavor profile. Got the coriander in there. We’ve got the dill. We’ve got the salt. We’ve got the acid. None of this is precisely Italian cooking. It’s not even an Italian-American cooking. It’s New York cooking. [UPBEAT MUSIC] “So, for the pasta course, I have the Capellini Cantonese.” Nice. That is beautiful. Thank you very much. “May I serve you some?” Absolutely. That’d be great. “Wonderful.” [UPBEAT MUSIC] Thank you. Love a pasta pull. One of the cool things about this dish is that the Cantonese part of it is Cantonese. All of it’s been velveted, which means it’s been coated in a combination of egg white and corn starch and some aromatics and then shallow fried in the wok. And then, next to it, were the capellini. Very traditional Italian preparation in olive oil and garlic. That addition of the jalapeño, which, to me, is a very American addition, but it ties the two together really nicely. I really wish you could taste this, because it’s delicious. And I’m going to prove that to you by eating some now. Let’s see. Oh, wow. The story of this dish is like the story of New York City. On the plate, this deeply, deeply ******** preparation and this deeply Italian preparation, combining in New York City, is just amazing. If you were lazy, you’d call that fusion cooking or melting pot cuisine. But we’re not lazy. We’re going to call it a kind of cuisine unto itself. “And for the next pasta, I have the cavatelli with Jamaican beef ragu.” Amazing. All right. This is it. This is my favorite dish on the menu. I’m going to tell you why, because it’s a magic trick. What happens in this dish is — for people like me, who grew up in New York City, it’s an instant time travel back to the pizzeria on the corner, where you could go in. And in addition to the slices, you could get a Jamaican beef Patty. “Jamaican beef patties were, for us, an obvious jumping-off point because they’re in so many New York City pizzerias. They’re one of these foodstuffs that comes from a totally different culture that you won’t find in pizzerias anywhere else. But for some reason, they bled into the New York City pizzeria culture.” O.K., so we’re in a standard issue New York City slice shop, just a few blocks north of Torrisi, where we started our journey. How are you doing, man? “How are you?” I’m doing well. “What do you got for me?” Could I have a beef patty with cheese, please? “Sure.” One of the great enduring mysteries of New York City is why there are Jamaican beef patties served in Italian-American pizzerias. It was an enterprising salesman who offered a free case to a pizzeria owner and said, just see how these things sell. They’re easy to heat up in the pizza oven, and I think customers will like them. Well, customers did. I was one of them. “I grew up eating them, and I grew up loving them. And I thought it would be a fun, natural way to communicate that. We make an oil, a deep red annatto oil. There’s a little turmeric in there to give it that deep yellow color, that color that is synonymous with the a beef patty. So you can feel that, one, the pasta is on the chewy side, and the ragu is made with beef cheeks and all the aromatics and a lot of what you’d find in a beef patty.” The patty itself resembles an English pasty, but it’s got the flavors of Jamaican cuisine in it, allspice, scotch bonnet pepper. It’s fiery. It’s sweet. A little bit of curry in there as well. It’s easily sliced open. Why? So that you can add cheese to the top, put it in the oven, and easily melt it, and create what amounts to an ambrosial eating experience. It’s like a perfect rhyme to the dish that we had at Torrisi, same flavor profile, totally different but reminiscent. And I do wish we had the technology so that you could taste this yourself, because it’s amazing. To discover the flavors of those patties on a plate, reflected at the highest levels of cuisine, is pretty magical. Wow. Love that. “And to finish the meal, I have some cookies for you to enjoy.” That sounds fantastic. So you don’t get that in a pizzeria. Right? Maybe you get an Icee at the end. But here, we do really well. So we’ve been talking about restaurants as culture, and I hope I’ve made my point clear, that a dish like that ragu we just ate can be a form of art. The fact of the matter is, what we eat tells us something about who we are. And in this case, it shows us, those of us who were born in New York — it offers us the chance to be incredibly proud of the city from which we come. But anyone who comes to this restaurant will taste the flavors of America, as refracted through the eyes of — I’ll just say it — the artist who created the dishes. I hope you enjoyed this meal. I certainly did, and I hope you’ll come back and eat with me again some other time. [UPBEAT MUSIC]
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Resistance 4 Was Pitched By Insomniac, But PlayStation Turned It Down
Resistance 4 Was Pitched By Insomniac, But PlayStation Turned It Down
Insomniac Games wanted to develop Resistance 4, but PlayStation turned it down. That’s according to soon-to-be president of Insomniac Games Ted Price.
In a new interview with Kinda Funny Games, Price was asked about a favorite game of his that was pitched but never greenlit.
“Yeah, I’ll share one,” Price said after a brief pause. “Resistance 4.”
He continued: “We did pitch that one and it was a wonderful concept, and, it just, in terms of timing and market opportunity, didn’t work out. But it was the result of a lot of Insomniac team members being passionate about extending the story further because I do believe that Resistance has set up a really cool alternate history base where anything can happen with the Chimera and where they go and what their origins are.”
Price said that they spent a lot of time working on backstory and brainstorming on where the series could go in the future.
“Personally, I love this franchise,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to be creative director on the first two Resistances. And I will remember many, many moments—good and bad—when it comes to development that taught us all a lot about how we can elevate ourselves under some pretty difficult situations.”
Resistance, which first debuted with 2006’s Resistance: Fall of Man, hasn’t seen a mainline game since 2011’s Resistance 3. Price said that there’s no answer to the question of if the studio will ever develop another Resistance game, but it’s something he hopes will happen in the future.
What do you think of Price and Insomniac wanting to develop Resistance 4? Let us know down below, and join more discussions in the official Insider Gaming forums.
For more Insider Gaming, read about what Take-Two’s CEO had to say about the Nintendo Switch 2 and check out what Balatro developer LocalThunk said about the game’s next major update. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter.
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How Navy submarine cooks feed 150 sailors at sea
How Navy submarine cooks feed 150 sailors at sea
United States Navy submariners deploy for months at a time, spending weeks submerged at sea with no internet and minimal contact with the outside world. Aboard the Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarine USS South Dakota, culinary specialists work tirelessly in incredibly tight quarters to prepare meals for up to 150 crew members. While the sub was in port at Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, Business Insider spent two days observing how the cooks manage tight spaces, limited resources, and long hours to provide fuel and maintain the crew’s morale.
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*** government dismisses “Stop Killing Games” petition
*** government dismisses “Stop Killing Games” petition
Earlier this week, the *** government responded to the British equivalent of the “Stop Killing Games” petition.
The short petition, submitted to petition.gov.*** entitled ‘Prohibit publishers irrevocably disabling video games they have already sold’ has until July 6 to reach the 100,000 signatures required for the petition to be debated in parliament and received an official response from the government on February 3 after reaching 10,000 signatures.
In a response available on the petition.gov.*** page, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) stated “We are aware of issues relating to the life-span of digital content, including video games, and we appreciate the concerns of players of some games that have been discontinued.” It added that while the DCMS currently has no plans to amend consumer laws in relation to obsolescence they would “monitor this issue and consider the relevant work of the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) on consumer rights and consumer detriment.”
“…there is no requirement in *** law for software companies to support older versions of their products. Decision-making is for those companies, taking account of commercial and regulatory factors and complying with existing consumer law.”
The statement goes on to elaborate that “video games sellers must comply with existing consumer law,” including the Consumer Rights Act of 2015 (CRA) and advises that, while “there is no requirement in *** law for software companies to support older versions of their products,” the CRA does offer some protection to purchasers of both physical and digital copies of video games.
As described by the DCMS in its statement, the CRA gives *** consumers rights when making a contract with a seller of digital goods “requiring it to be of satisfactory quality, fit for a particular purpose and as described by the seller.”
If purchased goods do not meet these quality rights then it constitutes a breach of contract under the CRA and “the consumer is entitled to a repair or replacement or, if not possible, some money back up to 100% of the cost of the digital content. These rights apply to intangible digital content like a PC game, as well as tangible content like a physical copy of a game” with a limit of “up to six years after a breach of contract during which a consumer can take legal action.”
Though the statement is a strong reminder for *** consumers of the rights they have, the focus of the statement is on the rights of *** consumers to claim refunds for faulty games or for games sold for hardware or software that no longer supports it and does little to address the petition’s intention to prevent publishers and developers from intentionally restricting access to games that have been purchased or to render them non-functional, and could be seen as an indication that the DMCS does not fully understand the rights consumers have requested in the brief petition.
Ben Newton Contributor
Ben has been gaming for as long as he can remember, with some of his earliest memories being of playing DOOM with his Dad in the late 90’s. His passion for gaming is shared with a passion for writing that he hopes to share by contributing to Smash Jump.
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Hims & Hers faces lawmaker scrutiny over ‘misleading’ Super Bowl ad
Hims & Hers faces lawmaker scrutiny over ‘misleading’ Super Bowl ad
The New York Stock Exchange with a Hims & Hers Health banner is pictured in the Manhattan borough of New York City.
Carlo Allegri | Reuters
Hims & Hers is facing scrutiny from lawmakers over what they claim is a “misleading” advertisement for its weight loss offerings that’s slated to run during the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Sens. ***** Durbin (D-Ill.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) wrote a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday expressing concerns over an “upcoming advertisement” that “risks misleading patients by omitting any safety or side effect information when promoting a specific type of weight loss medication.”
The Hims & Hers ad, which the company released online in late January, is called “Sick of the System” and sharply criticizes the $160 billion dollar weight loss industry. It shows visuals of existing weight loss medications known as GLP-1s, including injection pens that look like Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic.
The ad claims those drugs are “priced for profits, not patients,” and points to Hims & Hers’ weight loss medications as “affordable” and “doctor-trusted” alternatives.
“We are complying with existing law and are happy to continue working with Congress and the new Administration to fix the broken health system and ensure that patients have choices for quality, safe, and affordable healthcare,” a Hims & Hers spokesperson told CNBC in a statement.
The senators do not mention Hims & Hers by name in their letter, but they do reference some of the visuals in the ad, including “imagery of an injection pen with distinctive characteristics reflective of an existing brand-name medication.”
“Nowhere in this promotion is there any side effect disclosure, risk, or safety information as would be typically required in a pharmaceutical advertisement,” the senators wrote. “Further, for only three seconds during the minute-long commercial does the screen flash in small, barely legible font, that these products are not FDA-approved.”
Hims & Hers began offering compounded semaglutide through its platform in May after launching a new weight loss program in late 2023. Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, which can each cost around $1,000 a month without insurance.
Shares of Hims & Hers jumped over 170% last year, thanks to soaring demand for GLP-1s. They rose another 8% on Friday, lifting the company’s market cap to about $9.5 billion.
Compounded GLP-1s are typically much cheaper and can serve as an alternative for patients that are navigating complex supply hurdles and spotty insurance coverage. Hims & Hers sells compounded semaglutide for under $200 a month.
The FDA doesn’t review the safety and efficacy of compounded products, which are custom-made alternatives to brand drugs designed to meet a specific patient’s needs. Compounded products can also be produced when brand-name treatments are in shortage.
Semaglutide is currently in shortage, according to the FDA.
Sens. Durbin and Marshall said that advertisements for brand-name GLP-1 medications include “significant risk disclosures to patients about side effects and contraindications, including warnings about potential gallbladder, pancreas, vomiting, diarrhea, and other implications.”
A release on Durbin’s website says that the ad in question appears to exploit a loophole “regarding promotions of compounded drugs by telehealth companies.”
The senators said they believe the FDA may have the authority to take enforcement actions against marketing that could mislead patients, and they plan to introduce new legislation to address regulatory loopholes.
WATCH: New study reveals why patients stop taking GLP-1 obesity drugs
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Hims & Hers faces lawmaker scrutiny over ‘misleading’ Super Bowl ad
Hims & Hers faces lawmaker scrutiny over ‘misleading’ Super Bowl ad
The New York Stock Exchange with a Hims & Hers Health banner is pictured in the Manhattan borough of New York City.
Carlo Allegri | Reuters
Hims & Hers is facing scrutiny from lawmakers over what they claim is a “misleading” advertisement for its weight loss offerings that’s slated to run during the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Sens. ***** Durbin (D-Ill.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) wrote a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday expressing concerns over an “upcoming advertisement” that “risks misleading patients by omitting any safety or side effect information when promoting a specific type of weight loss medication.”
The Hims & Hers ad, which the company released online in late January, is called “Sick of the System” and sharply criticizes the $160 billion dollar weight loss industry. It shows visuals of existing weight loss medications known as GLP-1s, including injection pens that look like Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster diabetes drug Ozempic.
The ad claims those drugs are “priced for profits, not patients,” and points to Hims & Hers’ weight loss medications as “affordable” and “doctor-trusted” alternatives.
“We are complying with existing law and are happy to continue working with Congress and the new Administration to fix the broken health system and ensure that patients have choices for quality, safe, and affordable healthcare,” a Hims & Hers spokesperson told CNBC in a statement.
The senators do not mention Hims & Hers by name in their letter, but they do reference some of the visuals in the ad, including “imagery of an injection pen with distinctive characteristics reflective of an existing brand-name medication.”
“Nowhere in this promotion is there any side effect disclosure, risk, or safety information as would be typically required in a pharmaceutical advertisement,” the senators wrote. “Further, for only three seconds during the minute-long commercial does the screen flash in small, barely legible font, that these products are not FDA-approved.”
Hims & Hers began offering compounded semaglutide through its platform in May after launching a new weight loss program in late 2023. Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, which can each cost around $1,000 a month without insurance.
Shares of Hims & Hers jumped over 170% last year, thanks to soaring demand for GLP-1s. They rose another 8% on Friday, lifting the company’s market cap to about $9.5 billion.
Compounded GLP-1s are typically much cheaper and can serve as an alternative for patients that are navigating complex supply hurdles and spotty insurance coverage. Hims & Hers sells compounded semaglutide for under $200 a month.
The FDA doesn’t review the safety and efficacy of compounded products, which are custom-made alternatives to brand drugs designed to meet a specific patient’s needs. Compounded products can also be produced when brand-name treatments are in shortage.
Semaglutide is currently in shortage, according to the FDA.
Sens. Durbin and Marshall said that advertisements for brand-name GLP-1 medications include “significant risk disclosures to patients about side effects and contraindications, including warnings about potential gallbladder, pancreas, vomiting, diarrhea, and other implications.”
A release on Durbin’s website says that the ad in question appears to exploit a loophole “regarding promotions of compounded drugs by telehealth companies.”
The senators said they believe the FDA may have the authority to take enforcement actions against marketing that could mislead patients, and they plan to introduce new legislation to address regulatory loopholes.
WATCH: New study reveals why patients stop taking GLP-1 obesity drugs
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Trump tells Ishiba at the White House that he wants to slash the US trade deficit with Japan – The Associated Press
Trump tells Ishiba at the White House that he wants to slash the US trade deficit with Japan – The Associated Press
Trump tells Ishiba at the White House that he wants to slash the US trade deficit with Japan The Associated PressLatest on Trump’s presidency as he meets with Japan’s PM and moves to overhaul government CNNTrump Says US, Japan To Fight “******** Economic Aggression” NDTVLive updates: Trump and Japan Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hold joint press conference The Associated PressTrump meets with Japanese prime minister as tariff threat looms large ABC News
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Taylor Swift drives Super Bowl fever in WA as record number of venues open early for NFL fans
Taylor Swift drives Super Bowl fever in WA as record number of venues open early for NFL fans
Super Bowl fever is set to grip WA on Monday morning, with a record number of venues preparing to pour pints and sling burgers at a time when many West Aussies are sitting down to a bowl of Cornflakes.
From InSwing Sports Bar in Albany to Divers Tavern in Broome, pubs from one end of WA to the other will throw open their doors as early as 6am to welcome NFL fans keen to watch the Kansas City Chiefs attempt a historic three-peat should they beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
Former Aussie rugby league player Jordan Mailata is also chasing history, with the Eagles offensive tackle set to become the first *********** to win a Super Bowl if Philly prevails.
With an estimated 6.6 million such fans in Australia, the NFL decider attracted record viewership last year on the Seven Network’s various platforms, reaching 2.7 million people, up 43 per cent from the previous year.
Some of that increased popularity was due to the presence at the game of pop superstar Taylor Swift, the significant other of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Swift is expected to be in attendance in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX, along with President Donald Trump and a host of major celebrities.
The T-Swizz factor also played a role in Optus Stadium hosting its first Super Bowl watch party this year, with the singer converting a group of Swifties on the stadium’s staff to NFL devotees.
Camera IconStaff Kayla Bond, Rachel Nicolas, James Radford and Abi Williams. Credit: Ian Munro/The West ***********
The stadium’s head of meetings and special events, Nadia Owen, said, just because the State missed out on hosting an NFL game (that honour will go to the MCG in 2026), West Aussies could still enjoy the action at our temple of footy.
“Some of our team are new fans, which is probably the Taylor Swift effect, and that probably triggered a desire to create a new product for a new audience, but also allow the team to flex their newly-found fascination with a different-shaped ball sport,” Ms Owen said.
About 300 people are expected to attend the Optus Stadium Super Bowl event and they’ll be treated to a classic American tailgate experience, including Coors beer, buffalo wings, mac and cheese, and fried chicken and waffles.
Ms Owen doesn’t anticipate the early kick-off will be an issue.
“We’ve seen from our previous Grand Final events and that kind of thing that everyone really embraces it,” she said.
“They come in their team colours, they come ready for a good time, so I don’t think the (early start) is gonna dissuade anyone.”
The only thing left is how people explain the Monday morning booze fest to their employers, but Optus Stadium has thought of that, too.
“We’ve created a bit of a tongue-in-cheek sick note that people can use to ensure they get the rest of the day off work,” Ms Owen said.
Don’t miss the comprehensive Super Bowl LIX preview in The Sunday Times. Super Bowl LIX kicks off at 7.30am on Monday and will be broadcast on Channel 7 and 7PLUS.
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Is a certificate of deposit (CD) still a good investment?
Is a certificate of deposit (CD) still a good investment?
Interest rates on certificates of deposit (CDs) have fallen, and there’s a chance they could fall even further this year.
Since September of 2024, when the Federal Reserve began its most recent flood of federal funds rate cuts, the interest rates on CDs have been dropping. Today, the average account now pays below 2%.
If you’re looking to earn the highest rate possible on your savings, the outlook may be discouraging. But it doesn’t mean CDs are a bad bet. In fact, you can still find accounts that pay as high as 4.50% APY. Plus, you have time to invest before anticipated future rate changes take effect.
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Even though CD rates have dropped, CDs are still a good place to invest some of your money.
In particular, CDs are an excellent choice for holding money you’re saving up for a specific future goal. Think: a down payment on a home or funds for your summer wedding.
By putting your money in a CD, you can lock in a competitive fixed rate for a set ******* of time (typically six months to five years). Then, you’ll get penalty-free access to your money when you need it at a later date.
How much more will you earn with a CD versus a savings account? It depends on the account, but on average, CDs currently offer about one percentage point more than traditional savings accounts. Even better, the interest rates on CDs are fixed, meaning they won’t change at any point during the term. The same, however, isn’t true for savings accounts, which have variable interest rates.
In other words, if you find a high-yield savings account (HYSA) that pays 4.50% APY and a CD with the same rate, the CD may be a better option. However, you need to be sure you won’t have to tap those funds until the account reaches maturity. Otherwise, you’ll be subject to an early withdrawal penalty, which will wipe out some or all of your interest earnings.
Read more: The best CD rates on the market today
Want to ensure you earn the most competitive returns on your CD? You’ll need to do a little research and preparation up front. Here are a few ways to get the best outcome.
A CD is not the right place for your emergency savings since you’ll face penalties if you need to withdraw the money before the maturity date. So, instead of putting all your savings into a CD, make sure you set aside some cash in a fully liquid emergency fund.
Read more: The 4 best (and worst) places to keep your emergency fund
There’s a ton of variation in the CD rates offered by different financial institutions. While the average CD currently yields 0.23% to 1.82% (depending on the term), you can find rates above 4% if you shop around. For the best CD rates, you might have to go with a bank you’ve never used before.
Read more: This map shows the highest CD rates in every state
When the Federal Reserve adjusts the federal funds rate, CD rates move in tandem. By staying informed about the Fed’s plans for upcoming rate changes, you can anticipate whether CD rates are likely to change in the near future. As a result, you can choose the optimal term for your CD.
Here’s how you should respond to each of the following forecasts from the Fed:
Rate increases: Shop for a CD with a short term or consider setting up a CD ladder, which allows you the freedom to move money to a higher-yield CD after the Fed makes an increase.
Rate cuts: Prioritize long-term CDs that give you competitive, locked-in rates beyond the date of the anticipated rate decrease.
No change: Compare interest rates and terms to decide which CD best helps you earn solid returns before you need the money back.
Will the Fed make any rate adjustments in 2025? Their projection for this year has shifted from four rate cuts down to two, but tariffs and other economic policies could increase inflation, which means rate hikes are not off the board.
Read more: Should you open a savings account or CD before the Fed’s next meeting?
With CDs, there’s a trade-off: In exchange for agreeing to leave your money on deposit for a set *******, you can earn higher deposit rates than you get from a savings account. If you withdraw the money early, however, you’ll face a penalty.
Early withdrawal penalties usually involve forfeiting several months’ worth of interest, giving up a set percentage of your interest, or paying a flat fee. You may also lose some of your principal deposit, depending on the account. So it’s important to choose a CD term that aligns with your savings timeline.
Read more: What is a CD early withdrawal penalty?
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Diablo Creator May Have Taken a Subtle Dig at Path of Exile 2 With His Action ROG Criticism
Diablo Creator May Have Taken a Subtle Dig at Path of Exile 2 With His Action ROG Criticism
Let’s be honest, ever since the first Diablo game’s launch back in 1997, gamers have been obsessed with venturing into hell and wrecking its people before escaping with loot. Every Diablo game has managed to break records and set new highs for Blizzard.
Diablo is still making waves in the gaming industry. (Image via Blizzard)
Diablo wouldn’t have been possible without David Brevik. He’s the creator of the beloved franchise. While he might not be a part of Blizzard anymore, he’s been keeping an active eye on the series’ competitors and has some words for the current state of Action-RPGs, which’s being dominated by Path of Exile 2.
Diablo creator opens up about modern-day ARPGs
Modern-day ARPGs suffer from rapid progression and player satisfaction. (Image via Grinding Gear Games)
While chatting with VideoGamer, Diablo creator David Brevik opened up about all the highlights from his career and what he’s planning for the future.
When asked if he still believes that Diablo 2 is still the best ARPG game, Bevrick stated that he still finds the pace of the game “great.” Sure, he doesn’t think it’s a perfect game by any means; he feels the slower pace of progression makes the adventure more rewarding than other games.
Your build is killing all sorts of stuff so you could get more drops, you can level up, so you can like, and the screen is littered with stuff you don’t care about.
According to Brevik, all modern RPGs, such as Diablo 4 and Path of Exile 2, force players to make builds that are centered around killing all sorts of stuff to get more drops and level up. Most of the time, it’s boring, and our screens are filled with things that add anything to the gameplay.
It’s not just ARPGs that are suffering from pacing issues and rapid progression. According to Brevik, even the MMO genre is suffering from the same issue. He feels forcing players to quickly finish the opening levels takes away connection and attachment to their characters.
Diablo 4‘s microtransactions keep getting worse
Blizzard needs to reevaluate its microtransactions strategy. (Image via Blizzard)
Blizzard has always experimented with microtransactions for its games. Unlike Bethesda or EA, the company didn’t have a reputation for bringing the most horrendous pricing for in-game items. However, it seems like the studio wants to break that record.
According to Icy Veins, one of the recent Diablo 4 patches has brought Pale Perry and Quilgem Scamp bundles into the item shop. These bundles, for the first time, bring pets alongside various other cosmetics. While they might be a great addition to the game, players can’t understand why they cost $25 each.
Seriously, there’s absolutely no reason for these shop bundles to cost so high. If Blizzard really wants gamers to actively engage with the microtransactions, it should’ve considered launching the bundle at a lower price.
It’s not just Diablo 4 suffering from this issue, Blizzard’s Overwatch 2 is also plagued with the worst kind of microtransactions. What’s worse is that Blizzard doesn’t want to improve the hero-shooter either, but it’s being forced to do so because of the arrival of a new competitor, Marvel Rivals.
However, let’s not forget the insane microtransactions that have allowed Blizzard to reach impressive revenues. As long as the profits keep flowing, the company won’t bother stopping these practices.
With that said, do you think you agree with the Diablo creator on the current state of ARPG games? Let us know in the comments below.
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Wall Street falls on trade war escalation, weak data – Reuters
Wall Street falls on trade war escalation, weak data – Reuters
Wall Street falls on trade war escalation, weak data ReutersStock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq retreat over inflation, tariff concerns Yahoo FinanceDow tumbles 400 points on tariff and inflation fears, Nasdaq falls 1% led by Amazon: Live updates CNBCStock Market Today: Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq slide after consumer sentiment survey and as Trump reportedly plans reciprocal tariffs MarketWatchStocks Erase Gains After Consumer Sentiment Data: Markets Wrap Bloomberg
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Donald Trump says he could hit Japan with tariffs – Financial Times
Donald Trump says he could hit Japan with tariffs – Financial Times
Donald Trump says he could hit Japan with tariffs Financial TimesTrump live news: US president teases reciprocal tariffs next week Al Jazeera EnglishWatch Trump Says Reciprocal Tariffs to Be Announced Next Week Bloomberg
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OpenAI changes ChatGPT o3-mini to work more like DeepSeek-R1, but faces backlash from users
OpenAI changes ChatGPT o3-mini to work more like DeepSeek-R1, but faces backlash from users
OpenAI has changed the way that its new ChatGPT o3-mini model displays its chain of thought (Cot) to “make it easier for people to understand how the model thinks,” however it has faced an almost immediate backlash from users and accusations that it is copying the way that DeepSeek’s R1 model displays its reasoning.
Speaking to TechRadar, OpenAI said: “Users have told us that understanding how the model reasons through a response not only supports more informed decision-making but also helps build trust in its answers.”
“While the model’s raw CoT remains hidden as it’s hard to understand, we’ve found a balance: the model can think freely, and then it organises those thoughts so that they are easy to read. To improve clarity and safety, we’ve added an additional post-processing step where the model reviews the raw chain of thought, removing any unsafe content and then simplifies any complex ideas. Additionally, this post-processing step enables non-English users to receive the CoT in their native language, creating a more accessible and friendly experience.”
The new approach effectively provides summaries of the model’s reasoning instead of showing you the raw data. However, despite the new approach being available in both the o3-mini for free and paid users and o3-mini-high for paid users, the response on X to its changes was not entirely positive.
Mayo Oshin responded on X, posting: “We’d appreciate if you showed the full chain of thought, not just summarised version….thank you”, and Conor responded with, “its still a summary and not real CoT, which is disappointing.”
Some other users responded by suggesting that OpenAI was simply responding to the threat offered by the new DeepSeek by copying the way it presented the reasoning chain in its R1 model. “Finally DeepSeek changing the O-World for us,” replied Hamza. “So OpenAI copied Deepseek’s Chain of Thought feature?” said Ignis Rex, and “That moment when China is the one innovating, and US is the copycat,” said Josip Tomo Licardo.
A big step forward
Personally, I much prefer the new way of presenting reasoning in ChatGPT o3-mini. If you try the model now (just hit the Reasoning button) before you enter your prompt, you’ll find that much more information is provided on how ChatGPT is coming to its conclusion. The previous scarcity of reasoning information, when compared to DeepSeek, was something I criticized 03-mini for in the last few days. So, from my perspective, I think the new approach is a big step forward for ChatGPT o3-mini.
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I’m not alone in welcoming the new feature, either. X user Roman Pshichenko said, “Hilariously, the chain of thought is more endearing and funny than the stiff response,” and “That’s a nice improvement! I’d love to see some examples of how this update impacts it’s reasoning process,” said Jesus Vazquezon X.
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Losing Tory candidate still ‘parading around as an MP’
Losing Tory candidate still ‘parading around as an MP’
BBC
Brendan Clarke-Smith was voted out of office when Labour MP Jo White won more votes in Labour’s landslide victory last summer
A former Conservative minister who lost his seat at last year’s general election has been accused of continuing to “parade around as an MP” by the leader of the House of Commons.
Brendan Clarke-Smith was a children’s minister under Boris Johnson and the MP for Bassetlaw from 2019 until July last year, when Labour’s Jo White won the seat.
More than six months later, White has complained that Clarke-Smith’s former constituency office is still displaying his title as MP, as well as the official portcullis logo of the House of Commons.
Commons Leader Lucy Powell said she was “appalled” by the allegations – but Clarke-Smith dismissed them as “daft”.
He told the BBC he had handed back the keys to his office in November and the landlord would be replacing the sign when a new tenant is found.
The issue was raised in the Commons by White, who asked: “What action can be taken when the previous MP continues to promote themselves in the constituency where they lost their seat, retaining the Portcullis insignia and title in their publicity?”
Responding, Lucy Powell said she takes the matter “very seriously indeed” and would be checking on reports to the House authorities and the Standards Commissioner.
She said: “I’m really appalled to see some of the evidence she’s sent about her predecessor effectively parading around her constituency as an MP – or shadow MP, or other such things that don’t exist – and making use of the portcullis symbol, which is absolutely against the protocol for its use.”
Posters displaying political attacks on the Labour government have been put up in the window since the election, when Clarke-Smith lost his job as MP
White told the BBC: “He’s the only election loser in the country who is reminding people daily they didn’t vote for him.
“My constituents are telling me they want it taken down – it’s well over time for him to get over it and move on.”
The former MP’s office has a bright blue sign running the length of the building that reads: “Brendan Clarke-Smith MP, Member of Parliament for Bassetlaw” and is flanked on either side by a large portcullis topped with a crown, which is the accepted emblem of Parliament.
The window of his office door is displaying a more than a dozen political posters attacking White for the Labour government’s winter fuel allowance cuts, which must have been put up inside the office since the election.
Brendan Clarke-Smith standing outside the Schoolwear Centre, which later became his office
Clarke-Smith dismissed the complaint as “a bit of a whinge… No-one is pretending to be an MP”.
“It’s an empty office which has got a sign up still and I think the thing she doesn’t like is its got a big picture of my face on it, which is very visible as you drive into town,” he said.
“When someone moves in there and it becomes a cafe or whatever, they will rip that off – I don’t think I’m authorised to.
“I think she just expects me to disappear and politics doesn’t quite work like that.”
When asked about the posters attacking the Labour government in the window, he said: “Somebody has probably left that in there.”
He said his office had formerly been a clothing shop that had been empty for about a decade, still with the original sign reading the Schoolwear Centre above the door when he moved in.
“Ironically, Jo White was the deputy leader of the council and responsible for regeneration for many years,” he added.
Clarke-Smith said MPs no longer had to clear out their offices and take down signs during elections because “it was costing huge amounts of money”.
Following every election there is a four-month ******* where former MPs move out of offices, make staff redundant and pay final bills, known as “wash-up” and Clarke-Smith said “I think most MPs have only just closed their offices”.
He also criticised White for using her time in the Commons to complain about him, saying there were many other more important local issues, including flooding and the new Accident and Emergency department.
The pair also clashed during the last election, when Clarke-Smith reported White to the Standards Commissioner for an offer of visits to Parliament, although the complaint was not upheld.
The House of Commons and Standards Commissioner were approached for comment.
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#Losing #Tory #candidate #parading
Pelican News
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Donny Osmond to share stage with AI teen self in Vegas
Donny Osmond to share stage with AI teen self in Vegas
Donny Osmond is set to share the stage with a younger version of himself from 1972 “thanks to some mind-blowing AI and CGI technology.”
The Osmonds star, 67, has shared introduced his new “co-star” for the remaining dates of his solo residency at Harrah’s Las Vegas – an avatar of 14-year-old Donny.
In an Instagram video introducing AI Donny, he said: “I have a new co-star at my Las Vegas residency, and we are going to be making history together.
“Can you imagine sharing the stage with your 14-year-old-self?
“Well, it’s happening, thanks to some mind-blowing AI and CGI technology, I’m going to be talking and singing with Donny Osmond, you know the one from 1972.”
Osmond is then joined by the avatar and asks him: “What does it feel like to sing with yourself 50 years in the future?”
The young Osmond said it was like performing with his “grandpa”.
Osmond says: “It’s incredible. This is something you’re not going to want to miss.”
The Puppy Love hitmaker started his residency at Harrah’s back in 2021 and it will wrap in June.
Speaking about the rise in the use of AI (artificial intelligence), Osmond previously told Fox News Digital: “AI is a tool, not a substitute.
“So, I love the prospects of AI. I love what it can do for me as a producer, as an artist – as a tool. And that’s it.”
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#Donny #Osmond #share #stage #teen #Vegas
Pelican News
View the full article at [Hidden Content]
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